The Ones Left Behind: MAKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN POVERTY AND THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP

The achievement gap has been a major issue plaguing the education system in the United States for decades. There has been much research conducted with the goal of identifying the reasons for the achievement gap. One of the main reasons for the achievement gap is poverty. In fact, I argue that there is a direct correlation between academic achievement and poverty, in other words school and society are inextricably connected. The focus of this paper will be the elementary school level as there is an abundance of information on elementary schools in New York City. To further demonstrate the fact that there is a link between poverty and the achievement gap, I will discuss two areas of Brooklyn, Brownsville and Park Slope. For both areas I will provide historical overview of the growth and development as it has a lot to do with the current socioeconomic status of the areas and how education developed in the parallel to the ways that the economy did in both areas

Improved Red-emitting Firefly Luciferase Mutant for Biotechnical Applications

Luciferase from the North American firefly Photinus Pyralis catalyzes a highly efficient bioluminescent reaction that produces yellow-green light (557 nm at pH 7.8). This bioluminescence system has been adapted for a variety of applications including gene reporter assays, detection of bacteria and toxins, whole-cell biosensor measurements, and in vivo imaging. A luciferase variant with a red-shifted bioluminescence spectra and high specific activity, two qualities that are challenging to achieve simultaneously, would be especially useful when paired with a green-emitting enzyme in a dual-color reporter assay, or used alone for improved imaging in living animals. Our lab previously reported a red-emitting mutant named Ppy RE, which contained a single mutation at S284T that shifted the emission maximum from the 557 nm to 615 nm at pH 7.8. In a subsequent publication, Ppy RE was enhanced with five mutations to make Ppy RE-TS, which exhibited improved thermostability at 37°C, but at the expense of reducing the red-shift to 610 nm. In this report, we further improve upon Ppy RE-TS with four rational point mutations that red-shift the emission maximum to 617 nm, dramatically increase the enzyme thermostability, and improve the total light emission during 8-second assays. This new enzyme, named PRET7, is characterized and evaluated for performance in E. Coli and HEK293 mammalian cell lines. Compared to a commercially available enzyme called CBR, which has been codon-optimized for expression in mammalian cells, PRET7 produces a stronger signal over 8-second assays in which the least expensive reagents available are used. Aiming to improve the already impressive performance of PRET7, we are currently awaiting results from collaborators who are evaluating a human codon-optimized version of PRET7 in HEK293 cells

Battered Wives and Medical Service: An Exploratory Study of Wife Assault Victims' Experiences in Nova Scotia Health Delivery Settings

This essay examines the experiences of forty-eight wife assault victims within medical settings. Various qualitative features of the doctor-patient encounter were explored by using a closed-ended questionnaire. The survey data revealed that the physician's knowledge of the spousal abuse impacted little on the provision of physical examinations and the rate at which psychoactive drugs were prescribed. This paper postulates that discomfort with the subject of wife abuse, the frequency with which psychoactive drugs were dispensed, and some physicians' failure to inform patients of the side-effects of psychoactive drugs, impact negatively on the quality of care abused women received.Notre étude porte sur les expériences de quarante-huit femmes mariées, toutes victimes d’une agression. Notre lieu de recherche était les cabinets des médecins responsables des soins médicaux. Notre démarche consistait à examiner, grâce à un questionnaire à questions ouvertes, certains des aspects qualitatifs du rapport entre le médecin et sa cliente. Notre sondage a démontré que la connaissance des circonstances influençait très peu le médecin quant à l’offre d’une consultation médicale et à la prescription de drogues psycho-actives. Nous soutenons que la qualité des soins que les femmes battues reçoivent est inversement affectée par le malaise des médecins à l'égard des femmes battues, la fréquence avec laquelle ces drogues sont prescrites, et le fait que les médecins ne préviennent pas toujours leurs clientes des effets indésirables de ces drogues

Low temperature survival of 'Redhaven' peach floral buds on selected rootstocks

A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Graduate School at the University of Missouri In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science.Thesis supervisor: Dr. Michele Warmund.The relative cold tolerance of 'Redhaven' peach floral buds grafted onto various rootstocks was evaluated at selected dates from November 2011 to March 2013. Budwood was collected from trees in coordinated rootstock trials at New Franklin, MO and Clemson, SC for artificial freezing tests in late fall, mid-winter, and early spring. Samples were cooled 3 �C/h, thawed, and 'Redhaven' floral bud T50 values for each rootstock were calculated from the number of dead buds per test temperature. Although winter temperatures were unseasonably warm during this study, 'Redhaven' floral buds varied in cold tolerance among the rootstocks grown in Missouri in February 2012 and March 2013. In February 2012, 'Redhaven' floral buds on trees with KV010-127 and HBOK 32 rootstocks were the most cold tolerant, but in March 2013, those on Guardian rootstock were the hardiest. For South Carolina, 'Redhaven' floral buds on trees with Lovell and Viking rootstocks were the most hardy in January 2012, which was the only sampling date in which T50 values differed among rootstocks. When data were pooled from both locations, mean 'Redhaven' floral bud T50 values were always lower in Missouri than in South Carolina at similar collection periods. Also, buds from trees on Lovell, Guardian, Bright's Hybrid #5, and HBOK 32 rootstocks were hardier than those on Controller 5 and Mirobac rootstocks.Includes bibliographical references (pages 36-42)

More appropriate: additional stories for students who are hearing impaired using the Specialized Program Individualizing Reading Excellence (S.P.I.R.E.) curriculum

