Relationship between driving while impaired and riding with an impaired driver among adolescents in the United States

Background: Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use (ATOD) and sexual risk-taking are contributors to the health and welfare of adolescents and a significant percentage engage in these behaviors. These behaviors may contribute to other risk-taking such as driving while impaired (DWI) or riding with an impaired driver (RWI). The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between DWI and RWI and ATOD use, sexual risk-taking, and physical fighting among adolescents. Methods: Date for this study were derived from the 2017, 2019, 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) (n = 45,132). Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between DWI and RWI and ATOD use, sexual risk-taking, and physical violence. Results: Heavy smoking, binge drinking, prescription pain medication without a prescription, sexual intercourse with four or more people, and being in a fight on school property were associated with DWI. Binge drinking, prescription pain medication without a prescription, alcohol or drug use before last sexual intercourse, and being in a fight in or out of school were associated with RWI. Conclusions: The results seem to suggest that risk behaviors are intertwined with DWI and RWI. There may be a combined effect of engaging in one risk behavior, influencing engagement in other risk behaviors. This article was published Open Access through the CCU Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund. The article was first published in the Journal of Substance Use: https://doi.org/10.1080/14659891.2024.238927

PERCEPTIONS OF LOW-INCOME PARENTS ON KINDERGARTEN READINESS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

There is a significant amount of research documenting the importance of school readiness and its implication for life-long consequences (Jarrett & Coba-Rodriguez, 2017, 2018; Kang et al., 2017; Malsch et al., 2011). Parents play a critical role in supporting the acquisition of all skills needed to prepare children for school readiness. Readiness refers to being prepared with the necessary skills to access learning (Saracho, 2023). The purpose of this study is to explore the practices and perceptions of low-income parents on kindergarten readiness skills in the Hollywood School District (HSD) as measured by the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). Students in HSD enter kindergarten demonstrating readiness at a rate lower than other students in the state of South Carolina (SC Education Oversight Committee). Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with parents of kindergarten students who scored demonstrating readiness on the KRA in a high-poverty, rural school district to gather data on lived experiences with preparing children to start school and their perceptions of readiness. Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed themes of parents’ perceptions of readiness and practices. The anti-deficit achievement framework (S. R. Harper, 2010, 2012) served as the basis for developing the research and interview questions from an asset or strengths-based mindset instead of a mindset that focused on what was lacking. Findings indicated how parents successfully prepared their children for kindergarten, their expectations of prekindergarten education, and their misconceptions and perceptions of school readines

Variability in Nutrient Concentrations Across Regions of the Winyah Bay River Plume

River plumes are one of the few large-scale features responsible for transporting particulates and terrigenous materials to coastal oceans. Macro-nutrients, such as dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (PO43-), are basic requirements for marine food webs. Due to the plumes’ ability to transport large quantities of these constituents, these systems contribute heavily to coastal productivity. This study focuses on the dynamics of the Winyah Bay river plume located in Georgetown, South Carolina. River plumes, including the Winyah Bay plume, are dynamic systems whose structures are comprised of a multitude of regions and features including the source, lift off, near-field, mid-field, and far-field regions, and plume fronts. Prior studies have focused on the physical dynamics of the Winyah Bay plume regions and features but have not yet examined the nutrient dynamics of this system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the distribution of DIN and phosphate through the different regions of the Winyah Bay plume. Four characteristics (salinity, temperature, plume depth, and Froude number) were used to characterize plume regions using multiple linear regression, and no correlations between the nutrient concentrations and the plume region characteristics were identified. The limited size of the data set may have contributed to the lack of statistical significance. At the plume fronts, however, there was significant accumulation of nutrients on the estuarine side indicating these are important structures contributing to coastal productivity. Despite the limitations of a small sample size and intensive sampling techniques, this study provides a starting point for future research into the nutrient dynamics of the Winyah Bay river plume and its impact on coastal productivity

