Exploring the Essence of Spirituality: A Phenomenological Study of Eight Students with Eight Different Worldviews

Throughout most facets of American life, there has been a renewed interest in and expression of spirituality. Religiosity and spirituality have been at the center of recent international events (e.g., September 11th) and political discussions (e.g., continuing debates about school prayer and the role of religion in the political process). As a consequence, campus communities are striving to make sense of spirituality and religious tolerance as well as their roles in helping American students understand themselves as part of a diverse democracy. This phenomenological study addresses these issues by asking eight students representing eight different worldviews (i.e., Agnosticism, Atheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Muslim, Protestantism, and Roman Catholicism) about what spirituality means to them. Photo elicitation and semistructured interviewing are used as the primary means for collecting data. Results show that common to all eight perspectives is the idea that spirituality is the human attempt to make meaning of the self in connection to and with the external world. Implications for student development practice and future research are discussed

Regulation of chondroprogenitor cell gene expression and migration

Cartilage, which lines joint surfaces to allow near-frictionless movement, lacks the ability to adequately repair itself and there are currently no effective, disease-modifying drugs to halt or repair the damage. Development of powerful in vitro models to investigate gene expression changes during osteoarthritis and chondrogenesis is key in understanding how the disease develops and how cartilage might attempt to repair itself. In this thesis, an enhanced model of chondrogenesis of the murine ATDC5 chondroprogenitor cell line was developed with cells cultured in micromass. Results revealed not only an increase in chondrogenesis markers, but markers of growth plate differentiation, including type X collagen, were either restricted or repressed, whilst expression of genes rich in articular cartilage were upregulated. This suggests that the enhanced ATDC5 model is more reminiscent of articular cartilage, making this model suitable for investigations into osteoarthritis - a disease of articular cartilage. The role of WNT5A signalling was then investigated (which is up-regulated in osteoarthritic cartilage) in a disease-like context by stimulating cultures with cytokines. Microarray analysis unearthed interesting and novel results, including a decrease in WNT5A signalling and in expression of members of the CCN family. Pathway analysis allowed further exploration of the interrelationship between cytokine and WNT signalling. Some changes in gene expression were reminiscent of those observed previously in in vivo models of early osteoarthritis. Finally, migration studies revealed that non-induced, undifferentiated ATDC5 cells have a migratory phenotype reminiscent of chondroprogenitor cells, which have the capacity to migrate to sites of cartilage injury in vivo. A novel model of cartilage invasion was also developed, with results suggesting WNT5A may be a potential inducer of chondroprogenitor invasion. Together, this thesis shows that the ATDC5 model is a good model for investigating articular cartilage both in a physiological and pathological setting

Latent Growth Modeling of the Attitudes of Non-Muslims Towards Muslims in College: A Longitudinal Analysis

Attitudes toward Muslims are at the core of addressing the anti-Muslim environments Muslims encounter in college and society writ large. Using longitudinal data, this study shows that colleges can spur the development of appreciative attitudes toward Muslims by non-Muslim students when they engage in two or more informal or formal social engagements across religious and spiritual identity differences. Institutional campus culture is also meaningfully connected to Muslim appreciation. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed

Social and Problem Drinking : Relationships with Cognition, Motivation and Impulsivity

Background: A growing body of research suggests that phenomena typically observed in alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS), which are believed to reflect dysfunctional activity within the mesocorticolimbic (MCL) dopamine (DA) system – notably, heightened cue-reactivity (CR) and disturbances of inhibitory control/impulsiveness – are present in non-physically-dependent drinkers. Aims: The present thesis investigated these findings further via three empirical studies. The first developed and gathered preliminary validation data on a new self-report questionnaire measuring ‘recent’ impulsiveness – the Recent Impulsivity Scale (STIS). The second and third examined whether, and to what extent, CR and disturbances of inhibitory control were present in heavy social drinkers (HDs) and problem drinkers (PDs), respectively, compared to controls; and also whether these variables were related to SIS scores. Additionally, Study 3 also examined whether PDs demonstrated disturbed responsivity to non-alcohol-associated reward-related stimuli – another manifestation of dysfunction within MCL DA circuitry – compared to controls. A further aim of Study 3 was to explore whether in social drinkers (SDs) a small ‘priming’ dose of alcohol would increase impulsivity and CR. The possible contribution of familial predisposition to alcohol use disorders (AUDs) was also investigated. Principal findings: • The RIS comprised two factors: Cognitive Impulsivity (CI) and Motor Impulsivity (MI). The final version demonstrated good internal and test-retest reliability, and good construct validity. Across the three studies RIS scores correlated significantly with several – though not all – self-report measures of recent alcohol intake and behavioural indices of CR, non-alcohol-related reward responsiveness, impulsivity and decision-making. • HDs in Study 2 showed elevated electrophysiological (but not subjective) CR – reflected in heightened P3 amplitudes – compared to light drinking controls. • During acute abstinence, the PDs in Study 3 demonstrated evidence of (i) dysfunctional responsiveness to non-alcohol-associated reward-related stimuli and (ii) subjective CR, compared to socially drinking controls. • The PDs of Study 3, but not the HDs in Study 2, demonstrated evidence of heightened impulsiveness, compared to controls. • There was no indication that the respective abnormalities demonstrated by HDs and PDs reflected differential familial predisposition to AUDs. • SDs in Study 3 did not show effects of alcohol priming. Conclusions: There was considerable support for the thesis that cognitive and behavioural characteristics believed to reflect disturbances of brain reward pathways are manifest in non-dependent drinkers rather than being confined to those with alcohol dependence. They may develop as a consequence of cumulative alcohol consumption, though the cross-sectional nature of these studies cannot exclude the possibility that they precede and are possibly risk factors for heavy drinking. In general, the present data are consistent with contemporary neurobiological models of addiction and suggest a continuum along which abnormalities develop in parallel with cumulative alcohol consumption

