Relationships Between Institutional Characteristics and Student Retention and Graduation Rates at SACSCOC Level III Institutions

As the United States struggles to be globally competitive with the number of students completing a college degree higher education leaders continue seeking answers to improving student retention and graduation rates. Decades of research has been conducted on investigating factors that impact student retention and graduation with the majority of that research being centered on student attributes and students’ precollege characteristics. Research has been limited on institutional characteristics and their associations with student retention and graduation rates. Therefore the purpose of this study was to examine the extent that specific institutional characteristics predict first-year, full-time, fall-to-fall retention rates and 6-year graduation rates. The sample for this study consisted of 4-year institutions in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) region that have been granted Level III accreditation status and also report data annually to the Integrated Postsecondary Data System (IPEDS). All data used for this research were publicly available archival data available from IPEDS. Sixteen research questions were investigated about institutional student variables, environment variables, resource variables, financial variables, and interaction variables. Multiple linear regressions were conducted for all research questions, representing the statistical method of analysis. The findings showed that the most useful predictors for retention rates were students scoring at or above the 75th percentile ACT scores, physical library collections, expenditures for academic support, and tuition and required fees. When investigating to what extent institutional characteristics predict 6-year graduation rates the findings showed that 75th percentile ACT scores, physical library collections, expenditures for instruction, the percentage of full-time faculty, and cost were the most useful predictors. Findings also showed that student-faculty ratios and the percentage of full-time faculty were not significant predictors for student retention. Some institutional predictor variables may be significant predictors for both retention rates and graduation rates, while other predictor variables may be significant predictors for only one of the criterion variables

Investigation of the initial steps of jasmonic acid biosynthesis and a study of differential regulation of the ribosomal association of mRNA transcripts in jasmonate-dependent wound response

Jasmonic acid is an oxylipin derived hormone that is responsible for regulating plant responses against various abiotic and biotic stressors and it also serves important roles in plant development. Jasmonic acid once synthesized after elicitation is converted into a number of derivates, collectively termed jasmonates (JA). Since the late '80s, large strides in the discovery and characterization of the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis and catabolism of JA as well as the signaling components necessary for the transcriptional reprogramming after a stimulus have been made. However, there are still plenty of aspects of JA biosynthesis, signaling, and catabolism that are still unknown. At the core of what's left to discover has to do with regulation of the biosynthetic pathway and of JA-regulated post-transcriptional changes. After a leaf perceives a stimulus, such as a bite from an insect, this message is quickly relayed inside the cell and into chloroplasts to initiate the biosynthesis of JA. There are several lines of evidence to show that the production of JA precedes the transcription and translation of JA-induced transcripts, therefore there are likely post-translational modifications occurring that elicit activation of the pathway. Chapter II of this dissertation provides novel insights into the initial steps of wound induced JA biosynthesis in Nicotiana benthamiana. A time course of the JA intermediate 12-oxo-phytodienomic acid (OPDA) accumulation in wounded N. benthamiana leaves showed an immediate increase without perceivable lag implying a very fast mode of regulation. Additional insights were made by utilizing a semi-in vitro system of isolated pea chloroplasts which clearly show that JA biosynthesis is substrate limited and therefore the lipase responsible for releasing fatty acids, the primary substrate for JA biosynthesis, must be tightly regulated. The glycerolipase A1 (NbGLA1) was identified as the primary lipase responsible for JA biosynthesis in wounded leaves of N. benthamiana through virus induced gene silencing (VIGS). Transient expression of NbGLA1 was shown to trigger JA biosynthesis without wounding. However, an additional effect on NbGLA1 by wounding that could amplify JA levels by several folds, far greater than the effect of gene expression alone, implied a post-translational regulatory mechanism. Experiments with a truncated version of NbGLA1 showed that the C-terminal end may contain sequence elements that can function in a regulatory role. Finally, JA accumulation time course in wounded N. benthamiana leaves also revealed an additional phase of JA increase later in the time course that was different from a single-phased accumulation of JA reported in Arabidopsis thaliana. These results and observations beg further research into both the common and unique aspects of the regulation of JA biosynthetic pathway in N. benthamiana. In chapter III the wound induced post-transcriptional regulation of mRNAs were studied by utilizing transcriptomic, proteomic, and translatomic approaches in both wildtype (WT) and a mutant defective in JA-dependent wound response in Arabidopsis. Previous research indicated some wound-responsive JA marker proteins were less abundant in the mutant, b1b3, after wounding although their respective transcripts were unchanged. Proteomics analysis using multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT) confirmed the downward trend of protein accumulation in b1b3. In order to learn more about this phenomenon, translating ribosome affinity purification RNA sequencing (TRAPseq) was carried out where translating pools of mRNA were purified by the immunoprecipitation of ribosomes and the associated RNAs were subsequently sequenced. Various comparisons revealed interesting post-transcriptional regulation of transcripts induced by wounding in WT. Between WT and b1b3, even though the transcriptome was very similar, there were many transcripts were less associated with the ribosomes in b1b3. Among those genes with fewer ribosome-associated transcripts in b1b3 were genes relating to stress response, specialized metabolism, protein metabolism, ribosomal subunits, and transcription factors, consistent with the biochemical phenotypes of the mutant. These results show previously unrecognized regulation at the translational level that are affected by mis-regulation of JA homeostasis during wound response in plants. In chapter IV a structure based virtual screen was performed to create a compound screening library to find an additional ligand to interact with the COI1-JAZ1 (PDB: 3OGL) co-receptor complex. This was inspired by recent research from our lab showing that although (3R,7S)-jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine (JA-Ile) is the primary endogenous bioactive JA that binds to the hormone co-receptor complex, there is an additional JA derivative, 12-hydroxy-JA-Ile (12OH-JA-Ile), that also has bioactive properties. Two candidate molecules, 7-hydroxy-4-({[5-hydroxy-4-(1-phenylethyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl]sulfanyl}methyl)-2H-chromen-2-one (HTS) and 1-(2-chloro-6-fluorobenzoyl)-3-[1-(2-cyanoethyl)-3-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl]urea (CD0), were identified and tested for their ability to effect JA signaling pathway. HTS was found to have growth promoting properties in Arabidopsis and in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). HTS was able to partially reverse the JA-induced root growth phenotype. Further biochemical studies are underway to determine the causal relationship between its putative interaction with COI1-JAZ coreceptor complex and the growth phenotype.Includes bibliographical references (pages 113-135)

