“What Is Meant To Be, Will Be”: Hip-hop and the continuum of Gender Politics

The mainstream Hip-hop narrative positions itself as hypermasculine, violent, greed obsessed and overtly misogynistic. Even in spite of this, those at the margins (historically women), have arisen to appear a cut above the stereotypical rap discourse. This piece takes on the journey of expanding the dominant narratives surrounding Hip-hop. We must both back at the past and towards to future to truly the expansive landscape that Hip-hop culture has to offer the world. This piece mainly examines the function of gender identity politics through a Hip-hop lens. Analyzing both the work of renowned artist Lauryn Hill, but also the queer identified music of Mykki Blanco. This piece utilizes the methodologies of performances studies, lyrical analysis and queer theory to construct its viewpoints

AN EMPIRICAL EVALUATION OF EXPERIENCED-BASED LEARNING: A ROPES COURSE ILLUSTRATION

This paper draws on empirical evidence to measure the impact of using corporate-like outdoor-based team training to enhance the effectiveness of student groups and teach team player skills. Results indicate that outdoor team activities had greater effects and impacts on student behaviors and learning than in class team activities.team experiential learning, outdoor-based training, team building, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Predicting Treatment Success in Child and Parent Therapy Among Families in Poverty

Behavior problems are prevalent in young children and those living in poverty are at increased risk for stable, high-intensity behavioral problems. Research has demonstrated that participation in child and parent therapy (CPT) programs significantly reduces problematic child behaviors while increasing positive behaviors. However, CPT programs, particularly those implemented with low-income populations, frequently report high rates of attrition (over 50%). Parental attributional style has shown some promise as a contributing factor to treatment attendance and termination in previous research. The authors examined if parental attributional style could predict treatment success in a CPT program, specifically targeting low-income urban children with behavior problems. A hierarchical logistic regression was used with a sample of 425 families to assess if parent- and child-referent attributions variables predicted treatment success over and above demographic variables and symptom severity. Parent-referent attributions, child-referent attributions, and child symptom severity were found to be significant predictors of treatment success. Results indicated that caregivers who viewed themselves as a contributing factor for their child\u27s behavior problems were significantly more likely to demonstrate treatment success. Alternatively, caregivers who viewed their child as more responsible for their own behavior problems were less likely to demonstrate treatment success. Additionally, more severe behavior problems were also predictive of treatment success. Clinical and research implications of these results are discussed

A Narrative Inquiry of the Lived Experience of Three Female Assemblies of God Lead Pastors

Harris, Ryan L. “A Narrative Inquiry into the Lived Experience of Three Female Assemblies of God Lead Pastors.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2019. 396 pp. This study utilizes qualitative narrative inquiry to examine the lived experience of three female Assemblies of God lead pastors. It does so to investigate the following research question: Given the complex and inconsistent history and present reality faced by women in the Assemblies of God, how do the participants in this study narrate their lived experience as lead pastors in Assemblies of God churches? To engage in this investigation, the study begins by explaining the complex and at times confusing history of the status of female leaders within the Assemblies of God. The research framework for the study is a social-constructionist approach based on the work of Jerome Bruner, George Lindbeck, and Kevin Vanhoozer. A review of pertinent literature is then presented, which examines works that were related to the research question. This section presents works that examine the question historically, those that examine the question using qualitative feminist approaches, and those that consider the subject of the Pentecostal hermeneutic approach to the status of women leaders/pastors. The specific methodology used for this study is Corrine Squire’s Experience-Centered and Culturally-Oriented approach to narrative research, which is a hermeneutical approach based on the work of Hans Georg Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur. It focuses on four main elements: how the gathered narratives are sequential and meaningful, how they are definitively human, how they re–present, reconstitute and express experience, and how they display transformation and/or development. The study then presents the analysis of the data which was gathered through semi-structured interviews. (Interview transcripts are attached as appendices). After offering a comprehensive breakdown of themes gathered from the three participants, these themes are synthesized into the results of the study, which are offered in the last chapter. The results of the study show that the participants have created elaborate narratives that display two main themes. First, the theme of gender-based resistance. This gender-based resistance took many different forms, including things like: being excluded by male leaders, sexual objectification, accusations of heresy or sinful living, scriptural arguments, isolation, and many others. In their response to this resistance, the second major theme became evident: the participants’ concept of being trailblazers or pioneers who are responsible for helping to improve conditions for future women leaders in the Assemblies of God. The study concludes by offering suggestions on how this data may be used in various contexts, though it focuses on how it might be used in the Assemblies of God

A Shift in Perspective

My piece represents the manifestation of my appreciation for hip-hop music and my introversion. Firstly, the narration style seeks to engulf the reader within the main character’s mind space. The stream of consciousness approach wishes to act a guide for the reader throughout the story. In many ways, I see aspects of myself within the main character. Particularly, in how the character rationalizes various incidents in his life through rap lyrics. I believe that aspect signifies how music, as a whole, can be representative of human society and life. It also serves as an extension to my own personal Mellon-Mays research, which examines hip-hop in a wider spectrum. A short story format was chosen because I felt a more creative avenue would allow me to demonstrate my own person connection with the music. I felt that a more academic styling would not be the best avenue to display the work

Development of a Ligno-Cellulosic Polymeric and Reinforced Sheet Molding Compound (SMC)

