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Exploring the role of the proteasome and vacuole in STE24-dependent translocon quality control
No full textMaintaining cellular homeostasis relies on regulated proteolysis at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Aggregated or prematurely folded proteins can lead to translocon clogging, which is a critical stressor for the ER and has been associated with pathologies such as Type II Diabetes. Understanding the mechanism by which translocon-clogging proteins are degraded is vital for elucidating the pathogenesis of and developing therapies for this disease. The degradation of these proteins is orchestrated through conserved Translocon Quality Control (TQC) mechanisms, with the protease Ste24 playing a pivotal role. The specific mechanisms by which Ste24 substrates are degraded, however, remain elusive. We aimed to discern whether Ste24 facilitates proteasomal or vacuolar degradation for translocon-clogging proteins, utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system and an engineered translocon-clogging protein called “Clogger”. To determine the degradation mechanism by which Clogger is degraded, we inhibited the proteasome with a pharmacological agent, MG132. PEP4 deletion inhibited the vacuolar degradative pathway. Inhibition of the relevant pathway was expected to stabilize the Clogger substrate. We generated a panel of yeast strains to enable inhibition of proteasomes or vacuoles. Our findings demonstrate that the degradation of Clogger mediated by Ste24 occurs independently of both proteasomal and vacuolar pathways, challenging previous models. Notably, N- and C-terminal fragments of Clogger did not accumulate following inhibition, suggesting that Ste24 may not directly cleave Clogger or cleaves within the epitope tags, preventing detection. These observations imply that Ste24 facilitates the degradation of substrates that aberrantly clog translocons through a distinct mechanism. This study provides critical insights into the functional role of Ste24 in the degradation of translocon-clogging proteins and opens new avenues for investigation of novel mechanisms of translocon unclogging.M. S
A motivic and rhythmic analysis of Prélude, cadence et finale by Alfred Désenclos
No full textPrélude, Cadence et Finale by Alfred Désenclos is one of the standard pieces of repertoire for saxophonists around the world and for how much it is performed, there is very little research done on the musical aspects of the piece. This is a three-movement work for alto saxophone and piano and it is through-composed. Of the questions examined in preparation for this analysis, the main one was perhaps the question of what musical aspect defines this piece as a whole. This analysis of Désenclos’s most performed saxophone piece delves into how the various motivic, thematic, and rhythmic aspects of this piece combine to create a work that is primarily woven together through musical aspects other than harmony. While there are still harmonic structures both atonal and tonal throughout the piece, the various motives and themes throughout are the central function that connect this composition together. These motives are recontextualized and reused in the three sections of this piece and some of them serve their primary function as transitions to other motives and larger themes throughout. Additionally, the rhythmic aspects of polyrhythms and changing time signatures heavily contribute to a feeling of flexibility and improvisation in both the saxophone and piano parts. These motivic and rhythmic aspects are crucial to understanding this piece’s construction.M. M
Eco-Spiritual Threads: Karma, Dharma, and Ecosystem in Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island
No full textN/AThis paper examines Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island through a Hindu eco-spiritual framework to explore how ancient cosmological concepts illuminate contemporary environmental crises. Building upon the legend of Bonduki Sadagar and Manasa Devi, Ghosh narrates the rupture of sacred human–nature relationships in both colonial and postcolonial contexts. This study employs a tripartite conceptual lens of karma, dharma, and ecosystem drawn from Hindu philosophy to analyze how the novel frames environmental degradation, human moral failure, and ecological interconnectedness. Karma, as the law of cause and effect, is used to depict the consequences of human exploitation through natural disasters, climate migration, and the collapse of ecosystems. Dharma emerges as a principle advocating ecological responsibility and symbiosis between humans and nonhuman life. This paper argues that Ghosh tactfully intertwines Hindu metaphysics with contemporary ecological science to critique capitalist modernity’s environmental violence. The novel’s depiction of floods, the sinking of Venice, and the global refugee crisis dramatizes karmic consequences, while its evocation of myth–science convergence offers a vision of sacred interdependence. Ultimately, this paper concludes that Gun Island provides an urgent eco-spiritual model for reimagining planetary ethics and responding to the Anthropocene through humility, relationality, and spiritual responsibility.N/
"In that moment I wondered, is this the moment I lose you"
No full textIt’s crushing to see someone lose something they are so accustomed to. This work is a way for me to come to terms with the recent health developments in my family while also spreading awareness for invisible illnesses. Typically I start a project with an idea or concept and then do research in preparation, ultimately leading to me changing my idea completely. One idea would change ever so slightly and inevitably send me spiraling down another rabbit hole of familial history and poetry. Throughout the process of this project, I looked to many artists and movements for inspiration. The Dada movement specifi cally has always been a big infl uence on my work. Because of Dada, I am able to include both found and original imagery, pushing the boundaries of creative expression. In the end, I’m hoping that through this work, people will grow to know the severity of invisible illnesses and the impact it has on people and their families.B.F.A.College of Ar
The World Around Us
No full textThrough the means of art, one can express themselves freely. From nature and graphic art, these influences and ideas aid in creating new and fresh works. The significance surrounding my art is how my mind views the world, as a colorful, bold, and different place. The processes of serigraphy and relief give me the chance to express my viewpoint and create pieces hands on. Keeping alive the work that one can hold, see the ink on the page, and see the imperfections that makes the work perfect. Patterns bring images to life and add new possibilities of design to our surroundings. The imperfections from ink on paper shows how the world is beautiful yet imperfect.B.A.School of Ar
Assessing needs of Punjabi students
