Member Checking: Can Benefits Be Gained Similar to Group Therapy?

Member checking continues to be an important quality control process in qualitative research as during the course of conducting a study, participants receive the opportunity to review their statements for accuracy and, in so doing; they may acquire a therapeutic benefit. The authors of this article suggest that this benefit is similar to some of the components of group therapy, especially in normalizing the phenomenon being experienced. Even if the participants never meet, they can feel a sense of relief that their feelings are validated and that they are not alone

Senior Recital: Matthew Harper, Viola; Patricia Foltz, Piano; April 10, 2010

Kemp Recital HallApril 10, 2010Saturday Afternoon1:30 p.m

Management of Merino weaners for optimum production

Sheep mortality during the first year of life is a large problem on many farms and poses a significant animal welfare issue for Australian agriculture. Post weaning mortality is estimated to cost the Australian sheep industry more than $89 million annually through reduced income, poor productivity and increased management expenses (Sackett et al. 2006). A high mortality rate among weaners reduces the number of surplus animals available for sale and the number of potential breeding replacements. This, in turn, affects the selection intensity for desirable traits and the flock’s rate of genetic improvement. Ill thrift and poor growth of weaner sheep during their first year can reduce wool and meat production as well as the weaner’s reproductive performance at first joining.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1200/thumbnail.jp

London and the Crown in the Reign of Henry VII

The reign of Henry VII suffers from academic neglect, partly as a consequence of its existence on the threshold of the traditional divide between the medieval and the early modern periods. These are frequently regarded as distinct areas of study, each with its own historiographical traditions shaped by the differing nature of the sources for each. Consequently a significant gap exists in the historiography of the development of both the City of London as a capital city and the English monarchy, and in particular the relationship between them. This thesis seeks to address this lacuna. Using the records of the Crown, the City government and its institutions, this study focuses on the political interaction between the Crown and the City. The first two chapters explore the themes of expectation and political affiliation at the start of the reign and assess the changes and continuities from the Yorkist period. It is argued that Henry’s unfamiliarity with the capital and vice versa led to mutual mistrust which resulted in a confrontation which shaped Henry’s perception of the capital for the rest of the reign. Chapters Three to Five are thematic examinations of key aspects of the City-Crown relationship. Chapter Three explores the financial connections and argues that the relationship fundamentally changed when Henry became solvent and the City lost its leverage with the monarch, as medieval kings had traditionally relied upon finance from the capital. Chapter Four discusses the triangular relationship between the City, Crown and the livery companies. It is demonstrated that Henry favoured some livery companies and suggested that in so doing he sought to dilute the power of the mercantile elite. The mediums and means of communication between the Crown and the City are the subject of Chapter Five, with particular emphasis on key individuals within both the court and the City who facilitated communication between the two. The deaths of these individuals within a few years of each other arguably changed the character of City-Crown negotiations at the turn of the century and helped Edmund Dudley, a man with insider knowledge of the government of London, rise in the king’s service. The final chapter is an examination of the last years of the reign, with particular reference to the key question of the extent of Henry VII’s alleged ‘tyranny’. This thesis reappraises the traditional view that London was particularly targeted in the fiscal 4 exactions perpetrated by the king’s ministers, Empson and Dudley, and challenges the assumption that the subsequent persecutions were purely financially motivated. This thesis argues that this was a reign which saw the reassertion of royal prerogatives and evolution of extant administrative machinery, but little, if any, innovation, at least in the sphere of Crown-City relations. The relationship was pliable and reciprocal, built upon the foundations of mutual need and flexible enough to adjust to the changing demands of Henry and his ministers as they sought to extend the royal prerogative. Claims that London was volatile, particularly at the end of the reign, and likely to rise against the king cannot be sustained

Dioxin-Dependent and Dioxin-Independent Gene Batteries: Comparison of Liver and Kidney in AHR-Null Mice

