The relationship between the organizational culture of a school and the academic achievement of English language learners

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A generalized electronic diabatic model applied to two-state reactions.

A generalized electronic diabatic model for chemical reactions includes a physical mechanism for the transition from a reactant-like to a product-like quantum state, namely, an external field. In our model, an external electric field couples states and modifies effective potential energy surfaces thereby allowing to treat a reaction as a fully quantum process. Through semi-classical models of two-state reactions, we show that we can control the identity of the most stable nuclear configuration by varying the form and intensity of the external field’s coupling potential. We group topologically equivalent potential energy curves in phase diagrams for a manifold of simple two-state models. We also illustrate the method’s implementation in a fully quantum-mechanical approach by considering two diabatic states in the radical HBN⇄BNH isomerization. To ensure diabaticity, these states are built on a grid of floating Gaussian orbitals and the potential energy curves are constructed by moving the nuclei.Master's These

Prescription Drug Abuse

This informative paper analyzed the prescription drug abuse epidemic among the adolescent population through a holistic lens. The prescription drug abuse epidemic has been identified as a national and community healthcare issue due to the harmful physiological effects and alarming death rates of adolescents in the United States. Current healthcare policies by the federal government, pharmaceutical companies, and various organizations were researched to show the progress made to counteract the epidemic; and possible consequences of these newly implemented policies were reviewed and scrutinized. In response to the prescription drug abuse epidemic, a physician accountability system was proposed as a potential solution. It was found that the collaborative effort of healthcare practitioners, along with new federal guidelines, will decrease access and availability of prescription drugs to adolescents. Therefore, decreasing the number of adolescents abusing prescription drugs in the United States

Criando Coerência a partir de Mensagens Políticas Complexas: Perceção dos Educadores de Educação Especial e Políticas de Accountability baseadas em Standards

Federal special education and accountability policies requires that educators individualize instruction for students with disabilities, while simultaneously ensuring that the vast majority of these students meet age-based grade-level standards and assessment targets. In this paper, we examine this dynamic interplay between policies through analysis of policy documents and interviews that reveal how a sample of educators grapple with their simultaneous implementation. We found that educators made sense of some facets of the policies as complementary and others as contradictory. NCLB and IDEA offered consistent and specific guidelines defining “highly qualified” teachers and educators reported a clear and accurate understanding of these policy demands. On an issue where there was no specific guidance from NCLB–the placement of special education students–educators interpreted the law as promoting the inclusion of more students in general education courses, often to an extent that contradicted the guidance offered by IDEA. With respect to fundamental issues of teaching and learning, NCLB and IDEA represent contradictory theories of action and educators perceived conflict and expressed concerns about unintended consequences for students. Based on our empirical findings, we conclude with a set of theoretical propositions regarding how the alignment of policy messages influences educators’ interpretation of policies, which in turn may have implications for how they enact policies.  Las políticas nacionales para la educación especial y la rendición de cuentas (accountability) requiere que los educadores individualicen la instrucción para los estudiantes con discapacidades, garantizando al mismo tiempo que la mayoría de estos estudiantes puedan alcanzar los estándares basados en su edad, nivel de educación y los objetivos de la evaluación. En este artículo se discute la interacción dinámica entre las políticas a través del análisis de documentos de política y entrevistas que revelan cómo una muestra de educadores se encarga de su ejecución simultánea. Se encontró que algunos educadores interpretan estas facetas como complementarias de las políticas y otras como de índole contradictoria. Las directivas de NCLB (Ley No Child Left Behind) e IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - Ley para los Individuos con Discapacidades) proporcionan directrices para la definición consistente y específica de que es un docente "altamente calificado" y los educadores y reportaron una comprensión clara y precisa de estas demandas políticas. En una materia para la cual no había una orientación específica de NCLB - la ubicación de los estudiantes de educación especial - educadores han interpretado la ley como promoviendo la inclusión de todos los estudiantes en los cursos de educación general, a menudo de una manera que contradice las orientaciones dadas por IDEA. Para las cuestiones fundamentales de la enseñanza y el aprendizaje, NCLB e IDEA representan teorías contradictorias de acción y educadores perciben el conflicto y expresan sus preocupaciones acerca de las consecuencias no deseadas para los estudiantes. En base a los resultados empíricos, se concluye con un conjunto de proposiciones teóricas acerca de cómo alinear los mensajes políticos que influyen en la interpretación de la política por los educadores, que a su vez pueden tener implicaciones en cómo se implementan las políticas.Políticas nacionais de educação especial e de accountability requerem que os educadores individualizem o ensino para alunos com deficiências, assegurando, simultaneamente, que a maioria desses alunos atinge os standards baseados na idade e nível de ensino e as metas da avaliação. Neste artigo, analisámos esta interação dinâmica entre políticas através da análise de documentos políticos e entrevistas que revelam como uma amostra de educadores lida com a sua simultânea implementação. Descobrimos que os educadores interpretaram algumas facetas das políticas como complementares e outras como contraditórias. NCLB (No Child Left Behind Act – Ato Nenhuma criança deixada para trás) e IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – Ato para a Educação de Indivíduos com Deficiências) fornecem orientações consistentes e específicas para a definição de professores “altamente qualificados” e os educadores relataram um entendimento claro e preciso dessas demandas políticas. Num assunto para o qual não havia nenhuma orientação específica a partir do NCLB – a colocação dos alunos de educação especial – os educadores interpretaram a lei como promovendo a inclusão de mais alunos em cursos de educação geral, de uma forma que frequentemente contradiz a orientação fornecida pelo IDEA. Relativamente a questões fundamentais de ensino e aprendizagem, NCLB e IDEA representam teorias de ação contraditórias e os educadores percebem o conflito e expressam preocupações sobre as consequências não intencionais para os alunos. Com base nos nossos resultados empíricos, concluímos com um conjunto de proposições teóricas a respeito do modo como o alinhamento de mensagens políticas influencia a interpretação das políticas pelos educadores, que por sua vez pode ter implicações na forma como eles adotam as políticas