Furthering Ascidian Taxonomy Using Molecular Biology

Ascidians are our closest invertebrate relatives and comprise nearly 3,000 species separated into three orders: Aplousobranchia (most speciose), Stolidobranchia, and Phlebobranchia (least speciose). Ascidians can be classified as either solitary or colonial organisms. Species delimitation using morphological characters alone has had varied results. Well known, widely distributed, morphological species have turned out to be catch all species comprised of several cryptic species. Molecular markers can help mitigate some of the issues presented by strictly using morphological observations, including resolving the status of cryptic species, and accessing the expert knowledge required to identify a species. By incorporating molecular markers and pairing them with morphological observations, more species may be correctly identified by the scientific community. This project focuses on comparing the utility of the molecular markers mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (mtCO1) and 18S rRNA, both commonly used to barcode marine invertebrates, in terms of successfully delimitated species within families. Members of the ascidian families Ascidiidae, Pyuridae, and Styelidae were collected from Belize in July 2022 and July 2023 and were sequenced for CO1 and 18S and identified using morphological techniques. Additional sequences were obtained from GenBank. Species delimitation methods used for this project include Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning (ASAP) and Bayesian Poisson Tree Process (bPTP). Morphological identifications tended to line up well when using CO1 with ASAP while 18S and ASAP lumped species together. bPTP tended to split species relative to morphological identifications for both genes. Future work includes implementation of the Bayesian input of bPTP into this analysis to see how it compares alongside ASAP. In addition to this, morphological identification of the Belizean samples down to the species level will also be completed

Electoral Bias and Authoritarianism: The Collapse of Two-Party Competition in the Jim Crow South

One of the critical debates within political science is over whether proportional or majoritarian electoral systems are better at securing democracies from slipping into authoritarianism. To this debate we add a critical flaw that exists within single-member district electoral systems: electoral bias, or the tendency of these types of electoral systems to inflate the number of elected positions a party or set of parties wins as compared to other parties. The level of electoral bias in any given election under such an electoral system can be unpredictable and sometimes extreme, and it can put a party with authoritarian aspirations into a stronger position to undermine democratic institutions. We test this theory by examining how the American single-member district electoral system helped lead the Jim Crow South into becoming a one-party, authoritarian region

THE COMPONENTS NECESSARY IN A CLINICAL DAY PROGRAM FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO TRADITIONAL SCHOOL

The purpose of this research was to determine what components of academic and therapeutic clinical day programs ensure success for students with mental health diagnoses as they transition back to conventional educational settings. This study focused on the importance of developing students\u27 capabilities to fulfill their own needs within Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs through coping skills, academic skills, and ensuring those skills transition to their traditional home school setting. The research questions guiding this study were: 1. How is “successful reintegration” defined for students with mental health concerns by the students, families, teachers, and other school staff? 2. What program components are present in effective clinical day programs? The methodology for this research was an evaluative case study approach, with interviews serving as the primary form of data collection. Three staff members at two clinical day programs that serve middle and high school students provided valuable insight into what components of the programs help students prepare for the transition back to traditional schools. The study findings indicated that enhancing students\u27 capacity to independently use therapeutic and academic skills significantly improved the likelihood of a successful transition to their home school. The most important themes that came from the research included skills to help students meet their needs within the Hierarchy of Needs, individualization of the clinical day program, and the various possible outcomes. This study provides the foundation for further development of clinical day programs that focus on the therapeutic skills and academic skills necessary for students to successfully transition from a more restrictive environment to a less restrictive setting. It also leads to continuing research in methods to ensure students’ ability to continue utilizing the skills learned across various settings

Celebrity Politics in the American South: The Case of Ben “Cooter” Jones

Celebrities get involved in American politics as activists and candidates for office. The literature suggests that celebrities have many advantages over traditional political candidates. However, the case of Ben Jones, “Cooter” from The Dukes of Hazzard, suggests that fame is not enough to win elections. The political environment is the decisive factor in determining whether a celebrity candidate wins or loses an election. The South’s realignment from Democrat to Republican made it difficult for Democrat Ben Jones to succeed in a changing South. Like other celebrities that lost the fundraising battle Jones lost several bids for office. Celebrities, like Fred Grandy, that win the fundraising battle have a higher chance of electoral success

EXAMINING TEACHER KNOWLEDGE AND PREPAREDNESS: TEACHERS FROM INDIA IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UDL PRINCIPLES IN GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS

