An Exploration of Teacher and Student Perceptions of Classroom Assessment

My study explores a teacher’s intentions for and students’ perceptions of formative assessment practices enacted within the classroom. Adopting a constructivist epistemology (Merriam, 2009) to explore how interactions impact the learning environment, I use the relativist ontology (Reason, 1994) to examine how different individuals experience the same assessment interactions differently due to their unique perspectives. A qualitative case study methodology allows me to simultaneously explore varying understandings of, intentions with, reactions to, and perspectives on assessment practices in one teacher’s classroom through the use of a wide range of data collection techniques. Using the story model as my framework, I offer a discussion of Ontario’s current educational context in order to highlight implications for theory, make recommendations for further study, and highlight how findings from this study may be taken into consideration for further curriculum reform

The association of reduced lung function with blood pressure variability in African Americans: data from the Jackson Heart Study

Background African Americans (AAs) have lower lung function, higher blood pressure variability (BPV) and increased risk for hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with whites. The mechanism through which reduced lung-function is associated with increased CVD risk is unclear. Methods We evaluated the association between percent predicted lung-function and 24-hour BPV in 1008 AAs enrolled in the Jackson Heart Study who underwent ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring. Lung-function was assessed as forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and the ratio of FEV1-to-FVC during a pulmonary function test using a dry rolling sealed spirometer and grouped into gender-specific quartiles. The pairwise associations of these three lung-function measures with two measures of 24-hour BPV, (1) day-night standard deviation (SDdn) and (2) average real variability (ARV) were examined for systolic BP (SBP) and, separately, diastolic BP (DBP). Results SDdn of SBP was not associated with FEV1 (mean ± standard deviation from lowest-to-highest quartile: 9.5 ± 2.5, 9.4 ± 2.4, 9.1 ± 2.3, 9.3 ± 2.6; p-trend = 0.111). After age and sex adjustment, the difference in SDdn of SBP was 0.0 (95 % CI −0.4,0.4), −0.4 (95 % CI −0.8,0.1) and −0.3 (95 % CI −0.7,0.1) in the three progressively higher versus lowest quartiles of FEV1 (p-trend = 0.041). Differences in SDdn of SBP across FEV1 quartiles were not statistically significant after further multivariable adjustment. After multivariable adjustment, no association was present between FEV1 and ARV of SBP or SDdn and ARV of DBP or when evaluating the association of FVC and FEV1-to-FVC with 24-hour BPV. Conclusion Lung-function was not associated with increased 24-hour BPV

eDECIDE: A Web-Based Problem-Solving Interventions for Diabetes Self-Management: Protocol for a Pilot Clinical Trial

Background: In the US, diabetes affects 13.2% of African Americans, compared to 7.6% of Caucasians. Behavioral factors, such as poor diet, low physical activity, and general lack of good self-management skills and self-care knowledge are associated with poor glucose control among African Americans. African Americans are 77% more likely to develop diabetes and its associated health complications compared to non-Hispanic whites. A higher disease burden and lower adherence to self-management among this populations calls for innovative approaches to self-management training. Problem solving is a reliable tool for the behavior change necessary to improve self-management. The American Association of Diabetes Educators identifies problem-solving as one of seven core diabetes self-management behaviors. Methods: We are using a randomized control trial design. Participants are randomized to either traditional DECIDE or eDECIDE intervention. Both interventions run bi-weekly over 18 weeks. Participant recruitment will take place through community health clinics, University health system registry, and through private clinics. The eDECIDE is an 18-week intervention designed to deliver problem-solving skills, goal setting, and education on the link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: This study will provide feasibility and acceptability of the eDECIDE intervention in community populations. This pilot trial will help inform a powered full-scale study using the eDECIDE design

Concurrent Stress and Depressive Symptoms Increase Risk of Myocardial Infarction or Death

