Texas A&M International University: Research Information Online (RIO)
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The Voices of Six Third-Generation Mexican American Teachers: Implications for Teacher Education Programs
No full textThis study examined the narratives of six third-generation Mexican American teachers. The teachers’ range of experience ranged from preservice to 10 years of teaching experience. Central to this research study are the differences that exist among Mexican American teachers in terms of their cultural awareness and teaching practices. The purpose of this study is to make an implication about the degree of differences that exist within Mexican American teacher candidates so that institutions of higher education can use the information regarding generational issues in their teacher preparation programs
Online ambiguity resolution in Bilingual lexical access
No full textThis chapter reports on three experiments using the cross-modal lexical priming paradigm to explore whether interlingual homographs (i.e., words with competing semantic and overlapping orthographic representations) are activated selectively or nonselectively. The literature is somewhat controversial when it comes to the question of how bilinguals process ambiguous language. While the majority of studies suggest language nonselectivity, some research seems to indicate selective bilingual lexical access depending on the user’s linguistic needs and demands. In Experiment 1, which serves as a baseline, Spanish-English bilinguals listened to sentences in which a critical prime (e.g., trial) was associated with the English meaning of a homograph target (cases). In Experiment 2, participants were presented with homograph-translation primes (e.g., the stimulus married is presented before cases). Experiment 3, aside from the homograph-translation priming from Experiment 2, included a Spanish language mode induction variable presented at the beginning of the experiment. Results point to the effects of proficiency and priming in modulating language coactivation
The storyteller who crosses boundaries in Korean reality television: Transmedia storytelling in New Journey to the West
No full textThe Korean reality TV franchise New Journey to the West (NJW) is an illustrative case to unpack how the Korean media industry has offered viewers transmedia and intertextual experiences in the realm of reality television. Korean reality show directors, who have acknowledged their profoundly reshaped, collaborative, and interdependent relationship with consumers in an era of convergence culture, attempt to fragment everyday realities throughout multiple media texts. The current article focuses on Young-seok Na, a television director who created NJW, revamping characters and episodes from his previous works, coalescing Korean television channels and online streaming sites, and integrating a Chinese classic and its Japanese manga adaptation into the Korean reality show franchise. By analyzing the six seasons of NJW and its spin-offseries, Kang\u27s Kitchen and Youth Over Flowers-Winner, this article proposes that the aura of a reality show director as a storyteller is essential in producing a regionally formulated transmedia franchise
River of difference: Using participatory risk mapping to assess perceived risks in Laredo, Texas, U.S.A., and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico
No full textThe perception of risk is a place-contingent, geographical phenomenon. This is particularly apparent for people who live along the U.S.-Mexico border. The convergence of legal and undocumented transnational migration, narcotrafficking, organized crime violence, and boom-bust economic cycles along what is becoming an increasingly rigid and divisive international border help construct unique, place-specific perceptions of risk on each side by individuals who live there. Using Participatory Risk Mapping (PRM), this study provides evidence to the claim that risk perception is geographical and is situated in place among participants who live on both sides of this border in Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. PRM is a useful risk assessment tool where participants are asked to rank-order risks according to their severity, which are then calculated to produce an incidence index in addition to a normalized index of risk severity. This analysis allows for the mapping of risks along axes of incidence and severity. PRM thus identifies the breadth (frequency) and depth (severity) of risks across a population. Furthermore, inferential statistics, such as logistic regression and chi-square, can also situate these perceptions within geographic and demographic ancillary variables. This study engages the geographical aspects of risks along a familiar but ever-changing U.S.-Mexico border while highlighting the utility of the PRM methodology in human risk studies
Relative accuracy of body adiposity index and relative fat mass in participants with and without down syndrome
No full textBackground/Objectives: The body adiposity index (BAI) and relative fat mass (RFM) are anthropometric measures developed to estimate body composition (%Fat). There is limited research validating these methods of body composition assessment in adults with Down syndrome (DS). The aim of this study was to examine the accuracy of the BAI and RFM in a sample of adults with- and without DS. We hypothesize that the RFM would provide greater accuracy than the BAI when estimating %Fat. Subjects/Methods: BAI and RFM were assessed in a sample of adults (n = 235, 50.2% female, 20.0% DS, 23.1 ± 6.7 years). %Fat assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry served as the criterion method of body composition. Between-group differences were assessed using a two-way (SEX × DS) analysis of variance. Results: BAI overestimated %Fat in men without DS, but underestimated %Fat in women without DS (4.1 ± 4.5%Fat vs. −3.5 ± 4.6%Fat, respectively, p \u3c 0.001). BAI overestimated %Fat in men and women with DS (4.7 ± 7.8%Fat vs. 0.8 ± 7.5%Fat, respectively, p = 0.090). RFM slightly overestimated %Fat in male and female participants without DS, and did not vary by sex (0.9 ± 4.0%Fat vs. 0.2 ± 4.2%Fat, respectively, p = 0.248). RFM underestimated %Fat in men and women with DS, with no differences observed between sexes (−2.1 ± 5.3%Fat vs. −2.2 ± 6.9%Fat, respectively, p = 0.953). Conclusions: The BAI and RFM can be used to estimate body composition in individuals with- and without DS, however, the RFM yields greater accuracy and is recommended when more advanced methods of body composition assessment are unavailable or create unwanted participant burden
