The Mystification of Gender Affirmation: Galathea, Gender, and Fantasy

John Lyly\u27s Galatea centers the role that gender expression plays in both communal interactions and interpersonal relationships. I argue that the way in which Galatea and Phillida present themselves within the play parallels the modern interpretation of transgender theory as outlined by Judith Butler. The actions that the two take are in service of manufacturing the kind of gender expression that breaks from conventional norms. While still rooted within fundamentalist dynamics, Lyly breaks free of bioessentialist understandings of gender in favor of a more liberating approach

Effects of Tillage on Soil Health in Dryland Triticum aestivum Fields of Mold, WA

Most Triticum aestivum (winter wheat) producers in the drylands of Douglas County, Washington, use a crop-fallow rotation system with conventional tillage (CT) and many have farmland in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) status. CT has known negative environmental consequences, and no tillage/direct seed (NT) is recommended by the USDA as the preferred alternative. However, this recommendation is based on studies involving large geographic areas of the inland Pacific Northwest with varied soils and environmental conditions that have produced mixed results regarding efficacy of NT in improving soil health. Additionally, no work has been done on the effects of CRP status on soil health in this area. This research seeks to fill knowledge gaps relating to the effects of CT and NT tillage treatments and CRP status on soil health in low-precipitation drylands using a small geographic area (Mold, Douglas County, Washington) with the same soil and environmental conditions. Physical, chemical, and microbiological soil health indicators (SHIs) were measured in 5cm increments to 20cm depth at CRP, CT, NT, and an anthropogenically unaltered control site during the 2021-2022 growing season. NT is preferable to CT for preventing aeolian erosion, preserving soil texture, increasing soil moisture retention, reducing soil temperatures, enhancing organic carbon and total nitrogen soil stocks, and supporting microbial populations with increased functional capacities for preserving soil structure and fixing carbon and nitrogen. CT is preferable to NT for reducing microbial populations of pathogens. Some expected differences in SHIs were not found between tillage treatments, which the researcher attributes to the limited time since conversion from CT to NT at that site. Placing farmland in shrub steppe CRP status without regard to the original grassland conditions at Mold does not restore soil health to the native condition or improve overall soil health to levels where returning the land to T. aestivum production would be advisable

Exploring the Role of Self-Complexity in Reducing Intergroup Anxiety and Fear of Discrimination Among Marginalized Group Members

Multi-cultural and multi-ethnic societies experience unique challenges regarding interactions between different social groups. Negative emotions such as intergroup anxiety are one of the most common challenges that marginalized group members report about their experience of intergroup interactions. As such, social psychologists continue to explore methods to reduce negative intergroup emotions. Given that research on self-concept representation has repeatedly demonstrated that higher self-complexity serves as a buffer during stressful situations, in the current study, I combined intergroup and self-concept research to examine the role of self-complexity as a tool for reducing intergroup anxiety and fear of discrimination among members of marginalized groups. In this study, a 2 (identity prime: marginalized identity prime vs. no identity prime) x 2 (self-complexity manipulation: high vs. low) between-subject design was used. Intergroup anxiety and fear of discrimination were the dependent variables. I recruited 155 participants from undergraduate students in the Department of Psychology. I asked them to write about a self-relevant marginalized identity or their surroundings (in the control condition) and then complete Setterlund’s (1994) self-complexity manipulation. Afterward, they rated their levels of intergroup anxiety (IAS-SF; Paolini et al., 2004) and fear of discrimination (InDI-A; Scheim & Bauer, 2019). I predicted that high self-complexity would reduce intergroup anxiety and fear of discrimination, especially when the participants’ marginalized identity was primed. However, the results did not support this hypothesis, as there were no main effects or interactions involving the self-complexity manipulation and priming conditions on outcomes of interest. Despite the null results of this study, self-complexity has been shown to help individuals cope with stress, stereotype threat, and tension between different social groups. Further research should investigate how self-complexity affects intergroup emotions, considering the insights and limitations of existing studies

