Hakka tone training for native speakers of tonal and nontonal languages

Language learning becomes increasingly difficult when novel linguistic features are introduced. Studies have shown that learners from various language backgrounds can be trained to perceive lexical tone, which assigns meaning to words using variations in pitch. In this thesis, we investigated whether native speakers of tonal Mandarin Chinese and tonal Vietnamese outperformed native speakers of nontonal English when learning Hakka Chinese tones following five sessions of tone training, and whether the complexity (i.e., density) of a listener’s native tone inventory facilitated nonnative tone learning. All groups improved in tone identification and tone word learning following training, with improvements persisting three weeks following the cessation of training. Although both tonal groups outperformed the English group in most tasks, the Mandarin group showed the most consistent advantages over the English group across tasks. Findings suggest that tone experience bolsters tone learning, but density of the tone inventory does not provide an advantage. Confusion patterns offer detailed insight of the interaction between nonnative tones and native tonal and intonational categories

Eugenics in the 21st Century

Eugenics is the science of enhancing the human population through the management of breeding and hereditary traits. This thesis explores the history of eugenics and shows how eugenic practices continue in the 21st century with advancements in technology and positive eugenic goals that can result in adverse effects on the human body and society. When Sir Francis Galton coined the term eugenics in 1883, he intended to improve British society with the use of positive eugenics. Galton used positive eugenics to encourage people with good mental and physical qualities to produce more children. He avoided negative eugenics, which involved sterilization and contraceptive methods. However, when other countries launched their eugenic movements, many incorporated negative eugenic practices and targeted people who were feeble-minded and physically impaired. Many countries enacted sterilization laws to decrease the likelihood of having mixed-race children and to prevent the spread of undesirable traits to offspring in the interest of improving their population. The eugenics movement in 19th–century Germany is reviewed carefully due to its misuse of eugenics and inclusion of human experimentation. The research performed on human test subjects by Nazi physicians in the Auschwitz concentration camp varied in methods and goals, but the harmful effects of controlling the human body are evident in testimonies and physical impairment. After Germany’s defeat in World War II, eugenics movements declined and became unfavorable because of its negative association with Nazi Germany. Research to comprehend heredity continued until the discovery of the double helical structure for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and investigation on how genetic information is passed from cell to cell and from parent to offspring. Similar to a specific enzyme’s ability to cut DNA at precise points, the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-(CRISPR) associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) device has made it possible to edit the genetic structure of species. With this advancement in technology, Chinese scientist He Jiankui has continued eugenic practices in the 21st century with the birth of twins who are claimed to be immune to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, after an examination of the available data from He’s research, it is evident that the experimentation includes unanticipated side effects. The effects noted to date are improved cognitive abilities, quick recovery from a stroke, and the presence of more than one type of cell in one of the twin’s genetic structure. While these after-effects of human experimentation are not as horrific as those experienced by Auschwitz survivors, the human body’s response to other viruses is unknown. The twins may be immune to HIV, but without direct exposure to this virus or others such as West Nile, it is unclear what other effects may occur. Additionally, the twins’ genetic enhancements may convince parents who can afford gene editing to create designer babies and widen the existing social and economic gap. He Jiankui’s gene editing methods to make humans immune to HIV can be associated with eugenics because he has controlled human breeding and inheritance to “improve” the human population. However beneficial his research and goals may seem for human health and the population, the diverse effects are positive, negative, and unknown. Since the publication of He’s research, there have been many discussions among scientists and the International Summit on Human Genome Editing regarding human gene editing and He’s work. It is crucial to explore the possible outcomes of human genetic modification before other scientists continue He’s studies and human genome editing becomes an acceptable eugenic practice. This thesis is divided into four chapters to explore the history of eugenics, examine the misuse of eugenics in Nazi Germany, observe the breakthrough research conducted to understand heredity, and view how eugenic methods persist in the 21st century with technologic development. The introduction outlines the progression of this thesis, as it reviews various eugenic methods in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Chapter one provides a brief overview of the history of eugenics and eugenic movements in a few notable countries. In chapter two, the development and establishment of eugenics in Germany are reviewed, and the inclusion of sterilization and human experimentation are analyzed through the research of a few notorious physicians. Chapter three reviews the studies of multiple scientists in pursuit of comprehending DNA’s ability to pass on and inherit genetic information. In chapter four, He Jiankui’s research is explained, and the potential effects of human genetic engineering are carefully examined. The conclusion provides an overview of the preceding chapters and compares the effects of human experimentation to improve the human population through the control of breeding and inheritance. Despite the different results of human testing between Nazi physicians and He Jiankui, it is apparent that there is always the potential for adverse, unintended, and even lethal results

The Americanization of sport for development and peace: Examining American SDP intern experiences

This study expands the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) research focusing on the impact of national values and ideas on SDP program implementation. As SDP interns are instrumental in implementing many SDP programs, it is important to identify how their national values and ideas affect their work in the field. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of Americans who had worked as SDP interns. Through the lens of Americanization, we examine the reproduction and distribution of values and ideas of American SDP interns working abroad. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 former American SDP interns to explore their perspectives and reflections on the work they carried out as American SDP interns. Throughout the interviews, American ideas rooted in neoliberalism, capitalism, and education appeared as conceptual influences that were woven into their SDP internship experience. The findings indicated that, in their role as American SDP interns, the participants were at once complicit in and resistant to reproducing inequitable power relations, constantly wrestling with personal ideologies and American sporting values that did not align with cultural and social norms of the host countries. Implications of this study emphasize the continued need for SDP analyses to identify and critically consider nation-specific values and ideas of SDP workers and their impact on the local implementation of SDP programs