The overall objective of this dissertation was to study the surface energy and acid-base characteristics of natural fibers, glass, a wood extract, and a sheet molding compound prepreg to facilitate the fabrication of totally synthetic and partially renewable sheet molding compounds (SMCs). The water absorption and micro-mechanical performance of the totally synthetic and partially renewable SMC composites were compared through accelerated aging experiments. Reinforcing glass sized for polyester, bast kenaf fibers, hot water extract from Acer rubrum, and a dicyclopentadiene modified polyester prepreg were analyzed by inverse gas chromatography to evaluate and help predict how the various components may interact in a crosslinked composite SMC. Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA) was used to determine how the components in the SMC changed as a function of hygrothermal aging by analyzing the glass transitions of the individual components in the SMC. Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) results indicated that the polyester prepreg material had an experimental dispersive surface energy value of 47 mJ/m2 that compared well with a rule of mixture analysis of the components in the SMC giving a value of 50 mJ/m2 both at 30?C. IGC results also indicated that the kenaf-prepreg material has a higher acid base interaction then the glass-prepreg material. The IGC results indicated that surface sizing of the kenaf fibers with styrene-maleic anhydride might improve the cohesiveness of the final kenaf based SMC. IGC results also indicated that hot water extract from Acer rubrum had a dispersive energy close to polystyrene and should be miscible in the prepreg material. Hygrothermal aging was done by soaking SMC samples at 70?C for 3, 168, and 1032 hour time intervals. Standard SMC fabricated with glass reinforcement had water uptakes of less than 5 weight percent after 1032 hours. SMC fabricated with kenaf had water uptakes at 1032 hours approaching 20 weight percent indicating the kenaf based SMC is not suitable for exterior applications or applications where water contact occurs. SMC fabricated with hot water extract from Acer rubrum had water uptake similar to, and in some cases, better then the standard SMC references. DMTA results indicated that thickening reactions took place without thickening agents in the SMC in the presence of excess absorbed water. The temperature range of –50?C to 260?C during DMTA testing effectively destroyed the kenaf based SMC. The glass based synthetic SMC was the most resilient to the heat ramps followed by the extract based SMC. Inverse gas chromatography is a useful tool for analyzing the dispersive and acid-base properties of components of a composite. Kenaf based and extract based SMC’s can be fabricated and the extract based SMC’s compare well with standard synthetic SMC’s for water absorption and micro-mechanical properties

Side Channel Anomaly Detection in Industrial Control Systems Using Physical Characteristics of End Devices

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are described by the Department of Homeland Security as systems that are so \vital to the United States that their incapacity or destruction would have a debilitating impact on our physical or economic security. Attacks like Stuxnet show that these systems are vulnerable. The end goal for Stuxnet was to spin centrifuges at a frequency rate outside of normal operation and hide its activity from the ICS operator. This research aims to provide a proof of concept for an anomaly detection system that would be able to detect an attack like Stuxnet by measuring the physical change in vibration caused by the attack. The attack can hide what is reported to the operator, but it cannot hide the physical changes caused by the attack. This research uses a piezoelectric vibration sensor to collect vibration data coming from a centrifugal pump and ow meter on an ICS training system at each operating level. The collected data is then fingerprinted and classified using established RF-DNA techniques to determine if it can differentiate between the vibrations produced at each of the operating level. A clear differentiation between operating levels indicates that an ADS is feasible

The Flow-Mediated Dilation Response to Acute Exercise in Overweight Men

Thesis (PhD) - Indiana University, School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 2007INTRODUCTION Inflammation has been found to play a role in the etiology of coronary heart disease as well as induce endothelial dysfunction. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a measure of nitric oxide dependent vasodilation and represents a non-invasive measurement of endothelial function. The aim of the present study was to 1) investigate the interaction of inflammatory biomarkers on the FMD response to acute exercise in overweight men and 2) determine if FMD following moderate intensity acute exercise is reproducible. METHODS Sixteen overweight men ages 46-68 years were classified as either being active or inactive. Subjects performed three acute exercise treatments (25%, 50%, and 75% VO2peak), separated by at least two days apart. The 50% intensity was repeated in 9 subjects to investigate FMD reproducibility in response to acute exercise. Following the initial insertion of a venous catheter, brachial artery Flow-Mediated Dilation (FMD) and subsequent blood samples were taken pre exercise and every hour for three hours thereafter. RESULTS The active group displayed a 24% increase (p=.034) in FMD following acute exercise compared to a 32% decrease (p=.010) in FMD observed in the inactive group. Both groups exhibited an elevated concentration of IL-6 following moderate (50% VO2) and high (75% VO2) intensity acute exercise (p<.001 and p<.001, respectively), whereas no change (p=.669) in IL-6 following low intensity (25% VO2) exercise in either group was observed. No differences in TNF- were observed between groups (p=.433) or in response to acute exercise (p=.584). A significant FMD correlation (r = 0.531; p=.008) following exercise between trial 1 and trial 2 was found. CONCLUSION FMD following exercise appears to be as reproducible as resting controlled conditions. In addition, the FMD response to acute exercise is enhanced in overweight active men when compared to their inactive counterparts; however, inflammation did not provide insight into the physiological mechanisms associated with the improvement of FMD. This research was supported by the Gatorade Sport Science Institute and Indiana University HPER Research Grant-in-Aids