Constructing, Consuming, and Complicating the Human-Nature Binary: Communication Practices in Forest Environmental Education

This project combines interdisciplinary conversations within the field of communication to examine environmental meaning systems and communication practices in the context of forest environmental education. Due to concerns over children\u27s environmental alienation, there has been a continued push toward place-based environmental education. One such venture is the North Carolina Educational State Forest system (NCESF), where educators bring K-12 students into forests to help them reconnect with nature, expand environmental knowledge, and tackle what has been recently termed nature-deficit disorder. When students visit the sites, rangers deliver structured lessons on ecosystems and forest management to children and chaperones--lessons that must adhere to the state\u27s science curriculum. I used interpretive and critical qualitative approaches to conduct a five-month study of communication practices in the NCESF system. As a participant observer, I paid attention to rangers\u27 daily practices and the spatial layout of the forests and trails, including a number of talking-tree trails throughout the sites. As an observer, I watched rangers teach lessons to students on one site. Additionally, I conducted in-depth interviews with forestry personnel and analyzed texts and artifacts, such as curricula, teaching materials, forestry literature, and photographs that I took. Situated within four extant bodies of literature--socially constructing nature, environmental communication, consumer and commercial appropriations of nature, and environmental education--my purpose in this study is threefold. First, I examine how rangers, teachers, forestry, and curricula conceptualize, construct, and frame nature and the role of humans in it. Next, I investigated how people, parties, and nature resist and complicate dominant framings. Last, I explored the possible intersections and implications of what is being constructed, produced, and performed about human-nature relations in the forest sites. This study is further contextualized within larger cultural and educational practices to expand environmental communication research, reexamine forest environmental education, and retheorize nature-deficit disorder. This study\u27s findings point to three analyses and corresponding theses that rearticulate human-nature relations. First, in the forest sites, people and parties frame nature as tightly organized and contained--as scientific, named, managed, gendered, a physical place, disciplined, competitive, different, and ocularcentric. These framings maintain a traditional nature-culture binary that promotes what I call a get close-stay away dialectic, sending children the message to get close enough to trees to advocate for them, but far enough away to be comfortable with cutting them down and using them. Second, people and parties frame nature as produced for human use, where trees exist in abundance and are central to commerce. This framing points to a production-consumption context and cycle that reproduces consumer relationships with nature and necessitates the production of trees. Third, humans and nature alike challenge dominant framings through subtle acts of resistance and autonomy, through expressions of awe and wonder, and in adults\u27 stories of when I was young. I conceptualize these resistances as interrupted boundaries, which disrupt and complicate the human-nature binary. I then use the three theses to retheorize and rediagnose nature-deficit disorder, pointing instead to schizophrenic-like relations that contribute to human-nature alienation. Nature-deficit disorder and my research site position the cause of environmental problems as decreased exposure to the outdoors and advocate for children to go back to nature as a solution. This move sidesteps important issues that contribute to environmental estrangement among adults and children. Incorporating ecopsychology and the environmental communication concept of mediation, I argue that the metaphor of schizophrenia allows environmental degradation and environmental education to be conceptualized and addressed differently and enables the nature-culture binary itself to be consumed. I end with a number of future directions for environmental education practices that address the nature-culture split. Ultimately, this study adds to environmental communication research by retheorizing nature-deficit disorder and environmental education and envisions new ways of thinking about human-nature relations

Effect of pre-ovulatory follicle size on oocyte transcript abundance in beef cows

Inadequate oocyte competence is a potential explanation for reduced pregnancy rates and(or) increased late embryonic mortality when small dominant follicles are induced to ovulate prematurely with gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in beef cows. Previous studies have shown that follicle size at GnRH- induced ovulation may affect oocyte competence, as higher fertilization rates and higher embryo quality were reported after induction of ovulation in large ([greater than or equal to]12.5mm) compared to small (12.5 mm; no estrus expression), and Spontaneous (11.6-13.9 mm; estrus expression and endogenous gonadotropin surge). Cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected after trans-vaginal aspiration, and oocytes were fully denuded of surrounding cumulus cells. RNA was later extracted from pools of 4 oocytes (n= 6 oocyte pools from both small and large follicles; n=5 oocyte pools from the spontaneous (control) group) and submitted for sequencing on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 (single reads, 100 bases per read) to generate an average of 8,363,823 raw reads per pool that were aligned to a Bos Taurus transcriptome from NCBI, with additional annotations, and the bovine genome (Cow_3.1_btau_4.6.1_Y_ncbi)

