Grade Level Reconfiguration at the Elementary Level: A Case Study of Select Elementary School Principals’ Reports on Educational Policy when Choosing to Reconfigure Grade Span and the Impact on Student Success

Abstract The standards movement and subsequent accountability measures invoked by federal mandate has influenced elementary schools in multiple ways. As school principals navigate initiatives to impact student success, limited research has been carried out on the role of school configuration on elementary students’ academic success (Coladarci & Hancock, 2002; Dove et al., 2010; Franklin & Glascock, 1996; Howley, 2002; Paglin & Fager, 1997; Renchler, 2002; Seller, 2004; Wren, 2003). This study examines the relationship between educational policy, accountability measures, and grade span reconfiguration at the elementary level. Through a structured interviews with six Minnesota school principals who had experienced reconfiguration of grade spans at their elementary schools between 2015 to 2019, the study identifies what select elementary principals report are the effects of accountability measures on decision-making in reconfiguring schools, the subsequent effect reconfiguration had on student success, and how geographic classification of the school community is related to reconfiguring schools. The finding from this study suggests education policy can affect elementary school principal\u27s decision to reconfigure schools. The majority of current literature concludes broader grade spans at the elementary level has a positive impact on elementary students’ success (Alspaugh & Harting, 1995; Howley, 2002; Johnson et al., 2016; Renchler, 2000; Wihry et al., 1992; Wren, 2003). The findings from this study support the opposite conclusion as participants reported more advantages to narrower grade span configurations. Key words: reconfiguration, grade spans, elementary, principal, policy, accountabilit

Stimulation of tPA-dependent provisional extracellular fibrin matrix degradation by human recombinant soluble melanotransferrin

AbstractTissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and its substrate plasminogen (Plg) are key components in the fibrinolytic system. We have recently demonstrated, that truncated human recombinant soluble melanotransferrin (sMTf) could stimulate the activation of Plg by urokinase plasminogen activator and inhibit angiogenesis. Since various angiogenesis inhibitors were shown to stimulate tPA-mediated plasminogen activation, we examined the effects of sMTf on tPA-dependent fibrinolysis. This study demonstrated that sMTf enhanced tPA-activation of Plg by 6-fold. sMTf also increased the release of [125I]-fibrin fragments by tPA-activated plasmin. Moreover, we observed that the interaction of sMTf with Plg provoked a change in the fibrin clot structure by cleaving the fibrin α and β chains. Overall, the present study shows that sMTf modulates tPA-dependent fibrinolysis by modifying the clot structure. These results also suggest that sMTf properties could involve enhanced dissolution of the provisional extracellular fibrin matrix

Markers of infection, breast-feeding and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Infections are suspected to play a role in the aetiology of childhood leukaemia. In 1989–95, we evaluated the relation between childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and pre- and postnatal markers of exposure to infection, as well as breast-feeding. A population-based case-control study was carried out in certain regions of Québec, Canada, in 1989–95 including 491 incident cases diagnosed between 1980 and 1993 and aged between 0 and 9 years. An identical number of healthy controls matched for age, sex and region of residence at the date of diagnosis was included. Having older siblings, mother's use of antibiotics during pregnancy, and being born second or later were all associated with increased risk of leukaemia while early day-care attendance (odds ratio (OR) = 0.49; 95% CI 0.31–0.77), and breast-feeding (OR = 0.68; 95% CI 0.49–0.95) were significantly protective. A marker of population mixing was not a risk factor. When including all variables defining family structure in a model, having older siblings at time of diagnosis was a risk factor among children diagnosed before 4 years of age (OR = 4.54; 95% CI 2.27–9.07) whereas having older siblings in the first year of life was protective among children diagnosed at 4 years of age or later (OR = 0.46; 95% CI 0.22–0.97). © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co

Yield and compatibility of ten tomato scion varieties grafted with ‘Maxifort’ rootstock

Many urban and peri-urban tomato growers are adopting the use of grafted plants to help reduce disease incidence and/or improve crop yields, particularly in high tunnel systems. However, little is known about how scion cultivar selection plays a role or if there is a similar impact across scion cultivars in regard to fruit yield. In our study, ten hybrid, determinate, red slicing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) varieties were evaluated as scions for ‘Maxifort’ rootstock. Trials were conducted in 2016 and 2017 in a three-season high tunnel in Olathe, KS. All ten scion varieties were found to be compatible with ‘Maxifort’. However, ‘BHN 589’, ‘Red Deuce’, ‘Skyway’, and ‘Tasti Lee’ showed significant improvements in marketable yield when grafted to ‘Maxifort’ indicating that they were “highly compatible” with the rootstock. Grafted ‘Red Deuce’ and ‘BHN 589’ scions had the highest fruit yield of any of the treatments that we tested and ranged from to 21.4 to 23.0 lbs of marketable fruit per plant. Nongrafted ‘Primo Red’ was also a good option for high tunnel production and provided 19.2 lbs of marketable fruit per plant. The results of this study suggest that not all scion cultivars respond to grafting with ‘Maxifort’ rootstock in the same manner and we attempted to assess their compatibility based on crop productivity