S.P.I.R.E., at use at Central Institute for the Deaf, is a comprehensive, multi-sensory systematic reading and language program that targets at risk and struggling students. The purpose of this project was to write additional stories and sentences for students who are hearing impaired through reader 2 that may be used in conjunction with the exiting stories and supplements

Effects of Intervention and Prevention Programs on Youth Risk-Taking Behavior in Monroe County

Crime committed by adolescents between the ages of 13 and 16 is a recurring issue in the United States. Research showed a number of contributing factors associated with youth risk-taking behaviors and juvenile delinquency. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to improve the understanding of the relationship between intervention and prevention programs and curbing risk-taking and delinquency among adolescents between the ages of 13 and 16 in Monroe County, New York. This study addressed the connection between modern theories of deviance and programs of juvenile delinquency intervention as conceptualized by Chapman as the theoretical framework. Using intrinsic case study design, data were collected from two intervention and prevention program facilitators who participated in interviews conducted through email using semi structured, open-ended questions. Secondary data were collected from the Monroe County Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The key finding of this study indicated that intervention and/or prevention programs can curb youth risk-taking behavior and juvenile delinquency among adolescents between the ages of 13 and 16. According to the program facilitators, at-risk youth intervention and prevention programs are effective in reducing recidivism and rebuilding lives. Findings from this study have significant implications for positive social change when all stakeholders, politicians, social workers, health care providers, education institutions, community, and family members are involved in curbing youth risk-taking and juvenile delinquent behavior

Effects of Intervention and Prevention Programs on Youth Risk-Taking Behavior in Monroe County

Crime committed by adolescents between the ages of 13 and 16 is a recurring issue in the United States. Research showed a number of contributing factors associated with youth risk-taking behaviors and juvenile delinquency. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to improve the understanding of the relationship between intervention and prevention programs and curbing risk-taking and delinquency among adolescents between the ages of 13 and 16 in Monroe County, New York. This study addressed the connection between modern theories of deviance and programs of juvenile delinquency intervention as conceptualized by Chapman as the theoretical framework. Using intrinsic case study design, data were collected from two intervention and prevention program facilitators who participated in interviews conducted through email using semi structured, open-ended questions. Secondary data were collected from the Monroe County Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The key finding of this study indicated that intervention and/or prevention programs can curb youth risk-taking behavior and juvenile delinquency among adolescents between the ages of 13 and 16. According to the program facilitators, at-risk youth intervention and prevention programs are effective in reducing recidivism and rebuilding lives. Findings from this study have significant implications for positive social change when all stakeholders, politicians, social workers, health care providers, education institutions, community, and family members are involved in curbing youth risk-taking and juvenile delinquent behavior

A National Study of Baccalaureate Degree Completions in the Sciences: An Overview of Institutional Success by Public, Private, and Proprietary

The purpose of this study was to examine baccalaureate degree completions in the sciences within public, private, and proprietary higher education institutions by ethnicity to determine which educational sectors (and science categories) were producing more graduates, specifically minority graduates

Construction and properties of a mutant of herpes simplex virus type 1 with glycoprotein H coding sequences deleted

A mutant of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in which glycoprotein H (gH) coding sequences were deleted and replaced by the Escherichia coli lacZ gene under the control of the human cytomegalovirus IE-1 gene promoter was constructed. The mutant was propagated in Vero cells which contained multiple copies of the HSV-1 gH gene under the control of the HSV-1 gD promoter and which therefore provide gH in trans following HSV-1 infection. Phenotypically gH-negative virions were obtained by a single growth cycle in Vero cells. These virions were noninfectious, as judged by plaque assay and by expression of I-galactosidase following high-multiplicity infection, but partial recovery of infectivity was achieved by using the fusogenic agent polyethylene glycol. Adsorption of gH-negative virions to cells blocked the adsorption of superinfecting wild-type virus, a result in contrast to that obtained with gD-negative virions (D. C. Johnson and M. W. Ligas, J. Virol. 62:4605-4612, 1988). The simplest conclusion is that gH is required for membrane fusion but not for receptor binding, a conclusion consistent with the conservation of gH in all herpesviruses

Qualitative study of mental health attribution, perceptions and care-seeking in Kampala, Uganda

Background: Mental health problems contribute to a substantial proportion of the global burden of disease. In Uganda, the World Health Organization estimates that 2.2 million people are affected by mental health disorders. Further research is needed to highlight people’s views about mental health in order to ensure that services are appropriate, accessible and effective. Aim: This qualitative study aimed to explore perceptions, experiences and care-seeking preferences to inform stakeholders looking to provide contextually appropriate mental health programmes. Setting: A diverse neighbourhood in central Kampala, Uganda. Methods: The authors conducted 56 in-depth semi-structured interviews with people over the age of 37 years from November 2018 to May 2019. Results: Participants discussed interpersonal and systemic issues that affect mental health in their community and the existing coping mechanisms that people employ. Social factors were often associated with mental health problems, with 36% of participants attributing them to economic stressors in particular. Mental health services were often perceived to be unavailable, costly or stigmatised, which can mean that care-seeking is delayed until problems become severe. Some people said they prefer to turn to prayer (25%) or counselling within their family or community (12.5%). Conclusion: Mental health problems are often attributed to socioeconomic factors, which can also hinder access to services. An understanding of perceptions about mental health can help to align programmes for appropriateness and effectiveness. Our study suggests that beneficial additional services for people living in low-income urban settings in Uganda could include those which are free, community-based or offering financial support