In this narrative study, I explore the transformative visual cultural dialogue behind the sight of the veil or veiled women in Denton, Texas as a Western culture. The narrative is constructed from the experiences of three Western non-Muslim women participants who wore the veil publicly in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, especially Denton, Texas, for about two weeks, in the spring of 2014. The main question for this study is: How do veiled Western women incite transformative visual cultural dialogue and ideas concerning veiled women? To gather rich data to answer the study's question, I utilized qualitative narrative inquiry to explore the transformative dialogue that the veil, as a visual culture object, can incite in non-Muslim Western women's narratives. The study involves three participants who are non-Muslim American women who voluntarily wore the veil in public and recorded their own and other's reactions. The participants' interviews and diaries demonstrated that the veil incited a particular perceptive dialogue and often transferred negative meanings. For example, the sight of the veil suggested the notion of being Muslim, and consequently, the ideas of not belonging. The reactions the participants received were either negative verbal interactions or physical ones, both of which are limited in this study to face gestures or some form of negative body language that is meant to be a message of disliking. In summation, this study shows that the women's veil is a visual culture symbol that transfers negative meaning in the DFW area in Texas.

Chan, Kwok Ho. / Thesis submitted in: November 2007. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-129). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Statement --- p.I / Acknowledgements --- p.II / Abstract --- p.III / 摘要 --- p.IV / Table of Contents --- p.V / Abbreviations --- p.XIII / Chapter Chapter 1 --- General Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- GTPase in general --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- G proteins and GTP switch --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Structural similarities in GTPase --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4 --- G proteins in bacteria --- p.3 / Chapter 1.5 --- Background information of the protein family EngB --- p.4 / Chapter 1.6 --- Basic information of EngB in Thermotoga maritima --- p.5 / Chapter 1.7 --- Objectives of this work --- p.6 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Materials and methods / Chapter 2.1 --- Materials / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Chemical reagents --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Buffers / Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Preparation of buffers --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- Buffers for common use --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Expression strains and plasmids --- p.14 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Primer list --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Preparation of competent cells --- p.15 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Cloning / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Cloning of target genes by PCR --- p.15 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Agrose gel electrophoresis --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2.2.3 --- Extraction and purification of DNA from agarose gel --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2.2.4 --- Restriction digestion of DNA --- p.18 / Chapter 2.2.2.5 --- Ligation of digested insert and expression vector --- p.18 / Chapter 2.2.2.6 --- Transformation and plating out transformants for miniprep --- p.19 / Chapter 2.2.2.7 --- Verification of insert by PCR --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.2.8 --- Mini-preparation of plasmid DNA --- p.21 / Chapter 2.2.2.9 --- Confirmation of miniprep product by restriction enzyme digestion..… --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2.2.10 --- Sequencing of the plasmid DNA --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Expression of the recombinant MBP-TM EngB protein and SBP-CBP EC EngB / Chapter 2.2.3.1 --- Transformation for protein expression --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2.3.2 --- Preparation of starter culture --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.3.3 --- Expression of recombinant protein --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.3.4 --- Cell harvesting --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.3.5 --- Releasing the cell content --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2.3.6 --- Check for protein expression by SDS-PAGE --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Purification of TM EngB / Chapter 2.2.4.1 --- SP ion-exchange chromatography --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2.4.2 --- Thrombin digestion to remove MBP tag --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2.4.3 --- Heparin affinity chromatography --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2.4.4 --- Gel filtration chromatography --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Purification of SBP-CBP EC EngB / Chapter 2.2.5.1 --- SP ion-exchange chromatography --- p.30 / Chapter 2.2.5.2 --- Gel filtration chromatography --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2.6 --- Protein concentration quantitation --- p.32 / Chapter 2.2.7 --- Crystallography of TM