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.^

Assessing the impact of business group diversification on the internationalization of their affiliates: The case of Latin American firms

This dissertation explored the capacity of business group diversification to generate value to their affiliates in an institutional environment characterized by the adoption of structural pro-market reforms. In particular, the three empirical essays explored the impact of business group diversification on the internationalization process of their affiliates. ^ The first essay examined the direct effect of business group diversification on firm performance and its moderating effect on the multinationality-performance relationship. It further explored whether such moderating effect varies depending upon whether the focal affiliate is a manufacturing or service firm. The findings suggested that the benefits of business group diversification on firm performance have a threshold, that those benefits are significant at earlier stages of internationalization and that these benefits are stronger for service firms. ^ The second essay studied the capacity of business group diversification to ameliorate the negative effects of the added complexity faced by its affiliates when they internationalized. The essay explored this capacity in different dimensions of international complexity. The results indicated that business group diversification effectively ameliorated the effects of the added international complexity. This positive effect is stronger in the institutional voids rather than the societal complexity dimension. In the former dimension, diversified business groups can use both their non-market resources and previous experience to ameliorate the effects of complexity on firm performance. ^ The last essay explored whether the benefits of business group diversification on the scope-performance relationship varies depending on the level of development of the network of subsidiaries and the region of operation of the focal firm. The results suggested that the benefits of business group diversification are location bound within the region but that they are not related to the level of development of the targeted countries. ^ The three essays use longitudinal analyses on a sample of Latin American firms to test the hypotheses. While the first essay used multilevel models and fix effects models, the last two essays used exclusively fix effects models to assess the impact of business group diversification. In conclusion, this dissertation aimed to explain the capacity of business group diversification to generate value under conditions of institutional change.^

Evaluating the effects of initial participation in the group therapy process

Although the effectiveness of group therapy has been highlighted, the underlying mechanisms involved in the group process have been under studied. The purpose of this study is twofold. First, the current study utilized an outcome mediation model to examine whether initial level of participation in the intervention (Control/No intervention, non-participatory, participatory) predicted change in Identity Conflict Resolution (IDCR), Personal Expressiveness (PE) and Informational Identity Style (INFO) at posttest, and Internalizing (INT) and Externalizing (EXT) behaviors at post and follow-up assessment. Secondly, the current study examined whether relationships between variables varied as a result of group differences in initial participation. The study utilized an archival sample of 234 high school students, ages 14 to 18, who participated in the Changing Lives Program of the Youth Development Project (YDP) since 2003. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine differences in direct effects as a result of initial participation on an outcome meditational model. To further analyze this model, SEM was utilized to conduct a multi-group solution to examine whether group differences based on level of initial participation in the variables^

Un -equal opportunity: Sex and school among first and second generation Mexican immigrant adolescent girls

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the interactions of sexuality and education among low socioeconomic status first and second generation Mexican immigrant adolescent girls. Much of the existing research differentiates between immigrant generations with little examination of the differences within a particular immigrant generation. This study utilized qualitative methods to examine how various social institutions intersected to influence the young women's decisions about education and sexuality. The methodology included more than three years of participant observation in a South Florida high school and surrounding community; structured and unstructured interviews with twenty young women, their family members, school personnel, and community activists; and surveys conducted with the young women and their parent or guardian. ^ Moving beyond the limits of essentialist immigration theories, this project revealed within group (i.e. immigrant generation) complexities as well as between group similarities. The data included in this dissertation delineate how relationships of power and control permeated the lives of first and second generation Mexican immigrant adolescent girls. The lens of this dissertation is focused on the salient issues of sexuality and education: two dominant forces in many adolescent lives. ^ I found the young women represented a variety of positions on the academic orientation and sexuality continuums and engaged in activities that both reinforced and countered their stated positions on each of these issues. Specifically, first and second generation immigrants are often viewed as maintaining opposing viewpoints about both education and female sexuality however, for these young women the within group variation was larger than the between group variation. While all the young women in this study expressed a belief in the value of education, they engaged in activities that both fortified and contradicted that expressed position. Additionally, although acculturation can lead to increased sexual activity and decreased engagement with education, the first generation immigrant young women in this study became pregnant and/or withdrew from school in equal proportions to their second generation counterparts. In summary, structural forces combined, often inadvertently, and contributed to these young women's spiraling negative academic orientation and/or rational choice of motherhood. Finally, the findings are linked to policy implications. ^

