Understanding Teacher and Student Learning Situated in a School-wide Implementation of Fractions Instruction

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Exploring Forensic Nursing Ethics and Practice: Roles, Loyalties and Photodocumentation Practices

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Event-related potential effects of object repetition depend on attention and part-whole configuration

The effects of spatial attention and part-whole configuration on recognition of repeated objects were investigated with behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) measures. Short-term repetition effects were measured for probe objects as a function of whether a preceding prime object was shown as an intact image or coarsely scrambled (split into two halves) and whether or not it had been attended during the prime display. In line with previous behavioral experiments, priming effects were observed from both intact and split primes for attended objects, but only from intact (repeated same-view) objects when they were unattended. These behavioral results were reflected in ERP waveforms at occipital-temporal locations as more negative-going deflections for repeated items in the time window between 220 and 300 ms after probe onset (N250r). Attended intact images showed generally more enhanced repetition effects than split ones. Unattended images showed repetition effects only when presented in an intact configuration, and this finding was limited to the right-hemisphere electrodes. Repetition effects in earlier (before 200 ms) time-windows were limited to attended conditions at occipito-temporal sites (N1), a component linked to the encoding of object structure, while repetition effects at central locations during the same time window (P150) were found only from objects repeated in the same intact configuration—both previously attended and unattended probe objects. The data indicate that view-generalization is mediated by a combination of analytic (part-based) representations and automatic view-dependent representations.

Parental influences and mothers’ experiences on infant and young child feeding practices

The objective of this thesis was to better understand how parental factors influence feeding practices, how mothers experience feeding and what factors mothers perceive influencing feeding in different contexts. This study is largely based on STEPS Study (Steps to Healthy Development of Children), which is a longitudinal cohort of 1797 families. In addition, qualitative data was collected among mothers in Finland and Solomon Islands. The results of this study show that different parental determinants associate with infant and young child feeding behavior and practices. Mothers with high cognitive restraint of eating introduced complementary foods earlier and neophobic mothers’ breastfed exclusively for a shorter time than mothers who ranked lower in these behaviors. Fathers’ poor diet quality associated with shorter total breastfeeding duration. Mothers’ postnatal depressive symptoms associated with shorter duration of exclusive breastfeeding, earlier introduction of complementary foods and lower compliance of feeding recommendations. The higher amount of marital distress associated with longer duration of exclusive breastfeeding and better compliance with feeding recommendations. Mothers, who participated in qualitative interviews, described how complex interplay of individual perceptions, significant others and socio-cultural environment influenced feeding practices and behavior. This study showed that several parental factors influence infant and young child feeding practices as well as compliance with the feeding recommendations. Maternal experiences and perceptions on child feeding relate to the context where mother-infant pair lives in. These results highlight the importance of targeting feeding support and, if needed, specific interventions to mothers and families who are in risk of poor feeding practices.

Heritage Language Maintenance and Biliteracy Development for Immigrants' Children: A Study of Chinese Immigrants' Family Language Policy and Biliteracy Practices

This study reports on research that examines the family language policy (FLP) and biliteracy practices of middle-class Chinese immigrant families in a metropolitan area in the southwest of the U.S. by exploring language practices pattern among family members, language and literacy environment at home, parents’ language management, parents’ language attitudes and ideologies, and biliteracy practices. In this study, I employed mixed methods, including survey and interviews, to investigate Chinese immigrant parents’ FLP, biliteracy practices, their life stories, and their experience of raising and nurturing children in an English-dominant society. Survey questionnaires were distributed to 55 Chinese immigrant parents and interviews were conducted with five families, including mothers and children. One finding from this study is that the language practices pattern at home shows the trend of language shift among the Chinese immigrants’ children. Children prefer speaking English with parents, siblings, and peers, and home literacy environment for children manifests an English-dominant trend. Chinese immigrant parents’ language attitudes and ideologies are largely influenced by English-only ideology. The priority for learning English surpasses the importance of Chinese learning, which is demonstrated by the English-dominant home literacy practices and an English-dominant language policy. Parents invest more in English literacy activities and materials for children, and very few parents implement Chinese-only policy for their children. A second finding from this study is that a multitude of factors from different sources shape and influence Chinese immigrants’ FLP and biliteracy practices. The factors consist of family-related factors, social factors, linguistic factors, and individual factors. A third finding from this study is that a wide variety of strategies are adopted by Chinese immigrant families, which have raised quite balanced bilingual children, to help children maintain Chinese heritage language (HL) and develop both English and Chinese literacy. The close examination and comparison of different families with English monolingual children, with children who have limited knowledge of HL, and with quite balanced bilingual children, this study discovers that immigrant parents, especially mothers, play a fundamental and irreplaceable role in their children’s HL maintenance and biliteracy development and it recommends to immigrant parents in how to implement the findings of this study to nurture their children to become bilingual and biliterate. Due to the limited number and restricted area and group of participant sampling, the results of this study may not be generalized to other groups in different contexts.