No full textPublic schools across the United States are becoming more culturally diverse and Punjabi students are a population of students that has grown in school districts. Special educators and school psychologists are inadequately prepared for this growth of students and are struggling to provide effective, relevant, equitable, and appropriate interventions and evaluations. Following a review of the literature, a qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to explore and understand the perspectives and experiences of these school professionals. A questionnaire was filled out by each participant followed by a focus group interview. Experiences and perspectives were shared. Findings suggested that there is a need for preparation programs to include practices and strategies that improve outcomes for immigrant students. Findings also suggested that in-service educators and school psychologists need training opportunities, access to necessary tools, and require increased support from knowledgeable experts and administrators. Implications of results and future research are discussed
Culturally responsive teaching in diverse classrooms
No full textThe implementation of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) in the modern classroom has now become
necessary as student populations in these classrooms are becoming more diverse. This paper presents a
discussion of how community-engaged teacher preparation improves the capacity of preservice teachers
to apply CRT. Based on qualitative data collected during a study of a case of preservice teachers engaged
in teaching within the historically rich Whitely community, the study focuses on the role of immersive and
community-based experiences in human development of cultural competence. The participants received
a greater understanding of the lived experiences of the students, resisted personal bias, and developed a
stronger capacity to form trust relationships with student families through direct interaction with local
families, cultural sites, and local history. The latter also shaped the development of culturally applicable
curriculum planning and helped to think critically about systemic inequality. It is implied in the findings
that community engagement promotes long-term professional advancement through stimulating longlasting
dedication to inclusive and equity-minded teaching. According to this study, community-based
teacher preparation plays an essential role in providing teachers with tools they need to successfully
practice and ethically implement CRT.M. S
Teaching biodiversity from a taxonomical lens: using inquiry and the 5E learning model
No full textBiodiversity is an emerging concept being taught in high school biology classrooms when teaching lessons on conservation, human impacts, and hierarchy. However, teaching biodiversity through these lenses does not allow students to receive content that explains what biodiversity is and the variety of life on Earth. The Indiana Department of Education outlines twenty-four standards to be taught in a secondary biology classroom, with only two of these indirectly addressing biodiversity. The goal of this study was to determine if adding improved taxonomical content into curriculum through two teaching models will increase student knowledge on biodiversity and student interest in the subject. To address this goal, one high school biology class received an enrichment program comprised of a BSCS 5E instructional unit and a field experience to a local zoo. A second class received only the field experience, and the third class did not receive any parts of this enrichment program. The class that received the enrichment program showed significantly higher improvement scores on a biodiversity
pre/post-test and had a significant increase in biology interest levels after the study compared to the other two groups. The results of this study demonstrate that the re-introduction of taxonomy into the curriculum is beneficial to student knowledge and interest, and it also models field experiences as elaboration tools for curriculum.M. S
Chaucer's Man of Law's Tale and the Post-9/11 Crusade Mentality: Unearthing Historical Echoes in Modern Context
No full textN/AThis article offers a transtemporal reading of Geoffrey Chaucer's Man of Law's Tale, situating the text within the ideologicalframework of crusading discourse in late 14th‐century England while tracing its symbolic afterlife into post‐9/11 politicalrhetoric. Drawing on Kathleen Davis's critique of periodization and Geraldine Heng's theory of the romance as a historicalactant, the essay argues that Chaucer's narrative participates in a cultural logic of Manichean dualism that casts religiousdifference as metaphysical opposition. Through close readings of the tale's zoomorphic metaphors—especially the lamb, ser-pent, and scorpion—and the moral polarization between Custance and the Sultaness, the article demonstrates how the taleencodes a crusade mentality that continues to inform modern representations of Islam and Muslims. By placing Chaucer indialog with figures such as George W. Bush, Bernard Lewis, and Samuel Huntington, as well as with contemporary critiques byKwame Anthony Appiah and Riz Ahmed, the essay reveals the ideological durability of medieval allegory in justifying war,surveillance, and civilizational hierarchies. Ultimately, the article argues for a nonlinear understanding of medievalism as arhetorical toolkit whose logics endure beyond the historical Middle Ages, challenging scholars to read across time in order toconfront the persistent structures of racialized and religious exclusion.N/
The impact of seating arrangements of college classrooms' physical learning environment
No full textThis study presents a comprehensive overview of the significance of classroom seating arrangements and their impact on students’ learning engagement and social interaction within undergraduate college settings. There have previously been studies regarding classroom seating arrangements and furniture layout that show significant transformation over the decades, with the need for changes in educational purposes, methods, and changes in building design and technology advancement to enhance the learning environment for both students and instructors. The approach used in this research study focuses on the enhancement of traditional classroom layouts and seating arrangements to support 21st-century learning outcomes and encourage student enrollments with diverse physical needs. The literature reveals that effective classroom seating arrangement can lead to more diverse teaching strategies and positive emotional impacts for better student satisfaction on behavioral observation, and course catalogs for students taking classes in the subject classroom, this study exposes the impact of classroom seating arrangement and its effect on ADA accessibilities on student learning satisfaction within flexible and traditional classroom layouts. Additional research is allowed for a deeper, more positive application of social interaction and learning engagement based on college students, social experiences, and expectations. Further data collection brings clarity to the impact that design and seating arrangements have within the educational environment. The evidence, through data collection and analysis, is collected for the suggestions and findings. The research proposal recommends the implementation of multi-purpose seating arrangements and ergonomic design solutions to support ADA accessibility, the promotion of social learning motivation through collaboration, and a balance between student’s individual workstations and group workstations in the classroom to support active learning methods and enhance classroom architectural elements through glass wall partitions to increase transparency and visibility for more productive learning in undergraduate settings.M. S