A comparison of the teacher efficacy and performance of traditionally and alternatively certified first -year teachers

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and performance evaluations of alternatively certified first-year teachers to traditionally certified first-year teachers. The participants were 25 first-year teachers in the Broward County Public School District (FL) who completed the Transition to Teaching alternative certification program and a comparison group of 32 first-year teachers in the same school district who completed a traditional university teacher preparation program. ^ The study was a mixed methods design (Creswell, 2003; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 1998). The quantitative data were collected during the 2002–2003 school year using the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001) and the Florida Performance Measurement System formative and summative instruments. The qualitative data consisted of focus group interviews that were conducted at the end of the 2002–2003 school year. ^ Data were analyzed using independent samples t tests to compare the means of the two populations on their efficacy scores and performance evaluations. Paired samples t tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used to compare the efficacy scores for each certification type at the beginning of the school year to the efficacy scores at the end of the school year. A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the change in the efficacy scores of the teachers from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year. Focus group interviews were conducted and transcribed, and the content was analyzed and categorized based on the four sources of self-efficacy described by Bandura (1986, 1997). ^ The results of this study revealed that no statistically significant differences existed between the two groups of teachers in their teacher efficacy or performance evaluations and that they reported similar sources of their efficacy. These findings add to the research base that supports alternative certification as a viable and effective pathway into teaching. ^

Commitment language as a predictor of alcohol and marijuana use outcomes among adolescents in school -based group treatment

Despite widespread recognition of the problem of adolescent alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse, research on its most common treatment modality, group work, is lacking. This research gap is alarming given that outcomes range from positive to potentially iatrogenic. This study sought to identify change mechanisms and/or treatment factors that are observable within group treatment sessions and that may predict AOD use outcomes. This NIH (F31 DA 020233-01A1) study evaluated 108, 10-19 year olds and the 19 school-based treatment groups to which they were previously assigned (R01 AA10246; PI: Wagner). Associations between motivational interviewing (MI) based change talk variables, group leader MI skills, and alcohol and marijuana use outcomes up to 12-months following treatment were evaluated. Treatment session audio recordings and transcripts (1R21AA015679-01; PI: Macgowan) were coded using a new discourse analysis coding scheme for measuring group member change talk (Amrhein, 2003). Therapist MI skills were similarly measured using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity instrument. Group member responses to commitment predicted group marijuana use at the 1-month follow up. Also, group leader empathy was significantly associated with group commitment for marijuana use at the middle and ending stages of treatment. Both of the above process measures were applied in a group setting for the first time. Building upon MI and social learning theory principles, group commitment and group member responses to commitment are new observable, in-session, process constructs that may predict positive and negative adolescent group treatment outcomes. These constructs, as well as the discourse analysis method and instruments used to measure them, raise many possibilities for future group work process research and practice.

Specific binding of the mammalian high mobility group protein AT-hook 2 to the minor groove of AT -rich DNAs: Thermodynamic and specificity studies

