394 research outputs found
District Leadership Practices that Foster Equity: Fostering an Ecology of Belonging
Thesis advisor: Vincent ChoIn todayâs educational landscape many school environments alienate students as they often are not responsive to their cultural and linguistic needs. Culturally Responsive School Leadership (CRSL) is a high leverage strategy that helps meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students by guiding school leaders towards fostering a climate of belonging. While much of the CRSL literature centers around building-level leadership, a gap exists in better understanding district leader efforts to foster a climate of belonging. As part of a larger qualitative study of district leadership practices that foster equity, the purpose of this individual case study was to explore how district leaders in a large Northeast school district foster a climate of belonging. Interview data from ten district leaders as well as an examination of public and local documents provided data for analysis using CRSL as a conceptual framework. Findings indicate that while the district was engaging in some individual CRSL practices by working to promote culturally responsive school environments and engaging students, parents, and local contexts, a systematic and strategic approach to fostering a climate of belonging was absent. Recommendations include developing a district-level, deliberate approach to fostering a climate of belonging, conducting a detailed equity audit, and instituting a comprehensive CRSL professional development plan for building-level leaders. Keywords: Leadership, Equity, Culturally Responsive School Leadership, Climate of BelongingThesis (EdD) â Boston College, 2020.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education
The Association Between the Long-Term Change in Directly Measured Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Mortality Risk
Introduction: There is a strong inverse association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and mortality outcomes. This relationship has predominantly been assessed cross-sectionally, however low CRF is a modifiable risk factor, thus assessing this association using a single baseline measure may be sub-optimal. Purpose: To examine the association of the long-term change in CRF, measured using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) with all-cause and disease-specific mortality.
Methods: Participants included 833 apparently healthy men and women (42.9±10.8 years) who underwent two maximal CPXs, the second CPX being â„ 1 year following the baseline assessment. Participants were followed for 17.7 ± 11.8 years for allcause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality. Cox-proportional hazard models were performed to determine the association between the change in CRF, computed as visit 1 (V1) peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak (ml·kg-1·min-1)) â visit 2 (V2) VO2peak, and mortality outcomes.
Results: During follow-up, 172 participants died. Overall, the change in CPX-derived CRF was inversely related to all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality (p\u3c0.05). Each 1 ml·kg-1·min-1 increase was associated with a 10.8, 14.7, and 15.9% reductions in allcause, CVD, and cancer mortality, respectively. The inverse relationship between CRF and all-cause mortality remained significant (p\u3c0.05) when men and women were examined independently, after adjusting for years since first CPX, baseline VO2peak, and age.
Conclusion: Long-term changes in CRF were inversely related to mortality outcomes, and mortality was better predicted by CRF measured at subsequent examination than baseline CRF. These findings support the recent American Heart Association scientific statement advocating CRF as a clinical vital sign that should be assessed routinely in clinical practice, as well as support regular participation in physical activity to maintain adequate CRF levels across the lifespan
The Association between the Change in Directly Measured Cardiorespiratory Fitness across Time and Mortality Risk
Background: The relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and mortality risk has typically been assessed using a single measurement, though some evidence suggests the change in CRF over time influences risk. This evidence is predominantly based on studies using estimated CRF (CRFe). The strength of this relationship using change in directly measured CRF over time in apparently healthy men and women is not well understood.
Purpose: To examine the association of change in CRF over time, measured using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX), with all-cause and disease-specific mortality and to compare baseline and subsequent CRF measurements as predictors of all-cause mortality.
Methods: Participants included 833 apparently healthy men and women (42.9âŻÂ±âŻ10.8âŻyears) who underwent two maximal CPXs, the second CPX being â„1âŻyear following the baseline assessment (mean 8.6âŻyears, range 1.0 to 40.3âŻyears). Participants were followed for up to 17.7 (SD 11.8)âŻyears for all-cause-, cardiovascular disease- (CVD), and cancer mortality. Cox-proportional hazard models were performed to determine the association between the change in CRF, computed as visit 1 (CPX1) peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak [mL·kgâ1·minâ1]) â visit 2 (CPX2) VO2peak, and mortality outcomes. A Wald-Chi square test of equality was used to compare the strength of CPX1 to CPX2 VO2peak in predicting mortality.