Anatomy of Advocacy: A Case Study of the White House Petition

Little research has been conducted examining advocacy efforts in the school library field despite the fact that program advocate is a prominent role for school librarians. One element of advocacy is the engagement in political initiatives that may affect school library programs. This case study investigates the effectiveness of one advocacy effort in response to a call for support of a national petition in support of school libraries. Data were collected, and factors underlying this advocacy campaign were analyzed. This report is a case study analysis of a time-constrained advocacy initiative, including the number of participants, demographic factors in relationship to participation, and the interaction of participants on an e-mail discussion list. With the emergent focus on lobbying for the reauthorization of ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act), this study has import for the design and development of successful advocacy efforts now and in the future

Vascular remodeling of the mouse yolk sac requires hemodynamic force

The embryonic heart and vessels are dynamic and form and remodel while functional. Much has been learned about the genetic mechanisms underlying the development of the cardiovascular system, but we are just beginning to understand how changes in heart and vessel structure are influenced by hemodynamic forces such as shear stress. Recent work has shown that vessel remodeling in the mouse yolk sac is secondarily effected when cardiac function is reduced or absent. These findings indicate that proper circulation is required for vessel remodeling, but have not defined whether the role of circulation is to provide mechanical cues, to deliver oxygen or to circulate signaling molecules. Here, we used time-lapse confocal microscopy to determine the role of fluid-derived forces in vessel remodeling in the developing murine yolk sac. Novel methods were used to characterize flows in normal embryos and in embryos with impaired contractility (Mlc2a^(–/–)). We found abnormal plasma and erythroblast circulation in these embryos, which led us to hypothesize that the entry of erythroblasts into circulation is a key event in triggering vessel remodeling. We tested this by sequestering erythroblasts in the blood islands, thereby lowering the hematocrit and reducing shear stress, and found that vessel remodeling and the expression of eNOS (Nos3) depends on erythroblast flow. Further, we rescued remodeling defects and eNOS expression in low-hematocrit embryos by restoring the viscosity of the blood. These data show that hemodynamic force is necessary and sufficient to induce vessel remodeling in the mammalian yolk sa

Connection and coherence between and among European instruments in the private international law of obligations

This article considers points of connection and coherence between and among the Rome I Regulation, the Rome II Regulation, and Regulation 1215, and relevant predecessor instruments. The degree of consistency in aim, design and detail of conflict of laws rules is examined, vertically (between/among consecutive instruments) and horizontally (across cognate instruments). Symbiosis between instruments is explored, as is the interrelationship between choice of court and choice of law. Disadvantaged parties, and the cohesiveness of their treatment under the Regulations, receive particular attention

The pyloric neural circuit of the herbivorous crab Pugettia producta shows limited sensitivity to several neuromodulators that elicit robust effects in more opportunistically feeding decapods

Modulation of neural circuits in the crustacean stomatogastric nervous system (STNS) allows flexibility in the movements of the foregut musculature. The extensive repertoire of such resulting motor patterns in dietary generalists is hypothesized to permit these animals to process varied foods. The foregut and STNS of Pugettia producta are similar to those of other decapods, but its diet is more uniform, consisting primarily of kelp. We investigated the distribution of highly conserved neuromodulators in the stomatogastric ganglion (STG) and neuroendocrine organs of Pugettia, and documented their effects on its pyloric rhythm. Using immunohistochemistry, we found that the distributions of Cancer borealis tachykinin-related peptide I (CabTRP I), crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP), proctolin, red pigment concentrating hormone (RPCH) and tyrosine hydroxylase (dopamine) were similar to those of other decapods. For all peptides except proctolin, the isoforms responsible for the immunoreactivity were confirmed by mass spectrometry to be the authentic peptides. Only two modulators had physiological effects on the pyloric circuit similar to those seen in other species. In non-rhythmic preparations, proctolin and the muscarinic acetylcholine agonist oxotremorine consistently initiated a full pyloric rhythm. Dopamine usually activated a pyloric rhythm, but this pattern was highly variable. In only about 25% of preparations, RPCH activated a pyloric rhythm similar to that seen in other species. CCAP and CabTRP I had no effect on the pyloric rhythm. Thus, whereas Pugettia possesses all the neuromodulators investigated, its pyloric rhythm, when compared with other decapods, appears less sensitive to many of them, perhaps because of its limited diet

The development of liquid crystal lasers for application in fluorescence microscopy

