A Mixed-Methods Study Regarding Full-Time and Adjunct Faculty Burnout in a Community College Setting

Until recently, compassion fatigue and burnout were primarily associated with the profession of healthcare, not education (Jurado et al., 2019). Research on compassion fatigue and burnout in education has been focused on elementary and secondary schools with little attention given to the higher education sector (Kaiser et al., 2017; Kelly & Lefton, 2017). This mixed-methods study was focused on compassion fatigue and burnout in both adjunct faculty and full-time faculty members at a southwest Missouri comprehensive community college. For the quantitative portion of the study, a Likert-type survey was sent to 250 adjunct faculty members and 150 full-time faculty members of a southwest Missouri community college. Seventy-three adjunct faculty and 65 full-time faculty members responded to the survey. The qualitative results were obtained from two separate focus groups. The Mann-Whitney U test was utilized to evaluate differences between the two groups. Four adjunct faculty members comprised one focus group, and four full-time faculty members comprised the second focus group. Eight open-ended questions were asked of each group, and their responses were transcribed. The research uncovered significant differences between perceptions of full-time and adjunct faculty regarding factors that contributed to compassion fatigue; however, there were no significant differences between their perceptions regarding factors that contribute to burnout. Some differences included adjunct faculty felt more satisfied with their work and proud of what they could do in their position compared to full-time faculty members

Embedded Librarianship and Student Success in Graduate Nursing Programs

The academic library’s contribution to the institutional mission and goals is something library administrators have been striving to communicate to administrators since 2010 when the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) released their report entitled The Value of Academic Libraries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how students perceive and report their usage of the academic library and to determine if students demonstrate a higher level of information literacy competency at the completion of a course including an embedded librarian compared to students without access to an embedded librarian. Library survey responses were evaluated for frequency of answers based on student perceptions of library value as well as reportage of library use. The mean scale score growth was evaluated for students enrolled in either the Spring 2019 nursing research course or the Spring 2020 nursing research course for both the matrix assignment (MA) and the final assignment (FA). The population for this study consisted of 3,500 eligible undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a private, four-year liberal arts university in Missouri during the Spring 2020 semester. The literature reviewed for the study supports the implementation of the embedded librarianship model within nursing programs in order to increase student success. Although the data did not reveal a significant difference in results based upon the presence of an embedded librarian, the students expressed increased self-efficacy and overall course grades improved

The Roles of Plasmepsins IX and X in Malaria Parasite Biology

Proteases of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum have been targeted for drug discovery for decades. The P. falciparum genome encodes ten aspartic proteases called plasmepsins, which are involved in diverse cellular processes. In this work we address the roles of two of these plasmepsins, plasmepsins IX and X (PM IX and X), the two least studied aspartic proteases in blood stage malaria parasites till date. We explore the essentiality of these proteases in parasite development, attempt to identify their substrates and the ability to drug them. We show that PM IX is essential for erythrocyte invasion, acting on rhoptry secretory organelle biogenesis. When PM IX is knocked down, rhoptry formation is impaired but the substrate(s) of PM IX responsible for this phenotype have not yet been discovered. We have suspected targets and the progress made on implicating these important substrates will be reported in this work. In contrast, PM X is essential for both egress and invasion, controlling maturation of the subtilisin-like serine protease SUB1 in exoneme secretory vesicles. SUB1, synthesized as a zymogen needs to be converted to its active form after an initial self-cleavage. We explore the mechanism by which PM X converts the intermediate SUB1 species to its active form. Interestingly, we discover that PM X cleaves the intramolecular self-inhibiting prodomain part of the protein probably allowing a second activation step. We proceed to determine the cleavage sites that could prevent the inhibitory function of the prodomain. We have identified compounds with potent antimalarial activity targeting PM X, including a compound known to have oral efficacy in a mouse malaria model

El Antisincretismo Religioso En Yawar Fiesta y Los ríos Profundos, De José María Arguedas

