Nationalizing Nature: A Critique of the English National Trust Interpretation of Stowe Landscape Garden

This thesis analyzes the English National Trust’s interpretation of the making and reception of Stowe Landscape Garden. Specifically, this is a critique of the Trust’s narrative of nationalism, which is overlaid by the use of romantic interpretive themes. Arguably, Stowe’s first contribution was the combination of expressions of nature through landscape with architectural and sculptural monuments of Englishness. The National Trust, however, has combined interpretations of multiple landscape gardens across a century, thus blurring its actual significance. Stowe has been lumped into a jumbled framework of anachronistic landscape commentary much based in the literature of reception. The use of receptive history as fact to define concepts like ‘Englishness’, ‘Landscape Garden’, and the ‘Picturesque’ only further aid the unsustainable development of the historical landscape. Stowe is recognized as the most extensive extant landscape garden to exemplify contributions by the first four designers in the medium: Vanbrugh, Bridgeman, Kent, and Brown. Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown’s place-making role in the history of English landscape, much derided by the proponents of the Picturesque, found its first expression at Stowe from 1740 to 1751. Thus, Stowe’s Brownian dominant landscape, of which the bones are still largely intact, should be used as the designated period of interpretation. In this way, the National Trust could fulfill a modern desire for connection to nature, and with greater specificity, diversity and transparency in historical accounts, expand the accessibility of ‘Englishness’ in the form the consummate national landscape garden

An Investigation of the Roles of Female Publishers within Illinois Media

This project started during a Women and Mass Media course at Eastern Illinois University taught by Dr. Sally Turner. The class visited Marion Best, publisher and owner of The News-Progress in Sullivan, Illinois . From this visit, comes this study. 4 This study found that the number of Illinois female publishers has not quite doubled since 1900 from 34 to 63 . However the percentage of female publishers has skyrocketed from 2 to 19 percent. Three female publishers in Illinois were interviewed about their experiences as women who occupy a position of leadership to gain insight into the challenges of leadership from the female perspective and to discuss why there are so few female newspaper publishers . The interviews included topics such as decision-making, mentoring, and the evolution of female journalists\u27 rol es in the workplace. It was found that female publishers share similar goals with their male counterparts, but that how each sex achieves those goals, however, differs . The female publishers, also, tended to make decisions based on their experiences as opposed to gender. While the interviewees did not have mentors at their jobs, each had a female family member who filled that role. Overall, it was found that women today have a better chance at advancing up the corporate ladder in a newspaper than their predecessors

Understanding coral dispersal

textUnderstanding the factors influencing species ranges and dispersal are becoming increasingly important as climate change alters species distributions worldwide. If species are to persist, life-history strategies must rapidly evolve to accommodate shifting environments. This dissertation assesses the factors modulating dispersal in corals. First, I examined if there were any systematic differences in settlement between Indo-Pacific and Caribbean coral larvae that might explain Caribbean recruitment failures. No differences were observed, however I detected significant divergences in settlement cue preferences among coral species across both the Caribbean (Diploria strigosa, and Montastraea franksi) and the Indo-Pacific (Acropora tenuis, A. millepora, and Favia lizardensis), even for coral larvae from the same reef. Secondly, I established the extent of coral dispersal between remote reefs. I evaluated the genetic diversity and divergence across Micronesia for two coral species and investigated if these islands served as a connectivity corridor between the Indo-West-Pacific (Coral Triangle) and the Central Pacific. I found isolation-by-distance patterns whose strength depended on species, suggesting these corals are not panmictic across their ranges and that island stepping-stones facilitate gene flow to remote Pacific reefs. Next, I investigated genetic structure of symbionts in these same corals, to see if horizontally transmitted symbionts are less dispersive than their coral hosts. Symbiont genetic divergence between islands was an order of magnitude larger than host divergence and both host species and environment modulated symbiont composition. These results suggest that symbiont populations are host-specific and associating with local symbionts might be a mechanism for broadly dispersing corals to adapt locally. Lastly, I estimated heritable variation in dispersal-related traits in coral larvae. I observed strong heritable variation in gene expression, as well as parental effects on two phenotypic traits, settlement and fluorescence. I observed that patterns of differential expression in three-day-old larvae predicted variation in settlement and fluorescence two days later. Correlations between proteoglycan expression and settlement suggest that the larval extracellular matrix plays a role in settlement. Down-regulation of ribosomal proteins and differential expression of oxidative stress genes correlated with increasing fluorescence, possibly indicating reduced growth and increased stress. Overall, this dissertation contributes to our knowledge of factors affecting coral dispersal and the potential for evolution of dispersal-related traits.Ecology, Evolution and Behavio

