Mindfulness in the Writing Center: A Total Encounter

The use of mindfulness or contemplative-based approaches has escalated across many sectors and has been the subject of increasing research interest, so it’s not surprising it is now finding its way into education. This paper reports some key insights gained from a quarter-long mindfulness project implemented over eight weeks in a large community college writing center in Omaha, Nebraska. This paper will describe the initial professional development day when the writing center consultants learned about the pedagogical and theoretical value of mindfulness and its relevance to higher education. This paper will then present the quarter-long project, during which the theories behind mindfulness were put into daily practice in the writing center. Writing center consultants were asked to take part in weekly mindfulness exercises both in the writing center and at home. Questionnaires were administered by the Writing Center Coordinator to collect anonymous consultant feedback each week, in addition to a final questionnaire to measure the project’s effectiveness. This cowritten paper will describe each phase of the project from both the Writing Center Coordinator and the consultant perspectives. The findings of this project have led the Coordinator to incorporate a mindfulness-based foundation into their Writing Center philosophy and enforced their commitment to student-driven pedagogy.University Writing Cente

At-risk brand relationships and threats to the bottom line

Like a stock portfolio, each relationship type offers a brand higher or lower growth opportunities and risks. The type of relationship is particularly relevant in brand crisis events. When a brand is hit by a crisis, it is not necessarily the most successful strategy to focus exclusively on protecting positive emotional relationships. At-risk relationships are affected more than others and can lead to a significant decline of brand value. Our cases highlight that at-risk relationships represent a critical, but often overlooked, aspect of a brand’s relationship portfolio. Risks range from negative word of mouth that might have a negative impact on potential new customers to clear retention risk. Marketers should manage these risks proactively by identifying and investigating the nature of their customer relationships and by responding frankly and credibly to crisis events.Published versio

Mdm2 binding to a conformationally sensitive domain on p53 can be modulated by RNA

AbstractBiochemical characterisation of the interaction of mdm2 protein with p53 protein has demonstrated that full-length mdm2 does not bind stably to p53–DNA complexes, contrasting with C-terminal truncations of mdm2 which do bind stably to p53–DNA complexes. In addition, tetrameric forms of the p53His175 mutant protein in the PAb1620+ conformation are reduced in binding to mdm2 protein. These data suggest that the mdm2 binding site in the BOX-I domain of p53 becomes concealed when either p53 binds to DNA or when the core domain of p53 is unfolded by missense mutation. This further suggests that the C-terminus of mdm2 protein contains a negative regulatory domain that affects mdm2 protein binding to a second, conformationally sensitive interaction site in the core domain of p53. We investigated whether there was a second docking site on p53 for mdm2 protein by examining the interaction of full-length mdm2 with p53 lacking the BOX-I domain. Although mdm2 protein did bind very weakly to p53 protein lacking the BOX-I domain, addition of RNA activated mdm2 protein binding to this truncated form of p53. These data provide evidence for three previously undefined regulatory stages in the p53–mdm2 binding reaction: (1) conformational changes in p53 protein due to DNA binding or point mutation conceals a secondary docking site of mdm2 protein; (2) the C-terminus of mdm2 is the primary determinant which confers this property upon mdm2 protein; and (3) mdm2 protein binding to this secondary interaction site within p53 can be stabilised by RNA

Price Determinants of Recreational Land in Illinois

It’s no secret that Illinois farmland is extremely expensive and has been on a steady rise for the past several decades. The highly sought after features of many different pieces of Illinois farmland coupled with the favorable growing climate found in Illinois translates to advantageous yields and potential for substantial revenues for farmers and landowners. Although prices have remained relatively stagnant throughout the past few years, it can be inferred that the long-term trend of farmland value will continue its path trending upward. With this being said, the margin for profit will become even slimmer and the ag real estate market will be as competitive as ever. Recreational properties have had an increase in popularity in recent years, and many people are purchasing recreational properties purposely placing recreation ahead of farming practices and income. Because of this, recreational farmland in certain areas of the state that can offer these characteristics could benefit in value. Recreational characteristics including total buck harvest, CRP enrollment per square mile, timberland forest cover per square mile, proximity to metropolitan areas, and others will be used to explain the potential affect to average recreational land values in different areas of the state

A Psychological and Philosophical Understanding of Death: An Analysis of Platonic and Epicurean Philosophy in Modern America

The following research intends to discuss various issues surrounding death, first, by examining the study of death through the history of psychology, then through two separate philosophical accounts from Plato and Epicurus. Plato and Epicurus offer a conversation about the universality of death and how death ought to be considered and conceived by a society. This conversation between differing views suggests two varying ideas about how to cope with death; one offers a spiritual approach, wherein the soul is immortal and the other offers a scientific approach that death represents the end of all life, with absolutely no hope of immortality. As a society, America tends to subscribe to the former rather than the latter because of our inability to come to terms with the human condition. However, certain people are able to rise above the human condition and ascribe to the latter rather than the former. This paper will conclude by discussing case examples of the necessity for, and the complications arising from religion as a way to cope with death and the seeming inability of some to overcome the human condition and accept death