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Identifying Personalized Gut Microbiota Modulation Strategies for Optimizing Cancer Treatment Outcomes
No full textThe gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in modulating the efficacy and toxicity of cancer therapies, yet its interactions with multi-drug cancer regimens remain inadequately explored. This research aims to investigate how the microbiome influences cancer treatment outcomes by identifying microbial strains and enzymes involved in drug metabolism. I propose constructing a metagenomic library from fecal samples of cancer patients undergoing multi-drug therapy to screen for microbial strains capable of metabolizing cancer drugs and modifying their effects. Additionally, I will develop synthetic microbial consortia and genetically engineered probiotics to target specific pathways in drug metabolism and immune response. This project aims to uncover microbiome-driven strategies that could be integrated into personalized cancer treatments to enhance efficacy and reduce toxicity. This research has the potential to provide new insights into the microbiome’s role in cancer therapy and to inform the development of novel, microbiome-targeted approaches to optimize treatment outcomes
Personal Wisdom and Coping: Insights from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Get PDFMuch of personal wisdom research has focused on the relationship between personal wisdom and difficult life events (DLEs). Research indicates that those high in personal wisdom cope more effectively with DLEs. However, these studies primarily focused on older adults and assessed coping through well-being measures. Seeking to address these limitations, Ringler (2021) found that mindfulness partially mediates the relationship between personal wisdom and coping with DLEs (measured through meaning-making) in a more age-diverse sample. Despite this progress, several gaps in knowledge remain. For example, there is still a lack of understanding about how wisdom relates to the use of specific coping strategies during DLEs and the full impact that core Buddhist principles like non-attachment have on mindfulness. Additionally, past research has also relied on retrospective self-reports, which are prone to biases. Therefore, two studies using quantitative and qualitative methods were conducted to address these limitations. Study 1 recruited Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) participants and employed concurrent self-report measures during COVID-19 to partially replicate and expand upon Ringler\u27s (2021) study. The findings confirmed that individuals high in personal wisdom cope more effectively with DLEs concurrently, and mindfulness partially mediates this relationship. Study 1 also introduced non-attachment as a moderator, revealing that it moderated one pathway of the model rather than both. This finding highlights the complex and context-dependent nature of the relationship between Buddhist principles and mindfulness and contributes to the discourse on the effects of secularizing mindfulness and removing it from its original context. Study 2, conducted 2.5 years later, used retrospective self-report measures to examine perceived stress, coping strategies, resources, and challenges during COVID-19, providing insights into the differences between concurrent and retrospective self-reports. The results indicated that individuals high in personal wisdom coped more effectively with COVID19 based on both concurrent and retrospective reporting. While there were no significant differences in the perception of the most helpful and challenging events between those high and low in personal wisdom, significant group differences were found in the coping strategies employed. Individuals high in personal wisdom utilized problem-focused coping more frequently and avoidant coping strategies less frequently than those low in personal wisdom. These findings build upon previous research by demonstrating those high and low in personal wisdom report utilizing similar coping strategies retrospectively and concurrently. Those high in personal wisdom are considered to be exemplary in coping with life’s most difficult moments. By highlighting the coping strategies they most frequently utilize, future researchers and practitioners will be better equipped to develop effective interventions that can assist those struggling to cope with DLEs. Additional findings and their implications are discussed
Testing Uncovered Interest Rate Parity in Asian Countries
No full textThis dissertation carries out empirical testing of Uncovered Interest Rate Parity (UIP) for 9 Asian countries using daily data from the period 2009–2022. The extent to which UIP holds is of interest from a number of perspectives since it is widely used in many international monetary analyses. It is relevant to testing the degree of international capital mobility, the efficiency of the foreign exchange market, and the possibility of earning profits from the carry trade. Earlier research has found mixed results when testing Uncovered Interest Rate Parity (UIP) for emerging markets. This study finds that UIP deviations do not show a consistent pattern with respect to maturity. UIP holds better between Asian countries and the US dollar than with the Japanese yen. A number of explanations of the deviations from UIP have been advanced in the literature, with mixed results. I investigate the effects of capital controls and a number of risk factors. My results suggest that while factors such as capital controls and risks are important, they are not sufficient to explain the deviations from UIP. Limits to arbitrage, a factor that has been neglected in much research, seem to be part of the explanation of UIP deviations for a number of countries. A major innovation of this dissertation is to examine the patterns of forecast errors over time. My analysis of the deviations from UIP over time for nine Asian countries reveals patterns that cannot easily be detected by the linear estimation that has been used in most previous studies and finds that several of the explanations for deviations that have been offered do not fit the data