The interaction of cellulose with xyloglucan and other glucan-binding polymers

This thesis examines the interaction of xyloglucan, the major hemicellulosic component of type I primary plant cell walls, with cellulose. Initial attempts to form xyloglucan-cellulose complexes by in vitro association methods are described, which gave low levels of interaction, with features not similar to those found in primary wall networks. The majority of the work focusses on the use of the bacterium Acetobacter aceti ssp. xylinum (ATCC 53524), which synthesise highly pure, crystalline cellulose as an extracellular polysaccharide. Addition of xyloglucan to a cellulose-synthesising bacterial culture results in the formation of cellulose-xyloglucan networks with ultrastructural and molecular features similar to those of the networks of higher plants. Applicatioon of the bacterial fermentation system is extended to incorporate the polysaccharides glucomannan, galactomannan, xylan, mixed-linkage glucan, pectin and carboxymethylcellulose, all of which impart unique architectural and molecular effects on the composistes formed. Preliminary data on the mechanical properties of composite structures under large and small deformation conditions are also described

Vision Therapy Promotional Packet: Through the Eyes of Traumatic Brain Injury/Acquired Brain Injury: An informational Resource on the Role of OT

Very few in the health care professions, including head trauma rehabilitation centers, are adequately aware of visual problems resulting from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)/ Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and the visual-perception consequences. These visual deficits may lead to impaired functioning in the person\u27s daily activities and roles because vision affects all other functions (braininjuries.org, ~ 1). A few examples of activities of daily living (ADL\u27s) and instrumental activities of daily living (lADL\u27s) that may be impacted by visual deficits include but are not limited to: driving, eating, dressing, leisure participation (movies, reading, sports), and employment. Unfortunately, this creates a gap in rehabilitative services, resulting in incomplete treatment and frustration for the patient, family and treatment team (braininjuries.org, ~ 1). Occupational Therapy\u27s basic premise is to increase the independence of an individual in their daily activities and roles. An occupational therapist\u27s (OT\u27s) training in the assessment, design and provision of effective interventions can be instrumental in the rehabilitation process of vision deficits and their impact on daily living. OT\u27s are trained in the evaluation and treatment design specific to individuals diagnosed with TBII ABI including; cognitive, visual perceptual, physical, and psychological in relation to activities of daily living. Occupational Therapy can be an important member of the multidisciplinary team who is serving this population. Unfortunately, often both occupational therapists and members of a multi-disciplinary team are not always clear on the role and protocol of OT\u27 s in the provision of treatment intervention specific to TBII ABI and visual deficits. A concentrated literature review was conducted to identify current standard best practices and protocols and the potential role of OT identified. TBII ABI visual perceptual deficits were identified and compared to OT training to ensure OT\u27s are qualified to meet the unique needs of this population. The other roles of multi-disciplinary team members were explored to see the possible areas OT could address or where an OT\u27s specialized training could strengthen the rehabilitative treatment intervention. The findings from this review demonstrate that occupational therapists have the proficiency and competence to evaluate and depict the functional disability or ability of the acquired or traumatic brain injured client as a whole. The outcome of the project is a promotional packet, The Role of Occupational Therapy in Vision Therapy, which includes an: 1. Educational brochure, Through the Eyes of Traumatic Brain Injury / Acquired Brain Injury: The Role of Occupational Therapy in Vision Therapy as well as, 2. A more in depth educational packet entitled, Through the Eyes of Traumatic Brain Injury/Acquired Brain Injury: An Informational Resource on the Role of OT This promotional packet is intended as a means for occupational therapists to use in educating others further on the use of the role of occupational therapy in the provision of vision therapy with the acquired and traumatic brain injured populace

