Arbitration between carriers and employees. Boards of adjustment. Hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on interstate commerce, United States Senate, Sixty-eighth Congress, first session, on S. 2646, a bill to provide for the expeditious and prompt settlement, mediation, concilation, and arbitration of disputes between carriers and their employees and subordinate officials, and for other purposes. March 18, 28, 29, April 4, and 7, 1924 ...

Mode of access: Internet.

The role of migration in urban transition : studies of the relationship between migration and modernisation for Brisbane and Stockholm

Wilbur Zelinsky formulated a Hypothesis of Mobility Transition in 1971,in which he tried to relate all aspects of mobility to the Demographic Transition and modernisation. This dissertation applies the theoretical framework, proposed by Zelinsky and extended to encompass a family of transitions, to understand migration patterns of city regions. The two city regions, Brisbane and Stockholm, are selected as case studies, representing important city regions of similar size, but drawn from contrasting historical settings. A comparison of the case studies with the theoretical framework aims to determine how the relative contributions of net migration, the source areas of migrants, and the migration intensity change with modernisation. In addition, the research also aims to identify aspects of modernisation affecting migration. These aspects of migration are analysed with a "historical approach" and a "multivariate approach". An extensive investigation into the city regions' historical background provides the source, from which evidence for a relationship between migration and modernisation is extracted. With this historical approach, similarities and differences in migration patterns are identified. The other research approach analyse multivariate data, from the last two decades, on migration flows and modernisation. Correlations between migration and key aspects of modernisation are tested with multivariate regression, based on an alternative version of a spatial interaction model. The project demonstrates that the changing functions of cities and the structural modernisation are influential on migration. Similar patterns are found, regarding the relative contributions of net migration and natural increase to population growth. The research finds links between these changes in the relative contribution of net migration and demographic modernisation. The findings on variations in urban and rural source areas of migrants to city regions do not contradict the expected pattern, but data limitations prevent definite conclusion to be drawn. The assessment of variations in migration intensity resulted in the expected pattern not being supported. Based on Swedish data, the hypothesised increase in migration intensity is rejected. Interactional migration data also show patterns different from those derived from the theoretical framework. The findings, from both research approaches, suggested that structural modernisation affected migration flows more than demographic modernisation. The findings lead to a formulation of hypothesised patterns for migration to city regions. The study provides an important research contribution by applying the two research approaches to city regions. It also combines the study of internal and international migration to address the research objectives within a framework of transitional change.

A study of the relationship between educational placement and the achievement of urban low socioeconomic Hispanic middle school students with and without specific learning disabilities

Public schools traditionally have been held accountable for educating the majority of the nation’s school children, and through the years, these schools have been evaluated in a variety of ways. Currently, evaluation measures for accountability purposes consist solely of standardized test scores. In the past, only test scores of general education students were analyzed. Laws governing the education of students with disabilities, however, have extended accountability measures not only to include those students, but to report their scores in a disaggregated form (No Child Left Behind Act, 2001). The recent emphasis on accountability and compliance has resulted in the need for schools to carefully examine how programs, services, and policies impact student achievement (Bowers & Figgers, 2003). ^ Standard-based school reform and accountability systems have raised expectations about student learning outcomes for all students, including those with disabilities and minority students. Yet, overall, racial/ethnic minority students are performing well below their White non-Hispanic peers in most academic areas. Additionally, with respect to special education, there exists an enduring problem of disproportionate representation of racial/ethnic minority students (National Research Council, 2000). ^ This study examined classroom placement (inclusive versus non-inclusive) relative to academic performance of urban, low socioeconomic Hispanic students with and without disabilities in secondary content area classrooms. A mixed method research design was used to investigate this important issue using data from a local school district and results from field observations. The study compared performance levels of four middle school Hispanic student subgroups (students with disabilities in inclusive settings, students without disabilities in inclusive settings, students with disabilities in resource settings, and student without disabilities in general education settings) each in their respective placements for two consecutive years, exploring existing practices within authentic settings. ^ Significant differences were found in the relationship of educational placement and achievement between grade level and disability in the areas of math and reading. Additionally, clear and important differences were observed in student-teacher interactions. Recommendations for further researchers and stakeholders include soliciting responses from teams at the schools composed of general education and special education teachers, administrative personnel, and students as well as broadening the study across grade levels and exceptionalities. ^

The relationship between a retention program and the persistence and graduation rates of first-generation low-income students at an urban, public university

