Enigmatic ensemble : narrative accounts of gender identity and gender expression from a transgendered perspective

The purpose of this study was to describe the life experiences of those whom self identify transgendered and to describe what it uniquely means to each participant to be transgendered. To describe the life experiences of those who are transgendered.phenomenological in-depth interviews were conducted with each participant.Participant observation was another method employed to gather data at two majortransgendered convention meetings and numerous transgendered support group monthly meetings. A qualitative research approach was chosen for its core assumption that multiple, dynamic realities exist and for its emphasis on understanding the meaning one has constructed around the events in his/her life. The meaning of transgenderism from the transperson’s perspective was sought by asking the question:“Tell me about your life as a transgendered person.” Other questions followed to assist the researcher in understanding what the participant said during the course of the interview. Also, in conjunction with the qualitative research paradigm, the researcher is considered here to be the instrument of the research (versus statistics or scales); so that as the data builds, the researcher’s purpose has been to continually discern the unfolding, prevalent aspects of transgenderism as basis for theory. Participants in this study consisted of fifteen self-identified transpersons. One to two interviews were conducted with each participant and lasted approximately two hours each. Four major themes emerged from the interviews: (1) Personal Definitions of BeingTransgendered, (2) Fitting In, (3) Relationships, and (4) Transformations. ThePersonal Definition of Being Transgendered, i.e., the meaning of being transgendered.VIwas prevalent throughout the informants’ narratives. Subthemes of Fitting In includedRole-Playing, Being Ostracized (Not Fitting In), and A Longing for Self-Healing andWholeness. Subthemes of Relationships consisted of Absence of Guilt/Facilitation ofTransgenderism and Guilt/Inhibition of Transgenderism. The major theme ofTransformations included Psychological Transformations (e.g., epiphanies and psychotherapy experiences), Hormonal/Surgical Transformations, and TransformationThrough Relationships. The psychological and relational aspects of transgenderism were discussed. Specifically, the range of meanings of being transgendered were related in an analysis that proposes that the origins and processes of transgenderism have essential relational/interpersonal aspects; e.g., the role of guilt which is discussed here as largely an interpersonal phenomenon that potentially interferes with the development of transgenderism within the individual and within that individual’s close relationships. Implications for psychologists and counselors working with trans persons as well as implications for future research were discussed

Response dependence of reversal‐related ERP components in perception of ambiguous figures

Perceptual multi‐stability is characterized by alternating interpretations of an unchanging stimulus input. The reversal negativity (RN) and reversal positivity (RP) ERP components show differences in electrophysiological responses between trials on which participants experience a perceptual reversal of a multi‐stable stimulus versus trials without a reversal (i.e., stable). However, it is unclear to what extent these two ERP components reflect reversal‐related perceptual processing rather than task and response processes. To address this, we varied task and response requirements while measuring the RN and RP. In the standard reversal task, participants indicated whether they saw a perceptual reversal on each trial. In contrast, in the identity task participants reported perceived identity of the stimulus (e.g., face or vase) without any reference to reversals. In some blocks, reversal trials required a response whereas in other blocks stable trials required a response. We found that the RN appeared independently of task and response style. However, the early latency RP component was only present when participants responded manually. For non‐response trials, a component was found during the same latency as the RP but with inverted polarity. Our results suggest that the early RP component is dependent on response‐related processes rather than being a pure neural signature of perceptual processes related to endogenous perceptual reversals

Temporal and Spatial Changes in the Pattern of Iba1 and CD68 Staining in the Rat Brain Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

We have previously demonstrated that acute treatment with low dose methamphetamine is neuroprotectivein a rat model of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Using gene expression analysis, we further showed that methamphetamine treatment significantly reduced the expression of proinflammatory genes after severe TBI. Therefore, to further investigate the potential effects of methamphetamine treatment on the neuroinflammatory response, we examined immunofluorescent staining of Iba1 and CD68, two marker of neuroinflammation, in the rat lateral fluid percussion injury model of severe TBI. In this study, we observed temporal and spatial alterations in the pattern of Iba1 and CD68 labeling within two weeks after severe TBI. In general, methamphetamine treatment did not dramatically alter the pattern of Iba1 and CD68 staining. However, we did observe a unique and significant drug-induced increase of Iba1 labeling within the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrusat 48 hours post injury. We also observed rod-shaped Iba1+ cells within the core lesion in the cortex. These cells showed variable staining with CD68 and aligned most closely with MAP2+ neuronal processes. Thus, acute treatment with low-dose methamphetamine after severe TBI caused a transient bilateral increase of Iba1+ cells within the granule layer of the dentate gyrus but did not alter the overall temporal and regional pattern of Iba1 and CD68 staining within the cortex, periventricular white matter, fimbria, or thalamus