Letter from Sarah Whitney, to Anne Whitney, 1894 September 6; Letter from Caroline Rogers Whitney, to Anne Whitney, 1894 September 7

https://repository.wellesley.edu/whitney_correspondence/2180/thumbnail.jp

Design Rules for Encapsulating Proteins into Complex Coacervates

We investigated the encapsulation of the model proteins bovine serum albumin (BSA), human hemoglobin (Hb), and hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) into two-polymer complex coacervates as a function of polymer and solution conditions. Electrostatic parameters such as pH, protein net charge, salt concentration, and polymer charge density can be used to modulate protein uptake. While the use of a two-polymer coacervation system enables the encapsulation of weakly charged proteins that would otherwise require chemical modification to facilitate electrostatic complexation, we observed significantly higher uptake for proteins whose structure includes a cluster of like-charged residues on the protein surface. In addition to enhancing uptake, the presence of a charge patch also increased the sensitivity of the system to modulation by other parameters, including the length of the complexing polymers. Lastly, our results suggest that the distribution of charge on a protein surface may lead to different scaling behaviour for both the encapsulation efficiency and partition coefficient as a function of the absolute difference between the protein isoelectric point and the solution pH. These results provide insight into possible biophysical mechanisms whereby cells can control the uptake of proteins into coacervate-like granules, and suggest future utility in applications ranging from medicine and sensing to remediation and biocatalysis

Reducing Interpersonal Discrimination for Pregnant Job Applicants Seeking Professional Jobs

This study seeks to extend previous research on the experiences of pregnant job applicants from retail settings (see Botsford Morgan, Walker, Hebl, & King, 2013) to entry-level professional jobs. The current research utilized a 2 (expectant status: not pregnant, pregnant) x 4 (counterstereotypic information: control, competence, commitment, flexibility) betweensubjects factorial design to empirically test the relative efficacy of real, practical interventions designed to reduce the interpersonal discrimination (enhanced negativity and reduced positivity) that pregnant women may encounter when applying for entry-level professional jobs. Results reveal that pregnant job applicants experience more positive interactions when presenting information about their competence than when they say nothing. This study extends our understanding of manifestations of bias and its reduction with regard to pregnant workers applying for entry-level professional jobs

Tea Tree Oil Acne Treatments on Pinterest: Will It Save Your Face?

Background: The power of social media has defined many aspects of modern society and provides easy access to healthcare information. Specifically, Pinterest with more than 320 million monthly users provides a platform to share both product examples and homemade remedies. Acne affects between 40 to 50 million people in the U.S. causing physical irritation and emotional distress. Essential oils, especially tea tree oil, have shown antibacterial properties in acne treatment but proper application and use is critical. Purpose: In this study, the portrayal of tea tree oil as an acne treatment on Pinterest and its efficacy as a topical acne treatment was analyzed. Methods: Using the search term tea tree oil acne treatment, samples were taken from every five pins to collect 250 pins for our final sample. From the data collected a code book was formed which was then pilot tested. A final codebook was developed which was used by 1 primary coder and two sub coders. Results: Of the 250 pins sampled, the overall portrayal was mostly (66%) positive, while the other 34% of pins were “not apparent”. The percentage of commercial products was 30% , while homemade products was 40%. The most common severity of acne claimed to treat was severe acne, while none claimed to treat moderate acne. Surprisingly, only 20% of the sample recommended the use of additional ingredients. Additionally, 23% of the pins had other health claims. Conclusions: With social media altering the way health information is portrayed, it is important to identify the difference between scientifically-proven and misleading information