Impacts on Elementary School Students Related to COVID-19 and the Role of Social-Emotional Learning in Children’s Mental Health

Research has shown that schools provide an ideal universal location for preventing behavioral issues and supporting students’ mental health (Ball et al., 2016; Daunic, et al., 2021; Maras et al., 2015). A large body of research has also connected students’ social-emotional skills and their attainment of academic success (Cook et al., 2018; Durlak et al., 2011). With this research and the gaining popularity of SEL, more SEL programs are being created, implemented, and evaluated. The purpose of this study was to understand some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on young students\u27 mental health and how teachers have responded using SEL programs and strategies. Five teacher participants were interviewed from two elementary schools within the same Bay Area school district. The interviews were designed to gain an understanding of how teachers perceive the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their students. The findings from this research indicate that many students have adversely been affected socially and emotionally by changes related to the pandemic. Teacher participants have responded by prioritizing the development of their student’s social-emotional skills. By focusing on promoting social-emotional skills and recognizing their students’ mental health, teachers may assist in nurturing as well as educating children, and ultimately increase students’ academic achievement and emotional well-being

Reciprocity Matters: Shaping the Psychological Contract to Foster Employee (Behavioural) Engagement in Times of Austerity

This study aimed to understand how employee (behavioural) engagement is fostered within LAs (local authorities) when the levers available to managers are reduced due to austerity, and how this has shaped the psychological contract in terms of the reciprocal expectations/promises between employees and their line managers. The study was conducted because following the 2007/08 global financial crisis, the UK public sector experienced major funding cuts from 2010/11 to 2017/18, resulting in staffing reductions and a dilution in the employment deal including pay freezes, reductions in benefits, terms and conditions, and a loss of the ‘job for life’. Whilst there is current political (pressure) commitment to increase spending, there was no indication of reversing these cuts within the Budget 2018 which contained an indicative spending path to 2023/24 (Zaranko, 2018; Emmerson, 2019). The study was investigated qualitatively in four teams within one English LA. Team participants included line managers and either professional or non-professional employees. Methods included 29 x one-to-one and three focus group semi-structured interviews incorporating the critical incident technique using a Heideggerian phenomenological approach. The main contribution to knowledge made by this study is to extend Foa and Foa’s (1974; 1976; 1980; 2012) resource theory. Whereas they say that a less particularistic resource is not expected to be substituted by a more particularistic resource, this occurred in the teams sampled. Here, once concrete and universal resources were available to a certain level (eg. pay), the difference (eg. inflationary pay rise, external training) appeared to be substituted by more particularistic resources (eg. flexibility and task i-deals). Additionally, more particularistic resources were expected such as favours (‘give and take’), communication (meaningful and timely) and employee voice, and trust. By examining the new reciprocations through the lens of social exchange theory (Blau, 1964), this demonstrated how some employees may try to shape their psychological contract by negotiating alternative new low-cost reciprocations to increase their quality of working life in adverse economic conditions, and foster their engagement. This suggests that even in austerity, reciprocity matters

New England’s Underutilized Seafood Species: Defining And Exploring Marketplace Potential In A Changing Climate

New England’s seafood industry has been searching for opportunities to diversify their landings and build resilience as it faces socio-economic challenges from a changing climate. Developing markets for underutilized species is one way the New England community could help their seafood industry build resilience. This thesis identified New England’s underutilized fish species and explored their marketplace potential by examining their availability in a changing climate, current availability to consumers, and consumers’ responses. In Chapter I, I account how New England’s seafood preferences have changed over time. In Chapter II, I identify New England’s seven underutilized seafood species: 1) Acadian redfish (Sebastes fasciatus), 2) Atlantic pollock (Pollachius virens), 3) butterfish (Peprilus triacanthus), 4) the Georges Bank and Georges Bank East stocks of haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), 5) scup (Stenotomus chrysops 6) the northern stock of silver hake (Mercluccius bilinearis), and 7) white hake (Urophycis tenuis). In the same chapter, I show that climate change will likely affect the availability of these species differently and that the broader ecological and socio-economic responses from shifting distributions and phenology are largely unknown. In Chapter III, I demonstrate that besides haddock, underutilized species were rarely accessible to consumers in restaurants. In the same chapter, I show how resources would likely help consumers and restaurants connect with their underutilized species since popular seafood suggestion guides either overlook or provide inconsistent recommendations for all underutilized species. In Chapter IV, I suggest that younger generations (Millennials and Generation Z) are interested in engaging with underutilized species. These younger consumers responded positively to hake, haddock, and Atlantic pollock in sensory assessments. Finally, in Chapter V, I suggest how New England’s seafood supply chain can use results from this research to make more informed policy, marketing, and purchasing decisions that align with their sustainability goals. These insights into availability, access, and consumer response may help New England’s seafood industry strategize approaches that will connect younger consumers to their local seafood options and build new adaptive markets in a changing climate

