Understanding beliefs and practices of African American parents with male toddlers: a focus on emotional and social development

The purpose of this study was to learn more about the experiences, beliefs, and practices of married or cohabitating African American parents with a toddler son. This study also examined salient aspects of family life and how child rearing practices supported positive emotional and social development of their toddler sons. Through a theoretical lens that recognizes development in children of color is rooted in societal aspects and mechanisms (such as discrimination, racism, oppression) that affect family life of African American parents with male toddlers, careful attention was given to the unique experiences of each of the six families who participated in the study. A phenomenological research design was used, which included 12 individual interviews (one with each parent), an interview with each couple, and an observation with the family. Extensive field notes were recorded also. Results include seven essences and three themes shared by the six families that reflected the beliefs and practices they valued to ensure the positive social and emotional development of their sons. Despite the deep commitment and love the families share with each other, parents reported challenges with having enough quality time to spend with their toddler sons and family. In addition, regardless of the young age of their sons and significant financial means in some families, most felt their parenting goals were influenced by negative societal views of African American males as well as expectations for academic achievement. Furthermore, fathers emphasized their efforts to improve upon the models they experienced growing up and to make sure they are actively present in their sons' lives. Information these African American families shared about the intricacies of their daily lives, childrearing beliefs and practices, and the influence of societal expectations could have implications for early childhood teacher preparation, early intervention, and policies for young children and families

Who am I?: culturally relevant pedagogy and the quest to transform teacher beliefs through professional development

The focus of this qualitative research study was to examine the impact professional development had on teachers’ perceptions and practices after participating in monthly year-long culturally relevant pedagogy and Common Core professional development. Culturally relevant pedagogy is the use of “cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them” (Gay, 2002, p. 29). The study described the experiences and practices of teachers before and after their participation in culturally relevant pedagogy professional development. Teachers were asked to describe in rich detail their interpretations, perceptions, and practices related to how they teach and build relationships with their students and parents, and their attitudes toward students of color and students experiencing generational and situational poverty. The participants were staff members at an elementary school in an urban school district in the southeastern region of the U.S. Participants were interviewed and completed a pre-and post-survey. The study describes the benefits of the culturally relevant pedagogy professional development from the perspective of the study participants. Barriers that hindered study participants from implementing culturally relevant pedagogy are highlighted as well. Based on these findings, recommendations for further study and policies to support educators as they learn and implement culturally relevant pedagogy are provided

An exploration of the relationship between frailty in the older adult and recurrence of Clostridium difficile

The purpose of this retrospective cohort research study was to explore the relationship between frailty and recurrent Clostridium difficile (CDI) in adults 55 years and older hospitalized between December 31, 2013 through December 31, 2015, with data extracted from 2012 to 2016 to identify initial and recurrent admission for CDI. A researcher-derived frailty index, based on the Accumulation of Deficits framework by Mitnitski, Mogilner, and Rockwood (2001), was created after careful review of the components contributing to frailty and following the guidance by Searle, Mitnitski, Gahbauer, Gill, and Rockwood (2008). As per Searle et al. (2008), the FI-CDI was constructed by following the method of selecting variables that are associated with health, increase with age, do not present early in the aging process, cover a wide representation of organ systems and not just one system, and items for the index remain unchanged when performing serial measurements in the sample. Variables for the FI-CDI included laboratory abnormalities, chronic diseases, functional status, and psychosocial indicators. The deficits were coded as “1” for present and “0” for absent, calculating the FI-CDI by dividing the number of deficits in an individual by the total number of deficits measured (36 in this study) as per the standard procedure for calculating the frailty index (Searle et al., 2008). Based on the derived FI-CDI, frailty was defined as = 0.25. The initial sample for the inclusion criteria consisted of 871 patients with CDI. Only 450 patients had complete data on admission to calculate the FI-CDI for the 36 deficits. The overall sample (n=871) had a recurrence rate of 23.9% (n=208) for the study period. The average age for the overall sample was 73.6 years (SD=10.7), with 9.1% of the sample expiring during first hospitalization over the study period. Caucasian females comprised over half of the sample. Almost two-thirds (n=576, 66.1%) resided in a private residence prior to initial admission, followed by skilled nursing facility (n=125, 14.4%). About one-third of the patients were discharged to either home/self-care (n=279, 32.0%) or a skilled nursing facility (n=261, 30.0%) after initial admission. CDI recurrence was more prevalent for those discharged to a skilled nursing facility (37.5% vs. 27.6% with no recurrence) and with home health care services (24.5% vs. 15.2% no recurrence) (p<0.001). The average frailty score for the FI-CDI sample (n=450) was 0.37 (SD=0.10) on admission. The age group of 55 to 64 was significantly associated with recurrent CDI admission for both bivariate and logistic regression analyses. The chronic diseases found to be significantly more prevalent in recurrent CDI included hypertension (88.0% vs. 78.4%; p=0.003), heart failure (36.1% vs. 25.6%; p=0.005), and chronic kidney disease (34.1% vs 24.9%: p=0.011). Frailty prevalence, as measured by the FI-CDI (n=450) was 89.1% on admission as indicated by a FI-CDI score of = 0.25. The FI-CDI scores on admission were significantly related to CDI recurrence, adjusting for sociodemographics. Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use prior to initial admission was significantly associated with frailty in bivariate analysis, but PPI use was not associated with recurrent CDI. Evidence from this study bridges a knowledge gap that exists regarding frailty and recurrent CDI. Limited research has been explored with frailty and recurrent CDI, and this study provides a foundation for prospective studies. The FI-CDI could be used with existing medical record data at time of hospitalization, assessing frailty and allowing iv opportunities for intervention. The hospitalized frail older adult is vulnerable, with CDI as a stressor that can result in prolonged recovery time and possible recurrence. Recognition of frailty in this population through already existing medical record data can guide interventions to address the underpinnings contributing to frailty and decrease readmissions, recurrence, morbidity, and mortality

