It Takes A Village: Toward the Development of an Instrument with Valid and Reliable Scores for Measuring Family Engagement Using Q-Methodology

State and federal educational policy makers have promoted family engagement as an important factor for helping to address the persistent achievement gap in the United States. Research suggests that when parents are involved in their children’s education both at home and in early care and education programs, children demonstrate greater levels of academic success in an array of areas, such as school attendance, motivation toward learning, and overall academic performance. Despite these positive outcomes, challenges persist within research regarding how the construct of family engagement is measured, which has made it challenging to document the true impact of family engagement initiatives and interventions in educational settings. This study examined and improved ways in which family engagement is measured in a specific Head Start/Early Head Start setting that serves a predominately African American population. The study described strengths and limitations of different methods for assessing family engagement as well as evaluated valid and reliable family engagement instruments that have been used in prior research. A mixed methods instrument development process was employed where qualitative data were used to infuse the viewpoints of participants throughout the development process using Q-methodology. Validity and reliability scores were established for the instrument through the inclusion of important instrument development procedures such as construct conceptualization, factor analysis, differential item function analyses, and a study of group differences. Ecological systems theory supported the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data throughout the instrument development process, aiding in the explanation of the complex systems of interaction that effect the ways in which family engagement occurs in educational spaces. Results from the study reveal justifiable validity and reliability scores for the instrument intended to measure family engagement for the study population. A potential three-factor structure emerged from the analyses. Further steps should be taken for the finalization and refinement of the family engagement measurement instrument

The relationship between rumination, gender, age, and posttraumatic stress

The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between rumination and posttraumatic stress, and to determine the effects of gender and age on that relationship. Responses on brooding and reflective subscales of a rumination measure were compared across adult age groups, and evaluated in relationship to an individual\u27s gender and emotional response to trauma. Women demonstrated higher levels of rumination than men, and younger adults demonstrated higher levels of rumination than older adults. In a college sample, total rumination score was a positive indicator of whether an individual was emotionally bothered by a traumatic experience. In a community sample, age was a negative indicator of whether an individual was emotionally bothered by trauma

Immediate Effects of Controlled Livestock Treatment on Reclaimed Natural Gas Well Pads

Wyoming shrublands have undergone extensive energy development in recent years. Much of this development occurs on public land designated for multiple uses. Reclamation of these areas has proven difficult due to the harsh climate and alteration of the thin, nutrient poor topsoil during development activities. Energy development and reclamation activities often lead to topsoil dilution, rapid mineralization of nutrients and soil organic matter (SOM), and loss of soil structure. These changes have the potential to degrade the suitability of the soil as a medium to sustain a desirable plant community. Reclamation of land disturbed for energy development in this area has largely been executed by the extraction companies and evaluated by the governing agency (typically, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)). Other parties who rely on this land, such as ranchers with grazing permits, are not typically involved in reclamation. In this study, we examine an unconventional reclamation technique that aims to involve ranchers in the reclamation process: controlled livestock impact. The theory behind this technique is that by confining livestock on a seeded and reclaimed site the animals will improve the seedbed and seed to soil contact through fertilization and hoof action. Natural gas well pads that were reclaimed in the fall of 2009 were selected from three Wyoming natural gas fields. Two treatment plots were established on each well pad: traditionally reclaimed and reclaimed with the cattle impact treatment. Cattle treatments were applied in fall 2009 immediately after reclamation and seeding. Soil samples were taken from the reclaimed plots and before and after the cattle impact on treated plots. Soil samples were then analyzed for SOM parameters including percent light fraction organic matter (LF) and labile C and N. Post-cattle treatment plots had more mineralizable C and more N variability than pre-cattle plots, which indicates an impact from the cattle treatment on SOM characteristics

Nutrition Beliefs and Practices Among Generation Z

Background: Life expectancy is decreasing, and childhood obesity is increasing. Limited research has been conducted on the nutrition beliefs and practices of Generation Z and the potential discrepancies between the two. Objective: Assess the nutrition beliefs and whether these beliefs translate into practices among the 18-24 age group of Generation Z. Design: Anonymous survey (nutrition belief-based and practice-based) provided via QR code accessible through Facebook, E-mails and text message. Participants: There were 74 participants recruited through Facebook, E-mail, flyer and word of mouth. Individuals 18-24 years of age were included in the study. Those majoring in nutrition and currently or pending to be a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist or Diet Technician were excluded. Main Outcome Measures: Nutrition beliefs and practices among Generation Z. Statistical Analysis Performed: Correlational analysis between the beliefs and practices among Generation Z was conducted by the Kendall’s Tau test. Results: Significant association was found between the reliability of RDNS and seeking nutrition advice (0.005), food knowledge and reading nutrition labels (0.05), whole grains preventing disease and eating whole grains (0.01), daily breakfast improving health and eating breakfast (\u3c0.0001), importance of caloric awareness and attention to calories (0.01), fruits preventing disease and eating fruit (\u3c0.0001), awareness of hunger and eating when hungry (0.013), awareness of satiety and stopping eating when full (0.0004), and social media influence on what they eat and making changes to their diet based on social media (\u3c0.0001). There was no significant association between the belief of vegetables preventing disease and eating vegetables (0.873). Conclusions: Health professionals will be able to provide more relevant nutrition education and design programs to target the beliefs and practices of Generation Z. This may reduce childhood obesity and improve quality of life by facilitating positive habits

