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The Effect Of Selected Demographic Factors On The Academic Achievement Of High School Students
Full text linkThe purpose of this study was to examine the effect of selected demographic factors on the academic achievement of high school students. More specifically, this study was concerned with the effects of the variables gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores in Mathematics, Science, English, and Social Studies. A quantitative causal-comparative or ex post facto research design was used in this study. The population for this study consists of high school students enrolled in a public school in the state of Texas during the 2019-2020 academic school year. The sample population for the current study consisted of 222 high school students enrolled in a suburban public school in the State of Texas during the 2021-2022 academic school year. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) was the investigative instrument used to collect the data. The raw scores data was used to measure the academic achievement of high school students in math, English, science, and social studies. The One-way Multivariate Analysis of Variance Statistical procedure was utilized to analyze the data for this study. All three null hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance or better. From the results, this study concludes that gender did not affect the combined STAAR’s Mathematics, Science, English, and History scores of high school students. Regarding ethnicity, White and Asian high school students scored significantly higher on the Mathematics and Science sections of the STAAR examination than Black and Hispanic high school students. High school students who received free or reduced lunch scored significantly higher on the STAAR’s Mathematics, Science, English, and History sections than those high school students who did not receive free or reduced lunch
Investigating Runway Incursions in The United States Airports
Full text linkAccording to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the number of runway incursions are rising. Over the last two decades, the number of runway incursions at US airports has increased from 987 in 2002 to 25,036 in 2020. Runway incursions are a major threat to aviation safety, causing major delays and financial consequences for airlines, as well as injury or death through incidents such as aircraft collisions. The FAA promotes the implementation of runway safety technology, infrastructure, procedural methods, changing airport layouts, and training practices to reduce the frequency of runway incursions. In this paper, the relationship between airport geometry factors, mitigating technologies, and the number of runway incursions at large hub airports in the United States was investigated using Random Effects Poisson Model for Panel Data analyses. Airport operations data from the FAA Air Traffic Activity System, runway incursion data from the FAA Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing System from 2002 through 2020, and airport geometry data created using airport geometry features from the FAA airport diagrams were collected. 30 large hub airports with FAA installed mitigating technologies were investigated. The model identified significant variables that correlate with incursions, based on airport geometry, for large hub airports categories defined by the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). The model results indicate that airport with significant number of runway-to-runway intersection points increase runway incursion rates and mitigating technologies ASDE-X and RSWL help reduce severity A and B incursions. Only four variables, “RWY_RWY, Airport operations, ASDE-X and RWSL”, were found to be significant
Assessing Cancer-Causing Carcinogens in Freight Facilities: A Case Study of Englewood Rail Yard in Houston, Texas
Full text linkThis study provides a qualitative analysis and uses a cross-case comparison to highlight the contamination exposure of the Englewood rail yard in Houston, Texas to contamination exposure found in four (4) other rail yards: Conrail rail yard in Elkhart, Indiana, Union Pacific rail yard in Eugene, Oregon, Paoli rail yard in Paoli, Pennsylvania, and CSX rail yard in Waycross, Georgia. The research will show that a high level of cancer-causing toxins created a health problem in the Houston area communities of the city’s Greater Fifth Ward, Denver Harbor, and Kashmere Gardens neighborhoods. Based upon the disposal practices by rail yard facilities, cancer-causing toxins formed plumes and contaminated the groundwater and soil that impacted the health of residents living nearby rail yards. The impact of these cancer-causing toxins creates an “urgency of need” to ensure that clean-up and environmental equity are established. To determine the facts, this study will examine the type of contaminant plaguing these communities; what caused the contamination; and what should be done to abate the suffrage of these communities adjacent to a rail yard. The key findings of this study revealed that the improper release of wastewater to nearby drainage ditches from operations of the Houston Wood Preserving Works (HWPW), poor waste handling practices, leaks of two underground storage tanks, and spills/leakage from daily operations are all possible sources to the ongoing contamination in the above communities. Future studies should address expanding the rail yard websites to include links to technical documents that will inform the public of potential hazards and the exact location of contaminants. Allowing this information to be readily available will show rail yard accountability to the public
The Influence of Athletic, Academic, and Demographic Factors on the Persistence of African American Males in 4-Year Universities
Full text linkAbstract
Currently, African American male students’ persistence rates in four-year colleges are tremendously low in comparison to students of different ethnicities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the predictability of selected athletic, demographic, and academic factors on the persistence of African American males attending a four-year university. A correlational research design was used for conducting this study. The data for this study consisted of secondary unidentified archival data for African American male students enrolled at a historically black university in the Southwest section of the United States. The athletic, academic, and demographic factors were all found to be statistically significant in predicting the persistence rates of African American males in four-year colleges. Examining the demographic, academic, and athletic factors of African American male students in college will add to previous African American male student retention research with a focus on increasing retention, persistence, and graduation rates
The Relationship Between Teacher, School, and Student-Related Factors on the Discretionary Placement of African American Students in Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs.