Comparisons Of Cooking Self-Efficacy And Food Safety Knowledge Of Food Secure And Food Insecure Sophomores At Appalachian State University

Background: Food insecurity (FI) exists when access to nutritionally adequate and safe foods is limited or uncertain. Research indicates that FI is a serious problem among college students, with rates from 14%-59%. The FI rate among students at Appalachian State University (App State) was 46.2% in 2016. Objective: The purpose of this research was to measure the food security (FS) status of sophomores attending App State, compare the food safety knowledge and cooking competency of food secure and food insecure sophomores, and identify correlations between these variables based on sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 226 App State sophomores. Data were collected through online questionnaires. FS was measured using the USDA 10- item Adult Food Security Survey Module (AFSSM). Statistical analysis included chi-square and correlational analyses. Statistical significance was p < 0.05. Results: Almost half of the sophomores (46%) were food insecure. A significant, but small correlation was found between AFSSM scores and food safety knowledge (r = .008, p < .05). A significant, but weak correlation existed between AFSSM scores and BMI (r = 0.160, p < .05). Conclusions: Findings suggest a need for educational activities that teach food safety and cooking techniques to food secure and food insecure sophomores to help reduce their high rate of FI

The highly preorganized ligands 1,10-Phenanthroline-2,9-Dialdoxime and BIS-1, 10-Phenanthroline, and their complexing properties with metal ions

Preorganization is important in the recognition of metal ions by ligands. A ligand is more preorganized the more it is constrained as the free ligand to be in the conformation required to complex the target metal ion. Until the present time, high levels of preorganization have been achieved by cyclization of open-chain ligands to yield macrocycles and cryptands. A novel approach to designing highly preorganized ligands is followed where high levels of preorganization are achieved using the rigid 1,10-phenanthroline (1,10-phen) delocalized system as the backbone of the ligand. The highly preorganized ligands 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9- dialdoxime (PDOX) and bis-1,10-phenanthroline (DIPHEN) and their complexing properties with various metal ions have been studied.PDOX was synthesized by a literature method. Column chromatography of the product obtained by this method gave a product of improved purity, as shown by NMR and IR, and a considerably higher melting point. UV/VIS spectrometry was used in titrations to determine protonation constants of the free ligands and their stability constants with metal ions. Stability constants, logK1, for PDOX and DIPHEN with Ca(II), Cd(II), Cu(II), Gd(III), Pb(II), and Zn(II) have been determined. Fluorescence properties of PDOX and Ca(II), Cd(II), Pb(II), Hg(II), and Zn(II) were examined. The strong chelation enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) effect found with PDOX and metal ions such as Cd(II) and Pb(II) suggest that these ligands will have potential applications in biology, and in the development of sensors for these metal ions in the environment

The Transfer Student

For my Senior Honors Project, I am writing a pilot episode for a dramatic television series I am developing entitled The Transfer Student. The final product of my Senior Honors Project will be the pilot episode of a full-length dramatic television script formatted according to industry standards. The pilot script will follow Olivia Hart, a transfer student from a rural community college, as she navigates her first day at a large university in New York City. Being a transfer student is scary, between the cultural shock, feeling like a freshman again, and trying to make new friends, it’s all hard. We as transfer students do not get to attend overnight orientation with the other students or get a chance to meet new people before the semester starts. Of course, everyone meets their group of friends during freshman year and is not as open to meeting new people for the rest of their college years. So, this pilot episode will give a lot of advice, while also making it amusing for transfer students to watch. This will be a project that every transfer student will need to watch so they can see that there are others who feel their pain because non-transfer students do not feel our pain. This will also be informational for non-transfer students, as it will give them an opportunity to see the experiences of their peers who came to the university as transfer students, which will hopefully make them more empathetic to the experiences of transfer students