Determination of biodiversity and spatial and temporal distribution pattern of demersal fishes in the Oman Sea

In this project, have been studied to determine the appropriate model to spatial, temporal and diversity of demersal fishes in the Sea of Oman, including Trichiuridae, Nemipteridae, Haemulidae, Arridae, Synodontidae, Batoidfishes, Carangidae, Scianidae, Carchariniformes and Serranidae. This research became operational from catch data during 2003 to 2013 (in 2007, due to the lack of ship failed). Processing and calculations was evaluated by using the software Excel, SPSS, Arc GIS and table curve 3D highest biomass and abundance was showed in strata A and C and 10-30 m depth layers was showed the best condition biomass. In other words, highest biomass was showed in the eastern region in the Oman Sea than the central and western regions. Batoidfishes and Trichiuridae had the highest biomass .Depth factors was showed a significant correlation with the biomass. Scianidae, Serranidae and Haemulidae were showed a large decline. Synodontidae was showed a very large increase. The largest of Shannon index belong to central and western region of the Oman Sea. The highest Shannon index was showed 10-20 and 50-100 m, respectively. The Distribution maps based on the biomass was analyzed by using Arc GIS software. So that were identified in the first time in a ten-year period and carefully catch stations any economic of aquatic group. In conclusion, the depth can be found in the pattern of distribution, abundance and diversity of fish from away the beach so that follow specific pattern.

Multi-Agent Simulation and Management Practices

Intelligent agents offer a new and exciting way of understanding the world of work. Agent-Based Simulation (ABS), one way of using intelligent agents, carries great potential for progressing our understanding of management practices and how they link to retail performance. We have developed simulation models based on research by a multi-disciplinary team of economists, work psychologists and computer scientists. We will discuss our experiences of implementing these concepts working with a well-known retail department store. There is no doubt that management practices are linked to the performance of an organisation (Reynolds et al., 2005; Wall & Wood, 2005). Best practices have been developed, but when it comes down to the actual application of these guidelines considerable ambiguity remains regarding their effectiveness within particular contexts (Siebers et al., forthcoming a). Most Operational Research (OR) methods can only be used as analysis tools once management practices have been implemented. Often they are not very useful for giving answers to speculative ‘what-if’ questions, particularly when one is interested in the development of the system over time rather than just the state of the system at a certain point in time. Simulation can be used to analyse the operation of dynamic and stochastic systems. ABS is particularly useful when complex interactions between system entities exist, such as autonomous decision making or negotiation. In an ABS model the researcher explicitly describes the decision process of simulated actors at the micro level. Structures emerge at the macro level as a result of the actions of the agents and their interactions with other agents and the environment. We will show how ABS experiments can deal with testing and optimising management practices such as training, empowerment or teamwork. Hence, questions such as “will staff setting their own break times improve performance?” can be investigated.

