Health of Value Menu: Cost Versus Benefits Analysis

Consumption of fast food is rapidly increasing on both a domestic and global scale. Fast food has become increasingly popular not only for its quick service, but also for the economic savings it provides. One arguable factor however, rests with the health concerns that accompany this category of food. Important preliminary measures include clearly defining what is classified as fast food, what is considered to be unhealthy, and what determines healthiness. The most frequently ordered items at most fast food restaurants are located on the dollar menu. Through various research, it will be determined whether the dollar menu is less heathy than the standard menu, specifically focusing on McDonalds. Evaluation begins with a brief historical analysis on the history of the dollar menu. Next, biological examination of the ingredients contained in both dollar menu items and regular menu items, and how the food breaks down in the human body. Lastly, a survey conducted of the general public will depict how individuals feel about the price versus health factors. Results show that the majority of people more often consider the price, rather than the healthiness of the food they consume

Transformation matrices between non-linear and linear differential equations

In the linearization of systems of non-linear differential equations, those systems which can be exactly transformed into the second order linear differential equation Y"-AY'-BY=0 where Y, Y', and Y" are n x 1 vectors and A and B are constant n x n matrices of real numbers were considered. The 2n x 2n matrix was used to transform the above matrix equation into the first order matrix equation X' = MX. Specially the matrix M and the conditions which will diagonalize or triangularize M were studied. Transformation matrices P and P sub -1 were used to accomplish this diagonalization or triangularization to return to the solution of the second order matrix differential equation system from the first order system

Rethinking Teacher Evaluation in Chicago

Presents findings from the Excellence in Teaching Pilot, which included training and support, classroom observations, and feedback in principal-teacher conferences. Examines implementation issues and the validity and reliability of observation ratings

ChAT Expression in Chlamydia muridarum-infected Female Murine Genital Tract

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most prevalent agent of bacterial sexually transmitted infections in the world. However, a profuse number of cases are unreported, as the infection is often asymptomatic. Sequelae such as pelvic inflammatory disease, an increased risk of cervical cancer, premature birth, and perinatal infections in pregnant women can occur. Inflammation occurs in the body in response to infection or injury. Although inflammation can lead to some unwanted secondary effects, such as pain, it serves to return the body to homeostasis by restoring injured tissues and eliminating pathogens. One recently identified connection between the central nervous system and the immune system that regulates inflammation is the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP). In the CAP, pathogen-associated molecular patterns stimulate the vagus nerve to activate the pathway, which ultimately results in acetylcholine (ACh) release, which down regulates inflammation. We hypothesized that genital chlamydial infection would increase the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the enzyme that synthesizes ACh, in the female murine genital tract, therefore down regulating inflammation and promoting chlamydial infection. Transgenic female mice carrying a ChAT-promoter driven GFP reporter gene were vaginally infected with C. muridarum. Mice were sacrificed on days 3, 9, 15, and 21 post infection; cervical, uterine horn, and ovarian tissues were removed and embedded in paraffin. Small sections of each tissue were cut and mounted onto slides. The tissue sections were then stained for the expression of ChAT using immunohistochemical techniques. Finally, tissue sections were viewed under a microscope for positive staining and the data was analyzed. The results indicated that there is a significant increase in the number of cells that express ChAT in genital tract of chlamydia-infected mice versus non-infected mice

Implicit Racial Bias and Placement Processes in Education

The awareness of implicit bias has grown significantly since 1977. Its subconscious and automatic processing effects are found to be significant factors in explicit action and attitudes in schools. There is an increased need for creating an equitable schooling experience for students in schools. Current literature suggests that there is a significance in teacher implicit racial bias in the classroom which leads to the inequity and disproportionality of exceptionality classes. A noted disproportionality in race for exceptionality classes in both Individuals with Disabilities Act and Every Student Succeeds Act urged the question: How can teachers’ recognition of their own implicit racial bias impact the equity of student placement into exceptionality programs? A professional development workshop was created to bring awareness to this topic; its function and applicability is explained. The workshop consists of a website platform that offers a nine week course to provide information on a teacher’s implicit racial bias. The professional development workshop has implications for all staff members who are involved with student placement

My Experience Supervising CPE Units and a Candidate Supervisor via Video-Conferencing

Practical ideas and suggestions for supervising CPE utilizing video-conferencing. Factors that come into play when supervising a person who is supervising six CPE students utilizing video-conferencing

