The Allelic Abundance of Afghanistan, a Pool for West and South Eurasian Genes and a Blockade against Eastern Admixture

In this study, I divided samples from individuals within Afghanistan based upon geography (i.e., north versus south). I determined allelic frequencies and other statistical parameters for 15 STR loci (i.e., D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, Dl3S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818, and FGA). I conducted pairwise comparisons with 19 neighboring Eurasian populations to assign Gstatistics and p-values. Categorizing the populations into five groups (i.e., Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the Caucasus/Anatolia), I derived values for intra-population, inter-population, and total variance. Admixture analyses determined the highest allelic contributions to be from the Caucasus/ Anatolia, while negligible contributions were made by Central Asia and East Asia. A Correspondence Analysis revealed clustering of both northern and southern Afghanistan with Georgia, Turkey, northern Iran, and southern Iran of the Caucasus/ Anatolia and the Middle East. A Neighbor-Joining phylogenetic tree was constructed to generate bootstrap values over 1, 000 reiterations.

Use of child safety seats among Mexican parents in a small south Dade community

The purpose of this study was to determine the use and misuse of child safety seats among Mexican parents. Data were collected via personal interview and by use of the SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP Child Safety Seat Checklist Form. This study used a descriptive comparative design. The convenience sample consisted of 63 Mexican mothers with at least one child under the age of four (index child). The findings showed that Mexican parents tend to misuse or not use child safety seats. Most parents were not aware of the misuse, and receiving prior information on the use of child safety seats had no bearing on its correct use. Factors influencing nonuse include lack of finances, driving short distances, leaving child safety seat at home, and being unaware of the Florida child restraint law. Findings of this study have implications for how nurses need to educate mothers on car safety and help reduce childhood injuries.

An evaluation of child welfare inservice training: The relative effectiveness of substance abuse content in improving worker knowledge and attitudes

Given the seriousness of substance abuse as a child welfare problem, the purpose of this study was to examine the relative effectiveness of an inservice training curriculum for child welfare workers. The training was designed to improve worker knowledge and attitudes in working with substance abusing families. Seventy (70) child welfare workers from public and private agencies in two south Florida counties participated in a pretest/posttest control group design that also trained and retested the control group. The literature review supports that the general preparedness of child welfare workers for the issues presented by substance abusing families is in question. Confounding this problem is a lack of understanding of substance abuse dynamics, worker biases, and predispositions. The two research hypotheses focused on whether inservice training could increase worker knowledge and improve worker attitudes in working with this population. Training delivery was in the form of a five-day inservice focusing on an array of substance abuse knowledge and attitudinal topics. Separate knowledge and attitude instruments were developed for the research and were administered, before and after training, to a purposive sample of participants that were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The data analysis supported the research hypotheses but raised a question. Specifically, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvement in posttest scores on both instruments after receiving the training; whereas the control group, with training withheld, also demonstrated a significant improvement at posttest, but only on the knowledge instrument. Although the question was unanswered, when examined at a more critical significance level, only the experimental group remained significant. The hypotheses were reconfirmed when, after training and retesting, the control group also displayed significant improvement on both instruments. The findings support the conclusion that this substance abuse inservice was effective in improving worker knowledge and attitudes regarding working with substance abusing families. As an implication for social work practice, it suggests that similar inservice training can be a viable training resource when formal substance abuse training is unavailable. Additional research is suggested regarding to what degree increased substance abuse knowledge and improved worker attitudes correlate with improved practice.

Pollination and breeding of jackfruit ({\it Artocarpus heterophyllus\/} Lam.) in South Florida

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) is a multi-purpose fruit tree, native to tropical Asia. It was introduced to South Florida in the early 1900s but has had little commercial importance. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in jackfruit as a commercial crop in South Florida, but there has been little scientific investigation conducted. The pollination mechanism was not clearly understood. This study focused on jackfruit breeding using 'Dang Rasimi' and 'Cheena' cultivars. Controlled hand-pollinations revealed that both cultivars were not apomictic. Both cultivars set fruit with self-pollination, but seed set and many fruit characters such as size, flesh percentage and edible percentage were greatly enhanced with cross-pollination. I conclude that jackfruit are outbreeding plants. Tests for pollen dispersal by wind were inconclusive. A variety of insects were collected, but few had a role in pollination. My results suggest that jackfruit are likely to have insect-assisted wind pollination in South Florida. ^

The Impact of Workshops on the Quality and Quantity of Parent-Child Booksharing Skills

A pilot study posits that conducting a number of literacy workshops with teenage mothers translated into a greater number of appropriate booksharing skills implemented while reading to the child. The results of one- and two-way ANOVAs and of a contingency table with crosstabs are included.

It Takes a Village to Educate a Child: Guiding Parents on How to Implement FCAT Strategies With Their Children During Home Learning

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of parental involvement on students' academic achievement. This research further proposes to investigate the effects that reading comprehension workshops for parents will have on the level of their involvement. Moreover, results from the study will contribute to the establishment of effective structures of family involvement. The following research questions will guide the study: Is there an increase in parents' confidence in their abilities to help their child in school as a result of parent workshops? Will there be a gain in parents' understanding of FCAT strategies through the use of parent workshops? Will there be an improvement in students' test scores because of parental involvement in parent workshops?

Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction: Resolving Competing Mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and No Child Left Behind

Recent federal mandates require accountability for providing students with disabilities access to the general education curriculum. In this paper, the authors recommend that principles of Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction can help school personnel tailor their teaching to meet the various strengths and needs of individual students.

No Child Left Behind, Stereotype Threat, and the Standardized Testing of African American Third-Graders

Stereotype threat theory proposes that the possibility of being judged in terms of a negative stereotype in a particular domain negatively affects one’s performance. The proposed mixed-methods research will investigate the influences of stereotype threat on African American third-graders in a post-No Child Left Behind environment.

The Use of Picture Exchange Communication System to Reduce Screaming Behavior in a Child with Severe Autism

Using a multiple baseline across subject areas design, the effect of a package intervention consisting of the Picture Exchange Communication System and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior to decrease screaming behavior of a child with autism was examined. Results showed that the intervention decreased the screaming behavior of the participant.

The role of overseas Chinese investment in the emerging countries of Southeast and East Asia: A Confucian model of the foreign direct investment decision-making process using factors unconsidered in the West

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the foreign direct investment location decision making process through the examination of non-Western investors and their investment strategies in non-traditional markets. This was accomplished through in-depth personal interviews with 50 Overseas Chinese business owners and executives in several different industries from Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Thailand about 97 separate investment projects in Southeast and East Asia, including The Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Taiwan, and Mainland China.^ Traditional factors utilized in Western models of the foreign direct investment decision making process are reviewed, as well as literature on Asian management systems and the current state of business practices in emerging countries of Southeast and East Asia. Because of the lack of institutionalization in these markets and the strong influences of Confucian and patriarchal value systems on the Overseas Chinese, it was suspected that while some aspects of Western rational economic models of foreign direct investment are utilized, these models are insufficient in this context, and thus are not fully generalizable to the unique conditions of the Overseas Chinese business network in the region without further modification.^ Thus, other factors based on a Confucian value system need to be integrated into these models. Results from the analysis of structured interviews suggest Overseas Chinese businesses rely more heavily on their network and traditional Confucian values than rational economic factors when making their foreign direct investment location decisions in emerging countries in Asia. This effect is moderated by the firm's industry and the age of the firm's owners. ^