Comparison of Traditional and Innovative Discipline Beliefs in Administrators

Traditional methods of discipline have demonstrated to be ineffective in helping students learn or behave. The use of suspensions as the only means of discipline has become a commonly engrained practice for many administrators. This study presents empirical data on the differences between traditional and innovative administrator beliefs about discipline. The findings indicate key differences between traditional and innovative administrator beliefs

Structural Dissonance, Enacted Hope and Initial Early Childhood Teacher Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand

This thesis argues that there is structural dissonance in university-based initial early childhood teacher education programmes in Aotearoa/New Zealand, and suggests a pedagogy of enacted hope as a countermeasure. In this thesis, structural dissonance is constructed as a form of structural violence, which is based on the contradiction between socioculturalism in the content of IECTE programmes and individualisation in the context in which they are provided. This theoretical thesis uses Richard Rorty’s (1979, 1982, 1989, 1999) neo-pragmatic assumptions on truth, reality and knowledge to provide a coherent and consistent approach to the argument of structural dissonance and enacted hope. Distinctions between truth and justification, reality and appearance, found and made are rejected, and utility for social justice, language use, and an ironist approach to scholarship are adopted. This thesis uses philosophical hermeneutics as a methodology for interpreting the textual sources that make up the data drawn upon in this thesis. This methodology is linked to interpretive scholarship, research bricolage, and the constructivist paradigm in qualitative research. The methods used in this thesis are an ecological hermeneutic, ideal type method (converted into an interpretive method of textual analysis) and focus groups of student teachers. This thesis constructed two ideal types. The ideal type for socioculturalism is used to argue that the content of IECTE programmes is heavily influenced by socioculturalism. The ideal type for individualisation is used to argue that the context in which IECTE programmes are provided reproduces individualisation. Socioculturalism and individualisation are shown to be dissonant in the structure of a case IECTE programme in Aotearoa/New Zealand resulting in a situation of structural dissonance. A pedagogy of enacted hope is then proposed to counteract structural dissonance in the case study IECTE programme in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This pedagogy is constructed using a theory of hope developed through the integration of Ernst Bloch’s (1986) philosophy of hope, Rortyan philosophical assumptions and enactivist learning theory. Implications of using the pedagogy of enacted hope are then discussed in relation to the problem of structural dissonance

Bacterial Mutagenicity of Urban Organic Aerosol Sources in Comparison to Atmospheric Samples

The bacterial mutagenicity of a comprehensive set of urban particulate air pollution source samples is examined using the Salmonella typhimurium forward mutation assay. Each of the combustion source samples examined, including the exhaust from catalyst-equipped autos, noncatalyst autos, heavy-duty diesel trucks, plus natural gas, distillate oil, and wood combustion sources, is mutagenic in this assay, with a response per microgram of organic carbon in these samples generally greater than that of cigarette smoke aerosol. The noncombustion source samples tested generally are not mutagenic at the levels examined. The specific mutagenicity (mutant fraction per microgram of organic carbon) of ambient aerosol samples collected in southern California is compared to a weighted average of the specific mutagenicity of the primary source samples assembled in proportion to their emission rates in the Los Angeles area. In most cases where a comparison can be made, the specific mutagenicity of the source composites and the ambient samples are of similar magnitude, with the exception that the -PMS mutagenicity of the aerosol at Long Beach, CA, during the first half of the calendar year 1982 and at Azusa, CA, during the April-June 1982 period is much higher than can be explained by direct emissions from the sources studied here

ProACT: Fostering patient and public involvement within the design of digital health solutions for multimorbidity

At present in Europe there are 50 million people living at any one time with multimorbidity. However, our healthcare systems have not been designed to effectively support these people in their daily care needs. ProACT (Integrated Technology Systems for ProACTive Patient Centred Care) is a digital health research programme funded under the European Union Horizon 2020 framework that seeks to address this problem by developing and evaluating a digital integrated care system to support older adults (65 years and over) living with multimorbidity. This poster will illustrate how Patient Public Involvement (PPI) was achieved within ProACT by borrowing existing methodologies, successfully implemented, in the disciplines of Design and Human Computer Interaction (HCI). It offers an example of how the design of digital health interventions can ensure that participants become codesign partners of the final system

