Search

Teachers' teaching self-efficacy and teachers' feelings of negative affect may be associated with students' academic achievement; however, little is known about how these factors directly affect adolescent students' math and reading achievement. The eighth-grade wave of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study data was used to investigate teacher variables on students' achievement. This United States nationally representative dataset was used to investigate the associations between teachers' teaching self-efficacy and teachers' burnout on eighth-grade students' math and reading achievement. The eighth-grade sample had 9725 students within 9128 teachers. A structural equation model indicated that teachers' high teaching self-efficacy did not predict students' achievement, yet teachers' negative affect was a negative predictor of the students' reading and math achievement. Teaching self-efficacy and negative affect were negatively covaried, indicating that teaching self-efficacy can potentially provide a buffer against teacher burnout and can inform future interventions to support and protect teachers from career negative affect. Indications for supporting teachers are discussed.

Teacher-rated classroom engagement and student self-reported motivation for mathematics were used to predict mathematics scores in 3rd and 5th grade. Students were grouped based on a combination of biological sex and SES quintiles resulting in 10 independent groups. The mathematics achievement patterns were predicted based upon a combined within-group model. Results indicated female mathematics achievement was not significantly related to self-reported mathematics motivation but was related to classroom engagement. In males, mathematics motivation was not significantly related to achievement for lowest SES males; however, there was a significant relationship for highest quintile class males. Conversely, classroom engagement was significant for lower class males and was not significantly related for highest quintile SES males. Implications of the results are discussed.

A recombinant vaccine containing Aventis Pasteur's canarypox vector (ALVAC)-HIV and gp120 alum decreased the risk of HIV acquisition in the RV144 vaccine trial. The substitution of alum with the more immunogenic MF59 adjuvant is under consideration for the next efficacy human trial. We found here that an ALVAC-simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and gp120 alum (ALVAC-SIV + gp120) equivalent vaccine, but not an ALVAC-SIV + gp120 MF59 vaccine, was efficacious in delaying the onset of SIVmac251 in rhesus macaques, despite the higher immunogenicity of the latter adjuvant. Vaccine efficacy was associated with alum-induced, but not with MF59-induced, envelope (Env)-dependent mucosal innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) that produce interleukin (IL)-17, as well as with mucosal IgG to the gp120 variable region 2 (V2) and the expression of 12 genes, ten of which are part of the RAS pathway. The association between RAS activation and vaccine efficacy was also observed in an independent efficacious SIV-vaccine approach. Whether RAS activation, mucosal ILCs and antibodies to V2 are also important hallmarks of HIV-vaccine efficacy in humans will require further studies.

This study examined the role of volunteer experiences on Black African international students' social integration and adaptation at a predominantly White Mid-Western university in the United States. The study explores micro-level interactions and relationships fostered during volunteering as well as feelings of inclusion/exclusion and personal satisfaction. Thirteen participants who had volunteered in services that required substantial interactions were interviewed. Four themes on the positive influence of volunteering on social integration and adaptation were identified, namely; fostering of feelings of inclusion and belonging, enhancement of social cohesion of diverse people, fostering of feelings of self-validation, and attainment of social, cultural, and human capital. However, other participants in this study felt inadequate, alienated, and devaluated during the volunteer process. Fear of not being understood, feelings of incompetence, and the cumbersome bureaucratic process in the application process deterred some participants from volunteering with some services. The authors conclude by providing recommendations for international students in general, institutions of higher learning, and volunteer agencies.