Tandem ring‐opening–ring‐closing metathesis for functional metathesis catalysts

Use of a tandem ring-opening–ring-closing metathesis (RORCM) strategy for the synthesis of functional metathesis catalysts is reported. Ring opening of 7-substituted norbornenes and subsequent ring-closing metathesis forming a thermodynamically stable 6-membered ring lead to a very efficient synthesis of new catalysts from commercially available Grubbs’ catalysts. Hydroxy functionalized Grubbs’ first- as well as third-generation catalysts have been synthesized. Mechanistic studies have been performed to elucidate the order of attack of the olefinic bonds. This strategy was also used to synthesize the ruthenium methylidene complex

Perfil de competências do enfermeiro em funções na emergência pré-hospitalar

O conceito de competência é amplamente discutido e aplicado em áreas como a formação e o apoio à gestão, no entanto a opinião acerca deste conceito não reúne consenso entre os especialistas. No campo da Emergência Pré-Hospitalar além de muito escassos os estudos, não existe qualquer ferramenta específica para a sua avaliação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi definir um perfil de competências ideal do Enfermeiro de Emergência Pré-Hospitalar e perceber de que forma os Enfermeiros que desempenham (ou desempenharam) funções nesta área se identificam com esse perfil. Desenvolveu-se um estudo correlacional, em que os dados foram recolhidos através de um questionário de autopreenchimento numa amostra de Enfermeiros que desempenham, ou desempenharam, funções na Emergência Pré-Hospitalar, mais propriamente na Viatura Médica de Emergência e Reanimação (VMER). Nos resultados destacamos a construção e validação de três escalas, utilizando para isso o Perfil de Competências definido por Malta (2016): Avaliação, Monitorização e Execução de Técnicas ao Doente em Situação Crítica (AMETDSC); Interpretação de dados e tomada de decisão em situação de pessoa em situação crítica e/ou situação de exceção (IDTDSPSC/SE); Identificação e gestão de fatores de mal-estar (IGFME). Foi também realizado um cruzamento entre os dados obtidos pelas escalas com os dados sociodemográficos com vista a estabelecer um relacionamento entre a forma como os Enfermeiros se identificam com as Competências definidas e as suas características pessoais. Observámos que de uma forma geral os Enfermeiros identificam-se com as competências do estudo de Malta (2016) que foram selecionadas para este estudo, obtendo pontuações médias superiores a 3 valores numa escala de 1 a 4. Observámos também que enquanto as variáveis género, estado civil e habilitações literárias parecem ter pouca influência na identificação com as competências estudadas, o mesmo já não se pode dizer das variáveis idade, experiência profissional genérica e experiência profissional específica que parecem exercer maior influência na forma como os Enfermeiros se identificam com estas Competências

She's done alright for a girl: Strategies for teaching women artists

While evidence suggests that up to 65% of visual arts graduates in Australia are women, women artists are still dramatically under-represented in most sectors of the industry, from institutional exhibitions through to commercial gallery representation. Gender awareness in art school education was a prominent aspect of second wave feminist activism in this country, however the outcomes for women artists, particularly as their careers proceed, often remain discouraging. Over approximately the past ten years, the Visual Arts discipline at Queensland University of Technology has integrated a range of gender awareness strategies into its teaching program across both studio practice and history/theory areas, with relatively strong outcomes amongst female graduates, both as artists and arts workers. Employing practitioner reflection and praxis-based research, this paper takes stock of the approaches that have been trialled over this period and reflects on the combination of both explicit and implicit strategies employed, as well as student responses to them

Silver palace

Silver palace is a multi-channel screen-based installation that explores the part that the landscape and narration play in cinematic constructions of gendered identity. The exhibition examines the ways in which our experience as a viewer of cinematic imagery can be both constructed and expanded within a gallery context

The waves, parts 1 and 2 [Fresh Cut 2013; Part 2]

This two-part video installation, exploring the feminine gaze and the traditions of cinema, was exhibited at the Institute of Modern Art in Brisbane as part of the 2013 'Fresh Cut' program

To see and be seen : cinematic constructions of gender and spectatorship in contemporary screen-based art

To See and Be Seen: Cinematic Constructions of Gender and Spectatorship in Contemporary Screen-Based Art addresses how gendered representation can be structured within visual art practice through a series of creative moving-image works. Using the aesthetic language of French New Wave cinema as its primary point of departure, this research project investigates how gendered representations are constructed by cinematic language. In doing this, it proposes latent possibilities present within the dominant gaze created by patriarchal relations of power. This project, in a series of creative works, demonstrates how the 'masculine' authorial gaze is learnt culturally, and by examining the gendered syntax of film, reveals how this can be recontextualised by the female artist