Minnesota State University, Mankato
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Age-Related Microaggressions: A Semi-Replication
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to expand the literature on age-related microaggressions by replicating a previous study on this topic. Participants (n = 303) were asked for examples of daily interactions where they were treated differently because of their age. Participants described experiences of age-related microaggressions and were prompted through a series of questions via an online survey to determine the topography of the age-related microaggressions, emotional and behavioral reactions to being victimized, which aspects of the interaction were most bothersome, perpetrators and settings of the attacks, and perceived intent. A thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was conducted to summarize responses to open-ended questions. The results parallel previous research on age-related microaggressions, in that the majority of older adults have experienced these interactions and find them bothersome. The results provide further insight into the topography of age-related microaggressions, their subtypes, and how older adults relate to these experiences. The hope is to utilize this information to create a measure of age-related microaggressions to better understand the scope of this problem and develop interventions to prevent these subtle, but frequent forms of ageism
Comparing the Effects of Choice and Performance Feedback on the Writing Fluency Outcomes of Elementary Students
Get PDFPerformance feedback is an effective intervention that improves the writing outcomes of elementary students. Although choice has been referred to as a powerful tool in improving the writing of students, little empirical research has been conducted that investigates the effectiveness of choice when implemented in a class-wide setting. Therefore, the current study used a randomized controlled trial design to compare the effects of performance feedback and choice on the writing fluency outcomes of 40 fourth-grade elementary students in one elementary school. Participants were randomly assigned to either a performance feedback condition (n = 20) or a choice condition (n = 20) for 4 weeks. Participants in the performance feedback condition demonstrated significant growth in their writing performance when compared to the writing performance of participants assigned to the choice condition. In addition, results found that participants’ higher levels of interest in the story starter predicted increased writing productivity. Limitations of the study; practice implications, including considerations for the use of writing interventions in a class-wide setting and the incorporation of student interest into writing topics; and future directions are discussed
Virtual classes in the U.S. University: Exploring Zoom fatigue experience based on English competency and course engagement among international students
Get PDFOnline video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom, are widely used for virtual classes. Zoom platforms bring flexibility and convenience, but also contribute to fatigue which is called “Zoom fatigue”. The purpose of the study is to investigate Zoom fatigue among international students at the U.S. university, and its links to Zoom-mediated communication in the field of education. The study investigates 152 international students to examine how English competency affects Zoom fatigue, and how course engagement affects Zoom fatigue in virtual classes at the U.S. university. The results show that English competency and course engagement have a negative relationship with Zoom fatigue. The study implies that when international students have high English competency, they have less Zoom fatigue experience. In addition, international students have less Zoom fatigue experience when they engage in virtual classes. The study suggests future directions on how to decrease Zoom fatigue and increase course engagement among international students in virtual classes
Every Blessing
No full textEvery Blessing is an upmarket novel about a dysfunctional, affluent group of five siblings who’ve returned home after their father’s death. Their hopes for swift exits and overflowing trust funds are dashed by a stipulation in the will: break the family curse. Each sibling needs the money. Each has a complicated history with their business tycoon of a father and the Mayfield legacy. None would admit any of this aloud for fear of giving their siblings ammunition. Over the course of six days, the Mayfield siblings are forced on a scavenger hunt around their ancestral home to put together the pieces of a cursebreaking ritual and the past that binds, and breaks, them
Characterizing the effects of melatonin on reproduction in green anoles (Anolis carolinensis).