The Standardization of Special Education: Exploring the Implementation of NCLB and IDEA in Inclusive Settings

Over the years, federal special education and accountability policies have aligned more closely to require that students with disabilities receive individualized instruction in general education classrooms. Thus, for an increasing percentage of students with disabilities, these policies now mandate that Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are written at annual IEP meetings and then implemented in general education classrooms. The practice of providing services and instruction to students with disabilities in general education classrooms is commonly referred to as inclusion. Inclusion theoretically requires collaboration between general and special education teachers to ensure that students with disabilities receive appropriate services and supports in general education classrooms. Numerous studies examining the practices of inclusion have led scholars to critique how inclusion is being implemented and whether it is really supporting student learning. This said, little work has empirically examined the influence that NCLB (2001) and IDEA (2004) have on general and special education teachers’ practices in inclusive settings, and ultimately the effect this has on students’ access to an appropriate education. My dissertation research is comprised of separate studies that explore the implementation of two key policy mandates within inclusive settings: (1) creation, implementation, and progress monitoring of IEPs, and (2) standards-based instruction by highly qualified teachers. Specifically, in my first study I explore the role of the IEP process in the education of students with specific learning disabilities receiving instruction in inclusive classrooms. In my second study, I examine the types and quality of writing instruction that students with disabilities receive in 8th grade inclusive English classrooms, along with the policy and organizational factors that influence this instruction

Preparing for offshore renewable energy development in the Mediterranean

The development of offshore wind farms and marine renewable energy devices in the Mediterranean is central to both national, and international, energy strategies for countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The ecological impacts of marine renewable energy development in the Mediterranean region, although essential for policy makers, are as yet unknown. The Northern Adriatic is identified as a plausible site for offshore wind farm development. Using the wider region (Adriatic and Northern Ionian) as a case study, this thesis examines the likely impact to the marine environment if an offshore wind farm is established. Site suitability, based on wind speed, bathymetry, and larvae connectivity levels are investigated along with the plausibility of the turbines operating as artificial reefs in the area. As offshore wind farms may alter the larval connectivity and supply dynamics of benthic populations, a connectivity map was constructed to identify areas of high and low connectivity in the Adriatic Sea. The Puglia coast of Italy is a likely larval sink, and displays some of the highest connectivity within the region, suggesting potential inputs of genetic materials from surrounding populations. Considering offshore wind farms could operate as artificial reefs, an in-situ pilot project was established to simulate the presence of wind turbines. Macroinvertebrates colonized the new substrata within the first few months but were lower in abundance when compared to a natural hard substrata environment. Time, turbine location, and the material used for turbine construction all affected the macro-invertebrate communities. In addition, fish abundances, and diversity were lower around the simulated OWF foundations in comparison to a natural hard substrata environment, and no increases in fish abundance occurred around the simulated turbines when compared to reference sites of soft substrata. This observation was validated with the use of an ecosystem modelling software (Ecopath with Ecosim), which simulated the overall ecosystem level impacts that would occur if 50 offshore monopile wind turbines were introduced to the Northern Ionian and colonized by macroinvertebrate communities. When compared to the baseline scenario (no simulated introduction of an OWF), the introduction of new habitat had no discernible impacts to the structure or functioning of the marine ecosystem. Noticeable changes to the ecosystem were only apparent if fishing restrictions were enforced in parallel with the simulated offshore wind farm; the ecosystem appears to become more structured by top down predation. In addition seabirds are also impacted by the reduction of fishing discards as a food source. These results are the first attempt to quantify the suspected benefits of offshore wind farms operating as de-facto marine protected areas.Hellenic Centre for Marine Researc

