Mouthful Idol

In my work, I create an imaginative realm as a means to structure chaos. This fictional realm is a place to manifest my perceptions of the world. In alignment with my world view, the pieces exhibit multi-faceted sprays of information meant to explain a more rounded picture of reality. Mental clutter becomes visual clutter when realized in my prints. Recognizable objects, animals, foods, herbs, and written text are layered to form compositions that function abstractly at a distance. A closer inspection reveals identifiable forms within the layers of color and shape. Haphazard imagery receives the same attention and support as more purposeful symbols. This is a method to reevaluate tragedy and accept it as a learning experience and a cohesive part of a full life. In equalizing benign, profound and tragic symbols in my work I construct a mystical order. These pieces are an endeavor in personal investigation but they also offer an invitation for the viewer to understand the work. Even if the audience is not made conscious of the specific personal experiences that fuel the symbols, it is still possible to view the work as an exercise in mystical understanding. In relying on familiar forms the viewer may also bring their own experiences to the interpretation of the work

Effects of operational factors on organizational performance in Kenyan insurance industry

Performance of insurance firms has largely been influenced by operational factors. Insurance firms have continually performed poorly in the Kenyan market since 1985. So far, there is still limited information as regards this trend. The objective of the study was to establish the extent to which operational factors affect the performance of insurance firms. The study adopted a descriptive census survey design. The study location was in Nairobi and the population consisted of 40 registered insurance companies as at August 2010. Reliability of the results was determined by the test-retest approach. Validity of the research instrument was established by using two firms outside the target population. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The hypothesis was tested using simple regression coefficient at 95% confidence level. The study revealed that operational factors have no relationship with organizational performance

The effects of cumulative victimization on psychological distress.

Justice-involved women experience significantly higher rates of victimization and psychological distress when compared to the general population. While both childhood victimization and adult Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) both directly contribute to psychological distress, scant research examines the effects of cumulative victimization (both child and adult IPV) across a woman’s lifetime on psychological distress. Additionally, a gap in the literature is the investigation of behavior specific mechanisms (self-esteem, social support, coping, and substance use) that may mediate the relationship between victimization and psychological distress. As such, the primary aim of this dissertation was to explore the relationship between cumulative victimization (childhood and adult IPV), the hypothesized mediators (self-esteem, social support, coping, and substance use), and psychological distress among a sample of 406 victimized women on probation and parole. Results of the Structural Equation Model (SEM) indicated a partial mediation model with both direct and indirect effects from the victimization to psychological distress when mediated by self-esteem and coping. Based upon the results of this research, implications for practice are explored specifically regarding targeted treatment models for justice-involved women who are highly victimized and experience significant levels of psychological distress, as both have been found to contribute to women’s involvement in the CJ system

Biosynthesis and characterization of metallic nanoparticles produced by paenibacillus castaneae

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science of the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in full fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. May 2017Nanomaterials (NMs) have been shown to exhibit unique physical and chemical properties that are highly size and shape-dependent. The ability to control synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) with particular shapes and sizes can lead to exciting new applications or enhancements of current systems in the fields of optics, electronics, catalytics, biomedicine and biotechnology. Due to increased chemical pollution as well as health concerns, biological synthesis of NMs has quickly emerged as potentially being an eco-friendly, scalable, and clean alternative to chemical and physical synthesis. In this study, the inference that the heavy metal-resistant bacteria, Paenibacillus castaneae, has the propensity to synthesize metal NPs was validated. NP formation was achieved after the exposure of bacterial cell biomass or cell-free extracts (CFE) to excess metal ion precursors in solution. These include lead nitrate and calcium sulphate dehydrate, gold (III) chloride trihydrate and silver nitrate, respectively. All reactions were incubated at 37 °C for 72 h at 200 rpm and observed for a colour change. UV–visible (UV-Vis) spectral scans (200 nm – 900 nm) were measured on a Jasco V-630 UV-Vis spectrophotometer. For scanning electron microscopy (SEM), samples were fixed, dehydrated and loaded onto carbon-coated aluminium stubs. The stubs were then sputter-coated with either Au/Pd or Cr and analysed on the FEI Nova Nanolab 600 FEG-SEM/FIB. Size distribution analysis was done using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using the FEI Tecnai T12 TEM and Image J software. Powder X-ray diffraction measurements were carried out on a Rigaku Miniflex-II X-ray diffractrometer. Colour changes indicative of the synthesis of PbS, Au and Ag NPs were observed as a white precipitate (PbS), purple (Au) and yellow-brown (Ag) colour, respectively. This was confirmed by absorbance peaks at 325 nm and 550 nm (PbS), 595 nm (Au) and 440 nm (Ag) from UV-Vis analyses. Exposure of P. castaneae biomass and CFE to PbS ions in solution resulted in the production of nanospheres, irregularly-shaped NPs, nanorods, nanowires as well as large nanoflowers. Exposure of P. castaneae biomass to Au3+ ions in solution produced Au nanospheres, nanotriangles, nanohexagons, nanopentagons and nanopolyhedrons. Ag/AgCl NP production occurred using both the P. castaneae biomass and CFE, and resulted in the synthesis of nanospheres only. This is the first report of the biosynthesis of such a diverse set of anisotropic NPs by P. castaneae. It is also the first instance in which anisotropic PbS nanorods and nanowires, 3-D Au nanoprisms as well as “rough” Ag/AgCl nanospheres were bacterially produced. This study serves as an eco-friendly approach for the synthesis of NPs that is a simple yet amenable method for the large-scale commercial production of nanoparticles with technical relevance. This in turn expands the limited knowledge surrounding the biological synthesis of heavy metal NMs.MT 201

