THE EFFECTS OF A STRENGTHS BASED FACULTY COACHING INTERVENTION ON FIRST-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ACADEMIC CONFIDENCE: A MIXED METHODS ACTION RESEARCH STUDY

Deficiency remediation models of education imply that students may enter the university with deficiencies, problems, or needs that imply the student needs to be “fixed” before they can proceed in their academic studies. In contrast, strengths-based education models infer that students come to the university with inherent talents, natural propensities, and behaviors that can be leveraged to overcome their challenges. These differing perspectives can influence the effectiveness of university policies designed to improve student retention. This mixed methods action research study, undergirded by student development theories, examined the effects of a strengths-based, faculty-led coaching intervention on first-year undergraduate students’ academic confidence. The results of the intervention showed an increase in first-year student strengths awareness and understanding, along with increased confidence in applying and building their personal strengths. The participants all agreed that the different elements of the workshop (e.g., the facilitator, their peers, the workshop activities) increased their academic confidence. Implications of the study are that students desire small group interactive workshops that encourage them to learn of themselves by developing strategies to become aware, understand, build, and apply their strengths towards academic gains

Markers of Collective Identity in Loyalist and Acadian Speeches of the 1880s: A Comparative Analysis

This article presents the results of a research project comparing the speeches and sermons of Acadians and descendants of the Saint John Loyalists in the 1880s. At this pivotal moment in New Brunswick history, Loyalist descendants were celebrating a century of survival and progress while Acadians were regrouping after a century of silence. Each group sought to assert its place in a rapidly evolving society. Since neither group could claim for itself a specific geographic territory or a centralized government, a collective identity could be shaped only through the recognition of common values, a shared past, and a collective future. Using text analysis software programs Hyperbase and Sphinx, we explore the lexical worlds by which Loyalist descendants and Acadians expressed their collective identities, and we compare the specific traits and discursive strategies in each of these groups.RésuméCet article présente les résultats d’un projet de recherche qui avait pour objectif de comparer les sermons et discours des Acadiens et des descendants des Loyalistes de Saint-Jean (N.-B.) pendant les années 1880. Il s’agit d’un moment déterminant dans l’histoire des deux peuples; les descendants des Loyalistes commémoraient leur arrivée à Saint-Jean en 1783 et les Acadiens mettaient fin à cent ans de silence collectif par les Conventions nationales acadiennes (1881, 1884 et 1890). Chaque groupe tentait de se forger une place au sein d’une société en évolution en cette fin de siècle. Cependant, puisque ces groupes sociaux ne pouvaient rattacher leur identité à un territoire officiel ou un gouvernement centralisé, leur identité collective reposait fondamentalement sur la reconnaissance de valeurs communes, d’un passé partagé et d’un avenir collectif. Par les logiciels d’analyse de données textuelles Sphinx et Hyperbase, nous explorons les mondes lexicaux par lesquels les descendants de Loyalistes et les Acadiens exprimaient leur identité collective et nous comparons les traits et les stratégies discursives spécifiques à chaque groupe.Cet article présente les résultats d’un projet de recherche qui avait pour objectif de comparer les sermons et discours des Acadiens et des descendants des Loyalistes de Saint-Jean (N.-B.) pendant les années 1880. Il s’agit d’un moment déterminant dans l’histoire des deux peuples; les descendants des Loyalistes commémoraient leur arrivée à Saint-Jean en 1783 et les Acadiens mettaient fin à cent ans de silence collectif par les Conventions nationales acadiennes (1881, 1884 et 1890). Chaque groupe tentait de se forger une place au sein d’une société en évolution en cette fin de siècle. Cependant, puisque ces groupes sociaux ne pouvaient rattacher leur identité à un territoire officiel ou un gouvernement centralisé, leur identité collective reposait fondamentalement sur la reconnaissance de valeurs communes, d’un passé partagé et d’un avenir collectif. Par les logiciels d’analyse de données textuelles Sphinx et Hyperbase, nous explorons les mondes lexicaux par lesquels les descendants de Loyalistes et les Acadiens exprimaient leur identité collective et nous comparons les traits et les stratégies discursives spécifiques à chaque groupe