The mammalian high mobility group protein AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) is a small transcriptional factor involved in cell development and oncogenesis. It contains three "AT-hook" DNA binding domains, which specifically recognize the minor groove of AT-rich DNA sequences. It also has an acidic C-terminal motif. Previous studies showed that HMGA2 mediates all its biological effects through interactions with AT-rich DNA sequences in the promoter regions. In this dissertation, I used a variety of biochemical and biophysical methods to examine the physical properties of HMGA2 and to further investigate HMGA2's interactions with AT-rich DNA sequences. The following are three avenues perused in this study: (1) due to the asymmetrical charge distribution of HMGA2, I have developed a rapid procedure to purify HMGA2 in the milligram range. Preparation of large amounts of HMGA2 makes biophysical studies possible; (2) Since HMGA2 binds to different AT-rich sequences in the promoter regions, I used a combination of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and DNA UV melting experiment to characterize interactions of HMGA2 with poly(dA-dT) 2 and poly(dA)poly(dT). My results demonstrated that (i) each HMGA2 molecule binds to 15 AT bp; (ii) HMGA2 binds to both AT DNAs with very high affinity. However, the binding reaction of HMGA2 to poly(dA-dT) 2 is enthalpy-driven and the binding reaction of HMGA2 with poly(dA)poly(dT) is entropy-driven; (iii) the binding reactions are strongly depended on salt concentrations; (3) Previous studies showed that HMGA2 may have sequence specificity. In this study, I used a PCR-based SELEX procedure to examine the DNA binding specificity of HMGA2. Two consensus sequences for HMGA2 have been identified: 5'-ATATTCGCGAWWATT-3' and 5'-ATATTGCGCAWWATT-3', where W represents A or T. These consensus sequences have a unique feature: the first five base pairs are AT-rich, the middle four to five base pairs are GC-rich, and the last five to six base pairs are AT-rich. All three segments are critical for high affinity binding. Replacing either one of the AT-rich sequences to a non-AT-rich sequence causes at least 100-fold decrease in the binding affinity. Intriguingly, if the GC-segment is substituted by an AT-rich segment, the binding affinity of HMGA2 is reduced approximately 5-fold. Identification of the consensus sequences for HMGA2 represents an important step towards finding its binding sites within the genome.

The use of visualization, onset-and-rime, story read-alouds, and discussion to improve diverse first graders' vocabulary and comprehension

It has long been known that vocabulary is essential in the development of reading. Because vocabulary leading to increased comprehension is important, it necessary to determine strategies for ensuring that the best methods of teaching vocabulary are used to help students make gains in vocabulary leading to reading comprehension. According to the National Reading Panel, multiple strategies that involve active engagement on the part of the student are more effective than the use of just one strategy. The purpose of this study was to determine if students' use of visualization, student-generated pictures of onset-and-rime-patterned vocabulary, and story read-alouds with discussion, would enable diverse first-grade students to increase their vocabulary and comprehension. In addition, this study examined the effect of the multimodal framework of strategies on English learners (ELs). This quasi-experimental study (N=69) was conducted in four first-grade classrooms in a low socio-economic school. Two treatment classes used a multimodal framework of strategies to learn weekly vocabulary words and comprehension. Two comparison classrooms used the traditional method of teaching weekly vocabulary and comprehension. Data sources included Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR), comprehension and vocabulary scores, and weekly MacMillan/McGraw Hill Treasures basal comprehension questions and onset-and-rime vocabulary questions. This research determined that the treatment had an effect in adjusted FAIR comprehension means by group, with the treatment group (adj M = 5.14) significantly higher than the comparison group ( adj M = -8.26) on post scores. However, the treatment means did not increase from pre to post, but the comparison means significantly decreased from pre to post as the materials became more challenging. For the FAIR vocabulary, there was a significant difference by group with the comparison adjusted post mean higher than the treatment's, although both groups significantly increased from pre to post. However, the FAIR vocabulary posttest was not part of the Treasures vocabulary, which was taught using the multimodal framework of strategies. The Treasures vocabulary scores were not significantly different by group on the assessment across the weeks, although the treatment means were higher than those of the comparison group. Continued research is needed in the area of vocabulary and comprehension instructional methods in order to determine strategies to increase diverse, urban students' performance.