Solidification mechanisms of chitosan–glycerol phosphate/blood implant for articular cartilage repair

SummaryObjectiveChitosan–glycerol phosphate (chitosan-GP) is a unique polymer solution that is mixed with whole blood and solidified over microfractured or drilled articular cartilage defects in order to elicit a more hyaline repair cartilage. For clinical ease-of-use, a faster in situ solidification is preferred. Therefore, we investigated the mechanisms underlying chitosan–GP/blood implant solidification.MethodsIn vitro solidification of chitosan–GP/blood mixtures, with or without added clotting factors, was evaluated by thromboelastography. Serum was analyzed for the onset of thrombin, platelet, and FXIII activation. In vivo solidification of chitosan–GP/blood mixtures, with and without clotting factors, was evaluated in microdrilled cartilage defects of adult rabbits (N=41 defects).ResultsChitosan–GP/blood clots solidified in an atypical biphasic manner, with higher initial viscosity and minor platelet activation followed by the development of clot tensile strength concomitant with thrombin generation, burst platelet and FXIII activation. Whole blood and chitosan–GP/blood clots developed a similar final clot tensile strength, while polymer–blood clots showed a unique, sustained platelet factor release and greater resistance to lysis by tissue plasminogen activator. Thrombin, tissue factor (TF), and recombinant human activated factor VII (rhFVIIa) accelerated chitosan–GP/blood solidification in vitro (P<0.05). Pre-application of thrombin or rhFVIIa+TF to the surface of drilled cartilage defects accelerated implant solidification in vivo (P<0.05).ConclusionsChitosan–GP/blood implants solidify through coagulation mechanisms involving thrombin generation, platelet activation and fibrin polymerization, leading to a dual fibrin–polysaccharide clot scaffold that resists lysis and is physically more stable than normal blood clots. Clotting factors have the potential to enhance the practical use, the residency, and therapeutic activity of polymer–blood implants

Patterns in Longline Reef Fish Catch and Fishing Gear Analysis in the Gulf of Mexico Using NOAA Fishery Observer Data

The objectives of this study were to assess existing fishing practices (both spatial and gear use) employed by longline reef fish fishers in the Gulf of Mexico; to evaluate the gear and set parameters that contribute to catching larger individual fish of a target species; and to assess the gear and set parameters that contribute to successfully catching a fish of a target species. Data were collected by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) Galveston Reef Fish Observer Program from 2006-2014. Explanatory variables included in the study were only those that could be manipulated directly by fishers: soak time, fishing depth, main line length, hooks deployed, gangion length, hook distance, and the temporal variables month and year. Gear change assessments were conducted using analyses of variance for soak time, fishing depth, gangion length, hook distance, mainline length, and hook count across years. Significant differences were detected between years for all variables, however, there was no discernable trend over time. This suggests that fishing practices remained relatively stable from 2006-2014. Spatial analysis of catches was conducted for five species targeted during the study period (gag grouper, red grouper, scamp grouper, mutton snapper, and red snapper) using ArcGIS. However, no spatial trends were apparent given the uneven effort and coverage of the survey area. To assess which fishing gear and set parameters contributed to catching the largest fish of a target species, ordinary least squares (OLS) linear models were used to predict iii fish length as a function of the explanatory variables. Significant models were generated for blacknose shark, gag grouper, mutton snapper, red porgy, Atlantic sharpnose shark, and speckled hind. Binomial regression models were constructed using backwards regression to predict target species catch success using the explanatory variables. Significant models were generated for speckled hind, red grouper, scamp, gag grouper, red snapper, mutton snapper, jolthead porgy, and red porgy. These models ultimately serve as guidelines for fishers to adjust fishing practices to improve the likelihood of successfully obtaining the targeted species, which may reduce bycatch mortality of non-target species and its resulting environmental impacts

International workshop on immune tolerance induction: consensus recommendations 1

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73382/1/j.1365-2516.2007.01497.x.pd