Math Anxiety and Shame Exemplified on the Reality Show Survivor
Get PDFIn an episode of season 45 of the reality show Survivor, three contestants competed in a challenge involving mathematics. In their reflections and responses to the challenge, the contestants discussed feelings of anxiety, fear, and shame. In this article, we describe (a) the challenge, (b) the three contestants’ attempts to complete the challenge and their responses to the challenge, (c) responses to the challenge in the media, and (d) relevant details of our personal experiences and related backgrounds. We then discuss themes of math anxiety, shame, and virtues, and encourage leaders in mathematical spaces to place a higher value on mathematical virtues. Finally, we conclude the paper by offering two poems—written by the second author—as objects of reflection in hopes of stretching the imaginations of readers
Facilitating the College Transition of Undocumented and Citizen Students of Mixed-Status Families: A Mixed Methods Study of the Role of Public High School Counselors as Social Capital Agents
Get PDFUndocumented and citizen students from mixed-status families (UCM students) encounter numerous obstacles when transitioning to college due to their citizenship status or that of an immediate family member. Due to the current anti-immigrant political environment, these college-going obstacles have been exacerbated. Public high school counselors play a vital role in facilitating the college transition of UCM students, yet their work remains understudied. This mixed-methods dissertation positions counselors as social capital agents, building upon and expanding social capital theory, the concept of the institutional agent, and the role of significant others from the Wisconsin Model of Status Attainment. This study explores how counselors perceive themselves as social capital agents as they support UCM students in their college aspirations and college preparation through the social capital domains of relational trust, information sharing, and instrumental support. Through deductive thematic and inductive evaluation of the interview transcripts of 19 public high school counselors and seven undergraduate UCM students and the statistical analyses of 460 qualified counselor survey responses, this study found that relational trust is the foundation for counselors supporting UCM high school students. Sharing information regarding college admissions and financial information is also key and the strongest predictor of counselors’ self-perception of their support of UCM students’ college aspirations and college preparation. This study introduces the concept of the social capital agent, a novel contribution to the theory and literature of social capital. Methodologically, this research validates a tool for measuring counselors as social capital agents, which can be used in the future to evaluate other educators, such as teachers and administrators, in this role. This study provides data to support state policies that affirm UCM students’ access to higher education, graduate counselor program curricula focusing on college-going among UCM students, and school district counselor continuing education programs to support UCM students. Most importantly, this study communicates to public high school counselors that they are not alone in their desire and efforts to support UCM students
Employment Preparedness Through the Collegiate Experience
Get PDFObtaining a college degree is more than the culmination of an educational experience today; studies indicate that two-thirds of jobs require a postsecondary education or specialized training beyond high school. College graduates expect their studies to provide the necessary training to enable them to be successful in the workforce. However, employers report that college students are underprepared in many important career competencies. This study aimed to determine if college is delivering on the promise of career preparedness and to uncover what experiences help students develop career competencies by asking recent alumni to reflect on their collegiate experience and identify what they found to be the most helpful in their training for the workforce. The questionnaire was based on another national study, Project CEO, which asked current college students to rank their preparedness on twelve career competencies that were identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) through their annual survey of employers. The Project CEO study was modified to address a sample population of alumni from a mid-size state university in California. Over 2,000 alumni responded to the study and 91% reported they were proficient in their abilities in the twelve competencies. The alumni were then asked to identify which experiences in college, such