Minnesota State University, Mankato
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Plate 76: St. Louis River Sheet 1
No full texthttps://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/maps-mn-river-surveys-volume2/1072/thumbnail.jp
Critical Discourse Analysis of MeToo Activism Representation in Nepalese News Coverage: Privileged Bodies, Masculine Gaze, and Absentees Others
No full textAlongside other women of the world, Nepalese women have been fighting against gender violence and sexual harassment to create a violence-free society for decades. In 2017, the MeToo movement took a turn by becoming a transnational digital movement with 85+ countries adopting and localizing the movement. Despite hundreds of women participating in the movement, the documentation of the MeToo movement in Nepal has primarily been limited to a few newspapers and news articles. This research addresses a gap in scholarship in documenting the Nepali movement and focuses on the case study of the MeToo movement in Nepal to explore how the MeToo movement unfolded, who the primary agents were, what challenges the movement faced, and its connection with the transnational movement. The critical discourse analysis of 51 news articles published by national and international news agencies at two levels (1) textual analysis and (2) thematic analysis, shows that news articles produced hegemonic discourse, in which the Nepalese MeToo movement was declared a failure. Additionally, the analysis discloses that the primarily privileged group of women has been represented in this genre, and the marginalized women remained absent
Characterization of Actin Capping Protein Beta Isoform Specific Dynamics In Metastatic Cells
No full textTo gain insight into the mechanism of cancer progression, we examined the isoform-specific roles of actin capping protein (CPβ1 and CPβ2) related to actin cytoskeletal dynamics and metastatic progression in human uterine epithelial cells (HeLa). We employed qPCR to determine the relative expression levels of CPβ1 and CPβ2 in actively growing HeLa cells. Our findings confirmed that CPβ1 and CPβ2 are differentially expressed, with CPβ2 being the predominant isoform, two-fold higher, consistent with its expression in other non-muscle tissues. To extend our expression studies, the localization and spatial distribution of the isoforms were visualized via immunolocalization studies using isoform-specific monoclonal antibodies in HeLa cells. Immunochemistry staining revealed distinct and overlapping subcellular localization patterns for CPβ1 and CPβ2. CPβ1 was broadly distributed, with enrichment in the perinuclear region and punctate cytoplasm distribution, while CPβ2 was localized at the cell periphery, particularly in structures like lamellipodia, filopodia, and stress fibers.
Finally, we transiently overexpressed GFP-CPβ1 and GFP-CPβ2 to evaluate isoform-specific effects on actin organization and cell morphology. Our results showed isoform-specific changes in actin organization, cell morphology, and membrane dynamics. CPβ1 and CPβ2 overexpression induced distinct phenotypes, indicating non-redundant roles in actin cytoskeleton remodeling and metastatic behavior. Overexpression of CPβ2 led to a reduction in circularity and increased surface area compared to CPβ1. Our findings show that CPβ1 and CPβ2 play distinct roles in regulating actin dynamics, leading to the formation of metastatic phenotypes in uterine epithelial cells. The isoform-specific functions of CPβ1 and CPβ2 may provide new insight into the mechanism of cancer migration and may offer a potential target for antimetastatic therapies
The Role of Leadership in Creating DEI Plans in U.S. Higher Education
No full textThis brief discusses the challenges and strategies in creating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) plans in U.S. higher education. It highlights the importance of leadership in this process, particularly the need for courageous leadership to overcome the barriers posed by resistance to DEI plans. This brief illustrates the complexities of creating DEI plans and offers strategies to foster inclusive environments. The discussion emphasizes the need for a long-term commitment and actionable DEI plans beyond performative steps, instilling confidence in the potential for significant institutional evolution
Die [book review]
No full textThis review of Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans\u27s comic series Die offers a general overview as well as an examination of various representations of disability, including post-traumatic stress disorder, physical disability, depression/grief, and gender dysphoria
A Place Called Home
No full textThis book is the first of the Saga series, and its title, A Place Called Home, looks at the idea of home, coming-of-age, womanhood, and patriarchy in the sixteenth century during the outbreak of the Thirty Years War. The main character, Hyla, feels unsure of her place as a young woman and wonders if love has to mean marriage. War breaks out in the village, and her understandings of her already confused world test her. Her ultimate test, though, comes when she is sexually assaulted and loses her sense of independence. She falls in love with her suitor, Bradford, but the war takes them on a journey of trust and loss that will test their love for each other, even if they lose each other at the end. Hyla and Bradford are challenged in many ways throughout the book, but their biggest challenge is understanding what love can do and what it cannot do
Special Education in Today\u27s Diverse Classrooms: Meeting the Needs of Students with Exceptionalities
No full textSpecial Education in Today’s Diverse Classrooms: Meeting the Needs of Students with Exceptionalities is an introductory-level textbook designed for all pre-service teachers to learn about meeting the needs of students with exceptionalities in inclusive environments. Along with descriptions of each IDEA disability category, the book presents high-leverage practices (HLPs) and evidence-based strategies that are practical and applicable to any instructional environment. Through the lens of HLPs, this text emphasizes universal design for learning (UDL), tiered supports, culturally inclusive pedagogies and practices (CIPP), and evidence-based practices (EBPs).
