Reflecting on international educative experiences: developing cultural competence in pre-service early childhood educators

Master of ScienceSchool of Family Studies and Human ServicesBronwyn S. FeesThe purpose of this literature review was to examine existing literature related to international experiences of early childhood pre-service educators. Given the unique opportunity for study abroad as a potential part of the college or university curriculum, the present discussion focuses on the question: what is the relationship between international experiences and pre-service early childhood educators’ cultural competence? More specifically, the following sub-questions were examined: 1) How is cultural competence defined across the literature? 2) What theories are applied to understand the effect of international experiences on the cultural competence of pre-service educators? 3) What pedagogical strategies are most frequently applied to develop cultural competence among pre-service educators? 4) What evidence is provided that pre-service educators changed (if at all) as a consequence of international immersion? A systematic literature search was conducted to locate original published studies that reported on the cultural competence of pre-service early childhood educators after international experiences. Detailed analysis of the articles revealed positive outcomes on pre-service educators who engaged in international educative experiences. Pedagogical strategies such as immersion and critical reflection led to pre-service educators’ self-reports of gains in personal and professional growth, cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and cultural competence. These findings warrant consideration by higher education, teacher education programs, and practice and research organizations. Further research examining the longevity of impact of international experiences on early childhood educator cultural competence in the classroom is suggested

Arnold Transformations as Applied to Data Encryption

As our world becomes increasingly digital, data security becomes key. Data must be encrypted such that it can be easily encrypted only by the intended recipient. Arnold Transformations are a useful tool in this because of its unpredictable periodicity. Our goal is to outline a method for choosing an Arnold Transformation that is both secure and easy to implement. We find the necessary and sufficient condition that a key matrix has periodicity. The chosen key matrix has a random structure, and it has a periodicity that is sufficiently high. We apply this method to several image and data string examples to evaluate its effectiveness

Ponderosa Pine Responses to Biochar, Fertilizer, or Mastication on the Bitterroot National Forest, USA

Management and restoration practices in even-age ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Lawson & C. Lawson) stands in the Intermountain West can be improved by developing a more thorough understanding of the effects of soil amendment treatments on tree growth and soil properties. Biochar is a charcoal- soil amendment that is created by burning woody biomass in an environment with limited oxygen through a process known as pyrolysis. Biochar has been recommended as a soil amendment for a number of reasons; including increased water and nutrient retention, and building soil aggregates. However, the effects of biochar on temperate forest soils and ponderosa pine growth, both alone and in conjunction with applying fertilizer and retaining masticated woody biomass , are not well studied. The purpose of this study is to explore tree growth and soil physio-chemical effects of biochar, fertilizer, and masticated wood as soil amendments surface applied to mature ponderosa pine trees in western Montana, USA, and discuss the implications of these amendments as practical methods in the western United States. We found that masticated wood had significant effects on 2-year change in DBH and basal area. High-rate biochar amendments improved carbon pools and at 10-20 cm compared to the control. The high-rate biochar and high-rate biochar with fertilizer treatment increased forest floor pH compared to the masticated wood treatment, and the high-rate biochar treatment increased Ca at the 10-20 cm soil depth compared to the fertilizer treatment. The masticated wood treatment increased organic matter compared to fertilizer at the 10-20 cm soil depth. The low-rate biochar treatment increased Mg at the 0-10 cm soil depth compared to the fertilizer treatment. High-rate biochar improved soil moisture by 57%. Resilience to drought is a topic of increasing concern and research, which necessitates the need for techniques that can evaluate fine-scale growth periods in water limiting environments and shed light on how these periods are altered by restoration treatments. Considering the variety of dendrometer tools, finding the correct one can be a challenge. Automated (electronic) and mechanical (non-electronic) varieties exist, but mechanical dendrometers are expensive and often times more complex and/or precise than the nature of the study necessitates. The Hook and Screw point dendrometer developed by Reineke (1932) and circumferential dendrometers such as Vernier bands and logger tapes are low-cost and practical mechanical alternatives to automated dendrometers. However, limited information exists on the methodological and practical differences among these types. We compared these three dendrometers by measuring intra-seasonal growth of 40 ponderosa pines by collecting diameter measurements on 14 occasions between May 13, and August 3, 2016. We found the Vernier band and the Hook and Screw dendrometer to be comparable in accuracy, closely followed by the Logger tape. The Logger tape is the least expensive option of the three, and Vernier bands are the most expensive. The Hook and Screw is the most time-consuming method. The nature of the project will greatly influence the selection of dendrometer type. Therefore, pros and cons of each option should be weighed against one another to determine the most appropriate choice of tool

Stabilize Chaotic Flows in a Coupled Triple-Loop Thermosyphon System

This study addresses the control of chaotic dynamic systems represented by three coupled Lorenz systems. In application, Lorenz systems are commonly used to describe the one-dimensional motion of fluids in a tube when heated below and cooled above. This system, in particular, reflects the fluid motion in a coupled triple-loop thermosyphon system. The goal is to derive a system of nonlinear differential equations to help us study various flow patterns governed by such a high-dimensional nonlinear model numerically. Once the driving parameter (Rayleigh number) values are identified corresponding to the chaotic regime, a minimal number of proportional controllers are designed that only depend on the measurable states, which serve as perturbations to the system, so that the system trajectories are stabilized at its equilibrium point even though the Rayleigh numbers are significantly large. The stability property of the control system is then investigated over a large range of the parameter values through simulations. Furthermore, the stability bounds on the controller gains obtained via the Lyapunov Stability Theorem are tested for its feasibility in practice

