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Cultural Normativity Index: A Profile Similarity Approach
Full text link148 page PDF with supporting data in .qmd and PDF formats.Cultures are marked by a sharedness – similarity in beliefs, values, moral codes, patterns of thinking and feeling – among other things. This sharedness is unequally distributed within the members of culture. But how do we measure this sharedness? Based on the distributive model of culture, and person-environment fit framework, this thesis identified a Cultural Normativity Index (CNI) – the extent to which an individual approximates to their societal aggregate. Employing a multilevel profile similarity approach, CNI is assessed across two broad psychological domains: Mindset (beliefs, values, norms) and Personality (trait tendencies, based on the Big Six) using item pools drawn from a variety of measures covering a broad area of the domains across two studies. Six and eight CNI types based on Mindset and personality domains were assessed in each study respectively. In Study 1 (N = 2,224) CNI was strongly associated with GLOBE (Assertiveness, Future Orientation, Ingroup Collectivism) and Big Six (Agreeableness, Resilience, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Originality) measures and weakly associated with subjective well-being. In Study 2 (N = 8,588) strongest associations with CNI were observed with the Big Two (Dynamism, Social self-regulation) and Values (Openness to Change, Self-Transcendence). Majority of the strongest associations were observed at the country-level. In Study 2, CNI was also found to be associated with place of family homes (urban vs. rural), mother’s and father’s education, and age. Furthermore, differences across CNI-types with respect to the varied associations with measures are discussed
Imagining China in Robert van Gulik’s Judge Dee Illustrations: Cultural Hybridity and Visual Construction
Full text linkDutch diplomat and Sinologist Robert van Gulik (1910–1967) wrote and illustrated a series of Judge Dee detective novels in the mid-twentieth century, popularizing traditional Chinese culture among Western audiences. His illustrations, modeled after Ming dynasty (1368–1644) woodblock prints, use clean and simple lines to depict settings and figures rich in Chinese stylistic elements. Through a close analysis of his illustrations, this study shows how van Gulik blended traditional Chinese aesthetics with Western visual and narrative conventions, creating a hybrid artistic style that bridged cultural boundaries. It further explores how he constructed an idealized vision of China, portraying Judge Dee as a fusion of Confucian scholar-official virtues and Western detective traits, and framing female figures—particularly through the frequent depiction of nude women. This study reveals how van Gulik adapted Chinese visual traditions, expressed his understanding of Chinese culture, and created illustrations that resonated with both Western and Chinese audiences within the broader context of mid-twentieth-century cross-cultural exchange
Gene Regulatory Mechanisms of Drosophila Embryonic Motor Neuron Development
Full text linkNeural progenitors give rise to distinct populations of neurons throughout development. Drosophila larval neural progenitors, neuroblasts (NBs), express temporal gradients of transcription factors and RNA-binding proteins to establish neuronal diversity. The function of temporal transcription factors (TTFs) is well-studied in larval neural development. Several factors are expressed early in larval development, including Imp and Chinmo, while other factors are expressed later, including Syp, Mamo, and Broad, and an additional TF, Sequoia, is expressed throughout larval development. While the gene regulatory network of these factors has been thoroughly characterized in larvae, little is known about their expression or function in embryonic CNS development. Here we characterize the expression of early and late temporal factors in embryonic development. We find that Imp and Sequoia are expressed in neuroblasts, with a gradient of low-to-high expression in aging neuroblasts, which is maintained in post-mitotic neurons. Interestingly, the embryonic Imp gradient is opposite the larval Imp gradient. The embryonic Sequoia gradient also contrasts larval expression where no gradient is detected. Another larval early factor, Chinmo, is expressed in all post-mitotic neurons, but not in a gradient. The late factors Mamo, EcR, Syp, and Broad are not expressed in embryos, with the exception of sparse Broad expression. Loss-of-function experiments showed that Imp is required for Chinmo expression. Intriguingly, loss of Chinmo -- but not Imp -- derepresses Syp. Finally, we tested whether Imp and Chinmo are required for motor neuron identity or morphology. We found that Imp, Chinmo, and Sequoia do not have a role in specifying motor neuron identity, but Imp and Chinmo have a later function in promoting motor axon targeting to the correct body wall muscle, and Chinmo is also required to prevent ectopic motor neuron dendrite projections. Together, these results show that the temporal factors are regulated differently in embryos and larvae, and that Imp and Chinmo are required for proper motor neuron axon or dendrite projections. This dissertation includes previously published and co-authored materials
Essays on Consumer Decision Making and Policy