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between participation in a retention program designed to promote academic and social integration and the persistence rates of first generation, low-income college students at an urban, public multiethnic university. Archival data were collected from the university’s Office of Institutional Research and the retention program office and included SAT/ACT scores, GPA, gender, ethnicity, and program participation data. A total of 292 first-generation, low-income students who were admitted to the university in the summer of 1999 were identified for the study. A group of 166 students were selected for the comparison group because they had not participated in the retention program; 126 students had participated in the retention program. ^ Three major research questions guided this study: (a) Are there differences in persistence rates and other academic characteristics of underprepared, low-income, first generation college students who participate and do not participate in the retention program?; (b) Does involvement in the retention program predict student persistence of first generation low-income, underprepared students?, and (c) Can predictors of GPA be identified for students in the retention program using program and descriptive variables? ^ A series of logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between various retention services and the persistence and graduation rates of participants. The results showed that there were statistically significant relationships between participation and non-participation in the retention program and having higher GPAs and higher graduation and persistence rates. Of the four program features, participation in tutoring, workshops, and social events were found to be predictors of graduation. College GPA was also found to be a predictor of graduation for all students. The results also showed that women were more likely to graduate than men.^

The relationship between educational placement, instructional practices, and achievement gains of Black students with specific learning disabilities in secondary urban school settings

Black students, in general, are underserved academically (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Townsend, 2002) and overrepresented in special education (Donovan & Cross, 2002). Black students with disabilities are further overrepresented in more restrictive educational environments (Skiba, Poloni-Staudinger, Gallini, Simmons & Feggins-Azziz, 2006). Although the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2) revealed that the academic performance of students with learning disabilities is positively related to the percentage of courses taken in the general education setting (Newman, 2006), the research specifically on placement of Black students with disabilities, particularly at the secondary level, as it relates to academic achievement is lacking. While previous studies have sought to determine which placement is better for students with disabilities, no study was found that specifically examined the impact of placement specific to Black students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in urban settings (Fore, III, Hagan-Burke, Burke, Boon & Smith, 2008; Rea, McLaughlin & Walther-Thomas, 2002). This study examined educational placement, instructional best practices, and achievement gains of Black students with SLD in urban secondary settings using an ex post facto research design. Achievement, placement, and demographic data were collected and analyzed on approximately 314 Black eighth grade students with SLD. The Teacher Instructional Practices Survey was developed and used to collect and analyze data from the teachers of 78 of these students as it relates to instructional best practices. Results indicate no significant difference in reading but a significant difference in math gains of students served in inclusive settings as compared to resource settings with a small effect size. Also, no significant relationship was found between achievement gains and the reported use of instructional best practices. However, there was a relationship between educational placement and the use of instructional best practices. The results implied that there is a need for training with both general and special education teachers on instructional best practices for SWD and that there should be certain IEP team considerations when making placement decisions for this population of students with disabilities. It is recommended that future research in this area include classroom observations and factors other than test scores to measure growth in achievement.

Parental Involvement between Two Different Urban Communities

Parent involvement is an integral part of a child’s educational progress. In some cases, students’ academic achievement can be directly related to the level of parental involvement exhibited in schools. Families’ perception of roles toward parental involvement in schools may vary among groups from diverse cultures. In today’s urban schools, the increasing diversity of cultures may contribute to differences in levels of parental involvement. The purpose of this research is to address the need to promote parental participation in the educational process of their children. This study will focus on three research questions: Are there differences in levels of parental involvement after participating in a program designed to assist them with their children’s reading skills? Are there changes in the attitudes of families towards parental involvement after participating in the instructional cycle? Is there a relationship between the level of parental involvement and student academic achievement?

The relationship between the secondary mathematics curriculum, college persistence, and success at an urban community college

According to Venezia, Kirst, and Antonio (2003) and Barth’s 2002 Thinking K16 Ticket to Nowhere report, the disconnect between K-12 and postsecondary education was a contributing factor to high attrition rates. Since mathematics emerged as a primary concern for college readiness, Barth (2002) called for improving student transitions from K-12 to postsecondary institutions through the use of state or local data. The purpose of the present study was to analyze mathematics course-taking patterns of secondary students in a local context and to evaluate high school characteristics in order to explore their relationships with Associate degree attainment or continuous enrollment at an urban community college. Also, this study extended a national study conducted by Clifford Adelman (The Toolbox Revisited, 2006) as it specifically focused on community college students that were not included his study. Furthermore, this study used the theoretical framework that human capital, social capital, and cultural capital influence habitus—an individual’s or a group’s learned inclination to behave within the parameters of the imposed prevailing culture and norms. Specifically, the school embedded culture as it relates to tracking worked as a reproduction tool of ultimate benefit for the privileged group (Oakes, 1994). ^ Using multilevel analysis, this ex post facto study examined non-causal relationships between math course-taking patterns and college persistence of public high school graduates who enrolled at the local community college for up to 6 years. One school-level variable (percent of racial/ethnic minorities) and 7 student-level variables (community college math proportion, remedial math attempts, race, gender, first-year credits earned, socioeconomic status, and summer credits earned) emerged as predictors for college persistence. Study results indicated that students who enter higher education at the community college may have had lower opportunities to learn and therefore needed higher levels of remediation, which was shown to detract students from degree completion. Community college leaders are called to partner with local high schools with high percentages of racial/ethnic minorities to design academic programs aimed at improving the academic preparation of high school students in mathematics and promote student engagement during the first year and summers of college. ^

Fuel poverty in the UK : Is there a difference between rural and urban areas?