An Examination of Working Memory in Dancers and Non-dancers

The present study examined the behavioral working memory differences between dancers and non-dancers. Previous research has indicated that dance can provide an enhancing effect on working memory, particularly in non-dancers. A Dance History Questionnaire along with the letters backward, digits backward, digits forward, letters forward, and abstract visual subtests of the Test of Learning and Memory II was used to collect data. The current study found that dancers had greater visuospatial memory than non-dancers and that dance experience may have an effect on certain working memory tests such as the letters forward subtest

404 Error – Gender Not Found: Lived Experiences of Genderqueer Autistics Assigned Female at Birth

While autism research has historically focused on males, increasing attention is being paid to the expression of autism spectrum disorder in cisgender girls and women. However, a significant percentage of the autistic population assigned female at birth experiences gender outside the male-female binary, and the expression of autistic traits in this population remains largely unexplored. Understanding the expression of autism in diverse populations is important for diagnostic access and support. The purpose of this study was to identify which behaviors and interests commonly ascribed to autistic individuals were demonstrated by autistic genderqueer individuals assigned female at birth. The study also asked participants about their experiences of gender. Following Human Subjects Review Council approval, I conducted semi-structured interviews with four genderqueer autistic individuals assigned female at birth. Interviews focused on the autistic experience of gender and included self-ratings of items included on the Adult Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire-2 (RBQ-2A), which measures repetitive behaviors and restricted interests in adults. Participants described their genders individually as agender, non-binary, gendervague and genderqueer, suggesting diversity in autistic gender experience outside the binary, but all reported that being autistic influences the way they experience gender. When reporting repetitive behaviors and special interests, all participants endorsed fidgeting with items, pacing, a preference for routine and limited preferred interests but diverged on topics like spinning, visual and olfactory stimulation, and creation of repetitive sounds. These common threads may help shape future diagnostic considerations for clinicians who provide autism assessments for genderqueer individuals assigned female at birth

Comparing the Prevalence of Stereotypic Behaviors and Enrichment Use in Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and Japanese Macaques (M. fuscata)

To improve captive nonhuman primates’ welfare, particularly those utilized in biomedical and behavioral research, it’s important to understand their behavior. Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and Japanese macaques (M. fuscata) are two closely related species that are commonly utilized in biomedical and behavioral research. In this study, I compared the frequency of stereotypic behaviors, which are abnormal repetitive behaviors that are apparently non-functional, and enrichment use among four groups of each species. Stereotypic behaviors were divided into motor, which the animal performed while active, and self-directed stereotypies, which the animal performed towards themselves. Enrichment use was divided into structural, which were items that were attached to the enclosure structure, and toy enrichment items, which were temporary items that were not attached to the enclosure. Groups of both species performed varying amounts of motor and self-directed stereotypies. Rhesus macaques performed significantly more motor stereotypies, p \u3c 0.05, than Japanese macaques did, but there was no significant difference in the frequency of self-directed stereotypies. Regarding enrichment use, only rhesus macaque groups received pools, which were considered toy enrichment items, if temperatures were or were expected to be ≥ 85°F. Japanese macaques interacted with enrichment items significantly less when compared to rhesus non-pool conditions, p \u3c 0.05, and pool conditions, p \u3c 0.001. When pools were present, rhesus macaques interacted with toy enrichment items significantly more, p \u3c 0.001, than did Japanese macaques. In comparing rhesus macaques in pool and non-pool conditions, rhesus macaques interacted with toy enrichment items more and were more visible in their outdoor enclosures when pools were present. These results indicate that there are behavioral differences between closely related species, but other factors such as group dynamics and individuals’ behavior may impact the frequency of these behaviors. These results also suggest that pools can be utilized as effective forms of enrichment for rhesus macaques. Species differences, individual differences, and group dynamics should be considered when applying appropriate behavioral management

Alpine Skiing is Introduced in the 1936 Olympic Games

https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/local_authors/1033/thumbnail.jp

Factors Associated with the Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Women of Reproductive Age in the U.S.: NHANES 2015-2020

