College of Arts & Sciences

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12 years later, displaced Syrian women remain unheard
(Columbia University, 2023) Abunasser, Rima
Nearly 12 years since the beginning of the Syrian civil war crisis, more than 6.7 million people continue to be internally displaced, with more than 5.4 million Syrian refugees registered as refugees in neighboring countries. Of the Syrians displaced globally, nearly two thirds are women, and despite anecdotal stories of individual survival and success, their circumstances remain dangerously precarious. Moreover, the views and lived experiences of Syrian refugee women are rarely incorporated in research, service provision, and policy design – a situation largely unchanged since early in the crisis. Syrian women are at the intersection of multiple precarities, and rendered invisible in the global narrative and even more vulnerable to various forms of gender-based discrimination and violence. It is incumbent upon researchers, activists, politicians, and humanitarians to center displaced Syrian women’s experiences and narratives and to build more constructive coalitions that would lead to truly durable solutions.
The 36% problem
(Springer Link, 2015-11) Scott, Gray
Student learning assessments—from the institutional level to Academically Adrift—routinely overlook the ways that plagiarism and cheating may contribute to poor outcome performance. The blind spot is a curious one. Faculty have long warned students that they must complete work honestly if they are to learn. Cognitive research offers good reasons for such warnings: Students are unlikely to improve at skills or retain content unless they think their way through the work. Yet assessors speculating about below-expectation student performance rarely consider the role of academic integrity, and few surveys on teaching effectiveness inquire into integrity policies. Drawing on cognitive and behavioral research, this paper makes a case for giving academic integrity variables more attention in assessments and studies.
A growth mindset: Essential for student and faculty success
(Magna, 2019) Ahmed, Shazia; Rosen, Lisa
There is increasing awareness among K-12 educators on the importance of fostering a growth mindset. A recent survey by the Education Week Research Center (2016) indicated that 45 percent of K-12 educators were well acquainted with the concept of growth mindset, and almost all believed that nurturing a growth mindset in their students would improve learning outcomes. Although mindset is receiving a great deal of consideration in the K-12 classroom from teachers across disciplines, there has been less attention devoted to this concept on college campuses outside of departments such as psychology and education.
A ressignificação da corporeidade da mulher negra em Becos da memória, de Conceição Evaristo
(International Association of Lusitanistas, 2021-05-05) Rodriguez Mooney, Angela
Este artigo investiga a reescritura da corporeidade da mulher negra no romance Becos da memória, de Conceição Evaristo, publicado em 2006. Intenciona-se analisar a forma como o corpo e seus símbolos são representados no romance e como essas construções desestabilizam juízos morais e estereótipos que ancoram o corpo da mulher negra a um passado escravizado, criando novas territorialidades onde a subjetividade da mulher negra é visibilizada e valorizada.
A review of Social Media in Disaster Response: How Experience Architects Can Build for Participation
(Kairos, 2015) Hoermann, Jacquelyn E.
Although the time is never right for disaster to strike, discussing effective communication strategies for disaster scenarios couldn't be more timely, especially in the wake of massive social media development. In Social Media in Disaster Response: How Experience Architects Can Build for Participation, Liza Potts' (2014) research and analysis offered productive ways for rethinking how many of us, in academia and industry, might better approach communication across networks, particularly when crisis strikes and reliable information needs to be made available (and quickly).
A review of Vernacular Eloquence: What Speech Can Bring to Writing
(Composition Studies, 2014) Hoermann, Jacquelyn E.; Enos, Richard Leo
On December 8, 1975, a very disturbing essay appeared in Newsweek called “Why Johnny Can’t Write.” This essay was unsettling because it publicly exposed America’s literacy problem. The title would lead any reader to believe that the problem lies with the child, but in the following decades of research we have seen that the problems associated with literacy lie not with the child but rather the system the child learns from and society’s view of what constitutes good writing. For his entire career, Peter Elbow, recently retired from The University of Massachusetts-Amherst, sought to correct this perception of the student as the problem. As the capstone to a long and prolific career, Vernacular Eloquence (VE) amasses much of Elbow’s research and experiences in teaching literacy through orality, contributing to the field a philosophy of writing that is timely, needed, and exceptionally eloquent in its own right. Elbow’s views on writing first came to national attention with his 1973 volume Writing Without Teachers, a work that challenged many assumptions about how students learn and how the process of writing unfolds. Such a radical challenge to the conventional notions of literacy and the teaching of English has not been without political consequence in academia.