Esta tesis propone la presencia del sincretismo y del anti-sincretismo religioso en las novelas Yawar fiesta (1941) y Los ríos profundos (1958), del escritor peruano José María Arguedas (1911-1969). Desde el punto de vista sociológico de Karl-Heinz Hillmann (2001), antropológico de Sidney M. Greenfield y André Droogers (2001) y teológico de Pablo A. Deiros (1992) y de González (2010), el sincretismo se define como la unión y mezcla de diversas religiones, teorías filosóficas, visiones del mundo, orientaciones de valor y cultos. El sincretismo suele adjetivarse como «religioso», perspectiva significativa de este análisis, que se enfoca en el bilingüismo español-quechua y sus manifestaciones en la música, el baile y los rezos, claramente expresado en las novelas Yawar fiesta y Los ríos profundos, enmarcadas en las costumbres y en la mitología de los quechuas. Arguedas usa el sincretismo religioso en estas novelas para resaltar el carácter mestizo de la cultura del Perú en franca oposición al «blanquismo», que representa la visión de la cultura dominante, de raigambre europea. Esto se lleva a cabo en etapas en que, según Pura A. Rivera Rubero (1975), se desarrolla a la par el indigenismo de las novelas arguedianas. Se adentra, pues, en esa cosmovisión y en los rasgos profundos de su cultura ―como la mitología―, además de proyectar el tema del indígena como parte integral de la problemática de todo el Perú. Arguedas tiende hacia la transculturación y a la heterogeneidad en su novelística inicial, de acuerdo con teóricos como Daniel Sobrevilla (2001), quien las entiende al modo de categorías «complementarias» y Friedhelm Schmidt (1994-1995), el cual cuestiona la hipótesis de Ángel Rama sobre la «literatura de la transculturación como reforzamiento unificador del sistema literario latinoamericano» (196). En la misma línea de Schmidt, Antonio Cornejo Polar (1994) propone que «transculturación» y «heterogeneidad» son términos que dan cuenta de los varios sistemas que existen en América Latina y, en particular, en el Perú: el de la literatura culta, el de la literatura popular y el de las literaturas en lenguas nativas. Por último, Arguedas emplea el anti-sincretismo religioso como un fenómeno de resistencia y un recurso literario a la vez. El autor peruano debate y hasta se enfrenta a una concepción eurocéntrica y anglosajona de la dicotomía «civilización vs. barbarie» e «historia lineal vs. historia cíclica» en Yawar fiesta con el viaje del héroe de la tierra al Infierno y su retorno, igualmente representado por el toro Misitu (Yawar fiesta 136). En Los ríos profundos esta polémica cobra forma con la rebelión de las chicheras mestizas en su reclamo por el elemento indispensable de la sal (270-271) y el subsecuente fracaso de esta rebelión porque no consiguieron la participación de los indios colonos al respecto (292-293), así como con la huida de la perseguida chichera Felipa tocada por la peste febril y que el pueblo interpreta dicha huida con categorías míticas y mesiánicas (401-402, 405); finalmente, con la demente transfiguración de Marcelina en una niña, quien se sube a la torre del mirador más alto de Abancay, ríe y se burla del mundo oficial (401), y la superación de la peste por los rezos de los colonos indios (461)

Math Anxiety Across All Majors 2.0

The project was about math anxiety in university students and how it affects non-STEM major students, in particular. Its purpose included creating a professional development workshop for STEM professors so that non-STEM major students can be supported in math courses. Non-STEM major students were identified to face the issue of math anxiety, which affects their academic careers significantly. Therefore, in terms of rationale, an attempt was made to design such a workshop for STEM professors so that they can support non-STEM major students to overcome the issue and thereby obtain better career prospects in the future. The application presented entailed a 4-week program with distinct sessions designed for STEM professors to provide active support to non-STEM major students who take math courses in their studies. Some counseling theories were also suggested in the workshop for the STEM professors for generating positive results on behalf of such students

Impact of Emission Control Systems and Alternative Fuels on Off-Road and On-Road Internal Combustion Engines

Internal combustion engines (ICEs) represent one of the largest sources of emissions leading to air pollution in the united states. Emissions from ICEs pose a large issue due to human health and environmental effects, but they can be controlled. This dissertation is an investigation into the pollutants emitted from ICEs for a range of applications and the usefulness of available emission control strategies different fuel sources. The range of ICEs includes small off-road diesel engines, light duty gasoline and diesel engines, heavy duty diesel and alternative fuel engines, and large marine engines. The control technologies included gasoline particulate filters (GPFs), selective catalytic reduction (SCR), and diesel particulate filters (DPFs), and the alternative fuels included hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO), biodiesel HVO fuel blends, natural gas (NG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), diesel-electric hybrids, marine gas oil (MGO) and ultra-low sulfur heavy fuel oil (ULSHFO). As renewable fuel sources gain more attention for their ability to reduce the overall greenhouse gas impacts of ICEs, it is important to fully understand the emissions of new renewable fuel sources. This dissertation provides an investigation into the fuel impacts and engine impacts of a second-generation biofuel, HVO, and fuel blends of HVO and biodiesel in light duty and heavy-duty diesel engines. This dissertation also investigates the toxicity of pollutants from heavy duty diesel engines utilizing HVO and HVO biodiesel fuel blends. Laboratory testing follows standardized and repeatable procedures that allow emissions of different models of vehicles to be compared to each other. In real-world driving however, there are many variables that can affect emissions which cannot be reproduced in a laboratory, so it is important to investigate and understand the emissions during real world driving. This dissertation provides an investigation into emissions formations of light duty gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines and heavy-duty vehicles during real world driving Off-road engines represent one of the largest sources of PM and NOx in California and nationwide. This dissertation investigated large ocean-going vessels (OGVs) utilizing two fuels and the feasibility of applying new stringent standards to small off-road diesel engines (SORDEs). The results of the SORDE study suggest that it is now feasible to apply more stringent emissions controls for the SORDE category of mobile sources