Full text linkExclusionary disciplinary consequences are imposed on students as early as preschool. Students receive punishments such as in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, and placements in Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs. African American students are most impacted by exclusionary discipline practices isolating them from the environment most conducive to learning. Many negative outcomes are associated with the loss of instructional days including poor academic performance and behavior problems. The purpose of this study is to examine if a relationship exists between teacher, school, and student-related factors on the discretionary placement of African American students in Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs) in Texas P 12 public schools. This quantitative correlational study uses Pearson r correlation coefficient and multiple regression statistical analysis to measure the relationship and degree of predictability of student placement in DAEPs concerning three independent variables: teacher, school, and student-related factors and six sub-variables: ethnicity, gender, enrollment, teacher-to-student ratio, socioeconomic status, and attendance. The study will provide insight into the number of students removed from the traditional instructional setting by way of DAEP placement and an analysis of the demographic factors that may or may not have involvement in those placements. This study seeks to bring awareness to the need for structural reform, equitable purposeful school funding, and professional development diversity training to minimize the time students spend outside of the traditional instructional setting and maximize equitable educational opportunities. Keywords: Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, school fundin
Autonomous Shuttle Transit: An Exploratory Case Study and the Future Impact on TSU Campus
Full text linkBy 2040 the third-largest city in the United States, Houston, Texas, a top global city for traffic congestion, will become a significant metropolis with future growth possibilities of 11 million people passing Chicago (HGAC, 2018). For this purpose, Houston and surrounding growing populations will contribute to gridlock traffic, with highway expansions increasing ozone and inefficient transit systems with longer commutes in underserved, sidelined communities. Above all, historically, persons of color, notably Black Indigenous Persons of Color (BIPOC) in Black and Brown marginalized communities, are deprived of transportation accessibility. Undoubtedly, Driverless Shuttle (DS) rideshare platforms reflect that higher-income whites are admittedly more likely to hold discriminatory attitudes toward fellow passengers of different classes and races (Middleton & Zhao, 2019). At the same time, Environmental Justice (EJ) studies have shown that Black and Brown low-income disenfranchised communities are more exposed to inefficient transit systems. They are characterized by unequal treatment and accessibility to the bus than affluent White commuters (Bullard, Johnson, and Torres, 2004). As a result, systemic racism, an unfair burden of environmental injustice, has plagued the Greater Third Ward transit-dependent population. For this purpose, Houston\u27s Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO) riddle inequities have shaped public transportation for every minoritized BIPOC within the community (Spieler, 2020). Most importantly, Blacks are twice as likely to experience inferior transportation access as their more affluent counterparts (Sisson, 2019; Bullard, Johnson, and Torres, 2004, p.2). According to Harvard Law (2021), Bullard states, In 1990, Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class and Environmental Quality assuredly documented that environmental vulnerability mapped closely with Jim Crow segregation. This why racial redlining discriminatory zoning, and inefficient land use practices, (Bullard, 2021, p. 245; Bullard, 1990) target Houston\u27s Black and Brown neighborhoods, hindering economic and social advancement in employment, education, and health care (Bullard, 2021, p. 245; Bullard, 1990; Freemark, 2020; Talbott, 2020). The problem of injustice was examined by longitudinal data where an Autonomous Vehicle bus pilot associated with the built environment in this study highlighted 1. Transportation inequality along the TSU Campus Tiger Walk is related to bus stops. 2. Distance between three designated bus stop locations. 3. Safety and critical driving functions fully driverless for an entire trip. 4. First/last mile driverless shuttle connectivity interacting with Metro buses and Light Rail in Houston\u27s Greater Third Ward neighborhood. The methods of research incorporated qualitative and quantitative analysis. The study used a driverless shuttle to compare racial and social economics between bus stops at Texas Southern University, a historically black university, during an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Shuttle pilot study. For this purpose, Autonomous Shuttle Transit, an additional mode of mobility, will connect Houston\u27s Greater Third Ward transit-dependent population to Metro’s bus and light rail networks. In addition to bus stops along the TSU Campus Tiger Walk. This study made a similar theoretical comparison of the Tiger Tram to AV two years before the TSU Shuttle pilot. The results pointed to a link between income and transit-dependent populations using a driverless shuttle under specific conditions. A Google map determined the half-mile distance along the TSU Campus Tiger Walk. The driverless shuttle and socioeconomics of Political