bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hearing from men in Eswatini: Shifts in HIV risk and service uptake—Findings from DREAMS implementation science research
Authors:   Population Council
Published: August 2021

HIV prevention efforts across sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly focused on engaging men, for their own health and that of their partners and families. We examined whether and how HIV risk and protective factors are changing among men in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)—a country with a substantial HIV burden. The study is part of the Population Council’s implementation science research portfolio on the DREAMS Partnership1, a large-scale initiative to reduce new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and their partners.
Hearing from men in Uganda: Experiences with HIV services and prevention programming, and perceptions of DREAMS—Findings from DREAMS implementation science research
Authors:   Population Council
Published: August 2021

HIV prevention efforts across sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly focused on engaging men, for their own health and that of their partners and families. We examined experiences with HIV services and prevention programing among men in Uganda whose partners were enrolled in DREAMS, a large-scale initiative to reduce new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). The study is part of the Population Council’s implementation science research portfolio on the DREAMS Partnership.
Hearing from men in South Africa: Shifts in HIV risk and service uptake—Findings from DREAMS implementation science research
Authors:   Population Council
Published: August 2021

HIV prevention efforts across sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly focused on engaging men, for their own health and that of their partners and families. We examined whether and how HIV risk and protective factors are changing among men in Durban, South Africa—a country with a substantial HIV burden. The study is part of the Population Council’s implementation science research portfolio on the DREAMS Partnership, a large-scale initiative to reduce new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women and their partners.
Selected DHS data on 10–14-year-olds: Philippines
Authors:   Population Council
Published: August 2021

Annex to "Facts about adolescents from the Demographic and Health Survey—Statistical tables for program planning"
Selected DHS data on 10–14-year-olds: South Africa
Authors:   Population Council
Published: August 2021

Annex to "Facts about adolescents from the Demographic and Health Survey—Statistical tables for program planning"
Married adolescents: A review of programmes
Authors: Graft Auralice , Haberland Nicole , Goldberg Rachel E.
Published: August 2021

Historically, major adolescent and reproductive health initiatives have failed to explicitly consider the needs of married adolescents. This paper provides insight into what is being done—or not being done—to support married adolescent girls and boys, how these populations’ needs are being conceptualized, and the extent to which social context is factored into program design. Some early work with adolescent mothers (married and unmarried) is considered. The degree to which selected adolescent programs have been able to reach married girls with their activities is briefly examined. A few basic parameters of potential interventions for married adolescents are presented, including an inventory of current projects, to examine how, when, and at whom efforts typically are directed. Finally, three in-depth examples of recent, ongoing programs for married adolescent girls are presented.
A world apart: The disadvantage and social isolation of married adolescent girls
Authors: Haberland Nicole , Chong Erica , Bracken Hillary J.
Published: August 2021

This brief is based on a paper prepared for the WHO/UNFPA/Population Council Technical Consultation on Married Adolescents, held in Geneva, Switzerland, December 9–12, 2003. The consultation brought together experts from the United Nations, donors, and nongovernmental agencies to consider the evidence regarding married adolescent girls’ reproductive health, vulnerability to HIV infection, social and economic disadvantage, and rights. The relationships to major policy initiatives—including safe motherhood, HIV, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and reproductive rights—were explored, and emerging findings from the still relatively rare programs that are directed at this population were discussed. Despite the program attention and funding that have been devoted to adolescents, early marriage and married adolescents have fallen largely outside of the field’s concern. Comprising the majority of sexually active adolescent girls in developing countries, this large and vulnerable subpopulation has received neither program and policy consideration in the adolescent sexual and reproductive health field, nor special attention from reproductive health and development programs for adult women. While adolescent girls, irrespective of marital status, are vulnerable in many settings and deserve program, policy, and resource support, the purpose of this brief is to describe the distinctive and often disadvantaged situations of married girls and to propose possible future policy and program options.
Esperanza y la gran historia de nuestro camino: Guía para mentoras de Abriendo Oportunidades
Authors:   Population Council
Published: August 2021

This is one of many guides produced under the Abriendo Oportunidades program. You may find others by entering the search terms “Abriendo Oportunidades” and “Guide/Toolkit” in Advanced Search.
Determining an effective and replicable communication-based mechanisms for improving young couples' access to and use of reproductive health information and services in Nepal—An operations research study
Authors:   Center for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities (CREHPA)
Published: August 2021