BACKGROUND: Depression and stress have each been found to be associated with poor prognosis in patients with coronary heart disease. A recently offered psychosocial perfect storm conceptual model hypothesizes amplified risk will occur in those with concurrent stress and depressive symptoms. We tested this hypothesis in a large sample of US adults with coronary heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: Participants included 4487 adults with coronary heart disease from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study, a prospective cohort study of 30,239 black and white adults. We conducted Cox proportional hazards regression with the composite outcome of myocardial infarction or death and adjustment for demographic, clinical, and behavioral factors. Overall, 6.1% reported concurrent high stress and high depressive symptoms at baseline. During a median 5.95 years of follow-up, 1337 events occurred. In the first 2.5 years of follow-up, participants with concurrent high stress and high depressive symptoms had increased risk for myocardial infarction or death (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.48 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.02]) relative to those with low stress and low depressive symptoms. Those with low stress and high depressive symptoms (hazard ratio, 0.92 [95% confidence interval, 0.66-1.28]) or high stress and low depressive symptoms (hazard ratio, 0.86 [95% confidence interval, 0.57-1.29]) were not at increased risk. The association on myocardial infarction or death was not significant after the initial 2.5 years of follow-up (hazard ratio, 0.89 [95% confidence interval, 0.65-1.22]). CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide initial support for a psychosocial perfect storm conceptual model; the confluence of depressive symptoms and stress on medical prognosis in adults with coronary heart disease may be particularly destructive in the shorter term

Intravaginal Practices, Vaginal Infections and HIV Acquisition: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Intravaginal practices are commonly used by women to manage their vaginal health and sexual life. These practices could, however, affect intravaginal mucosal integrity. The objectives of this study were to examine evidence for associations between: intravaginal practices and acquisition of HIV infection; intravaginal practices and vaginal infections; and vaginal infections and HIV acquisition. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We conducted a systematic review of prospective longitudinal studies, searching 15 electronic databases of journals and abstracts from two international conferences to 31(st) January 2008. Relevant articles were selected and data extracted in duplicate. Results were examined visually in forest plots and combined using random effects meta-analysis where appropriate. Of 2120 unique references we included 22 publications from 15 different studies in sub-Saharan Africa and the USA. Seven publications from five studies examined a range of intravaginal practices and HIV infection. No specific vaginal practices showed a protective effect against HIV or vaginal infections. Insertion of products for sex was associated with HIV in unadjusted analyses; only one study gave an adjusted estimate, which showed no association (hazard ratio 1.09, 95% confidence interval, CI 0.71, 1.67). HIV incidence was higher in women reporting intravaginal cleansing but confidence intervals were wide and heterogeneity high (adjusted hazard ratio 1.88, 95%CI 0.53, 6.69, I(2) 83.2%). HIV incidence was higher in women with bacterial vaginosis (adjusted effect 1.57, 95%CI 1.26, 1.94, I(2) 19.0%) and Trichomonas vaginalis (adjusted effect 1.64, 95%CI 1.28, 2.09, I(2) 0.0%). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: A pathway linking intravaginal cleaning practices with vaginal infections that increase susceptibility to HIV infection is plausible but conclusive evidence is lacking. Intravaginal practices do not appear to protect women from vaginal infections or HIV and some might be harmful

Effects of Concurrent Depressive Symptoms and Perceived Stress on Cardiovascular Risk in Low‐ and High‐Income Participants: ...

Background: Psychosocial risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) may be especially deleterious in persons with low socioeconomic status. Most work has focused on psychosocial factors individually, but emerging research suggests that the confluence of psychosocial risk may be particularly harmful. Using data from the Reasons for Geographical and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, we examined associations among depressive symptoms and stress, alone and in combination, and incident CVD and all‐cause mortality as a function of socioeconomic status. Methods and Results At baseline, 22 658 participants without a history of CVD (58.8% female, 41.7% black, mean age 63.9±9.3 years) reported on depressive symptoms, stress, annual household income, and education. Participants were classified into 1 of 3 psychosocial risk groups at baseline: (1) neither depressive symptoms nor stress, (2) either depressive symptoms or stress, or (3) both depressive symptoms and stress. Cox proportional hazards models were used to predict physician‐adjudicated incident total CVD events (nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and cardiovascular death) and all‐cause mortality over a median of 7.0 years (interquartile range 5.4–8.3 years) of follow‐up. In fully adjusted models, participants with both depressive symptoms and stress had the greatest elevation in risk of developing total CVD (hazard ratio 1.48, 95% CI 1.21–1.81) and all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.33, 95% CI 1.13–1.56) but only for those with low income (< $35 000) and not high (≥$35 000) income. This pattern of results was not observed in models stratified by education. Conclusions Findings suggest that screening for a combination of elevated depressive symptoms and stress in low‐income persons may help identify those at increased risk of incident CVD and mortality