Delta Theatre Productions: A Start-up Theatre Company

This report is the result of a year-long internship with a new theatre company in New Orleans, Delta Theatre Productions, currently operating under the name Delta Productions. I functioned as the Managing Director for this start-up, building organizational infrastructure from the ground up, guiding the process of its first production from idea to final product, and creating the branding of the organization in order to set it apart from its competition and establish it as a viable and healthy theatrical company for the New Orleans community. This report tells the story of how the organization began, reports on my duties as an intern, analyzes the successes and failures of the first year of operation, relates guidance from the best practices of other theatrical organizations around the nation, and finally offers practical recommendations for Delta Productions as it pursues growth and sustainability

Understanding the Lived Experiences of Undergraduate Transfer Students at Faith-Based and Religiously Affiliated Institutions: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of undergraduate transfer students at faith-based and religiously affiliated institutions in the United States. Thus, in order to explore this phenomenon, the central research question directing the present study was: What are the lived experiences of undergraduate transfer students at faith-based and religiously affiliated institutions in the United States? The two theories guiding this study were Astin’s theory of involvement and Tinto’s theory of engagement, as they explain the relationship between institutional fit, involvement, and feelings of belonging. This study employed a transcendental phenomenological design and included 10 participants. Data was collected through semi-structured, individual interviews, journal prompts, and a focus group. Each form of data was transcribed, coded, and themed. Three methods of data collection were utilized to triangulate the data and provide the necessary rigor in the research process. Seven themes emerged: (a) a time of spiritual exploration, (b) birds of a feather vs. opposites attract, (c) initial uncertainty, (d) a period of personal growth, (e) community is key, (f) academics, and (g) perceptions of campus culture. In addition to the seven themes, two outlier findings were also present: (a) needing special accommodations and (b) distance learning. The findings of this study reflected the importance of holistic participation as well as the need for transfer-centric orientation activities and administrative supports. The implications of this study are far-reaching, as the findings suggest that transferring to a faith-based or religiously affiliated institution may serve to lessen the negative effects of transfer shock, while providing a smoother transition between sending and receiving institution, with virtually no stigmatization present

Open Issue: The Fifth Circuit\u27s Misleading Interpretation of an Arbitrator\u27s Jurisdiction under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 - Coserv Limited Liability Corporation v. Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, An

in Coserv v. Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., the Fifth Circuit addressed the meaning of open issues as related to an arbitrator\u27s jurisdiction to decide issues not agreed upon in voluntary negotiations under provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Telecom Act) that ensure competition in local telephone service markets. Through statutory interpretation, the Fifth Circuit gave arbitrators almost limitless jurisdiction. In doing so, the Fifth Circuit cited to the Eleventh Circuit to support its view, but failed to acknowledge the opposite holding by the Eleventh Circuit on the same issue

Chemotherapeutic Myokines from Contracting Skeletal Muscle and Their Effects on Breast Cancer

Exercise has been shown to elicit beneficial effects in both the treatment and prevention of cancer, yet the biology potentiating the effects remains ambiguous. The hypothesis for this dissertation was that effluent perfusion medium from contracting skeletal muscle contained factor(s) responsible for the cytotoxic effects of exercise on breast cancer cells. To date, no studies exist designed to eliminate confounding humoral factors, in vivo, while still mimicking the effects of exercise via neural activation of the muscle. We addressed this issue by stimulating the muscle via neural activation using an in situ, hemicorpus hind limb perfusion preparation. To assess the acute impact of muscle contractions on breast cancer, we first collected medium perfused through quiescent (Non-STM) muscle, subsequently followed by medium collected from contracting (STM) muscle of rats. To determine if the acute impact of contracting muscle is altered by prior muscle conditioning, we compared acute responses of muscle contraction on breast cancer from control (Non-EX) vs. treadmill exercised (EX; 5d/w; 1h/d for 5w) rats. We also assessed the impact of a common carrier of molecules in the bloodstream, by preparing the perfusion medium with or without albumin, using Dextran as the oncotic agent for these experiments. The results of these studies confirmed our hypothesis that effluent media prepared with albumin from contracting muscle (STM) displayed an average percent reduction of MCF7 cell counts by 20% (p = 0.014) compared to Non-STM, and prior exercise conditioning did not alter this effect (STM = EX; p = 0.563). Albumin-prepared medium yielded similar cell counts as cell controls. Interestingly, the chemotherapeutic effect was not present using medium prepared with Dextran, with or without STM, suggesting albumin as a carrier molecule that is necessary for chemotherapeutic activity. To our knowledge, our results support a decrease in MCF7 cell proliferation from a factor secreted from contracting skeletal muscle, independent of humoral contributors; and are the first to demonstrate that the magnitude of the chemotherapeutic effect of contracting skeletal muscle is not altered by prior exercise training, suggesting that muscle contractions are the key contributors to this anticancer effect and not a result of a training adaptation

