THE RELATIONSHIP OF TEACHER – PRINCIPAL TRUST AND STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS ON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS

Although school principals are primarily held accountable for student achievement, they have only an indirect impact on that achievement (Darling-Hammond & Bransford, 2007; Hallinger & Heck, 1996; Supovitz, Sirinides, & May, 2010). Teachers affect student achievement directly, and principals affect teachers. Because faculty trust in the principal is one variable principal’s affect in teachers that could have a positive impact on student achievement (Bryk & Schneider, 2002; Sweetland & Hoy, 2000; Tschannen-Moran, 2001), the challenge for principals is knowing what will impact their teachers’ trust in them (Blake & MacNeil, 1998). This study investigated relational trust and its influence on student achievement in mathematics. Research question 1 looked at whether student achievement in mathematics can be predicted based on teacher – principal trust and student demographics. Research question 2 looked to determine if a difference existed in student achievement in mathematics between the means of schools with high and low teacher – principal trust levels. The findings in this study suggests that when trust exists in the relationship between the school principal and teachers, students experience greater achievement levels in mathematics. This study aligns with Bryk and Schneider’s Relational Theory of Trust and implies that when high levels of trust exists within the members in a school community, the consequences are positive and quite significant. This study provides implications for school practitioners and leaders as the findings provide a basis for school improvements and closing the achievement gaps within marginalized student

Temperature-tuning of near-infrared monodisperse quantum dot solids at 1.5 um for controllable Forster energy transfer

We present the first time-resolved cryogenic observations of Forster energy transfer in large, monodisperse lead sulphide quantum dots with ground state transitions near 1.5 um (0.83 eV), in environments from 160 K to room temperature. The observed temperature-dependent dipole-dipole transfer rate occurs in the range of (30-50 ns)^(-1), measured with our confocal single-photon counting setup at 1.5 um wavelengths. By temperature-tuning the dots, 94% efficiency of resonant energy transfer can be achieved for donor dots. The resonant transfer rates match well with proposed theoretical models

Analysis and Simulation of the Simplified Aircraft-Based Paired Approach Concept With the ALAS Alerting Algorithm in Conjunction With Echelon and Offset Strategies

This report presents analytical and simulation results of an investigation into proposed operational concepts for closely spaced parallel runways, including the Simplified Aircraft-based Paired Approach (SAPA) with alerting and an escape maneuver, MITRE?s echelon spacing and no escape maneuver, and a hybrid concept aimed at lowering the visibility minima. We found that the SAPA procedure can be used at 950 ft separations or higher with next-generation avionics and that 1150 ft separations or higher is feasible with current-rule compliant ADS-B OUT. An additional 50 ft reduction in runway separation for the SAPA procedure is possible if different glideslopes are used. For the echelon concept we determined that current generation aircraft cannot conduct paired approaches on parallel paths using echelon spacing on runways less than 1400 ft apart and next-generation aircraft will not be able to conduct paired approach on runways less than 1050 ft apart. The hybrid concept added alerting and an escape maneuver starting 1 NM from the threshold when flying the echelon concept. This combination was found to be effective, but the probability of a collision can be seriously impacted if the turn component of the escape maneuver has to be disengaged near the ground (e.g. 300 ft or below) due to airport buildings and surrounding terrain. We also found that stabilizing the approach path in the straight-in segment was only possible if the merge point was at least 1.5 to 2 NM from the threshold unless the total system error can be sufficiently constrained on the offset path and final turn

The prevention of lower urinary tract symptoms (PLUS) research consortium: A transdisciplinary approach toward promoting bladder health and preventing lower urinary tract symptoms in women across the life course

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are highly prevalent in women, and are expected to impose a growing burden to individuals and society as the population ages. The predominance of research related to LUTS has focused on underlying pathology, disease mechanisms, or the efficacy of treatments for women with LUTS. Although this research has been vital for helping to reduce or ameliorate LUTS conditions, it has done little to prevent the onset of LUTS. Health promotion and prevention require an expansion of scientific inquiry beyond the traditional paradigm of studying disease mechanisms and treatment to the creation of an evidence base to support recommendations for bladder health promotion and, in turn, prevention of LUTS. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) introduced the concept of prevention as an important priority for women's urologic research as a prelude to supporting the formation of the Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (PLUS) research consortium. In this article, we introduce the PLUS research consortium to the scientific community; share the innovative paradigms by which the consortium operates; and describe its unique research mission: to identify factors that promote bladder health across the life course and prevent the onset of LUTS in girls and women

Statistical competencies for medical research learners: What is fundamental?