Prevalence and predictors of poor mental health among pregnant women in Wales using a cross-sectional survey

Objectives To assess the prevalence of self-reported mental health problems in a cohort of women in early pregnancy. To describe the relationship between poor mental health and sociodemographic characteristics, self-efficacy and support networks. To assess if participants were representative of the local antenatal population. Research design and setting The UK government has pledged money to provide more support for women with perinatal mental health issues. Understanding the prevalence and predicting women who may need support will inform clinical practice. This paper reports part of the larger ‘Mothers Mood Study’, which explored women's and midwives’ experience of mild to moderate perinatal mental health issues and service provision. Routinely collected population level data were analysed and a smaller cross-sectional survey design used to assess predictors of poor mental health in early pregnancy in one health board in Wales. Participants Routinely collected data were extracted for all women who registered for maternity care between May 2017 and May 2018 (n = 6312) from the electronic maternity information system (pregnant population). Over a three month period 302 of these women completed a questionnaire at the antenatal clinic after an ultrasound scan (participants). Eligible women were aged ≥18 years, with sufficient spoken and written English to complete the questionnaire and a viable pregnancy of ≤18 weeks’ gestation. The questionnaire collected data on sociodemographic status, self-efficacy and support networks, self-reported mental health problems. Current anxiety and depression were assessed using the General Anxiety Disorders Assessment and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Findings Among the pregnant population 23% (n = 1490) disclosed a mental health problem during routine questioning with anxiety and depression being the most common conditions. Participants completing the detailed questionnaire were similar in age and parity to the pregnant population with similar levels of depression (15.6%; n = 15.6 v 17.3%, n = 1092). Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and General Anxiety Disorder 7 scores identified 8% with symptoms of anxiety (n = 25) or depression (n = 26) and a further 24.2% (n = 73) with symptoms of mild anxiety and 25.2% (n = 76) with mild depression. Low self-efficacy (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.12–1.45), a previous mental health problem (OR 3.95, 95% CI 1.37–11.33) and low support from family (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.00–1.27) were found to be associated with early pregnancy anxiety and/or depression. Key conclusions and implications for practice Around one in five women who register for maternity care may have a mental health problem. Mild to moderate anxiety and depression are common in early pregnancy. Services need to improve for women who do not currently meet the threshold for referral to perinatal mental health services. Assessment and active monitoring of mental health is recommended, in particular for pregnant women with risk factors including a history of previous mental health difficulties, poor family support or low self-efficacy

Elective affinities of the Protestant ethic : Weber and the chemistry of capitalism

Peer reviewedPostprin

Bacterial Mutagenicity of Urban Organic Aerosol Sources in Comparison to Atmospheric Samples

The bacterial mutagenicity of a comprehensive set of urban particulate air pollution source samples is examined using the Salmonella typhimurium forward mutation assay. Each of the combustion source samples examined, including the exhaust from catalyst-equipped autos, noncatalyst autos, heavy-duty diesel trucks, plus natural gas, distillate oil, and wood combustion sources, is mutagenic in this assay, with a response per microgram of organic carbon in these samples generally greater than that of cigarette smoke aerosol. The noncombustion source samples tested generally are not mutagenic at the levels examined. The specific mutagenicity (mutant fraction per microgram of organic carbon) of ambient aerosol samples collected in southern California is compared to a weighted average of the specific mutagenicity of the primary source samples assembled in proportion to their emission rates in the Los Angeles area. In most cases where a comparison can be made, the specific mutagenicity of the source composites and the ambient samples are of similar magnitude, with the exception that the -PMS mutagenicity of the aerosol at Long Beach, CA, during the first half of the calendar year 1982 and at Azusa, CA, during the April-June 1982 period is much higher than can be explained by direct emissions from the sources studied here