Longitudinal Examination of Sleep and Chrononutrition

Chrononutrition (i.e., circadian timing of food intake) offers promising opportunities to improve weight management strategies, but many fundamental aspects of chrononutrition are still unknown. While research to date has suggested that unhealthy chrononutrition behaviors are linked to weight gain, chrononutrition preferences are markedly understudied, and research has not yet determined whether chrononutrition preferences and behaviors are variable or stable over time in the natural environment. Potential mechanisms underlying chrononutrition?s impact on weight are still being explored. Recent evidence suggests that weight gain is the result of an imbalance of energy consumption and expenditure that is influenced by sleep duration. Though short sleep duration may undermine weight loss efforts, lead to increased preference for energy-dense foods, and even alter chrononutrition, chrononutrition?s role in energy balance has been less studied. The purpose of the present online study was therefore to examine chrononutrition, sleep duration, and body mass index (BMI) in the natural environment, over time, in a sample of healthy, non-shift working adults. Participants completed a series of measures online and self-reported their body weight and height three times, approximately every six months, for one year. This longitudinal study showed that chrononutrition preferences were largely stable over time, while chrononutrition behaviors were more variable over the study period. Results also showed that, contrary to our hypotheses, chrononutrition was not a significant predictor of later BMI, and chrononutrition did not mediate the relationship between sleep duration and later BMI. This study provided a novel examination of fundamental aspects of chrononutrition, knowledge of which may be vital for the development of obesity prevention and treatment strategies

Adolescent Girls of Color and Leadership Development

Adolescent girls of color (GOC) experience significant changes in social expectations during puberty based on gender and racial inequity. This divergence usually changes the trajectory for GOC relative to leadership development and may affect their career choices, life decisions, and overall directions for growth. This qualitative study explored the experiences of women of color (WOC) who hold senior leadership positions in Fortune 500 companies. Critical theory grounded this study as its aim is to identify marginalization of any kind and determine ways to free those who are oppressed. Research questions focused on the perceived challenges the participants experienced during adolescence and the intervention strategies that aided them in overcoming those challenges. A qualitative case study used purpose-driven semi structured interviews of 4 WOC who hold senior leadership positions in Fortune 500 companies. Data were coded, categorized, and analyzed to uncover themes. The study results revealed four themes based on data analysis of the participants\u27 responses: (a) lack of representation, (b) lack of direction, (c) racial and gender discrimination, and (d) lack of collaboration. Identifying strategies that aid GOC in overcoming gender and racial inequity relative to leadership development may support policy creation that helps provide funding for nonprofit leaders whose mission is to prepare adolescent GOC for leadership. This study may also initiate conversations about how the intersection of gender and race adds additional barriers for adolescent GOC as they are shaping their identities

From the Forest to the Rose

This thesis will examine the methods implemented to expand the minor character role of Coralee from Lillian Hellman\u27s Another Part of the Forest and the minor character role of Mrs. Otery from J.M. Barrie\u27s Mary Rose. The thesis will also include performance challenges faced and review the experience of working with contrasting directing methods

Planting SEEDS

A couple of Caltech professors (along with students, postdocs, and alumni) take hands-on science to Pasadena schoolchildren and their teachers

Influence of Student Evaluations on College Instructors’ Professional Practice

Many post-secondary institutions make significant use of student evaluations of teachers (SETs) to evaluate teacher effectiveness and students’ perceptions of their learning experiences in the course. However, it is unclear how teachers use SETs to inform their professional practice. Hence, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how SETs influenced instructors’ professional practice at a local community college from the perspective of the instructors, which the research question was centered on. The conceptual framework for the study was the cognitive dissonance theory, because it explains the changes in the individual’s behavior through the need to reduce mental discomfort caused by a disruptor (i.e., SETs). Eleven community college instructors were recruited through purposeful sampling and provided insights to the research question through semi structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed that faculty members rarely used SETs to inform their courses and had concerns about the administrative use of the results derived from the SETs. The findings indicated that SET was not an optimally valid teacher evaluation method. For instance, a rigorous course attracted lower scores from the student and other non-academic factors, such as gender and race, influence the evaluation, which indicates that SETs were not a true reflection of the teachers’ effectiveness. A 3-day professional development project was designed based on the findings to produce a SET that accurately reflected student feedback. Positive social change can be achieved through teachers’ use of valid and reliable feedback from SETs to improve their instructional pedagogy, which reflects on higher job satisfaction and better instructional outcomes

