Resilient journeys: A case study of why and how low-income families practice homeschooling

The purpose of this study is to explore why and how two low-income families practice homeschooling. A qualitative case study of low-income homeschooling mothers\u27 experiences was conducted over the course of four months in Tennessee and West Virginia. The major research question was: How and why working class families decide to homeschool their children? Specifically, I believed that a qualitative examination of this topic would allow me to answer a number of attendant questions:;1. How and why do local contexts of choice shape low-income homeschoolers\u27 experiences? a. How do local public school experiences shape homeschooling experiences, motivations, and practices? b. How do low-income homeschooling families experiences confirm, discredit, and complicate established theories of families\u27 educational experiences, motivations, and practices? 2. How do low-income, homeschooling families manage homeschooling? a. How do families network and negotiate homeschooling in local contexts?;Based on the nature of the questions, a case study methodology was selected. In order to find answers to these questions, I used a case study method using layered data sources (questionnaires, interviews, observation, and document analysis) and wrote up the findings as portraits of the two participants.;The findings indicated that the two participants were motivated to homeschool for various reasons that were more pragmatic in one case and more instrumental in the other. Interestingly, although both participants were low-income, their child-rearing styles and homeschooling practices were similar to those of middle class families, and in line with their education levels.;Identity, pedagogy, and agency were central themes in both cases. Both mothers were determined to fit their cultural identities into their children\u27s education and carefully considered pedagogical strategies for productive learning. The two mothers supported parents\u27 right to choice in education and orchestrated their own rights to home school, demonstrating that low-income mothers can and do demonstrate significant agency regarding educational choices and practices. I argue that homeschooling, with its capacity for mothers and children to engage educational agency, is a form of self-determination that has the potential to become a space in local communities from which democratic education may develop in the future. This is a democratic education that promotes deliberation and the inclusion of groups historically excluded, while building relationships among the state, parents, and children. This is democratic education that unfortunately for many families and children is not currently a reality

Routinely transradial arterial approach for extra-cranial carotid stenting

BackgroundThe purpose of this study is to report a single center experience with its safety and feasibility of transradial arterial (TRA) approach in extra-cranial carotid artery (ECCA) stenting.Methods and results74 patients were consecutively enrolled in this study. A retrograde-engagement technique, involving looping 6-F Kimny guiding catheter, was utilized for ECCA angiographic study. For ECCA stenting, the 6-F Kimny guiding catheter was replaced with a 7-F Kimny guiding catheter and the procedure was performed as the follows. First, a 0.035-in. Teflon wire was carefully advanced into the common CA. Second, a PercuSurge GuardWire was inserted into the external CA, followed by distal balloon inflation for an anchoring support. Third, the 6-F guiding catheter was removed, followed by exchanging a 7-F kimny guiding catheter which was advanced along the 0.035-in. Teflon wire and the PercuSurge GuardWire to proximal part of common CA. Distal protection device was then utilized to protect from distal embolization during the procedure. One procedure failed due to external CA did not provide an anchoring support. Thus, the procedure was successful in 74 (98.7%) patients. No vascular or bleeding complication was observed. Minor stroke occurred in 3 (4.0%) patients during the procedure. All of them were completely recovery within 1week.ConclusionsThe TRA approach for ECCA stenting is safe and feasible. This access may offer a last resort for patients with unsuited to femoral arterial access and endarterectomy

Cost and Benefit Analysis of Line Arresters for a 69kV Transmission System in Taiwan

This paper presents a systematical evaluation experience on the performance and economic studies of line arresters for a 69 kV transmission system in Taiwan. The transient over-voltage phenomenon in high voltage transmission lines under lightning by using the Electro-Magnetic Transients Program (EMTP) package is well modeled and analyzed. The modeling for the simulated system including lightning, transmission line, transmission tower and line arrester are all considered to have more practical results. The cost and benefit evaluation for line arresters installation  is then conducted to provide a reasonable suggestion for lightning protection.  The performance of line arresters is evaluated by considering different installation schemes and lightning currents. Finally, a Taiwan’s experience is illustrated from both of the cost and benefit points of view