This operations research study sought to determine an effective communication-based model for increasing the involvement of community-based groups in improving access to and use of reproductive health services and information by young married couples. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with two experimental and two nonequivalent control groups in the Udaypur district of Nepal. As stated in this report, this OR study clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of communication-based models such as the formation and reactivation of Youth Communication Action Groups and Mother’s groups, basic and refresher training, group interaction and mobilization, and social events in creating an enabling environment for young married couples to learn and interact about sexual and reproductive health issues. The increase in reproductive health-related knowledge and practice among young married women has been high in both experimental areas. However, changes in the practice of family planning and antenatal care have not shown consistent trends probably because of the conflict situation in the project sites during the implementation phase.
Operationalized indicators: Integrating community health worker and client views to assess community health systems
Authors:   Frontline Health Project
Published: August 2021

This guide is intended for policy makers, program managers, and implementers to use in meaningfully integrating community health worker (CHW) and community perspectives when assessing community health system performance and tracking improvements over time. It complements the portfolio of existing global measurement tools that inform country community health monitoring and evaluation frameworks and support localized decision-making. The guide recommends considering application and integration of a brief and full sets of indicators. The brief set includes 20 indicators (13 at CHW level and 7 at community member/client level) while the longer set includes 30 indicators (19 at CHW level, 11 at community member/client level). The guide recommends mapping out potential modes and timing of data collection (existing and new) for integration, advocating for additions to the national monitoring and evaluation strategies, minimizing biases in data collection through a “neutral third party,” gathering qualitative data in complement, and sharing implementation experiences.
Pengaruh Lingkungan Kerja Dan Pengembangan Karyawan Terhadap Kepuasan Kerja Karyawan Pada Bank BTN (Persero) Cabang Karangasem
Authors: Megawati Megawati
Published: August 2021

The research is conducted in  order to analyze the influence of working environment, employee development toward work satisfaction in BTN Bank  (Persero) Karangasem  to obtain of more deep  influence of employee development ,working environment toward worked satisfaction in  BTN Bank (Persero) Karangasem. Data is analyzed constructively by using the technique analyze  the  simple regression and multiple regression analysis. Research location is the employee in BTN Bank (Perswero) Karangasem The method of this research is simple random sampling, that taken 55 Operational Division employee at Transaction Process Division, Loan Administration Division, and General Administration Division, while data collecting by using questionnaire and cultivated using SPSS 19.0. The result of t test for working environment is 2.123, and the signification is 0.038. This shows that there is an effect between working environment toward job satisfaction. The result of t test for employee development is -2.160 ,and the signification is  0.035 This shows that there is an effect between employee development toward job satisfaction. The result of F test is 5.798, and the signification is 0.005. This shows that there is an effect between working environment and employee development toward job satisfaction. The result of R2 is 0.182 or 18,2%. It means Job Satisfaction is affected by working environment and employee development as much as 18,2%.

 Keywords: working environment, employee development, job satisfaction
Quality and quantity : gender representation in teacher discourse and kindergarten math curriculum
Authors:   , Otis Alexandria
Published: August 2021

We know that women are underrepresented in math-intensive fields despite marginal gender differences in mathematical performance. Some researchers believe that societal factors contribute to this problem and have called for more nuanced methodologies to examine why underrepresentation and gender stereotypes about math continue to persist. The purpose of this study was to examine what messages teachers and instructional materials convey in a kindergarten mathematics classroom through discourse analysis of the intended curriculum and teacher perceptions guided by the following research questions: (1) How does the Everyday Mathematics kindergarten curriculum and supplemental curriculum materials position and write about girls in comparison to boys? and (2) How do teachers describe girls in comparison to boys and position them when discussing their beliefs about mathematics instruction and equity in the kindergarten classroom? Findings from the intended curriculum and teacher interviews include: (1) teachers and curriculum predominantly use inclusive and non-gendered language, (2) teachers and curriculum represent girls and boys similarly; however, subtle gender bias in language and illustrations persists. Further examination of subtle gender bias revealed that boys are privileged in language and illustrations, and that intentional non-stereotypical representations of girls are more prevalent than non-stereotypical representations of boys. In conclusion, teachers and curriculum materials represent girls and boys more equitably than found in previous studies; however, subtle gender bias persists. These findings extend conversations of diversity and inclusion currently conducted at the study site by intentionally focusing on gender in addition to other identities. In turn, curriculum developers could consider less privileging of boys in language and illustrations, and teachers and curriculum writers could more intentionally represent both girls and boys more frequently in non-stereotypical roles and ways.
"An island of nymphs" : Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Victorian women's classical education
Authors:   , Alonso Jordi
Published: August 2021

