Effects of LEP Status, Gender, Instructional Type on Positive Student Engagement and Motivation of Middle School Students

The researcher used a causal-comparative, 2 x 2 factorial between-groups research strategy for all four hypotheses. The two independent variables for the Hypotheses 1 and 2 were gender and LEP status (students designated as LEP versus students not designated as LEP). The dependent variable for the first hypothesis was positive student engagement, and the dependent variable for the second hypothesis was positive student motivation. The two independent variables for Hypotheses 3 and 4 were gender and instructional type (traditional instruction and small group pull-out with hybrid computer-based instruction). The dependent variable for the third hypothesis was positive student engagement, and the dependent variable for the fourth hypothesis was positive student motivation. In Hypotheses 1 and 2, the researcher used fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students at a district in Southwest Arkansas. In Hypotheses 3 and 4, the researcher used fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students at a district in Southwest Arkansas. The researcher compared the students’ scaled scores from the Motivation and Engagement Scale (MES) instrument measuring positive student engagement and positive student motivation, respectively. The researcher used scaled scores from the 2016-2017 school year. To address the hypotheses, the researcher conducted a 2 x 2 factorial between-groups ANOVA for each of the four hypotheses. The interaction effects for all four hypotheses were not significant. Therefore, the independent variables did not interact to significantly affect the dependent variables. The LEP status main effect for Hypotheses 1 and 2 did not significantly affect positive student engagement or positive student motivation, respectively. However, the main effect for gender in Hypotheses 1 and 2 did significantly affect both positive student engagement or positive student motivation, respectively. The female samples in both hypotheses, on average, scored significantly higher compared to the male groups in both engagement and motivation. Both of these significant results indicated small effect sizes. The main effects for gender and instructional type in Hypotheses 3 and 4 were not significant

Alcohol Intake and Mortality among Women with Invasive Breast Cancer

Background: Alcohol intake has consistently been associated with increased breast cancer incidence in epidemiological studies. However, the relation between alcohol and survival after breast cancer diagnosis is less clear. Methods: We investigated whether alcohol intake was associated with survival among 3146 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the Swedish Mammography Cohort. Alcohol consumption was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: From 1987 to 2008 there were 385 breast cancer-specific deaths and 860 total deaths. No significant association was observed between alcohol intake and breast cancer-specific survival. Women who consumed 10 g per day (corresponding to approximately 0.75 to 1 drinks) or more of alcohol had an adjusted HR (95% CI) of breast cancer-specific death of 1.36 (0.82–2.26;p$_{trend}$=0.47) compared with non-drinkers. A significant inverse association was observed between alcohol and non-breast cancer deaths. Those who consumed 3.4–9.9 g per day of alcohol had a 33% lower risk of death compared with non-drinkers (95% CI 0.50–0.90;p$_{trend}$=0.04). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that alcohol intake up to approximately one small drink per day does not negatively impact breast cancer-specific survival and a half drink per day is associated with a decreased risk of mortality from other causes

New Zealand's Identity and New Zealand-Japan Relations: 1945-2014

This thesis seeks to understand the role of New Zealand’s national identity in the Japan-New Zealand relationship to examine how identities and values have shaped New Zealand’s policies and diplomatic interaction with Japan. Four key identities are identified which contribute to New Zealand’s national self-image as a whole and illustrate the malleability of identity; the historically cultural British identity, the “search for independence” moral identity, the construction of an Asia Pacific state identity and the perception of New Zealand as a ‘good international citizen’ with liberally democratic values. To explore the role these identities and New Zealand’s perceptions of Japan have had on shaping bilateral relations, this thesis analyses multiple issues and policy decisions from 1945 till 2014 using the theoretical framework of Constructivism. It draws from a range of secondary literature, government documents, news sources, official speeches and various organisation’s publications from throughout this time frame. The research seeks to give a better understanding of how New Zealand’s national identity has evolved over time in response to domestic affairs and examine how it has contributed to shaping New Zealand’s relationship with Japan. It uncovers that the Japan-New Zealand relationship has developed significantly in the last seventy years and the role of identity can offer explanations regarding the ways in which New Zealand’s understanding of itself has helped shape its bilateral relationship with Japan

The social dimensions of therapeutic horticulture

Harnessing nature to promote mental health is increasingly seen as a sustainable solution to healthcare across the industrialised world. The benefits of these approaches to well-being include reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression and improved social functioning. Many studies assume that contact with nature is the main therapeutic component of these interventions yet ‘green care’ programmes typically include activities not based on ‘nature’ that may contribute to positive outcomes. This study explored the views of service users participating in a Therapeutic Horticultural programme on what factors promoted their engagement in the project, to identify variables other than ‘nature’ that may be responsible for successful engagement in these programmes. A secondary aim was to assess the significance ‘nature’ plays including, for example whether a prior interest in horticultural-related activities, such as gardening, is significant. Two focus groups were held with mental health service users (n = 15) attending a gardening project in south-east England. Findings revealed that the social element of the project was the key facilitator to engagement; the flexible structure of the gardening project was also significant and allowed service users to feel empowered. ‘Nature’ evoked a sense of calm and provided participants with a non-threatening space that was engaging

Parental smoking during pregnancy and risk of overweight and obesity in the daughter