This textbook bridges the gap between research, knowledge about disabilities, and a practical approach to educating students, offering a comprehensive framework for educators navigating the diverse needs of students with exceptionalities. By placing a strong emphasis on CIPP and EBPs as they relate to HLPs, it equips readers with tools to create meaningful and equitable learning experiences. The unique structure, enriched by authentic vignettes and aligned with professional standards, ensures the practical application of frameworks such as UDL and multi-tiered systems of support. Additionally, the book underscores the importance of family engagement, making it a vital resource for fostering collaboration in education. The content aligns with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) standards ensuring its relevance and utility for professional educator preparation.
Through its innovative approach, this text inspires educators to not only meet students’ needs but also celebrate their individuality, preparing them to succeed in dynamic, inclusive school and classroom environments.https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/university-archives-msu-authors/1494/thumbnail.jp
Cougar
No full textLeap into the wild world of the cougar (also called mountain lion or puma) with this middle-grade title from the Spotlight on Nature series. Perfect for wildlife lovers eager to uncover more about their favorite animal’s life cycle, the book weaves an enchanting narrative about a single cougar family, reminiscent of classic nature shows, into the informational text. It includes captivating photographs, infographics, a timeline of developmental milestones, and features such as a glossary, index, and resources for further learning. To underscore conservation, it also includes a listing of where to see the “small cats” in captivity and the wild.https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/university-archives-msu-authors/1489/thumbnail.jp
Flipping the Story on Disability and Violence: People with Intellectual Disability and Allies Leading the Change
No full textInternationally there is a growing awareness that domestic, family, and sexual violence is a social issue that results from social structures and relational contexts that have positioned women as ‘less than’ men. Alongside this growing awareness has come social action by women and their allies that aim to change these social and relational structures using an intersectional framing of oppression.
People with disabilities, especially people with an intellectual disability, have been largely excluded from this social action. However, for decades they have been challenging the oppressive social and relational structures that frame them as ‘of less value’ than ‘non-disabled’ people. Aligned with this self-advocacy are social ecological models that look systemically to understand why interpersonal violence occurs and to prevent violence. This book introduces a unique ‘flipped’ social ecological model and applies it to approaches from across the world that are working from the societal, community, relationship, and individual levels to challenge the ‘vulnerable victim’ discourse through positioning people with intellectual and other disabilities as social change agents shaping their safer lives.
Divided into six chapters and providing case-examples from Australia, the United States, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, and the Global South, this book profiles work done by government and community-based anti-violence service sectors in partnership with people with intellectual disability and their allies, as well as work on sexuality rights and disability advocacy that is contributing to the social effort to prevent interpersonal violence against people with an intellectual disability.
It is a must-read resource for anyone doing interpersonal violence prevention research and work and can be used as primary or supplemental reading for students doing coursework and research in disability studies, gender studies, community psychology, sociology, public health, and social work.https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/university-archives-msu-authors/1483/thumbnail.jp
When CPU is Worse than a Stick in the Eye: Better KPIs for Strategic Journal Collection Management
No full textLibraries frequently rely on variously calculated cost-per-usage (CPU) metrics, but there are other key performance indicators (KPIs) often more strategic for journal collection assessment. These other KPIs can also be more effective for communicating the value of journals. While CPU, in a variety of forms, will probably always be important for evidence-based decision-making, CPU can sometimes obfuscate the real value provided by journal packages and individual journals. We will discuss how CPU can lead to false impressions, especially at the package level. We’ll demonstrate alternative package-level KPIs, including (1) the Sub Usage Ratio, a quick indicator of package overlap, (2) the Southworth Ratio, a sortable indicator of usage trend, and (3) Subject-Package measures, which we consider the single most powerful indicator of journal package value. We’ve previously described some of these KPIs in other settings, but not as a suite. In addition to the primary KPIs, we’ll mention supplementary KPIs, useful for gaining a better bird’s eye view of journal packages, before moving onto factors and additional KPIs helpful when diving down to the journal level, including (1) Holdings Analysis and (2) supplementary usage indicators, such as the Year-of-Publication (YOP) Usage Ratio. We’ll describe how we’ve used our KPIs recently for collections decisions and campus outreach, alongside our campus-wide Collections Power BI. We’ll conclude by pointing to additional resources