Results: During follow-up, 172 participants died. Overall, the change in CPX-CRF was inversely related to all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality (pâŻ\u3câŻ0.05). Each 1âŻmL·kgâ1·minâ1 increase was associated with a ~11, 15, and 16% (all pâŻ\u3câŻ0.001) reduction in all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality, respectively. The inverse relationship between CRF and all-cause mortality was significant (pâŻ\u3câŻ0.05) when men and women were examined independently, after adjusting for years since first CPX, baseline VO2peak, and age. Further, the Wald Chi-square test of equality found CPX2 VO2peak to be a significantly stronger predictor of all-cause mortality than CPX1 VO2peak (pâŻ\u3câŻ0.05).
Conclusion: The change in CRF over time was inversely related to mortality outcomes, and mortality was better predicted by CRF measured at subsequent test than CPX1 CRF. These findings emphasize the importance of adopting lifestyle behaviors that promote CRF, as well as support the need for routine assessment of CRF in clinical practice to better assess risk
Locating Boosted Kerr and Schwarzschild Apparent Horizons
We describe a finite-difference method for locating apparent horizons and
illustrate its capabilities on boosted Kerr and Schwarzschild black holes. Our
model spacetime is given by the Kerr-Schild metric. We apply a Lorentz boost to
this spacetime metric and then carry out a 3+1 decomposition. The result is a
slicing of Kerr/Schwarzschild in which the black hole is propagated and Lorentz
contracted. We show that our method can locate distorted apparent horizons
efficiently and accurately.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review D. 12 pages and 22 figure
Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Mortality in Healthy Men and Women
Background There is a well-established inverse relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and mortality. However, this relationship has almost exclusively been studied using estimated CRF. Objectives This study aimed to assess the association of directly measured CRF, obtained using cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) testing with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality in apparently healthy men and women. Methods Participants included 4,137 self-referred apparently healthy adults (2,326 men, 1,811 women; mean age: 42.8 ± 12.2 years) who underwent CPX testing to determine baseline CRF. Participants were followed for 24.2 ± 11.7 years (1.1 to 49.3 years) for mortality. Cox-proportional hazard models were performed to determine the relationship of CRF (ml·kg-1·min-1) and CRF level (low, moderate, and high) with mortality outcomes. Results During follow-up, 727 participants died (524 men, 203 women). CPX-derived CRF was inversely related to all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality. Low CRF was associated with higher risk for all-cause (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20 to 3.50), CVD (HR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.20 to 3.49), and cancer (HR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.18 to 3.36) mortality compared with high CRF. Further, each metabolic equivalent increment increase in CRF was associated with a 11.6%, 16.1%, and 14.0% reductions in all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality, respectively. Conclusions Given the prognostic ability of CPX-derived CRF for all-cause and disease-specific mortality outcomes, its use should be highly considered for apparently healthy populations as it may help to improve the efficacy of the individualized patient risk assessment and guide clinical decisions
Thermodynamics of the superfluid dilute Bose gas with disorder
We generalize the Beliaev-Popov diagrammatic technique for the problem of
interacting dilute Bose gas with weak disorder. Averaging over disorder is
implemented by the replica method. Low energy asymptotic form of the Green
function confirms that the low energy excitations of the superfluid dirty Boson
system are sound waves with velocity renormalized by the disorder and
additional dissipation due to the impurity scattering. We find the
thermodynamic potential and the superfluid density at any temperature below the
superfluid transition temperature and derive the phase diagram in temperature
vs. disorder plane.Comment: 4 page
The Influence of Change in Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Short-Term Exercise Training on Mortality Risk From The Ball State Adult Fitness Longitudinal Lifestyle Study
Objective To assess the influence of changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) after exercise training on mortality risk in a cohort of self-referred, apparently healthy adults.
Patients and Methods A total of 683 participants (404 men, 279 women; mean age: 42.7±11.0 y) underwent two maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPX) between March 20, 1970, and December 11, 2012, to assess CRF at baseline (CPX1) and post-exercise training (CPX2). Participants were followed for an average of 29.8±10.7 years after their CPX2. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to determine the relationship of CRF change with mortality, with change in CRF as a continuous variable, as well as a categorical variable. A Wald chi-square test was used to compare the coefficients estimating the relationship of peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) at CPX1 with VO2peak measured at CPX2 with time until death for all-cause mortality.
