Alien Registration- Corey, Elizabeth (Wade, Aroostook County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/32520/thumbnail.jp

Strutting it up through histories: a performance genealogy of the Philadelphia Mummers Parade

This study examines the cultural performances of the parade community in one of the oldest and largest parades in the country: the Philadelphia Mummers Parade. The modern parade celebration consists of groups of mostly working-class white men from South Philadelphia who dress up in extravagant sequined and feathered costumes and, beginning in South Philadelphia, march toward City Hall on one of the largest streets in the city on New Year’s Day. The parade is competitive and marked by performance competitions at the end of each parade. The parade’s history in the city of Philadelphia is extensive but contested. Many locals know little about the parade and its community, while others debate its history and the positionality of its community within Philadelphia. Therefore, the parade community holds a precarious position in the larger Philadelphia community, which results in many questions and concerns about the role and function of the parade in contemporary Philadelphia. This study examines the cultural performances of the parade community in the Philadelphia Mummers Parade. By tracking the histories of three specific sets of performances— those of race, gender, and class— this work analyzes how both parade participants and members of the larger Philadelphia community attempt to make sense of the parade. In choosing the performances of race, gender, and class, the study looks at ways the parade community relates to these identities at various points in history, and it argues that the Mummers perform these histories, often unconsciously, on and off the parade stage. By using a cultural performance perspective, and ethnographic and historiographic methods, I assert that in this performance of history the Mummers attempt to make sense of their own identity as a community, with potentially problematic results. Through the research stemming from the unofficial theme song, “Oh, Dem Golden Slippers,” the study finds that the Mummers use a kind of strategic invisibility to distance the parade community from problematic issues in its history while maintaining legitimacy with other bits of the history. In the history of gender, a paradox with a passing form of female impersonation on one hand and an all-male performance tradition on the other causes trouble with Philadelphians’ understandings of gender in the parade. Lastly, the city adoption of the parade in 1901 focused the parade community on the socially acceptable performances involving the financial expense and commoditization of the parade, which results in a struggle between the working class history of the community and the financial focus of the contemporary parade. The study, therefore, reveals the significance of history in the performance of community in the Philadelphia Mummers Community

Characterization of the Relationship Between Measles Virus Fusion, Receptor Binding, and the Virus-Specific Interaction Between the Hemagglutinin and Fusion Glycoproteins: a Dissertation

Measles (MV) virions, like those of other enveloped viruses, enter cells by fusing their lipid membranes with those of the target host cells. Additionally, infected tissues often possess giant multinucleate cells, known as syncytia, which are formed by fusion of infected cells with uninfected neighbors. Expression of both the MV attachment (H) and fusion (F) proteins is required for membrane fusion. MV H mediates receptor binding in order to bring the two membranes into close proximity prior to F activation and is thought to trigger F activation through a specific interaction between the two proteins. Although measles H and F are efficiently transported to the cell surface when expressed independently, evidence has been reported in support of an intracellular interaction between the two proteins that can be detected using an ER co-retention approach. However, it was not determined if the putative co-retention was specific to the two measles glycoproteins, as is their ability to complement each other for efficient fusion promotion. Thus, in this thesis, the formation of an intracellular complex between MV H and F was re-examined. Consistent with the formation of an intracellular complex, cell surface expression and receptor binding of untagged wt MV H is slightly reduced by co-expression of an excess of ER-tagged MV F compared to co-expression with wt F. However, the reduction in surface expression is non-specific in that it can also be induced with heterologous proteins of NDV, which lack significant homology with those of MV. Although this approach did not detect a specific intracellular interaction between MV H and F, it cannot be ruled out that there is a weak association of the proteins that is undetectable by this method. This led to the use of an alternative approach to investigate the cellular site(s) of interaction between the measles H and F proteins. Consistent with a cell surface interaction between MV H and F, the combination of surface biotinylation and co-immunoprecipitation detects formation of a virus-specific H-F complex. Approximately, 21% of the total amount of MV H at the cell surface can be captured with MV F using an antibody against the latter protein. Two complementary approaches were used to address the relationship between this cell surface interaction and receptor recognition by MV H. First, the proteins were co-immunoprecipitated from the surface of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, which do not express either MV receptor, CD46 or CD150. Similar levels of MV H can be co-immunoprecipitated with F from the surfaces of parental CHO cells and stably transfected cells that express, human CD46 (CHO-CD46), indicating that binding to CD46 is not the trigger for the H-F interaction. Second, MV H proteins, carrying mutations that dramatically reduce CD46 binding, were shown to co-immunoprecipitate efficiently with F from the surface of HeLa cells. Significantly, these results indicate that MV H and F interact in the absence of, and thus prior to, receptor binding. This is in direct contrast to the NDV HN-F cell surface interaction, which is thought to be triggered by receptor binding. Identification of the domains of the para myxovirus attachment and fusion proteins that mediate membrane fusion activities is an essential part of understanding the mechanism of fusion. As a result of the H-F interaction prior to receptor binding, MV H attachment to its cellular receptor must result in conformational changes that trigger activation of the F protein. Site-directed mutagenesis analyses of two regions of MV H indicate that a HR domain in the stalk of the attachment protein is essential to the ability of H to activate F. However, either it is not the only region of H that interacts with F or it is indirectly involved in F activation because mutations in the HR do not disrupt MV H-F complex formation at the cell surface. Additionally, the functional interaction between MV H and F may be mediated, at least in part, by Loop 1 of the amino terminus of the C-rich region of the fusion protein. However, the exact role of this region of the F protein in fusion promotion remains to be determined. Importantly, the cell surface interaction between MV H and F proteins appears to be mediated by more that one region of each protein. In contrast to NDV, in no case has a definitive link between any single amino acid difference in MV H or F and an inability to form the cell surface H-F complex been established. In conclusion, the data presented in this dissertation support a model of measles membrane fusion in which the Hand F proteins form a complex prior to receptor recognition. This complex may hold F in its meta-stable pre-fusion state until binding of H to receptors at the cell surface triggers dissociation of the complex, releasing F to assume its fusogenic form. Importantly, these data also indicate that, although paramyxoviruses may all use the same general process. for promotion of membrane fusion, the mechanism may vary in multiple aspects. A more complete understanding of the means by which measles promotes membrane fusion may direct the development of specific strategies aimed at interfering with the early stages of infection