Rural Life Census Data Center Newsletter: South Dakota Farm Number and Size Trends

If you have ever wondered about changes in the number of farms in your state or county, the latest U.S. Census of Agriculture can help answer your questions. New Census of Agriculture information is both interesting and useful. Census of Agriculture data can be used to analyze farm trends, inform agricultural policy, and direct farm spending (2007 Census of Agriculture)

Imagery and Meaning Making: Preparing for and Learning about a Large-Scale Object Performance Event in Community

This study examines the narratives of All Souls artists and performers in Tucson, Arizona asking how artists learn about, share information on, and make meaning through a large-scale event and in their art. This work focuses on, in particular, the idea that objects are more than material products, they are a center point in the meanings attached to as well as the learning processes involved in the performance itself. Methodologically, this paper builds on in-depth qualitative interviews with artists – both expert and novice – involved in the procession. This research is based on observational notes taken at differing temporal points leading up to the event, across two years of parades, preparation, and celebration. Interview transcripts are treated as narratives and examined in light of notes taken in the field to address the following research question: What does it mean for artists to teach about, learn about, and engage in object performance when representing their experiences of death and dying through the All Souls Procession?ye

Birthing and Parenting a Premature Infant in a Cultural Context

The purpose of this longitudinal qualitative descriptive study was to explore American Indian (AI) mothers’ perceptions of parenting their premature infants over their first year of life in the context of their culture, including the birth and hospitalization experience. A convenience sample of 17 AI mothers and their premature infants were recruited from either a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or pediatric clinic in the southeast. Semistructured interviews were conducted at two time points. Through content analytic methods, three broad categories were revealed: descriptions of having a premature infant in the NICU, descriptions of parenting a premature infant, and the influence of Lumbee culture on parenting a premature infant. Certain aspects of AI culture appear to be important in having a premature infant in the NICU and in parenting a premature infant. We recommend that healthcare providers deliver culturally appropriate care that fully supports AI mothers and their premature infants

Category-specific effects in Welsh mutation

In this paper we investigate category-specific effects through the lens of Welsh mutation. Smith (2011) and Moreton et al. (2017) show that English distinguishes nouns and proper nouns in an experimental blending task. Here we show that Welsh distinguishes nouns, verbs, personal names, and place names in the mutation system. We demonstrate these effects experimentally in a translation task designed to elicit mutation intuitions and in several corpus studies. In addition, we show that these effects correlate with lexical frequency. Deeper statistical analysis and a review of the English data suggests that frequency is a more explanatory factor than part of speech in both languages. We therefore argue that these category-specific effects can be reduced to lexical frequency effects.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

A close up on close-to-practice research: reflecting on teacher educator’s experiences of and engagement with a classroom based research project

Recent drives to improve initial teacher education in Wales identify the need to build professional capital and to develop and sustain research capacity within the sector (Furlong, 2015). However, such capacity, and the integration of research into teacher education remains underdeveloped (Leat et al, 2014; Furlong, 2016). This paper reports on the experiences of three teacher educators who are novice researchers. They engaged in a small-scale close-to-practice research project with primary and secondary schoolteachers, under the guidance of a more experienced research colleague. Using evidence from self-study (Lunenberg and Willemse, 2006) and reflective enquiry (Lyons, 2006) the paper discusses how collaborative engagement in research allowed the participants the opportunity to reclaim a ‘sense of wonder’ (Berry, 1998) about their practice (where we define a sense of wonder as a sense of inquiry into their practice). The paper’s central argument is that whilst a national policy drive has necessitated a change in research culture within initial teacher education, reasons for involvement go beyond a feeling of ‘because we have to’. The participants regarded involvement as key to their professional growth. Time and opportunity to research pedagogical practices in other teacher’s classes opened up space for the participants to ‘wonder’ about their own practices. They also felt that the experience supported a shift towards adopting the identity of ‘researcher’. The paper considers why this is so important in the current climate of educational change in Wales