"Writing about a trip to the United States, the winner of the 1909 Nobel Prize for Peace, Paul Henri Benjamin Balluet d'Estournelles de Constant, wrote that he felt distanced from the present on a particular spot near the banks of the Hudson River, unsure whether he was even in America, let alone in the early twentieth century: "Was this America? Was this the year 1911 or 1912? No, it was a vision of Ancient Greece, an island of the Aegean Sea populated by nymphs, in the midst of whom I felt of another time, of another country, of another planet" (d'Estournelles de Constant 314). What was the cause of his temporal and terrestrial transportation; had he, like Socrates on the banks of the Illisos river, become nympholeptic? ... In this dissertation, I will argue that the poetry and activism of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, as well as her deep engagement with the field of classical studies began to blaze a trail for women like Agnata Frances Ramsay to explore further. I begin by examining cartoons from the late nineteenth century which are pictorial culminations of attitudes held in the mid-nineteenth century so that the context of women's achievements in classical studies and the poems of Elizabeth Barrett Browning which I will closely examine in the second and third chapters of this study may be better understood by my readers. From the late nineteenth century environment of the introduction, we will travel, like √âtournelles de Constant, to some islands in the Aegean for the first chapter, which considers nymphs in their Archaic and Classical Greek context, and then return, for the bulk of this study, to the mid-nineteenth century."--From Introduction.
Deconstructing dominant English language discourses in the Ghanaian curriculum : reimagining a curriculum centered on Ghanaian languages and literacies
Authors:   , Bonney Edwin Nii
Published: August 2021

Decades of research in language-in-education policies in Ghana can be summed up in the statement: "Ghanaian languages matter but they matter only as tools for learning English." Although researchers continue to call to include more content delivery in Ghanaian languages in schools, educational policies and practices in Ghana continue to prioritize English education inherited from Ghana's colonial past while devaluing and deprivileging Ghanaian languages and cultures (Dei and Asgharzadeh, 2001). Scholars continue to call for stakeholders to decolonize the curriculum by centering Ghanaian languages, culture, and knowledge in schools (Dei, 2005). This study heeds that call. Grounded in studies and theories of English linguistic imperialism and critical literacy, I first examine the discourse of the newly implemented 2019 K-6 primary school curriculum and public discourses of educational leaders to learn how curricular policies, content, assessment, and teaching and learning activities continue to center English-centric language practices and policies. Second, I reimagine how to center Ghanaian languages in education. I found that the curriculum does not resist English language dominance or question it but treats it as normal and aspirational for Ghanaian students. The topic of Ghanaian languages is absent in the public discourse of educational leaders including when they are addressing how to make education more equitable for students. This study is significant because it shows how formerly colonized spaces like Ghana through their own educational curriculum might be silencing and devaluing their own indigenous languages (and cultures) and it also demonstrates the role of educational leaders in shaping public discourse.
An examination of high school programs to assist students diagnosed with emotional disorders
Authors:   , Brown Shelley L.
Published: August 2021

Graduation rates, employment sustainability, and lack of ability to live independently are often outcomes for students with emotional disorders. For these students the connection to incarceration, unemployment, and homelessness to mental illness is high and with the current societal challenges, the numbers of students with emotional disorders are anticipated to increase. The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics of programs to assist students identified with emotional disorders in 9-12 high schools and identify challenges facing those programs as they assist the students towards graduation to prepare them to be college and career-ready post-high school. The results of this study were organized to answer six research questions that examined these programs with resultant themes. The themes were: strategies provided for ED students, desired changes to further support students with ED, supplementary programs to assist students, professional training for staff, data to evaluate progress, and community involvement. The data gained in this study contributed information to the field of study in the area of designing programs that assist high school students diagnosed with ED towards success. The results indicated that schools are moving towards providing environments, training, and support to students with social/emotional/behavioral struggles, however, the trend of this educational shift needs to continue to evolve. Similarly found were several barriers to the success of the programs. The implications for both administrators and teachers are important.
Pre-service teacher professional noticing for teaching mathematics
Authors:   , Hopkins Stephanie A.
Published: August 2021

Students with disabilities and/or those who have difficulty learning mathematical concepts can be found in almost every classroom. Over the last several decades, the responsibilities and roles of general and special education educators have shifted, blurring the conventionally held boundaries between special education and general education teachers and their pedagogical practices. Both special education and general education teachers are expected to provide an optimal mathematical instructional experience to all students. One way to best prepare novice teachers for this task is by increasing their overall Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). The purpose of this study is to contribute to research about specific components of a pre-service teacher's PCK. This research utilized a cross-sectional research design in its study of a representative sample of preservice teachers at specific moments in time during their teacher preparation program. Mathematical content knowledge and teachers' beliefs regarding the teaching of mathematics were found to have a statistically significant impact on professional noticing. Although not statistically significant, the differences the choice of a major had on a teacher's noticing ability requires further investigation. This study addresses an important gap in the research literature on noticing in that it includes special education teachers. Additionally, the study provides concrete recommendations for teacher preparation programing and suggestions for future research.
Degradation of the veterinary antibiotics in swine manure via anaerobic digestion
Authors:   , Hosseini Taleghani Ali
Published: August 2021

