"THERE'S SOME GOOD KARMA UP IN HERE":A CASE STUDY OF WHITE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP IN AN URBAN CONTEXT

As educators work to improve achievement within the current policy environment of accountability and "subgroups," their attention has been drawn to considerations of race, culture, and learning in schools. Yet few school leaders have the preparation or knowledge to assist teacher learning about these issues. Theories of culturally relevant pedagogy focus on how teachers can teach subject matter in a culturally appropriate manner, and previous scholarship has considered culturally relevant pedagogy in relation to teaching and learning. This inquiry examines it in relation to leadership content knowledge. Critical race theory offers a lens through which to examine the relationship of beliefs and knowledge when considering race and racism in the American educational system and for further situating an examination of school leadership and cultural competency. The research questions I address are: 1. What kind of perspective toward students is held by educators in the school? How do these perspectives connect with teaching, learning, and leadership? 2. How is culturally relevant pedagogy represented in the schools? How do school leaders foster or hinder CRP in their schools? 3. In which contexts and events in the practice of school leadership do issues of race, culture, and learning surface? How are the issues mediated by the principal and other school leaders? This case study of three White principals reveals that they faced many issues of race, culture, and learning, yet tended to be colorblind and colormute. Even when they identified issues, they were reluctant to address them or without resources, thus ignoring situations that could have served as sites of teacher learning. Several White teachers held dynamic and nuanced asset perspectives toward children of color. New teachers in particular learn a "repertoire of racialized and 'cultural' comparisons" (Pollock, 2001) as a key component of belonging to their community, a repertoire that knowledgeable school leaders could begin to disrupt through efforts to assist teacher learning and development toward an asset perspective. In addition, several teachers were trying to implement features of culturally relevant pedagogy, and one or two were seeking knowledge about issues of race and racism. An assistant principal who was African American assisted teacher learning about students' funds of knowledge. Nevertheless, these efforts were not supported by the broader professional community or White school leadership. This study may be useful to policy makers and professors of education in encouraging a reexamination of requirements for leadership preparation which currently lack an emphasis on culturally relevant leadership content knowledge or social justice. Leadership content knowledge that includes knowledge of culturally relevant pedagogy, particularly critical consciousness that problematized colorblind ideologies, could play a significant role in deepening teacher understanding of the relationship of race and culture to teaching and learning, and thus, in instructional improvement

Synthesis and anthelmintic activity of some hybrid Benzimidazolyl-chalcone derivatives

Purpose: To synthesize hybrid benzimidazolyl-chalcone derivatives, evaluate their anthelmintic activity, and establish some structural elements which could lead to induction and enhancement of this activity.Methods: A series of 1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-3-aryl-2-propen-1-one compounds (6a-z) was synthesized by condensation reaction of 2-acetylbenzimidazole with aryl and heteroaryl aldehyde derivatives. The physicochemical characterization of these benzimidazolyl-chalcones was carried out by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H and 13C NMR) and mass spectroscopy (MS). All compounds were screened in vitro for their nematicidal activity against Haemonchus contortus in larval development assay. The anthelmintic activities obtained were compared with those of anthelmintic reference drugs (fenbendazole and ivermectin); 1,3-diphenyl-2-propen-1-one also used as reference for chalcone.Results: Compounds 6a, 6g, 6w and 6y showed good nematicidal activity (LC100) at 0.002 and 0.0092 μg/ml. The activity of these four benzimidazolyl-chalcones is nearly equal to that of fenbendazole. It is also interesting to know that these compounds have anti-haemonchus activity which is equal or more efficient than ivermectin. Four other compounds (6d, 6h, 6o and 6t) possess interesting anthelmintic activities at 0.68 and 0.16 μg/ml.Conclusion: Preliminary structure-activity relationship studies revealed that arylpropenone group in position 2 of the benzimidazole ring can be considered as new pharmacophore for nematicidal activity.Keywords: Benzimidazole, Chalcone, Anthelmintic activity, Haemonchus contortu

Who Or What to Believe: Trust and the Differential Persuasiveness of Anthropomorphized and Human Agents

Four studies test the hypothesis that consumers who are low in interpersonal trust perceive anthropomorphized agents as more credible than real persons in a persuasion context. As a result, low trust individuals are more persuaded by messages delivered by anthropomorphized entities than by those delivered by human sources. [to cite]

