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Boys Build, Girls Glam: An Examination of Adult Language Use In Informal STEAM Education Settings
Get PDFResearch on STEAM education has primarily focused on formal education settings such as schools, with more research needed in informal or non-traditional education settings. As children frequently engage with informal and non-traditional education settings, it is important to understand how we can transmit information in these settings to bolster and further the learning process and increase engagement. STEAM fields have been plagued by racial and gender inequities that have led to these groups being marginalized and excluded (Blair et al., 2017; Eaton et al., 2020; Martin, 2018; Martin & Phillips, 2019; Miller et al., 2018; Newall et al., 2018, Sheffield et al., 2017; Starks & Matthaeus, 2018; Stitt & Happel-Parkins, 2019; Todd & Zvoch, 2019; van der Lee & Ellemers, 2015). Adults are a critical part of the learning process in informal settings, and it is critical that we understand the influence they can have (Fernández García et al., 2019; Lipowska et al., 2016; MacPhee & Prendergast, 2019; Martin & Phillips, 2019; Rice & Alfred, 2014; Spears, 2008; Tenenbaum & Leaper, 2002; Tiedemann, 2000). I sought to explore the impact of Color-Blind Racial Attitudes, Gender-Blind Attitudes, and STEM Gender Beliefs on adult language use in informal STEAM education settings given a child’s race and gender. I hypothesized that adults would use more STEAM language with a White boy than they would with a White girl, Black boy, or Black girl. I also hypothesized that adults with greater gender-blind attitudes would use more STEAM language with boys than girls. Additionally, I hypothesized that adults with greater STEM-bias attitudes would use more STEAM language with boys than with girls. Finally, I hypothesized that adults with greater color-blind racial attitudes would use more STEAM language with White children than with Black children. Child gender moderately predicted the use of some aspects of STEAM language. Additionally, adult color-blind racial attitudes moderately predicted some aspects of STEAM language given a child’s race. Primary hypotheses were not supported, although some marginally significant results were found
Investigating Heterogeneity of Hydraulic Conductivity and its Influence on Groundwater Flow Dynamics within a Saturated Riparian Buffer in Central Illinois
No full textThe use of Saturated Riparian Buffers (SRBs) in agricultural settings as a means of reducing contamination of surface water and groundwater resources has gained popularity due to their trapping ability and solute removal (nutrient recycling) capacity. Considering SRB’s nutrient-trapping and removal ability, numerous studies have been conducted to characterize the effectiveness of SRBs. However, most studies on SRBs have paid minimal attention to how heterogeneity of hydraulic conductivity (K) contributes to the effectiveness of SRBs. The heterogeneity of K has been proven to be, if not the most significant, one of the contributing factors to the effectiveness of SRBs since heterogeneity in K controls water fluxes and solute trapping efficiency. This study investigates the heterogeneity in horizontal K and estimates the vertical groundwater-specific discharge (qv) between the upper weathered and its underlying unweathered glacial units of an SRB, adjacent to a tiledrained agricultural farm field in central Illinois. The glacial deposits at the study area are of the Tiskilwa Formation and are distinguished into an upper weathered clay, which becomes coarser and poorly sorted with depth, and an underlying unweathered diamicton. The diamicton comprises a clay-dominated matrix with coarser sediment, resulting in a poorly sorted unit. For 23 wells, geometric mean K values were calculated after reducing multiple slug test data using the Hvorslev (1951) method. From the data analysis, mean K values from individual wells ranged from 1.92 x 10-4 m/s to 7.63 x 10-6 m/s within the weathered diamicton, whereas the unweathered diamicton had K values as low as 4.79 x 10-9 m/s. Typical hydraulic gradients (iz) values ranged from 0.03 to 0.1 from one-time measurements. qv was computed as the product of the average vertical hydraulic conductivity (KV) and vertical hydraulic gradients (iz) between depths of 1.5m and 4.6m, as these depths represent locations in the weathered and unweathered diamicton, respectively. The results of the study confirm the conceptual model for shallow and intermediate groundwater flow where the study area experiences downwelling further away from the buffer zone with groundwater upwelling areas within the buffer zone. The qv ranged from 1.25 x 10-7 m/s to 4.30 x 10-10 m/s, where areas with high K had higher qv, suggesting higher dilution of nitrate, which is confirmed by past studies from the study site. In conclusion, the study area exhibits heterogeneity depicted by the variation of K over orders of magnitude and accounts for the dynamic flow of water within the SRB
A distorted-wave approach to the elastic scattering of twisted electrons
