Character displacement in Burkholderia biofilm communities and the effect of adaptive history on the evolution of niche breadth

Ecologists agree that biodiversity is essential for maintaining highly productive and stable ecosystems, yet the mechanisms that generate and preserve diversity are unknown in many habitats. Competition for shared resources may cause selection to favor niche specialization, which reduces competition and reinforces diversity. If the environment is significantly altered, the ecological history of the remaining colonizer may influence fitness and capacity for diversification in new environments. In many cases, specialists have limited adaptive potential due to trade-offs generated by niche-specific adaptation; however, generalists may be adaptable in many habitats, which would make them good pioneer species for colonization. We investigated the role of character displacement and facilitation in maintaining diversity in a synergistic, biofilm-adapted population of Burkholderia cenocepacia, an opportunistic pathogen of cystic fibrosis patients that infects by producing diverse biofilms. Additionally, we examined effects of adaptive history on the ability of biofilm generalists and specialists to adapt to altered environmental conditions. Our model biofilm population consisted of phenotypically and genetically distinct ecotypes each fulfilling a separate ecological role. We found that diversification in the biofilm was associated with altered resource, as each ecotype occupied distinct spatial niches. We then evolved each ecotype in isolation in planktonic conditions to study whether adaptive history determined the potential to revert to a planktonic lifestyle. Following adaptation, each ecotype evolved into morphologically uniform populations phenotypically resembling the biofilm generalist type, yet fitness of these populations was constrained by prior niche specialization. Lastly, we modeled habitat colonization by evolving each ecotype in isolation in the biofilm environment and tested whether specialization limited the capacity for niche expansion in the absence of competitors. Each biofilm specialist evolved considerable functional diversity, yet the generalists expanded their niche without diversification, which suggested that their adaptive potential exceeded that of the specialists. In summary, diversification within biofilm communities generates competition that favors character displacement and facilitation. Furthermore, when environmental conditions are altered, generalists evolve more productive populations than specialists with less diversification and pleiotropic cost

In Defense of Black Women: Black Women Advocacy and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 1945–1995

In the period following World War II, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) served as the longest standing and most experienced organization serving African Americans. It was during this postwar period, from 1945 to 1995, that its membership boomed at the regional and local levels and the organization worked to ensure federal anti-discrimination policies benefited black Americans through their various branches. In this dissertation, which draws on research from the NAACP archives, I argue that from 1945 to 1995 the NAACP addressed the needs of black women by advocating for them in housing struggles, employment litigation, and the fight against police brutality. They key issues that emerged for black women were housing, defense against police brutality, and employment advocacy. I apply the theoretical framework of intersectionality to analyze how these three advocacy issues for the NAACP operated at the intersections of race, gender, and class in the lives of black women in the United States

The experimental evolution of host adaptation of the emerging pathogen Burkholderia cenocepacia

I investigated the ability of Burkholderia cenocepacia, an opportunistic bacterial pathogen, to adapt to a host. Studies have identified trade-offs associated with environmental adaptation, but few have investigated host adaptation. Consequently, I studied effects of adaptation by B. cenocepacia to onions (Allium cepa) on the ability to kill Caenorhabditis elegans. I hypothesized that adaptation to onions would reduce virulence in C. elegans. I evolved twelve populations of bacteria in onion tissue medium for 500 generations. Then, I quantified fitness differences between evolved and ancestral populations by direct competition, having developed molecular marking techniques to discriminate among competitors. Competitions revealed fitness increases in nine populations. Next, I measured virulence against C. elegans of each population and observed a reduced worm killing ability. I also quantified pleiotropic effects of adaptation related to virulence. In conclusion, I supported that adaptation of B. cenocepacia to one host resulted in decreased virulence in another host

Franklin Enterprises: The New Division

Franklin Enterprises, a leading supplier of industry plumbing, heating and cooling equipment, decided to set up an eBusiness division, Franklin Online (FOL), to develop online services for corporate account holders. Cody Lewis, an exemplary inside sales person, was appointed a Regional Business Development Manager (RBDM) for the newly established eBusiness division. With his sales skills, he created a team of sales people in his region that helped increase sales significantly through much quicker market penetration activities. He also worked closely with the other RBDM’s in order to maximize the success of each territory. The very significant growth of the eBusiness division for corporate accounts led Franklin Enterprises to subsequently extend the service to the non-account consumer market as well

RESILENCY AND FATHERLESS HOUSEHOLDS

Fatherlessness is a complex and prevailing issue in society associated with many vulnerabilities and unfavorable outcomes. This study seeks to describe and identify the contributing factors to resilience among individuals who were raised in fatherless homes. Findings from this research would contribute to the body of knowledge that focuses on promoting resiliency and would specifically provide insight on contributing factors to resiliency that can help mitigate the negative consequences of fatherless homes