Ablation of arginylation in the mouse N-end rule pathway: Loss of fat, higher metabolic rate, damaged spermatogenesis, and neurological perturbations
(Public Library of Science, 2009) Brower, Christopher S.; Varshavsky, Alexander
In the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation, the destabilizing activity of N-terminal Asp, Glu or (oxidized) Cys residues requires their conjugation to Arg, which is recognized directly by pathway’s ubiquitin ligases. N-terminal arginylation is mediated by the Ate1 arginyltransferase, whose physiological substrates include the Rgs4, Rgs5 and Rgs16 regulators of G proteins. Here, we employed the Cre-lox technique to uncover new physiological functions of N-terminal arginylation in adult mice. We show that postnatal deletion of mouse Ate1 (its unconditional deletion is embryonic lethal) causes a rapid decrease of body weight and results in early death of ,15% of Ate1-deficient mice. Despite being hyperphagic, the surviving Ate1-deficient mice contain little visceral fat. They also exhibit an increased metabolic rate, ectopic induction of the Ucp1 uncoupling protein in white fat, and are resistant to diet-induced obesity. In addition, Ate1-deficient mice have enlarged brains, an enhanced startle response, are strikingly hyperkinetic, and are prone to seizures and kyphosis. Ate1- deficient males are also infertile, owing to defects in Ate12/2 spermatocytes. The remarkably broad range of specific biological processes that are shown here to be perturbed by the loss of N-terminal arginylation will make possible the dissection of regulatory circuits that involve Ate1 and either its known substrates, such as Rgs4, Rgs5 and Rgs16, or those currently unknown.
Adopting VR in the classroom: Perceptions of bilingual and ESL education pre-service teachers
(EDMETIC, 2022) Figueroa Flores, Jorge F.; Huffman, Lisa; Lozada, Victor; Rosa-Dávila, Emarely
Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive technology that is gaining momentum in education and has led to new teaching approaches. Moreover, it has spark interest in educator preparation programs and especially in the training of bilingual and ESL pre-service teachers. This article showcases a qualitative study conducted with n=27 undergraduate bilingual and ESL pre-service teachers. The study sought to determine the perception of bilingual and ESL pre-service teachers with VR and provide an understanding of VR mobile applications' experiences. All results were obtained from guided reflections made by pre-service teachers enrolled in the course theories of second language acquisition for ESL and bilingual teacher at a university located in north Texas. A content analysis was performed to analyze the reflections, and three categories were determined: strengths of VR, limitations of VR, and VR mobile applications. The findings revealed a positive perception towards the strengths of VR with 60%, including promotes student engagement (41%) and motivates students (29%). On the other hand, pre-service teachers perceived limitations of VR, including associated costs (44%) and the ability to access the internet (31%). Finally, VR mobile applications which offered VR tours were perceived to enhance learning experiences, including Google Expeditions (51%) and VR Tube (23%).
Alleviation of drought stress in Arabidopsis thaliana by 17β-estradiol application
(Scientific Research Publishing, 2016-10) Upadhyay, Pallavi; Maier, Camelia
Animal steroidal hormones, including estrogens, are being introduced into the agricultural soil and water supply from increased pharmaceutical and farm waste. Considering the current levels of xenoestrogen contamination of plant environments in view of the climate change induced drought conditions, this study was designed to understand the effect of estradiol (ES) application on Arabidopsis drought stress responses. Estradiol treatment (10 nM, 100 nM) of plants subjected to drought stress conditions by withholding water for 7 days resulted in increased tolerance to drought stress reflected in the significantly higher plant survival rates of 74% and 78%, respectively compared to control plants’ survival rates of 36% (no treatment) and 40% (mock treatment). Estradiol application significantly increased the content of glutathione, proline and H2O2 and significantly enhanced the transcription of the stress responsive genes GSTU3, GER5, HSP101, and HSP70b. A high concentration of ES (10 μM) did not protect plants against drought stress and proved to be toxic. These results provide new insight into the effect of ES on drought-stress responses in Arabidopsis with possible practical agricultural applications regarding the effect of environmental estrogens on crop plants. *This article was published with the assistance of the Texas Woman's University Libraries Open Access Fund. The original article can be found at:http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2016.714186
The Alternative for Germany (AFD) as populist issue entrepreneur: Explaining the party and its voters in the 2021 German federal election
(Taylor & Francis, 2022) Hansen, Michael A.; Olsen, Jonathan
This article analyses the vote for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the 2021German Federal Election. Using the German Longitudinal Election Study (GLES),we confirm some findings from previous studies, above all that attitudinal variables–including anti-immigrant ideology–are much stronger predictors of the AfD vote than socio-demographic variables. Moreover, we uncover three new findings in relation to vote choice for the AfD. First, anti-EU attitudes had a positive, statistically significant impact on AfD vote choice in2021. Second, negative attitudes towards political elites increased the probability of voting for the AfD. Third, and perhaps most important, dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was positively related to voting for the AfD. Given these results, we argue here that the AfD has become something of a populist 'issue entrepreneur' which, while exploiting existing niches in the electoral marketplace (the EU and migration), is finding new issues to tap and exploit.