IntroductionIt is increasingly essential for medical researchers to be literate in statistics, but the requisite degree of literacy is not the same for every statistical competency in translational research. Statistical competency can range from 'fundamental' (necessary for all) to 'specialized' (necessary for only some). In this study, we determine the degree to which each competency is fundamental or specialized.MethodsWe surveyed members of 4 professional organizations, targeting doctorally trained biostatisticians and epidemiologists who taught statistics to medical research learners in the past 5 years. Respondents rated 24 educational competencies on a 5-point Likert scale anchored by 'fundamental' and 'specialized.'ResultsThere were 112 responses. Nineteen of 24 competencies were fundamental. The competencies considered most fundamental were assessing sources of bias and variation (95%), recognizing one's own limits with regard to statistics (93%), identifying the strengths, and limitations of study designs (93%). The least endorsed items were meta-analysis (34%) and stopping rules (18%).ConclusionWe have identified the statistical competencies needed by all medical researchers. These competencies should be considered when designing statistical curricula for medical researchers and should inform which topics are taught in graduate programs and evidence-based medicine courses where learners need to read and understand the medical research literature

7. Development And Initial Validation Of The Multicultural Counseling Awareness Scale

In recent years counseling programs have devoted increasing attention to multicultural issues in the curriculum. The counseling profession\u27s initial interest in multicultural training (or development) was buoyed by the Division of Counseling Psychology (Division #17 of the American Psychological Association [APA]) position paper on multicultural competencies (Sue et al., 1982). This position paper delineated 11 cross-cultural counseling competencies organized within the categories of awareness (beliefs/attitudes), knowledge, and skills. The Awareness category refers to the counselor\u27s awareness of his or her own value biases and how these biases may translate into culturally insensitive counseling; to the need to check biases and stereotypes; and to the need to develop a positive orientation towards multiculturalism. Knowledge refers to the counselor\u27s knowledge of his or her own worldview as well as the worldview of his or her clients; and to additional culture- specific information such as the impact of racism on clients, models of acculturation and racial identity development, and so forth. Finally, Skills refers to the counselor\u27s ability to translate awareness and knowledge into culturally sensitive and relevant interventions (Pedersen, 1988; Sue et al., 1982; Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992). Since the Sue et al. (1982) position paper was published, numerous professional preparation programs have added multicultural components to their curriculum. According to the Hollis and Wantz (1990, 1994) national surveys of counseling programs, 76 new multicultural courses were developed and added to existing curriculums from 1989 to 1991, and another 27 programs added a course from 1993 to 1995. In a survey of APA-accredited counseling psychology programs, Hills and Strozier (1992) found that 87% of the programs offered a multicultural course, and 59% of the programs required the course. Also surveying APA-accredited counseling psychology programs, Quintana and Bernal (1995) found that 73% of the programs offered at least one multicultural course and 42% required one course. In the most recent survey to date, of both APA accredited and non-accredited counseling psychology programs, Ponterotto (in press) found that 89% of responding programs have a required multicultural counseling course, and 58% of programs integrate multicultural issues into all courses

Efficacy Of European Starling Control To Reduce Salmonella Enterica Contamination In A Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation In The Texas Panhandle

Background: European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive bird species known to cause damage to plant and animal agriculture. New evidence suggests starlings may also contribute to the maintenance and spread of diseases within livestock facilities. Identifying and mitigating the risk pathways that contribute to disease in livestock is necessary to reduce production losses and contamination of human food products. To better understand the impact starlings have on disease transmission to cattle we assessed the efficacy of starling control as a tool to reduce Salmonella enterica within a concentrated animal feeding operation. We matched a large facility, slated for operational control using DRC-1339 (3-chloro-4-methylaniline hydrochloride, also 3-chloro ptoluidine hydrochloride, 3-chloro-4-methylaniline), with a comparable reference facility that was not controlling birds. In both facilities, we sampled cattle feed, cattle water and cattle feces for S. enterica before and after starling control operations. Results: Within the starling-controlled CAFO, detections of S. enterica contamination disappeared from feed bunks and substantially declined within water troughs following starling control operations. Within the reference facility, detections of S. enterica contamination increased substantially within feed bunks and water troughs. Starling control was not observed to reduce prevalence of S. enterica in the cattle herd. Following starling control operations, herd prevalence of S. enterica increased on the reference facility but herd prevalence of S. enterica on the starling-controlled CAFO stayed at pretreatment levels. Conclusions: Within the starling-controlled facility detections of S. enterica disappeared from feed bunks and substantially declined within water troughs following control operations. Since cattle feed and water are obvious routes for the ingestion of S. enterica, starling control shows promise as a tool to help livestock producers manage disease. Yet, we do not believe starling control should be used as a stand alone tool to reduce S. enterica infections. Rather starling control could be used as part of a comprehensive disease management plan for concentrated animal feeding operations

