246 research outputs found

    A journey to understand dual language and the bilingual world: An autoethnography of a bilingual program director in an urban district

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    This research represents a personalized account of the complexities, interpretations, and reflections on the life-long epistemological development of a bilingual program director currently implementing a dual language program in an urban school district. Using myself as a subject and a researcher in cultural, personal, and professional contexts provided the impetus for this self-study. Through the lens of a mother, daughter, sister, teacher, principal, and bilingual program director, I have chronicled and traced the epistemological conception of the assets that guide my advocacy in the academic realm of bilingual education. As an autoethnography, this study invites the reader to experience the research through the lens of their own personal perspective, finding pieces of themselves in the collective consciousness shared by all inhabitants of the bilingual world. While every individual has their own unique life experience and cultural development, autoethnography encourages an authentic conversation between the researcher and the reader (Davies, 2007; Delamont, 2009; Ellis, 1996, 2004; Ellis & Bochner, 2000, 2006; Preston, 2011). The experiences I have encountered, the challenges I have faced, and the interpretations derived from those experiences strengthen my understanding of where my cultural strengths come from, as well as provide insight into how those strengths allow me to choose the appropriate pedagogies and navigate the administrative challenges that accompany the position of a bilingual program director in an urban district

    Microdebris Abundance, Distribution, and Ingestion by Sargassum-Associated Juvenile Fishes in the Gulf of Mexico

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    Holopelagic Sargassum is a critical nursery habitat for the early life stages of many marine fishes, including several federally managed species in the United States and Caribbean. Sargassum is often aggregated along surface convergence features where microdebris (synthetic, semi—synthetic, and naturally—derived particles size) have also been found in relatively high concentrations. In this study, we collected microdebris from Sargassum and adjacent open water habitats (in 2018), and juvenile fishes from Sargassum (in 2017 and 2018) in the northern Gulf of Mexico to quantify habitat—specific microdebris concentrations and the degree to which Sargassum—associated juvenile fishes ingest microdebris. Microdebris concentrations within Sargassum habitats were, on average, 180 times greater than those found within adjacent open water habitats. Microdebris concentrations decreased with distance from shore in both Sargassum and open water habitats, and generally increased with Sargassum biomass. Microdebris ingestion by juvenile (9–320 mm SL) fishes (n = 846) varied by year (all taxa: 24.7% in 2017; 14.7% in 2018) and by taxa, and generally decreased with distance from shore. Small fibers were the dominant type of microdebris observed in stomach contents. The structural complexity of Sargassum provides a mechanism for microdebris capture and concentration in surface waters. Since 2011, massive blooms of Sargassum have inundated regions in the central Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The role of Sargassum as a microdebris “sink” has major implications for the transport of microdebris as Sargassum drifts within and across basins and eventually strands on beaches and coastal habitats, or subsides to benthic environments

    What’s Your CQ? A Framework to Assess and Develop Individual Student Cultural Intelligence

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    This article’s goal is to provide suggestions for teaching students about culture and cultural intelligence. This article pursues this goal by first exploring and defining culture and presenting the nuances and challenges of teaching students about culture in an environment supportive of multiple cultures (e.g., national, regional, local, corporate, etc.). Finally, the article concludes with a discussion of a cultural intelligence development process consisting of a cultural intelligence pre assessment and feedback, cultural intelligence transformation activities, and a cultural intelligence post assessment and feedback

    In vivo Neutralization of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines During Secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection Post Influenza A Virus Infection

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    An overt pro-inflammatory immune response is a key factor contributing to lethal pneumococcal infection in an influenza pre-infected host and represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. However, there is a paucity of knowledge about the level of contribution of individual cytokines. Based on the predictions of our previous mathematical modeling approach, the potential benefit of IFN-γ- and/or IL-6-specific antibody-mediated cytokine neutralization was explored in C57BL/6 mice infected with the influenza A/PR/8/34 strain, which were subsequently infected with the Streptococcus pneumoniae strain TIGR4 on day 7 post influenza. While single IL-6 neutralization had no effect on respiratory bacterial clearance, single IFN-γ neutralization enhanced local bacterial clearance in the lungs. Concomitant neutralization of IFN-γ and IL-6 significantly reduced the degree of pneumonia as well as bacteremia compared to the control group, indicating a positive effect for the host during secondary bacterial infection. The results of our model-driven experimental study reveal that the predicted therapeutic value of IFN-γ and IL-6 neutralization in secondary pneumococcal infection following influenza infection is tightly dependent on the experimental protocol while at the same time paving the way toward the development of effective immune therapies