“Am I using rhetoric right?”
(Tanglewood Moms, 2023) Hoermann-Elliott, Jackie
Seeking confirmation for his understanding of rhetoric as duplicitous, empty speech, a relative asked me this question at a holiday party last year. He peered over his glass of merlot expecting an explanation, and I sighed audibly before saying, “How long do you have?” As an assistant professor of English at Texas Woman’s University, people assume I have a menagerie of pet peeves about the use (and alleged abuse) of the English language. I am often asked to hypothesize as to why no one knows how to use a comma or to play therapist to those most concerned with texting’s effect on the writing skills of the youth. And yet, these selfproclaimed protectors of the English language never upset me more than they do with their flippant dismissal of rhetoric.
Analyzing N-terminal arginylation through the use of peptide arrays and degradation assays
(Elsevier, 2016) Wadas, Brandon; Piatkov, Konstantin I.; Brower, Christopher S.; Varshavsky, Alexander
Nα-terminal arginylation (Nt-arginylation) of proteins is mediated by the Ate1 arginyltransferase (R-transferase), a component of the Arg/N-end rule pathway. This proteolytic system recognizes proteins containing N-terminal degradation signals called N-degrons, polyubiquitylates these proteins, and thereby causes their degradation by the proteasome. The definitively identified (“canonical”) residues that are Nt-arginylated by R-transferase are N-terminal Asp, Glu, and (oxidized) Cys. Over the last decade, several publications have suggested (i) that Ate1 can also arginylate non-canonical N-terminal residues; (ii) that Ate1 is capable of arginylating not only α-amino groups of N-terminal residues but also γ-carboxyl groups of internal (non-N-terminal) Asp and Glu; and (iii) that some isoforms of Ate1 are specific for substrates bearing N-terminal Cys residues. In the present study, we employed arrays of immobilized 11-residue peptides and pulse-chase assays to examine the substrate specificity of mouse R-transferase. We show that amino acid sequences immediately downstream of a substrate's canonical (Nt-arginylatable) N-terminal residue, particularly a residue at position 2, can affect the rate of Nt-arginylation by R-transferase and thereby the rate of degradation of a substrate protein. We also show that the four major isoforms of mouse R-transferase have similar Nt-arginylation specificities in vitro, contrary to the claim about the specificity of some Ate1 isoforms for N-terminal Cys. In addition, we found no evidence for a significant activity of the Ate1 R-transferase toward previously invoked non-canonical N-terminal or internal amino acid residues. Together, our results raise technical concerns about earlier studies that invoked non-canonical arginylation specificities of Ate1.
Androgen and estrogen (α) receptor localization on periaqueductal gray neurons projecting to the rostral ventromedial medulla in the male and female rat
(Elsevier, 2008-12) Lloyd, Dayna L.; Murphy, Anne Z.
