A study of education reform in Texas: State mandated testing results, effects, and the University of Texas-Pan American

The study will use scores on TASP, and ACT as predictors of first year college success. First year college success will be measured by first-year year college grade point average and number of class hours dropped. We expect to find a high correlation between standardized test scores and college success. In order to continue yearly state test administration efforts, data needs to be found supporting that these efforts are sufficient. If this evidence is not present, then state mandated achievement testing needs to be reconsidered for use as a requirement for receipt of a high school diploma, school accountability, and as a measurement for future student success. The research will be accomplished through use of research questions and research statements

The Investigation of Good Moral Character for Admission to the Virginia Bar - Time for a Change

One of the most essential and critical components of a democratic society is the law profession. Lawyers are charged with the preeminent duty of assisting citizens in the maintenance of their individual rights. Because of a lawyer\u27s enviable position of prestige and respect, he enjoy[s] much public confidence and trust. Therefore, society expects, and the profession demands, that only individuals possessing an adequate degree of intelligence, education, and good moral character be permitted to practice law

Pregnancy and delivery while receiving vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of major depression: a case report

BACKGROUND: Depression during pregnancy can have significant health consequences for the mother and her infant. Antidepressant medications, which pass through the placenta, may increase the risk of low birth weight and preterm delivery. The use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy may induce serotonergic symptoms in the infant after delivery. Antidepressant medications in breast milk may also be passed to an infant. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy is an effective non-pharmacologic treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but little information exists regarding the use of VNS therapy during pregnancy. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient began receiving VNS therapy for TRD in March 1999. The therapy was effective, producing substantial reductions in depressive symptoms and improvement of function. In 2002, the patient reported that she was pregnant. She continued receiving VNS therapy throughout her pregnancy, labor, and delivery, which enabled the sustained remission of her depression. The pregnancy was uneventful; a healthy daughter was delivered at full term. CONCLUSION: In this case, VNS therapy provided effective treatment for TRD during pregnancy and delivery. VNS was safe for the patient and her child

Effect of Acute Exercise Mode on Test Anxiety: Aerobic vs. Resistance

Test anxiety is a specific type of state anxiety when a person experiences perceived pressure to excel on a test. Test anxiety not only hinders test performance, but the person\u27s long term psychophysiological health. Many students struggle with test anxiety, but females have a higher incidence of test anxiety than males. Bouts of aerobic exercise have been shown to decrease state anxiety, but no work has been done examining the effects of resistant training on state anxiety. PURPOSE: the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of acute aerobic and resistance exercise bouts on test anxiety among recreationally active females. METHODS: Recreationally females (n=30, 23±4 yr., 79±15 kg, 161±7 cm) participated in three experimental trials [bout of aerobic exercise (AER), bout of resistance exercise (RES); and a control bout with no exercise (CON)] where a balanced cross-over design was used. During the exercise bouts the subjects were required to exercise at a moderate intensity equal to 40%-59% of their peak oxygen consumption rate, which was determined relative to the subject\u27s age predicted maximal heart rate (65-75% HRmax). Subjects were asked to perform the exercise bout in their target heart rate range (65-75% HRmax) for approximately 20 min. For the CON trial, the subject rested quietly for 20 min. After each bout, the subjects were required to take a standardized mathematics examination where they were told that they would be classified based on how they performed (good, average, poor). At the beginning, middle, and end of the standardized math exam perceived test anxiety (emotionality, worry, overall) was assessed via the Spielberg’s Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI). TAI scores were not different between the three administrations (p\u3e0.05), so the middle assessment was used for the subsequent analyses. RESULTS: The exercise heart rates (Mn + SD) did not differ(p\u3e0.05) between exercise trials at 10 min (AER= 133.6 + 3.8 bpm; RES=133 + 4.1 bpm) and 20 min (AER=133.5 + 3.3 bpm; RES=134.3 + 3.5 bpm), confirming that subjects were in a steady state and that exercise intensities were similar between the modes. Perceived emotionality (TAI score=8-32) was not different (p\u3e0.05) between trials (Md, Range: CON=18,8-31; AER=19,8-32; RES= 18,8-32). Perceived worry (TAI score= 8-32) was not different (p\u3e0.05) between trials (Md, Range: CON=16, 8-32); AER=18, 8-32; RES=17, 9-32). Overall anxiety scores (TAI score=20-78) was not different (p\u3e0.05) between trials (Md, Range: CON=46, 20-78); AER=49, 20-75; RES= 46, 24-73). CONCLUSION: Acute exercise had no effect on test anxiety in the recreationally active young females who participated in the study, regardless of mode. It is possible that the test administration in the study did not effectively simulate the anxiety-inducing effects of a test in a real-world setting

Wharton’s jelly or bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells improve cardiac function following myocardial infarction for more than 32 weeks in a rat model: a preliminary report

The therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) following myocardial infarction (MI) is small. This may be due to differences in cellular sources and donor age, route of administration, in vitro cellular manipulations and the short time course of follow up in many animal studies. Here, we compared MSCs from two different sources (adult bone marrow or Wharton’s jelly from umbilical cord) for their long-term therapeutic effect following MI in a rat model to evaluate the effect of donor age. MSCs (or control infusions) were given intravenously 24-48 hr after myocardial ischemia (MI) induced by coronary artery ligation. Cardiac function was assessed by ultrasound at time points starting from before MSC infusion through 68 weeks after MI. A significant improvement in ejection fraction was seen in animals that received MSCs in time points 25 to 31 wks after treatment (p <0.01). These results support previous work that show that MSCs can cause improvement in cardiac function and extend that work by showing that the beneficial effects are durable. To investigate MSCs’ cardiac differentiation potential, Wharton’s jelly MSCs were co-cultured with fetal or adult bone-derived marrow MSCs. When Wharton’s jelly MSCs were co-cultured with fetal MSCs, and not with adult MSCs, myotube structures were observed in two-three days and spontaneous contractions (beating) cells were observed in fiveseven days. The beating structures formed a functional syncytium indicated by coordinated contractions (beating) of independent nodes. Taken together, these results suggest that MSCs given 24-48 hr after MI have a significant and durable beneficial effect more than 25 weeks after MI and that MSC treatment can home to damaged tissue and improve heart function after intravenous infusion 24-48 hrs after MI, and that WJCs may be a useful source for off-the-shelf cellular therapy for MI

Disparities in Access to Healthcare: The Case of a Drug and Alcohol Abuse Detoxification Treatment Program among Minority Groups in a Texas Hospital

The authors analyzed ethnic/racial disparities in healthcare access and length of stay from a defined population of individuals seeking medical detoxification services at a hospital in Texas. Results indicated Blacks were more likely to be insured compared with Whites, mostly by public insurance, but this did not hold for Hispanics, who were about three times more likely to be uninsured compared with Blacks. In addition, the authors observed lower median of length of stay in the Medicaid category among Hispanics. These results can be explained by aggressive case management, sociocultural barriers, or discriminatory practices, both intentional and unintentional