EngB / Chapter 2.2.7.1 --- Crystallization preparation --- p.32 / Chapter 2.2.7.2 --- Crystallization screening by sitting drop method --- p.32 / Chapter 2.2.7.3 --- Optimization of crystallization conditions --- p.33 / Chapter 2.2.7.4 --- X-ray diffraction --- p.33 / Chapter 2.2.8 --- Thermodynamics studies of proteins / Chapter 2.2.8.1 --- Preparation of protein sample --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.8.2 --- Guanidine-induced denaturation experiment --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.8.3 --- Thermal-induced denaturation experiment --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.9 --- Binding assay to study affinity for ligands --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.9.1 --- Using GDP analogue mant-GDP to detect formation of enzyme-ligand complex (TM EngB-mant-GDP) --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.9.2 --- Basic information of Fluorescence spectroscopy --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.9.3 --- Determination of λem and λex --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.9.4 --- Studying ligand affinity by titration with ligand analogue --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.10 --- Pull down experiment to study interacting partner of E. coli EngB --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.10.1 --- Preparing protein extracts from E. coli --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.10.2 --- Preparing streptavidin resin --- p.39 / Chapter 2.2.10.3 --- Binding of dual-tagged E. coli EngB to streptavidin resin --- p.39 / Chapter 2.2.10.4 --- Purifying protein using the prepared streptavidin resin --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.10.5 --- Preparing calmodulin resin --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.10.6 --- Binding of dual-tagged E.coli EngB to calmodulin resin --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.10.7 --- Analysis of dual-tag affinity purified protein --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.11 --- Silver staining of acrylamide gel / Chapter 2.2.11.1 --- Staining reagents --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.11.2 --- Staining procedures --- p.43 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Structure determination of T. maritima EngB by X-ray crystallography / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.45 / Chapter 3.2 --- Generation of TM EngB expression construct --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3 --- Expression and purification of TM EngB --- p.46 / Chapter 3.4 --- TM EngB was crystallized with freshly purified TM EngB --- p.47 / Chapter 3.5 --- Data processing of diffraction data and structure refinement of TM EngB …… --- p.48 / Chapter 3.6 --- Apo-form TM EngB was obtained by unfolding and refolding --- p.49 / Chapter 3.7 --- Crystallization of apo-form TM EngB --- p.50 / Chapter 3.8 --- Data processing of diffraction data and structure refinement of apo-form TM EngB --- p.51 / Chapter 3.9 --- Producing EngB-GDP complex crystal from apo-from EngB --- p.52 / Chapter 3.10 --- TM EngB is a monomer in solution --- p.54 / Chapter 3.11 --- Summary of chapter three --- p.55 / Tables and figures of chapter three --- p.57 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Structural details of TM EngB / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.67 / Chapter 4.2 --- Overall fold of TM EngB --- p.67 / Chapter 4.3 --- Mode of nucleotide binding of TM EngB --- p.68 / Chapter 4.4 --- Structural differences in switch I region between chain A and chain B in crystal structure of TM EngB/GDP complex --- p.70 / Chapter 4.5 --- Structural difference between TM EngB/GDP complex and apo TM EngB --- p.73 / Chapter 4.6 --- Summary of chapter four --- p.73 / Tables and figures of chapter four --- p.76 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Purified TM EngB is Active for binding guanine nucleotide but inactive for GTPase hydrolysis activity / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.88 / Chapter 5.2 --- Studying ligand affinity by competitive binding experiment --- p.88 / Chapter 5.3 --- GDP binds to TMEngB with higher affinity than GTPyS --- p.91 / Chapter 5.4 --- TM EngB showed very low intrinsic GTPase activity --- p.92 / Chapter 5.5 --- Discussion --- p.93 / Tables and figures of chapter five --- p.95 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Thermostability of EngB of T. maritima / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.98 / Chapter 6.2 --- Guanidine hydrochloride - induced unfolding --- p.98 / Chapter 6.3 --- Thermal-induced unfolding --- p.99 / Chapter 6.4 --- Structural comparison of thermophilic and mesophilic EngB --- p.100 / Chapter 6.5 --- Discussion --- p.102 / Tables and figures of chapter six --- p.105 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Construction of a dual-tag affinity pull-down system for finding interacting partner of EngB / Chapter 7.1 --- Introduction --- p.112 / Chapter 7.2 --- Preparation of dual-tagged E.coli EngB / Chapter 7.2.1 --- Cloning of SBP-CBP-EC EngB expression construct --- p.113 / Chapter 7.2.2 --- Expression and purification of SBP-CBP-EC EngB --- p.114 / Chapter 7.3 --- Pull down using dual tagged E.coli EngB as bait to isolate potential interacting partners of EngB --- p.114 / Chapter 7.4 --- Discussion --- p.115 / Tables and figures of chapter seven --- p.117 / Chapter Chapter 8 --- Conclusion --- p.122 / References --- p.124