Full text linkWhen consumers first learn of an impending natural disaster, they may be faced with substantial uncertainty regarding their future consumption and demand. As the exact location and severity of the event comes into focus, this uncertainty lessens and those who will be directly impacted tend to purchase emergency supplies all at once. This behavior, known as “panic buying”, often leads to increased burdens on supply chains and market failures. Using various econometric techniques, I aim to unravel the primary factors that determine the magnitude of panic buying. In the first chapter of my dissertation, I use event study analysis to determine that the overall history of an area reduces the amount of panic buying that is observed. In the second chapter I structurally estimate how the sudden announcement of a natural disaster influences the consumer's decision to purchase, consume, and store emergency supplies. I find the cost of storing emergency supplies for future disasters is significant to consumers, further encouraging the behavior of ``panic buying". Finally, I estimate the effect of prior forecast accuracy on current panic buying using various econometric techniques. I find that sales of emergency supplies are significantly affected by past inaccurate forecasts through both recency bias and the hot-hand fallacy
Fungal Horror and Futurity in The Last of Us: Part I and The Last of Us: Season One
No full textThe Last of Us Part I and Season One follows Joel and Ellie as they seek to survive amidst the Cordyceps pandemic, where fungi invade human bodies and "zombify" their hosts without killing them. This paper uses rhetorical analysis to determine how The Last of Us imagines human survival in times of planetary crisis. By using screenshots from the series, I analyze fungal agency through the affects of fungal horror and transformation in The Last of Us. Anna Tsing, Michel Foucault, Stacy Alaimo, Donna Haraway, Gilles Deleuze, and Félix Guattari are essential writers that elucidate the significance of Cordyceps as a figure of speculative fiction and a machinic, world-making force. In the series, human survival can ultimately be framed as either "the last of us" humans, or the "lasting of us" beyond the boundaries of the human.2027-08-0
The Delian "Slipper Slapper" Group (C. 100 B.C.E.) and Feminine Power
No full textThis thesis examines one of the most famous sculptures of the Hellenistic period of Greek art—the "Slipper Slapper" group of Aphrodite, Eros, and Pan, set up in the Clubhouse of the Poseidoniasts of Berytus on Delos around 100 B.C.E. The sculpture captures a suspenseful moment: Aphrodite raises her sandal as Pan makes sexual advances. This thesis argues that Aphrodite’s naked form, far from being merely erotic, is an assertion of feminine agency. It also suggests that Aphrodite’s raised sandal may be understood not as a means of defense but rather as a way to discipline Pan. By examining the sculpture’s composition and archaeological context, Aphrodite’s nakedness, and the significance of her raised sandal, this thesis concludes that the “Slipper Slapper” is a powerful expression of female agency and resistance
The Construction and Testing of Multiple Sonoluminescence Vessels
Full text link56 pagesSonoluminescence is the emission of light from imploding bubbles in a liquid when excited by sound. It is thought that sonoluminescence is thermal and creates immense heat when the bubble collapses, which creates the light that is seen through experiments. This phenomenon has been well studied but there are unresolved theories on what is created when the bubble collapses. A question that warrants further investigation is about the vessels that help trap and produce sonoluminescence. The frequencies and resonances used to trap the bubble depend on the vessel or container being used. Containers vary in shape and size, but the most common vessels are spherical and cylindrical. This research project involves constructing several different vessels to test their different resonances and their effectiveness on trapping and producing sonoluminescence. Six total vessels were constructed for testing: two different sizes of spherical vessels, and 2 different radii of cylindrical vessels. There are multiple harmonics that can be found for a vessel were explored in this research project up to four harmonics for each vessel. With this in mind, the different resonant frequencies of the vessels were explored to see if there is a difference in suitability for sonoluminescence experiments between these vessels. This study intends to continue the development of sonoluminescence vessels and expand on sonoluminescence regarding the effectiveness of acoustic vessels
MECHANISMS CONTROLLING RAPID PI(3,4,5)P3 GENERATION IN MIGRATORY IMMUNE CELLS
No full textFollowing receptor activation, inner leaflet concentration of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-phosphate (PI(3,4,5)P3) rises approximately 200-fold at the leading edges of migratory immune cells through coordinated reactions by autoinhibited heterodimeric PI3K protein complexes. Simultaneously, GTPases are activated at the plasma membrane to assist in the regulation of cellular responses. GEFs play essential roles in regulating activation of GTPases in most eukaryotic membrane signaling pathways. One atypical Rac1 GTPase GEF complex, DOCK/ELMO, is a highly conserved autoinhibited heteroprotein complex. DOCK proteins catalyze the exchange of free nucleotide (GTP) onto small GTPases via their DHR-2 domains. Phosphatidylinositol (PIP) lipids localize the DOCK DHR-1 domains. ELMO proteins regulate GEF activity by mediating direct interactions with GTPases and PIP lipids. Previous experiments investigating DOCK/ELMO regulation used lysate pull-down assays or solution-based enzymatic reactions to quantify GEF activity. These approaches lack spatial information and sequential membrane-localization cues present in cellular membrane signaling landscapes. Structural studies of PI3K, DOCK, and ELMO proteins indicate that multiple theoretically catalytically divergent configurations exist for the complexes. Additionally, structures revealed select conformations of DOCK2/ELMO1 as (DOCK2/ELMO1)2 oligomers bound to their GTPases