From Large Urban to Small Rural Schools: An Empirical Study of National Board Certification and Teaching Effectiveness Final Report

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is a professional organization that provides national certification to teachers who apply for and meet the Board's standards of performance for "accomplished" educators. This study responds to a request from the NBPTS to analyze National Board certification among high school teachers in understudied subject areas and locales to help fill gaps in the research literature. The research team selected two new locales for this analysis, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Chicago public schools. Chicago, a racially and ethnically diverse city with a population of more than 2.8 million, has one of the largest urban school districts in the country. Kentucky, by contrast, is a largely rural state with some suburban and urban areas, including the Louisville/Jefferson County metro area, population 750,000. Together, these two locales encompass a full range of public school settings

Career and Technical Education on Mathematics and Reading Achievement for Students in North Central Arkansas

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine the effects of gender and Career and Technical Education (CTE) participation level on the mathematics and reading achievement as measured by the ACT Aspire for 10th-grade students and ACT subtest assessments for 11th-grade students in 2 5-A high schools in North Central Arkansas. While researching the effects of gender and CTE participation level, this scholar found no statistically significant difference between gender and CTE participation level on student achievement. This researcher explored the literature relating to the mathematic and reading achievement of males and females as well as whether they participated in CTE courses. During the analysis, I examined findings concerning the influence of gender on mathematics and reading achievement of students. Some literature included physical and hormonal influences, as well as differences in brain functions. However, the literature failed to specifically address the differences in mathematics and reading achievement in relation to CTE participation. The findings of the study indicated that CTE participation level did not have a significant effect on student achievement scores. Similarly, Jacob (2017) stated that students who participate in CTE programs did not necessarily have strong academic outcomes. The study also revealed that gender did not have a significant effect on student achievement scores. Thus, neither variable indicated statistically significant effects. However, the results of the study do give insight into trends and potential areas for future study. Stone and Aliaga (2003) found that CTE students study more, which might lead to higher achievement levels due to increased study times. The results might indicate that students who do not participate in CTE and focus on an academic path might not be performing as well as first thought. Because the main effect of CTE participation level was not significant and because students in CTE tend to include students on a nonacademic track, the CTE participating group means might indicate that students performed better when engaged in meaningful, integrated learning, regardless of their academic background. As a group, the four or more CTE courses group performed as well as the three CTE courses or fewer group, which focused on a more academic path. In light of the trends in CTE curriculum and student achievement over the past few decades, integration of mathematics and reading into CTE coursework has become an important part of the high school educational process. Those who support integrative learning believe it can improve student engagement, motivation, and retention because higher-order thinking skills are used through problem-solving, collaboration, creativity, and innovation (Caine & Caine, 1991). This research might provide some insight into the results of this practice

Developing Management Recommendations for Hydrilla (Hydrilla Verticillata L.F. Royle) in the Ross Barnett Reservoir: A Community Approach

In order to develop recommendations for management of hydrilla at Ross Barnett Reservoir, Mississippi a number of techniques were utilized. Point intercept surveys were conducted within known hydrilla sites at Ross Barnett Reservoir, Mississippi in order to quantitatively assess chemical management for hydrilla control. Hydrilla tuber data were also collected during the winter and spring of 2012 and 2013. Tuber data were compared between the Ross Barnett Reservoir and Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in order to see the effects of chemical management on hydrilla tuber bank dynamics. Water exchange data were collected using Rhodamine WT dye at Ross Barnett Reservoir, Mississippi to determine water exchange characteristics. Dye half-life varied between the eight plots, with a minimum estimated half-life of 2.0 hours and maximum estimated half-life of 30.9 hours. Herbicide evaluations showed that bispyribac-sodium, penoxsulam, and fluridone provide the best hydrilla control 12 weeks after treatment

The response of bats and their insect prey to different coastal upland habitat management techniques

Declining bat populations necessitates a need to understand how different land management techniques influence bat activity. This study assessed the influences of different coastal upland habitat management techniques, such as mulching, prescribed fire, and select cut, on forest bat activity within the Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge and National Estuarine Research Reserve. Acoustic recorders were used to monitor bat activity and insect and vegetation surveys were used to assess influences on bat activity across different land management techniques. Results demonstrate that overall bat activity was similar across different land management techniques, however larger species adapted for open-space flying were shown to be less active within dense forest such as the select cut technique areas. Findings from this study suggest that various land management techniques can influence bat activity differently