Physicochemical and Nutritional Properties of Varieties of Carrot (Daucus carota) grown in Region of Korhogo, North of Côte d’Ivoire

Very popular for its therapeutic and nutritional virtues, culture of carrot (Daucus carota) has developed in temperate zones of Asia and Europe but also in some tropical regions of Africa including Côte d'Ivoire. Agronomic factors, commercial and food requirements require selection of varieties with good nutritional values. In this study, physicochemical properties and nutritional values of four carrot varieties namely Amazonia, Bahia, Madona and Pamela+ were compared after cultivation and harvest in region of Korhogo. Results showed that, Amazonia, the control carrot variety stands out for its acidity and minerals levels. Bahia is the richest variety with high levels of carbohydrate and protein. Madona is the most basic, wettest and fatest carrot. For a long storage, Pamela is most interesting variety. To our knowledge, it is the first time that physicochemical and nutritional parameters of carrot varieties in region of Korhogo have been studied. Future research on these carrot varieties will be studied of their post-harvest conservation, their sensory analysis and their transformation

Ascite fébrile chez la femme, ne pas méconnaitre une tumeur de Krukenberg

Les tumeurs de Krukenberg (TK) se définissent comme des métastases ovariennes d'un cancer, le plus souvent digestif. Elles représentent 5 à 15% des tumeurs malignes ovariennes. Notre objectif était de décrire les caractéristiques épidémiologiques, diagnostiques, thérapeutiques et évolutives.Nous rapportons deux observations de tumeur de Krukenberg découvertes à l'occasion de l'exploration d'une ascite fébrile.Il s'agit de deux patientes multipares âgées respectivement de 32 ans et 50 ans. Les signes d'appel étaient essentiellement digestifs. La découverte de ces métastases ovariennes était survenue à distance des foyers primitifs. L'atteinte des ovaires était bilatérale dans le premier cas et unilatérale droite dans le second cas. Le diagnostic est apporté par la tomodensitométrie abdominopelvienne dans les deux cas. La fibroscopie oesogastroduodénale avait permis de retrouver le foyer primitif respectivement sous forme d'un processus bourgeonnant et d'un ulcère en position antrale avec des stigmates d'hémorragies. L'examen anatomopathologique des biopsies réalisées mettait en évidence un adénocarcinome tubuleux moyennement différencié de l'estomac avec composante mucineuse dans la première observation et un  dénocarcinome de type intestinal moyennement différencié dans la seconde. Le traitement chirurgical confirme le diagnostic histologique. Dans notre série, le traitement n'a pu être que symptomatique en raison de l'existence constante d'une carcinose péritonéale et de l'altération profonde de l'état général. Les deux patientes ont été confiées à l'institut de cancérologie pour une chimiothérapie palliative. La première est décédée 1 mois après. La tumeur de Krukenberg est une maladie rare. Le diagnostic est facilité par la radiologie et confirmé par l'histologie. Son pronostic demeure encore très sombre. Le seul espoir réside dans les mesures préventives

Facteurs predictifs de mortalite par accident vasculaire cerebral (AVC) a la Clinique Neurologique du chu de Fann, Dakar - Senegal

Description Les AVC constituent un problème de santé publique avec une mortalité élevée. Objectif Identifier les facteurs prédictifs de mortalité par accidents vasculaires cérébraux à la Clinique Neurologique du CHU de Fann, Dakar. Méthodes Il s’agit d’une étude rétrospective du 1er Janvier 2001 au 01 Novembre 2003 portant sur des patients avec AVC et ayant eu un examen tomodensitométrique cérébral. Les données sociodémographiques, les antécédents médicaux et chirurgicaux, les signes de gravité associés au tableau neurologique et le pronostic vital ont été collectés. Des analyses uni, bi et multivariées par la régression logistique multiple ont été effectuées. Résultats La population de patients (314) était composée de 56,1% de femmes avec une moyenne d’âge de 61,3 ans (±13,8), un délai moyen d’admission de 8,4 jours (±23,5). Les facteurs de risque d’AVC étaient dominés par l’HTA, l’antécédent d’AVC et le diabète. Les AVCI représentaient 60,2%. Un coma et une HTA étaient associés au tableau neurologique. Soixante dix huit (78) patients sont décédés soit un taux de létalité de 24,8%. Lors de l’analyse de régression logistique multivariée, seuls les antécédents d’AVC et l’existence de coma étaient associés de manière indépendante à la mortalité par AVC. Conclusion Ces résultats démontrent la nécessité d’une amélioration de la prise en charge des patients en unité de soins intensifs et la prévention des récidives d’AVC par une éducation sanitaire des malades.Mots-clés: accident vasculaire cérébral, mortalité, pronostic, Sénégal