Lasers can be found in many areas of optical medical imaging and their properties have enabled the rapid advancement of many imaging techniques and modalities. Their narrow linewidth, relative brightness and coherence are advantageous in obtaining high quality images of biological samples. This is particularly beneficial in fluorescence microscopy. However, commercial imaging systems depend on the combination of multiple independent laser sources or use tuneable sources, both of which are expensive and have large footprints. This thesis demonstrates the use of liquid crystal (LC) laser technology, a compact and portable alternative, as an exciting candidate to provide a tailorable light source for fluorescence microscopy. Firstly, to improve the laser performance parameters such that high power and high specification lasers could be realised; device fabrication improvements were presented. Studies exploring the effect of alignment layer rubbing depth and the device cell gap spacing on laser performance were conducted. The results were the first of their kind and produced advances in fabrication that were critical to repeatedly realising stable, single-mode LC laser outputs with sufficient power to conduct microscopy. These investigations also aided with the realisation of laser diode pumping of LC lasers. Secondly, the identification of optimum dye concentrations for single and multi-dye systems were used to optimise the LC laser mixtures for optimal performance. These investigations resulted in novel results relating to the gain media in LC laser systems. Collectively, these advancements yielded lasers of extremely low threshold, comparable to the lowest reported thresholds in the literature. A portable LC laser system was integrated into a microscope and used to perform fluorescence microscopy. Successful two-colour imaging and multi-wavelength switching ability of LC lasers were exhibited for the first time. The wavelength selectivity of LC lasers was shown to allow lower incident average powers to be used for comparable image quality. Lastly, wavelength selectivity enabled the LC laser fluorescence microscope to achieve high enough sensitivity to conduct quantitative fluorescence measurements. The development of LC lasers and their suitability to fluorescence microscopy demonstrated in this thesis is hoped to push towards the realisation of commercialisation and application for the technology

SIFamide peptides modulate cardiac activity differently in two species of Cancer crab

The SIFamides are a broadly conserved arthropod peptide family characterized by the C-terminal motif –SIFamide. In decapod crustaceans, two isoforms of SIFamide are known, GYRKPPFNGSIFamide (Gly1-SIFamide), which is nearly ubiquitously conserved in the order, and VYRKPPFNGSIFamide (Val1-SIFamide), known only from members of the astacidean genus Homarus. While much work has focused on the identification of SIFamide isoforms in decapods, there are few direct demonstrations of physiological function for members of the peptide family in this taxon. Here, we assessed the effects of Gly1- and Val1-SIFamide on the cardiac neuromuscular system of two closely related species of Cancer crab, Cancer borealis and Cancer irroratus. In each species, both peptides were cardioactive, with identical, dose-dependent effects elicited by both isoforms in a given species. Threshold concentrations for bioactivity are in the range typically associated with hormonal delivery, i.e., 10−9 to 10−8 M. Interestingly, and quite surprisingly, while the predicted effects of SIFamide on cardiac output are similar in both C. borealis and C. irroratus, frequency effects predominate in C. borealis, while amplitude effects predominate in C. irroratus. These findings suggest that, while SIFamide is likely to increase cardiac output in both crabs, the mechanism through which this is achieved is different in the two species. Immunohistochemical/mass spectrometric data suggest that SIFamide is delivered to the heart hormonally rather than locally, with the source of hormonal release being midgut epithelial endocrine cells in both Cancer species. If so, midgut-derived SIFamide may function as a regulator of cardiac output during the process of digestion

Degradation of Airway Secretory Cell Mucin Granules Is Dependent on Lysosome Activity

Inflammatory airway diseases (e.g. COPD and asthma) are associated with mucous cell metaplasia and mucin hypersecretion, resulting in symptoms such as shortness of breath and cough. However, how secretory cells remove excess mucin granules is poorly understood. Previous research suggests that intracellular degradation pathways, such as autophagy, are involved in the degradation of mucin granules during resolution of mucous cell metaplasia. We thus hypothesized that the elimination of excess mucin granules is dependent on lysosome-mediated degradation in airway secretory cells. Calu-3 cells, an airway epithelial cell line containing abundant mucin granules, were treated with inhibitors of lysosome acidification (Bafilomycin A1) and lysosome enzyme activity (Pepstatin E64d). We found statistically significant increases in the levels of secretory mucin, MUC5AC, by mucin blot, suggesting that the lysosome mediates the elimination of mucin granules. In addition, by immunoblot we observed an increase in the autophagosome markers, LC3-II and SQSTM1, with lysosome inhibition using Bafilomycin A1, indicating an accumulation of autophagosomes and a role for autophagy in the degradation of mucin granules. However, after transfecting Calu-3 cells with a ubiquitin-hemagglutinin tag plasmid to examine the role of the proteasome in the degradation of mucin granules, we observed that our transfection efficiency was low, making it difficult to detect the hemagglutinin epitope by immunoblots. Nevertheless, we found that MUC5AC levels preliminarily increase with the inhibition of the proteasome using MG-132, suggesting a potential role for the proteasome in the degradation of mucin granules. Thus, we can conclude that inhibition of the lysosome increases MUC5AC levels, demonstrating that the lysosome mediates the degradation of mucin granules in airway secretory cells. In addition, while we were not able to conclude that the proteasome is involved in the degradation of mucin granules with certainty, our preliminary data suggests that it is possible that the ubiquitin-proteasome system is involved in the degradation of mucin due to the observed increase in MUC5AC levels with MG-132.https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/surp2022/1039/thumbnail.jp