Prospectus, December 5, 2019

‘TIS THE SEASON TO ACE FINALS; Parkland Theatre gets into the spirit with A Christmas Carol; Happy holidays, joyeuses fêtes, felices vacaciones; College Student Wishlist: Student Discounts; Letter to the Editor: Thank You Parkland!; Meet the staff: Sidney Mounts; Holiday Movies: Traditions, praises & critiques; The history of the holiday seasonhttps://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_2019/1051/thumbnail.jp

Multiwavelength Observations of the Runaway Binary HD 15137

HD 15137 is an intriguing runaway O-type binary system that offers a rare opportunity to explore the mechanism by which it was ejected from the open cluster of its birth. Here we present recent blue optical spectra of HD 15137 and derive a new orbital solution for the spectroscopic binary and physical parameters of the O star primary. We also present the first XMM-Newton observations of the system. Fits of the EPIC spectra indicate soft, thermal X-ray emission consistent with an isolated O star. Upper limits on the undetected hard X-ray emission place limits on the emission from a proposed compact companion in the system, and we rule out a quiescent neutron star in the propellor regime or a weakly accreting neutron star. An unevolved secondary companion is also not detected in our optical spectra of the binary, and it is difficult to conclude that a gravitational interaction could have ejected this runaway binary with a low mass optical star. HD 15137 may contain an elusive neutron star in the ejector regime or a quiescent black hole with conditions unfavorable for accretion at the time of our observations.Comment: Accepted to A

Mechanotransductive feedback control of endothelial cell motility and vascular morphogenesis

Vascular morphogenesis requires persistent endothelial cell motility that is responsive to diverse and dynamic mechanical stimuli. Here, we interrogated the mechanotransductive feedback dynamics that govern endothelial cell motility and vascular morphogenesis. We show that the transcriptional regulators, YAP and TAZ, are activated by mechanical cues to transcriptionally limit cytoskeletal and focal adhesion maturation, forming a conserved mechanotransductive feedback loop that mediates human endothelial cell motility in vitro and zebrafish intersegmental vessel (ISV) morphogenesis in vivo. This feedback loop closes in 4 hours, achieving cytoskeletal equilibrium in 8 hours. Feedback loop inhibition arrested endothelial cell migration in vitro and ISV morphogenesis in vivo. Inhibitor washout at 3 hrs, prior to feedback loop closure, restored vessel growth, but washout at 8 hours, longer than the feedback timescale, did not, establishing lower and upper bounds for feedback kinetics in vivo. Mechanistically, YAP and TAZ induced transcriptional suppression of myosin II activity to maintain dynamic cytoskeletal equilibria. Together, these data establish the mechanoresponsive dynamics of a transcriptional feedback loop necessary for persistent endothelial cell migration and vascular morphogenesis

Closing the compliance gap in marine protected areas with human behavioural sciences

Advocates, practitioners and policy-makers continue to use and advocate for marine protected areas (MPAs) to meet global ocean protection targets. Yet many of the worlds MPAs, and especially no-take MPAs, are plagued by poaching and ineffective governance. Using a global dataset on coral reefs as an example, we quantify the potential ecological gains of governing MPAs to increase compliance, which we call the ‘compliance gap’. Using ecological simulations based on model posteriors of joint Bayesian hierarchical models, we demonstrate how increased compliance in no-take MPAs could nearly double target fish biomass (91% increases in median fish biomass), and result in a 292% higher likelihood of encountering top predators. Achieving these gains and closing the compliance gap necessitates a substantial shift in approach and practice to go beyond optimizing enforcement, and towards governing for compliance. This will require engaging and integrating a broad suite of actors, principles, and practices across three key domains: (i)) harnessing social influence, (ii) integrating equity principles, and (iii) aligning incentives through market-based instruments. Empowering and shaping communication between actor groups (e.g., between fishers, practitioners, and policy-makers) using theoretically underpinned approaches from the behavioural sciences is one of the most essential, but often underserved aspects of governing MPAs. We therefore close by highlighting how this cross-cutting tool could be further integrated in governance to bolster high levels of compliance in MPAs