University of Maryland, Baltimore County
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Negotiating Visual and Performing Arts Academic Disciplinary Identities in the Entrepreneurial University
No full textUsing ethnographic life history methodologies, this study investigates the discursive construction of authenticity among visual and performing arts faculty after their participation in a program to learn entrepreneurial language and skills. It explores the ways in which the arts mediate the adoption of entrepreneurial language by these individuals and how this phenomenon complicates standard majority culture conceptions of academic disciplinary identity. There is a discourse within entrepreneurship that privileges the positivistic, objective, and scientific. These discourses force faculty members in the arts, whose knowledge claims distance them from this socially located space, to construct themselves linguistically as authentic via both form and content. At the same time, claims of authenticity based on an essentialized view of the self-expressive individual, claims rooted in the Romantic vision of the modern world, reinscribe conventional identity categories. This work speaks to how individuals' discursive constructions confound these structural positionings
Barrier-Based Diabetes Self-Efficacy Survey: Measure Development and Implications for Self-Management of Type 2 Diabetes
No full textDiabetes is a significant problem in the United States, particularly among ethnic minorities. Diabetes self-management, which requires a complex regimen of lifestyle behaviors that are difficult to initiate and maintain, is critical in obtaining and maintaining optimal glycemic control, and contributes to reducing or eliminating diabetes-related complications. Healthy eating, physical activity, and problem solving are particularly challenging self-management activities that are influenced by the individual's self-efficacy to perform these behaviors. There are a number of diabetes-specific measures of self-efficacy in the literature, however these existing measures, by and large, ignore situational contexts influencing diabetes self-management. The purpose of the current study was to assess the psychometric properties of a new measure of diabetes-specific self-efficacy, the Barrier-Based Diabetes Self-Efficacy Survey (BB-DSES), which evaluates self-efficacy for key, challenging self-management behaviors (i.e., healthy eating, physical activity, and problem solving) in specific situational contexts. It was hypothesized that these BB-DSES behavior specific scales would have multidimensional factor structures, adequate reliability and validity, and would explain a significant amount of variance in A1C. One hundred participants enrolled in a larger research study, Project DECIDE (Decision-making Education for Choices In Diabetes Everyday), were included in the analyses. Ten additional participants were invited to participate in cognitive interviews to better understand the BB-DSES. Cognitive interviews indicated that participants had very little difficulty interpreting and understanding the items on the BB-DSES. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to analyze emerging factors within each of the behavior scales of the BB-DSES. Cronbach alpha coefficients, bivariate correlations, and OLS regression models were assessed to examine reliability and validity of the BB-DSES. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine the relations between behavior-specific self-efficacy and glycemic control. In the current study sample, factor analyses revealed a unidimensional factor structure of each behavior specific scale of the BB-DSES. The behavior scales of the BB-DSES uniquely predicted their respective self-management behaviors (i.e., healthful eating, physical activity, and effective problem solving). Overall the BB-DSES demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. However, the BB-DSES did not explain a significant amount of variance in glycemic control. Results are discussed in terms of both clinical and research significance
Determining mechanisms of NKX3.1 protein loss and developing restoration strategies in prostate cancer
No full textThe morbidity and mortality associated with prostate gland disease constitute a major health concern. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in North American men. NKX3.1 is a homeodomain protein that plays a role in prostate organogenesis and carcinogenesis. Loss of heterozygosity at chromosomal locus 8p21.2, which harbors the NKX3.1 coding region, is frequently associated with prostate cancer. NKX3.1 protein level decreases despite normal or near normal mRNA level in up to 25% of prostate cancer cases suggesting that post-translational modifications play an important role in regulating NKX3.1 turnover. Here, we have determined that the C-terminal 21 amino acids of NKX3.1 constitute a portable degron. High resolution mapping of this region has demonstrated that Proline 221 is required for this function. Steady-state studies and in vivo ubiquitination studies indicate that C21 mediates NKX3.1 proteasomal degradation independent of ubiquitination. Based on these findings, we have designed C21-mimetic peptides tagged with protein transduction domains that can be delivered to the prostate cancer cells. Degron