Being otherworldly in the world: Michael Oakeshott on religion, aesthetics and politics

This dissertation is a study of the thought of Michael Oakeshott with particular emphasis on his writings about the character of religion and aesthetics. The dissertation as a whole makes the case that a certain moral vision-one informed by religious and aesthetic considerations-lies at the center of Oakeshott\u27s thought and informs his political philosophy. The dissertation begins as an examination of Oakeshott\u27s debts to St. Augustine and to British Idealist thinkers such as F. H. Bradley, and moves to a study of Oakeshott\u27s own views on religion and aesthetics. It turns next to a consideration of Oakeshott\u27s two essays entitled The Tower of Babel, making the case that Oakeshott\u27s views on aesthetics and morality are intimately linked in a certain kind of moral personality. It is this moral personality-one that is creative and unique to each individual-that Oakeshott finds most praiseworthy. Such a moral character underlies his political theorizing, in that such persons are those who can fully embrace Oakeshott\u27s politics of skepticism and his idea of civil association. The dissertation concludes by comparing Oakeshott\u27s conception of Rationalism to Eric Voegelin\u27s idea of Gnosticism

Maintaining Glucose Homeostasis in Response to Aging and Stress: The Role of Pcif1, Bmi1, and Pdx1

A sufficient number of functioning beta cells is necessary for maintaining glucose homeostasis. Reduction of beta cell mass or function leads to diabetes. Investigation into the maintenance of both beta cell mass and function is important for the development of therapies to prevent and/or restore functional beta cells. Here, the networks surrounding three proteins in the beta cell, Pcif1, Bmi1, and Pdx1, were studied as they relate to beta cell function and number. The Polycomb protein, Bmi1, has been shown to influence beta cell replication via epigenetic repression of the Ink4a/Arf locus, resulting in suppression of p16 protein translation. The adapter protein, Pcif1, facilitates the ubiquitination of Bmi1 and influences beta cell replication, as Pcif1 heterogyzous mice have increased rates of beta cell proliferation. I hypothesized that Pcif1 regulates beta cell proliferation through a Bmi1-dependent mechanism. Analysis of Pcif1 heterozygous islets revealed that p16 protein levels were indistinguishable from controls, thus making a p16-dependent mechanism unlikely. Further investigation of Bmi1 targets may reveal another pathway by which Pcif1 and Bmi1 influence beta cell replication. The role of Bmi1 has not been well-described in adult animals. Analysis of Bmi1 heterozygous animals revealed increased insulin sensitivity, as compared to wildtype. This was found to be due to an enhancement of Akt phosphorylation, with the upstream insulin signaling pathway unaffected. Bmi1 also appears to play a role in the development of insulin resistance, as Bmi1 levels are high in insulin-resistant animals. I also began to explore the possibility that the action of Pcif1 on Bmi1 is responsible for the role Bmi1 plays in insulin signaling. The transcription factor, Pdx1, regulates numerous processes specific to the beta cell, including multiple pathways regulating translation. Pdx1 levels have been shown to affect the ability of beta cells to respond to ER stress. A global analysis of translational efficiencies using the TRAP methodology indicated that Pdx1 activity may result in repression of translation of some transcripts. Further analysis of these transcripts will help determine how Pdx1 regulates the translatome of the beta cell and, potentially, how Pdx1 influences the beta cell stress response