Science, Administrative Justice, and Psychology undergraduate classes were used to measure transportation equity horizontally. A regression analysis was carried out to determine if the socioeconomic factors had statistical significance. Also, linear regression modeling was used to determine which sociodemographic variables strongly predict the transport mode used. The findings revealed that Blacks, people with disabilities, and the TSU AV shuttle working with metro buses were statistically significant at a 95% confidence level. Also, a predictor of respondents walking, and biking will use the Autonomous Shuttle as an additional mode of transportation. Also, the data analysis results indicate a significant negative correlation between the driverless shuttle time intervals along the TSU Tiger Walk and the Metro bus service. This correlation implies that higher percentages of respondents will walk further from the TSU campus Tiger Walk central location to the bus stop connecting Third Ward’s transit-dependent residents to the Metro Light rail. Likewise, in the Third Ward community, low-income transit-dependent populations in the Cuney Homes are disproportionately exposed to inadequate transit access than any other area in the neighborhood. The results also support the Environmental Justice (EJ) claim that minorities and low-income transit-dependent populations are closer to bus stops and farther away from the light rail. Although the results showed that race, income, and disability variations are likely to predict that TSU’s transit-dependent population will use the TSU Autonomous Shuttle connecting the Third Ward community. Comparing the social demographic indicators along the TSU Tiger Walk and the Third Ward area shows that deed restrictions do not address EJ concerns associated with bus stops and transportation modes. The conclusion indicates that despite several decades of EJ policies and transit regulations, institutional racism in the Third Ward neighborhood is embedded. Over the decades, African Americans and other people of color have been disproportionately exposed to transit injustice because they are concentrated in neighborhoods with less transit accessibility. However, the TSU Campus Tiger Walk still has fewer efficient transit options than other Third Ward census tracts that map closer to bus stops with higher income
P27KIP1 is a Mediator of Cell Migration in Metastatic Breast Cancer Stem Cells
Full text linkDespite advances in treatment, breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women. Although early detection through mammograms and advances in treatments have shown great promise, tumor relapse still poses a major challenge. Breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been recently identified as a small subpopulation of breast cancer cells thought to promote breast cancer progression and drug resistance. Similar to normal stem cells, CSCs have the capacity for self-renewal, proliferation, and pluripotency. Breast CSCs also display increased cell migration and invasion. Therefore, targeting the growth of breast CSCs will provide novel strategies to combat breast cancer. p27Kip1 (p27), a member of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CIP/KIP) family, mediates nuclear G1 cell cycle arrest with subsequent quiescence. p27 performs cell cycle-dependent and cell cycle-independent functions based on subcellular localization. Interestingly, cytoplasmic p27 displays CDK-independent functions, including enhanced cell migration and metastasis in a variety of solid tumors. Yet, the role for p27 in migration in breast CSCs has yet to be tested. We hypothesize that p27 increases the metastatic potential of breast cancer stem cells through increasing cell migration. This hypothesis is based on preliminary observations that revealed that p27 protein levels were markedly enhanced in CSCs isolated from metastatic breast cancer cell lines compared to those that were non-metastatic in nature. Using in vitro mammosphere assays, transwell cell migration assays and gene silencing, we found that p27 increased migratory populations from breast CSCs, suggesting that it could be an attractive target to combat breast cancer
The Connection Between Correlational Control Rate and Successful Probation Discharge Rates in the United States
Full text linkThis dissertation analyzes the connection between correctional rates and probation rates to find the harshness of a state’s correctional program that evaluates the successful completion of probation. The answer starts with correctional control conversion to a score assigned to each state and compared against their successful probation completion rate. The correctional control rates are the total number of persons within a state’s correctional system and from the Prison Policy Initiative. The study will employ Social Control Theory as the underlying theoretical framework in examining the harshness of correctional control rates as it relates to successful probation outcomes. The data evaluation will address whether there are statistically insignificant or significant associations between correctional control rates and the success rate of individuals completing their probation programs. The findings will have implications for statewide correctional programs since the resulting data shows whether harsher correctional approaches are associated with successful completion of probation. The stated goal of correctional programs is to rehabilitate individuals with findings that suggest whether stricter criteria for corrections are conducive to rehabilitation and supply recommendations for states regarding whether they should adjust their programs. Researcher Paternoster (1987) wondered if deterrence worked when committing a new crime or re-offending. The goal of deterrence is to prevent engaging in criminal activity when faced with pleasure over pain. What do we really consider as we engage in activities that threaten our freedom and put us at risk of entering the criminal justice system, whether it is probation, parole, or pretrial
