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Racial/Ethnic and Gender Equity Patterns in Illinois High School Career and Technical Education Coursework
Get PDFThis study analyzed high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) enrollments in Illinois, with comparisons to national data when possible, by career cluster and pathway and with respect to gender and racial/ethnic makeup of students. Enrollment patterns in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) CTE programming were emphasized. Gender and ethnicity- based inequities were found in certain areas and more equitable patterns were apparent in others. Of concern, student enrollment in courses fitting within STEM pathways included substantially greater male than female participation (64.1% male vs. 35.9% female), whereas other pathways showed the reverse enrollment pattern (45.0% male and 55.0% female). With respect to ethnicity, all subgroups except White students were underrepresented in CTE programming in general. The underrepresentation was exacerbated for all but Asian students when concerning STEM CTE programming. Considering implications, we recommend heightened focus, support, and goal setting concerning equity of CTE programming
Do bot flies, Cuterebra (Diptera: Cuterebridae), emasculate their hosts?
Get PDFAsa Fitch, in his description of a new species of
Cuterebra that he named, "emasculator," was the first to suggest
that bot flies castrated their mammalian hosts. In recent years
several major review papers and parasitology texts have continued
to perpetuate this belief. A review of both the literature on
bot flies and their hosts and of the life cycles of both bots and
hosts provides no evidence to substantiate castration. Eastern
Chipmunks (Tamias striatus) experimentally infected with Cuterebra
ernasculator experienced no destruction of testicular tissue.
The concept of castration may have been perpetuated by
observations of bots in the scotal sac of a host. Superficial examination
of a host with a bot(s) in the scrotum would suggest
that the bot had consumed the testis; this is demonstrated on
a White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). We conclude that
there is no evidence to support the notion that bot flies castrate
their mammalian hosts. On extremely rare occasions, a bot may
slightly displace a testis, and perhaps this temporarily reduces fertility
Low temperature acclimation in the desert spider, Agelenopsis aperta.
Get PDFAgelenopsis aperta (Gertsch) inhabits desert grasslands and lava beds in the southwestern U.S.A. The capacity of this species to cold-harden was assessed by exposing second generation laboratory- reared specimens to an artificial low temperature cycle simulating the "summer-autumn-winter" transition. Low temperature acclimation had no effect on whole body supercooling points, freeze tolerance or rates of oxygen consumption. Elevated levels of cryoprotectants were not detected using high performance liquid chromatographic techniques. Cold tolerance was similar between males, females and immatures. Exposure to temperatures immediately above the whole body supercooling point caused no apparent injury. It is hypothesized that movement into protected overwintering microhabitats may obviate the necessity for the evolution of seasonal mechanisms of cold-hardening in A. aperta
2014 Title VI Survey Results
Get PDFThis research record highlights the findings from a national survey of the Title VI Organizations (TO). Findings highlight TOs connection to the larger tribal infrastructure, key features and services of the TO programs, innovative care delivery, elder abuse prevention and intervention, expanding services and sustainability, and training and technical assistance needs
Creating, implementing, and sustaining an advanced optical spectroscopy laboratory course
Get PDFAn upper-division laboratory course in atomic and molecular spectroscopy is described. Examples
of outcomes that also benefit second-year physics laboratories and demonstrations in introductory
courses are presented. The overarching goal that drove the development of the course was to assist
students in understanding the fundamental connections between atomic and molecular spectra and
the underlying structures. A selection of laboratory experiences supporting this goal, and the
equipment and techniques necessary to provide them, are outlined
Using Matched Samples to Look for Sex Differences
Get PDFThe reasons for observed differences in physics performance between men and
women have yet to be clearly determined. This study asks the question: if men
and women have a similar background at the start of an introductory physics
course, will there be differences in how much physics they learn by the end of the
course? To answer the question, a matched sample of men and women was
studied. Statistical analysis of the post-tests reveals no significant differences
between the men and women in the matched sample
Brief chilling to subzero temperature increases cold hardiness in the hatchling painted turtle (Chrysemys picta)
Get PDFAlthough many studies of ectothermic vertebrates have documented compensatory changes in cold hardiness associated with changes of season, much less attention has been paid to adjustment of physiological functions and survival limits following more acute exposure to cold. We investigated the ability of hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) to increase cold hardiness in response to brief exposure to a subzero temperature. Winter‐acclimated turtles were “cold conditioned” by chilling them in the supercooled (unfrozen) state to −7°C over a few days before returning them to 4°C. These turtles fared no better than control animals in resisting freezing when cooled in the presence or absence of ice and exogenous ice nuclei. Survival following tests of freeze tolerance (freezing for about 70 h; minimum body temperature, −3.75°C) was nominally higher in cold‐conditioned turtles than in controls (36% vs. 13%, respectively), although the difference was not statistically significant. Of the survivors, cold‐conditioned turtles apparently recovered sooner. Turtles subjected to cold shock (supercooling to −13°C for 24 h, followed by rewarming to 0°C) were strongly affected by cold conditioning: all controls died, but 50% of cold‐conditioned turtles survived. We investigated potential mechanisms underlying the response to cold conditioning by measuring changes in levels of putative cryoprotectants. Plasma levels of glucose and lactate, but not urea, were higher in cold‐conditioned turtles than in controls, although the combined increase in these solutes was only 23 mmol L−1. Cold conditioning attenuated cold‐shock injury to brain cells, as assessed using a vital‐dye assay, suggesting a link between protection of the nervous system and cold hardiness at the organismal level
Tablet Based Data Recorder for Librarians and Researchers
No full textTo promote easier and more accurate data collection, a tablet based tool was created that guides data collectors by providing color coded and textual instructions. Validation rules can be dynamically created that will analyze entered data and give immediate feedback to the data collector to improve accuracy.
This poster shows the paper-based form and images of the electronic tablet form in action. Some design goals and benefits that can be applied to many data entry systems include element order, color coding, typeface selection, active validation, automatic uploading, active guidance, and automatic data entry. Benefits include easy error correction and elimination of many errors, more involved guidance, remote validation rule design, and immediate availability of data for analysis
Dedicated Technology Facilities: Impacts, Success, and Implications
No full textMiami University’s Assessment in Action project examined the effectiveness of two high-end digital media facilities. The first study of the project compared the technological self-efficacy of students who used the facilities to those who used other computing facilities without a comparable suite of equipment. The second project evaluated the visual literacy of students who created research project posters using the facilities compared to those who did not
A program evaluation of block and concurrent practicum formats
Get PDFThis study investigated the issues related to block versus concurrent formats for the advanced MSW field placement. Quantitative and qualitative survey data were collected from current MSW students (N=103) and Field Instructors (N=84). Each group identified advantages of both block and concurrent formats for field education. Educational outcomes, the needs and preferences of students and field placement sites, and institutional perspectives should be taken into account when developing field curriculum and policies. Offering both types of practicum formats may be one way to maximize student choice and field placement options