INFORMATION PRACTICES DURING LIFE TRANSITION: KOREAN IMMIGRANT WOMEN’S EVERYDAY LIFE INFORMATION SEEKING AND ACCULTURATION

In this dissertation, I explore information practices during life transition in the context of immigration. This study aims to understand how their unique personal, social, and life contexts shape immigration experiences, and how these diverse contexts are related to various information practices that they engage in to resolve daily information needs and achieve immigration goals. In my study I examined daily information needs and acquisition of Korean immigrant women. Data were collected through two interview sessions, diary entries on everyday information seeking up to three weeks, post-diary debriefing interviews to reveal contexts surrounding information practices, and observation sessions. My study shows that one’s accumulated experiences with information-related situations shape the person’s attitudes toward diverse information resources and habitual information practices. Both personal and social contexts surrounding immigrant women change during life transition and shape how they interpret their immigration experiences, what information they need to deal with both daily and long-term goals, and how they modify their information practices to obtain the relevant information in an unfamiliar information environment. Also, life transition of immigration entails changes in immigrant women’s social roles, which engender their daily responsibilities in the new society. These daily responsibilities motivate immigrant women’s everyday interactions with a variety of communities in order to exchange information and conduct their social roles in the new sociocultural environment. While immigrant women had common information needs around culture learning, social roles and associated responsibilities explain differences in their differing information needs and tend to direct daily information practices. The advancement of ICTs allows immigrant women to conduct their social roles in a remote city as well as to maintain multiple connections with both the heritage and host society. Limited cultural knowledge influences immigrant women’s evaluation and use of the obtained information as well as their acquisition of relevant information. This study provides understandings on the role of information during life transition as well as Korean immigrant women’s information practices.

Professional development programs in health promotion : tools and processes to favor new practices

Developing innovative interventions that are in sync with a health promotion paradigm often represents a challenge for professionals working in local public health organizations. Thus, it is critical to have both professional development programs that favor new practices and tools to examine these practices. In this case study, we analyze the health promotion approach used in a pilot intervention addressing children’s vulnerability that was developed and carried out by participants enrolled in a public health professional development program. More specifically, we use a modified version of Guichard and Ridde’s (Une grille d’analyse des actions pour lutter contre les inégalités sociales de santé. In Potvin, L., Moquet, M.-J. and Jones, C. M. (eds), Réduire les Inégalités Sociales en Santé. INPES, Saint-Denis Cedex, pp. 297– 312, 2010) analytical grid to assess deductively the program participants’ use of health promotion practices in the analysis and planning, implementation, evaluation, sustainability and empowerment phases of the pilot intervention. We also seek evidence of practices involving (empowerment, participation, equity, holism, an ecological approach, intersectorality and sustainability) in the intervention. The results are mixed: our findings reveal evidence of the application of several dimensions of health promotion (equity, holism, an ecological approach, intersectorality and sustainability), but also a lack of integration of two key dimensions; that is, empowerment and participation, during various phases of the pilot intervention. These results show that the professional development program is associated with the adoption of a pilot intervention integrating multiple but not all dimensions of health promotion. We make recommendations to facilitate a more complete integration. This research also shows that the Guichard and Ridde grid proves to be a thorough instrument to document the practices of participants.

Mulheres negras e (in)visibilidade : imaginários sobre a intersecção de raça e gênero no cinema brasileiro (1999-2009)

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Comunicação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Comunicação, 2016.

Variations between post- and pre-harvest seasons in stunting, wasting, and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices among children 6-23 months of age in lowland and midland agro-ecological zones of rural Ethiopia

Introduction: Food availability and access are strongly affected by seasonality in Ethiopia. However, there are little data on seasonal variation in Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices and malnutrition among 6-23 months old children in different agro-ecological zones of rural Ethiopia. Methods: Socio-demographic, anthropometry and IYCF indicators were assessed in post- and pre-harvest seasons among children aged 6–23 months of age randomly selected from rural villages of lowland and midland agro-ecological zones. Results: Child stunting and underweight increased from prevalence of 39.8% and 26.9% in post-harvest to 46.0% and 31.8% in pre-harvest seasons, respectively. The biggest increase in prevalence of stunting and underweight between post- and pre-harvest seasons was noted in the midland zone. Wasting decreased from 11.6% post-harvest to 8.5% pre-harvest, with the biggest decline recorded in the lowland zone. Minimum meal frequency, minimum acceptable diet and poor dietary diversity increased considerably in pre-harvest compared to post-harvest season in the lowland zone. Feeding practices and maternal age were predictors of wasting, while women’s dietary diversity and children age was predictor of child dietary diversity in both seasons. Conclusion: There is seasonal variation in malnutrition and IYCF practices among children 6-23 months of age with more pronounced effect in midland agro-ecological zone. A major contributing factor for child malnutrition may be poor feeding practices. Health information strategies focused on both IYCF practices and dietary diversity of mothers could be a sensible approach to reduce the burden of child malnutrition in rural Ethiopia.