Identifying The Disproportionate Impacts Of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Katrina, And Covid-19 On African Americans: A Pandemic Within A Pandemic
Full text linkAfrican Americans have endured a disproportionately high amount of exposure to natural and man-made calamities. The racial inequities against African Americans following the hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, and the Coronavirus were examined in this study. Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Harvey took place in two different states, but the low-income vulnerable populations encountered the same outcome which manifested as deteriorating health, lack of rapid assistance from the government, and, the exacerbation of pre-existing conditions. Literature reviews have uncovered political apathy and systemic racism. These people have lost faith in the government as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Harvey, and COVID-19. The results were the same. The repetitious covert systemic racism acted upon historical communities. They feel violated over and over and do not anticipate any changes. The recovery responses of African Americans following Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Harvey, and Coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, were compared in this study. Similar to how black communities were disproportionately hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, the Coronavirus still causes harm to them. The researcher chose to conduct this study to examine the literature and conduct Oral Histories to explain the disparities associated with African Americans’ lived experiences with natural and unnatural disasters and provide policy recommendations to address the inequalities. The problem is that African Americans in vulnerable communities do not get financial assistance in these disastrous events, nor do they have equal access to resources. The similarities between the experiences of African Americans during three extreme events suggest policy mismanagement of a specific echelon of American society. The lack of federal, state, city, and local support for African Americans is a pattern that cannot be ignored. This study plans to examine the trifecta of successive disastrous events that continue to plague African-American communities to uncover if the similarities are social anomalies or planned policies that have a racial systemic effect on low-income African Americans. Key Words: Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Katrina, Vulnerable communities, Covid-19, Racial Inequity, Environmental Justic
The Predictability Of Body Types, Socio-Demographics And Attitudes Toward Body Factors On The Self-Esteem Of College Students
Full text linkObjective of the Study The purpose of this empirical investigation will be to determine the predictable relationship between body types of factors, socio-demographic factors, attitudes toward body factors and the self-esteem scores of undergraduate freshmen college students. More specifically, the study will be concerned with predictability of body types, socio-demographic, and attitudes toward body factors of body image, body appreciation, gender, age, physical attractiveness, and satisfaction with physical features of the body on the self-esteem scores among undergraduate freshmen college students. Answers to the following questions will be sought: 1. Do body type factors (body image and body appreciation) have any predictive power on the self-esteem scores of undergraduate freshmen college students? 2. Do socio-demographic factors (gender and age) have any predictive power on the self-esteem scores of undergraduate freshmen college students? 3. Do attitudes toward body factors (physical attractiveness and satisfaction with physical features of the body) have any predictive power on the self-esteem scores of undergraduate freshmen college students? The following research hypotheses will be formulated in the present investigation: 1. H1: There is a statistically significant predictable relationship between body type factors (body image and body appreciation) and the self-esteem scores of undergraduate freshmen college students. 2. H2: There is a statistically significant predictable relationship between socio-demographic factors (gender and age) and the self-esteem scores of undergraduate freshmen college students. 3. H3: There is a statistically significant predictable relationship between attitudes toward body factors (physical attractiveness and satisfaction with physical factors of the body) and the self-esteem scores of undergraduate freshmen college students. Present Status of the Problem The level of self-esteem individuals has impact how they manage their mental health emotionally, physically, and in other areas, such as their personal and professional lives (Lakey et al., 2014). College students are especially likely to need a strong sense of self-esteem as they transition and undergo changes as part of their identities (Lakey, et al., 2014). When college students do not have a high sense of self-esteem, they are likely to experience depression and anxiety. There has been research showing that individuals with a low self-esteem are more likely to experience