Arguments Against Amalgamation: The Citizen’s Council Battles Integration By Controlling The Narrative

In 1954, the Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education eradicated the “separate, but equal” mentality that confined African Americans to the menial state of oppression and exploitation that had plagued their people since they arrived in America. However, this decision did little to neutralize the proclivity to segregation nor did it quell the surmounting racial tensions between black people and the upper echelon of Southern society. Conversely, the federal mandate to integrate public schools roused white supremacists to interpose desegregation through resistance, violence, and fear-mongering propaganda. The most flagrant organization of white supremacists was known as the White Citizen’s Council, affectionately called the “Uptown Klan”, and was composed of the most powerful men in the South. The Council’s rhetoric to oppose integration was fixated on the possibility of a sexual relationship between black men and white women, which would lead to the “mongrelization” of society by creating a mixed population. They justified white supremacy by vilifying black men as “black beast rapists” who threatened the sanctity of white women. Contrary to the Council’s arguments, miscegenation was perpetuated in their society most often through white on black interracial rape, which was permissible by society and the legal system in the cases of Recy Taylor (1947) and Betty Jean Owens (1959). The black victims of rape were often exploited, discredited, and ostracized by the same white men who fought to maintain segregation to prevent black men from raping white women

Self-Efficacy Perceptions of Novice and Career Teachers in Instructional Strategies, Student Engagement, and Classroom Management

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the body of literature that identifies where in the career cycle that teachers need the most support and they experience the greatest levels of self-efficacy in classroom management, student engagement, and instructional strategies. Teachers’ efficacy beliefs were measured using the 12-item short form version of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES- Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001). This instrument is considered valid and reliable while demonstrating the ability to capture teachers’ efficacy beliefs in three areas: student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001). The short form of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale is comprised of 12 items, with three 4-item subscales. These subscales measured teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs for instructional strategies, student engagement, and classroom management (Tschannen-Moran & Johnson, 2001). The teacher/participant administered the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) during a regularly scheduled Friday faculty meeting. From a potential of 61 participants, 59 staff members participated in the study (2 staff members were absent). The implications of this research may be help district and building level leaders who are looking to impact student achievement advocate transformative learning and the enhancement of self-efficacy levels for all classroom teachers with special consideration of career cycle stages (White, 2008)

Cognitive behavioral therapy for the management of multiple sclerosis–related pain: a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND: Pain is a common and often debilitating symptom among persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Besides interfering with daily functioning, pain in MS is associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety. While cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for pain has been found to be an effective treatment in other populations, there has been a dearth of research in PwMS. METHODS: PwMS with at least moderate pain severity (N = 20) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: CBT plus standard care (CBT/SC) or MS-related education plus standard care (ED/SC), each of which met for 12 sessions. Changes in pain severity, pain interference, and depressive symptom severity from baseline to the 15 week follow-up were assessed using a 2×2 factorial design. Participants also rated their satisfaction with their treatment and accomplishment of personally meaningful behavioral goals. RESULTS: Both treatment groups rated their treatment satisfaction as very high and their behavioral goals as largely met, although only the CBT/SC group's mean goal accomplishment ratings represented significant improvement. While there were no significant differences between groups post-treatment on the three primary outcomes, there was an overall improvement over time for pain severity, pain interference, and depressive symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS: CBT or education-based programs may be helpful adjunctive treatments for PwMS experiencing pain.Accepted manuscrip

Positive Selection and Increased Antiviral Activity Associated with the PARP-Containing Isoform of Human Zinc-Finger Antiviral Protein

Intrinsic immunity relies on specific recognition of viral epitopes to mount a cell-autonomous defense against viral infections. Viral recognition determinants in intrinsic immunity genes are expected to evolve rapidly as host genes adapt to changing viruses, resulting in a signature of adaptive evolution. Zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP) from rats was discovered to be an intrinsic immunity gene that can restrict murine leukemia virus, and certain alphaviruses and filoviruses. Here, we used an approach combining molecular evolution and cellular infectivity assays to address whether ZAP also acts as a restriction factor in primates, and to pinpoint which protein domains may directly interact with the virus. We find that ZAP has evolved under positive selection throughout primate evolution. Recurrent positive selection is only found in the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)–like domain present in a longer human ZAP isoform. This PARP-like domain was not present in the previously identified and tested rat ZAP gene. Using infectivity assays, we found that the longer isoform of ZAP that contains the PARP-like domain is a stronger suppressor of murine leukemia virus expression and Semliki forest virus infection. Our study thus finds that human ZAP encodes a potent antiviral activity against alphaviruses. The striking congruence between our evolutionary predictions and cellular infectivity assays strongly validates such a combined approach to study intrinsic immunity genes

Pain self-management in HIV-infected individuals with chronic pain: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE: Chronic pain in individuals with HIV is a common, impairing condition. Behavioral interventions for chronic pain specifically tailored to this population have yet to be developed. We assert that understanding self-management strategies already used by persons living with these conditions is an essential first step, and is the objective of this investigation. DESIGN: We conducted a thematic analysis of qualitative data from 25 in-depth interviews with individuals with HIV and chronic pain. RESULTS: The primary pain self-management strategies articulated by participants were: physical activity; cognitive and spiritual strategies; spending time with family and friends and social support; avoidance of physical/social activity; medication-centric pain management; and substance use. CONCLUSIONS: Some of these strategies may be viewed as beneficial and overlap with known HIV self-management strategies (cognitive strategies), whereas others may have negative health consequences (substance use). Interventions that incorporate healthy self-management strategies may be particularly effective in improving both HIV and pain outcomes

Strengthening the Synapse between Outpatient Neurological Care and Inpatient Referral

Objective The goal of this project is to investigate if established neurology patients are appropriately referred to the emergency room. We suspect that there are patients that could be more effectively triaged to prevent unnecessary visits to the emergency department. If this is the case, implementing an intervention such as offering expedited visits or contingency plan, may reduce non-emergent inpatient consultative services5. This would also improve outpatient communication and decrease utilization of both ER and patient resources