University at Albany, State University of New York
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From a Child\u27s Perspective: A Qualitative Study of Elementary School Student Engagement
Get PDFAbstract
Background and Purpose. This study sought to investigate child engagement from the children\u27s perspective, aiming to understand better what they perceive as factors that facilitate or constrain their academic engagement in classrooms. By centering children\u27s voices, this research challenges traditional views of students as passive recipients of education, instead recognizing them as active participants with valuable insights into their learning experiences. This work builds on the frameworks proposed by Shirley and Hargreaves (2021) and Lawson and Lawson (2013) that utilize socio-ecological theory to better understand those factors impacting children’s learning experiences.
Method. The study was conducted at an elementary school located in a suburban neighborhood in the Northeastern United States. Data were gathered through focus group interviews with eight children from third through fifth grade, child-crafted artifacts, member-checking evaluations, and researcher interpretive memos. Focus groups provided a platform for open dialogue, while artifacts and member-checking activities deepened the validity and richness of the findings. This multi-method approach allowed for a nuanced exploration of how children experience and interpret their engagement within classroom settings.
Findings. The findings confirmed that children are capable of articulating the factors that influence their engagement, highlighting that engagement is a dynamic, social, and synergistic process rather than simply a reflection of individual traits or behaviors. Children\u27s feedback aligned with prior research, underscoring themes of intrinsic value, importance, association, empowerment, and mastery (Shirley & Hargreaves, 2021) as key to successful engagement strategies. Specific findings revealed that: (a) feelings of engagement are linked to positive emotions and a greater desire to learn; (b) instructional choices by teachers can either sustain or
diminish engagement; (c) child engagement often declines over the academic year; (d) relationships with peers and teachers significantly affect engagement; (e) external influences such as bullying and family circumstances can impact engagement levels; and (f) assessments can negatively influence children\u27s engagement with learning tasks.
Conclusion and Implications. This study reinforces the importance of listening to children\u27s perspectives when designing engagement strategies and educational policies. It highlights that fostering engagement is not solely about individual student effort but about creating environments that recognize and respond to the social, emotional, and instructional contexts of learning. Future strategies should prioritize building strong, supportive relationships, creating meaningful and empowering learning experiences, and mitigating external stressors that undermine engagement. The study’s findings advocate for a more holistic, responsive approach to educational practice that treats student engagement as an interactive, evolving process
Determining Essential Regulatory Factors in Extravillous-Trophoblast Differentiation and Splice Variants Associated with the Development of Preeclampsia
Get PDFPreeclampsia is a common condition affecting mothers across the world. Rates for preeclampsia have been rising in the past years due to factors such as obesity and diabetes. Since this condition has been more prevalent, a better understanding of the factors surrounding the preeclamptic state are needed. Core cell types and biological functions of placenta development are known but the cause behind the preeclamptic environment is not well understood. This research aims to investigate the potential causes behind preeclampsia by first reviewing Extravillous-Trophoblast differentiation factors in the context of differential gene expression and alternative splicing then evaluate towards preeclamptic tissue. Extravillous-Trophoblasts are the architects behind spiral artery remodeling and are thought to be the cause of preeclampsia due to shallow spiral artery remodeling. With this information in hand preeclamptic data will be brought in to view differential gene expression and alternative splicing. The goal of this inspection is to find key differences between healthy Extravillous-Trophoblast phenotype and the preeclamptic phenotype. Finding potential genes pushing the preeclamptic state could lead to therapeutics to alleviate this condition
‘Abnormal Thirst’: A Feminist Perspective on Addiction Narratives in 20th and 21st Century Literature
No full textThis thesis examines the portrayal of women’s narratives about their struggles with drinking through a feminist lens, focusing on how these stories diverge from, challenge, and, in some cases, reaffirm male-centric alcoholism and recovery narratives. Drawing on feminist theory and research on gender and addiction, this thesis will look at the intersection of gender roles and women\u27s experiences with alcoholism, highlighting the unique challenges women face as they navigate societal expectations, mental illness, and trauma. The development of the masculinist narrative of alcoholism and recovery, particularly the dominance of the Alcoholics Anonymous narrative, will be considered, as well as its implications for women seeking help and self-determination within a patriarchal construct. Fictional portrayals of women grappling with alcoholic drinking, including Brett Ashley in The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway and Sasha Jansen in Good Morning, Midnight by Jean Rhys, as well as the life and work of photojournalist Lee Miller, will be explored for what they reveal about the promise and peril of women’s changing status after World War I and their drinking as an expression and annihilator of their freedom. Contemporary memoirs by Caroline Knapp, Leslie Jamison, and Mary Karr about their alcoholism and recovery are examined for their groundbreaking impact on storytelling that is informed by feminism, the self-help movement, and a greater societal understanding of addiction and mental illness. Through these stories, this thesis will trace the development of women’s alcoholism and recovery narratives in the 20th and 21st centuries and show how women’s experiences and narratives are helping to reshape the addiction discourse today in literature and culture
