Educational Programs and the Ontario Disability Support Program: A Critical Literature Review

My major research paper (MRP) is a critical literature review of educational programming available to Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) recipients. Specifically, I review financial literacy education (FLE) programs and ODSP employment training programs. The purpose of my research was to gain a critical understanding of how these programs incorporate learners’ experiences with governmental institutions that impact financial wellbeing and employment. I analyze the literature through the lens of two critical theories: critical pedagogy and critical disability theory. Previous literature indicates that involvement with the social assistance system in Ontario influences recipients’ sense of identity related to disability (Crooks et al., 2008; Lightman et al., 2009). The impact on recipients’ identity is influenced by the binary categorization of able/disabled within social assistance institutions. Some ODSP recipients identify as neither able-bodied nor disabled, rather on a spectrum of illness and wellness. Research into these types of educational programming can support educators and policymakers in identifying the barriers ODSP recipients encounter while pursuing personal goals related to financial security and employment. In this MRP, I report on findings that indicate the presence and the usefulness of critical pedagogy and critical disability theory to improve FLE and employment training delivery. Through this research, I aim to understand the gaps in current FLE and employment training delivery and offer recommendations for future program development

Abundance and Diversity of Grasshoppers and their Ectoparasitic Mites in South Dakota

In South Dakota, grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) are sporadic pests that can cause economic injury to rangeland and crops during outbreaks. It is important to know which grasshopper species are present as not all have the same potential to cause damage. USDA-APHIS conducts annual grasshopper surveys in western South Dakota rangelands, but the last published survey was in 1925. Of the potential biological control agents existing, grasshopper mites feed on grasshopper eggs and the larvae are ectoparasites of nymph and adult grasshoppers. Previous studies suggest that mite larvae reduce grasshopper fecundity and mobility, making them useful for integrated pest management of grasshopper populations. Yet, a study evaluating grasshopper mites in South Dakota has not been conducted since 1944. The purpose of the first study was to determine the abundance and species diversity of grasshoppers and the second study was to determine the density and distribution of grasshopper mites in South Dakota. Data for both studies was obtained by sampling grasshoppers in both 2017 and 2018 using sweep nets with 40 pendulum sweeps. Samples from western South Dakota were collected in rangeland and donated by USDA-APHIS. For eastern South Dakota, 400 sites were sampled once with two samples collected simultaneously from ditches alongside crop and rangeland. The first study determined that the most abundant species were Melanoplus femurrubrum and Phoetaliotes nebrascensis. For both years, a majority of grasshopper populations did not exceed the recommended thresholds; however, there were localized “hot spots” that greatly exceeded the thresholds. Results of the second study indicated that the most abundant mite (i.e., over 90%) was Eutrombidium spp., which was most commonly found on M. femurrubrum nymphs. For both years, the majority of mite populations were relatively low or absent. However, there were localized, increased populations that were related to increased grasshopper populations. The results from the first study suggest that annual grasshopper surveys are necessary to detect potential outbreaks and forecast “hot spots” in the future, while the results from the second study suggest that annual grasshopper mite surveys could improve the overall understanding of the importance and impact that grasshopper mites could serve for integrated pest management purposes

Antibodies to Surface IgM Can Accelerate Apoptosis of Mature B-Lymphocytes at Sub - Stimulatory Concentrations

Antibody to B-cell surface immunoglobulin D (IgD) or surface IgM results in crosslinking of Ig molecules and signal transduction. The function of these surface immunoglobulins has traditionally been investigated by extensive crosslinking experiments and interest has been focused on activation assays. We investigated the effects on apoptosis of culture with anti-(mathematical symbol) antibody (anti-(mathematical symbol)) concentrations ranging from 0.001 (mathematical symbol) mL-1 to 50 (mathematical symbol)g mL-1. Previous experiments have shown that weak dose anti-(mathematical symbol) antibody (anti-(mathematical symbol)) increases mature B-cell apoptosis at both 16- and 64-hour time points, while greater dose anti-(mathematical symbol) results in cell cycle entry at 64 hours. The question addressed is whether anti-(mathematical symbol) induces the same biphasic response. After 16 hours of culture, both a monoclonal and a polyclonal anti-(mathematical symbol). at weak concentrations caused much less of an increase in apoptosis than anti-(mathematical symbol), although cell cycle entry at 64 hours was similar. Together, these results suggest a mechanism for low-zone B-cell tolerance induction, a process that was previously thought only to occur in T-cells

Examining Guided Reading Practices in Kindergarten Classrooms

This study investigated how 15 kindergarten teachers from one school district implemented small-group Guided Reading (GR). Analysis of video recordings indicates substantial differences in how GR was conducted, with none of the teachers fully implementing GR as conceptualized by Fountas and Pinnell (2012). Consistency across teachers was limited to reading a new book and using a picture walk as part of the book introduction. Differences were observed in how the books were read (choral, round robin, or independent reading) and in instructional activities before and after reading the new book, with word solving being the most prevalent focus of instruction. Findings suggest that while districts may promote a GR approach, teachers may be doing very different things. These findings are considered in light of current debates around early reading instruction and the importance of evidence-based decision making with regard to instructional improvements