Influence of electrode thermal conductivity on resistive switching behavior during reset process

Resistive random access memory (RRAM) is the most promising candidate for non-volatile memory (NVM) due to its extremely low operation voltage, extremely fast write/erase speed, and excellent scaling capability. However, an obstacle hindering mass production of RRAM is the non-uniform physical mechanism in its resistance switching process. This study examines the influence of different electrode thermal conductivity on switching behavior during the reset process. Electrical analysis methods and an analysis of current conduction mechanism indicate that better thermal conductivity in the electrode will require larger input power in order to induce more active oxygen ions to take part in the reset process. More active oxygen ions cause a more complete reaction during the reset process, and cause the effective switching gap (dsw) to become thicker. The effect of the electrode thermal conductivity and input power are explained by our model and clarified by electrical analysis methods. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Early Detection of Tumor Response by FLT/MicroPET Imaging in a C26 Murine Colon Carcinoma Solid Tumor Animal Model

Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging demonstrated the change of glucose consumption of tumor cells, but problems with specificity and difficulties in early detection of tumor response to chemotherapy have led to the development of new PET tracers. Fluorine-18-fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) images cellular proliferation by entering the salvage pathway of DNA synthesis. In this study, we evaluate the early response of colon carcinoma to the chemotherapeutic drug, lipo-Dox, in C26 murine colorectal carcinoma-bearing mice by 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT. The male BALB/c mice were bilaterally inoculated with 1 × 105 and 1 × 106 C26 tumor cells per flank. Mice were intravenously treated with 10 mg/kg lipo-Dox at day 8 after 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT imaging. The biodistribution of 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT were followed by the microPET imaging at day 9. For the quantitative measurement of microPET imaging at day 9, 18F-FLT was superior to 18F-FDG for early detection of tumor response to Lipo-DOX at various tumor sizes (P < 0.05). The data of biodistribution showed similar results with those from the quantification of SUV (standard uptake value) by microPET imaging. The study indicates that 18F-FLT/microPET is a useful imaging modality for early detection of chemotherapy in the colorectal mouse model

Structural and cognitive deficits in chronic carbon monoxide intoxication: a voxel-based morphometry study

BACKGROUND: Patients with carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication may develop ongoing neurological and psychiatric symptoms that ebb and flow, a condition often called delayed encephalopathy (DE). The association between morphologic changes in the brain and neuropsychological deficits in DE is poorly understood. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological tests were conducted on 11 CO patients with DE, 11 patients without DE, and 15 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy subjects. Differences in gray matter volume (GMV) between the subgroups were assessed and further correlated with diminished cognitive functioning. RESULTS: As a group, the patients had lower regional GMV compared to controls in the following regions: basal ganglia, left claustrum, right amygdala, left hippocampus, parietal lobes, and left frontal lobe. The reduced GMV in the bilateral basal ganglia, left post-central gyrus, and left hippocampus correlated with decreased perceptual organization and processing speed function. Those CO patients characterized by DE patients had a lower GMV in the left anterior cingulate and right amygdala, as well as lower levels of cognitive function, than the non-DE patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CO intoxication in the chronic stage showed a worse cognitive and morphologic outcome, especially those with DE. This study provides additional evidence of gray matter structural abnormalities in the pathophysiology of DE in chronic CO intoxicated patients

Dynamic response of a polymer-stabilized blue-phase liquid crystal

Fast response time is the most attractive feature of polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals (PS-BPLCs). We have investigated the dynamic response of a PS-BPLC under various electric fields and found that the response time becomes slower as the applied electric field exceeds a critical field. Further analyses of experimental data reveal that two relaxation processes are involved. Possible mechanism is proposed to explain the behavior of each process. These results provide useful guidelines for achieving fast response time without hysteresis