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PGRMC2 is a Pressure-Volume Regulator Critical for Myocardial Responses to Stress in Mice
Get PDFProgesterone receptors are classified into nuclear and membrane-bound receptor families. Previous unbiased proteomic studies indicate a potential association between cardiac diseases and the progesterone receptor membrane-bound component-2 (PGRMC2); however, the role of PGRMC2 in the heart remains unknown. In this study, we use a heart-specific knockout (KO) mouse model (MyH6•Pgrmc2flox/flox) in which the Pgrmc2 gene was selectively deleted in cardiomyocytes. Here we show that PGRMC2 serves as a mediator of steroid hormones for rapid calcium signaling in cardiomyocytes to maintain cardiac contraction, sufficient stroke volume, and adequate cardiac output by regulating the cardiac pressure-volume relationship. The KO hearts from male and female mice exhibit an impairment in pressure-volume relationship. Under hypoxic conditions, this pressure-volume dysregulation progresses to congestive left and right ventricular failure in the KO hearts. Overall, we propose that PGRMC2 is a cardiac pressure-volume regulator to maintain normal cardiac physiology, especially during hypoxic stress
Alterity and Kinship: Co-writing Posthumanist Speculative Nonfiction with AI
Get PDFAs a response to the climate crisis, scholarly literature has introduced new theoretical perspectives, such as posthumanism, which seek to reimagine the relationships between humans and nonhuman others, including environments, animals, and plants. Reimagining these relationships depends in large part on our ability to engage nonhumans in their otherness, or alterity, but doing so is challenging. Responding to calls throughout posthuman literature for experimental new modes of imaginative encounter with nonhumans, and inspired by speculative traditions from literature to design, we devise a methodology involving “creative experiments” aimed at disrupting, decentering, and disorienting the human-centered thinking that interferes with humans’ ability to perceive and engage with nonhumans as kin. Simultaneously deploying a number of disruptive tactics—including co-writing with generative AI; working within non-fiction genres that do not exist; to imaginatively express, rather than represent, organisms that can not speak; concerning their experiences of a non-verbal form (music)—we contribute a methodology of speculative writing with AI in pursuit of the secret life of plants
The Effectiveness of Science Instruction with Digital Simulations in Elementary Settings for Quantitative Sensemaking
Get PDFThe importance of elementary science education is well-documented, but many challenges persist, including a lack of time, space, and materials needed for students to have hands-on lab experiences. As a result, many students in California are falling behind, with less than one-third of all fifth graders meeting or exceeding standards in standardized test reporting. This study sought to employ single-case design methods and combine the best practices in sensemaking approaches with virtual simulations to determine whether these practices would provide effective intervention and improve students’ blended math and science sensemaking abilities at the qualitative and quantitative levels, as well as a general outcome of how this experience may impact students’ unrelated math and numeracy skills. Eight fifth-grade students received this intervention to improve their quantitative reasoning and sensemaking. Results of this study indicate that the intervention was successful in improving student sensemaking in both the qualitative and quantitative domains, with all students who attended regularly producing moderate and large positive effect sizes. This work can be used to inform future studies and support a growing body of literature that suggests the power of technology-based models in improving interdisciplinary math and science sensemaking
Illiberalism in Israeli Public Opinion
No full textIsrael has long identified as a democracy. However, scholars have expressed concerns that it is engaged in democratic backsliding (Kremnitzer and Shany 2020; Oren and Waxman 2022). Despite holding repeated elections, its liberal credentials are weakening, as the rule of law and judicial independence are threatened. Institutionally, then, it is fulfilling Dahl’s (1971) contestation requirement for democracy but not the inclusiveness requirement. At the citizen level, there is questionable democratic culture (Inglehart and Welzel 2003). If the public supports electoral institutions but not liberal values, then the democracy’s foundation is weak (Mounk 2018). This article analyzes recent Israeli public opinion data on political atti-tudes and regime preferences – the Israel National Election Survey (2022) and an original iPanel survey (2024) – with machine learning techniques. Both datasets demonstrate that while Israelis assert a prefer-ence for democracy, they are open to non-democratic alternatives and illiberal policies. The community is particularly divided on minority rights (i.e. Palestinian Citizen of Israel rights) and free expression/protest rights. As such, democracy is on shaky foundations in Israel in the face of the ongoing democratic recession
Are We Safe in the Digital World? Why We Still Fall Victim to Cybercrime
No full textCybersecurity has only recently gained press coverage as millions of individuals are victimized by cyberattacks. While current cybersecurity measures offer some protection, human error has been the number one cause of cyberattacks for the past eight years (Verizon, 2024). Cybercrime continues to evolve in complexity, leveraging advanced technology and human psychology to bypass traditional security systems. This study examines why individuals still fall victim to cyberattacks. It explores the psychological and cognitive factors that make individuals vulnerable, focusing on social engineering techniques such as phishing and pretexting. This study also analyzes factors from psychological theories, including Protection Motivation Theory, Routine Activities Theory, and Social Cognitive Theory. It emphasizes how impulsivity, stress, information overload, and social influence affect decision-making in cybersecurity contexts. Understanding the underlying psychological theories can explain why people fall for social engineering campaigns and inadvertently comply with common social engineering tactics. Real-world case studies, such as the Target breach and the Deepfake CFO scam, illustrate how attackers exploit emotional and cognitive vulnerabilities. By identifying these underlying factors and understanding their dynamics, we can develop and implement more effective countermeasures to enhance personal security in the digital landscape. To address these threats, the paper advocates for psychology-informed training programs, habit-forming strategies, and user-focused interventions to build resilience and foster a security-conscious culture