Increasing student diversity and the global emphasis on inclusive education necessitate a critical focus on teacher preparedness in implementing inclusive practices within classrooms. Teacher preparedness in inclusive practices is essential to ensure all students thrive in a truly inclusive educational environment. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) promotes equitable learning environments by empowering educators to address the diverse needs of their students. This framework is aligned with inclusive education legislation and provides multiple ways for learners to engage, understand information, and express their knowledge. UDL recognizes learner variability and supports student self-determination by offering choices along the learning journey, fostering greater ownership, engagement, and adaptability based on unique needs. This study examines the self-reported knowledge and preparedness of teachers from India in implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in South Carolina classrooms. Understanding these influences, grounded in UDL\u27s proactive approach to inclusive education and Vygotsky\u27s emphasis on the sociocultural context of learning, is crucial for creating effective professional development programs that support teachers from India as they adapt their instructional strategies for success in diverse U.S. classrooms. The study investigates how factors such as U.S. teaching experience, education level, and inclusive education coursework influence UDL preparedness in these teachers. The study adopted a quantitative research approach, utilizing a survey refined through a pilot study with local and international teachers. Participants included Indian-origin teachers teaching in South Carolina with diverse experiences. The data collection methods used cross-sectional surveys, snowball sampling, and a digital format to ensure accessibility. Descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and correlational analyses were employed to gain insights into teachers\u27 preparedness levels. Findings indicate that while U.S. teaching experience initially boosts UDL preparedness, this growth may plateau over time. Teachers with master\u27s degrees or higher consistently exhibited greater UDL knowledge. Specific areas, particularly supporting multilingual learners, necessitate targeted UDL training for all teachers, regardless of experience level. The study identifies potential gaps in teachers\u27 UDL preparedness and highlights the crucial role of supportive school environments with collaborative communities for ongoing professional development. Recommendations include comprehensive UDL professional development, prioritizing multilingual supports, collaborative UDL communities within schools, administrator training on UDL, and expanding UDL training in Indian pre-service teacher preparation programs. This study highlights a critical disconnect between South Carolina\u27s commitment to inclusion and the lack of UDL training mandates for all teachers. The study\u27s specific sample and reliance on self-reported data may limit the generalizability of findings and potentially introduce bias into the assessment of UDL preparedness

Factors that Contribute to Challenging Behaviors with Early Childhood Students

There has been an increasing number of students being referred to mental health services due to behavioral problems they exhibit at school. Behavioral and social concerns impede academic success for the individual child as well as their classroom peers. Many factors can contribute to challenging behaviors in early childhood students within rural and high-poverty communities, an elementary school in the South-Atlantic region of the United States is experiencing some of those factors. The purpose of this qualitative research study is to investigate some of the possible factors which contribute to challenging behaviors and how those factors impact academic achievement. The goal is to provide resources to aid educators and parents with suggested solutions. This is a significant topic because it will contribute to education by facilitating improvements and gaining more knowledge of children with behavioral and mental health concerns

Characterizing Groundwater Flow Across the Barrier Island-High Marsh Interface

The freshwater resources of barrier islands are influenced by a variety of hydrogeologic factors, which create unique regions of groundwater composition. Factors including evapotranspiration, geologic constraints, tidal forcing, and meteoric inputs influence subterranean flow creating a groundwater salinity gradient throughout the island-marsh setting which directly influences the spatial distribution of dominant vegetation on the island. Rising sea levels and variation in local climate may alter the hydrologic balance on barrier islands, potentially shifting salinity gradients and ecological baselines on short timescales. The intrusion of saltwater into the barrier island freshwater system could result in the shifting of ecotones and potential destabilization of barrier sediments. Over three years, multiple methods were adopted to characterize the groundwaters of Waties Island, a barrier island located in northeastern South Carolina. Three study transects located on the sound side of the island encompassed the ecological shift between maritime forest and salt marsh. Shallow groundwater monitoring wells were installed along the transects to observe mixing between fresh island-derived groundwaters and more saline groundwaters from the estuary. Water table elevation, temperature, and salinity measurements were recorded at 20-minute intervals over an 11-month period (n = 24,332). Modal analysis of the data revealed tidal and meteorological drivers of groundwater level across the transect. Twenty-nine time-series electrical resistivity (ER) surveys along the transition from forest to marsh revealed horizontal mixing of groundwater within highly permeable sediment layers. Geologic analyses of sediments along the transition elucidated a geologic framework with distinct zones of permeability bounded by impermeable muddy sediment layers. The primary movement and transport of porewaters from the island into the marsh platform was determined to be horizontal with sandy overwash and erosional fans serving as conduits. No tidal signal influence was observed within the surficial aquifer in the maritime forest, however at the forest-high marsh boundary, precipitation was the principal driver of subterranean flow with spring and storm tides periodically raising the water table and reversing flow towards the island. Within the low marsh, groundwater elevation and flow direction was directly linked to the tidal stage of Dunn Sound. The results presented here highlight the dynamic nature of shallow hydrogeologic interactions between barrier islands and back-barrier environments with implications for shifting ecological baselines, understanding the subterranean estuary of biogeochemical reactions, and determining barrier island stability in an uncertain climatic future