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A Wound in the Psyche: Political Memory and Unhealed National Trauma/s in Post-Revolution Egyptian Literature and Popular Culture
No full textEgypt, a nation shaped by a history of political upheavals and colonial domination, carries a deep reservoir of trauma that has found expression in its literature and art. Despite this, the scholarly exploration of trauma within the Egyptian context remains markedly limited. This dissertation seeks to address this gap by critically analyzing the representation of trauma in selected works of post-revolutionary Egyptian literature and visual narratives. Employing an interdisciplinary framework that integrates postcolonial trauma theory, memory studies, and cultural analysis, this dissertation challenges the dominance of Western-centric trauma scholarship, which has traditionally been anchored around events like the Holocaust. Instead, it situates its inquiry in the aftermath of the January 25 Revolution of 2011, examining how literary and artistic forms engage with trauma to shape and reflect both individual experiences and their broader impact on collective memory and national identity. Throughout the dissertation, a diachronic approach traces the evolution of representations of the revolution across different phases. From the initial euphoria of revolutionary fervor to subsequent disillusionment and repression, the research documents the shifting contours of public memory and explores how cultural productions respond to and shape these historical trajectories. Ultimately, the dissertation enriches broader scholarly conservations on trauma, memory, and cultural production, offering fresh insights into the complex interplay between art, politics, and society in the aftermath of upheavals. By centering the voices of writers and artists, this dissertation underscores the transformative potential of cultural expressions as a means of grappling with grief, fostering resilience, and resisting erasure, while simultaneously serving as a driver for the restoration of social cohesion, and the reimagining of post-revolutionary futures
Evaluation of Aggregate Characteristics for Conventional and AC Concrete
No full textAggregates play a crucial role in the overall properties of concrete. They provide volume stability, improve durability, and enhance mechanical properties such as compressive strength. This research presents a comprehensive comparative study of virgin aggregates (such as limestone, granite, and basalt) and recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) in the production of concrete, with a focus on both traditional and additive construction (AC) methods. The increasing demand for sustainable building practices and materials has brought RCA to the forefront of modern construction as a potential replacement for natural aggregates. This study aims to characterize the mechanical properties, durability, and sustainability impacts of sourced and recycled aggregates in concrete applications, assessing their respective performances in traditional construction techniques and innovative 3D concrete printing (3DCP) technologies. The first sourced aggregates are characterized by well-defined strength, durability, and particle gradation, and the second is RCA, which, while offering environmental advantages, faces challenges related to its heterogeneous composition, high porosity, and the presence of adhered mortar. Extensive material testing was conducted, including Los Angeles Abrasion (LA) tests, Aggregate Crushing Value (ACV), and Aggregate Impact Value (AIV) tests, alongside detailed particle size distribution analyses. These tests were applied to both sourced aggregates and RCA to quantify their physical properties and establish correlations between these characteristics and concrete performance. To assess concrete strength and durability, both sourced and RCA-based concrete mixtures were developed and tested under controlled laboratory conditions. Following ASTM standards, the concrete mixes were subjected to unconfined compression tests at curing periods of 7, 14, and 28 days. The study further investigated fresh concrete\u27s workability and rheological properties, particularly focusing on pumpability and buildability, which are critical for 3D printing applications. These tests revealed that while sourced aggregates, mainly limestone and basalt, consistently exhibited superior mechanical properties, RCA-based concrete demonstrated significant potential when optimized for workability and admixture incorporation. Overall, this research concludes that sourced aggregates remain the preferred choice for high-performance structural applications due to their superior strength and durability. However, RCA presents a viable, sustainable alternative for non-structural applications and additive manufacturing. RCA\u27s use can significantly reduce the environmental impact of construction practices, making it a valuable component in the movement towards greener building technologies. Future research is recommended to further optimize the performance of RCA through advanced material processing techniques and chemical admixtures, focusing on enhancing its durability and strength for broader structural applications
Multimodal Spectroscopy To Study Tumor Microenvironmental Changes In Vivo
Get PDFEvery year there are millions of new cancer diagnoses and deaths worldwide. While great strides have been made in technologies and drugs for cancer treatment, there is still a need to understand tumor response to therapy as many patients still endure treatment failure after completing their treatment regimen. Current clinical imaging techniques for detecting response to therapy are utilized weeks to months after the course of treatment, and present limitations to measuring response during treatment. Optical spectroscopy techniques can help meet this need to determine the response of tumors to treatment as it allows for near real-time in vivo characterization of tissue and is minimally invasive. This dissertation presents the use of two optical spectroscopy methods, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and Raman spectroscopy (RS), to monitor tumor microenvironmental changes in vivo. In Chapter 2, the sensitivity of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to different doses of radiation therapy was investigated in a mouse model of breast cancer. Since radiation therapy is used as part of the treatment plan for many cancer patients, real-time monitoring of the radiation-induced changes on the