Dans cette thèse, nous explorons de nouvelles méthodes d’analyse d’images pour la détection précoce des changements métaboliques cérébraux causés par la maladie d’Alzheimer. Nous introduisons deux apports méthodologiques que nous appliquons à un ensemble de données réelles. Le premier est basé sur l’apprentissage automatique afin de créer une carte des informations pertinentes pour la classification d'un ensemble d’images. Pour cela nous échantillonnons des blocs de Voxels selon un algorithme de Monte-Carlo. La mise en œuvre d’une classification basée sur ces patchs 3d a pour conséquence la réduction significative du volume de patchs à traiter et l’extraction de caractéristiques dont l’importance est statistiquement quantifiable. Cette méthode s’applique à différentes caractéristiques et est adaptée à des types d’images variés. La résolution des cartes produites par cette méthode peut être affinée à volonté et leur contenu informatif est cohérent avec des résultats antérieurs obtenus dans la littérature. Le second apport méthodologique porte sur la conception d’un nouvel algorithme de décomposition de tenseur d’ordre important, adapté à notre application. Cet algorithme permet de réduire considérablement la consommation de mémoire et donc en évite la surcharge. Il autorise la décomposition rapide de tenseurs, y compris ceux de dimensions très déséquilibrées. Nous appliquons cet algorithme en tant que méthode d’extraction de caractéristiques dans une situation où le clinicien doit diagnostiquer des stades précoces de la maladie d'Alzheimer en utilisant la TEP-FDG seule. Les taux de classification obtenus sont souvent au-dessus des niveaux de l’état de l’art. / In this thesis we want to explore novel image analysis methods for the early detection of metabolic changes in the human brain caused by Alzheimer's disease (AD). We will present two methodological contributions and present their application to a real life data set. We present a machine learning based method to create a map of local distribution of classification relevant information in an image set. The presented method can be applied using different image characteristics which makes it possible to adapt the method to many kinds of images. The maps generated by this method are very localized and fully consistent with prior findings based on Voxel wise statistics. Further we preset an algorithm to draw a sample of patches according to a distribution presented by means of a map. Implementing a patch based classification procedure using the presented algorithm for data reduction we were able to significantly reduce the amount of patches that has to be analyzed in order to obtain good classification results. We present a novel non-negative tensor factorization (NTF) algorithm for the decomposition of large higher order tensors. This algorithm considerably reduces memory consumption and avoids memory overhead. This allows the fast decomposition even of tensors with very unbalanced dimensions. We apply this algorithm as feature extraction method in a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) scheme, designed to recognize early-stage ad and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans only. We achieve state of the art classification rates.

This study researched the effects of negative publicity on the performance of professional baseball athletes. Four athletes’ performance statistics were evaluated before a scandal that produced negative publicity, during the height of the negative publicity and after the scrutiny tapered off. Chipper Jones, Wade Boggs, Alex Rodriguez and David Justice were the athletes chosen for the study, and all four athletes experienced a similar scandal and negative publicity about their personal and professional lives. The results showed an effect on performance, but it was not always negative and could not be definitively linked to the negative exposure in the media. This suggests that further research is needed and should be continued on a broader scale.

Book Summary:: A teacher’s ability to manage the classroom strongly influences the quality of teaching and learning that can be accomplished. Among the most pressing concerns for inexperienced teachers is classroom management, a concern of equal importance to the general public in light of behavior problems and breakdowns in discipline that grab newspaper headlines. But classroom management is not just about problems and what to do when things go wrong and chaos erupts. It’s about how to run a classroom so as to elicit the best from even the most courteous group of students. An array of skills is needed to produce such a learning environment. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Classroom Management raises issues and introduces evidence-based, real-world strategies for creating and maintaining well-managed classrooms where learning thrives. Students studying to become teachers will need to develop their own classroom management strategies consistent with their own philosophies of teaching and learning. It is hoped that this work will help open their eyes to the range of issues and the array of skills they might integrate into their unique teaching styles.

This study aimed to demonstrate how negative affect is linked with stereotypic thinking in hiring decisions made in everyday situations. Participants (n = 788) will be randomly assigned to each condition. Each participant will be given a neutral emotion inducing picture or an anger emotion inducing picture, followed by either a white or black candidate resume with the same qualifications, and then asked how likely they are to hire the candidate. Results would most likely suggest that anger leads to increased stereotypic thinking in hiring decisions. Future studies may decide to investigate 1) a wider array of negative emotions and 2) a more diverse set of candidates (e.g. examining effects of gender or race).

