The Effect of Public and Private Schooling on Anti-Semitism

Most major American Jewish organizations oppose voucher and other school choice programs based in part on the fear that private, mostly religious, schools do not check the development of anti-Semitism as well as do government-operated public schools. To examine whether private and public schools differ in their effect on the emergence of anti-Semitic attitudes in adults later in life, we conducted a large survey of a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States. Subjects were asked to provide details on the type of school they attended each year between 1st and 12th grade, including whether the school was public or private, religious or secular, and whether it was affiliated with a particular religious institution. We also adapted a series of measures used by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to gauge people’s anti-Semitism. We find that the more people attended private school when they were younger, the more favorable their attitudes toward Jews. This finding holds even after controlling for a variety of background characteristics, including age, gender, race, childhood family religion, childhood economic circumstances, mother and father’s education, being raised by two parents, and being born in the United States. The reduction in anti-Semitism associated with private schooling is roughly as large as that produced by having parents who are college educated rather than high school dropouts. The benefit of attending private school on reducing anti-Semitism is concentrated among religiously affiliated private schools. Secular private schools are similar to secular public schools in the level of anti-Semitism among their former students. We therefore have some reason to believe that religious, mostly Christian, institutions are playing an important role in restraining anti-Semitism. The overall picture on American anti-Semitism is more worrisome than earlier research by the ADL suggests. The ADL measure of anti-Semitism asks respondents to agree or disagree with a series of 11 anti-Semitic statements. But the ADL survey failed to offer subjects neutral response options, like “don’t know” or “no opinion.” In our study, we added those options and discovered that between one-third and one-half of the subjects switched to a neutral answer. A large portion of people who the ADL would have coded as not anti-Semitic are in fact ignorant or indifferent when confronted with anti-Semitic stereotypes. Although the level of anti-Semitism uncovered in our survey remains relatively low, the situation is more concerning than earlier research would lead us to believe. If we wish to reduce anti-Semitism, major Jewish organizations may wish to reconsider their historic opposition to vouchers and other private school choice programs. Rather than posing a threat, private, especially religious, schools appear to help restrict the development of anti-Semitism

The RunSmart Training Program: Effect on Oxygen Consumption and Lower Extremity Biomechanics During Running

As recreational running continues to gain popularity, more individuals are seeking ways to improve running performance. RunSmart is a running intervention program designed to enhance a runner’s form. In addition to correcting flaws in a runner’s form, RunSmart offers the opportunity for runners to continue a regular regimen while slowly integrating changes in form. The purpose of this case series was twofold: to determine if the RunSmart program coincides with improvements in oxygen consumption (VO2), a variable often associated with better running performance times, and to evaluate the RunSmart program in regard to enhancing gait biomechanics. Five recreational runners volunteered to participate in this program. Subjects initially reported to the clinic for an initial submaximal VO2 treadmill test and lower extremity biomechanical analysis. After the initial testing session, each subject attended one session of one-on-one individualized RunSmart instruction per week for 6 weeks. At the first RunSmart session, subjects received a biomechanical analysis to determine their foot strike pattern and areas of muscular weakness and range of motion limitations. Throughout the 6-week run-ning program, participants ran 5 days every week for predetermined times each day; 2 runs every week were designated as interval training runs. Subjects then underwent a follow-up submaximal VO2 treadmill test and lower extremity biomechanical analysis at the end of 6 weeks. Descriptive statistics were used to assess data pertaining to VO2 and biomechanical analysis and compare initial and follow-up testing sessions. Following completion of the RunSmart program, subjects demonstrated improvements in VO2 and also improved several biomechanical factors related to the lower extremity running gait. Based on the results from this case series, the RunSmart training program may have the potential to change a runner’s form and improve VO2, thus resulting in improved distance running times. However, this is speculation given the nonexperimental nature of this case series. Future research on this topic should include a greater number of participants in randomized controlled trials on injury prevention and running efficiency

Comprehending non-literal language: effects of aging and bilingualism

A pressing issue that the 21st century is facing in many parts of the developed world is a rapidly aging population. Whilst several studies have looked at aging older adults and their language use in terms of vocabulary, syntax and sentence comprehension, few have focused on the comprehension of non-literal language (i.e. pragmatic inference-making) by aging older adults, and even fewer, if any, have explored the effects of bilingualism on pragmatic inferences of non-literal language by aging older bilinguals. Thus, the present study examined the effects of age(ing) and the effects of bilingualism on aging older adults’ ability to infer non-literal meaning. Four groups of participants made up of monolingual English-speaking and bilingual English-Tamil speaking young (17–23 years) and older (60– 83 years) adults were tested with pragmatic tasks that included non-conventional indirect requests, conversational implicatures, conventional metaphors and novel metaphors for both accuracy and efficiency in terms of response times. While the study did not find any significant difference between monolinguals and bilinguals on pragmatic inferences, there was a significant effect of age on one type of non-literal language tested: conventional metaphors. The effect of age was present only for the monolinguals with aging older monolinguals performing less well than the young monolinguals. Aging older bilingual adults were not affected by age whilst processing conventional metaphors. This suggests a bilingual advantage in pragmatic inferences of conventional metaphors

The Use of a Direction Tolerance System for Patients with Low Back Pain: Intra-Rater Reliability and Outcome