tumor microenvironment will aid in understanding treatment response. From this study, it was concluded that DRS is sensitive to microenvironmental changes in tumors treated with doses as low as 1 Gy/fraction of radiation. In Chapter 3, work to achieve the combination of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and spatially offset Raman spectroscopy into a multimodal system with a fiber optic handheld probe and optical switch is presented. The probe was designed with spatially offset source-detector configuration to collect subsurface measurements for each modality, as well as ball lens-coupled fibers for surface measurements. The results of validation studies using the system with measurements on chicken breast tissue phantom consisting of fat and muscle tissue, as well as measurements acquired from the skin of a human volunteer are shown. This study demonstrated that both DRS and RS can acquire spectra from similar depths within tissue. Additionally, Raman peaks related to different biomolecules with both the conventional backscattering and spatially offset fibers were identified. Finally in Chapter 4 the use of the multimodal spectroscopy system to observe changes in vivo in a murine model of melanoma is described. Mice were injected into one flank with either B16.F0 cells or B16.BL6 cells to form tumors, and spectroscopy measurements were acquired periodically as the tumors grew to 400 mm3. The collected spectra were assessed at different tumor volumes for both tumor types, and differences were seen in the intensity of hemoglobin concentration from DRS as well as melanin and collagen from RS. Overall, the work in this dissertation presents efforts using optical spectroscopy to noninvasively study the tumor microenvironment to monitor tumor response to therapy. Multiple modalities were successfully integrated into a single, clinically relevant instrumentation platform which paves the way for further testing and validation of the importance of these measurements to personalized, multidisciplinary cancer care
Psychophysiological Insights into Child-Centered Play Therapy for Trauma: A Case Study
Get PDFExisting literature thoroughly reviews the detrimental consequences that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have physically, emotionally, neurobiologically, and financially. It is imperative to develop effective treatments that offer a sense of hope to children who have been impacted. The established relationship between high ACE scores and physiological hyperarousal due to emotional dysregulation is clear in the literature. This relationship indicates that taking psychophysiological measures may be an effective method of gauging the effectiveness of trauma treatments. This study measured the heart rate of a child who had experienced multiple ACEs, during 16 child-centered play therapy (CCPT) sessions, using the Empatica (E4) wristband. Bayesian change point analysis was conducted and multiple changes in the heart rate mean were detected and identified within each session’s time series. Additionally, changes in heart rate variability during the 16 sessions were observed and points of interest, e.g., highest and lowest observed heart rates, were noted. Results suggested the number of breakpoints in the heart rate means within each session, as well as the location, i.e., the time of each breakpoint, so that each significantly detectable change in heart rate mean as well as sessions of noted differences in heart rate variability were discussed alongside what was occurring within the video recorded sessions
Does Diversity Ideology Moderate Participants’ Perceptions of Therapists Who Do and Do Not Broach?
Get PDFIntroduction. The literature has grown considerably regarding the act of broaching racial, ethnic, and cultural factors in therapy. Many have highlighted its positive impact on the therapeutic alliance, but little empirical work explores how individual differences influence a client’s response to broaching. This study assessed the effects of participant diversity ideology and therapist broaching behavior on perceptions of a therapist’s effectiveness. I hypothesized that participants in the therapists broaching condition would perceive the therapist to be more effective than participants in the no broaching condition. I also hypothesized that participants’ colorblind diversity ideology and therapist broaching condition would interact, such that participants who were higher in colorblindness would perceive the therapist less favorably when the therapist displayed broaching behaviors than when the therapist generally avoided broaching the topics of race, ethnicity and culture; however, participants low in colorblindness would show the opposite pattern. Method. One hundred and twenty-three undergraduate students were recruited from the university’s psychology subject pool. Participants completed all study materials online. They were randomly assigned to watch a video of a mock therapy session between a White therapist and a Black client. Videos were manipulated such that the therapist either broached the topic of race or avoided any discussion of race in response to the client’s presenting concerns. Participants also completed the Colorblindness Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS), Session Rating Scale (SRS), and Therapist Cultural Comfort Scale (TCCS) to measure diversity ideology and therapist effectiveness. Analytic Approach. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted to ensure that the measures utilized were appropriate for the study. The two dependent variables (SRS and TCCS) were regressed onto the independent variables (CoBRAS, vignette condition, and their interaction) to evaluate the study hypotheses. Results. Consistent with the first hypothesis, participants reported more favorable perceptions of the broaching therapist compared to the therapist who did not broach. The second hypothesis was only supported when examining perceptions of positive cultural comfort. Participants with high colorblindness reported lower positive cultural comfort scores when viewing the broaching condition. Contrary to the second hypothesis, there was no interaction between participant ideology and broaching condition on ratings of therapist effectiveness. Discussion. The data suggests that clinicians who broach race in session are seen as more culturally competent and as having higher effectiveness than those who avoid these topics, regardless of an individual’s colorblindness levels. Broaching appears to be a low-risk, high-reward therapeutic behavior