The Efficacy of the Girls on the Run Program to Improve Self-Worth, Body Image, and Behavioral and Emotional Functioning: A Longitudinal Study

Girls on the Run is an after-school program for girls ages 8-13 that is focused on improving physical and mental wellbeing. Previous research has demonstrated some utility in improving mental health, especially as it relates to self-esteem and body image. The current study focused on the longitudinal analysis of girls in this program to determine how long they need to be in this program to gain the most benefits in three key areas of mental wellbeing: body image satisfaction, global self-worth (a facet of self-esteem), and behavioral and emotional functioning. The results indicate that, in this sample from a small Midwestern metropolitan area, girls did not change significantly over time in behavioral and emotional functioning or global self-worth. They displayed healthy levels of functioning throughout the program and there was little room for improvement on these factors. However, changes were found for girls who had participated three or more times when it came to body image with the program actually causing a decrease in body image satisfaction during their second time in the program. Overall, these results differ from other studies that found this program to be beneficial. It appears that, for this particular demographic, Girls on the Run may not have the same utility and may potentially have a negative impact on some girls\u27 body image. Potential reasons for this are discussed. Further research should be done to determine whether girls who are not as stable as this sample might gain more from participating in the program

Charismatic Technology

To explain the uncanny holding power that some technologies seem to have, this paper presents a theory of charisma as attached to technology. It uses the One Laptop per Child project as a case study for exploring the features, benefits, and pitfalls of charisma. It then contextualizes OLPC’s charismatic power in the historical arc of other charismatic technologies, highlighting the enduring nature of charisma and the common themes on which the charisma of a century of technological progress rests. In closing, it discusses how scholars and practitioners in human-computer interaction might use the concept of charismatic technology in their own work.

Controlling Costs: The 6-3-5 Method

Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Progra

Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporations Farm to Early Care Program: A Foundation for Healthier, Stronger Central Brooklyn Families and Communities

Across New York City and the nation, low-income and working families with young children endeavor to raise strong, healthy children; maintain their family's health; find and keep decent jobs and affordable housing; create safe communities; and claim a voice in shaping their neighborhoods. At the same time, within these communities, resilient families and children, skilled and experienced leaders, and many established civic organizations with a history of organizing to improve their neighborhoods have shown the power of local action to promote health, equity and community development.In this policy brief, we describe one effort to mobilize community assets to develop a comprehensive and integrated approach to supporting well-being, prosperity, increased community power and pathways out of poverty. For the past five years, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation (Restoration) has used its farm to early care program as one foundation for an integrated approach to community development. In telling that story, this policy brief seeks to inform efforts to develop the next stage of farm to early care in Brooklyn, inspire others to adapt this approach to their own communities and cities, and share the lessons Restoration has learned from this work. These experiences can also inform initiatives to use improvements in institutional food programs as a starting point for transforming other systems such as senior centers, afterschool programs, and health care centers

Bortezomib Augments Natural Killer Cell Targeting of Stem-Like Tumor Cells.

Tumor cells harboring stem-like/cancer stem cell (CSC) properties have been identified and isolated from numerous hematological and solid malignancies. These stem-like tumor cells can persist following conventional cytoreductive therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, thereby repopulating the tumor and seeding relapse and/or metastasis. We have previously shown that natural killer (NK) cells preferentially target stem-like tumor cells via non- major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restricted mechanisms. Here, we demonstrated that the proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, augments NK cell targeting of stem cell-like tumor cells against multiple solid human tumor-derived cancer lines and primary tissue samples. Mechanistically, this was mediated by the upregulation of cell surface NK ligands MHC class I chain-related protein A and B (MICA and MICB) on aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH)-positive CSCs. The increased expression of MICA and MICB on CSC targets thereby enhanced NK cell mediated killing in vitro and ex vivo from both human primary tumor and patient-derived xenograft samples. In vivo, the combination of bortezomib and allogeneic NK cell adoptive transfer in immunodeficient mice led to increased elimination of CSCs as well as tumor growth delay of orthotopic glioblastoma tumors. Taken together, our data support the combination bortezomib and NK transfer as a strategy for both CSC targeting and potentially improved outcomes in clinical cancer patients

Beyond Information Determinism to Information Orders: A New Framework for Policy

The mythology of information determinism – that access to the “right” information will precipitate desired actions – is common in policy arenas and develop. We identify information determinism in three programs in international development, education, and disaster response, describing their information deterministic framing and the implications of the mythology of information in action. As an alternative, we propose the framework of “information orders” to provide a more grounded framework for understanding the production and circulation of information in policy or development projects.ye

Beyond Information Determinism to Information Orders: A New Framework for Policy

The mythology of information determinism – that access to the “right” information will precipitate desired actions – is common in policy arenas and develop. We identify information determinism in three programs in international development, education, and disaster response, describing their information deterministic framing and the implications of the mythology of information in action. As an alternative, we propose the framework of “information orders” to provide a more grounded framework for understanding the production and circulation of information in policy or development projects.ye

Atrial natriuretic factor

The discovery of the first well-defined natriuretic hormone, the Atrial Natriuretic Factor (ANF), has prompted research on its impact on volume regulation in health and disease. The natriuretic, diuretic, and smooth muscle-relaxing properties suggest an important role of this novel hormone in pathophysiological states with sodium or volume retention, such as congestive heart failure or cirrhosis of the liver. Investigations on the implications of ANF in liver disease have been performed for little more than 1 year, and results are still controversial in many respects. At present, it seems very likely that there is no absolute deficiency of plasma ANF in patients with cirrhosis. Moreover, elevated plasma levels in cirrhotics with ascites have been reported by several groups. However, as yet, a molecular characterization of this increased immunoreactivity is still lacking. There is disagreement on the reduced release of and renal response to ANF in subgroups of cirrhotics; however, stimulus-response-coupling might be impaired. Further studies are needed to elucidate the pathophysiological implications and therapeutical potential of ANF in patients with chronic liver disease