The Afro-Brazilian University Experience: How Racial Quota Policy Beneficiaries at the Federal University of Bahia Perceive Racial Quota Debates, UFBA Quota Policy, and Life as Quota Students

For my project I will explore the experiences of Afro-Brazilian students enrolled in the Universidade Federal da Bahia through the University’s Resolution 01/04.[1] Through interviews with six students admitted through the quotas system at UFBA along with interviews with civic society leaders, and university advisors, I aim to identify the varying attitudes that these students may have in response to criticisms of racial quotas, the implementation of the quota system on their campus, and their own experiences as quota students. The implementation of affirmative action in Brazilian Universities has sparked serious debate and questioning of racial politics and what many see as the importation of American racial models. One possibility that has not been deeply analyzed, however, is the likelihood that quota students themselves might present valuable input to these debates – especially after entering the university setting, where as quota students their place in the university is disputed. Along with interviews, I will perform field observations following a day in the life of one particular student. I aim to answer the question: What are the attitudes of Afro-Brazilian quota students at UFBA towards criticisms of racial quotas, the implementation of the racial quota system on their campus, and their own experiences as quota students? [1] UFBA 2011 Vestibular Guide. ISP Field Journa

Improvements in Health Conditions in Galveston School System From 1934-1936

Since health supervision is now recognized as a most important part of the school and community health program, we cannot well separate public health in a school system from public health in the community. There are fundamental reasons why a community should be responsible for the conservation of the health of the children in its schools. Doctor Hiscock, in his book entitled Public Health Organizations , argues thus: Children required to attend school must be protected against neglect, ignorance or indifference on the part of parents of some children who are permitted to attend school while in the communicable stages of disease. When a community makes education compulsory, it must assume responsibility for providing healthful environment for the children. It is important to educate the child in the principles of healthful living, so that he may himself have sound health and thus safeguard the community in the future. Furthermore, it is essential to find out and endeavor to have corrected physical and mental defects in the child before they affect his ability to learn and interfere with his school career . Dr. Hiscock suggests five primary purposes of school health supervision: 1. To detect and prevent the spread of communicable disease. 2. To insure sanitary conditions at the school plant. 3. To discover early and guide the child to appreciate the care for correction of physical and mental defects. 4. To promote sound physical development. 5. To educate the child in matters of community and personal hygiene and in the principles of healthy living .1 The major functions of a school health program are to carry out the purposes as outlined. They may well he divided into four groups: 1. Sanitation; 2. Medical and Nursing Service; 3. Health Education; and 4. Physical Education. Every school situation, however casual or minor it may be, is an opportunity for health education. And every adult member of the school staff has some responsibility. 1 The American Association of School Physicians. School Physicians Bulletin. Pages 3-4. Volume VI. January, 1936

Effect Of Cultural Dimensions On Stock Exchange Investment Decisions In Iran

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of cultural dimensions on personal investment decisions in the Tehran Stock Exchange. The cultural dimensions model was well established by Geert Hofstede (1980). This research tested a main hypothesis and four subsidiary hypotheses. The data was gathered through library methods and questionnaires. The results showed that the main hypothesis which examined whether there is a significant relationship between cultural dimensions and investment decisions in the Tehran stock exchange was confirmed. Subsidiary hypothesis about the relationship between two of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Power Distance and Individualism, and investment decisions was not confirmed at a meaningful level. However other subsidiary hypothesis of the research based on the relationship between Masculinity and Uncertainty Avoidance and investment decisions was significant at a meaningful level and confirmed

Christian Missions and Covid-19 in Africa and Latin America: A Case Study of Brazil, Nigeria, and South Africa

Congregational worship among the religious organizations in Africa and Latin America, particularly the rapidly expanding Christian missions, has been of significant consideration in the light of medical recommendations involving social distancing and avoidance of large social gatherings concerning the coronavirus pandemic. This is among recent observations and has attracted more focus following an acute controversy over the role of the Church in Brazil vis-à-vis government policies on the Covid-19 pandemic and the fact that a number of churches in Nigeria were allegedly initially reluctant to respond to the government lockdown declaration and the resultant ban on congregational worship. Simultaneously, the agenda of financial and material assistance to the poor by the large Christian denominations in South Africa as one means of sustaining the lockdown rather attracted criticism, as they were unable to sustain the project. Furthermore, the role of religious bodies came to the fore as global surveys demonstrated that, on average, the masses in these two continents are among the most religiously observant people in the world. As we shall see in the concluding section, this is the major consideration of Idayat Hassan, Director of the Abuja-based Centre for Democracy and Development, in his assessment of the African context