The effect of lead on Renal cell carcinoma progression

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence has been steadily increasing over the past few decades, and has become the ninth most common cancer in the United States. It has the highest mortality rate of the genitourinary cancers, with prognosis being heavily reliant on the state of metastasis upon diagnosis. Survival percentage drops drastically with each stage of metastasis, making understanding the mechanisms by which RCC metastasizes vitally important. Previous work in our lab has shown that lead reduces E-cadherin expression and cell-cell aggregation in Renca cells in vitro. The goal of this current research was to investigate how direct and systemic exposure to lead caused Renca cells to change in vivo. Cells that had been previously exposed to lead in vitro were implanted subcutaneously in Balb/c mice and allowed to grow into tumors. Male mice in this condition had significantly larger tumors than controls, and had significant reductions in E-cadherin and beta catenin expression. To investigate systemic exposure, mice were given 30 ppm lead (II) acetate in their drinking water for 20 weeks prior to Renca cell implantation, and then tumors were allowed to seed and grow for 3 weeks. Male mice in this condition also had significantly larger tumors compared to controls, however significant loss of protein expression was not seen. In both direct and systemic exposures, female mice did not exhibit significant differences between lead and control conditions. The results of this research suggest that while lead has a pro-tumorigenic effect when exposed directly to Renca cells, a low dose of lead systemically does not by itself reduce expression of key proteins. Metabolic handling of lead and differences in hormonal landscapes are likely the differentiating factor between male and female mice that contributed to lead-related tumor growth in males but not females.Includes bibliographical references

Going Home: Mike Kelley, Mobile Rhetoric, and Detroit

Examining the institutional narratives produced in response to the late artist Mike Kelley’s 'Mobile Homestead 'reveals an acute tension between the process of 'going public' and the production of meaning in this autobiographical, site-specific performance. Kelley’s career-defining works were built upon a foundation of 'expected misunderstanding 'from the public, in which Kelley manipulated public response by actively anticipating and absorbing misperception. 'Mobile Homestead', Kelley’s final, unfinished work, represents a departure from this pattern, to the extent that he refused to absorb misperception within his master narrative about the project. Kelley, as 'master provocateur', adept at playing multiple roles over the course of his career, frequently masking a complex set of meanings behind a translucent veil of black humor, with 'Mobile Homestead 'positioned himself as transparently antagonistic to 'the institutions of the art world and community services', claiming that the failure of the project as public art constituted success as a model of his own belief that 'public art is always doomed to failure'. 'Mobile Homestead 'was, Kelley claimed, an exercise in 'bad faith' and, accordingly, represents the darkest version of Kelley’s 'negative aesthetic'

Stop wasting food and money by safely storing leftovers

Medical and dietetic students often co-author a column for the Daily Reflector under Dr. Kolasa's byline. The students research the topic a reader or patient has asked. Dr. Kolasa reviews their draft for technical accuracy, patient-friendly language, people-first language. She fact checks the study or other evidence-based reference the student provides. If a physician review is appropriate, Dr. Kolasa requests a colleague from ECU physicians to review the article. The final draft is submitted to the Reflector with the editor having the final say. The headline is written by the Reflector headline writer. The food and nutrition column has run weekly since 1987. Starting in 2020, in addition to the Daily Reflector, the article is published in daily and weekly papers owned by the Adams Publishing Group East (https://adamspg.com)This is a weekly Q and A newspaper column under the byline of Dr. Kathy Kolasa. Today's column is about how to make good use of leftovers without getting food poisoning.Non

Project ACCCES: A Collaboration to develop Capacity for Community-Engaged research in Springfield

Background: Residents of Springfield, Massachusetts experience disproportionately poorer health compared to the rest of the state. Springfield\u27s community of color population (39.5% Hispanic/Latino; 21.6% Black; 2% Asian) experiences high rates of poverty, unemployment, and low educational attainment leading to large health disparities. Objective: The overall objective of the PCORI-funded Project ACCCES is to develop capacity to conduct community engaged research (CEnR) in Springfield that is based on patient and community needs, can be more easily translated, and improves community health. This engagement framework will be applied to development of patient-centered comparative effectiveness research proposals. Methods: In the project\u27s first phase, we conducted focus groups with patients, community organization leaders, and physicians to better understand the most pressing health needs of the community, past research experiences, and important considerations for building community-academic partnerships. We then convened a multi-stakeholder Advisory Board to inform all Project ACCCES activities. In the second phase, we developed and implemented two half-day workshops to give participants the knowledge and tools to conduct CEnR and to begin to build community-academic partnerships in the areas of perinatal/maternal-child health, mental health/substance use, chronic disease/nutrition, and respiratory health. The third phase is currently underway and is focused on convening research partnership action groups that will seek to address Springfield residents\u27 health needs through culturally appropriate interventions. The final phases will entail dissemination of both the process used to develop new collaborations to conduct CEnR in an underserved community and the workshop template, and development of structures to foster sustainability of partnerships