Simulating a Multi-tier Intervention for Refugee Mental Health Using Agent-Based Modeling
No full textIncreasing numbers of people are fleeing political violence and becoming refugees who resettle all around the world.Compared to the general population in the countries where they resettle, refugees disproportionately suffer from depression and higher trauma-related mental health symptoms including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the experiences that led to their refugee status, as well as post-migration stressors, disadvantages in multiple social determinants of health, and lack of social support. New York City has received refugees from over 50 countries and may require policy and infrastructure changes to meet refugee mental health needs, especially in face of the recent surge in migrant admissions.Previous mental health interventions for refugees have usually focused on only individual, interpersonal, or community factors, have not examined potential positive changes after traumatic events, have targeted clinical populations, and have lacked sustainability in their effects. Complex multi-tier interventions that incorporate social determinants of health, trauma-informed and culture-informed care, along with medical interventions are recommended. However, not enough information is known about the effectiveness of these complex systemic interventions on decreasing depression and PTSD and increasing post-traumatic growth (PTG), given limited program evaluation data.
For this dissertation, I conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing interventions for refugee mental health in the U.S. following the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Informed by findings from the systematic review and meta-analysis, I further developed an agent-based simulation model to: 1) simulate the most relevant risk and protective factors of depression, PTSD, and PTG for refugees aged 15-64 years who resettled in NYC in 2019 to 2023, 2) simulate the relevant existing resources and infrastructure in NYC for refugee mental health, and 3) compare population-level mental health outcomes under the status quo model versus seven intervention schemes. The resulting ABM successfully replicated the refugee population, the influence of key mental health factors, and the patterns of refugee mental health outcomes.
Findings from the systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that most existing interventions in the U.S. were community-based educational programs or trauma-focused psychotherapies. Psychotherapies were more effective in improving refugee mental health compared to other interventions, while multi-level interventions were understudied. Overall, interventions significantly decreased PTSD (SMD= -1.08, 95% CI= -1.70, -0.47; I2= 70%) and depression (SMD= -0.51, 95%CI= -0.9, -0.13, I2=69%) while also increasing social support and mental health service use among refugees. Findings from the ABM experiments suggested that combining a 200% increase in referral rate with a 100% increase in the number of service programs and a 50% increase in mental health service effectiveness resulted in a significant 8.8% decrease in depression prevalence (to 22.4%, 95% CrI: 19.7%, 25.1%) and a significant 13.7% decrease in PTSD prevalence (to 27.2%, 95% CrI: 24.2%, 30.3%). Combined interventions to increase mental health service referrals, support and mental health service availability, and mental health service effectiveness can achieve more to reduce refugee depression and PTSD prevalence than any intervention implemented in isolation. According to our agent-based model, increasing referral rates alone, even if with a maximum increase, was not capable of significantly reducing population depression or PTSD prevalence. Considering resources, time, and cost, public health practitioners could use simulated results to plan multi-tier intervention schemes to address specific goals in refugee mental health. This dissertation has employed an innovative approach that introduced a systems methodology to refugee mental health research and laid the groundwork for future policy experiments for improving refugee mental health in NYC
Tapping a Hidden Resource in Classrooms: Peer Interactions and Their Role in Language, Literacy, and Disciplinary Literacy Practices among Adolescent English and Non-English Learners
Get PDFThis qualitative case study examines how peer interactions among six seventh-grade English Learners (ELs) and non-ELs serve as both a context for and a method of developing adolescents\u27 literacy and disciplinary literacy practices. Data sources include two semi-structured interviews with each student and their four classroom teachers, student and teacher ethnographic interviews, 300 hours of classroom observations (in English Language Arts, Social Studies, Math and Science, English as a New Language Tutorial), and student-generated artifacts (e.g., worksheets).