This study was a quantitative survey and explored beliefs about substance abusing clients among sixty-three social work students. The study focused on the extent to which social work students display bias toward clients with a substance abuse disorder. The study also explored the attitudinal domains of permissiveness, treatment intervention, non-stereotypes, treatment optimism, and non-moralism. The study found that social work students who have taken a substance abuse education class are less like to attribute substance abuse addiction to a weak will in the client. The study recommends that future studies on beliefs about substance abusing clients among social work students include qualitative interviews to determine how substance abuse education reduces bias toward substance abusing clients among social work students.

Poor sleep is known to contribute to increased levels of pain. Preliminary findings suggest that negative and positive affect may mediate this relationship. Given that older adults are prone to both sleep disturbance and pain, the main objectives of the present study were to: 1) examine the relationship between sleep and pain in a non-clinical pain sample of community-dwelling older adults and 2) to examine whether negative and positive affect mediate the relationship between sleep and pain. Baseline measures from 82 older adults participating in the Active Adult Mentoring Project (AAMP) were used for secondary data analysis. A daily sleep diary was used to assess sleep efficiency (SE), total wake time (TWT), total sleep time (TST), and sleep quality (SQ). Affect was measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), while pain was assessed on an 11-point Likert-scale. Findings only partially corroborated past research; SE, SQ, and TWT each predicted pain, while TST did not. In addition, neither positive nor negative affect was found to mediate the relationship between sleep and pain. Methodological and theoretical explanation for the lack of significant mediation are discussed. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that the assessment and treatment of poor sleep among older adults with pain may be clinically relevant.

Apathy, defined as a decrease in purposeful or goal-directed behavior, is common in many neurological disorders. The assessment of apathy in these disorders is important as apathy is associated with differential engagement and response to treatment and future cognitive and functional decline. Although apathy is often described as including three separate symptom dimensions, reflecting diminished interest, action, and emotional expression, investigations of the factor structure of apathy symptoms have been limited by the use of scales which do not comprehensively assess all of three of the proposed dimensions. The current study aimed to develop a novel informant report measure of apathy symptoms, investigate the factor structure of apathy symptoms, and examine the relationship of different types of apathy symptoms to several clinically relevant variables. Participants included 249 informants who reported on an individual with (n=210) or without (n=39) a neurological or psychiatric condition. Results showed the best fitting model of apathy symptoms was a bifactor model in which apathy could be represented as a global dimension with three separate, specific symptom factors reflecting diminished interest and initiative, asociality, and diminished emotional and verbal expression. In general, apathy was associated with poorer cognitive functioning, greater functional impairment, and higher caregiver distress. The specific symptom factors differed somewhat in their association with those same variables, highlighting the utility of measuring different types of symptoms in addition to overall apathy. Future work will refine the apathy measure developed in this study and test the obtained bifactor symptom model in an independent sample.

Infant health care use has rarely been examined empirically. A growing literature links maternal health and psychosocial variables to broadly defined pediatric health care use. The Common Sense Model of health and illness behaviors (CSM) provides a framework from which to view the role of the maternal psychosocial variables examined (i.e. maternal negative affect, lay consultation and parenting self-efficacy) in infant health care decision-making. Findings for infant health care use are reported specific to referral source (i.e. mother versus physician initiated infant health care). Physician initiated visits were not significantly predicted by the models tested, consistent with the independence of predictor variables from initiation source (i.e. mothers versus physicians). Mother initiated visits were significantly predicted by the model containing the Lay Consultation worry item, which was also the only variable that significantly predicted infant health care use in the model. The main dissertation study finding is the independence of infant health care use decision-making from most of the maternal psychosocial, demographic and enabling variables examined. The finding is positive for the health care system as it suggests that mothers generally do not seek infant health care for their own emotional regulation and/or reassurance in their parenting competency. The contextual component of the CSM, as measured by lay consultation, received support from the findings, suggesting that mothers' perceived worry of her lay consults results in greater infant health care use. Implications for mothers and infants include community psychoeducation programs and home visiting programs focusing on infant health and development psychoeducation.