Background and Purpose: In recent years, the approach to treating patients with low back pain (LBP) has evolved to establishing patient diagnosis based upon common clinical characteristics. Several classification systems exist in the current literature; however, the current systems lack examination of tolerance to movement exclusively in the standing position. The Direction Tolerance System (DTS) provides the clinician an examination and treatment tool that observes patient movement through all planes of motion in standing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intra-rater reliability of the DTS assessment in patients with LBP, investigate patient success outcomes using the DTS treatment protocol, and determine if an association exists between patient clinical characteristics and outcomes achieved using the DTS. Methods: Five physical therapists (2-26 years of experience) performed the testing and treatment in the study. Sixty subjects, ages 18-80 years (mean = 52 ± 16.0), with LBP were examined and treated using the DTS protocol. The Direction Tolerance Index (DTI), Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ), and Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire - Physical Activity Sub-scale (FABQ-PA) were collected for inclusion criteria and to evaluate outcomes. Findings: Intra-rater ICC was 0.80 (95% Confidence Interval 0.68-0.88) indicating good reliability (p\u3c0.001). Of the 60 subjects that completed the study, 75% achieved a positive outcome with 62% (37/60) classified as success and 13% (8/60) classified as improved. Clinical Relevance: As treatment classification systems become more prominent in clinical use, the DTS may provide clinicians across all levels of experience a reliable tool that requires minimal training and is easy to administer a way to successfully examine and treat patients with LBP. Conclusion: The results of this study preliminarily suggest that the DTS is a reliable and effective tool for the examination and treatment of patients with LBP using functional testing and treatment positions

Bilingualism as a desirable difficulty: Advantages in word learning depend on regulation of the dominant language

Bilingualism imposes costs to language processing but benefits to word learning. We test a new hypothesis that relates costs in language processing at study to benefits in learning at test as desirable difficulties. While previous studies have taught vocabulary via bilinguals' native language (L1), recent evidence suggests that bilinguals acquire regulatory skill in the L1 to coordinate the use of each language. We hypothesized that L1 regulation underlies the observed costs and benefits, with word learning advantages depending on learning via the L1. Four groups learned novel Dutch words via English translations: English monolinguals, and English-Spanish, Spanish-English, and Chinese-English bilinguals. Only English-Spanish bilinguals demonstrated a word learning advantage, but they adopted a costly study strategy compared to monolinguals. The results suggest that bilingual advantages in vocabulary learning depend on learning via the L1 or dominant language because learning via the L1 allows bilinguals to engage regulatory skills that benefit learning

FREQUENT L2 LANGUAGE USE ENHANCES EXECUTIVE CONTROL IN BILINGUALS

Seminal research which indicates that bilingualism leads to enhanced executive control (Bialystok, Craik, Green, & Gollan, 2009; Bialystok, Craik, & Luk, 2012) has recently been challenged (de Bruin, Treccani, & Della Sala, 2014; Hilchey & Klein, 2011; Paap & Greenberg, 2013). We suggest that this discrepancy in findings is attributable to differences between bilinguals. Although the present results showed no significant differences in executive control between the monolinguals and bilinguals, those bilinguals who used their L2 more frequently in their daily lives were significantly more likely to evidence enhanced executive control over those who rarely used their L2

Dietary Practices during Pregnancy in a Marshallese Community: A Mixed Methods Analysis

Dietary practices during pregnancy play a pivotal role in the health of women and their children and set the foundation for long-term health. Marshallese women have disproportionally higher rates of maternal and infant health disparities, yet little is known about the dietary practices during their pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to identify dietary practices during pregnancy among Marshallese women. From March 2019 to March 2020, a purposive sample of 33 pregnant Marshallese participants participated in a mixed methods study. Two primary themes emerged: (1) traditional beliefs about a healthy diet during pregnancy; and (2) dietary change during pregnancy. Within the first theme, four subthemes emerged: (1) should eat; (2) should not eat; (3) challenges to traditional diet; and (4) spiritual dietary customs during pregnancy. Within the second theme, three subthemes emerged: (1) a healthy diet for my baby; (2) autonomy and diet; and (3) sugar-sweetened beverages. The transition in discourse from traditional customs of dietary practices to an individualistic discourse highlights that acculturation is a complex process that should be included in maternal health education and interventions. Findings from this study provide insight into potential considerations for future interventions aiming to improve maternal and child health outcomes among Marshallese

Documenting and characterising gestational weight gain beliefs and experiences among Marshallese pregnant women in Arkansas: a protocol for a longitudinal mixed-methods study

Introduction Arkansas has the largest population of Marshallese Pacific Islanders residing in the continental USA. The Marshallese have higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, pre-term births, low birthweight babies, infant mortality, and inadequate or no prenatal care. Despite the high rates of cardiometabolic and maternal and child health disparities among Marshallese, there are no studies documenting gestational weight gain or perceptions about gestational weight gain among the Marshallese population residing in the USA.Methods and analysis This paper describes the protocol of a mixed-methods concurrent triangulation longitudinal study designed to understand gestational weight gain in Marshallese women. The mixed-methods design collects qualitative and quantitative data during simultaneous data collection events, at both first and third trimester, and then augments that data with postpartum data abstraction. Quantitative and qualitative data will be analysed separately and then synthesised during the interpretation phase.Ethics and dissemination The study used a community engaged approach approved by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Institutional Review Board (#228023). The research team will disseminate results to study participants, research stakeholders (clinics, faith-based organisations and community-based organisation), the broader Marshallese community and fellow researchers. Results will be disseminated to study participants through a one-page summary that show the aggregated research results using plain language and infographics