Through the application of iterative and thematic data analysis, three key themes were identified: 1) adolescents\u27 interactions with their peers fostered a supportive learning context for language development, literacy, and disciplinary literacy; 2) students engaged in peer interactions to participate in language, literacy, and disciplinary literacy practices; and 3) students used copying as literacy and disciplinary literacy practices.
First, adolescent peer interactions fostered a supportive learning context for students’ classroom literacy and disciplinary literacy practices. Frequent sharing and emotional support among students enhanced their interaction with their peers during the learning process. Peer interactions helped students focus on their learning and have fun with their peers. Spontaneous, student-initiated side (off-task) conversations emerged as a vital component of this dynamic. However, teachers and students had divergent perspectives on the relationship between learning and peer socializing. While students skillfully navigated learning and having fun, teachers often focused on teaching the curriculum and suppressed peer interactions that they believed were excessively social.
Second, the students used peer interactions to develop language and literacy practices. Peer interactions, particularly for ELs, fostered risk-taking language practices conducive to developing their English. Students also demonstrated spontaneous, agentic literacy practices while interacting with their peers. However, the study identified some obstacles adolescents experienced while participating in disciplinary literacy practices through peer interaction: students\u27 limited conception of disciplinary literacy as English vocabulary learning, the absence of teachers\u27 explicit instructions on disciplinary language, and the conflation of everyday language and disciplinary language. Despite these obstacles, peer interactions were a means of discovering students\u27 misconceptions of disciplinary concepts, exchanging diverse perspectives, and facilitating experiential learning with disciplinary content.
Finally, copying peers’ answers was the most frequent peer interaction pattern in the study. Although students perceived copying as negative, they used it as literacy and disciplinary literacy practices. As literacy practices, copying enabled ELs and non-ELs to participate in classroom learning activities. In addition, students used copying as a strategic tool to understand, question their peers, and review their understanding. As a disciplinary literacy practice, copying provided a means of accessing information, especially when students faced with unfamiliar disciplinary content, feelings of uncertainty, low confidence, confusion, and a lack of resources to work independently. Moreover, copying provided opportunities for even non-ELs to benefit from the guidance of peers.
These findings demonstrate how educators can empower adolescents by recognizing and utilizing the inherent strengths and initiatives found in peer interactions. This directly challenges the conventional framework that often views ELs through a deficit lens and overlooks the positive dynamics of their interactions with non-EL peers
How Does Social Capital Influence the Preferences for Aging in the Community? Based on the Study toward Older Adults in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City
Get PDFThis study examines how social capital influences older adults’ preferences for aging in the community, focusing on Yuexiu District, Guangzhou. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study explores family, structural, and cognitive dimensions of social capital.
Quantitative data were collected through 439 surveys, with 400 valid responses from adults aged 60 and above. Regression analysis identified key predictors of aging-in-community preferences, including family financial support, care commitment, activities with grandchildren, community trust, mutual help, and service satisfaction.
Qualitative data from 10 interviews with community service workers revealed six themes: (1) access to services like fitness and health screenings; (2) levels of community engagement; (3) barriers such as mobility and information gaps; (4) perceived effectiveness of services; (5) the importance of social support networks; and (6) the role of empowerment and education in promoting independence.
The study’s strengths include representative sampling, multidimensional analysis of social capital, and the use of validated measures. Limitations include its cross-sectional design and focus on one urban district, limiting generalizability. The exclusion of ADLs/IADLs from deeper analysis suggests a direction for future research.
Overall, the study contributes to understanding aging preferences in urban China and offers practical implications for community planning and policy. Enhancing resource access, strengthening social networks, and empowering older adults can support effective aging in the community
Primates Shed Light on Glowing Mammals – Adaptation or Epiphenomenon?