Iron deficiency (ID) is well recognized as the most prevalent nutrient insufficiency and a leading cause of anemia. Women of reproductive age (WRA), females 15 to 49, are at an increased risk of ID and anemia. This is due to the heightened iron demands of this life stage, including puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy, which require iron intakes ranging from 15 to 27 mg/day. Poor health and nutrition increase the risk of ID and progression to anemia. Consequences of ID and anemia range from exhaustion and decreased cognitive function to an increased risk of mortality. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of ID and anemia among WRA in the United States. Additionally, demographic, socioeconomic, and health factors were investigated to assess their relationship with anemia. Utilizing data from the 2015 to 2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the research employed ferritin as an iron marker for evaluating deficiency and hemoglobin concentration for assessing anemia. The sample, consisting of 5,592 nonpregnant WRA, revealed a prevalence of 13.1% for ID and 14.3% for anemia. Average hemoglobin concentration was 13.3 g/dL. Statistical analyses, including independent t-tests, multivariate linear and logistic regression models, and chi-square tests, explored the relationships between anemia and demographic, socioeconomic, and health factors. The study identified significant associations between ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), and hemoglobin concentration (p \u3c 0.0001). Notably, differences in means for ferritin, sTfR, C-reactive protein, serum folate, and serum zinc were observed between those with or without anemia (p \u3c 0.05). Chi-square analysis further emphasized significant links between anemia and the dietary intake of vitamin B12, zinc, copper, and selenium (p \u3c 0.05). These findings underscore the persistent prevalence of ID and anemia among WRA in the United States. Results also emphasize the importance of investigating the underlying mechanisms behind iron and other nutrients. Future research should assess the status and intake of these nutrients to inform comprehensive treatment and nutrition counseling strategies for anemia

GNSS Radio Propagation Through Trapped Atmospheric Lee Waves in the San Bernardino Valley, CA

Atmospheric lee waves, also known as mountain waves, are a type of gravity wave that form as air that is forced over a mountain creates turbulence downstream. Trapped, or stationary, lee waves located directly over a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver on Earth’s surface appear to lead to anomalies in the receiver’s position estimate, usually skewed toward the neighboring mountain range. The exact mechanism by which trapped lee waves might cause these anomalies is not known, and so my research aims to understand this. GNSS station P612 located in the lee of the San Bernardino Mountains in southern California records positively-skewed north position time series data anomalies. Using 300 hPa upper-level air maps, I found that anomalous days tend to share an atmospheric configuration related to the jet stream forming a positively tilted trough which likely interacts with the topography of the San Bernardino Mountains to create trapped lee waves. I use the Advanced Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF-ARW) Model V4.4 with one nested domain and initial and hourly boundary conditions from the NOAA HRRR 3 km model to simulate the atmospheres on anomalous days during boreal winter and spring of 2018-2019, where I model anomalous days which exhibit trapped lee wave events and the day prior for comparison to a ‘normal’ atmosphere. I primarily use the Mellor-Yamada-Janjic (MYJ) planetary boundary layer (PBL) scheme and explore four other PBL schemes or damping parameters on two days with large anomalies, 22 January and 23 April 2019. I compared three diagnostics from the model output to three local weather stations to validate the model, and found the output acceptable. From vertical cross-section animations of the wave events, I found a weakly (0 \u3c R2 \u3c 0.3) positive correlation to the duration and approximate downstream length of the trapped lee waves. I also ray traced through the output using the KARAT program, and compared the refractivity and delay output between days and parameters to understand the structure of the lee waves. I found the refractivity of a given trace can detect the presence of lee waves while the delay cannot

Foodways: An Ethnographic Analysis of CWU International Students’ Perception of the Role of Culturally Relevant Food in Their Sense of Belonging

International students face unique challenges adjusting to new academic environments, including developing a sense of homesickness and lack of belonging. Studies have shown that consuming culturally relevant food helps international students relieve homesickness, fostering a sense of belonging. Curiously, nonetheless, literature on student belonging rarely focuses on food. Within this gap, this thesis explores the significance of culturally relevant food in fostering a sense of belonging among international students at Central Washington University. Using ethnographic interviews, this research examines how culturally relevant food (including how food is prepared) or lack thereof may influence international students’ perceptions of belonging. This study identifies challenges such as lack of representation and alienation and their impact on international students’ sense of self and how these issues may affect their academic performance. The findings suggest that culturally relevant food plays a vital role in fostering a sense of belonging, aiding in coping with homesickness and enhancing students’ academic performance