Experiences From The Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Ecological Findings And Conservation Initiatives.

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest hosts one of the world's most diverse and threatened tropical forest biota. In many ways, its history of degradation describes the fate experienced by tropical forests around the world. After five centuries of human expansion, most Atlantic Forest landscapes are archipelagos of small forest fragments surrounded by open-habitat matrices. This 'natural laboratory' has contributed to a better understanding of the evolutionary history and ecology of tropical forests and to determining the extent to which this irreplaceable biota is susceptible to major human disturbances. We share some of the major findings with respect to the responses of tropical forests to human disturbances across multiple biological levels and spatial scales and discuss some of the conservation initiatives adopted in the past decade. First, we provide a short description of the Atlantic Forest biota and its historical degradation. Secondly, we offer conceptual models describing major shifts experienced by tree assemblages at local scales and discuss landscape ecological processes that can help to maintain this biota at larger scales. We also examine potential plant responses to climate change. Finally, we propose a research agenda to improve the conservation value of human-modified landscapes and safeguard the biological heritage of tropical forests.

Jogos dos povos indigenas : trajetórias e interlocuções = Indigenous peoples games : trajectory and interlocutions

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

The impact of spatial data redundancy on SOLAP query performance

Geographic Data Warehouses (GDW) are one of the main technologies used in decision-making processes and spatial analysis, and the literature proposes several conceptual and logical data models for GDW. However, little effort has been focused on studying how spatial data redundancy affects SOLAP (Spatial On-Line Analytical Processing) query performance over GDW. In this paper, we investigate this issue. Firstly, we compare redundant and non-redundant GDW schemas and conclude that redundancy is related to high performance losses. We also analyze the issue of indexing, aiming at improving SOLAP query performance on a redundant GDW. Comparisons of the SB-index approach, the star-join aided by R-tree and the star-join aided by GiST indicate that the SB-index significantly improves the elapsed time in query processing from 25% up to 99% with regard to SOLAP queries defined over the spatial predicates of intersection, enclosure and containment and applied to roll-up and drill-down operations. We also investigate the impact of the increase in data volume on the performance. The increase did not impair the performance of the SB-index, which highly improved the elapsed time in query processing. Performance tests also show that the SB-index is far more compact than the star-join, requiring only a small fraction of at most 0.20% of the volume. Moreover, we propose a specific enhancement of the SB-index to deal with spatial data redundancy. This enhancement improved performance from 80 to 91% for redundant GDW schemas.

Microbiological quality of hamburgers sold in the streets of Cuiabá - MT, Brazil and vendor hygiene-awareness

This study evaluated the microbiological quality of hamburgers and the microbe community on the hands of vendors in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil, in relation to vendors´ awareness as to what constitute acceptable food-handling practices as part of a broad-spectrum research programme on street foods in Brazil . Sale of the hamburger known as the 'baguncinha' is common and widespread in urban Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Food inspectors encounter various difficulties in carrying out inspections. One hundred and five hamburgers samples were evaluated using conventional methods including tests for facultative aerobic and/or anaerobic mesophytic bacteria, coliform counts at 45 °C, the coagulase test for Staphylococcus, Gram-staining for the presence of Bacillus cereus, Clostridium sulphite reductase and Salmonella spp. The hamburgers were categorized as unsuitable for human consumption in 31.4% of samples, with those testing positive for coliforms and Staphylococcus at unacceptably high levels by Brazilian standards. High levels of microbiological contamination were detected on the hands of the food handlers and mesophytic bacterial counts reached 1.8 × 10(4) CFU/hand. Interviews were carried out by means of questionnaires to evaluate levels of awareness as to acceptable food handling practices and it was found that 80,1% of vendors had never participated in any kind of training.