An investigation of secondary physical education teachers’ attitudes towards and perceptions of physical education

The purpose of this research was to determine the perceptions of secondary physical education (PE) teachers towards physical education and attitudes towards PE curriculum. Utilizing a mixed methods research design, this study collected survey, open-ended questions, and semi-structured interview data from secondary PE teachers representing five states from the southeast. Sixty-seven teachers completed the questionnaire, and 10 teachers completed follow-up interviews. The results of the survey indicated that secondary physical educators have an overall positive attitude towards the PE curriculum. The highest valued curriculum component was the social development domain, which is based on personal growth, personal responsibility, and knowledge of the benefit of regular participation in exercise. The teachers’ voice was illuminated through the open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews. Four themes were drawn from the teachers’ comments: Moving and Active, Knowing, Fun and Engaging, and Working Together. The findings from this study help provide a clearer understanding of how PE teachers at the secondary level perceive the PE curriculum. This study reported the perceptions of high school PE teachers and provided insights into their attitudes towards the PE curriculum, while the qualitative interview data provided a more in-depth explanation of the teacher’s perspectives. Findings from this study are also valuable to PE teachers, state and local administrators, and teacher education preparation programs respectively. Further inquiry into the perspectives of PE teachers has the potential to guide research on PE curriculum and pedagogy at the high school level

A Mixed-Methods Exploration Of Community College Administrators’ Assumptions About The Basic Computer Skills Of Instructors And Students

Community college administrators and leaders have assumptions about the students’ and instructors’ basic computer skills that may or may not be accurate, and there may not be adequate support structures and training available. This study shows that the lack of even basic computer literacy skills can affect academic success and the ability of instructors to integrate technology in their teaching effectively. This mixed-methods study investigates the assumptions made by community colleges about the computer literacy skills of students and instructors and explores the accuracy of these assumptions and the student experience through digital and visual methods. Community colleges’ role in serving a wide range of learners from all walks of life, socioeconomic status and rural areas. If they do not have systems in place to assess the basic computer literacy skills of students (and their instructors), creating barriers in the progression toward the workforce and career success. Findings show that administrators assumptions are more positive towards instructors than students to have basic computer skills by emphasizing the disparities across demographic groups. Various methods were employed for data collection, including Northstar digital computer skills assessment scores, online surveys, and digital storytelling. Analysis of student data revealed prevalent themes related to varied exposure to technology in early childhood, language barriers and the use of alternative devices to compensate for their lack of access or skills. The research promotes a call to action for community colleges to challenge assumptions, offer personalized support, and prioritize continuous professional development for instructors. Acknowledging the far-reaching influence of computer literacy on both academic, personal and professional success, the study underscores the critical need for ensuring equitable access to technology, skill-building training and resources to address current disparities

Global stratospheric fluorine inventory for 2004-2009 from Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) measurements and SLIMCAT model simulations

Fluorine-containing species can be extremely effective atmospheric greenhouse gases. We present fluorine budgets using organic and inorganic species retrieved by the ACE-FTS satellite instrument supplemented with output from the SLIMCAT 3-D chemical transport model. The budgets are calculated between 2004 and 2009 for a number of latitude bands: 70-30° N, 30-00°l N, 00° N-30° S, and 30-70° S. At lower altitudes total fluorine profiles are dominated by the contribution from CFC-12, up to an altitude of 20 km in the extra-tropics and 29 km in the tropics; above these altitudes the profiles are dominated by hydrogen fluoride (HF). Our data show that total fluorine profiles at all locations have a negative slope with altitude, providing evidence that overall fluorine emissions (measured by their F content) have been increasing with time. Total stratospheric fluorine is increasing at a similar rate in the tropics: 32.5 ± 4.9 ppt yr (1.31 ± 0.20% per year) in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and 29.8 ± 5.3 ppt yr (1.21 ± 0.22% per year) in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). Extra-tropical total stratospheric fluorine is also increasing at a similar rate in both the NH and SH: 28.3 ± 2.7 ppt per year (1.12 ± 0.11% per year) in the NH and 24.3 ± 3.1 ppt per year (0.96 ± 0.12% per year) in the SH. The calculation of radiative efficiency-weighted total fluorine allows the changes in radiative forcing between 2004 and 2009 to be calculated. These results show an increase in radiative forcing of between 0.23 ± 0.11% per year and 0.45 ± 0.11% per year, due to the increase in fluorine-containing species during this time. The decreasing trends in the mixing ratios of halons and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), due to their prohibition under the Montreal Protocol, have suppressed an increase in total fluorine caused by increasing mixing ratios of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). This has reduced the impact of fluorine-containing species on global warming

15th Annual Legal Issues for Financial Institutions Conference

Program and materials from the 15th Annual Legal Issues for Financial Institutions Conference held by UK/CLE on March 10-11, 1995