peptide treatment resulted in accumulation of endogenous NKX3.1 without increasing the mRNA level demonstrating that C21 peptide treatment may serve as a novel approach for prostate cancer therapeutics based on tumor suppressor restoration. Furthermore, we have developed a Hoxb13-driven Reverse Tetracycline Transactivator mouse model that enables robust doxycycline-dependent expression of responder genes in the prostate. This system can be used for prostate- specific conditional expression of genes relevant in prostate pathology and biology including NKX3.1. Combining this powerful system with extant mouse models of prostate cancer will provide a next-generation tool for tumor suppressor restoration studies. Together, these findings contribute to our understanding of NKX3.1 regulation and its role in prostate cancer progression and aid in the development of novel therapeutic strategies
Burden of Child Support and the Likelihood of Collection: An Empirical Examination
No full textOne important consideration in making a determination on what is an appropriate order amount for child support is the likelihood for collection, since the right order amount is useless if it does not result in real money being transferred to the child. This is the focus of my dissertation research. I use administrative data for a sample of child support orders established in Maryland between 2002 and 2006 (n=3,687) to investigate my central research question, which is whether and how obligor burden level and the child support collection rate are related. I model the relationship using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) to estimate a multivariate linear regression, controlling for a variety of descriptive characteristics both at the baseline and during a 3-year follow up period. My results confirm that an obligor's child support burden level and collection rate are negatively related and statistically significant. Importantly, the magnitude of the relationship is relatively small (though not insubstantial) once other factors are controlled for, so adjusting the burden level is not likely to generate large increases in the collection rate overall. In addition, I find that the negative relationship between burden level and collection rates exists across a range of incomes and order amounts, which may be unique to states using an income shares guidelines approach. Finally, I find that the relationship is nonlinear and that the impact of burden level on the collection rate is stronger for those with a higher burden level, indicating a possible threshold beyond which orders are less likely to result in collections. The final section of the dissertation includes an large-scale application of my results, which shows modest increases in the collection rate broadly defined if order amounts are capped at a particular burden level (i.e. 20 or 30 percent of an obligor's income). However, the impact could be dramatic for individual cases and obligors, if the reduction motivates increases in compliance and prevents the accumulation of arrears in the long-term, even if the total amount collected is slightly less in the short-run
IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF DNA ADDUCTS FORMED BY CARCINOGENIC NITROSAMINES
No full textNitrosamines are an important class of potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds. Nitrosamines have been shown to induce tumors of the liver, lung, oral cavity, esophagus, kidney, nasal, and respiratory tract in wide variety of experimental animals. N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR), N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR), and N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP) are potent carcinogens. The metabolism of these cyclic nitrosamines occurs predominantly through cytochrome P-450 mediated α-hydroxylation. The resulting α-hydroxy-nitrosamine decomposes to a higly reactive diazonium ion which can react with DNA. Thus, the electrophilic diazonium ion formed from NMOR, NPYR, and NPIP react with DNA, producing 2-(2-ethoxyacetaldehyde)- (EA), 4-butanal, and 5-pentanal adducts, respectively. To date, only purine adducts are reported resulting from NMOR exposure. There are no reports for pyrimidine adducts formed from the diazonium ion resulting from NMOR. The first major aim of the research was to investigate the formation of pyrimidine adducts resulting from the reaction with α-hydroxy-N-nitrosomorpholine (HONMOR), the key metabolite of the metabolism of NMOR. This was accomplished by the reaction of a stable precursor α-hydroperoxy-N-nitrosomorpholine (HOONMOR) with nucleosides and DNA. The unstable aldehyde (EA) adducts were reduced to the more stable reduced alcohols (rEA). Identification and quantification was done with the use of synthetic standards. In reactions of nucleosides, the yields of 2-(2-ethoxyacetaldehye) are in the order of O2C > O4T > O2T > N3T. The N4-dC adduct was not detected in the nucleoside reaction. In the reaction of DNA, yields of pyrimidine adducts are in the order of O2T > O2C > O4T. Adducts N3T and N4-dC were not observed in the reaction of HONMOR with DNA. Another goal of this research was to examine the aqueous stability of pyrimidine adducts formed in the reaction of nucleosides and DNA. The results for the decay of EA adducts in nucleoside and DNA shows the