An early intervention to reduce the risk for dropping out of high school : a case study of a large urban Title I school district

NCLB and now the more recent ESSA law hold school districts responsible for graduation rates, passing state mandated assessments and dropout prevention. The purpose of this mixed methods case study was to examine the effectiveness of a system wide middle school intervention program that addressed the educational needs of struggling students. It was also conducted to identify school instructional policies and procedures, curriculum frameworks, ongoing assessments, and planning and decision making structures aimed to accelerate the academic performance of overage students. Data from the school district’s student management system was collected to analyze Research Question 1: What impact on student attendance and academic performance will the intervention have on participating overage middle school students compared to overage middle school students not receiving the interventions? Thirteen school district employees were interviewed and responded to Research Question 2: What are the central office and school based stakeholder’s perceptions of the overall effectiveness of the system-wide intervention program? The study found that students in the overage pilot had better attendance, higher grades in Math and ELA and performed better on the STARR, the Texas state mandated assessment, then overage students who were not in the pilot. The four themes that emerged from the stakeholders’ perceptions of the overall all effectiveness of the system wide intervention program were the Need for a Differentiated Program Model, a Need for Early Intervention, Perception of the Web-based Curriculum as Effective, and a Need for A Systemic Process to Identify and Track Overage Students. Contributions to the success of students in the intervention were also impacted by principal leadership and focus, program expectations for student work, scheduling and implementation of the programs, teacher certification and training and mentor incentives and motivation.Educational Administratio

Patient satisfaction in managed care

The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of patient satisfaction in Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). This will be achieved by reviewing the literature on managed care, patient satisfaction and the use of patient satisfaction in Managed Care Organizations. The author will also analyze how Health Alliance Plan (HAP) measures patient satisfaction and uses satisfaction data to improve their service. HAP is a Michigan based health maintenance organization (HMO). Lastly, the paper will give recommendation for improvements based upon the literature review and analysis of HAP

Disseminating and implementing a lifestyle-based healthy weight program for mothers in a national organization: A study protocol for a cluster randomized trial

BACKGROUND: Excessive weight gain among young adult women age 18-45 years is an alarming and overlooked trend that must be addressed to reverse the epidemics of obesity and chronic disease. During this vulnerable period, women tend to gain disproportionally large amounts of weight compared to men and to other life periods. Healthy Eating and Active Living Taught at Home (HEALTH) is a lifestyle modification intervention developed in partnership with Parents as Teachers (PAT), a national home visiting, community-based organization with significant reach in this population. HEALTH prevented weight gain, promoted sustained weight loss, and reduced waist circumference. PAT provides parent-child education and services free of charge to nearly 170,000 families through up to 25 free home visits per year until the child enters kindergarten. METHODS: This study extends effectiveness findings with a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate dissemination and implementation (D&I) of HEALTH across three levels (mother, parent educator, PAT site). The trial will evaluate the effect of HEALTH and the HEALTH training curriculum (implementation strategy) on weight among mothers with overweight and obesity across the USA (N = 252 HEALTH; N = 252 usual care). Parent educators from 28 existing PAT sites (14 HEALTH, 14 usual care) will receive the HEALTH training curriculum through PAT National Center, using PAT\u27s existing training infrastructure, as a continuing education opportunity. An extensive evaluation, guided by RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance), will determine implementation outcomes (acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity, and adaptation) at the parent educator level. The Conceptual Framework for Implementation Research will characterize determinants that influence HEALTH D&I at three levels: mother, parent educator, and PAT site to enhance external validity (reach and maintenance). DISCUSSION: Embedding intervention content within existing delivery channels can help expand the reach of evidence-based interventions. Interventions, which have been adapted, can still be effective even if the effect is reduced and can still achieve population impact by reaching a broader set of the population. The current study will build on this to test not only the effectiveness of HEALTH in real-world PAT implementation nationwide, but also elements critical to D&I, implementation outcomes, and the context for implementation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03758638 . Registered 29 November 2018