targets, though DOCK/ELMO complex localization and oligomerization state during membrane signaling reactions remains unclear. No assays which directly isolate and quantify simultaneous membrane surface GTPase nucleotide exchange and PI(3,4,5)P3 synthesis by both DOCK/ELMO and PI3K enzymes have been performed. For this dissertation, the mechanisms underlying these properties were deciphered using a reductionist biochemistry approach wherein GTPases, GPCRs, and RTK derived phosphopeptides were directly coupled to membranes. Under these conditions, the kinetics of GEF-mediated Rac1 activation and PI(3,4,5)P3 synthesis were directly visualized by TIRF-M (Total Internal Reflection Microscopy) with single molecule resolution. This enabled quantification of membrane association and protein-interactor mediated behaviors of both PI3K and DOCK2/ELMO1 presented to combinations of phosphorylated tyrosine peptides, GßGγ subunits, Rho family GTPases, and varied PIP lipids. The mechanistic details underlying PI3Kß’s PI(3,4,5)P3 production and DOCK2/ELMO1-mediated activation of Rac1 revealed an activation model for these protein complexes: DOCK2/ELMO1 is synergistically activated by combinations of PI(3,4,5)P3 lipids, Rac1(GTP), and RhoG(GTP); PI3K is first localized to membrane surfaces by phosphorylated peptides before being activated by GPCRs and Rho/Ras GTPases.2027-10-1
Oakridge Municipal Court Program Policy Report
Full text link29 PagesThe purpose of this report is to provide the Oakridge Municipal Court staff with the necessary information to administer the Oakridge Municipal Court Community
Service Program and maintain it over time. This report includes steps, guidelines, and forms that the Court staff could use to administer the program in partnership with agencies and work with defendants during their service.
The program steps are as follows:
• The judge will present defendants with the option to complete volunteer work for either a nonprofit or public agency as an alternative to paying a fine.
• The judge will provide the defendant with an agreement form to be eligible for the Community Service Program and a timesheet to track their volunteer hours.
• The defendant will be presented with a list of currently eligible partners with the partner’s preferred contact information.
• Organizations will supervise defendants during community service and sign off on the timesheet brought by the defendant.
• The defendant will report back to the court and deliver the timesheet with their supervisor’s signature once they have completed their hours.Community partnerships are possible in part due to support from U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, as well as former Congressman Peter DeFazio, who secured federal funding for SCYP through Congressionally Directed Spending
Air, surface, and wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2; a multimodal evaluation of COVID-19 detection in a built environment
Full text link11 pagesBACKGROUND: Environmental surveillance of infectious organisms holds tremendous promise to reduce human-to-human
transmission in indoor spaces through early detection.
OBJECTIVE: In this study we determined the applicability and limitations of wastewater, indoor high-touch surfaces, in-room air,
and rooftop exhaust air sampling methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in a real world building occupied by residents recently
diagnosed with COVID-19.
METHODS: We concurrently examined the results of three 24-hour environmental surveillance techniques, indoor surface
sampling, exhaust air sampling and wastewater surveillance, to the known daily census fluctuations in a COVID-19 isolation
dormitory. Additionally, we assessed the ability of aerosol samplers placed in the large volume lobby to detect SARS-CoV-2 multiple
times per day.
RESULTS: Our research reveals an increase in the number of individuals confirmed positive with COVID-19 as well as their
estimated human viral load to be associated with statistically significant increases in viral loads detected in rooftop exhaust aerosol
samples (p = 0.0413), wastewater samples (p = 0.0323,), and indoor high-touch surfaces (p < 0.001)). We also report that the viral
load detected in lobby aerosol samples was statistically higher in samples collected during presence of occupants whose COVID-19
diagnostic tests were confirmed positive via qPCR compared to periods when the lobby was occupied by either contact-traced
(suspected positive) individuals or during unoccupied periods (p = 0.0314 and <2e−16).
SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that each daily (24h) surveillance method, rooftop exhaust air, indoor high-touch surfaces, and
wastewater, provide useful detection signals for building owner/operator(s). Furthermore, we demonstrate that exhaust air
sampling can provide spatially resolved signals based upon ventilation exhaust zones. Additionally, we find that indoor lobby air
sampling can provide temporally resolved signals useful during short duration sampling periods (e.g., 2-4 hours) even with
intermittent occupancy by occupants diagnosed with COVID-19.
IMPACT:
● Our research demonstrates that aerosol sampling can detect COVID-19 positive individuals in a real world lobby setting during
very short occupancy periods. We demonstrate the effectiveness of rooftop exhaust aerosol, surface, and wastewater
environmental surveillance in monitoring viral load in building occupants, both at the building scale and with ventilation zonelevel
resolution for aerosols. We provide actionable data for researchers, health officials and building managers who seek to
determine which monitoring method is best for their building or study. This study is relevant in the fields of epidemiology,
exposure sciences, biomonitoring, virology, public health, and healthy building design and management