Antimicrobial resistance is becoming an imminent danger for human health, in part because of excessive consumption of antibiotics in the animal industry. Laboratory-scale anaerobic digesters (ADs) were utilized to investigate the potential removal of veterinary antibiotics (VA) in swine manure. Nine laboratory ADs were kept at 39 [plus-minus] 2 [degrees] C in incubators and were loaded every two days. The digesters had a working volume of 1.38 L (in a 1.89-L glass jar), with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 21 days and a loading rate of 1.0 g-VS/L-day. Carbon dioxide concentration of the biogas and pH values of the digestate verifying digester performance were measured every four days and every week, respectively. The AD process allowed 2 HRT to stabilize before the addition of the VAs, of Chlortetracycline (CTC), Tylosin, and Sulfamethazine (SMZ). Tests were conducted to compare the effects of VAs on manure nutrients, volatile solid destruction, and biogas production. Concentrations of VA added to the manure samples were 263 to 298 mg/L of CTC, 88 to 263 mg/L of Tylosin, and 1042 to 1339 mg/L of SMZ, respectively. Analysis of VA concentrations before and after the AD process was conducted to determine the VA degradation. The process of measuring the relatively low VA concentrations involves using solid-phase extraction and LC-MS-MS methodology. Further tests were performed in water under room temperature and digester temperature to approve the degradation of VAs. Amplicon sequencing analysis performed on each group using the 50 most frequent amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) showed significant discriminations between groups. A hierarchical method (UPGMA) was applied to obtain the major alteration in bacterial dynamics between treatments. The biomarkers' abundance can be employed to distinguish different antibiotics contamination.
Entropy minimization, convergence, and Gibbs ensembles (local and global)
Authors:   , Hughes Alexander M.
Published: August 2021

We approach the subject of Statistical Mechanics from two different perspectives. In Part I we adopt the approach of Lanford and Martin-Lof. We examine the minimization of information entropy for measures on the phase space of bounded domains, subject to constraints that are averages of grand canonical distributions. We describe the set of all such constraints and show that it equals the set of averages of all probability measures absolutely continuous with respect to the standard measure on the phase space. We also investigate how the set of constrains relates to the domain of the microcanonical thermodynamic limit entropy. We then show that, for fixed constraints, the parameters of the corresponding grand canonical distribution converge, as volume increases, to the corresponding parameters (derivatives, when they exist) of the thermodynamic limit entropy. In Part II, we use the Banach manifold structure on the space of finite positive measures to show that the critical points of the Gibbs entropy are grand canonical equilibria when the constraints are scalar, and local equilibria when the constraints are integrable functions. This provides a rigorous justification of the derivation of the Gibbs measures that appears often in literature.
A case study of building leaders' experiences with strengths-based coaching and feedback
Authors:   , Johnson Staci L.
Published: August 2021

This study examined the experiences of building leaders as they implemented strengths-based coaching and feedback, exploring the overarching research question: how do building leaders implement strengths-based coaching and feedback as part of teacher development and evaluation? This qualitative case study involved four assistant principals and three head principals who were each in charge of observing and coaching teachers in one mid-sized, rural district in central Missouri. Participants were trained in positive psychology and strengths-based coaching by the Gallup organization, and in specific strengths-based coaching and feedback protocols through the Regional Professional Development Center/ Missouri Leadership Development System workshops and on-site coaching labs. Following a constructivist framework, this study examined building leaders' experiences and perspectives implementing strengths-based coaching and feedback, specifically the 30-second feedback model, as part of teacher development and evaluation. The researcher gathered data in a series of three interviews with each participant and a half-day observation of their implementation of the 30-second feedback protocol. The study found four themes: leaders value strengths-based coaching because it increases their visibility and credibility as instructional leaders; leaders implement strengths-based coaching models with freedom, flexibility, and individual style; implementation interacts in both positive and negative ways with formal district evaluation models; and leaders' implementation of strengths-based coaching models has resulted in increased knowledge of pedagogical skills and his or her own leadership strengths. Besides being a very powerful reflection and learning experience for the participants of this case study, the results have implications for future research on the application of instructional leadership in practice. Additionally, the findings imply that further research needs to be done on the impact of strengths-based coaching and feedback which could indicate needed policy changes in the implementation of formal evaluation models.
The role of resistance exercise training and IGF-1 signaling in the amelioration of mild cognitive impairment in female Wistar rats
Authors:   , Kelty Taylor Jacob
Published: August 2021