depression and attempt suicide (Lakey, et al., 2014). People with low self-esteem or a low level of resilience might not be able to act on the things they want to change, such as their bodies or the way they think of themselves, if they dislike their bodies (Shen et al., 2010). Others may feel they do not have the capacity to act on the things they wish they could change (Derosier et al., 2013), such as their bodies. Individuals may make decisions based on how they feel about their body image. Self-esteem is determined in part by one\u27s body image (Marengo et al., 2018). Study participants in one study rated their appearance as the most important factor when gauging their self-esteem (Marengo et al., 2018), while the majority of the other participants also rated it rather highly. College students are also frequently concerned about body image (Shen et al., 2010). The findings of Shen, Zhou, and Kong (2010) indicate that 74.4% of college students with normal body weight think about their weight or appearance often or always. According to the same study, 46 % of healthy men responded the same way (Shen et al., 2010). According to Shen et al. (2010), a significant portion of their female university student participants held an irrational view of their bodies based on their views about their bodies that did not align with their actual bodies. There was no significant relationship between actual body type and social performance, self-esteem, or extroversion of the students; however, their perceived body type and irrational evaluation did (Shen et al., 2010). According to the researchers, students\u27 actual body types did not explain their social skills, self-esteem, or extroversion, but their predicted body types and irrational expectations did (Shen et al., 2010). Due to the life stage that college students find themselves in when they enroll, Liss and Erchull (2015) hypothesized that body image is a key factor in college success. The college years are a critical time for college students to develop their identities and assess themselves, placing body image high on their list of important determinant factors (Liss & Erchull, 2015). The concept of self-esteem is based on subjective notions such as attractiveness, intelligence, or having or not having skill or talent, making it hard to maintain positive self-perceptions (Ümmet, 2015). Those students who carry themselves with high self-esteem are more likely to achieve academic success and success in school. No one is destined to be either high- or low-esteemed based on their subjectivity. An elevated sense of self-esteem is associated with happiness, and the opposite is true when a sense of low self-esteem is associated with unhappiness (Bajaj et al., 2019). When high self-esteem is present, a person is more outspoken, determines their own strategies to succeed, and is less likely to experience anxiety or depression at the first sign of bad news. An individual\u27s self-esteem is impacted by accomplishments and recognition, encouraging growth mindsets on purpose. Having academic success both inside and outside of the classroom boosts one\u27s confidence (Ümmet, 2015). Methodology A Simultaneous Multiple Regression Statistical Design will be used in this empirical study. The population for this empirical study will consist of undergraduate freshmen college students enrolled in an urban university located in fourth largest city in the United States. A probability sampling technique will be employed in this empirical study. The probability sampling procedure to be used in this study will be the cluster convenience sampling technique. There will be five instruments used to collect data for the present investigation. They will be the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Physical Attraction Scale (short version), Body Appreciation Scale (BAS-2), the Body Esteem Scale and Demographic Profile Sheet. Since the self-esteem instrument will yield interval-ratio data, two parametric procedures will be used. They will be the multiple correlation procedure and Simultaneous Multiple Regression technique. Procedures During the Fall semester of 2022, the researcher will select intact or existing groups of participants rather than individuals. First, the researcher will identify and develop a list of the clusters in the population, in this case a cluster will be an undergraduate freshman class. Secondly, the researcher will identify the majors, and identify the freshmen courses in each major. Thirdly, the researcher will reach out to the instructor of record asking them to conduct research in their class. Once permission is granted, the researcher will request a list of all the academic undergraduate classes for the Fall semester of 2022. Fourthly, the researcher will give them the informed consent. The undergraduate students who consent to the research will be given the survey. The researcher will be going to each class just one time. Moreover, the researcher will develop a research package for each professor whose undergraduate class has been randomly selected to participate in the study. The research package will contain a summary of the research study, consent forms for freshmen student participants and copies of the questionnaires to be administered for the student participants. Also, the research will provide the professor of each class with proper instructions or how to administer the questionnaires to the student participants. Expected Outcomes It will be expected that Body type factors, socio-demographic factors, and attitudes toward body factors will have some predictive power regarding self-esteem among college freshmen students