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a widely expressed ligand-dependent transcription factor that mediates cellular responses to dioxins and other planar aromatic hydrocarbons. Ahr-null mice are refractory to the toxic effects of dioxin exposure. Although some mechanistic aspects of AHR activity are well understood, the tissue specificity of AHR effects remains unclear, both during development and following administration of exogenous ligands. To address the latter issue, we defined and compared transcriptional responses to dioxin exposure in the liver and kidney of wild-type and Ahr-null adult C57BL/6J mice treated with either 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin or corn-oil vehicle. In both tissues, essentially all effects of dioxin on hepatic mRNA levels were mediated by the AHR. Although 297 genes were altered by dioxin exposure in the liver, only 17 were changed in the kidney, including a number of well-established AHR target genes. Ahr genotype had a large effect in both tissues, profoundly remodeling both the renal and hepatic transcriptomes. Surprisingly, a large number of genes were affected by Ahr genotype in both tissues, suggesting the presence of a basal AHR gene battery. Alterations of the renal transcriptome in Ahr-null animals were associated with perturbation of specific functional pathways and enrichment of specific DNA motifs. Our results demonstrate the importance of intertissue comparisons, highlight the basal role of the AHR in liver and kidney, and support a role in development or normal physiology

Sexualized and Dangerous Relationships: Listening to the Voices of Low-Income African American Girls Placed at Risk for Sexual Exploitation

Introduction: Youth from low-income, urban backgrounds face significant challenges to maintaining a positive developmental trajectory. Dangerous neighborhoods and stressed relationships are common in these settings and threaten adaptation by weakening the natural assets that undergird resilience. African American girls in these contexts face specific, multiple risks, including gender stereotyping, violence, and sexual exploitation. The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is a multibillion-dollar industry victimizing over 1 million children around the globe.1 The typical victim in 1 city in the southeastern United States is an African American girl 12-14 years old. There has been little research investigating the characteristics of girls placed at risk for CSEC and even less research on the personal perspectives of these girls. Methods: Over 3 school terms we provided preventive intervention groups for 36 African American middle school girls who were placed at risk because they lived in neighborhoods with high rates of interpersonal violence and CSEC. Two group leaders and a process recorder took detailed notes on each group session. Our focus on group conversations over a period of weeks increased the probability of recording spontaneous, open comments by the children and is a promising method with this population. The data were analyzed qualitatively and resulted in an account of the girls’ own views of the environmental challenges and personal experiences that may influence their development. Results: The girls’ language during the group sessions contained 4 themes: difficulty forming trusting relationships, frequent peer aggression, familiarity with adult prostitution, and sexuality as a commodity. Conclusion: Our research shows how girls placed at risk for CSEC view their own lives. These children described violence and sexual exploitation and cited limited supports to protect them from these risks. Understanding the perspectives of these girls should generate future research and intervention strategies to support their coping and resilience

Conducting Research with Tribal Communities: Sovereignty, Ethics, and Data-Sharing Issues

When conducting research with American Indian tribes, informed consent beyond conventional Institutional Review Board (IRB) review is needed because there may be potential for adverse consequences at a community or governmental level that are unrecognized by academic researchers. This paper reviews sovereignty, research ethics, and data-sharing considerations when doing community-based participatory health-related or natural resource-related research with American Indian nations and presents a model material and data-sharing agreement that meets tribal and university requirements. Only tribal nations themselves can identify potential adverse outcomes, and they can do this only if they understand the assumptions and methods of the proposed research. Tribes much be truly equal partners in study design, data collection, interpretation, and publication. Advances in protection of intellectual property rights are also applicable to IRB reviews, as are principles of sovereignty and indigenous rights, all of which affect data ownership and control. Academic researchers engaged in tribal projects should become familiar with all three areas: sovereignty, ethics and informed consent, and intellectual property rights (IPR). We recommend developing an agreement with tribal partners that reflects both health-related IRB and natural resource-related IPR considerations

A Pedagogy of Play: Reasons to be Playful in Postsecondary Education

Background: Teaching experientially in postsecondary education has challenges; institutional constraints, neoliberal management, and a colonized learning environment. We discuss playing as a form of experiential education. Purpose: We challenge conventional teaching and offer an alternative to enrich and broaden conventional pedagogies. We argue for the benefits of playfulness and how this leads to creativity, wellness, and improved graduate employability. Methodology/Approach: As provocation to the consequences of neoliberalism in education, we examine the literature from a biased position as advocates of play and experiential education. We argue for faculty to adopt an ontology and pedagogy of play. Findings/Conclusions: Play is well represented in the literature; contributing positively to a range of health and educational outcomes. As play manifests in numerous forms in postsecondary education, faculty would benefit from a clear educational rationale for an ontology and pedagogy of play. We share examples from our practice which highlight spontaneous and planned play and playful attitudes/behaviors and suggest how play may be integrated as planned curriculum. Implications: Ideally, these concepts resonate with faculty allowing them to challenge conventional pedagogies and confirm play in practice with the underpinning of experiential education research