Online Teaching Self-Efficacy and Faculty ICT and Computer Attitudes in Higher Education

The digital age is reshaping learning and instruction and encouraging educational technology advances within higher education institutions. However, online faculty are not integrating technology into their classes despite the technology related professional development they receive. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if a relationship exists between online teaching self-efficacy and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and computer attitudes and faculty participation in technology professional development activities, gender, and age within the context of institutions of higher education. Alfred Bandura’s social learning theory and Roger’s diffusion of innovations theory framed the study. Using Qualtrics, survey data were collected from 42 faculty who had taught, co-taught, or developed an online course. The data were then analyzed using multiple linear regression via SPSS for two research questions. The findings showed no statistically significant relationship between technology professional development, online teaching self-efficacy, and ICT and computer attitudes. These non-significant findings indicate that factors other than those investigated in this study appear to have impeded faculty integration of technology in their classrooms. A qualitative investigation is recommended for further study to reveal these factors. Since this study indicates that neither gender nor age affects faculty online teaching self-efficacy, the implications for positive social change are that all faculty, regardless of their gender or age, can integrate technology in the classroom, thereby impacting student success

School-Based Wellness Programs: Educator Perceptions

The utilization of workplace wellness programs in the field of education has become increasingly popular. Educators are receptive to school-based wellness programming to reduce stress, increase work engagement, and provide opportunities for health and wellness (Schultz et al., 2019). The purpose of this explanatory, sequential, mixed-method study was to investigate certified educators’ perceptions of school-based wellness programs, wellness program components, and their impact on educator stress, burnout, and retention. An interpretivist theoretical framework was used to make sense of the meanings and understandings of the participants (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Little research has been focused on the implementation and evaluation of wellness programs in schools (Lever et al., 2017). Phase one data were collected from three southwest Missouri school districts. Phase two interviews were developed after analysis of the School-Based Wellness Programs Survey responses. Analysis of six educator interviews revealed five emergent themes: convenience, onsite health care, mental health, flexibility, and COVID-19. Implications of this study include the significance of educator collaboration in school-based wellness program development, the inclusion of mental health components in school-based wellness programs, school district leadership support of school-based wellness programs, and the need for convenience in implementation of school-based wellness programs

Accelerating the Understanding and Design of Intracellular Biosensors by Massively Multiplexed Experimentation and Machine Learning

Recent progress in large-scale DNA synthesis and next-generation DNA sequencing technology have enabled studies of biological processes at a massive scale. These studies can be further coupled to advanced computational methods using machine learning to explore and reveal essential elements of biological function. Two separate factors controlling gene expression are studied here using such a paradigm: the lac repressor protein which can regulate transcription of DNA, and a riboregulatory toehold switch that can control translation. The function of the lac repressor is interesting since it intrinsically couples the binding of a small molecule to the binding of DNA and has emerged as a useful tool in synthetic biology as an intracellular biosensor. A deep neural network was developed to predict transcriptional repression mediated by the lac repressor, using 43,669 experimental measurements of variant function. When validated across ten separate training and testing splits of single mutations in the lac repressor, our best performing model achieved a median Pearson correlation of 0.79, exceeding any previous model. Deep representation learning approaches, first trained in an unsupervised manner across millions of diverse proteins, can be fine-tuned in a supervised fashion using lac repressor experimental datasets to more effectively predict a variant effect on repression. Separately, engineered RNA elements are programmable tools capable of detecting small molecules, proteins, and nucleic acids. To facilitate understanding and design of one such RNA element, the toehold switch, we synthesized and characterized in vivo a dataset of 91,534 toehold switches spanning 23 viral genomes and 906 human transcription factors. Deep neural networks trained on nucleotide sequences outperform (R2=0.43-0.70) previous state-of-the-art thermodynamic and kinetic models (R2=0.04-0.15) and allow for human-understandable attention-visualizations to identify success and failure modes. Thus, two factors controlling gene expression are studied here in the context of large-scale mutational scanning and machine learning in order to understand and design such factors toward effective intracellular biosensing

Religious Coping Strategies of the Work and Family Life of Conservative Protestant Women

The first theory to examine the experiences of Work-Family Conflict was developed in 1983, approximately two decades after women entered the work force in vast numbers. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the religious coping strategies used by working women with school-aged children who identified with a Conservative Protestant denomination when transitioning from between their work and home environments. Twelve working mothers shared their experiences through individual, semi-structured interviews and two focus groups. A thematic analysis approach involving open coding, creation of categories and theme development was used to analyze the data. Two research questions guided the study: How do Conservative Protestant women with school-aged children describe their experiences of work-family conflict when transitioning between the work and home environments? How do Conservative Protestant women with school-aged children describe the coping strategies they use to reduce or resolve work-family conflict? Six themes emerged from the data collected to answer the research questions. Results indicated that Conservative Protestant women described coping strategies that were both religious and non-religious that were extremely beneficial in helping them manage the stressors related to meeting the demands of being both a mother and an employee