Why we need to think again about the decline in social capital

In the 1990s, the sociologist Robert Putnam popularized the notion that there had been a large decline in social capital, compared to that which existed prior to the 1970s. But has social capital actually fallen? In new research, which uses four decades worth of national survey data, April K. Clark finds that not all aspects of social and civic life have been in decline; the greatest fall has been in trust. She also writes that this fall in trust is not due to the aging of the more civically minded World War II generation, as many scholars have argued, but due to differences in educational attainment, race, and religious preferences

Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Cetacean Strandings Focusing On The Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) with a Synthesis of Potential Causes

A comprehensive review of the literature and a quantitative statistical analysis of that information are presented. A total of 6,015 cetaceans stranded at 36 locations from 24 peer reviewed articles published between 1999 and 2014 are documented, with the two most common stranding locations being the Canary Islands - accounting for 49 of the total cetacean stranding events - and Cape Cod - accounting for 31 of total cetacean stranding events. The documented cetacean stranding events included 805 for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at a total of ten locations from 11 peer reviewed articles. When all single stranding events are eliminated and the collected data is analyzed, there are more documented stranding events of bottlenose dolphins than of any other cetacean species in the peer-reviewed literature. Using data collected from the Marine Mammal Stranding Network for the Southeast United States, a Chi-Square goodness of fit test is used to determine whether the number of bottlenose dolphin strandings is significantly different from the causes of strandings or causes of death categories. The analyses conclude that there is no significant difference among the categories of strandings or death. The general life history of the bottlenose dolphin is presented with special emphasis on its behavior and social structure, which are thought to affect stranding event frequencies. Various populations of bottlenose dolphins are also explored. The capstone concludes with a synopsis of speculated causes for stranding events and a synthesis discussion of stranding causes

A Quantitative Comparison of Emotional Intelligence Scores for Generation X and Millennial School Leaders

The purpose of this quantitative study using a non-experimental, quantitative, and correlational research design, was to discriminate between the emotional intelligence of school leaders in two cohorts: Generation X and the Millennial Generation. Emotional intelligence (the ability to process emotions and emotional stimuli to guide thinking and behavior) was measured using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso-Emotional-Intelligence-Test. Emails on public school district websites were used to recruit the principals and distribute the survey. The convenience sample consisted of 86 school principals from the northeastern United States. The total emotional intelligence score was significantly higher in the Millennials than Generation X. Discriminant Function Analysis classified the four categories of emotional intelligence (perceiving emotions, facilitating thought, understanding emotions, and managing emotions) between the two groups of principals. The statistics were weighted to account for the differences in group size. One statistically significant discriminant function explained 100% of the variance. The Millennial Generation were more able than Generation X to understand and manage emotions. The implications are that Millennial principals may be better able than Generation X principals to inspire feelings of trust, cooperation, motivation, optimism, self-confidence, contentment, and commitment among their peers, colleagues and subordinates. More research is needed to examine the degree to which generational and demographic factors predict emotional intelligence among school principals

Inside the Middle Class: Bad Times Hit the Good Life

Discusses survey results about the standard of living, sense of progress and mobility, economic behaviors, anxieties and aspirations, and social and political values of the American middle class. Also examines trends in demographic and income data

“Doing well in spite of the school”: How African American Students Perceive Achievement, Engagement, and School Climate in the Aftermath of California’s Local Control Funding Formula

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore urban African American students’ school experiences based on the aftermath of California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), focusing on achievement, engagement, and school climate. Survey data and focus groups of 62 participants were analyzed using chi-square, multiple regression, and an iterative process. Findings suggest that students desire information regarding honors courses, stronger teacher/student relationships, and fairer discipline treatment. Effective strategies and practices are recommended including the LCFF’s revisions to have specific goals for African American students

Examining Intolerance of Atheist Speech over Time and Across Generations

Abstract Since the mid-1950'

Combining Epidemiologic Information Across Space Agencies

Space flight is a very unique occupational exposure with potential hazards that are not fully understood. A limited number of individuals have experienced the exposures incurred during space flight, and epidemiologic research would benefit from shared information across space agencies. However, data sharing can be problematic due to agency protection policies for personally identifiable information as well as medical records. Compliance with these protocols in the astronaut population is particularly difficult given the small, high-profile population under study. Creativity in combining data is necessary in order to overcome these difficulties and improve statistical power in research. This study presents methods in meta-analysis that may be used to combine non-attributable data across space agencies so that meaningful conclusions may be drawn about study interests. Methods for combining epidemiologic data across space agencies are presented, and the processes are demonstrated using life-time mortality data in U.S. astronauts and Russian cosmonauts. This proof of concept was found to be an acceptable way of sharing data across agencies, and will be used in the future as more relevant research interests are identified

The Effects of a Hybrid Orientation on the Perceived Wellness of Students in a Masters-Level Counseling Program: An Exploratory Study

Hybrid programs can often be a desirable option for students entering a graduate program in counseling. However, the rigor of such programs, including academic challenges and maintaining personal wellness, could be a barrier to students from marginalized social locations. Additional support through a hybrid orientation might help these students address some of these potential barriers. Social location and perceived personal wellness data were collected for 25 students before and after a faculty-designed hybrid orientation. Participants ratings of perceived overall wellness decreased slightly from preorientation to post-orientation. However, the subscales of social wellness, spiritual wellness, and emotional wellness were the three subscales that showed an increase from pre-test to post-test. Additionally, differences among students with varying social locations were also noted. Application of the findings suggests further inquiry into the recruitment and retention of students from various social locations

Activating transcription factor 3 is a negative regulator of allergic pulmonary inflammation

We recently demonstrated the pivotal role of the transcription factor (TF) activating TF 3 (ATF3) in dampening inflammation. We demonstrate that ATF3 also ameliorates allergen-induced airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in a mouse model of human asthma. ATF3 expression was increased in the lungs of mice challenged with ovalbumin allergen, and this was associated with its recruitment to the promoters of genes encoding Th2-associated cytokines. ATF3-deficient mice developed significantly increased airway hyperresponsiveness, pulmonary eosinophilia, and enhanced chemokine and Th2 cytokine responses in lung tissue and in lung-derived CD4+ lymphocytes. Although several TFs have been associated with enhanced inflammatory responses in the lung, ATF3 attenuates the inflammatory responses associated with allergic airway disease

EAT 1

1. William Slaughter - Like Atlantis 00:27 2. Tim Gilmore - A Saying of Graces 02:57 3. Clark Lunberry & Jason Arnold - Reconsider Now 04:02 4. Keith Cartwright with Jesse Cartwright - Bloomdido 02:08 5. Mark Ari as Cyrano Moon - Under the Influence: Part 1 04:12 6. Clark Lunberry & Jason Arnold - As If / To Drift 03:11 7. William Slaughter - What I Learned Living in an Olive Grove 00:16 8. Mark Ari as Cyrano Moon with Blind Willie Sixpence - I’ll Be Glad When You’re Gone 02:12 9. Clark Lunberry & Jason Arnold - Eavesdropping Across America 05:32 10. Thelma Young - Ria 11:28 11. Christopher Sylvester - Morning Trawl 03:4312. April Fisher - Mine 02:44 13. Tim Gilmore - Leaving Word 07:03 14. K. Hassall - Sabbatical Report: A Compulsory Study in Violence(bonus) 28:06https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/eat/1000/thumbnail.jp