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Parenting Among Mothers with High Psychosocial Stress in South-Central Appalachia: Aspirations, Actions, and Intervention
No full textConceptualizations of adaptive parenting within Appalachia have been historically limited by the scarcity of research with the region as well as stereotyped depictions of Appalachian parents. As such, this project aimed to examine Appalachian parenting through a culturally sensitive lens by centering lived experiences through the ecological systems theory. The sample included mothers (n = 41) who attended Mom Power, an attachment-based, trauma-informed parenting skills intervention in the Appalachian Highlands. Reflective Thematic Analysis was used to analyze qualitative interview data by exploring and conceptualizing current parenting challenges and associated maternal feelings and reactions. Results include the development of a metaphor that highlights the microsystem and macrosystem factors affecting mothers within the Appalachian Highlands and offers paths for protection and intervention. Clinical and policy implications are discussed
Investigating the Multiple Enzyme Complex in the Carotenoid Biosynthesis Pathway
No full textIn nature, plant carotenoids are 40-carbon isoprenoids with polyene chains that may have double bonds. They are vital components of all photosynthetic organisms, playing several roles in the plant cell, including photosynthesis, pigmentation, phytohormone synthesis, signaling and photoprotection. In this study, we investigated protein-protein interactions among key enzymes involved in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway using the Bimolecular Fluorescent Complementation (BiFC) assay. Our results revealed several interactions that suggest a coordinated regulation of enzymatic activity within this pathway, highlighting potential regulatory complexes that influence carotenoid production. The study also highlights the pivotal role of Zeta-Carotene Isomerase (Z-ISO) as a key regulatory enzyme in carotenoid biosynthesis. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines expressing YFP-tagged constructs were successfully generated and exhibited detectable fluorescence, providing essential tools for future in vivo analyses of enzyme localization and interaction dynamics. These findings enhance our understanding of carotenoid biosynthesis regulation and offer tools for further functional and mechanistic studies
Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn: A Qualitative Investigation of Inquiry-Based Learning and Metacognition in Preschools
No full textIn response to an increased focus in the field of early childhood on inquiry-based practices and metacognition, this qualitative study was designed to investigate a variety of approaches to planning and facilitating classroom inquiry. Additionally, this research was designed to discover the ways in which metacognitive strategies are used in preschool classrooms to foster the learning process. Using teacher interviews, classroom observation, and analyses of teachers’ planning documents in a multiple case study design, this study focused on five Reggio-inspired classrooms to investigate the planning and teaching practices of preschool teachers related to inquiry-based learning. Of importance was their use of metacognitive strategies and documentation of children’s learning to support preschool teaching and learning.
The study yielded six major themes: 1) constructivist teaching philosophy, 2) use of the environment, 3) teacher/child interactions, 4) teacher planning practices, 5) metacognitive language, and 6) representations of thinking. The findings demonstrated that many elements of a constructivist approach to teaching and learning were present in every case, yet certain components of teacher metacognitive practices that contributed to classroom inquiry were missing in some classrooms.
This study suggests that teachers’ abilities to observe children’s play, interpret child thinking, and develop their own hypotheses about children’s ideas are critical elements of teacher planning that support inquiry-based learning. This research provides suggestions for helping teachers distinguish interest-based learning from inquiry-based learning practices and makes recommendations for professional development that can support educators in developing stronger classroom inquiry