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is involved in many gonadal steroid-sensitive behaviors, including responsiveness to pain. The PAG projects to the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), comprising the primary circuit driving pain inhibition. Morphine administered systemically or directly into the PAG produces greater analgesia in male compared to female rats, while manipulation of gonadal hormones alters morphine potency in both sexes. It is unknown if these alterations are due to steroidal actions on PAG neurons projecting to the RVM. The expression of androgen (AR) and estrogen (ERα) receptors in the PAG of female rats and within this descending inhibitory pathway in both sexes is unknown. The present study used immunohistochemical techniques (1) to map the distribution of AR and ERα across the rostrocaudal axis of the PAG; and (2) to determine whether AR and/or ERα were colocalized on PAG neurons projecting to the RVM in male and female rats. AR and ERα immunoreactive neurons (AR-IR, ERα-IR) were densely distributed within the caudal PAG of male rats, with the majority localized in the lateral/ventrolateral PAG. Females had significantly fewer AR-IR neurons, while the quantity of ERα was comparable between the sexes. In both sexes, approximately 25–50% of AR-IR neurons and 20–50% of ERα-IR neurons were retrogradely labeled. This study provides direct evidence of the expression of steroid receptors in the PAG and the descending pathway driving pain inhibition in both male and female rats and may provide a mechanism whereby gonadal steroids modulate pain and morphine potency.
Anti-hyperalgesic effects of anti-serotonergic compounds on serotonin- and capsaicin-evoked thermal hyperalgesia in the rat
(Elsevier, 2012) Lloyd, Dayna R.; Chen, P.B.; Hargreaves, K.M.
The peripheral serotonergic system has been implicated in the modulation of an array of pain states, from migraine to fibromyalgia; however, the mechanism by which serotonin (5HT) induces pain is unclear. Peripherally released 5HT induces thermal hyperalgesia, possibly via modulation of the transient receptor potential V1 (TRPV1) channel, which is gated by various noxious stimuli, including capsaicin. We previously reported in vitro that 5HT increases calcium accumulation in the capsaicin-sensitive population of sensory neurons with a corresponding increase in proinflammatory neuropeptide release, and both are antagonized by pretreatment with 5HT2A and 5HT3 antagonists, as well as the anti-migraine drug sumatriptan. In the current study, we extended these findings in vivo using the rat hind paw thermal assay to test the hypothesis that peripheral 5HT enhances TRPV1-evoked thermal hyperalgesia that can be attenuated with 5HT2A and 5HT3 receptor antagonists, as well as sumatriptan. Thermal hyperalgesia and edema were established by 5HT injection (0.1–10 nmol/100 μl) into the rat hind paw, and the latency to paw withdrawal (PWL) from noxious heat was determined. Rats were then pretreated with either 5HT before capsaicin (3 nmol/10 μl), the 5HT2A receptor antagonist ketanserin or the 5HT3 receptor antagonist granisetron (0.0001–0.1 nmol/100 μl) before 5HT and/or capsaicin, or the 5HT1B/1D receptor agonist sumatriptan (0.01–1 nmol/100 μl) before capsaicin, and PWL was determined. We report that 5HT pretreatment enhances TRPV1-evoked thermal hyperalgesia, which is attenuated with local pretreatment with ketanserin, granisetron, or sumatriptan. We also report that peripheral 5HT induced a similar magnitude of thermal hyperalgesia in male and female rats. Overall, our results provide in vivo evidence supporting an enhancing role of 5HT on TRPV1-evoked thermal hyperalgesia, which can be attenuated by peripheral serotonergic intervention.
AP? CLEP? Dual credit? Advice from a professor
(Tanglewood Moms, 2019) Hoermann-Elliott, Jackie
In Texas, some school districts are now offering to pay AP, CLEP, or dual credit fees in order to push students to complete associate degrees before finishing high school. Yes, the rush to educate students out of school is growing, and the pressure falls most heavily on parents to make decisions before their children know if or where they will attend college.
Applying integral thinking to music therapy education
(GAMUT - Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre (NORCE & University of Bergen), 2023) DiMaio, Lauren; Winter, Patricia
Educating music therapy students is a complex task as a result of laws and regulations, professional biases, and a desire to produce students who will be competent and thoughtful music therapists. The purpose, or outcome, of this article is to outline a curriculum re-design implementing Integral Thinking in Music Therapy (ITMT) as applied to the academic and clinical aspects of two university music therapy training programs in the United States. The history and philosophy of ITMT are explained to give context to this approach. An overview of the innovative curriculum design and teaching resources are included for direct implementation of experiences into the classroom. Recommendations include the uses of ITMT in music therapy education as well as possible limitations to this pedagogical approach.