Intestinal parasites and haemoglobin concentrations in pregnant women attending Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, Port Harcourt

This study was carried out between January to June, 2014 at Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, Port Harcourt to determine the haemoglobin level and intestinal parasites in pregnant women attending antenatal clinic of the hospital. In total, 200 stool and blood samples were collected from the women. The stool samples were examined using direct wet preparation and formol ether concentration technique while the haemoglobin levels of the women were estimated using cyanmethaeoglobin technique. The overall prevalence of E. histolytical, A. Lumbricoides, Hookworm Spp, and T. trichuria was 8(4.00), 58(29.00), 8(4.00) and 8(4.00) respectively. The proportion of pregnant women with helminithic infestation was 60 (30.0%) while their mean Heamoglobin concentration was 10.85+0.32g/dl while the pregnant women without helminthic infestation (140(70.0%) had Heamoglobin concentration of 11.03+0.16g/dl (P<0.05). The study has shown that pregnant women with intestinal parasites had low haemoglobin level. This may be attributed to poor socioeconomic status of the women coupled with poor environmental sanitation and lack of clean portable water supply may have contributed to the high prevalence

Characteristics of Internet addiction/pathological Internet use in U.S. university students: A mixed-methods investigation

Studies have identified high rates and severe consequences of Internet Addiction/Pathological Internet Use (IA/PIU) in university students. However, most research concerning IA/PIU in U.S. university students has been conducted within a quantitative research paradigm, and frequently fails to contextualize the problem of IA/PIU. To address this gap, we conducted an exploratory qualitative study using the focus group approach and examined 27 U.S. university students who self-identified as intensive Internet users, spent more than 25 hours/week on the Internet for non-school or non-work-related activities and who reported Internet-associated health and/or psychosocial problems. Students completed two IA/PIU measures (Young’s Diagnostic Questionnaire and the Compulsive Internet Use Scale) and participated in focus groups exploring the natural history of their Internet use; preferred online activities; emotional, interpersonal, and situational triggers for intensive Internet use; and health and/or psychosocial consequences of their Internet overuse. Students’ self-reports of Internet overuse problems were consistent with results of standardized measures. Students first accessed the Internet at an average age of 9 (SD = 2.7), and first had a problem with Internet overuse at an average age of 16 (SD = 4.3). Sadness and depression, boredom, and stress were common triggers of intensive Internet use. Social media use was nearly universal and pervasive in participants’ lives. Sleep deprivation, academic under-achievement, failure to exercise and to engage in face-to-face social activities, negative affective states, and decreased ability to concentrate were frequently reported consequences of intensive Internet use/Internet overuse. IA/PIU may be an underappreciated problem among U.S. university students and warrants additional research

Multiplex SSR-PCR Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Redundancy in the Philippine Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Germplasm Collection

Rice germplasm conservation is vital to ensuring the availability of a rich gene pool for future varietal improvement programs. However, with limited resources for gene banking, there is a need to identify and prioritize unique accessions in the PhilRice gene bank for maximum resource utilization. A robust and unequivocal way to identify duplicates is through multiplex SSR-PCR DNA fingerprinting. The present study established the optimal concentrations and reaction conditions for the successful amplification of PCR products using a multiplex panel composed of rice simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, namely RM312, RM316, RM514 and RM171. The panel was then used to analyze the genetic diversity and identify duplicates among the 427 rice germplasm accessions with similar or identical variety names from the PhilRice genebank. A total of 15 alleles were detected at the 4 SSR loci. The polymorphism information content (PIC) values of the SSR markers were moderately high ranging from 0.459 to 0.643. A dendrogram was constructed using the Dice similarity coefficient and the UPGMA algorithm. The multiplex SSR-PCR panel produced unique profiles of 31 accessions that, being genetically distinct, should be maintained as part of the main collection of the genebank. There were 17 accessions identified as possible redundants having a bootstrap value greater than 95%. Additional SSR and morphological markers will be required to further strengthen the evidence for redundancy, and hence justify removal of unnecessary duplicates from the collection