Global Capitalism Meets Local Postcommunism: Tensions in Transition as Manifested through Physical Culture and the Female Body in Romania

Nearly two decades after communism officially ended in Romania, the nation continues to struggle in its transition from state socialism to liberal democracy. The increased presence and influence of Western images, democratic ideals, and social ideologies produces a complex and unstable tension with persisting legacies of communism and socialist ideologies. This dissertation is a critical analysis of the ways in which various tensions are manifested within the changing physical culture in Romania, particularly through performative bodies and constructed spaces of leisure and physical activity. In addition, participation in sports and other physical activities related to fitness and health are examined to reveal disciplinary techniques that reinforce normalized constructions of gendered and classed bodies. Using a qualitative, multi-method approach, empirical data was primarily collected in gyms and fitness clubs of three major cities in Romania. Through a contextual, interpretive, and theoretically-informed analysis of the empirical findings, this project intends to expand upon and articulate theories of postcommunist transition, gender, and physical culture in the Eastern European context--opening new lines of inquiry that consider both the empowering and problematic implications of creating and negotiating new subject positions within postcommunist environments

CONTRACT INCENTIVES AND EXCESSIVE NITROGEN USE IN AGRICULTURE

This study examines incentives for input use under tournament contracts. We analyze implications of contract design for nitrate-based environmental externalities generated by agricultural producers. Outcomes are compared from contracts awarded by tournament to those from fixed-payment contracts. Our findings show contract insecurity can distort input use. The model developed in this analysis is applied to a region of the U.S. where tournament-based production is prevalent and groundwater contamination is a problem. We find contract insecurity increases nitrogen use by about 12%, resulting in a 17% increase in nitrate leaching. Implications for contract modification to reduce environmental externalities while maintaining contract incentives are discussed.Crop Production/Industries,

A Unique Methodology For Implementing High School Capstone Experiences Through Teacher Professional Development

Innovators and abstract thinkers - students who question why are going to be the future of engineering, of science and cures for diseases. Rarely do students ask where and how innovation is created. Students, particularly post-secondary students have lost their curiosity and they have lost their ability to question. Why? Because the relationship between theory and application has been removed from our high schools. Although the term “STEM” is generally used, students do not appear to understand the importance of core STEM principles such as Newton’s 2nd law and therefore do not understand the influence these basic algorithms have in daily life. In recent decades, high school education has focused on quizzes and exams, state and national standardize testing and SATs. More emphasis is placed on performing well on these exams, focusing on memorization and test taking rather than on thorough comprehension. The question is, “how do you translate theory to application in the high school classroom?” Students’ knowledge and engagement are only as good as their teachers. Educators need to be given the proper tools, resources, and knowledge. CAPSULE, a capstone-based experience provides tools, resources, and knowledge to enhance the teaching and learning involvement. CAPSULE teaches and promotes inquiry, exploration and application rather than just theory. The methodology engages and educates hands-on learning, teamwork and multiple solutions through the engineering design process (EDP). The theory behind innovation is the motivation for CAPSULE – to teach and engage teachers using 3D modeling, EDP, and project-based learning to create a high school capstone experience. This paper presents a new approach of teaching STEM related courses to high school students. The methodology presented is on “training the trainer” to enable and empower teachers to master and utilize this new approach.

African coups in the COVID-19 era: A current history

What explains the explosion of coup activity in Africa over the last few years? To answer this question, this article presents narrative summaries—a current history—of all eleven coups attempts in Africa between August 2020 and November 2022. We then discuss the most relevant causal explanations for the observed increase in coup frequency in Africa in this period. Though we find relatively little evidence of direct coup diffusion or democratic backsliding as coup triggers, our findings suggest that coup-struck African countries over the last few years are disproportionately poor, have a recent history of coups, and face ongoing dilemmas of democratic consolidation. Ongoing Islamist insurgencies may have helped precipitate recent coups in West Africa but not elsewhere

Perceptions of neighborhood social environment and drug dependence among incarcerated women and men: a cross-sectional analysis

Abstract Background Perception of neighborhood social environment can influence an individual’s susceptibility to drug dependence. However, this has never been examined with a jailed sample, where frequent transitions between local jails and disadvantaged neighborhoods are common. Understanding these associations could aid in the design of targeted programs to decrease drug dependence and recidivism among the incarcerated. Methods For this study, 596 women and men from three Kansas City jails were surveyed over the course of six months in 2010. Drug dependence was assessed with DSM-IV criteria. Independent variables included fear of one’s neighborhood, perceived level of neighborhood violence, and social capital. All data were self-reported and were analyzed using logistic regression. Results Controlling for gender and age, fear of neighborhood violence was associated with increased odds of having drug dependence (OR = 1.27, CI 1.02, 1.58) and a higher level of social capital prior to incarceration was associated with lower odds of drug dependence (OR = 0.65, CI 0.44, 0.96). Mental health problem diagnosis and past year intimate partner violence were significant mediating factors. Gender and race/ethnicity were significant moderating factors between neighborhood disadvantage and drug dependence. Conclusions Our study suggests that drug dependence programs for women and men who cycle between jails and communities require both individual- and community-level interventions. To be most effective, programs at the community-level should focus on helping specific groups navigate their communities, as well as address individual health needs associated with drug dependence.Peer Reviewe