Get PDFThe elastic scattering of spinless vortex electrons on realistic target atoms has been investigated. In particular, expressions are derived in different approximations for the angular distribution of elastically scattered electrons. We develop a distorted wave formalism that includes the effect of the atomic potential on the impinging vortex electron and compare this to a plane-wave Born approximation (PWBA) without such a distortion. Detailed computations have been performed for elastic scattering of vortex electrons on helium, neon, and argon targets by varying the energy, topological charge, and opening angle. Our results show that the overall magnitude of the angular distribution of scattered electrons increases when the distortion by the bound-state electrons is taken into account. We also show that under certain conditions, such as high-Z targets or projectiles with low values of topological charge, significant differences in electron angular distribution shape and magnitude are observed between the distorted-wave and plane-wave Born models. Thus, the PWBA must be used with caution when describing vortex electron collisions
Nine Lives of a Hero: Chinsetsu Yumiharizuki and the Idolization of Minamoto no Tametomo
Get PDFThis study examines Takizawa Bakin\u27s (1767-1848) novel Chinsetsu Yumiharizuki in terms of its importance, both among his prodigious works and among Japanese early modern historical romances. It analyzes his use of sources and discusses the role this novel played in popular perceptions of Ryukyu among Edo-period Japanese, as well as in the persistent belief in the historicity of legends that Minamoto no Tametomo (1139-1170) actually visited that southern island kingdom
Network Segmentation Security with the Implementation of Threats
Get PDFNetwork segmentation is an important cybersecurity strategy that aims to reduce an attacker\u27s ability to move laterally and increase security within a network. This study evaluated the effectiveness of network segmentation by simulating attacks on two networks using Infection Monkey. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of network segmentation on the detection and spread of threats across several virtual machines. Two network environments were created, the first unsegmented network (Network A) and a segmented network (Network B). Multiple simulated attacks were conducted on both networks. The attacks confirmed that the segmented network achieved better protection because the simulated malware did not detect any of the virtual machines in within that network. However, all virtual machines in the unsegmented network were compromised. Network segmentation proves to be an effective method for enhancing security by preventing the detection and spreading of threats across virtual machines. This research showcases the importance of implementing segmentation in network security strategies. Future research should assess the impact of segmentation options and differentiate between them to defend against different types of threats
Individual and community effects and adolescent reproductive health transitions in West Africa
No full textAlthough a growing number of studies have examined the impact of aggregate education levels and neighborhood characteristics on contraceptive use and fertility, the findings remain mixed. Using recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from multiple countries in West Africa, this study investigates how community-level education and other neighborhood factors influence the timing of union formation and first births among adolescents. The results indicate that higher aggregate community education levels are associated with union formation and early childbearing. Additionally, individual-level education significantly influences these outcomes. Interpret these findings in the context of the broader literature on neighborhood effects and reproductive health and discuss their implications for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 4, as well as for realizing a demographic dividend in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
AsiaConnect newsletter, January 21, 2025
Get PDFhttps://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/asiaconnect/1001/thumbnail.jp
Asymmetric Synthesis of the HIV Protease Inhibitor TMC-126 and an Anti-Malarial Agent via a Titanium Tetrachloride Mediated Asymmetric Glycolate Aldol Addition Reaction. Redefining the Curtius Rearrangement Reaction via Dehomologation of Carboxylic Acids Bearing Alpha-Leaving Groups
Get PDFAcquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and malaria are two devastating infectious diseases caused by HIV and Plasmodium parasites. AIDS is caused by HIV-1 and HIV-2, transmitted through sexual contact, blood transfusions, needle sharing, and perinatal routes. Malaria, caused by plasmodium parasites through mosquito bites. Today, millions of people around the world have been infected with HIV and malaria and much research has been done to treat it. However, despite advancements in therapeutic options, these diseases remain a significant global health threat, particularly in developing countries due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains for both HIV and malaria complicating eradication efforts. To develop new antimalarial drugs, Plasmepsin X (PMX), an aspartyl enzyme has been identified as a promising target. Both HIV-1 and the Plasmodium falciparum parasite utilize aspartyl proteases to propagate viral and parasitic life, making these enzymes crucial targets for drug development. TMC-126, an antiviral medication for HIV-1, has shown effectiveness in inhibiting these enzymes and preventing drug-resistant mutations. This thesis describes the effort taken to synthesize inhibitors for both HIV protease and PMX using an asymmetric glycolate aldol addition approach which would ultimately become a potential new pathway for synthesizing protease inhibitors (PI’s) to combat infectious diseases, addressing the challenges posed by drug resistance viral and parasite strains.