Aproximação à transexualidade na literatura contemporânea brasileira: o caso de Deixei ele lá e vim (2006), de Elvira Vigna
(Latin American Literary Review Press, 2020-06-16) Rodriguez Mooney, Angela
Este artigo analisa o trânsito da protagonista transexual Shirley Marlone no romance Deixei ele lá e vim (2006), de Elvira Vigna, por diversos espaços sociais, simbólicos e geográficos da cidade. De modo específico investigamos como essa representação permite ao leitor mapear relações de espacialidade e invisibilidade de pessoas transexuais. Defendemos que essas topografias literárias desenhadas pela autora trazem à tona lacunas e distorções de discursos hegemônicos sobre aqueles que transgridem as fronteiras do gênero e da sexualidade. Ao fazê-lo, a autora desestabiliza categorias essencializadas sobre os corpos e sujeitos, criando novos territórios simbólicos onde mulher transexual e suas experiências são visibilizadas e valorizadas.
Are older people really happier than younger people?
(Georgia Sociological Association, 2021) Yang, Philip Q.; Leone, Erica
In recent years, many media reports have claimed that older people are happier than younger people. We question the total validity of this claim. Analyzing data from General Social Surveys 1972-2016, this study reveals that the happiness of older adults depends on their health status and economic status, and it also detects a significant J-shaped relationship between age and happiness over a lifetime. Additionally, we find significant differences in happiness across generations and over time. Our findings challenge the popular claim in the media reports and the U-shaped and inverted U-shaped patterns detected in the academic literature and provide a more complete picture of the relationship between age and happiness.
Arginyltransferase, its specificity, putative substrates, bidirectional promoter, and splicing-derived isoforms
(Elsevier, 2006) Hu, Rong-Gui; Brower, Christopher S.; Wang, Haiqing; Davydov, Ilia V.; Sheng, Jun; Zhou, Jianmin; Tae Kwon, Yong; Varshavsky, Alexander
Substrates of the N-end rule pathway include proteins with destabilizing N-terminal residues. Three of them, Asp, Glu, and (oxidized) Cys, function through their conjugation to Arg, one of destabilizing N-terminal residues that are recognized directly by the pathway’s ubiquitin ligases. The conjugation of Arg is mediated by arginyltransferase, encoded by ATE1. Through its regulated degradation of specific proteins, the arginylation branch of the N-end rule pathway mediates, in particular, the cardiovascular development, the fidelity of chromosome segregation, and the control of signaling by nitric oxide.We show that mouse ATE1 specifies at least six mRNA isoforms, which are produced through alternative splicing, encode enzymatically active arginyltransferases, and are expressed at varying levels in mouse tissues. We also show that the ATE1 promoter is bidirectional, mediating the expression of bothATE1 and an oppositely oriented, previously uncharacterized gene. In addition, we identified GRP78 (glucose-regulated protein 78) and protein-disulfide isomerase as putative physiological substrates of arginyltransferase. Purified isoforms of arginyltransferase that contain the alternative first exons differentially arginylate these proteins in extract from ATE1 / embryos, suggesting that specific isoforms may have distinct functions. Although the N-end rule pathway is apparently confined to the cytosol and the nucleus, and although GRP78 and protein-disulfide isomerase are located largely in the endoplasmic reticulum, recent evidence suggests that these proteins are also present in the cytosol and other compartments in vivo, where they may become N-end rule substrates.
Art history, open educational resources (OERs), and social justice-oriented pedagogy: Adaptations to introductory world art history survey courses
(CUNY, 2022) Ishii, Sara
This essay considers the social justice benefits of adopting OERs in an introductory art history survey course. Following the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, instructors have needed to reevaluate pedagogical approaches and teaching materials. Coupled with this present need to foster accessible and flexible courses, for decades art historians have observed the overrepresentation of white Western art and subsequent marginalization of global art in survey textbooks. Centering the need for a social justice-oriented pedagogy that recognizes global contributions to art history, I first reflect on the potential to adapt open educational resources (OERs) to disrupt status quo narratives that privilege Western art. Second, I discuss my adaptation of the open access textbook Boundless Art History by Lumen Learning in which I reformat the material to examine artwork across the globe in timeframe units. Finally, I conclude by reviewing student responses to a Google Forms survey about their experiences with OERs and positing additional benefits and further developments for open access course materials within introductory art history survey courses.

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