Adapting a Narrative Curriculum to a Remote Format in the Context of Socially Distanced Middle School Education Resulting from COVID-19

This paper describes the development of two versions of an NGSS-aligned principles of engineering design unit for use in middle schools. By employing a narrative framework that can help students to connect more deeply with the human contexts and consequences of the engineering design process, our goal was to enhance students’ cognitive and emotional engagement in the learning of engineering design concepts. We first detail the design of an initial version of the unit, titled The Survivorama, which used narrative to enrich a primarily traditional, in-person teaching approach. We then describe the adapted version of the unit, titled the Molasses Disaster, and the modifications we made to the stories and transmedia story elements that facilitated the creation of a fully remote version of the unit. To investigate questions related to the effectiveness of the remote curriculum in sustaining student engagement in the remote context, we carried out a mixed-methods study that looked at (1) teachers’ characterizations of the effect of the curriculum on student engagement and (2) student learning outcomes as measured by performance assessment tasks. Qualitative analysis of teacher interviews supported the notion that teachers found both versions of the curriculum to be highly engaging for their students, though with some important caveats regarding younger students and students who were less literate. Quantitative analysis comparing 2019 and 2020 student response data for students in the 2019 nontreatment, 2019 treatment, and 2020 treatment groups found statistically significant differences in the pattern of responses for both problem-solving and conceptual drawing performance assessment tasks. The pattern of responses supported the inference that student engagement was similar for students in both the 2019 in-person context and the 2020 remote context, and that both differed significantly from the 2019 nontreatment group

Becoming an English language teacher:linguistic knowledge, anxieties and the shifting sense of identity

English Language is a fast growing and popular subject at A level but the majority of qualified secondary teachers in the UK have subject expertise and backgrounds in literature. This paper reports on interviews with seven secondary English teachers who discuss the strategies they used when taking on the responsibility of A level English Language teaching for the first time. It highlights the shifting sense of identity that these teachers felt they went through, and as such, explores some emerging issues related to identity from a narrative/personal history perspective. The study reveals that despite feelings of anxiety and low self-confidence, teachers felt that the experience had been a positive one in terms of their own developing identity as an English teacher and had impacted on other aspects of their teaching. The paper raises questions about the value of language-based work for English teachers and has implications for UK initial and continuing teacher education in English

Implementation of the Power to Prevent Diabetes Prevention Educational Curriculum Into Rural African American Communities: A Feasibility Study

The purpose of this study was to describe the feasibility of using a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach to implement the Power to Prevent (P2P) diabetes prevention education curriculum in rural African American (AA) settings

Experienced teachers' perspectives on priorities for improved intelligible pronunciation: the case of Japanese learners of English

The current study was designed as an exploratory investigation of the usefulness of experienced teachers’ perspectives as a means to identify teaching and learning priorities for a particular group of L2 learners (i.e. native speakers of Japanese [NJs] learning English in EFL settings) to acquire intelligible pronunciation. A total of 120 experienced teachers (61 native speakers of English [NEs] and 59 NJs) rated 25 problematic features on a 5-point scale ranging from “very important to teach” to “not very important to teach.” The ordered ranking suggests the teachers’ opinion is that the syllabus needs to include not only (a) pronunciation problems which are generally problematic in other ESL/EFL classrooms but also (b) sound features which are highly specific to NJs. The construct validity of the experienced teachers’ judgment will be discussed in light of relevant findings in L2 pronunciation research

Heart Matters: a study protocol for a community based randomized trial aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk in a rural, African American community

Abstract Background African Americans living in the rural south have the highest prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in the United States. Given this geographic and racial disparity, intervention implementation needs to be evaluated for effectiveness and feasibility with African Americans in the rural south. Methods The trial developed out of a community-based participatory research partnership, Project GRACE, and community partners who are collaborators throughout the study. Heart Matters is a randomized stepped wedge trial that will assess the effectiveness of a 12-month behavioral change intervention adapted from PREMIER, an evidence-based treatment targeting multiple CVD risk factors. 140 participants will be recruited through 8 community- or faith-based organizations to participate in the intervention. Through matched pair randomization, organizations will be randomized to begin immediately after baseline data collection (Arm 1) or delayed 6 months (Arm 2). Data collection will occur at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months. The primary outcome is change in body weight. In addition to assessing effectiveness, the study will also evaluate process and feasibility outcomes through quantitative and qualitative data collection. Discussion This study will contribute to CVD prevention research and likely have a positive impact on the rural, African American community where the trial occurs. Our study is unique in its use of community partnerships to develop, implement, and evaluate the intervention. We expect that this approach will enhance the feasibility of the trial, as well as future dissemination and sustainability of the intervention. Trial registration Clinical Trials, NCT02707432 . Registered 13 March 2016