No full textMelatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is involved in the regulation of seasonal behaviors in a variety of species. Specifically, high levels of melatonin are associated with short photoperiods, which often coincide with the non-breeding season in most animals, meaning that melatonin may have an inhibitory role in regulating seasonal reproduction. To exert effects on different target tissues, melatonin must bind to its receptors (MT1 and MT2). Like other seasonally breeding animals, green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis), have large, active gonads, increased levels of testosterone and estradiol, and increased reproductive behaviors during the breeding season compared to the non-breeding season. Previous studies have examined melatonin’s role in the transition between breeding and non-breeding states, but it is unclear how melatonin’s receptors change seasonally in brains and gonads. Additionally, it is unclear if melatonin treatment during the breeding season influences hormone levels or reproductive behaviors. In Experiment 1, we measured MT1 and MT2 mRNA expression in the brains and gonads of unmanipulated male and female anoles between breeding and non-breeding seasons. We found that MT1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in the male brain during the breeding season compared to the non-breeding season, and in general, MT1 mRNA levels were higher compared to MT2. This result suggests that melatonin may regulate seasonal reproduction primarily through MT1 in the brain, and higher levels during the breeding season may compensate for low seasonal levels of melatonin. In Experiment 2, males and females were treated with a subcutaneous pellet containing either melatonin or a blank control for 10 weeks during the breeding season. In males, melatonin treatment increased testosterone levels and decreased the latency to reproductive behavior. This suggests that rather than inhibiting reproduction, continuous high doses of melatonin stimulate reproductive characteristics during the breeding season, although the exact mechanism responsible for this action remains unclear. Additionally, female reproduction was not influenced by melatonin treatment, meaning that other factors beyond melatonin may regulate female reproduction. Our findings support the role of melatonin in modulating seasonal reproduction, but more work is needed to determine the exact mechanisms behind melatonin’s stimulatory effect in males
Solutions to the Kaluza-Klein Field Equations
Get PDFThis Alternate Paper Plan explores Kaluza-Klein theory, a multidimensional framework designed to unify Einstein’s gravitational field theory and Maxwell’s electromagnetic field theory. The objectives of this research can be summarized in two key areas: The first objective is to present a comprehensive introduction to the compactified Kaluza-Klein theory. The second aim involves the application of differential geometry, specifically E ́lie Cartan’s tetrad formalism, to derive exact solutions in two distinct scenarios: a. A Levi-Civita spacetime, b. A general spherical system. Furthermore, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism are utilized to define stability conditions and describe gravitational lensing and Precession of Perihelion within a five-dimensional spacetime
September 2024 Library & Learning Newsletter
Get PDFPDF version of the September 2024 (Volume 3, Issue 1) Library & Learning Newsletter
Embryonic Exposure to Sodium Perchlorate Disrupts Organ Development in Mice
No full textPerchlorate is an endocrine disrupting compound (EDC) commonly used for its oxidative properties. Perchlorate has been detected in many industrialized countries in drinking water, soil, foods, and breast milk. Perchlorate competitively inhibits the uptake of iodide into the thyroid follicles via the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS), thus reducing thyroid hormone synthesis. Perchlorate has many conflicting results in the toxicological effects that perchlorate has on organ development in model fishes, but much less work has been done on mammals. In the present study, I examined the morphological effects of environmentally relevant concentrations (0, 10, and 100ppm) of sodium perchlorate on the thyroid, liver, kidneys, testes and ovaries. Sexually mature female mice were randomly divided into the three treatment groups, bred, and exposed to perchlorate via water until offspring were weaned at postnatal day 36 (P36). Offspring continued exposure for 49 days at the same concentration as their mother, euthanized at P85, whole body perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS, and the target organs were dissected, sectioned, and stained using hematoxylin and eosin. Perchlorate exposed mice displayed a significant decrease in colloid area with significantly increased follicle frequency and angiogenesis within the thyroid. Within the liver, I found a significant increase in the presence of ballooned hepatocytes and lipid accumulation, key morphological characteristics in diagnosing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Within the kidney, I found perchlorate significantly altered nephron tubule thickness. In the testes, perchlorate exposure caused an increase in disorganized seminiferous tubules and a non-monotonic increase in Leydig cell nuclei area within the 10ppm group. 10ppm and 100ppm exposed mice showed an increase in blood vessel size within the testes. The present results compared to previous studies suggest that perchlorate may have different effects on organ development based on early or late-stage developmental exposure