The temporal evolution of plate driving forces: Importance of “slab suction” versus “slab pull” during the Cenozoic

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95131/1/jgrb14092.pd

Pacific plate-motion change at the time of the Hawaiian-Emperor bend constrains the viscosity of Earth's asthenosphere

Important constraints on asthenospheric viscosity come primarily from modeling the glacial rebound of the past 20 kyr, but remain somewhat loose because of the intrinsic resolving power of these models. We obtain narrower bounds by building on the notio

Hemojuvelin-Neogenin Interaction Is Required for Bone Morphogenic Protein-4-induced Hepcidin Expression

Hemojuvelin (HJV) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked protein and binds both bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) and neogenin. Cellular HJV acts as a BMP co-receptor to enhance the transcription of hepcidin, a key iron regulatory hormone secreted predominantly by liver hepatocytes. In this study we characterized the role of neogenin in HJV-regulated hepcidin expression. Both HJV and neogenin were expressed in liver hepatocytes. Knockdown of neogenin decreased BMP4-induced hepcidin mRNA levels by 16-fold in HJV-expressing HepG2 cells but only by about 2-fold in cells transfected with either empty vector or G99V mutant HJV that does not bind BMPs. Further studies indicated that disruption of the HJV-neogenin interaction is responsible for a marked suppression of hepcidin expression. Moreover, in vivo studies showed that hepatic hepcidin mRNA could be significantly suppressed by blocking the interaction of HJV with full-length neogenin with a soluble fragment of neogenin in mice. Together, these results suggest that the HJV-neogenin interaction is required for the BMP-mediated induction of hepcidin expression when HJV is expressed. Combined with our previous studies, our results support that hepatic neogenin possesses two functions, mediation of cellular HJV release, and stimulation of HJV-enhanced hepcidin expression

Prevalence and Predictors of Vitamin D Insufficiency in Children: A Great Britain Population Based Study

Objectives To evaluate the prevalence and predictors of vitamin D insufficiency (VDI) in children In Great Britain. Design A nationally representative cross-sectional study survey of children (1102) aged 4–18 years (999 white, 570 male) living in private households (January 1997–1998). Interventions provided information about dietary habits, physical activity, socio-demographics, and blood sample. Outcome measures were vitamin D insufficiency (<50 nmol/L). Results Vitamin D levels (mean = 62.1 nmol/L, 95%CI 60.4–63.7) were insufficient in 35%, and decreased with age in both sexes (p<0.001). Young People living between 53–59 degrees latitude had lower levels (compared with 50–53 degrees, p = 0.045). Dietary intake and gender had no effect on vitamin D status. A logistic regression model showed increased risk of VDI in the following: adolescents (14–18 years old), odds ratio (OR) = 3.6 (95%CI 1.8–7.2) compared with younger children (4–8 years); non white children (OR = 37 [95%CI 15–90]); blood levels taken December-May (OR = 6.5 [95%CI 4.3–10.1]); on income support (OR = 2.2 [95%CI 1.3–3.9]); not taking vitamin D supplementation (OR = 3.7 [95%CI 1.4–9.8]); being overweight (OR 1.6 [95%CI 1.0–2.5]); <1/2 hour outdoor exercise/day/week (OR = 1.5 [95%CI 1.0–2.3]); watched >2.5 hours of TV/day/week (OR = 1.6[95%CI 1.0–2.4]). Conclusion We confirm a previously under-recognised risk of VDI in adolescents. The marked higher risk for VDI in non-white children suggests they should be targeted in any preventative strategies. The association of higher risk of VDI among children who exercised less outdoors, watched more TV and were overweight highlights potentially modifiable risk factors. Clearer guidelines and an increased awareness especially in adolescents are needed, as there are no recommendations for vitamin D supplementation in older children