Nativism as the Engine of Fear Toward “Illegal” Immigrants
No full textContemporary concerns about “illegal” immigration reveal deep-seated anxieties about race, cultural, and national identity in the United States. In this paper, I examine how xenophobia, media consumption, and Christian nationalism collectively shape fear of illegal immigrants. I build upon previous literature, such as the Group Threat Theory, which posits that dominant groups mobilize to preserve social hierarchies when their status is threatened, and the Agenda-Setting Theory, which emphasizes the media’s power to shape public perceptions. Using Wave 11 of the Chapman Survey of American Fears–a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults collected in 2025–I provide a comparative analysis of these factors to identify the most salient predisposition that drives anti-immigrant sentiment. Findings indicate that (1) Fox News viewers exhibit significantly higher levels of fear toward illegal immigration. Contrary to earlier research, (2) reliance on social media does not significantly increase fear compared to traditional media sources. Furthermore, (3) attending religious services leads to a greater fear of illegal immigrants among individuals. Among all predictors, (4) xenophobia emerges as the strongest driver of fear. Collectively, the results show how nativist anxieties, amplified through selective media exposure and moralized through religious nationalism, continue to fuel public fear and hostility toward immigrants. I present an updated empirical test of these dynamics, demonstrating how cultural, media, and ideological forces jointly shape immigration fears in the U.S. These findings underscore the need to reconsider how such narratives define American identity and obstruct a truly inclusive, multicultural society
Teachers\u27 Beliefs Expressed as Personal Practice Theories: A Touchstone and Tool to Navigate First Year Teaching Challenges
No full textThis study examined how early-career teachers utilize Personal Practical Theories (PPTs)—core beliefs about teaching and learning—to navigate first-year challenges. PPTs represent convictions about pedagogy, engagement, and classroom management that teachers develop throughout their preparation. This two-year longitudinal study followed credential program students through training and into their first year of service, replicating and extending Levin et al. (2013).
During preparation, participants engaged in reflection to develop coherent PPTs guiding future practice. Through self-studies, peer discussions, and faculty mentorship, they assessed congruence between stated beliefs and actual implementation, creating a baseline understanding of pedagogical identity. PPT enactment during the first teaching year was analyzed through structured interviews, reflective journals, classroom observations, and Critical Friends group sessions held every six weeks. This multi-method approach provided rich, triangulated data on how teachers navigated the transition from preparation to practice. The central question examined whether teachers utilized PPTs to identify, analyze, and resolve conflicts while resisting institutional pressures threatening their values.
Findings revealed consistent conflicts between progressive ideals and institutional demands
emphasizing standardization, testing, and traditional management. Engagement and empathy-related PPTs were both strengths and struggles, as curricular mandates and time constraints limited student-centered practices. Teachers reported feeling torn between building meaningful relationships and covering prescribed content.
Critical Friends groups proved vital, offering reflection, collaboration, and emotional support. In contrast, lack of site-based mentorship heightened stress, isolation, and attrition risk. Participants with consistent, philosophically aligned mentors were likelier to persist and integrate their PPTs into practice. This work highlights pathways for supporting teacher retention and growth, addressing the nationwide
Defining Immersive Theatre Creation for Stage Managers’ Benefit
No full textCreating immersive theatre differs from traditional theatre in its use of found spaces that lack visual barriers between the audience and the performers. Additionally, the order of scenes are performed in can change for each performance. The delineation of scenes is often defined by a change in location or scheduled time. For these reasons and more, immersive theatre presents many unique challenges for artists working in this medium. In particular, the role of stage managers is complicated by the opportunity for complications inherent in performances featuring audience interaction in close quarters. Audience behavior is at once both an unknown variable and a piece of the performance that must be accounted for while in the pre-production phase. Stage managers aim to be prepared and proactive in their management style, which is at odds with the atmosphere of spontaneity cultivated by immersive theatre. As a theatre student studying stage management, my cohorts and I should be educated in how immersive theatre operates, as we will likely begin working in these spaces after completing our education. My methodology is to create various paperwork templates based on publicly available stage management resources and adapt them to be suited towards the specific needs of immersive productions. I will be adapting paperwork templates from backstage theatre educators, technical theatre blogs, and online stage management forums. I am taking from a variety of publicly available sources in hopes of capturing an accurate picture of the templates that working stage managers are using. Additionally, I will be using information from these sources on how best to write and format these forms