Lung Injury Prevention with Aspirin (LIPS-A): a Protocol for a Multicentre Randomised Clinical Trial in Medical Patients at High Risk of Acute Lung Injury

Introduction: Acute lung injury (ALI) is a devastating condition that places a heavy burden on public health resources. Although the need for effective ALI prevention strategies is increasingly recognised, no effective preventative strategies exist. The Lung Injury Prevention Study with Aspirin (LIPS-A) aims to test whether aspirin (ASA) could prevent and/or mitigate the development of ALI. Methods and analysis LIPS-A is a multicentre, double-blind, randomised clinical trial testing the hypothesis that the early administration of ASA will result in a reduced incidence of ALI in adult patients at high risk. This investigation will enrol 400 study participants from 14 hospitals across the USA. Conditional logistic regression will be used to test the primary hypothesis that early ASA administration will decrease the incidence of ALI. Ethics and dissemination Safety oversight will be under the direction of an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). Approval of the protocol was obtained from the DSMB prior to enrolling the first study participant. Approval of both the protocol and informed consent documents were also obtained from the institutional review board of each participating institution prior to enrolling study participants at the respective site. In addition to providing important clinical and mechanistic information, this investigation will inform the scientific merit and feasibility of a phase III trial on ASA as an ALI prevention agent. The findings of this investigation, as well as associated ancillary studies, will be disseminated in the form of oral and abstract presentations at major national and international medical specialty meetings. The primary objective and other significant findings will also be presented in manuscript form. All final, published manuscripts resulting from this protocol will be submitted to Pub Med Central in accordance with the National Institute of Health Public Access Policy

Gq/11-Mediated Signaling and Hypertrophy in Mice with Cardiac-Specific Transgenic Expression of Regulator of G-Protein Signaling 2

Cardiac hypertrophy is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Activation of $G_{q/11}$-mediated signaling is required for pressure overload-induced cardiomyocyte (CM) hypertrophy to develop. We previously showed that among Regulators of G protein Signaling, RGS2 selectively inhibits $G_{q/11}$ signaling and its hypertrophic effects in isolated CM. In this study, we generated transgenic mice with CM-specific, conditional RGS2 expression (dTG) to investigate whether RGS2 overexpression can be used to attenuate $G_{q/11}$-mediated signaling and hypertrophy in vivo. Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) induced a comparable rise in ventricular mass and ANF expression and corresponding hemodynamic changes in dTG compared to wild types (WT), regardless of the TAC duration (1-8 wks) and timing of RGS2 expression (from birth or adulthood). Inhibition of endothelin-1-induced $G_{q/11}$-mediated phospholipase C β activity in ventricles and atrial appendages indicated functionality of transgenic RGS2. However, the inhibitory effect of transgenic RGS2 on $G_{q/11}$-mediated PLCβ activation differed between ventricles and atria: (i) in sham-operated dTG mice the magnitude of the inhibitory effect was less pronounced in ventricles than in atria, and (ii) after TAC, negative regulation of $G_{q/11}$ signaling was absent in ventricles but fully preserved in atria. Neither difference could be explained by differences in expression levels, including marked RGS2 downregulation after TAC in left ventricle and atrium. Counter-regulatory changes in other $G_{q/11}$-regulating RGS proteins (RGS4, RGS5, RGS6) and random insertion were also excluded as potential causes. Taken together, despite ample evidence for a role of RGS2 in negatively regulating $G_{q/11}$ signaling and hypertrophy in CM, CM-specific RGS2 overexpression in transgenic mice in vivo did not lead to attenuate ventricular $G_{q/11}$-mediated signaling and hypertrophy in response to pressure overload. Furthermore, our study suggests chamber-specific differences in the regulation of RGS2 functionality and potential future utility of the new transgenic model in mitigating $G_{q/11}$ signaling in the atria in vivo