Natural Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Fabrication, Characterization, and Challenges
No full textBio-inspired dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) from natural plant-based dyes gained importance due to their low cost of manufacturing and environmental friendliness. Not all plants are candidates for DSCCs; they should contain certain pigments such as chlorophyll, anthocyanin, and betalains. Titanium oxide nanoparticles play an important role as electron transporter in the DSSCs. The efficiency is still low in comparison with traditional silicon-based solar cells. There are several challenges to improve the efficiency such as the photodegradation of the dye, the stability of the electrolyte over time, and adhesion of dye with titanium oxide nanoparticles. We reviewed methods for fabricating DSSCs, and the science behind the working principle. Various microscopic and spectroscopic analysis methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and confocal microscopy were presented, for investigating optical properties, surface chemistry of the dyes, and in structural characterization of the plant cells. The photoelectrochemical properties such as conversion efficiency measure the performance of the DSSCs. They are usually in the range of 0.05–3.9% depending on the plant dye used, including plant dyes modified. A critical feature in the design of dye-sensitized solar cells is the attachment of the photosensitizing dye to the titanium oxide surface. We reviewed and summarized the design of binding elements that enhance the binding of the sensitizing dye to the titanium dioxide surface. The efficiencies of covalent linkage of the dye to the titanium surface versus non-covalent binding were discussed, including a survey of functional groups and geometries, to determine the most effective reported
Effects of telephone follow-up intervention on %body fat, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress in obese hispanic children
Get PDFThis study investigated whether 10 month telephone follow-up intervention effectively stabilizes reductions in %body fat, and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress obtained from summer camp in obese Hispanic children. Fifty-six obese children (19 SUTI: summer camp and 10 months of follow-up telephone intervention, 18 SU: summer camp intervention only, and 19 CON: no intervention) completed this study. Anthropometric data and blood samples were obtained before (PRE), after 8 weeks of summer camp, and a 10month follow-up telephone intervention to measure markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Eight weeks of summer camp significantly reduced %body fat, and levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine. It also elevated levels of adiponectin and total antioxidant status in SUTI and SU (p \u3c 0.05). However, results of the 10month follow-up measurement were reverted back to PRE in SU, whereas the results for SUTI remained different to PRE (p \u3c 0.05). Results confirm that levels of inflammation and oxidative stress are correlated to changes in %body fat, indicating that fat loss is effective in preventing and managing obesity-associated disorders. It is suggested that a telephone intervention is an effective follow-up tool for stabilizing reductions in %body fat as well as levels of inflammation and oxidative stress that were obtained from an intensive summer camp program in obese Hispanic children
Effect of Clinical Education on Child Obesity Biomarkers in Children Visiting a Pediatric Clinic in South Texas
Get PDFObesity in children and adolescents is a serious public health problem, not only in the United States, but throughout all the countries around the world. Obesity can be easily detected and prevented. Education concerning over the dangers of obesity is the key to leading along and healthy life. It can also help maintain normal levels of BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins, glucose and insulin. The main objective of this research is to study the effect of clinical education on child obesity biomarkers in children visiting a pediatric clinic in South Texas. To analyze the data, paired t-test, was used. IBM-SPSS Statistics 20 was used to perform the analysis. Internal Review Board approval for this study was received from the Texas A&M International University IRB committee: Approval No.2012-01-13BMI in Children During Development. The results of this research supports that a pediatrician intervention resulted in a reduction in the mean value of DBP and BMI for visit 1 vs. 2 and BMI for visit 1 vs. 3 and an increase of the mean difference for glucose and HDL for visit 1vs. 2. Glucose, HDL, DBP, LDL and SBP for visit 1 vs. 3 and LDL, glucose and insulin for visit 1 vs. 4. However, In general the results support that the mean values for the variables stayed equal. This means that the children’s health did not deteriorate. This study had limitations because it was a retrospective analysis
The Thing to Do: Motivational Factors for Enlistment in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade during the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939
Get PDFNearly 3,000 Americans volunteered to fight in the Spanish Civil War. Much has been written about them, but there is no comprehensive study on their motivations for enlisting in what we now call the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. In this thesis, the letters and spoken words of the volunteers are analyzed in order to better understand their various motivations. Each volunteer internalized the Spanish Civil War. Some had distinct reasons for volunteering, while others were carried by the Popular Front movement. Many volunteers came to see the situation in Spain as the “thing to do.” Why did Spain become a necessary struggle for these Americans? Were they fighting strictly for the Second Spanish Republic or were they fighting for personal reasons? The role of the Communist Party USA is also explored as it played a pivotal role in motivating the volunteers. There are no records for a majority of the volunteers. But in analyzing the words of those who left records, this study concludes that there were clear trends in motivations among the volunteers. Each volunteer internalized the Spanish Civil War, but they also saw themselves as part of the larger proletarian struggle. Were they a product of their times or simply motivated individuals