The latter part of this thesis is focused on redefining the Curtius rearrangement reaction. The Curtius rearrangement is a chemical reaction that converts carboxylic acids into to isocyanates under mild conditions, resulting in the formation of an acyl azide intermediate. The name comes from German chemist Theodor Curtius, who first proposed the reaction in 1885. The isocyanate can be treated with different nucleophiles, transforming into primary amines, carbamate, urea derivates, and urethanes. This reaction has been widely used in organic synthesis for over 130 years due to its versatility and stability. The isocyanate is highly reactive, making it susceptible to nucleophilic attack. The reaction retains the stereochemistry of the migrating carbon, forming chiral nitrogen-containing compounds with broad applications in natural product synthesis, pharmaceuticals, and bioactive molecules. The Curtius rearrangement produces intermediates that can be exploited to alter the classical mechanistic pathway. The Hitchcock group has developed a new synthetic method to generating these intermediates. This method introduces an alpha-leaving group onto the carboxylic acid, modifying the reaction\u27s mechanistic pathway and allowed us to explore new application for the Curtius rearrangement to synthesize dehomologated carbinolamides as the final product depending on the substitution level at the alpha-position of the carboxylic acid
Development of a Novel Route to Phenaliporphyrin and Investigations into the Synthesis of Carbachlorins
No full textPorphyrinoid systems constitute a widely studied class of cyclic tetrapyrrole macrocycles. While naturally prevalent in crucial biological processes as metalloporphyrins, such as heme and chlorophyll, these structures also exhibit intriguing spectroscopic properties commonly attributed to their [18]annulene-like delocalization pathway, contributing to their inherent aromaticity. Research in this area frequently involves modifications of subunits.
This study investigates phenaliporphyrin, a novel porphyrinoid system, conceived to overcome the inherent nonaromatic character observed in benziporphyrins. The nonaromaticity of benziporphyrins arises from the strong resonance stabilization of their benzene subunit, which actively counteracts the development of a global porphyrinoid aromatic system. By incorporating a phenalene unit, our design aimed to restore aromaticity in phenaliporphyrin by facilitating a continuous 18π-electron conjugation pathway.
Furthermore, this work explores the synthesis of carbachlorins, which are synthetic analogues of chlorin where core nitrogen atoms are replaced by carbon. Our investigation into carbachlorins aims to address the relative paucity of comprehensive research into these compelling macrocyclic systems
The Evolution of Social Protection Norms within the International Monetary Fund
Get PDFThis research explores the evolution of social protection norms within the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and identifies the key norm entrepreneurs. Social protection, which encompasses policies and programs designed to help individuals and communities manage risks, combat poverty and inequality, and access economic opportunities, has undergone significant transformation on a global scale. Traditionally, social policies were not included in the IMF’s agenda, which primarily focused on fiscal matters. However, the Fund has increasingly recognized social protection as vital for macroeconomic stability. This shift reflects a broader transformation in international norms and the progressive inclusion of social policies within global economic governance. This paper presents a case study to investigate and understand how social protection norms evolved within the IMF and who the norm entrepreneurs were between 1990 and 2005 using constructivist theoretical frameworks