Physical Activity and Incident Hypertension in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study

There is limited empirical evidence to support the protective effects of physical activity in the prevention of hypertension among African Americans. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of physical activity with incident hypertension among African Americans. We studied 1311 participants without hypertension at baseline enrolled in the Jackson Heart Study, a community-based study of African Americans residing in Jackson, Mississippi. Overall physical activity, moderate–vigorous physical activity, and domain-specific physical activity (work, active living, household, and sport/exercise) were assessed by self-report during the baseline examination (2000–2004). Incident hypertension, assessed at examination 2 (2005–2008) and examination 3 (2009–2013), was defined as the first visit with systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg or self-reported antihypertensive medication use. Over a median follow-up of 8.0 years, there were 650 (49.6%) incident hypertension cases. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for incident hypertension comparing participants with intermediate and ideal versus poor levels of moderate–vigorous physical activity were 0.84 (0.67–1.05) and 0.76 (0.58–0.99), respectively (P trend=0.038). A graded, dose–response association was also present for sport/exercise-related physical activity (Quartiles 2, 3, and 4 versus Quartile 1: 0.92 [0.68–1.25], 0.87 [0.67–1.13], 0.75 [0.58–0.97], respectively; P trend=0.032). There were no statistically significant associations observed for overall physical activity, or work, active living, and household-related physical activities. In conclusion, the results of the current study suggest that regular moderate–vigorous physical activity or sport/exercise-related physical activity may reduce the risk of developing hypertension in African Americans

A Longitudinal Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Development of Metabolic Syndrome: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study

Despite variability in the burden of elevated depressive symptoms by sex and race and differences in the incidence of metabolic syndrome, few prior studies describe the longitudinal association of depressive symptoms with metabolic syndrome in a diverse cohort. We tested whether baseline and time-varying depressive symptoms were associated with metabolic syndrome incidence in black and white men and women from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study

Reconstruction of Family-Level Phylogenetic Relationships within Demospongiae (Porifera) Using Nuclear Encoded Housekeeping Genes

Background: Demosponges are challenging for phylogenetic systematics because of their plastic and relatively simple morphologies and many deep divergences between major clades. To improve understanding of the phylogenetic relationships within Demospongiae, we sequenced and analyzed seven nuclear housekeeping genes involved in a variety of cellular functions from a diverse group of sponges. Methodology/Principal Findings: We generated data from each of the four sponge classes (i.e., Calcarea, Demospongiae, Hexactinellida, and Homoscleromorpha), but focused on family-level relationships within demosponges. With data for 21 newly sampled families, our Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian-based approaches recovered previously phylogenetically defined taxa: Keratosap, Myxospongiaep, Spongillidap, Haploscleromorphap (the marine haplosclerids) and Democlaviap. We found conflicting results concerning the relationships of Keratosap and Myxospongiaep to the remaining demosponges, but our results strongly supported a clade of Haploscleromorphap+Spongillidap+Democlaviap. In contrast to hypotheses based on mitochondrial genome and ribosomal data, nuclear housekeeping gene data suggested that freshwater sponges (Spongillidap) are sister to Haploscleromorphap rather than part of Democlaviap. Within Keratosap, we found equivocal results as to the monophyly of Dictyoceratida. Within Myxospongiaep, Chondrosida and Verongida were monophyletic. A well supported clade within Democlaviap, Tetractinellidap, composed of all sampled members of Astrophorina and Spirophorina (including the only lithistid in our analysis), was consistently revealed as the sister group to all other members of Democlaviap. Within Tetractinellidap, we did not recover monophyletic Astrophorina or Spirophorina. Our results also reaffirmed the monophyly of order Poecilosclerida (excluding Desmacellidae and Raspailiidae), and polyphyly of Hadromerida and Halichondrida. Conclusions/Significance: These results, using an independent nuclear gene set, confirmed many hypotheses based on ribosomal and/or mitochondrial genes, and they also identified clades with low statistical support or clades that conflicted with traditional morphological classification. Our results will serve as a basis for future exploration of these outstanding questions using more taxon- and gene-rich datasets