Unique Approach to Creating and Implementing a Social Media Strategic Plan

Social media is a valuable communication, outreach, and marketing tool, yet Extension educators often underutilize social media due to concerns related to lack of guidance and perceived risks. This article showcases a unique approach to creating a social media strategic plan that applies best practices from the field of marketing and addresses Extension educators\u27 apprehensions about using social media. The development and implementation of a statewide plan provided opportunities for each Extension educator to support the plan in varying meaningful ways according to his or her time availability, interest, and comfort level

Taken out of Context: Defending Civic Education From the Situationist Critique

Situationists have suggested that educational efforts to improve character and instill virtues should be abandoned, as individuals’ behavior is predicted by contexts and situations rather than by character traits. More recently it has been suggested that civic education and especially the effort to cultivate civic virtues are ineffective for similar reasons and should be replaced by the introduction of desirable social norms and institutions. After surveying the debate on this topic in the first part of the essay, we suggest that in fact virtues should not be judged as existing within one person and absent from another based on their behavior in a single instance. Rather, virtues should be understood as composite and probabilistic and therefore strengthening them is a valuable endeavor. In considering civic virtues specifically we argue that the social and public nature of their expression make schools excellent contexts for cultivating and practicing democratic civic virtues. Even the best institutional structures of a well- functioning democratic society rely on the compliance of virtuous citizens, and the situationist preference for desirable social norms is implicitly predicated on virtuous citizens to institute and follow those norms. Moreover, civic education in a democracy strives to cultivate more than compliance with norms of conduct. It aspires to nurture youth who see themselves as responsible to, and capable of shaping the norms of. the society in which they live. We thus incorporate some of the insights from situationism into a revamped view of civic education

Digital civics after Trump

In this short essay, the authors focus on the need for developing students\u27 sense of a shared fate in digital contexts, and the role schools could play in this effort. They describe the need for digital civics, and make the case for three specific shifts in the norms for online civic exchanges, focusing on how a sense of shared fate can inform individuals\u27 roles and responsibilities. They then lay out ways in which schools can take part in this effort. (DIPF/Orig.

Herpesviruses that Infect Fish

Herpesviruses are host specific pathogens that are widespread among vertebrates. Genome sequence data demonstrate that most herpesviruses of fish and amphibians are grouped together (family Alloherpesviridae) and are distantly related to herpesviruses of reptiles, birds and mammals (family Herpesviridae). Yet, many of the biological processes of members of the order Herpesvirales are similar. Among the conserved characteristics are the virion structure, replication process, the ability to establish long term latency and the manipulation of the host immune response. Many of the similar processes may be due to convergent evolution. This overview of identified herpesviruses of fish discusses the diseases that alloherpesviruses cause, the biology of these viruses and the host-pathogen interactions. Much of our knowledge on the biology of Alloherpesvirdae is derived from research with two species: Ictalurid herpesvirus 1 (channel catfish virus) and Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (koi herpesvirus)