Get PDFFluorescence is the ability of chemicals and materials to give off visible or invisible light after absorbing radiation such as ultraviolet light. Fluorescence has been documented in several mammalian families, yet Primates, as an order, have received limited attention in this regard. Within Primates, the suborder Strepsirrhini has been particularly overlooked. Strepsirrhines are compelling subjects due to their retention of primitive mammalian characteristics, representing a significant knowledge gap with respect to the occurrence of fluorescing pelage within the class Mammalia. To address this gap, we investigated the presence and absence of fluorescence in the pelage of preserved museum strepsirrhine specimens housed at the American Museum of Natural History (New York, NY). Ultraviolet light was used to illuminate the pelage of 48 individuals (n=26 species) and the presence or absence of fluorescence was recorded across several body regions. The results were additionally documented using digital photography. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to test the hypothesis that ecological traits (activity pattern, substrate use, and diet) are related to the presence or absence of fluorescence. These data are used in conjunction with a larger mammalian data set from Travouillon et al. (2023), allowing us to address crucial deficiencies in the scientific community\u27s understanding of the phenomenon of “glowing mammals”. Moreover, with a more comprehensive dataset, we can explore broader evolutionary questions, such as whether fluorescence in primates serves an adaptive function or is merely a byproduct of hair chemistry
The Number of Portfolio Holdings and Performance of Actively Managed Mutual Funds
Get PDFThis study tests for a quadratic relation between number of holdings and performance for open-end mutual funds. Based on previous literature and practical portfolio management constraints, a quadratic relation is hypothesized. If confirmed, this would suggest an optimal number of holdings. The results show the hypothesized quadratic relation for fixed income funds, but not for other asset classes. The findings hold for both large and small-scale funds
Non-Invasive Focused Ultrasound to Reduce Gut Inflammation in Parkinson’s Disease
Get PDFParkinson\u27s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative motor disorder that affects millions of people worldwide, with projections suggesting the number of diagnosed cases could reach 15 million by 2040 (Dorsey et al., 2018). While PD is primarily recognized for its impact on movement, it also frequently causes non-motor symptoms, including gastrointestinal (GI) issues such as constipation, which affects 60-80% of patients. Chronic gut inflammation has been proposed as a key factor exacerbating these symptoms. Despite the prevalence of GI complications in PD, they are often overlooked, and existing treatments for constipation are limited in both efficacy and scope. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) have shown promising potential in treating GI inflammation. A novel, non-invasive ultrasound-based neuromodulation technique has demonstrated the ability to decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting it could provide a new approach to managing these symptoms. This study aims to investigate whether non-invasive ultrasound can reduce gut inflammation and effectively relieve constipation in Parkinson\u27s patients. Using a hemi parkinsonian chemically lesioned rat model known to exhibit constipation, we measure water consumption and fecal pellet output weekly as indicators of GI function. An increase in fecal pellet numbers following FUS treatment could indicate improved bowel function, offering a novel, widely accessible, and non-invasive therapy for constipation in PD. By advancing our understanding of how neuromodulation can address GI symptoms, this approach could provide a significant alternative to current invasive treatment options
Translation Initiation in the SARS-CoV-2 5′ UTR: Canonical or Not?
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic, caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has revealed many new aspects of coronavirus biology. Translation initiation of positive-sense, single-stranded RNA coronavirus is assumed to be cap-dependent due to the m7G cap at the 5’ end and the polyA tail at the 3’ end. However, structural analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 5’UTR suggests that an alternate translation mechanism could mediate translation initiation. To test the ability of non-canonical, cap-independent translation, we incorporated the SARS-CoV-2 5’ UTR into a plasmid containing dual-luciferase reporters. Using this bicistronic reporter gene system containing a Renilla luciferase and a Firefly luciferase, we measured both cap-dependent and cap-independent translation initiation. The Fuchs lab has generated several deletion mutants within the SARS-CoV2 5ʹ UTR. These include mutations of the upstream open reading frame (uORF). As an important control for these mutants, we generated the corresponding mono-luciferase constructs containing the SARS-CoV-2 5’ UTR and the firefly luciferase reporter. These mutant constructs were transfected into HeLa cells and luciferase activity was measured after 24 hours. These constructs act as an important control to substantiate the validity of IRES activity within the SARS-CoV-2 5’UTR. Interestingly, we have evidence that the SARS-CoV2 5ʹ UTR can indeed initiate translation internally. However, none of the translation initiation factors and other proteins, such as IRES transacting factors (ITAFs) have been identified. In the future, we will investigate the role of these proteins through modulation of their abundance in cells and determine how SARS-CoV2 translation from a the monocistronic and bicistronic reporters is affected. Understanding these proteins involved in the translation initiation pathways will provide insight into the critical step of translation initiation within the viral life cycle, furthering knowledge of how to potentially counteract infection