Mild cognitive impairment increases risk for dementia. One therapeutic intervention that is reported to ameliorate cognition in patients with mild cognitive impairment is resistance exercise. However, the underlying neuro-molecular mechanisms behind resistance exercise are largely unknown. To better understand the underlying neuro-molecular mechanisms, I established a preclinical model of resistance-exercise training and mild cognitive impairment based off the literature. Ladder climbing in female Wistar rats let to similar increases in muscle mass and strength as those observed in humans, while intracerebroventricular injections of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced neuroinflammation and cognitive deficits, which resembled clinical mild cognitive impairment. Resistance-exercise training restored cognitive function, increased IGF-1R phosphorylation and subsequent downstream signaling, and ameliorated neuroinflammation. Selective IGF-1R inhibition in the dentate gyrus, with picropodophyllin, had differential effects on cognition dependent on training status and type of cognition measured. Collectively, these studies indicate that although resistance training and IGF-1 signaling both ameliorate LPS-induced neuroinflammation, IGF-1 signaling during resistance-exercise training, but is only necessary for its ability to ameliorate mild cognitive impairment after a single workout. Furthermore, we made a novel discovery where dentate gyrus IGF-1R inhibition can improve specific forms of cognition. These findings reveal the complexity of IGF-1 signaling and open new areas of study that could offer insights for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment.
Essays on inequality and mobility of Korean households' income and consumption
Authors:   , Kwon Sanguk
Published: August 2021

This dissertation analyzes income and consumption inequality empirically and theoretically using Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS). This dissertation consists of three chapters. First two chapters are about detrended income and consumption excluding the effects of household's characteristics. Third chapter is about observed income and consumption. In the chapters 1 and 2, we track income and consumption of same cohort of Korean households over the lifecycle and find empirical evidences are not explained by existing income and consumption models with iid assumption of income shocks. For example, future cumulative gains in consumption (income) are negatively correlated with initial consumption (income). Second, consumption inequality does not grow over the lifecycle. At the chapter 1, we develop new income process model. Our suggesting generalized restricted income profiles (G-RIP) and stochastic heterogeneous income profile (SHIP) consider iid income shocks as well as household-specific factors of macroeconomy. We find that the estimated model fits the dynamics of inequalities and mobility of income better than the conventional RIP or HIP models. At the chapter 2, we develop new consumption process model. New consumption model has consumption shocks as well as household-specific uncertainty. Therefore, consumption risk is correlated with past consumption, which can explain the observed consumption moments. Our suggesting heterogeneous conditional mean (HCM) model fits the dynamics of inequalities and mobility of income and consumption better than the conventional model that assume iid income shocks. At the chapter 3, we deal with non-classical measurement errors in consumption using a double-differencing correction method. Aguiar and Bils (2015) develop a double differencing correction method to estimate the relative consumption inequality adjusted for measurement errors. In the first step they estimate Engel curve which measurement errors are correlated with error terms of and use current income as an instrument for total expenditure. This chapter provides an alternative instrument based on the permanent income hypothesis (PIH) for total expenditure. A long panel data is required to capture a household's permanent income and using a Korean household panel allows to test a hypothesis that permanent income could be more appropriate instrument than current income. We find the expected lifecycle income is better instrument than current income for current consumption.
An analysis of cohort models in technical education at Kansas City Kansas Community College
Authors:   , Lewandowski Tina Marie Church
Published: August 2021

This mixed method study was conducted to gain a better understanding of technical educational center (TEC) cohort programs at a midwestern urban community college. In a cohort model, the students start a program and progress through the curriculum together until completion (Bista and Cox, 2014). Specifically, the study focused on two student types, high school students who were taking college courses and postsecondary students as well as the TEC cohort faculty. The TEC cohort model was examined to learn more about the graduation rates, continued program enrollment, and student support systems. Due to a gap in the literature about cohort models in relationship to race, ethnicity, and gender, those aspects were also studied. The results of the study found that postsecondary students graduated at a higher rate than high school students. Relationships developed throughout the cohort among classmates and with the faculty were indicated as a contributing factor to program completion. Other themes included cohort model structure, hands-on learning, career opportunities, and student attitudes. The study concluded with a set of four recommendations.
An examination of musical instrument practice among collegiate musicians
Authors:   , Liu Yue
Published: August 2021