Results During the follow-up period there were 180 deaths. When assessed independently, there were 20% (95% CI, 10â49%) and 38% (95% CI, 7â66%) lower mortality risks per 1 metabolic equivalent improvement in CRF (P\u3c.01) in men and women, respectively, after multivariable adjustment. Those that remained unfit had âŒ2-fold higher risk for all-cause mortality compared with those that remained fit and CRF at CPX2 was a stronger predictor of all-cause mortality than at CPX1 (P=.02).
Conclusion Improving CRF through exercise training lowers mortality risk. Clinicians should encourage individuals to participate in exercise training to improve CRF to lower risk of mortality
The Association between the Change in Directly Measured Cardiorespiratory Fitness across Time and Mortality Risk
Background
The relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and mortality risk has typically been assessed using a single measurement, though some evidence suggests the change in CRF over time influences risk. This evidence is predominantly based on studies using estimated CRF (CRFe). The strength of this relationship using change in directly measured CRF over time in apparently healthy men and women is not well understood.
Purpose
To examine the association of change in CRF over time, measured using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX), with all-cause and disease-specific mortality and to compare baseline and subsequent CRF measurements as predictors of all-cause mortality.
Methods
Participants included 833 apparently healthy men and women (42.9âŻÂ±âŻ10.8âŻyears) who underwent two maximal CPXs, the second CPX being â„1âŻyear following the baseline assessment (mean 8.6âŻyears, range 1.0 to 40.3âŻyears). Participants were followed for up to 17.7 (SD 11.8)âŻyears for all-cause-, cardiovascular disease- (CVD), and cancer mortality. Cox-proportional hazard models were performed to determine the association between the change in CRF, computed as visit 1 (CPX1) peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak [mL·kgâ1·minâ1]) â visit 2 (CPX2) VO2peak, and mortality outcomes. A Wald-Chi square test of equality was used to compare the strength of CPX1 to CPX2 VO2peak in predicting mortality.
Results
During follow-up, 172 participants died. Overall, the change in CPX-CRF was inversely related to all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality (pâŻ<âŻ0.05). Each 1âŻmL·kgâ1·minâ1 increase was associated with a ~11, 15, and 16% (all pâŻ<âŻ0.001) reduction in all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality, respectively. The inverse relationship between CRF and all-cause mortality was significant (pâŻ<âŻ0.05) when men and women were examined independently, after adjusting for years since first CPX, baseline VO2peak, and age. Further, the Wald Chi-square test of equality found CPX2 VO2peak to be a significantly stronger predictor of all-cause mortality than CPX1 VO2peak (pâŻ<âŻ0.05).
Conclusion
The change in CRF over time was inversely related to mortality outcomes, and mortality was better predicted by CRF measured at subsequent test than CPX1 CRF. These findings emphasize the importance of adopting lifestyle behaviors that promote CRF, as well as support the need for routine assessment of CRF in clinical practice to better assess risk
Wellness and Multiple Sclerosis: The National MS Society Establishes a Wellness Research Working Group and Research Priorities
Background:
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have identified âwellnessâ and associated behaviors as a high priority based on âsocial media listeningâ undertaken by the National MS Society (i.e. the Society). Objective:
The Society recently convened a group that consisted of researchers with experience in MS and wellness-related research, Society staff members, and an individual with MS for developing recommendations regarding a wellness research agenda. Method:
The members of the group engaged in focal reviews and discussions involving the state of science within three approaches for promoting wellness in MS, namely diet, exercise, and emotional wellness. Results:
That process informed a group-mediated activity for developing and prioritizing research goals for wellness in MS. This served as a background for articulating the mission and objectives of the Societyâs Wellness Research Working Group. Conclusion:
The primary mission of the Wellness Research Working Group is the provision of scientific evidence supporting the application of lifestyle, behavioral, and psychosocial approaches for promoting optimal health of mind, body, and spirit (i.e. wellness) in people with MS as well as managing the disease and its consequences
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