Building student relationships across religion and worldview difference

Survey research with over 8,000 students in 2021 and 2022, together with case study research at four very different universities, investigated students’ views about, and experiences of, worldview diversity on university campuses. It revealed what universities are doing to facilitate relationshipbuilding and makes recommendations to improve universities’ work in this area

Mosquito transcriptome changes and filarial worm resistance in Armigeres subalbatus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Armigeres subalbatus </it>is a natural vector of the filarial worm <it>Brugia pahangi</it>, but it rapidly and proficiently kills <it>Brugia malayi </it>microfilariae by melanotic encapsulation. Because <it>B. malayi </it>and <it>B. pahangi </it>are morphologically and biologically similar, the <it>Armigeres-Brugia </it>system serves as a valuable model for studying the resistance mechanisms in mosquito vectors. We have initiated transcriptome profiling studies in <it>Ar. subalbatus </it>to identify molecular components involved in <it>B. malayi </it>refractoriness.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>These initial studies assessed the transcriptional response of <it>Ar. subalbatus </it>to <it>B. malayi </it>at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hrs after an infective blood feed. In this investigation, we initiated the first holistic study conducted on the anti-filarial worm immune response in order to effectively explore the functional roles of immune-response genes following a natural exposure to the parasite. Studies assessing the transcriptional response revealed the involvement of unknown and conserved unknowns, cytoskeletal and structural components, and stress and immune responsive factors. The data show that the anti-filarial worm immune response by <it>Ar. subalbatus </it>to be a highly complex, tissue-specific process involving varied effector responses working in concert with blood cell-mediated melanization.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This initial study provides a foundation and direction for future studies, which will more fully dissect the nature of the anti-filarial worm immune response in this mosquito-parasite system. The study also argues for continued studies with RNA generated from both hemocytes and whole bodies to fully expound the nature of the anti-filarial worm immune response.</p

The development of a brief self-report questionnaire to measure 'recent' Rash Impulsivity: A preliminary investigation of its validity and association with recent alcohol consumption

Background: Traditionally, impulsivity has been regarded as a stable trait. However, a series of longitudinal and behavioural laboratory studies has found that impulsivity can fluctuate within individuals, suggesting that it has a state as well as a trait manifestation. Whilst existing impulsivity questionnaires tap the former, there is no self-report instrument to assess recent fluctuations in impulsivity. Research aims and design. The present study set out to develop and undertake preliminary validation of a measure of 'recent' impulsivity, focusing in particular on Rash Impulsivity. Part of the construct validation of the resulting Recent Rash Impulsivity Scale (RRIS) entailed examining its association with recent alcohol intake, since there are well-documented reciprocal relationships between alcohol consumption and inhibitory control. In developing the RRIS, items from existing trait impulsivity questionnaires were converted into a 'previous two weeks' format. The pilot RRIS was then administered, along with a parallel trait version (Trait Rash Impulsivity Scale; TRIS) and a well-established trait impulsivity measure (the BIS-11; Patton, Stanford & Barratt, 1995), to two cohorts of first-year undergraduates aged 17 to 25 (N = 240), on two occasions one month apart. Information about habitual and recent alcohol intake was also gathered. Results: Factor analyses on both the RRIS and TRIS identified two factors: 'Cognitive Impulsivity' (CogImp) and 'Motor Impulsivity' (MotImp). Consistent with the RRIS being sensitive to fluctuations in impulsivity, it was found that, as predicted: i) the RRIS was somewhat less strongly correlated than the TRIS with an established trait measure (the BIS-11; Patton et al., 1995); ii) the test-retest stability of 'Total' scores (CogImp and MotImp) was weaker for the RRIS than the TRIS; iii) there was evidence that the RRIS MotImp and Total scales were more strongly predicted by recent alcohol intake than were their trait equivalents; and iv) the RRIS CogImp and Total scales correlated more strongly with their trait equivalents in participants whose alcohol consumption had remained stable recently (relative to their habitual intake), compared to those whose consumption had recently changed. Conclusions: These data suggest that transient changes in impulsivity can be assessed via self-report, and that the RRIS is sensitive to recent changes in alcohol intake. Subject to a more intensive and detailed validation, it is thus promising as a tool for tapping and characterising fluctuations in behavioural control and for exploring a range of factors to which this might be associated