    Gender violence in Mexico, towards a cartography of feminicide in Tlaxcala

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    [ES] El constante incremento de feminicidios en México pone en cuestionamiento la capacidad del gobierno para garantizar a las mujeres mexicanas una vida libre de violencia. Desde la teoría feminista se desarrollar el constructo de feminicidio que permite edificar una mirada a este fenómeno. Resultado de una investigación documental, en el desarrollo de este artículo se exponen y reconstruyen a través de la geolocalización las formas en las que se manifiesta la violencia feminicida en el estado de Tlaxcala, mediante la reconstrucción de casos se realiza un monitoreo para identificar las violaciones a los derechos humanos de las mujeres que subyacen en las formas extremas de violencia, concluye con una descripción de las maneras en las que sus derechos son vulnerados.[EN] The constant increase in feminicide in Mexico calls into question the ability of the government to guarantee Mexican women a life free of violence. From the feminist theory the feminicide construct is developed that allows us to build a look at this phenomenon. Result of a documentary investigation, in the development of this article are exposed and reconstructed through geolocation the ways in which feminicide violence is manifested in the state of Tlaxcala, through the reconstruction of cases a monitoring is carried out to identify the violations to the human rights of women that underlie extreme forms of violence, concludes with a description of the ways in which their rights are violated

    Impact of generic entry on hospital antimicrobial use: a retrospective quasi-experimental interrupted time series analysis

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    Background: the impact of antimicrobials generic entry (GE) is controversial. Their introduction could provide an economic benefit yet may also increase their consumption, leadingto a higher risk of resistance. Our aim was to analyze the impact of GE on trends of antimicrobialconsumption in an acute-care hospital. Methods: a retrospective quasi-experimental interrupted timeseries analysis was conducted at a 400-bed tertiary hospital in Barcelona, Spain. All antimicrobials forsystemic use for which a generic product entered the hospital from January 2000 to December 2019 were included. Antimicrobial consumption was expressed as DDD/100 bed days. Results: after GE, the consumption of cefotaxime (0.09,p< 0.001), meropenem (0.54,p< 0.001), and piperacillin-tazobactam (0.13,p< 0.001) increased, whereas the use of clindamycin (−0.03,p< 0.001) anditraconazole (−0.02,p= 0.01) was reduced. An alarming rise in cefepime (0.004), daptomycin (1.02),and cloxacillin (0.05) prescriptions was observed, despite not achieving statistical significance. Onthe contrary, the use of amoxicillin (−0.07), ampicillin (−0.02), cefixime (−0.06), fluconazole (−0.13),imipenem-cilastatin (−0.50) and levofloxacin (−0.35) decreased. These effects were noticed beyondthe first year post GE. Conclusions: GE led to an increase in the consumption of broad-spectrummolecules. The potential economic benefit of generic antibiotics could be diluted by an increase inresistance. Antimicrobial stewardship should continue to monitor these molecules despite GE

    Intentional Storytelling to Sustain Low-cost/Free Breast Cancer Services: A Latina Example of Community-driven Advocacy

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    Background: Community-based public health advocacy efforts are crucial to sustaining the low-cost/free breast cancer services that support underserved populations. Objectives: We introduce two ways in which narrative theory may be a useful tool for developing advocacy materials and provide an example, using a community–academic partnership to promote Latina breast health in Chicago, Illinois. Methods: Community and academic partners 1) engaged 25 Spanish-speaking Latinas in an advocacy workshop, 2) leveraged narrative theory to develop multi-media advocacy materials, and 3) disseminated materials to policymakers. Lessons Learned: Our project highlights 1) that narrative theory may be useful to describe how Latinas engage policy-makers in relation to their needs and cultural norms, 2) the importance of flexibility and offering community members multiple options to engage policymakers, and 3) the importance of leveraging partners’ complementary strengths. Conclusions: Narrative theory may be a useful tool for developing advocacy materials in community–academic partnerships
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