Managing Diversity in Higher Education: USAFA Case

AbstractToday organizations are heavily affected by globalization and changes in the demographic structure of the society. Since the sex, race, and ethnic diversity of organizations are much broader than the past, nowadays the number of members in the same organization sharing different backgrounds and values has increased to a great extent. Moreover, the rapid development in technology not only entails more trained and skilled workforce but also necessitates sharpening intercultural collaboration skills in the organization. Organizations managing effectively a diverse workforce are capable of increasing organizational innovation and creativity, reaching more people and customers. Thus those organizations embracing diversity acquire competitive advantage and increase profitability. Educational institutions with a focus on diversity can graduate well trained employees capable of managing diversity and resolving diversity related workplace conflicts. Therefore as the organizations’ need increases in managing diversity, higher education institutions graduating labor force with intercultural communication skills and employees well aware of cultural diversity become more and more important in improving organizational effectiveness. United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), one of the world's largest military academies, sets a model in managing diversity with its policies and practices related to coping with diversity effectively. USAFA curriculum is tailored in accordance with the great number of cadets -approximately 4000- varying in ability, interests, and character. With its prep school, USAFA supports cadet candidates from disadvantaged sections of society by providing them with a one-year program enhancing their readiness for USAFA and helping them to maximize their full potential. Furthermore USAFA helps all cadets participate in learning and teaching activities via various innovative techniques. The focal point of this study will be USAFA and the study will elaborate on innovative USAFA policies regarding the diversity management in a higher education institution

Letter from a Brazilian Supporter to Geraldine Ferraro

Letter from a Brazilian supporter to Geraldine Ferraro.https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/vice_presidential_campaign_correspondence_1984_international/1257/thumbnail.jp

The Effects of Extensive Reading on Turkish Learners’ L2 Reading/Writing Performance and Foreign Language Self-concept

This study investigates the impact of extensive reading (ER) program, which integrates extensive reading with in-class follow-up writing activities, on Turkish EFL learners’ L2 reading/writing and foreign language self-concept (FLSC). In this research, conducted in a Turkish university, experimental design was used and the experimental group was exposed to ER for six weeks different from the control group. Data was collected by means of L2 reading and writing tests and Foreign Language Self-concept Scale (FLSCS) (Er, 2007) given at the beginning and at the end of the intervention, and by means of focus group interviews carried out with 10 randomly chosen experimental group students. Analyses of the data showed a significant difference between control and experimental groups regarding their L2 reading and writing performance. The difference between the groups’ FLSC was found to be insignificant, though within group analyses indicated that ER affected the students’ FLSC positively. Qualitative data, interviews, supported the quantitative data and revealed that the project also improved students’ motivation and self-confidence as well as various aspects of L2 language ability and fostered their positive self images as EFL learners. The insights gained from the study provide important implications for English language teaching programmes in EFL context

Cis-(-)-menthyl phenylglycidates in the asymmetric synthesis of taxol side chain

The one-pot azidation and benzoylation of a mixture of cis (-)-menthyl phenylglycidates provide quantitatively the corresponding (2R,3S)-, and (2S,3R)-3-azido-1-((1R,2S,5R)-2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexyloxy)-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl benzoate. Enantiopure (2R,3S)-3-azido-1((1R,2S,5R)-2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexyloxy)-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl benzoate crystallize from MeOH at room temperature in high yields. The reduction of the latter with Zn-TMSCl produces (-)-menthyl 3-benzamido-3-phenyl-2-(trimethylsilyloxy) propanoate which upon simultanious desilylation and hydrolysis provide the taxol side chain N-benzoyl-(2R, 3S)-3-phenylisoserine

Serum levels of TNF-alpha, sIL-2R, IL-6, and IL-8 are increased and associated with elevated lipid peroxidation in patients with Behçet's disease.

AIM: Behçet's disease (BD) is asystemic immunoinflammatory disorder and the aetiopathogenesis is to be specified. Cytokines play a role in immune response and in many inflammatory diseases. The aim of this case-control study is to investigate serum pro-inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R), IL-6, and chemokine IL-8 levels in patients with BD. We also determined the end product of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde (MDA)) in BD patients as an index for oxidative stress. METHODS: A total of 37 patients (19 men, 18 women) with BD (active, n = 17; inactive, n = 20) and 20 age-matched and sex-matched healthy control subjects (11 men, nine women) included in this cross-sectional, blinded study. Serum TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, sIL-2R, IL-6 and IL-8 levels were determined by a spectrophotometer technique using the immulite chemiluminescent immunometric assay. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by Wasowicz et aL The levels of cytokines and lipid peroxidation in the active period were compared with the inactive period of the disease. Results are expressed as mean +/- standard error. RESULTS: IL-1beta levels were below the detection limits of the assay (< 5 pg/ml) in all samples. Mean levels of MDA (8.1+/-0.7 micromol/l), sIL-2R (800+/-38 U/ml), IL-6 (12.6+/-1.1 pg/ml), IL-8 (7.2+/-0.4 pg/ml), and TNF-alpha (7.9+/-0.5 pg/ml) in active BD patients were significantly higher than those in inactive patients (4.3+/-0.5 micromol/l, p < 0.01; 447+/-16 U/ml, p < 0.001; 8.3+/-0.6 pg/ml, p = 0.006; 5.3+/-0.1 pg/ml, p < 0.001; and 5.1 0.2 pg/ml, p < 0.001; respectively) or control subjects (2.1+/-0.2 micromol/l, p < 0.001; 446+/-20 U/ml, p < 0.001; 6.4+/-0.2 pg/ml, p < 0.001; 5.4+/-0.1 pg/ml, p < 0.001; and 4.7+/-0.1 pg/ml, p < 0.001, respectively). On the contrary, only the mean IL-6 level was significantly different between inactive BD and control subjects (p = 0.02). All acute phase reactants were significantly higher in active BD than in inactive period (for each, p < 0.01). Conclusions: High levels of sIL-2R, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha indicate the activation of immune system in BD. Serum sIL-2R, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha seem to be related to disease activity. Increased lipid peroxidation suggests oxidative stress in BD and therefore tissue damage in such patients. Amelioration of clinical manifestations would be envisaged by targeting these cytokines, chemokines and lipid peroxidation with pharmacological agents

A NovelClassSubstitutedImidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazoleDerivatives:Synthesis,Characterization,In VitroBiologicalActivity,andPotentialInhibitorsDesignStudies

In this study, imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole derivatives were designed and synthesized. All of the synthesized compounds were characterized by H-1 and C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (H-1 NMR and C-13 NMR), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction. The synthesized compounds were tested for antileishmanial activity against two Leishmania species and antibacterial activity against nine bacterial species in the study. It was observed that 2-(4-Fluorobenzylthio)-6-(4-fluorophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole (5) had the highest antileishmanial activity (MIC: 625 mu g/mL). Also, 4-(2-(4-fluorobenzylthio)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazol-6-yl)benzonitrile (10), 2-(4-fluorobenzylthio)-6-(4-phenylphenyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole (11), and 4-(2-(4-methoxybenzyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazol-6-yl)benzonitrile (25) were found to be effective at different studied concentrations. PyRx software, which uses a Lamarckian genetics algorithm, was utilized to find the affinity values of all compounds in molecular docking simulations. Pharmacokinetic properties and toxicities of the ligands were then researched using PROTOX (a webserver for the prediction of oral toxicities of small molecules) and FAF-Drugs (free adsorption distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME) tox filtering tool). The study showed that the ligands had acceptable toxicity and ADME properties for the inhibition of the 3JUS receptor

Synthesis and Characterization of Some New Tetraaldehyde and Tetraketone Derivatives and X-ray Structure of 1,1′-(4,4′-(2-(1,3-bis(4-Acetylphenoxy)propan-2-ylidene)propane-1,3-di-yl)bis(oxy)bis(4,1-phenylene))diethanone

Tetraketone and tetraaldehyde derivatives 2a–d were synthesized via the reaction of ethene-1,1,2,2,-tetra-yl-tetramethylene tetrabromide (1) with hydroxyketone and aldehyde derivatives. The molecular structures were identifed by IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and MS analysis. The crystal structure of the title compound 2a, C38H36O8, is reported. Its crystal data are: monoclinic, space group P 2(1)/n with cell dimensions of a=9.0395(12) Å, b=12.6114(17) Å, c=13.8166(18) Å, β=95.875(3), V=1566.8(4) Å3, F.W.=620.67, ρcalc=1.316 gcm3 for Z=2, μ=0.092 mm−

Synthesis, characterization and cyclization reactions of some new bisthiosemicarbazones

The reaction of trans-1, 4-dichloro-2-butene 1 with selected phenols affords (E)-1, 4-bis(aryloxy)-2-butenes 2a-d which are converted into bis-thiosemicarbazones 3a-h via the reactions with thiosemicarbazide and 4-methyl thiosemicarbazide, respectively. Similarly, 4-methyl-5-ethoxycarbonyl- 2, 3-dihydro-1, 3-thiazoles 4a-h are synthesized via the reaction of bis-thiosemicarbazones 3a-h with ethyl 2-chloroacetoacetate. trans-1, 4-Dithiocyanato-2-butene 5 is obtained from the reaction of KSCN and trans-1, 4-dichloro-2-butene 1. Furthermore, the bis-2-amino-1, 3, 4-thiadiazoles 6k and l are obtained from the reaction of trans-1, 4-dithiocyanato-2-butene 5 with thiosemicarbazide and 4-methyl thiosemicarbazide, respectively. These compounds are characterized by elemental analyses, infrared, 1H-, 13C-NMR and mass spectrometry. Finally, the microbial features of all compounds are determined. Some of them exhibited microbial activities at low level, and the electronic absorption spectra of the compounds 3b, d, f and h are measured in organic solvents (MeOH, DMF, DMSO and 1, 4-dioxane) with various polarities

Synthesis, Characterization, Antimicrobial Evaluation, and Computational Investigation of Substituted Imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]Thiadiazole Derivatives

In this study, a novel series of 2,6-disubstituted and 2,5,6-trisubstituted imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole derivatives were synthesized starting from 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives. Structures of the synthesized compounds were characterized using various analysis techniques. Then, in vitro biological activity tests were carried out for all synthesized compounds and they were found to show moderate to good activity against all bacteria and fungi tested. Next, molecular docking simulations were performed to observe the inhibition effect of the synthesized compounds on the 3R9C receptor and support their biological activity results. Finally, the pharmacokinetic, ADME and toxicity properties of all compounds were examined using FAF-Drugs and ProTox webservers and it was concluded that they had acceptable toxicity and ADME properties. © 2020 Wiley-VCH Gmb