Charles Perry and a Group of People Outdoors

Charles Edward Perry (Chuck), 1937-1999, was the founding president of Florida International University in Miami, Florida. He grew up in Logan County, West Virginia and received his bachelor's and masters's degrees from Bowling Green State University. He married Betty Laird in 1960. In 1969, at the age of 32, Perry was the youngest president of any university in the nation. The name of the university reflects Perry’s desire for a title that would not limit the scope of the institution and would support his vision of having close ties to Latin America. Perry and a founding corps opened FIU to 5,667 students in 1972 with only one large building housing six different schools. Perry left the office of President of FIU in 1976 when the student body had grown to 10,000 students and the university had six buildings, offered 134 different degrees and was fully accredited. Charles Perry died on August 30, 1999 at his home in Rockwall, Texas. A commemorative plaque on a large coral rock is located in the southeast corner of the Primera Casa building, also called the Charles Perry building, where Perry is now buried.

When group members go against the grain : an ironic interactive effect of group identification and normative content on healthy eating

Acknowledgements The research leading to these results has been funded by a Tandem Grant from the European Health Psychology Society/CREATE, awarded to the first and second author. The funder had no involvement in the study design, collection or analysis of data, writing the report, or the decision to submit this manuscript for publication.

Molecular epidemiology of sexually transmitted human papillomavirus in a self referred group of women in Ireland

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer and external genital warts. The purpose of this study is to document the genotype distribution of HPV in females aged between 18 and 34 who self-referred to an STI clinic with visible external genital warts (EGW). Scrapings were taken from visible external genital warts (EGW). These scrapings were analysed by PCR for the presence of HPV DNA. Positive samples were then genotyped by means of a commercially available assay (LiPA). A comparison of genotyping results determined by the LiPA assay and direct amplicon DNA sequencing was also performed. Results: Ninety-two patients out of 105 samples (88%) had detectable levels of HPV DNA. The majority of individuals with EGW (66%) showed the presence of two or more genotypes. The most common HPV genotypes present in the study population were HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-33 and HPV-53. Potential effects of vaccination on HPV molecular epidemiology indicate that 40% of the patients could have been protected from the high risk genotypes HPV-16 and HPV-18.Conclusion: This is the first report of the molecular epidemiology of external genital warts in women aged between 18 and 34 from Ireland based on results from a LiPA assay. The study shows that most individuals are infected with multiple genotypes including those with high oncogenic potential and that the newly available HPV vaccines could have a significant impact on prevalence of the most common HPV genotypes in this study population.

A Bayesian Dirichlet-Multinomial Test for Cross-Group Differences

Testing for differences within data sets is an important issue across various applications. Our work is primarily motivated by the analysis of microbiomial composition, which has been increasingly relevant and important with the rise of DNA sequencing. We first review classical frequentist tests that are commonly used in tackling such problems. We then propose a Bayesian Dirichlet-multinomial framework for modeling the metagenomic data and for testing underlying differences between the samples. A parametric Dirichlet-multinomial model uses an intuitive hierarchical structure that allows for flexibility in characterizing both the within-group variation and the cross-group difference and provides very interpretable parameters. A computational method for evaluating the marginal likelihoods under the null and alternative hypotheses is also given. Through simulations, we show that our Bayesian model performs competitively against frequentist counterparts. We illustrate the method through analyzing metagenomic applications using the Human Microbiome Project data.

Help-seeking behaviors and mental well-being of first year undergraduate university students

University students demonstrate poor help-seeking behaviors for their mental health, despite often reporting low levels of mental well-being. The aims of this study were to examine the help-seeking intentions and experiences of first year university students in terms of their mental well-being, and to explore these students’ views on formal (e.g. psychiatrists) and informal (e.g. friends) help-seeking. Students from a university in the Republic of Ireland (n=220) completed an online questionnaire which focused on mental well-being and help-seeking behaviors. Almost a third of students had sought help from a mental health professional. Very few students reported availing of university/online supports. Informal sources of help were more popular than formal sources, and those who would avail and had availed of informal sources demonstrated higher well-being scores. Counselors were the source of professional help most widely used. General practitioners, chaplains, social workers, and family therapists were rated the most helpful. Those with low/average well-being scores were less likely to seek help than those with higher scores. Findings indicate the importance of enhancing public knowledge of mental health issues, and for further examination of students’ knowledge of help-seeking resources in order to improve the help-seeking behaviors and mental well-being of this population group.