The Effect of Community Health Linkages on Suicide Rates in Veterans

Suicide risk is a public health issue. It is a complex and poorly understood mental health and societal threat. This study examined veteran suicide rates and their relationship to family and social support, as measured by the social association rate, mental health funding per capita, and the lethality of the method rate. The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide and the social-ecological model are the theoretical frameworks that guided the study. Both theories emphasize the complexity surrounding suicide at the state level as it is related to the individual, social, environmental, and political landscape related to veteran suicide. The quantitative bivariate correlation and chi-square study analyzed the associated relationships, at the state level, between the variables. The results of the correlation, chi-square test, and multivariate analysis were significant. Social associations were significant to include 2009 mental health funding, with 2011 mental health funding reporting less significant contribution to the model than social associations. The lethality of the method reported less significance than mental health funding to the model with firearms and suffocation reporting the highest significance. The data presented are valuable to advocates, healthcare leaders, policymakers, researchers, and survivors to develop a coordinated approach to mitigate the consequences of unmet needs associated with suicide. The social change implications may help guide improvements in mental health practice to reduce suicide rates amongst the veteran population

Residual tumor cells that drive disease relapse after chemotherapy do not have enhanced tumor initiating capacity.

Although chemotherapy is used to treat most advanced solid tumors, recurrent disease is still the major cause of cancer-related mortality. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been the focus of intense research in recent years because they provide a possible explanation for disease relapse. However, the precise role of CSCs in recurrent disease remains poorly understood and surprisingly little attention has been focused on studying the cells responsible for re-initiating tumor growth within the original host after chemotherapy treatment. We utilized both xenograft and genetically engineered mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to characterize the residual tumor cells that survive chemotherapy treatment and go on to cause tumor regrowth, which we refer to as tumor re-initiating cells (TRICs). We set out to determine whether TRICs display characteristics of CSCs, and whether assays used to define CSCs also provide an accurate readout of a cell's ability to cause tumor recurrence. We did not find consistent enrichment of CSC marker positive cells or enhanced tumor initiating potential in TRICs. However, TRICs from all models do appear to be in EMT, a state that has been linked to chemoresistance in numerous types of cancer. Thus, the standard CSC assays may not accurately reflect a cell's ability to drive disease recurrence

An Initial Test of the Tactic-First and Item-Order Hypotheses: Accounting for Response Discrepancies in Sexual Victimization Questionnaires

Reported prevalence rates of sexual violence range widely in the literature, even in the same sample when using two different questionnaires of the same construct. These discrepancies are concerning as they indicate we may be underestimating the rate of sexual violence and, therefore, resources and treatment for victims. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate two mechanisms that may contribute to differences in reported prevalence rates across the literature and discrepancies within studies: the tactic-first and item-order hypotheses. Participants were 265 MTurk workers whom all completed the Post-Refusal Sexual Persistence Scale (PRSPS), then were randomly assigned to one of two versions of a tactic-first Sexual Experiences Survey (T-SES). Experimental conditions varied in the item order of the T-SES, one condition received the traditional hierarchical item order (n = 130) while the other received a randomized item order (n = 135). Our results suggest strong support for the tactic-first hypothesis; victimization prevalence rates on the T-SES were double compared to the traditional SES (54.1 vs. 19.8%) in prior research. Further, in both conditions, victimization prevalence rates were statistically equivalent between the PRSPS (62.6%) and the tactic-first SESs (56.2 and 54.1%), χ2(1) \u3c 2.5, p ≈ .1–.7, contrary to prior research. We did not find support for the item-order hypothesis; there were few differences between item-order conditions. Our findings indicate that unintentional underreporting remains a threat to validity in sexual violence assessment, and continued research into the mechanisms of measurement is warranted

The Assessment of Forced Penetration: A Necessary and Further Step Toward Understanding Men’s Sexual Victimization and Women’s Perpetration

A unique form of sexual victimization that often goes undiscussed and, therefore, underassessed is that of being forced to penetrate another person (i.e., forced penetration). Due to forced penetration being a relatively novel addition to the definition of rape, there is a lack of assessment tools that identify forced penetration cases. Thus, the goal of this study was to assess the utility and validity of new items designed to assess forced penetration. More than 1,000 participants were recruited across three different studies to assess forced penetration victimization and perpetration. The rate of forced penetration victimization ranged from 4.51% to 10.62%. Among men who reported victimization of any type, 33.8% to 58.7% of victimized men reported experiencing forced penetration across the samples, suggesting this experience is common. All new and unique cases of sexual victimization identified by the forced penetration items were those of heterosexual men. These findings suggest that assessing for forced penetration would increase the reported prevalence rates of sexual victimization, particularly in heterosexual men (and correspondingly, rates of perpetration in women)