How Racially Diverse Schools and Classrooms Can Benefit All Students

A growing number of parents, university officials, and employers want our elementary and secondary schools to better prepare students for our increasingly racially and ethnically diverse society and the global economy. But for reasons we cannot explain, the demands of this large segment of Americans have yet to resonate with most of our federal, state, or local policymakers. Instead, over the past forty years, these policy makers have completely ignored issues of racial segregation while focusing almost exclusively on high-stakes accountability, even as our schools have become increasingly segregated and unequal.This report argues that, as our K -- 12 student population becomes more racially and ethnically diverse, the time is right for our political leaders to pay more attention to the evidence, intuition, and common sense that supports the importance of racially and ethnically diverse educational settings to prepare the next generation. It highlights in particular the large body of research that demonstrates the important educational benefits -- cognitive, social, and emotional -- for all students who interact with classmates from different backgrounds, cultures, and orientations to the world. This research legitimizes the intuition of millions of Americans who recognize that, as the nation becomes more racially and ethnically complex, our schools should reflect that diversity and tap into the benefits of these more diverse schools to better educate all our students for the twenty-first century.The advocates of racially integrated schools understand that much of the recent racial tension and unrest in this nation -- from Ferguson to Baltimore to Staten Island -- may well have been avoided if more children had attended schools that taught them to address implicit biases related to racial, ethnic, and cultural differences. This report supports this argument beyond any reasonable doubt

Science, Standards, and Power: New Food Safety Governance in California

In 2006, an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 associated with California spinach resulted in widespread illness across the United States. The magnitude of the outbreak and the resulting media attention demanded a change in the governance of leafy green produce. Drawing from more than 130 personal interviews, this paper critically examines how powerful players in the produce industry organized a strategic approach to governing leafy greens production in California. Networks are used to explore the evolution of new industry-led food safety standards and how they directly conflicted with and overpowered environmental agendas. This paper highlights serious concerns regarding participation and transparency in the creation of food safety standards, identifying patterns of winners and losers and suggesting ways in which we might foster more democratic approaches to food governance

Image Matching Principles in Photometrical Transformations

In this article interactive visualization techniques for creating virtual objects are considered. We describe the most common methods of photometric transformations between images and a variety of geometric objects contextualized against the backdrop of increased adoption of 360 videos and virtual reality systems. Two techniques, the Harris-Laplacian and the Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) have been described. The algorithm estimation of virtual objects interactive visualization is given. The image-matching algorithm using key points is described

(Non)Parallel Evolution

Parallel evolution across replicate populations has provided evolutionary biologists with iconic examples of adaptation. When multiple populations colonize seemingly similar habitats, they may evolve similar genes, traits, or functions. Yet, replicated evolution in nature or in the laboratory often yields inconsistent outcomes: Some replicate populations evolve along highly similar trajectories, whereas other replicate populations evolve to different extents or in distinct directions. To understand these heterogeneous outcomes, biologists are increasingly treating parallel evolution not as a binary phenomenon but rather as a quantitative continuum ranging from parallel to nonparallel. By measuring replicate populations’ positions along this (non)parallel continuum, we can test hypotheses about evolutionary and ecological factors that influence the extent of repeatable evolution. We review evidence regarding the manifestation of (non)parallel evolution in the laboratory, in natural populations, and in applied contexts such as cancer. We enumerate the many genetic, ecological, and evolutionary processes that contribute to variation in the extent of parallel evolution

Electrostatic interaction of myristoylated proteins with membranes: simple physics, complicated biology

AbstractCell membrane association by several important peripheral proteins, such as Src, MARCKS, HIV-1 Gag, and K-Ras, requires nonspecific electrostatic interactions between a cluster of basic residues on the protein and acidic phospholipids in the plasma membrane. A simple theoretical model based on the nonlinear Poisson–Boltzmann equation describes well the experimentally measured electrostatic association between such proteins and the cell membrane

The use of ecological principles for riparian zone management in four forest planning documents