Bioguided fractionation and isolation of natural inhibitors of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) from Calophyllum flavoramulum

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are associated with many pathogenic disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, pathogenesis of diabetes, atherosclerosis or endothelial dysfunction leading to cardiovascular events. Clusiaceae and Calophyllaceae families are rich in compounds like polyphenols which are able to inhibit their formation and are therefore of great interest. Calophyllum flavoramulum Hend. & Wyatt-Sm., a native Malaysian plant, was selected after an anti-AGEs screening conducted on DCM and MeOH extracts from plants belonging to these aforementioned families. In a first study, bioguided fractionation of the MeOH leaf extract of C. flavoramulum afforded amentoflavone, 3-methoxy-2-hydroxyxanthone, 3,4-dihydroxy-tetrahydrofuran-3-carboxylic acid, quercitrin, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, canophyllol and apetalactone. Amentoflavone and 3-methoxy-2-hydroxyxanthone were found to be very potent (IC50 = 0.05 and 0.06 mM respectively), while anti-AGEs activities of quercitrin and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid appeared as moderately strong (IC50 = 0.5 mM). In a second study, a systematic phytochemical study of the cyclohexane, DCM and EtOAc extracts obtained from the same plant was conducted to isolate the following products: flavoramulone, 6-deoxyjacareubin, rheediachromenoxanthone, 2,3-dihydroamentoflavone and benzoic acid. 3,4-Dihydroxy-tetrahydrofuran-3-carboxylic acid and flavoramulone were isolated for the first time and their structures were identified by means of IR, MS and NMR spectrometries

Dynamics of multiple insecticide resistance in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae in a rice growing area in South-Western Burkina Faso

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Insecticide resistance of the main malaria vector, <it>Anopheles gambiae</it>, has been reported in south-western Burkina Faso, West Africa. Cross-resistance to DDT and pyrethroids was conferred by alterations at site of action in the sodium channel, the Leu-Phe <it>kdr </it>mutation; resistance to organophosphates and carbamates resulted from a single point mutation in the oxyanion hole of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme designed as <it>ace-1</it>^<it>R</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An entomological survey was carried out during the rainy season of 2005 at Vallée du Kou, a rice growing area in south-western Burkina Faso. At the Vallée du Kou, both insecticide resistance mechanisms have been previously described in the M and S molecular forms of <it>An. gambiae</it>. This survey aimed i) to update the temporal dynamics and the circumsporozoite infection rate of the two molecular forms M and S of <it>An. gambiae </it>ii) to update the frequency of the Leu-Phe <it>kdr </it>mutation within these forms and finally iii) to investigate the occurrence of the <it>ace-1</it>^{<it>R </it>}mutation.</p> <p>Mosquitoes collected by indoor residual collection and by human landing catches were counted and morphologically identified. Species and molecular forms of <it>An. gambiae</it>, <it>ace-1</it>^{<it>R </it>}and Leu-Phe <it>kdr </it>mutations were determined using PCR techniques. The presence of the circumsporozoite protein of <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>was determined using ELISA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>Anopheles gambiae </it>populations were dominated by the M form. However the S form occurred in relative important proportion towards the end of the rainy season with a maximum peak in October at 51%. Sporozoite rates were similar in both forms. The frequency of the Leu-Phe <it>kdr </it>mutation in the S form reached a fixation level while it is still spreading in the M form. Furthermore, the <it>ace</it>-<it>1</it>^{<it>R </it>}mutation prevailed predominately in the S form and has just started spreading in the M form. The two mutations occurred concomitantly both in M and S populations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results showed that the Vallée du Kou, a rice growing area formerly occupied mainly by M susceptible populations, is progressively colonized by S resistant populations living in sympatry with the former. As a result, the distribution pattern of insecticide resistance mutations shows the occurrence of both resistance mechanisms concomitantly in the same populations. The impact of multiple resistance mechanisms in M and S populations of <it>An. gambiae </it>on vector control measures against malaria transmission, such as insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS), in this area is discussed.</p