Chemotherapeutic Myokines from Contracting Skeletal Muscle and Their Effects on Breast Cancer

Exercise has been shown to elicit beneficial effects in both the treatment and prevention of cancer, yet the biology potentiating the effects remains ambiguous. The hypothesis for this dissertation was that effluent perfusion medium from contracting skeletal muscle contained factor(s) responsible for the cytotoxic effects of exercise on breast cancer cells. To date, no studies exist designed to eliminate confounding humoral factors, in vivo, while still mimicking the effects of exercise via neural activation of the muscle. We addressed this issue by stimulating the muscle via neural activation using an in situ, hemicorpus hind limb perfusion preparation. To assess the acute impact of muscle contractions on breast cancer, we first collected medium perfused through quiescent (Non-STM) muscle, subsequently followed by medium collected from contracting (STM) muscle of rats. To determine if the acute impact of contracting muscle is altered by prior muscle conditioning, we compared acute responses of muscle contraction on breast cancer from control (Non-EX) vs. treadmill exercised (EX; 5d/w; 1h/d for 5w) rats. We also assessed the impact of a common carrier of molecules in the bloodstream, by preparing the perfusion medium with or without albumin, using Dextran as the oncotic agent for these experiments. The results of these studies confirmed our hypothesis that effluent media prepared with albumin from contracting muscle (STM) displayed an average percent reduction of MCF7 cell counts by 20% (p = 0.014) compared to Non-STM, and prior exercise conditioning did not alter this effect (STM = EX; p = 0.563). Albumin-prepared medium yielded similar cell counts as cell controls. Interestingly, the chemotherapeutic effect was not present using medium prepared with Dextran, with or without STM, suggesting albumin as a carrier molecule that is necessary for chemotherapeutic activity. To our knowledge, our results support a decrease in MCF7 cell proliferation from a factor secreted from contracting skeletal muscle, independent of humoral contributors; and are the first to demonstrate that the magnitude of the chemotherapeutic effect of contracting skeletal muscle is not altered by prior exercise training, suggesting that muscle contractions are the key contributors to this anticancer effect and not a result of a training adaptation

Characterizing the Mechanisms of Insulin Resistance in Dairy Cattle

Dairy cows transitioning from gestation to lactation experience insulin resistance as maternal adaptation to partition nutrients toward the mammary gland to support milk production. Insulin resistance causes increased lipolysis and free fatty acid (FFA) release into circulation. Unfortunately, this metabolic adaptation occurs during a time when energy demands are heightened and cows are already experiencing negative energy balance. As a result, accelerated hepatic FFA influx promotes hepatic triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation and ketogenesis, which can cause postpartum metabolic disease. In diabetic monogastrics, mechanisms that mediate insulin resistance involve the sphingolipid ceramide. The role of ceramide in insulin signaling in dairy cows transitioning from gestation to lactation has not been previously established. The studies presented in this master of science thesis evaluate the relationship between fatty acid availability, ceramide synthesis, and insulin sensitivity. In the first experiment, we tested the hypothesis that ceramide accumulates in dairy cows experiencing lipolysis and insulin resistance. We show that nutrient restriction (NR) increased serum fatty acids and ceramide levels, and impaired insulin sensitivity; however, infusion with nicotinic acid (NA), a known suppressor of lipolysis, was unable to prevent these responses. We also showed that NR increased hepatic ceramide accumulation, a response that was positively associated with serum ceramide supply. Our data demonstrate that circulating and hepatic 24:0-Cer are inversely associated with systemic insulin tolerance, an effect not observed for the 16:0 moiety. In the second experiment, our objective was to characterize relationship between prepartum adiposity and insulin sensitivity in dairy cows transitioning from gestation to lactation. Our data demonstrate that during the periparturient period, FFA, BHBA, and liver lipid increase, more so for overweight cows. While plasma glucose and serum insulin were not affected by adiposity, serum insulin concentrations decreased postpartum. Using a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (HEC) technique to directly measure insulin sensitivity, we show that steady state serum glucose, insulin, and FFA levels were not modified by adiposity. HEC glucose infusion rate was not affected by adiposity, but systemic insulin resistance developed in overweight cows postpartum when accounting for changes in insulin and glucose. Insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of subcutaneous adipose tissue AKT was not modified by adiposity, but AKT phosphorylation significantly decreased from pre- to postpartum. Collectively, these data demonstrate that adiposity does not affect adipose tissue-specific insulin signaling, even though it did impair insulin sensitivity as indicated by the SIClamp