Experiences of dysphagia after stroke: an interview study of stroke survivors and their informal caregivers

(1) Background: Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) after stroke are not uncommon and is a consistent risk factor for stroke-associated pneumonia. This interview study explores the perspectives of stroke survivors, who had their swallowing assessed in the first few days of admission to hospital, and their informal caregivers. (2) Methods: A participatory approach was used involving people affected by stroke in the interpretation and analysis of the interview data. Data was thematically analysed and six themes were identified. (3) Results: These themes included how past-future experiences may influence a person’s emotional response to events; understanding what is happening and adjustment; the impact of dysphagia; attitudes to care; communication to patients and procedural issues. (4) Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of effective public health messages to improve people’s responsiveness to the signs of stroke, standardisation of assessment and management procedures, effective communication to patients about the consequences of dysphagia, and the impact of dysphagia on the person who had the stroke and their informal caregiver

Modeling Galactic Conformity with the Color-Halo Age Relation in the Illustris Simulation

Comparisons between observational surveys and galaxy formation models find that the mass of dark matter haloes can largely explain galaxies' stellar mass. However, it remains uncertain whether additional environmental variables, generally referred to as assembly bias, are necessary to explain other galaxy properties. We use the Illustris Simulation to investigate the role of assembly bias in producing galactic conformity by considering 18,000 galaxies with $M_{stellar}$ > $2 \times 10^9$ $M_{\odot}$. We find a significant signal of galactic conformity: out to distances of about 10 Mpc, the mean red fraction of galaxies around redder galaxies is higher than around bluer galaxies at fixed stellar mass. Dark matter haloes exhibit an analogous conformity signal, in which the fraction of haloes formed at earlier times (old haloes) is higher around old haloes than around younger ones at fixed halo mass. A plausible interpretation of galactic conformity can be given as a combination of the halo conformity signal with the galaxy color-halo age relation: at fixed stellar mass, particularly toward the low-mass end, Illustris' galaxy colors correlate with halo age, with the reddest galaxies (often satellites) being preferentially found in the oldest haloes. In fact, we can explain the galactic conformity effect with a simple semi-empirical model, by assigning stellar mass based on halo mass (abundance matching) and by assigning galaxy color based on halo age (age matching). We investigate other interpretations for the galactic conformity, particularly its dependence on the isolation criterion and on the central-satellite information. Regarding comparison to observations, we conclude that the adopted selection/isolation criteria, projection effects, and stacking techniques can have a significant impact on the measured amplitude of the conformity signal.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures; accepted for publication in MNRAS (minor revisions to match accepted version

Rme-8 depletion perturbs Notch recycling and predisposes to pathogenic signaling.

Notch signaling is a major regulator of cell fate, proliferation, and differentiation. Like other signaling pathways, its activity is strongly influenced by intracellular trafficking. Besides contributing to signal activation and down-regulation, differential fluxes between trafficking routes can cause aberrant Notch pathway activation. Investigating the function of the retromer-associated DNAJ protein Rme-8 in vivo, we demonstrate a critical role in regulating Notch receptor recycling. In the absence of Rme-8, Notch accumulated in enlarged tubulated Rab4-positive endosomes, and as a consequence, signaling was compromised. Strikingly, when the retromer component Vps26 was depleted at the same time, Notch no longer accumulated and instead was ectopically activated. Likewise, depletion of ESCRT-0 components Hrs or Stam in combination with Rme-8 also led to high levels of ectopic Notch activity. Together, these results highlight the importance of Rme-8 in coordinating normal endocytic recycling route and reveal that its absence predisposes toward conditions in which pathological Notch signaling can occur.This work was funded by an MRC programme grant [G0800034] to SJB. LAS was the recipient of a BBSRC PhD studentship. ES and TK were funded by the DFG [Sachbeihilfe KL 1028/5-­1].This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Rockefeller University Press via http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.20141100

Healthcare Utilization of Individuals with Opiate Use Disorders: An Analysis of Integrated Medicaid and State Mental Health/Substance Abuse Agency Data

Data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Integrated Database (IDB) were used to examine the service use patterns of individuals with possible opiate use disorders in Washington State. Results indicate that regardless of Medicaid enrollment status, individuals who received mental health (MH) or substance abuse (SA) services only through state agencies received no inpatient substance abuse service. Furthermore, when compared with individuals who received at least one MH/SA service through Medicaid, those who received services only through the state agencies were less likely to have received any MH services and were more likely to have received residential SA services. This analysis highlights the importance of using integrated client data in providing a more comprehensive understanding of services to inform policy and raises significant questions about how regulatory requirements affecting different funding mechanisms might drive settings of care in ways not related to the care needed