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the extent to which ecological principles were used in four documents of differing scope and intent, that address management of forest resources and riparian zones in three National Forests of the Pacific Northwest. We use the phrase "ecological principles" in a very broad sense, as it has been used in recent judicial interpretations of the forest planning process. Recent court cases, summarized in Figure 1, have challenged management activities in several National Forests, citing them for inadequate consideration of ecological principles in their planning. In a study of three recent court cases testing forest plans and associated Environmental Impact Statements (ElS's) involving fish and watershed management, Craig (1987) found that the court's decisions had hinged on ecological principles governing relationships between cumulative clearcutting, road construction, landsliding and debris flows, stream sedimentation, fish habitat, water quality, and fish populations. Similarly, in the case of Seattle Audubon Society, et al, v. James R. Moseley, et al, which affected logging sales in spotted owl habitat, (U. S. District Court, 1992), Judge Dwyer found that the requirement "to maintain viable populations of existing native and desired non-native species in the planning area" further required "planning for the entire biological community, not for one species [spotted owl] alone." He found that the EIS was inadequate because it failed to address the consequences of the plan for species, other than the spotted owl, that live in the old growth forests. This wording implies that a future decision on the revised EIS could hinge upon ecological principles describing interdependence among species, including fish, and how they are affected by forest management actions. In summary, recent judicial actions suggest that in the future, management plans will be judged on the strength of the ecological ideas which underlie them. The significance of this research is that it attempts to identify the ecologica

First steps: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of the Group Family Nurse Partnership (gFNP) program compared to routine care in improving outcomes for high-risk mothers and their children and preventing abuse.

BACKGROUND: Evidence from the USA suggests that the home-based Family Nurse Partnership program (FNP), extending from early pregnancy until infants are 24 months, can reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect throughout childhood. FNP is now widely available in the UK. A new variant, Group Family Nurse Partnership (gFNP) offers similar content but in a group context and for a shorter time, until infants are 12 months old. Each group comprises 8 to 12 women with similar expected delivery dates and their partners. Its implementation has been established but there is no evidence of its effectiveness. METHODS/DESIGN: The study comprises a multi-site randomized controlled trial designed to identify the benefits of gFNP compared to standard care. Participants (not eligible for FNP) must be either aged < 20 years at their last menstrual period (LMP) with one or more previous live births, or aged 20 to 24 at LMP with low educational qualifications and no previous live births. 'Low educational qualifications' is defined as not having both Maths and English Language GCSE at grade C or higher or, if they have both, no more than four in total at grade C or higher. Exclusions are: under 20 years and previously received home-based FNP and, in either age group, severe psychotic mental illness or not able to communicate in English. Consenting women are randomly allocated (minimized by site and maternal age group) when between 10 and 16 weeks pregnant to either to the 44 session gFNP program or to standard care after the collection of baseline information. Researchers are blind to group assignment.The primary outcomes at 12 months are child abuse potential based on the revised Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory and parent/infant interaction coded using the CARE Index based on a video-taped interaction. Secondary outcomes are maternal depression, parenting stress, health related quality of life, social support, and use of services. DISCUSSION: This is the first study of the effectiveness of gFNP in the UK. Results should inform decision-making about its delivery alongside universal services, potentially enabling a wider range of families to benefit from the FNP curriculum and approach to supporting parenting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN78814904

Body image issues and attitudes towards exercise amongst men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) following diagnosis of prostate cancer

© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is an established treatment for prostate cancer (PCa), but its side-effects can affect body appearance and functioning. However, research into the impact of ADT on body image is limited. Exercise can help patients to counterbalance some side-effects, potentially improving body image too. However, adherence to exercise recommendations is low. Therefore, we explored body image after ADT and attitudes towards exercise. Methods: Twenty two semi-structured interviews were conducted with PCa patients receiving ADT (Mage = 67.9 years old, SD = 9.99). Results: Participants expressed appearance dissatisfaction focusing on body feminization. Participants exercised to counterbalance ADT side-effects and improve mood. Exercise also helped them to re-establish a sense of control over their body and experience a sense of achievement. However, some men described being worried that their appearance and physical performance would be judged by others, so they often exercised alone or gave up exercise. Time management and fatigue were also identified as exercise barriers. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need to further investigate body image concerns and exercise barriers in PCa patients undergoing ADT. These results could also inform support groups and health care professionals on the topic. However, further research should explore the most effective and acceptable ways to provide support to PCa patients on body image issues

Parietal epithelial cell differentiation to a podocyte fate in the aged mouse kidney

Healthy aging is typified by a progressive and absolute loss of podocytes over the lifespan of animals and humans. To test the hypothesis that a subset of glomerular parietal epithelial cell (PEC) progenitors transition to a podocyte fate with aging, dual reporte