Date of Acceptance: 28/08/2015 Deborah Roberts acknowledges the support of funding from the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS). We would like to thank the reviewers and editor for their valuable comments. All usual caveat apply.

Fuel poverty in the UK : Is there a difference between rural and urban areas?

Date of Acceptance: 28/08/2015 Deborah Roberts acknowledges the support of funding from the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS). We would like to thank the reviewers and editor for their valuable comments. All usual caveat apply.

Correlation between urban form and PM2.5 concentration — Evidence from the New York metropolitan Area and Shanghai city

With the development of the economy and society, air pollution has posed a huge threat to public health around the world, especially to people who live in urban areas. Typically, urban development patterns can be roughly divided into compact cities and urban sprawl. In recent years, the relationship between urban form and air quality (especially PM2.5) is gaining more and more attention from urban planners, environmentalists, and governments. This study is focusing on The New York metropolitan area and Shanghai city, which are both megacities but with different urban spatial forms. For both study areas,there are five main variables to measure the urban form metrics, naming Population Density, Artificial Land Area Per Ten Thousand People, Road Density, Green Land Area Ratio and Artificial Land Area Ratio. In addition, considering the impact of economic activities and public transportation, GDP per capita, Number of bus stop and Number of subway station are used as control variables. Based on the results of regression, a megacity like the New York metropolitan area with urban sprawl shows a low spatial correlation on PM2.5 concentration. Meanwhile, almost all the spatial form indicators effect on PM2.5 concentration is not significant. However, a compact megacity like Shanghai shows a diametrically opposite result. Urban form, especially population density, has a strong relationship with PM2.5 concentration. It can be predicted that a reduction in population density would lead to significant improvements on decrease the PM2.5 concentration in Shanghai. Meanwhile, increasing the ratio of green land and construction area per capita will get a positive influence on reducing PM2.5 concentration as well. Road density is not a significant factor for a megacity in both two urban forms. The way and type of energy used by vehicles on megacities maybe more critical.

Prevalence And Treatment Of Hypertension In Urban And Riverside Areas In Porto Velho, The Brazilian Amazon.

Abstract Introduction: Hypertension (HTN) is a preventable cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. To compare the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of HTN among urban and riverside populations in Porto Velho, Amazon region. We conducted a cross-sectional study between July and December 2013 based on a household survey of individuals aged 35-80 years. Interviews by using a standardized questionnaire, and blood pressure (BP), weight, height, and waist circumference measurements were performed. HTN was defined when individuals reported having the disease, received antihypertensive medications, or had a systolic BP ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg. Awareness was based on self-reports and the use of antihypertensive medications. Control was defined as a BP ≤ 140/90 mm Hg. Among the 1410 participants, 750 (53.19%) had HTN and 473 (63.06%) had diagnosis awareness, of whom 404 (85.41%) received pharmacological treatment but with low control rate. The prevalence and treatment rates were higher in the urban areas (55.48% vs. 48.87% [p = 0.02] and 61.25% vs. 52.30% [p < 0.01], respectively). HTN awareness was higher in the riverside area (61.05% vs. 67.36% ; p < 0.01), but the control rates showed no statistically significant difference (22.11% vs. 23.43% ; p = 0.69). HTN prevalence was higher in the urban population than in the riverside population. Of the hypertensive individuals in both areas, <25% had controlled HTN. Comprehensive public health measures are needed to improve the prevention and treatment of systemic arterial HTN and prevent other cardiovascular diseases.

Seed rain in areas with and without bamboo dominance within an urban fragment of the Atlantic Forest

Understanding the flow of diaspores is fundamental for determining plant population dynamics in a particular habitat, and a lack of seeds is a limiting factor in forest regeneration, especially in isolated forest fragments. Bamboo dominance affects forest structure and dynamics by suppressing or delaying the recruitment of and colonization by tree species as well as by inhibiting the survival and growth of adult trees. The goal of the present study was to determine whether dominance of the bamboo species Aulonemia aristulata (Döll) McClure in the forest understory influences species abundance and composition. We examined the seed rain at two noncontiguous sites (1.5 km apart) within an urban forest fragment, with and without bamboo dominance (BD+ and BD- areas, respectively). Sixty seed traps (0.5 m², with a 1-mm mesh) were set in the BD+ and BD- areas, and the seed rain was sampled from January to December 2007. Diaspores were classified according to dispersal syndrome, growth form and functional type of the species to which they belonged. There were significant differences between the two areas in terms of seed density, species diversity and dispersal syndrome. The BD+ area showed greater seed density and species diversity. In both areas, seed distribution was limited primarily by impaired dispersal. Bamboo dominance and low tree density resulted in fewer propagules in the seed rain. Our results suggest that low availability of seeds in the rain does not promote the maintenance of a degraded state, characterized by the presence of bamboo.

Devoções e diversões em São João del-Rei : um estudo sobre as festas do Bom Jesus de Matosinhos 1884-1924

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física