Functional polymorphism in ABCA1 influences age of symptom onset in coronary artery disease patients

ATP-binding-cassette-transporter-A1 (ABCA1) plays a pivotal role in intracellular cholesterol removal, exerting a protective effect against atherosclerosis. ABCA1 gene severe mutations underlie Tangier disease, a rare Mendelian disorder that can lead to premature coronary artery disease (CAD), with age of CAD onset being two decades earlier in mutant homozygotes and one decade earlier in heterozygotes than in mutation non-carriers. It is unknown whether common polymorphisms in ABCA1 could influence age of symptom onset of CAD in the general population. We examined common promoter and non-synonymous coding polymorphisms in relation to age of symptom onset in a group of CAD patients (n = 1164), and also carried out in vitro assays to test effects of the promoter variations on ABCA1 promoter transcriptional activity and effects of the coding variations on ABCA1 function in mediating cellular cholesterol efflux. Age of symptom onset was found to be associated with the promoter − 407G > C polymorphism, being 2.82 years higher in C allele homozygotes than in G allele homozygotes and intermediate in heterozygotes (61.54, 59.79 and 58.72 years, respectively; P = 0.002). In agreement, patients carrying ABCA1 haplotypes containing the −407C allele had higher age of symptom onset. Patients of the G/G or G/C genotype of the −407G > C polymorphism had significant coronary artery stenosis (>75%) at a younger age than those of the C/C genotype (P = 0.003). Reporter gene assays showed that ABCA1 haplotypes bearing the −407C allele had higher promoter activity than haplotypes with the −407G allele. Functional analyses of the coding polymorphisms showed an effect of the V825I substitution on ABCA1 function, with the 825I variant having higher activity in mediating cholesterol efflux than the wild-type (825V). A trend towards higher symptom onset age in 825I allele carriers was observed. The data indicate an influence of common ABCA1 functional polymorphisms on age of symptom onset in CAD patient

Evaluating the Sharing Stories youth theatre program: An interactive theatre and drama-based strategy for sexual health promotion among multicultural youth

Issue addressed: Rates of sexually transmissible infections among young people are high, and there is a need for innovative, youth-focused sexual health promotion programs. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Sharing Stories youth theatre program, which uses interactive theatre and drama-based strategies to engage and educate multicultural youth on sexual health issues. The effectiveness of using drama-based evaluation methods is also discussed. Methods: The youth theatre program participants were 18 multicultural youth from South East Asian, African and Middle Eastern backgrounds aged between 14 and 21 years. Four sexual health drama scenarios and a sexual health questionnaire were used to measure changes in knowledge and attitudes. Results: Participants reported being confident talking to and supporting their friends with regards to safe sex messages, improved their sexual health knowledge and demonstrated a positive shift in their attitudes towards sexual health. Drama-based evaluation methods were effective in engaging multicultural youth and worked well across the cultures and age groups. Conclusions: Theatre and drama-based sexual health promotion strategies are an effective method for up-skilling young people from multicultural backgrounds to be peer educators and good communicators of sexual health information. Drama-based evaluation methods are engaging for young people and an effective way of collecting data from culturally diverse youth. So what?: This study recommends incorporating interactive and arts-based strategies into sexual health promotion programs for multicultural youth. It also provides guidance for health promotion practitioners evaluating an arts-based health promotion program using arts-based data collection methods

The World Rugby and International Rugby Players Contact Load Guidelines: From conception to implementation and the future

Managing training load in rugby union is crucial for optimising performance and injury prevention. Contact training warrants attention because of higher overall injury and head impact risk, yet players must develop physical, technical, and mental skills to withstand the demands of the game. To help coaches manage contact loads in professional rugby, World Rugby and International Rugby Players convened an expert working group. They conducted a global survey with players to develop contact load guidelines. This commentary aims to describe the contact load guidelines and their implementation, and identify areas where future work is needed to support their evolution.