This dissertation consists of three projects that were designed to investigate collegiate instrumentalists' practice habits and motivation orientations. The first investigation was a review of the literature about instrumental practice strategies, motivation orientations, and social factors influencing music practice. The second investigation was a qualitative descriptive study of four graduate instrumentalists' practice organization, application of practice strategies, and motivation orientations. Emergent themes included (a) task-oriented practice routines, (b) solution-oriented approaches, (c) mixed motivations, and (d) external challenges. The third investigation was a survey study of collegiate instrumentalists' application of practice strategies and their motivation orientations to practice. Results indicated that pianists spent more time in practice than percussionists, brass, other instrumentalists (e.g., organ), woodwind, and string players, respectively. Collegiate instrumentalists used systematic practice strategies most frequently, followed by error correction techniques, using a metronome and listening to recordings, concentration control, analytic strategies, and the organization of practice sessions. In addition, collegiate instrumentalists were more motivated by intrinsic factors than extrinsic factors. Weekly practice hours were negatively correlated with Extrinsic Motivation: Avoid Failure, but positively correlated with Intrinsic Motivation: Growth. Taken together, results from these projects indicated that collegiate instrumentalists should (a) develop and strengthen self-regulation skills, (b) arrange practice time based on individual schedules, and (c) cope with challenges through discussing potential solutions with peers and instrumental instructors.
Black skin matters : the significance of color in early modern England
Authors:   , Love Timothy
Published: August 2021

This book explores the impact of stereotypical concepts associated with black skin color in representations of black people during the English Renaissance, namely Shakespeare's Othello (Othello), Aaron (Titus Andronicus), Caliban (The Tempest), Rosaline (Love's Labour's Lost), and the "dark lady" (Sonnets). Ultimately, this book demonstrates how Shakespeare, and texts of select English Renaissance authors, retaliate against traditional stereotypical, mythical, or colonial representations of black people -- representations stemming from distinct resentments for black skin color, hegemonic notions of black inferiority, and opportunistic ambitions deriving from collective concepts of white superiority. These very early postcolonial-minded authors foreshadow modern postcolonial philosophers as they factually assess psychological patterns associated with early modern black people who endure racial discrimination, subjugation, and assimilation. Their literature contrasts previous and contemporary colonial works which fail to reference or utilize fact over racial myth when creating representations of black individuals.
The demise of guys : the flight of the American male from STEM
Authors:   , McIntyre Courtney
Published: August 2021

This mixed methods research investigates the differences between high school males who pursue the PLTW Biomedical Science program and those males who do not. The study examines males in a rural Midwestern high school, analyzing factors such as GPA, sports, clubs, work, volunteering, and whether at least one parent attended college. It also looks at how high school male students perceive the PLTW Biomedical Science program. The focus is to understand why few males enroll in the program. A survey constructed by the researcher is administered to gather quantitative data related to the previously mentioned factors. Pearson's Chi-square analysis further tests for statistical significance among the two groups of males. Additional qualitative data via interviews is collected from among the non-biomed males. The study found biomed males to have a greater GPA, participation in sports, and were more likely to work than their non-biomed counterparts. The non-biomed males were more likely to have at least one parent attend college. Participation in clubs and volunteering was not statistically significant. The perception of PLTW Biomedical Science program among non-biomed males is positive. Students feel as though their friends like the courses and talk about what a neat program it is. The non-biomed males interviewed for this study simply report not having interest in biomedicine as the main reason they did not join the program. They also reported male brains are wired differently, males are less mature than their female counterparts, and the program should be advertised as being "fun" in order to attract more males to the program.
Explainable data fusion
Authors:   , Murray Bryce J.
Published: August 2021

The recent resurgence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically in the context of applications like healthcare, security and defense, IoT, and other areas that have a big impact on human life, has led to a demand for eXplainable AI (XAI). The production of explanations is argued to be a key aspect of achieving goals like trustworthiness and transparent versus opaque AI. XAI is also of fundamental academic interest with respect to helping us identifying weaknesses in the pursuit of making better AI. Herein, I focus on one piece of the AI puzzle, information fusion. In this work, I propose XAI fusion indices, linguistic summaries (aka textual explanations) of these indices, and local explanations for the fuzzy integral. However, a limitation of these indices is its tailored to highly educated fusion experts, and it is not clear what to do with these explanations. Herein, I extend the introduced indices to actionable explanations, which are demonstrated in the context of two case studies; multi-source fusion and deep learning for remote sensing. This work ultimately shows what XAI for fusion is and how to create actionable insights.
Extracellular vesicles, lipids, and lipoproteins in early pregnant sheep
Authors:   , O'Neil Eleanore V.
Published: August 2021

