China in Latin America: lessons for South-South cooperation and sustainable development

This repository item contains a report from the Boston University Global Economic Governance Initiative. The Global Economic Governance Initiative (GEGI) is a research program of the Center for Finance, Law & Policy, the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, and the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies. It was founded in 2008 to advance policy-relevant knowledge about governance for financial stability, human development, and the environment

Not my son

This screenplay is an intimate and honest exploration of the nature of various relationships between fathers and sons. It explores how fatherly expectations can make lasting impacts, both helpful and detrimental, on their sons that can ultimately drive a wedge between them if the sons think they have failed their fathers or if the fathers think that the sons have not lived up to their potentials. The screenplay also lightly explores the quest for perfection and what ultimately is the price of that quest, especially for those who cannot meet those unrealistic expectations imposed on them by their parents and/or society due to circumstances beyond their control, such as disabilities

Stakeholders\u27 perceptions of parental involvement and home-school connections in a South Texas border town

Latinos have a high amount of individuals residing in poverty, and, yet, are still the fastest growing minority group in the nation (Gandara & Contreras, 2009; National Council of La Raza, 2014). For some families, living in poverty and the need to earn a living prevents parents from being actively involved in their children’s education (Moreno & Gaytan, 2013). Therefore, the need to form alliances with parents is critical. Partnerships with parents must be formed to better understand the necessities of these children. Consequently, educators should convey to parents the significance of forming links between the home and school. Moreover, the purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the current implementation of the funds of knowledge (Moll, et al., 1992) and community cultural wealth (Yosso, 2005) that exist within Latino families along the Texas-Mexico border to facilitate partnerships between home and school. Data was collected over a timeframe of twenty-three weeks. The research study was comprised of: semi-structured, face to face interviews; questionnaires; observations; and document analysis. A two phase data analysis process was utilized. Data analysis consisted of transcribing interview content, open-coding to identify trends among the interviewees’ responses, an examination of field notes, and an evaluation of the data to identify commonalities, categories, and patterns. Validity was established through the triangulation of the data sources. The results of the study suggest the emergence of four themes: stakeholders’ responsibilities, the types of support available to students, the existence of cultural values, and the prevalence of community connections. Discussion of each theme and subtheme is provided. Furthermore, responses to the research questions and correlations to community cultural wealth (Yosso, 2005) and funds of knowledge (Moll, et al., 1992) are delineated. Implications for educators, educator preparation programs, and parents are noted. The limitations of the study are also documented. Recommendations for future research are included in the research study

A Study of A High Performing, High Poverty Elementary School on The Texas-Mexico Border

Transforming low performing schools to ensure the academic success of Hispanic children situated in poverty remains an educational challenge. External factors impacting student learning are often targeted as the main reasons for poor academic achievement, thereby advancing the culturally deficit model. This study is about an elementary school that defied the deficit model as evidenced by its distinguished academic accolades. This instrumental qualitative case study examined a high performing elementary school on the Texas-Mexico Border in which high poverty Hispanic students made dramatic increases in academic achievement. Data were collected from interviews, observations, documents, and other media. Findings for the three research questions and their respective relationships to the theory of action provided in-depth insights of the multifaceted complexities and everyday challenges faced by educators striving to improve student performance. Based on the findings, conclusions are provided regarding the process of reculturation, cultural belief systems, leadership roles, teaching and learning systems, student support systems, and key school improvement factors. Recommendations for researchers, practitioners and policy-makers are also provided in this study

Physicochemical And Toxicological Assessment Of Antimicrobial ε-Polylysine-Pectin Complexes

ε-Polylysine is an appealing FDA-approved, all natural antimicrobial biopolymer effective against a wide range of microorganisms. Its implementation is greatly limited by its strong cationic charge, which has been linked to instability in food systems, perceived astringency and bitterness, and the ability to inhibit lipid digestion. Previous studies have shown that controlled complexation of ε-polylysine with anionic pectin is able to prevent instability and astringency in simplified model food systems, while maintaining the antimicrobial character of polylysine. Isothermal titration calorimetry, micro-electrophoresis, microscopy, and turbidity analyses of the stability of electrostatic pectin-polylysine complexes in the presence of strongly anionic κ-carrageenan, and carrageenan-polylysine complexes in the presence of pectin at different mass ratios (pH 3.5) suggested that although polylysine-carrageenan interactions were much stronger, polylysine-pectin complexes maintained their stability in the presence of carrageenan. In vitro digestion models showed that electrostatic interactions between bile salts and polylysine, which have been suggested as the mechanism for lipase inhibition by polylysine (2ppm), were affected by components in the sample’s matrix. The implementation of an anionic (quillaja saponin) versus a non-ionic surfactant (Tween 20) in corn oil emulsions (2.5%w/w) showed a marked decrease of lipase inhibition, suggesting that electrostatic complexes formed by polylysine with other components prior to its exposure to bile salts in the small intestine may prevent the lipase-inhibiting polylysine-bile salts complex from occurring. Corn oil emulsions (2%w/w) stabilized by Tween 20 subjected to oral, gastric, and intestinal digestion in the presence and absence of mucin and polylysine (200ppm) demonstrated that polylysine forms electrostatic complexes with bile salt-stabilized mixed micelles, potentially decreasing lipid absorption and altering its metabolism. Complexes formed between polylysine and mucin prior to addition of bile salts showed a decrease in insolubilized oil after digestion, suggesting that interactions between polylysine and bile salts were somewhat inhibited. The influence of polylysine and pectin on the in vitro digestibility of animal feed either as individual components or as an electrostatic complex was assessed as part of a subchronic toxicity study. While pectin appeared to increase the rate and extent of lipid digestion, there did not seem to be any inhibition generated by polylysine

EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCES OF SAME-SEX FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS

Foster and adoptive parents are crucial in the child welfare system, with the large number of foster children in the system at any time. Same-sex foster and adoptive homes are underrepresented in the child welfare system, despite the shortage and need for more certified foster and adoptive homes. There are limited studies documenting the experiences of gay and lesbian foster and adoptive parents. Some research has demonstrated that non-traditional, or same-sex couples are met with more obstacles to become certified foster and adoptive parents, in comparison to their heterosexual counterparts. This qualitative study explores the experiences of same-sex foster and adoptive parents during the certification process. The findings suggest that social workers need to gain more knowledge regarding the values and practices of same-sex families, provide resources specific to same-sex family challenges, be sensitive to the unique circumstances of same-sex families, and most importantly, treat same-sex couples equally during the foster and adoptive certification process. Further research is needed looking at the areas of Family Court and judges\u27 rulings, as well as social workers\u27 perceptions in working with same-sex foster and adoptive parents

Unintended Pregnancies in Brazil - A Challenge for the Recommendation to Delay Pregnancy Due to Zika

Because of the potential link between the ongoing Zika virus outbreak and a surge in the number of cases of congenital microcephaly, officials in Latin America have recommended that women postpone pregnancy until this association is firmly established or the outbreak subsides. However, in all these countries a large proportion of babies are still born out of unplanned pregnancies. Teenage girls are particularly at high risk, as they often lack access to preventive contraception methods, or the knowledge to use them appropriately. To gauge the magnitude of the barriers preventing the implementation of such a recommendation in Brazil, the country so far most affected by the Zika epidemic, we evaluated pregnancy rates in teenage girls, and their spatial heterogeneity in the country, in recent years (2012-2014). Nearly 20% of children born in Brazil today (~560,000 live births) are by teenage mothers. Birth incidence is far higher in the tropical and poorer northern states. However, in absolute terms most births occur in the populous southeastern states, matching to a large extent the geographic distribution of dengue (an indicator of suitable climatic and sociodemographic conditions for the circulation of Aedes mosquitoes). These findings indicate that recommendation to delay pregnancy will leave over half a million pregnant adolescents in Brazil vulnerable to infection every year if not accompanied by effective education and real access to prevention

Ansiedad y soledad en estudiantes universitarios de Lima Metropolitana

El objetivo de la investigación fue conocer la relación de la ansiedad de estado y ansiedad de rasgo entre la soledad en estudiantes universitarios de Lima Metropolitana. El estudio fue de tipo no experimental y de diseño descripticocorrelacional. Por otro lado, la muestra estuvo compuesta por estudiantes universitarios de 18 a 51 años de edad (n = 302), de ambos sexos. Los resultados descriptivos evidenciaron que, del total de muestra se encontró un nivel bajo de ansiedad de estado (f = 187; 61.92%) y ansiedad de rasgo de nivel bajo (n = 143; 47.35%), en soledad un nivel bajo (f = 204, 67.55%). En los resultados correlacionales, se hallaron relaciones estadísticamente significativas de tipo directa y de magnitud baja en la ansiedad de estado y soledad (Rho = .166) y ansiedad de rasgo (Rho = .333), asimismo, las relaciones entre la ansiedad y las dimensiones de soledad fueron significativas (p<.001)., sin embargo, no se halló relación de la ansiedad de estado y pertinencia; y ansiedad de rasgo y social otros (p>.05). En conclusión, a mayores síntomas de ansiedad de estado o de rasgo, mayores serán las perspectivas de soledad en los estudiantes universitarios de Lima Metropolitana

Effective Detection of the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic in U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Centers Using a National Electronic Biosurveillance System

The 2008-09 influenza season was the time in which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) utilized an electronic biosurveillance system for tracking and monitoring of influenza trends. The system, known as ESSENCE or Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics, was monitored for the influenza season as well as for a rise in influenza cases at the start of the H1N1 2009 influenza pandemic. We also describe trends noted in influenza-like illness (ILI) outpatient encounter data in VA medical centers during the 2008-09 influenza season, before and after the recognition of pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus.We determined prevalence of ILI coded visits using VA's ESSENCE for 2008-09 seasonal influenza (Sept. 28, 2008-April 25, 2009 corresponding to CDC 2008-2009 flu season weeks 40-16) and the early period of pandemic H1N1 2009 (April 26, 2009-July 31, 2009 corresponding to CDC 2008-2009 flu season weeks 17-30). Differences in diagnostic ICD-9-CM code frequencies were analyzed using Chi-square and odds ratios. There were 649,574 ILI encounters captured representing 633,893 patients. The prevalence of VA ILI visits mirrored the CDC's Outpatient ILI Surveillance Network (ILINet) data with peaks in late December, early February, and late April/early May, mirroring the ILINet data; however, the peaks seen in the VA were smaller. Of 31 ILI codes, 6 decreased and 11 increased significantly during the early period of pandemic H1N1 2009. The ILI codes that significantly increased were more likely to be symptom codes. Although influenza with respiratory manifestation (487.1) was the most common code used among 150 confirmed pandemic H1N1 2009 cases, overall it significantly decreased since the start of the pandemic.VA ESSENCE effectively detected and tracked changing ILI trends during pandemic H1N1 2009 and represents an important temporal alerting system for monitoring health events in VA facilities