Variations in Implementation of Specifications Grading in STEM Courses

Specifications grading is an assessment strategy based on mastery learning, clear learning objectives, and frequent evaluations and feedback. Twelve instructors at a southeastern four-year public college implemented the specifications grading method across eight discrete courses in four STEM areas. In this modified assessment strategy, the students controlled their grades through multiple attempts, with limitations, on assessments of course objectives. The instructors designed and executed specifications grading in unique ways that aligned with their content areas, teaching beliefs, and individual teaching styles. Preliminary observations suggest that, regardless of subject area, specifications grading can be used as an alternative to traditional assessment methodologies in STEM courses, regardless of the content area. In general, three major variations of implementation arose from this initial trial. Major differences and commonalities among these types are discussed as they relate to the course subject area in which they are used. The results of this work add a unique set of assessment practices to the current body of knowledge in that other practitioners may gain insight on variations of the specifications grading method that may be practical and applicable in their own classrooms

A community/faith-based breast health educational program focused on increasing knowledge about triple negative breast cancer among Black women in Prince William County and surrounding areas

Background: Black women have higher rates of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) as compared to women from other racial/ethnic groups. TNBC is a rare form of cancer that is aggressive and more challenging to treat. Little is known about breast health programs designed to educate black women about TNBC. The purpose of this project was to implement a community/faith-based breast health educational program for black women focused on increasing knowledge about TNBC. Methods:This study was an educational program to increase knowledge of TNBC to 450 black women. Knowledge was measured before and after the program. Results: Participants had increased correct knowledge on all three TNBC topics. These items were knowledgeable about potential health concerns of TNBC, TNBC is more common in blacks than whites, and TNBC is potentially one of the more aggressive and deadly forms of breast cancer. Conclusions: Educating black women about TNBC and early detection and mammography screening is vital for survival. This study demonstrates that black women can benefit from culturally appropriate educational programs about TNBC. Increasing knowledge about TNBC can save lives and prevent the harmful consequences associated with this disease among black women

A community/faith-based breast health educational program focused on increasing knowledge about triple negative breast cancer among Black women in Prince William County and surrounding areas

Background: Black women have higher rates of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) as compared to women from other racial/ethnic groups. TNBC is a rare form of cancer that is aggressive and more challenging to treat. Little is known about breast health programs designed to educate black women about TNBC. The purpose of this project was to implement a community/faith-based breast health educational program for black women focused on increasing knowledge about TNBC. Methods:This study was an educational program to increase knowledge of TNBC to 450 black women. Knowledge was measured before and after the program. Results: Participants had increased correct knowledge on all three TNBC topics. These items were knowledgeable about potential health concerns of TNBC, TNBC is more common in blacks than whites, and TNBC is potentially one of the more aggressive and deadly forms of breast cancer. Conclusions: Educating black women about TNBC and early detection and mammography screening is vital for survival. This study demonstrates that black women can benefit from culturally appropriate educational programs about TNBC. Increasing knowledge about TNBC can save lives and prevent the harmful consequences associated with this disease among black women

Demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic characteristics of persons under investigation for Coronavirus Disease 2019-United States, January 17-February 29, 2020.

BackgroundThe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), evolved rapidly in the United States. This report describes the demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic characteristics of 544 U.S. persons under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19 with complete SARS-CoV-2 testing in the beginning stages of the pandemic from January 17 through February 29, 2020.MethodsIn this surveillance cohort, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided consultation to public health and healthcare professionals to identify PUI for SARS-CoV-2 testing by quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR. Demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic characteristics of PUI were reported by public health and healthcare professionals during consultation with on-call CDC clinicians and subsequent submission of a CDC PUI Report Form. Characteristics of laboratory-negative and laboratory-positive persons were summarized as proportions for the period of January 17-February 29, and characteristics of all PUI were compared before and after February 12 using prevalence ratios.ResultsA total of 36 PUI tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and were classified as confirmed cases. Confirmed cases and PUI testing negative for SARS-CoV-2 had similar demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic characteristics. Consistent with changes in PUI evaluation criteria, 88% (13/15) of confirmed cases detected before February 12, 2020, reported travel from China. After February 12, 57% (12/21) of confirmed cases reported no known travel- or contact-related exposures.ConclusionsThese findings can inform preparedness for future pandemics, including capacity for rapid expansion of novel diagnostic tests to accommodate broad surveillance strategies to assess community transmission, including potential contributions from asymptomatic and presymptomatic infections

Plasticity, Not Adaptation to Salt Level, Explains Variation Along a Salinity Gradient in a Salt Marsh Perennial

Evolutionary ecologists have long been intrigued by the fact that many plant species can inhabit a broad range of environmental conditions and that plants often exhibit dramatic differences in phenotype across environmental gradients. We investigated responses to salinity treatments in the salt marsh plant Borrichia frutescens to determine if the species is responding to variation in edaphic salt content through phenotypic plasticity or specialized trait response. We grew seedlings from fruits collected in high- and low-salt microhabitats, assigned seedlings to high- and low-salt treatments in a greenhouse, and measured traits related to salt tolerance. All traits were highly plastic in response to salinity. Plants from the two microhabitats did not differ in trait means or respond differently to the treatments. These results suggest that environmental differences between the two microhabitats are not creating genotypes adapted to high and low salt levels. In addition, despite evidence for variation in allozyme markers in this population, there was no significant genotypic variation (family effect) in any of the trait means measured across microhabitats. There was variation in plasticity for only leaf Na and leaf B concentration. The high degree of plasticity for all traits and the lack of differences among microhabitats across the salinity gradient suggest plasticity in many traits may be fixed for this species