The Baptist Church in Warren: Rehabilitation and Preservation Report

The Baptist Church in Warren is located in the Warren Waterfront Historic National Register District. Warren also has a Voluntary Historic District. Both the National Register Nomination and the Voluntary Historic District have regulations which pertain to changes to the exterior view shed of the building. Exterior work on this project will need to abide by the State of Rhode Island and the Providence Plantations Rehabilitation Code for existing buildings and structures and the Town of Warren Department of Building and Zoning. Exterior work done on a voluntary basis, according to the Warren Voluntary Historic District guidelines, will qualify for a 20% tax credit. The Baptist Church in Warren does not meet the requirements for the local and state tax credit

The effects of implementation of Quality Management on employee productivity in the lodging function of a full service hotel: A case study analysis of the Bergstrom Hotels Corporation

The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative, descriptive case study analysis of a hotel company in Wisconsin that has implemented Quality Management in the operations and administration of its three full service hotel properties. The three questions addressed in this study were: (1) Why did Bergstrom Hotels choose to implement Quality Management? (2) How was Quality Management initiated and supported throughout the company? and (3) What were the results on employee productivity? The last case study question addressed the hypothesis that Quality Management would have the effect of increasing the levels of employee productivity in the lodging functions of the hotel(s). It also addressed the sub-hypothesis of the study which was that management has the ability to measure the productivity of its employees; Information for the study was collected through the use of multiple sources of evidence. The first source involved semi-structured interviews conducted with Senior Management, Upper Management, Middle Management and Line Employees. The second source involved gathering documentation of quality team meeting minutes, completed project results and archival records of the company\u27s turnover statistics, guest and employee satisfaction surveys; The results indicated consistency in responses of all employees with regard to case study questions one and three. It was perceived that Quality Management was implemented because it was consistent with the values and beliefs of the President (of the company) and that implementation had a positive impact on the role and status of employees. Results of the study could not conclusively support either the hypothesis or sub-hypothesis. Productivity, as defined by Bergstrom Hotels, involved employee and guest satisfaction. These could not be measured based on the surveys provided by the company. The implications of this, along with recommendations for future research, were discussed

EVALUATING STRENGTH QUALITIES OF ATHLETES USING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN JUMP PROTOCOLS

Understanding the relationships between jump assessments may provide information of an athlete’s strength qualities. Elastic Utilisation Ratio (EUR) is calculated between countermovement jump (CMJ) and squat jump (SQJ) height, and is suggested to describe the stretch-shortening cycle ability of an athlete. Yet, knowledge of what constitutes a typical EUR range for an athlete remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess jump performance and the EUR of athletes from two sports (soccer and distance runners) using a portable forceplate. SQJ and CMJ heights were highly correlated (r>.90). Linear regression and standard error of estimate statistics were then used to estimate CMJ height and derive an expected EUR range. It was concluded, those athletes outside this predicted EUR range would benefit from specific training

LATERALITY AND ITS EFFECT ON LOWER EXTREMITY MUSCULOSKELETAL STIFFNESS IN MALE SOCCER PLAYERS AND TRACK RUNNERS

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of laterality on lower extremity stiffness in healthy soccer players and track runners. Eight soccer players aged 15 to 17 years, and eight track runners, aged from 18 to 25 years performed a battery of tests (Single and double legged continuous straight and bent-legged jumping, and running) to determine lower extremity musculoskeletal stiffness. All participants were injury free at the time of testing. Statistical tests of the various all kinetic measures revealed that the track runners were asymmetrical in their musculoskeletal performance qualities, whereas, the soccer players displayed symmetry. Future research should examine lower extremity symmetry in an older group of soccer players, and the development of a training program to alter lower extremity stiffness into a typical range

Revolutionary women: notable Revolutionary era women deserving of a commemorative postage stamp

Revolution is a term globally recognized. Throughout Earth’s history, there have been countless social endeavors classified as revolutions. Some revolutions result in social justice, some result in the birth of a nation; on the eve of the 19th century in North America, a revolution of the latter took place. The American Revolution gave way to the formation of a new nation and a history of the United States of America began. In American and much of world history, many of the details are dominated with male driven successes, stories of male heroes, and a presidential history of all male leaders. The revolutionary war and its history has been studied and taught for over two hundred years and during these two hundred plus years, the narrative has narrowed in on men, The Founding Fathers. However, any narrowing of information is damaging to the character of the entire era. It is for this reason, one should ask were all the founders fathers; or were some of those that made an impact on the revolution mothers and daughters too? Although abundantly studied in academics, a public involvement in the study and commemoration of female revolutionaries is a pioneer endeavor. One of the most commemorative actions the nation can take is putting remarkable women on postage stamp that can be seen and used across the United States. The Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) was formed with the expectation impactful people, places, and things may be commemorated as the nation should see fit. Through evidence and ideas, it is evident that a stamp set about revolutionary era women is a serious contender for become the next major collectable commemorative set. (Author abstract)Summers, C.E. (2017). Revolutionary women: notable Revolutionary era women deserving of a commemorative postage stamp. Retrieved from http://academicarchive.snhu.eduMaster ArtsHistoryCollege of Online and Continuing Educatio