as internships, cocurricular activities, leadership roles, and college employment were most responsible for the development of the career skills. Overall, the findings indicate academic classes were the most influential in developing career skills, however through crosstabulation analyses, the findings showed that those who were significantly involved in cocurricular activities and off-campus employment reported those experiences were highly impactful in the development of career skills, even more than academic classes. The findings also indicated the more time students spent in these activities and being employed helped to develop skills and boosted students’ self-confidence in the workplace. The findings suggest the time students spend outside of the classroom in meaningful experiences can contribute significantly to the development of essential career skills and compliment what they learn in the classroom. Furthermore, if out-of-class experiences could be intentionally connected with classroom learning to incorporate the practical application of skills through jobs and cocurricular activities, the overall learning experience could be enhanced to the benefit of all the students in the class. This study clearly shows that engagement outside of class is not just an “extra”-curricular activity, they have the potential to increase skill development and broaden students’ preparedness for the workforce
Identifying Structural Impediments to Equity for Women’s Leadership: Development and Validation of an Organizational Equity Diagnostic
No full textPromoting more equitable organizations requires identifying structural impediments. Integrating theory and research on organizational structure and organizational justice, this paper describes the development and validation of an Organizational Equity Diagnostic. Using the Diagnostic, organizations can self-assess their performance along six dimensions of equity (i.e., awareness, transparency, objectivity, representation and inclusion, equal treatment and impact, and access) and across seven structural systems (i.e., positions, tasks, and status; selection, promotion, and turnover; authority and decision making; rules and procedures; development and training; performance monitoring and evaluation; and reward systems). The Diagnostic was developed and validated using a mixed methods approach involving inductive qualitative processes to parse out dimensions of equity along with quantitative analyses for scale development and evaluation. Study One (n=18) involved subject matter expert input. Study Two (n=264) involved members of the target population and included confirmatory factor analysis and testing of convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity. The outcome is an Organizational Equity Diagnostic, an assessment tool implementable by consulting psychologists to empower the organizations they help and inform the most appropriate intervention(s). The Diagnostic is meant to broadly benefit diverse organizational members, including women who are or aspire to become leaders, by fostering more equitable organizations
A History Unveiled: The French Civilizing Mission in Algeria and Contemporary Headscarf Debates
Get PDFBans on face coverings are divisive in contemporary France, reflecting broader conflicts over reconciling religious identities with secularism. The concepts underlying these debates have transformed over the centuries. This comparative historical analysis covers the rise of imperial feminism in civilizing missions, its impact on Muslim women in colonial Algeria, and the extent to which imperial feminist ideologies persist in French debates over veiling. It finds that both the historical and contemporary French regimes centered on women’s status to legitimize Western domination and promote acculturation to European norms. However, these actions may only further oppress Muslim women by ignoring their agency and confining them to the private sphere. Thus, the French government must confront its colonial history and address the headscarf debates while centering the voices of Muslim women and deconstructing oppressive Western ideologies. By doing so, France may pave the way for more inclusive, postcolonial approaches to integrating diverse cultures
MAQUILADORAS, MURDER, AND MARIJUANA: NONVIOLENT AND VIOLENT CRIME TRENDS ON GENDERED MAQUILADORA EMPLOYMENT IN MEXICO POST-NAFTA
No full textThis research explores the relationship between crime occurrence and employment within surrounding Maquiladora establishments, focusing on the gendered differentiation of economic activity responsiveness to crime. As of 2019, Border town Ciudad Juarez’s murder rate placed as the second highest reported in the world, with 104 murders per 100,000, with Mexico experiencing 34,500 homicides in just that year (Meyer 2023). Despite this, Mexican border states are clustered with Maquiladoras, which in 2021 made up 58% of Mexico’s manufacturing GDP and 48% of Mexico’s manufacturing employment (Canas, 2022). This study examines the trends of employment within Maquiladoras by men and women and their responsiveness to nonviolent and violent crime using six regressions with state and year fixed effects to analyze panel data that spans 2002-2006. The findings reveal a highly statistically significant relationship between changes in crime and employment for men and women. Additionally, the findings reveal a higher responsiveness to crime from women\u27s employment in all regressions tested