overall order of O2T > N3T > O4T > O2C and O4T > O2T > O2C, respectively. The results of the stability study indicate an enhancement in the rate of decay for the transition from nucleoside to DNA for all adducts. The second major aim of this research was the examination of the N3-Ade, N7-Gua, and O6-Gua adducts formed by the diazonium ions derived from the carcinogenic nitrosamines NMOR, NPYR, and NPIP. To date, only two adducts are reported for NPYR resulting from the direct reaction of diazonium ion with DNA. There are no reports for adducts formed from the diazonium ion generated from NPIP metabolism. For the investigation of diazonium ion derived adducts, stable precursors to the reactive carcinogens HOONMOR, α-hydroperoxy-N-nitrosopyrrolidine (HOONPYR), and α-hydroperoxy-N-nitrosopiperidine (HOONPIP), and synthetic standards were used. All three adducts under investigation were observed in the reaction of nucleosides and DNA with the cyclic nitrosamines in the overall order of N7-Gua > O6-Gua > N3-Ade. The results obtained from the nucleoside reactions indicate that NMOR and NPYR show similar yields of alkylation with adduct yields 50-80% higher than NPIP
Regulating Identities: Governing Women's Appearance in Early Modern England
No full textRegulating Identities examines the increasing complexity surrounding the regulation of female appearance in early modern England during the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. This study examines legislation, advice literature, sermons, wills and foreign travel accounts in order to determine for the first time how appearance regulation changed and conflicted throughout the time period, concluding that the regulation shifted from a legislative focus toward more prescriptive methods. The regulatory anxieties surrounding dress, morality and social status were exacerbated by the turbulence of the English Reformation and a more mobile society, becoming increasingly contradictory as time wore on. This thesis concludes that as the regulation of appearance became more complex and contradictory throughout the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, women were forced to choose which regulations to follow. This ultimately allowed certain women latitude to choose the regulations that were the most beneficial, fashioning identities of agency for themselves and their families
Effects of River Valley Segment Sequencing on Floodplain Hydroperiods
No full textRiver valleys rank among the most biophysically complex and species-rich ecosystems in any landscape. Although local floodplain morphology is known to impact annual and event-specific hydroperiods, understanding of flood hydrology is typically based on model simulations that route catchment water contributions through hydraulic constraints imposed by local channels and valleys, and do not explicitly consider network context. To investigate the impact of valley sequencing on floodplain hydroperiods, novel approaches were first developed in order to characterize the morphology of south-central Indiana's White River valley. Utilizing this information, numerical simulations of both hypothetical hydraulic constraints and empirical characterizations of valley segments and flood hydrographs were developed. Strong path-dependent effects were found demonstrating that the sequence in which rivers encounter different valley segment morphology can dramatically alter local water levels, leading to strong spatial and temporal variation in flooding risk, their intensity, and time of inundation for a given flood pulse. Because a systematic approach was developed for identifying strong variations in expected flood regime throughout the river valley, our findings have particular relevance for conservation and restoration efforts focused on river valley biodiversity and ecosystem services, including floodplain biogeochemistry and greenhouse gases production in riparian systems
Dyadic Processes and Men's Response to Partner Abuse Treatment
No full textReviews of treatment outcome studies with partner abusive men have identified only small reductions in recidivism associated with psychosocial interventions. Studies to date have not examined dyadic patterns of abuse as a potential factor that may limit treatment effects. The current study had three overarching goals: (1) to investigate the relation between men's and women's partner abusive behavior before and following men's treatment for perpetration of intimate partner abuse (IPA); (2) to determine whether there is evidence of mutual influence between men's and women's partner abusive behavior following treatment, and (3) to explore the relative magnitude of effects of individuals' pre-treatment abuse on their own and their partners' post-treatment abuse. Advanced statistical analyses were utilized to disentangle individual and dyadic effects. Findings provide evidence of mutual influence in IPA. Results were mixed regarding the relative strength of effects for men and women. The study suggests that both individual and dyadic factors impact the persistence of aggression in intimate relationships
Eurydice (2013)
No full textPromotional materials produced by the UMBC Theatre for Eurydice, performed by the UMBC Theatre Department in October 2013. Includes playbill, program, and ten publicity photopgraphs.October 24-October 27, 201
