Parental Decision Making and Satisfaction Regarding School Choice Programs in Suburban Districts

School choice, which allows families to enroll their children in public education programs outside of their neighborhood attendance area, has increased in size and scope in suburban communities. This qualitative, case study examined the factors influencing why and how 15 families chose to pursue a choice option for their children’s elementary school experience, and also describes their subsequent levels of satisfaction with regard to their experience. Parents described how perceptions of their school district brought them to the local community, and then shaped their opinions regarding high and low performing schools in their community. Once enrolled in the choice program, parents reported high levels of satisfaction with the school choice program. Parents also described the frustrations associated with enrolling their children in choice programs, including convenience factors and conflict with neighbors regarding their decision to enroll their children in a non-neighborhood school. Bolman and Deal’s (2013) frame theory was used as an overarching theoretical framework to interpret school choice decisions and consequences through symbolic, political, human resource, and structural lenses. Additionally, Dewey’s philosophy of education explained the role of public education as both an individual and social good. Critical pedagogy was adopted to examine the social consequences of school choice in public education, providing educational and social advantage for some, while continuing disadvantage for others. Parents sought an educational advantage for their children by enrolling them in a choice program. Their collective actions signify what parents desire from public education – a good school in a safe neighborhood. Recommendations were provided for professional practice regarding ways to implement school choice, and advice regarding how to ensure more equitable access to choice programs by disadvantaged families

Überlegungen zum Gesundheitsbegriff im Lichte der Autopoiese

Dem Beitrag liegt wissenschaftstheoretisch eine radikal-konstruktivistische Position zugrunde. Nach einer kurzen Darstellung der Konstruktion von "Krankheit" wird "Gesundheit" als evaluative, als deskriptive und als präskriptive Aussage diskutiert

An observation and analysis of oboe works written by east asian composers after 1945: Featuring compositions by Isang Yun, Toshi Ichiyanagi, Makoto Shinohara, and Du Yun

Master of MusicDepartment of Music, Theatre, and DanceMajor Professor Not ListedThrough research and analysis, this document will uncover reactions to globalization in music within Eastern and Western music practice. Among the topics researched will be an exposition of Eastern and Western approaches to wind writing through an elaboration on historical and musical traditions of each practice. Chapters 1 and 2 of this document serves primarily to give historical context to the music analysis presented in Chapters 3 through 6. Since the works that are to be analyzed use or imitate non-Western techniques, I felt it necessary to preface the analysis with two informative chapters; one on relevant Western concepts and the other on relevant Eastern concepts. I felt this would give the reader a better understanding of what these composers were trying to achieve in addition to providing a clearer understanding of the music. Chapter 1 will focus on developments in Western music history, primarily the idea of exoticism, and how it influenced 20th-century composers. Furthermore, Chapter 1 will also uncover how the effects of the Great War and World War II made eastern music and instruments more accessible to composers. Chapter 2 will provide an overview of Western and Eastern music characteristics, primarily looking at the difference between Eastern and Western concepts. This will be followed by extensive research into the techniques of composers Isang Yun, Toshi Ichiyanagi, Makoto Shinohara, and Du Yun, highlighting their masterful juxtaposition of both practices in their own musical compositions. Furthermore, this research will survey the structural and theoretical analysis of the oboe composition Piri for solo oboe, Cloud Figures for solo oboe, Obsession for oboe and piano, and Angel’s Bone for oboe and tam tam by comparing their musical elements in combining aspects of both traditions. This information will be provided in Chapters 4 through 6, each opening with biographical information about the composer, followed by the analysis of their specified oboe work

Radiomics in neuro-oncological clinical trials

The development of clinical trials has led to substantial improvements in the prevention and treatment of many diseases, including brain cancer. Advances in medicine, such as improved surgical techniques, the development of new drugs and devices, the use of statistical methods in research, and the development of codes of ethics, have considerably influenced the way clinical trials are conducted today. In addition, methods from the broad field of artificial intelligence, such as radiomics, have the potential to considerably affect clinical trials and clinical practice in the future. Radiomics is a method to extract undiscovered features from routinely acquired imaging data that can neither be captured by means of human perception nor conventional image analysis. In patients with brain cancer, radiomics has shown its potential for the non-invasive identification of prognostic biomarkers, automated response assessment, and differentiation between treatment-related changes from tumour progression. Despite promising results, radiomics is not yet established in routine clinical practice nor in clinical trials. In this Viewpoint, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Brain Tumour Group summarises the current status of radiomics, discusses its potential and limitations, envisions its future role in clinical trials in neuro-oncology, and provides guidance on how to address the challenges in radiomics

EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF); Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 20, Revision 3 (FGE.20Rev3): Benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids, and related esters from chemical groups 23 and 30

<p>The Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids of the European Food Safety Authority was requested to evaluate five flavouring substances in the Flavouring Group Evaluation 304, using the Procedure in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000. None of the substances were considered to have genotoxic potential. The substances were evaluated through a stepwise approach (the Procedure) that integrates information on structure-activity relationships, intake from current uses, toxicological threshold of concern, and available data on metabolism and toxicity. The Panel concluded that the three substances [FL-no: 16.117, 16.123 and 16.125] do not give rise to safety concerns at their levels of dietary intake, estimated on the basis of the MSDI approach. For the remaining two candidate substances [FL-no: 16.118 and 16.124], no appropriate NOAEL was available and additional data are required. Besides the safety assessment of these flavouring substances, the specifications for the materials of commerce have also been considered. Specifications including complete purity criteria and identity for the materials of commerce have been provided for all five candidate substances.</p&gt