In sheep, pregnancy establishment encompasses conceptus elongation, implantation, and placentation. These events are regulated by factors present within the uterine luminal fluid (ULF) from the endometrial epithelium and the conceptus itself that affect proliferation, migration, attachment, and adhesion of the conceptus trophectoderm. As the peri-implantation period is especially susceptible to pregnancy loss, it is essential to understand the various components and functional roles of substances within the ULF. The central hypothesis of this dissertation is that lipids and lipid associated macromolecules are components of the ULF and mediate endometrial-embryonic crosstalk and regulate conceptus development. This work sought to identify, characterize, and/or determine the roles of: (1) extracellular vesicles (EVs); (2) lipids and metabolites; (3) prostaglandins (PGs); and (4) apolipoproteins present within the ULF of ewes during early gestation. Collectively, the present studies established that: (1) EVs increase within the ULF during the estrous cycle but are depleted in the uterine lumen of pregnant ewes due to uptake by the elongating conceptus; (2) the lipid and protein cargo of uterine EVs is diverse and altered by pregnancy; (3) uterine EVs regulate cellular processes in the conceptus trophectoderm and endometrium including cell proliferation and secretions; (4) various lipids (specifically phospholipids, ceramides, and triglycerides) and metabolites are elevated in the ULF of pregnant ewes; (5) the conceptus lipidome and metabolome is distinct from the ULF and endometrium suggesting selective uptake of ULF substances; (6) the production of PGs by PTGS2 in the conceptus is not required for conceptus elongation; (7) the secretion of APOA1 by the conceptus does not mobilize endometrial lipids into the ULF and is not required for early pregnancy development or survival. Collectively, these studies highlight the complex and dynamic composition of the ULF and support the overall hypothesis that lipids and lipid-associated macromolecules are critical components of the ULF that mediate conceptus-endometrial crosstalk and regulate important developmental processes in the conceptus. Future investigation and expansion of these findings will fill crucial gaps in our knowledge of early pregnancy events and may provide biomarkers or help develop therapies to improve pregnancy outcomes and reproductive efficiency in agricultural species.
Does professional development for teachers impact student behavior utilizing class-wide function-related intervention teams?
Authors:   , Phillips April
Published: August 2021

Students who disrupt the classroom due to externalizing behaviors can impact all of these, but more importantly, these behaviors interrupt student learning. Due to these stressors, the purpose of this study was to explore how a behavior intervention program, Class-Wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT), within the scope of teacher professional development, can impact students' behaviors, improve teacher retention, and ultimately improve academic experiences in a suburban elementary school in Southwest Missouri. The mixed-methods study used a convergent mixed method design to explore how the CW-FIT impacted behaviors of elementary students. It also examined the correlation, if any, between teacher professional development of the CW-FIT and office referrals, teacher retention, and student achievement. Participants in this research study started with 12 elementary teachers and 10 classrooms. After the Pandemic began, the study continued in the fall of 2020 and included 11 teachers and nine classrooms (from third to fifth grade). Analysis of observation results, documents, and interviews, found that CW-FIT positively impacted student behavior in the participating elementary classrooms. Evidence showed the need for PD, how the CW-FIT increased student achievement through student engagement and teacher praise, and on-task behavior.
Weight stigma at a university : a study of policy, media, and student experiences with implications for improving weight-inclusivity
Authors:   , Roberts Hillary L.
Published: August 2021

Media images of and text concerning people who are overweight or obese frequently perpetuate weight stigma. Additionally, limited literature exists on policy and weight stigma. This qualitative study explored college student perspectives of body messaging at a public university, and investigated university policy and images of people used on university webpages for having weight inclusive or weight stigmatizing body messaging. Body messaging included images of people and text. The study engaged a sample of seven participants through photo-elicitation to collect body messages the university used in print materials and social media platforms. Participants then completed a questionnaire about each photo. Additionally, the researchers collected additional images of people from the university webpages. From the 27 participant-generated photos, over a third did not have size diversity or were placed in non-prominent locations on campus. Almost three-fourths of the 65 images of people collected by the researchers from the university webpages, did not include size diversity. Based upon the research findings, recommendations are provided for university constituents on how to promote weight inclusive environments through policy, programs, and practice.
Teacher collaboration and instructional program coherence across the transition to high school
Authors:   , Thompson Kyle
Published: August 2021