Paleoecology, Diagenesis and Biological Affinity of Tetradiids in the Upper Ordovician (Sandbian) Black River Group of the Kingston Area, Ontario, Canada

Tetradiids are a group of colonial, tubular fossils that occur globally in Middle to Upper Ordovician strata. Tetradiids were first described as a type of tabulate coral; however, based on their four-fold symmetry, division, and presence of a central-sparry canal, they were recently reinterpreted as a florideophyte rhodophyte algae, a reinterpretation that is tested in this thesis. This study focused on understanding the affinity and taphonomy of this order of fossil. Research was conducted by stratigraphic and petrographic analyses of the Black River Group in the Kingston, Ontario region. Tetradiid occurrences were divided into fragment or colonial, with three morphologies of tetradiids described (Tetradium, Phytopsis and Paratetradium). Morphology is specific to depositional environment, with compact Tetradium consistently within ooid grainstones and open branching Phytopsis and chained Paratetradium consistently within mudstones. Two types of patch reefs were recognized: a Paratetradium bioherm, and a Paratetradium, Phytopsis, stromatolite bioherm. The presence of bioherms implies that tetradiids were capable of hypercalcifying. Preservation styles of tetradiids were investigated, and were compared to brachiopods, echinoderms, mollusks, and ooids. Tetradiids were preferentially preserved as molds and demonstrated complete dissolution of skeletal material. Rare specimens, however, demonstrated preserved horizontal partitions, central plates, and a double wall. Skeletal molds were filled with either calcite spar, mud or encrusted by a cryptomicrobial colony. Both calcitic and aragonitic ooids were discovered. The co-occurrence of aragonitic ooids, aragonitic crytodontids, and the evolution of aragonitic, hypercalcifying tetradiids is interpreted as representing the geochemical favoring of aragonite and HMC in a time of global calcite seas. The geochemical favoring of aragonite is interpreted to be independent to global Mg: Ca ratios, but was the result of increased saturation levels and temperature driven by high atmospheric pCO2. Based on the presence of epitheca, tabulae, septa, and the commonality of growth forms, tetradiids are interpreted as an order of Cnidaria. The evolution of an aragonitic skeleton in tetradiids is interpreted to be the result of de novo acquisition of a skeleton from an unmineralized clade.

Bubble Growth From First Principals

We consider the simplest relevant problem in the foaming of molten plastics, the growth of a single bubble in a sea of highly viscous Newtonian fluid, and without interference from other bubbles. This simplest problem has defied accurate solution from first principles. Despite plenty of research on foaming, classical approaches from first principles have neglected the temperature rise in the surrounding fluid, and we find that this oversimplification greatly accelerates bubble growth prediction. We use a transport phenomena approach to analyze the growth of a solitary bubble, expanding under its own pressure. We consider a bubble of ideal gas growing without the accelerating contribution from mass transfer into the bubble. We explore the roles of viscous forces, fluid inertia, and viscous dissipation. We find that bubble growth depends upon the nucleus radius and nucleus pressure. We begin with a detailed examination of the classical approaches (thermodynamics without viscous heating). Our failure to fit experimental data with these classical approaches, sets up the second part of our paper, a novel exploration of the essential decelerating role of viscous heating. We explore both isothermal and adiabatic bubble expansion, and also the decelerating role of surface tension. The adiabatic analysis accounts for the slight deceleration due to the cooling of the expanding gas, which depends on gas polyatomicity. We also explore the pressure profile, and the components of the extra stress tensor, in the fluid surrounding the growing bubble. These stresses can eventually be frozen into foamed plastics. We find that our new theory compares well with measured bubble behavior.