Objective: Emerging evidence suggests that prenatal exposures may affect long-term health outcomes. In utero exposure to smoking is associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. However, few studies have examined how prenatal exposure to parental smoking influences risk of obesity in adulthood and whether these associations are independent of childhood and adolescent adiposity. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether prenatal exposure to parental smoking influences body size in adulthood and whether any association may be mediated by childhood and adolescent body size. Methods: We investigated the association between parental smoking during pregnancy and risk of overweight and obesity in adulthood and at age 18, and adiposity during childhood among 35,370 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study II. Data on smoking during pregnancy and socioeconomic variables were provided by the mothers, and anthropometric data and adult risk factors were reported by participants. Results: After adjustment for socioeconomic and behavioral variables, maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with adiposity at ages 5–10, age 18, and during adulthood. For age 18 overweight the ORs (95% CIs) for 1–14, 15–24, and 25+cigarettes/day were 1.13 (1.18–1.50), 1.40 (1.20–1.64), and 1.15 (0.79–1.69) and for obesity were 1.41 (1.14–1.75), 1.69 (1.31–2.18), and 2.36 (1.44–3.86). The corresponding ORs (95% CIs) for obesity in adulthood were 1.26 (1.16–1.37), 1.46 (1.30–1.63), and 1.43 (1.10–1.86). Risk of adiposity was not increased among daughters whose mothers stopped smoking during the first trimester (OR [95% CI] for overweight (1.03 [95% CI 0.90–1.17] and obesity (1.12 [95% CI 0.97–1.30]). Women whose fathers smoked during pregnancy were also at increased risk of overweight and obesity in adulthood with covariate-adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for obesity of 1.19 (1.11–1.29) for 1–14 cigarettes/day, 1.27 (1.18–1.37) for 15–24 cigarettes/day, and 1.40 (1.27–1.54) for 25+ cigarettes/day compared to fathers who did not smoke (ptrend<0.0001). Paternal smoking during pregnancy was also associated with an increased risk of obesity at age 18 among those whose fathers smoked 15 or more cigarettes/day but was not associated with childhood body size. Conclusions: Maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated in a dose-response manner with overweight and obesity in the daughter through adolescence and adult life. Smoking cessation during the first trimester appears to mitigate this excess risk. Paternal smoking was also associated with risk of overweight and obesity of the adult daughter and this association persisted after adjustment for maternal smoking

Evaluation of complex integrated care programmes: the approach in North West London

Background: Several local attempts to introduce integrated care in the English National Health Service have been tried, with limited success. The Northwest London Integrated Care Pilot attempts to improve the quality of care of the elderly and people with diabetes by providing a novel integration process across primary, secondary and social care organisations. It involves predictive risk modelling, care planning, multidisciplinary management of complex cases and an information technology tool to support information sharing. This paper sets out the evaluation approach adopted to measure its effect. Study design: We present a mixed methods evaluation methodology. It includes a quantitative approach measuring changes in service utilization, costs, clinical outcomes and quality of care using routine primary and secondary data sources. It also contains a qualitative component, involving observations, interviews and focus groups with patients and professionals, to understand participant experiences and to understand the pilot within the national policy context. Theory and discussion: This study considers the complexity of evaluating a large, multi-organisational intervention in a changing healthcare economy. We locate the evaluation within the theory of evaluation of complex interventions. We present the specific challenges faced by evaluating an intervention of this sort, and the responses made to mitigate against them. Conclusions: We hope this broad, dynamic and responsive evaluation will allow us to clarify the contribution of the pilot, and provide a potential model for evaluation of other similar interventions. Because of the priority given to the integrated agenda by governments internationally, the need to develop and improve strong evaluation methodologies remains strikingly important

An updated interactive database for 1692 genetic variants in coagulation Factor IX provides detailed insights into haemophilia B

BACKGROUND: Genetic variants in coagulation factor IX (FIX) are associated with haemophilia B, a rare bleeding disease. F9 variants are widespread across the gene and were summarised in our FIX variant database introduced in 2013. OBJECTIVE: We rationalise the molecular basis for 598 new F9 variants and 1645 new clinical cases, making a total of 1692 F9 variants and 5358 related patient cases. METHODS: New F9 variants were identified from publications and on-line resources, and compiled into a MySQL database for comparison with the human FIXa protein structure. RESULTS: The new total of 1692 F9 variants correspond to 406 (88%) of the 461 FIX residues and now include 70 additional residues. These comprise 945 unique point variants, 281 deletions, 352 polymorphisms, 63 insertions, and 51 others. Most FIX variants were point variants, although their proportion (56%) has reduced compared to 2013 (73%), while the proportion of polymorphisms has increased from 5% to 21%.The 764 unique mild severity variants in the mature protein with known phenotypes include 74 (9.7%) quantitative type I variants and 116 (15.2%) predominantly qualitative type II variants. The remaining 574 variants types are unspecified. Inhibitors are associated with 152 haemophilia B cases out of 5358 patients (2.8%), an increase of 93 from the previous database. CONCLUSION: The even distribution of the F9 variants revealed few mutational hotspots, and most variants were associated with small perturbations in the FIX protein structure. The updated database will assist clinicians and researchers in assessing treatments for haemophilia B patients

Mood Management Intervention for College Smokers with Elevated Depressive Symptoms: A Pilot Study

Objective This pilot study examined smoking reduction and cessation among college smokers with elevated depressive symptomatology participating in a group-based behavioral counseling, mood management, and motivational enhancement combined intervention (CBT). Participants & Methods Fifty-eight smokers (smoked ≥ 6 days in the past 30) were randomized to six sessions of CBT (n=29) or a nutrition-focused attention-matched control group (CG, n=29). Results Relative to CG participants, significantly more CBT participants reduced smoking intensity by 50% (χ2(1, N=58)=4.86, p=.028) at end of treatment. Although CBT participants maintained smoking reductions at 3- and 6-month follow-up, group differences were no longer significant. No group differences in cessation emerged. Finally, participants in both groups evidenced increased motivation to reduce smoking at end of treatment (F(1, 44)=11.717, p=.001, ηp2=.207). Conclusions Findings demonstrate the utility of this intervention for smoking reduction and maintenance of reductions over time among a population of college students with elevated depressive symptomatology