Mentorship and Support Matters: A Praxis of Resilience for Black and Latinx Males in an Academic Context

Traditionally, Black and Latinx males have lagged their racial counterparts in academic attainment and even persistence. While a myriad of factors affects these outcomes, research points to the importance of student level variables (e.g., demographics and attitudes about college), family level variables (e.g., family support), and school level variables (e.g., school counselors). Much of that research, however, is regional (e.g., only focuses on students in urban or southern locales), cross sectional, lacks strong theoretical grounding, or relies on rudimentary statistical analyses. To address that gap, this dissertation employs the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS) data set, intersectionality, and critical race theory (CRT) as theoretical frameworks, as well as hierarchical regression modeling to investigate the relative impact of student-level, family support, and school counselors’ domains on the academic attainment in regard to students success in a national sample of Black and Latinx males. Given the findings, recommendations are offered at both individual and institutional levels. By reflecting and rethinking how we can collectively reshape and renovate the landscape of education, I offer a praxis of resilience that recognizes and responds to the challenges Black and Latinx males experience in the academic context

3D printing of weft knitted textile based structures by selective laser sintering of nylon powder

3D printing is a form of additive manufacturing whereby the building up of layers of material creates objects. The selective laser sintering process (SLS) uses a laser beam to sinter powdered material to create objects. This paper builds upon previous research into 3D printed textile based material exploring the use of SLS using nylon powder to create flexible weft knitted structures. The results show the potential to print flexible textile based structures that exhibit the properties of traditional knitted textile structures along with the mechanical properties of the material used, whilst describing the challenges regarding fineness of printing resolution. The conclusion highlights the potential future development and application of such pieces

High-Yield Hydrogen Production from Starch and Water by a Synthetic Enzymatic Pathway

BACKGROUND: The future hydrogen economy offers a compelling energy vision, but there are four main obstacles: hydrogen production, storage, and distribution, as well as fuel cells. Hydrogen production from inexpensive abundant renewable biomass can produce cheaper hydrogen, decrease reliance on fossil fuels, and achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions, but current chemical and biological means suffer from low hydrogen yields and/or severe reaction conditions. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we demonstrate a synthetic enzymatic pathway consisting of 13 enzymes for producing hydrogen from starch and water. The stoichiometric reaction is C(6)H(10)O(5) (l)+7 H(2)O (l)→12 H(2) (g)+6 CO(2) (g). The overall process is spontaneous and unidirectional because of a negative Gibbs free energy and separation of the gaseous products with the aqueous reactants. CONCLUSIONS: Enzymatic hydrogen production from starch and water mediated by 13 enzymes occurred at 30°C as expected, and the hydrogen yields were much higher than the theoretical limit (4 H(2)/glucose) of anaerobic fermentations. SIGNIFICANCE: The unique features, such as mild reaction conditions (30°C and atmospheric pressure), high hydrogen yields, likely low production costs ($∼2/kg H(2)), and a high energy-density carrier starch (14.8 H(2)-based mass%), provide great potential for mobile applications. With technology improvements and integration with fuel cells, this technology also solves the challenges associated with hydrogen storage, distribution, and infrastructure in the hydrogen economy

Matching Intervention To Need in Juvenile Justice: The CASSII Level of Care Determination

Background: The process of level of care (LOC) determination has been traditionally fraught with unreliability and lack of objectivity. There is a similar need for reliable objective LOC determination tools for youth in the juvenile justice systems, which have high prevalence of psychiatric disorders and unmet mental health needs and are disproportionately from minority backgrounds. The CASII has already demonstrated significant interrater reliability and validity in studies with mental health and child welfare populations. Method: In 2004 and 2005, the Tennessee CPORT team reviewed 206 youth in the juvenile justice system ages 13 and older, 92.8% male, with 37.4% Caucasian, 55.8% African American. Instruments used included the CASII, CAFAS, CBCL, YSR, TRF, and the CPORT Child and Family Indicators. Results: There was a significant correlation between all of the CASII subscales and the CAFAS Total Scores (Pearson coefficients 0.210 to 0.618). The CASII Total Score and the CASII LOC were both highly correlated to CBCL, the YSR, and the TRF total scores and sub-scales. Significant correlations between the CASII LOC were found in 10 of the 13 CPORT Child and Family Indicators, while actual LOC placement was significantly correlated with only 4 of the 13 dimensions. The actual LOC placement was significantly different than recommended CASII LOC (p \u3c 0.0000), with the majority of recommended LOCs being lower. Conclusions: This LOC tool is demonstrating high levels of reliability and validity in different systems of care settings, including juvenile justice, child welfare, and mental health contexts. Use of the CASII could result in significant savings in resources that could be used to provide services for adolescent offenders, and in reduction in unnecessary restrictiveness of placements

Substance Abuse in Immigrant Latino Youth in Appalachia: Preliminary Findings

One-third of the US Latino population is under the age of 18. Studies show a significant percentage of Latinos aged 12 or older use illegal substances. Acculturation, family relationships, and depression are contributing factors to this abuse. Previous studies concentrated on populations along the US-Mexico border. This study examined the relationship between illegal substance abuse, acculturation, family relationships, and depression in Latino adolescents aged 12 to 19 in Northeast Tennessee. The Pan American Youth Inventory was administered to 66 Latino youth. There was a significant relationship between substance abuse and depression, as well as substance abuse and lifetime suicide ideations