Dual RNA-seq of parasite and host reveals gene expression dynamics during filarial worm–mosquito interactions

Parasite biology, by its very nature, cannot be understood without integrating it with that of the host, nor can the host response be adequately explained without considering the activity of the parasite. However, due to experimental limitations, molecular studies of parasite-host systems have been predominantly one-sided investigations focusing on either of the partners involved. Here, we conducted a dual RNA-seq time course analysis of filarial worm parasite and host mosquito to better understand the parasite processes underlying development in and interaction with the host tissue, from the establishment of infection to the development of infective-stage larva.Using the Brugia malayi-Aedes aegypti system, we report parasite gene transcription dynamics, which exhibited a highly ordered developmental program consisting of a series of cyclical and state-transitioning temporal patterns. In addition, we contextualized these parasite data in relation to the concurrent dynamics of the host transcriptome. Comparative analyses using uninfected tissues and different host strains revealed the influence of parasite development on host gene transcription as well as the influence of the host environment on parasite gene transcription. We also critically evaluated the life-cycle transcriptome of B. malayi by comparing developmental stages in the mosquito relative to those in the mammalian host, providing insight into gene expression changes underpinning the mosquito-borne parasitic lifestyle of this heteroxenous parasite.The data presented herein provide the research community with information to design wet lab experiments and select candidates for future study to more fully dissect the whole set of molecular interactions of both organisms in this mosquito-filarial worm symbiotic relationship. Furthermore, characterization of the transcriptional program over the complete life cycle of the parasite, including stages within the mosquito, could help devise novel targets for control strategies

Breaking the Silence: Achieving a Positive Campus Climate for Diversity from the Staff Perspective

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that create a positive climate for diversity and to demonstrate how these factors predict outcomes related to achieving a positive campus climate for diversity. Based on survey data collected from 437 staff members employed at a large, public, predominantly White university in the Midwest, results suggest that the institution’s ability to achieve a positive climate for diversity reflects not only the personal characteristics of the staff member (race, gender, education level, and age) but also their perceptions of their immediate work environment. Implications are discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43633/1/11162_2004_Article_8152.pd

Social Aggregation in Pea Aphids: Experiment and Random Walk Modeling

From bird flocks to fish schools and ungulate herds to insect swarms, social biological aggregations are found across the natural world. An ongoing challenge in the mathematical modeling of aggregations is to strengthen the connection between models and biological data by quantifying the rules that individuals follow. We model aggregation of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum. Specifically, we conduct experiments to track the motion of aphids walking in a featureless circular arena in order to deduce individual-level rules. We observe that each aphid transitions stochastically between a moving and a stationary state. Moving aphids follow a correlated random walk. The probabilities of motion state transitions, as well as the random walk parameters, depend strongly on distance to an aphid\u27s nearest neighbor. For large nearest neighbor distances, when an aphid is essentially isolated, its motion is ballistic with aphids moving faster, turning less, and being less likely to stop. In contrast, for short nearest neighbor distances, aphids move more slowly, turn more, and are more likely to become stationary; this behavior constitutes an aggregation mechanism. From the experimental data, we estimate the state transition probabilities and correlated random walk parameters as a function of nearest neighbor distance. With the individual-level model established, we assess whether it reproduces the macroscopic patterns of movement at the group level. To do so, we consider three distributions, namely distance to nearest neighbor, angle to nearest neighbor, and percentage of population moving at any given time. For each of these three distributions, we compare our experimental data to the output of numerical simulations of our nearest neighbor model, and of a control model in which aphids do not interact socially. Our stochastic, social nearest neighbor model reproduces salient features of the experimental data that are not captured by the control