Salem Witch Trials: A Psychological Manifestation Stemming from Gender/Societal Inequality?

Salem Witch Trials: A Psychological Manifestation Stemming from Gender/Societal Inequality? As an avid amateur historian, I adore learning about past experiences and cultures experienced worldwide, but especially in the United States. From the time that I was a child, I have been fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials. What seems from the outside looking in as a fantastic story fit for a feature film by the likes of Stephen King, was an actual, horrific occurrence that started from the minds and mouths of children. Children, as young as twelve years of age, were responsible for one of the worst recorded events of mankind, leaving twenty dead and countless others disgraced. Through analytical research of primary documents pertaining to court records, quotes from accusers and the accused, along with research of societal expectations specific to gender and age in the colonial period, I will pose the question that the origin of the Salem Witch Trials does not stem from other worldly dimensions, but instead from a rebellious act against societal expectations and norms set forth for women and children of the respective era. Essentially, a psychological manifestation of frustrations and fears set forth by restrictive and oppressive norms that proved to be physically, emotionally, and mentally detrimental to all involved. By examining the psychological cause of such an impactful happening, our society can recognize the signs of provocation, and avoid a repeat of such an occurrence. Holly Johnson University of North Georgia September 18th, 2019 Status: Work in Progress (Projected Completion Time: October 2019

What “Kindergarten Ready” Means: Perspectives from Teachers and Caregivers

Every year a number of children move on to Kindergarten, regardless if they are ready or not. There are always some who are ready and have great academic and social-emotional skills to start; however, there are also those who are not ready and have not had the experiences to successfully prepare them for Kindergarten. To help children become ready for Kindergarten, they need experiences and support from their parents, teachers, and community. In this study, a survey research design was used to examine the perspectives of caregivers and preschool/ Kindergarten teachers to determine if they are looking at the same things for what they believe it means to be school ready. Overall, the caregivers and teachers reported very similar findings. They both believe social-emotional readiness is more important than academic readiness when entering kindergarten

Insulin sensitivity is mediated by glucose in the hepatoportal region in the rat

Obesity is associated with insulin resistance, the primary characteristic underlying the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The relationship between insulin resistance and obesity is the focus of much research yet the molecular mechanisms by which excess adiposity cause impaired insulin action remain poorly defined. Nutrition is fundamental to overall health and is implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity and insulin resistance. This is exemplified in rodent models, where high fat feeding induces insulin resistance in just three weeks. Previous studies have established a rat model of diet-induced insulin resistance where substituting one high-glucose meal for the usual fat meal in rats restores insulin sensitivity. The exact mechanisms of this improvement are unknown but are of interest as they provide insight into the physiological regulation of insulin action and may lead to novel treatment strategies. The aim of the experiments in this thesis is to further understanding of the mechanisms involved in the glucose regulated improvement of insulin sensitivity. High fat fed rats were given either a glucose meal, a systemic glucose infusion or a portal glucose infusion and insulin sensitivity was assessed by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. A glucose meal consistently improved insulin sensitivity in high fat fed rodents establishing that the model is reproducible. Further, a systemic glucose infusion did not affect insulin sensitivity indicating that the mechanism is not glucose flux or lipid withdrawal. A portal glucose infusion significantly improved insulin sensitivity, implying that the hepatoportal region mediates the improvement rather than gastrointestinal factors. These results further our understanding of the mechanism of the glucose mediated improvement of insulin sensitivity and provide new insight into the role of nutrition in the acute regulation of whole-body metabolism

Multistep Kinetic Monte Carlo

Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) uses random numbers to simulate the time evolution of processes with well-defined rates. We analyze a multi-step KMC algorithm aimed at speeding up the single-step procedure and apply the algorithm to study a model for the growth of a surface dendrite. The growth of the dendrite is initiated when atoms diffusing on a substrate cluster due to lower hopping rates for highly coordinated atoms. The boundary of the cluster is morphologically unstable when the flux of new atoms is supplied in the far field, a scenario that could be generated by masking a portion of a substrate that is subject to some kind of deposition process. We allow atoms far from the growing dendrite to take large hops while atoms near the dendrite follow a usual single-step KMC algorithm. We study how coarse-graining affects the distribution of waiting times for hops, and how to accurately couple the multi-step and single-step regions

The Effects of Exogenous Fatty Acids on \u3ci\u3eEnterococcus faecalis\u3c/i\u3e OG1RF

Enterococcus faecalis is a commensal of the mammalian intestine and an opportunistic pathogen that infects various locations in the human host. Specifically, the organism can infect surgical wounds, the urinary tract, and is an agent of endocarditis. Regardless of niche, this organism has access to fatty acid sources in the host, which may influence its ability to survive and cause infection; yet, the effects of exogenous fatty acids were unknown in E. faecalis. We have shown that complex sources of fatty acids such as bile or serum can significantly alter the membrane content and protect E. faecalis from acute membrane damage. Experiments with individual bile and serum components revealed that protection from acute membrane stress could be attributed to unsaturated fatty acids found within these host fluids. To better discern how complex sources of fatty acids such as bile or serum could impact growth and physiology of E. faecalis so dramatically, we decided to examine the effects of individual fatty acids on cellular physiology. To date, virtually no studies had examined the role of fatty acids on E. faecalis. We concluded that unsaturated fatty acids are necessary for growth and could support growth in the absence of de novo fatty acid biosynthesis. Saturated fatty acids were shown to be toxic to E. faecalis, distorting cell morphology and impeding growth. The significance of unsaturated fatty acids is evident as even small amounts could rescue cells from toxic fatty acids. These data help clarify why bile and serum, which contain a mixture of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, are not toxic. Our experiments show not only that E. faecalis has a requirement for unsaturated fatty acids, but also that growth can be supported entirely with unsaturated fatty acids. Moreover, toxicity caused by fatty acids is primarily attributed to saturation and length. In conclusion, exogenous fatty acids have tremendous impacts on cell physiology and stress survival; furthermore, understanding these is critical for developing effective therapeutics

Collaborative Care: Coordinating Services with Community Partners to Promote Client Wellness

Research reveals that extra-therapeutic factors can contribute significantly to the wellness and stability of clients. Yet, many counselors have little experience or training in linking clients with supportive services in their community. This presentation provides attendees with information and strategies to promote a collaborative, multi-culturally sensitive approach to client wellness

Integrating Stress Management, Wellness, and Spirituality in Therapy

Integrative psychotherapy considers the unique needs of the client including preferences, motivation, physical ability, personal characteristics, and spiritual beliefs. This session will impart knowledge and provide insights for managing stress, promoting healthy living, and practicing spirituality in a way that best fits the individual’s personal worldvie