This study explores to what extent principals perceive instructional program coherence (IPC) and vertical collaboration occur in high schools and their mid-level feeder schools. It also measures IPC and its five components' association with different measures of student achievement. The study took place in the state of Missouri, and 312 principals of high schools with separate feeder middle schools were invited to participate. Electronic and paper surveys as well as public data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and linear regression. The findings show that principals perceive their school's IPC to be fairly strong, but their vertical collaboration needs improvement. The findings also indicate that only particular IPC components such as curriculum, instruction positively influenced graduation rates, academic climate positively influenced the EOC Algebra 1 scores, and vertical collaboration positively associated with higher average freshman GPA's. A major limitation to this study was the low response rate.
Penilaian Status Kesehatan Hutan Mangrove Di Desa Margasari Kecamatan Labuhan Maringgai Kabupaten Lampung Timur
Authors: Maulana Irlan Rahmat , Safe'i Rahmat , Febryano Indra Gumay
Published: August 2021

Mangrove forest ecosystems can be interpreted as a unique and distinctive form of ecosystem, so that it is able to provide many benefits, ranging from socio-economic or ecological terms to the surrounding ecosystem. Mangrove forest in Margasari Village is a mangrove forest ecosystem that has physical, economic and ecological potential that needs to be maintained through sustainable forest management. One of the ways to manage mangroves is by monitoring forest health. Forest health monitoring that is applied periodically within a forest type can achieve sustainable forest management achievements so as to support better forest quality and quantity and can be a reference in making the right decisions in mangrove forest management so that the results obtained can be optimal. This study aims to obtain the value of the health status of mangrove forests in East Lampung Regency in order to ensure the sustainability of the forest. The study was conducted using themethod Forest Health Monitoring (FHM). The results of forest health monitoring showed that there were 4 plot clusters with the final value of forest health status in the medium category plot 1 (5.63), cluster plot 2 (3.51) poor category, cluster plot 3 (4.92) poor category, and cluster plot 4 (7.57) in good category. Thus the results of forest health monitoring obtained in the mangrove forest of Margasari Village with an average final value of forest health status of 5.41 which is included in the medium category.
Los Mantodea en la filatelia (Insecta: Dictyoptera)
Authors:   Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Hernández Baltazar Erick , Gómez y Gómez Benigno ,   El Colegio de la Frontera Sur
Published: August 2021

Los sellos postales, desde su aparición en 1840, han abordado un sinnúmero de temáticas, incluida la biodiversidad y con ello a los insectos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue realizar un inventario de sellos postales con la representación de los Mantodea como grupo biológico. Se realizó una recopilación documental de trabajos especializados sobre entomofilatelia, revisión de grupos de Mantodea y una revisión exhaustiva en la internet. Taxonómicamente, se recopilaron 136 sellos postales en los cuales los Mantodea están representados por nueve familias, 23 géneros y 28 especies válidas, lo que representa únicamente el 1.12% de la mantidofauna mundial (2 494 especies), indicando un grado de conocimiento limitado de estas especies y escasa empatía por ellas.
Moscas blancas (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) en México: estatus, especies, distribución e importancia
Authors:   Colegio de Postgraduados, Ortega-Arenas Laura Delia , Carapia Ruiz Vicente Emilio ,   Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos
Published: August 2021

Los aleiródidos o moscas blancas comprenden una sola familia, Aleyrodidae, dentro de Sternorrhyncha, el cual es uno de los tres subórdenes de Hemiptera. A nivel mundial se reconocen alrededor de 1564 especies válidas, agrupadas en tres subfamilias: Udamoselinae, Aleurodicinae y Aleyrodinae. La fauna del mundo existente de Aleyrodidae se asocia casi exclusivamente con plantas dicotiledóneas, con unas pocas especies en las angiospermas monocotiledóneas, particularmente de pastos y palmas. Esto sugiere que la diversificación de Aleyrodidae coincidió con el de las angiospermas en el Cretácico. Actualmente las moscas blancas ocurren en todas las regiones biogeográficas, pero son más diversas en regiones tropicales y subtropicales. Las especies de Aleyrodidae encontradas en México suman 131 incluidas en 30 géneros, sin embargo, dos especies de moscas blancas, la del tabaco o camote (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) y la de los invernaderos (Trialeurodes vaporariorum West.) representan las principales amenazas para la producción de muchos cultivos a nivel mundial, debido a su participación como vectores de virus en plantas. Este documento tiene como objetivo proporcionar información concreta sobre el estado actual de las moscas blancas en México, haciendo especial énfasis en especies que representan amenazas para la producción de cultivos a nivel nacional.
New species of Loneura Navas, 1927 (Insecta: Psocodea: ‘Psocoptera’: Ptiloneuridae) from Peru
Authors:   Universidad del Valle, González Obando Ranulfo , Carrejo Gironza Nancy Soraya
Published: August 2021

We here describe and illustrate one new species of Loneura, based on specimens recently collected in natural areas of Peru. The new species is assigned to the infrageneric group II. This is the second species of this genus registered for this country. The number of species of Loneura is raised to 36.