UnlabelledEliciting broadly reactive functional antibodies remains a challenge in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine development that is complicated by variations in envelope (Env) subtype and structure. The majority of new global HIV-1 infections are subtype C, and novel antigenic properties have been described for subtype C Env proteins. Thus, an HIV-1 subtype C Env protein (CO6980v0c22) from an infected person in the acute phase (Fiebig stage I/II) was developed as a research reagent and candidate immunogen. The gp145 envelope is a novel immunogen with a fully intact membrane-proximal external region (MPER), extended by a polylysine tail. Soluble gp145 was enriched for trimers that yielded the expected "fan blade" motifs when visualized by cryoelectron microscopy. CO6980v0c22 gp145 reacts with the 4E10, PG9, PG16, and VRC01 HIV-1 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), as well as the V1/V2-specific PGT121, 697, 2158, and 2297 MAbs. Different gp145 oligomers were tested for immunogenicity in rabbits, and purified dimers, trimers, and larger multimers elicited similar levels of cross-subtype binding and neutralizing antibodies to tier 1 and some tier 2 viruses. Immunized rabbit sera did not neutralize the highly resistant CO6980v0c22 pseudovirus but did inhibit the homologous infectious molecular clone in a peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) assay. This Env is currently in good manufacturing practice (GMP) production to be made available for use as a clinical research tool and further evaluation as a candidate vaccine.ImportanceAt present, the product pipeline for HIV vaccines is insufficient and is limited by inadequate capacity to produce large quantities of vaccine to standards required for human clinical trials. Such products are required to evaluate critical questions of vaccine formulation, route, dosing, and schedule, as well as to establish vaccine efficacy. The gp145 Env protein presented in this study forms physical trimers, binds to many of the well-characterized broad neutralizing MAbs that target conserved Env epitopes, and induce cross-subtype neutralizing antibodies as measured in both cell line and primary cell assays. This subtype C Env gp145 protein is currently undergoing good manufacturing practice production for use as a reagent for preclinical studies and for human clinical research. This product will serve as a reagent for comparative studies and may represent a next-generation candidate HIV immunogen.

Background: Research demonstrates a link between decreased cognitive function in overweight school-aged children and improved cognitive function among students with high fitness levels and children engaging in regular physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to examine whether regular PA and proper nutrition together had a significant effect on academic achievement. Methods: Using the seventh wave of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class 1998-99 (ECLS-K) dataset, linear regression analysis with a Jackknife resampling correction was conducted to analyze the relationship among nutrition, PA, and academic achievement, while controlling for socioeconomic status, age, and sex. A nonactive, unhealthy nutrition group and a physically active, healthy nutrition group were compared on standardized tests of academic achievement. Results: Findings indicated that PA levels and proper nutrition significantly predicted achievement scores. Thus, the active, healthy nutrition group scored higher on reading, math, and science standardized achievement tests scores. Conclusions: There is a strong connection between healthy nutrition and adequate PA, and the average performance within the population. Thus, results from this study suggest a supporting relationship between students' health and academic achievement. Findings also provide implications for school and district policy changes.

Internalizing mental health issues are a significant developmental and clinical concern during adolescence, but rarely identified as a problem among school staff. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study examined the associations between adolescent emotional distress, school connectedness, and educational achievement by exploring potential mechanistic and interactive roles of perceived school connectedness on the emotion-education association. Emotional distress was negatively associated with adolescents' perceptions of belonging to school, which, in turn, may negatively influence educational achievement. School connectedness also had both additive and multiplicative interaction effects on the emotion-education relationship. Results support previous evidence of school connectedness as a protective factor for adolescents with internalizing mental health concerns, although much of the work to date has focused on externalizing problems. This study informs our understanding of how, why, and for whom emotional problems influence educational outcomes in light of social support in the school context.

Early detection of breast cancer and its subsequent treatment lead to better patient prognosis and survival rates. However, despite advanced screening and detection techniques, the disease all too frequently remains undetected until it has reached an advanced stage. Despite a number of means of disseminating breast cancer awareness, such as public health programs, public and private media and the internet, breast cancer remains a major health problem which exerts a tremendous economic burden on the health care system. Consequently, promoting early awareness of the disease to students at both high school and college levels might potentially lead to improved health habits later in life. This study investigated breast cancer awareness among college and high school students. A self-administered questionnaire was given to 355 high school students and 132 college students in a mid-western area of the USA to determine their perceptions of breast cancer, risk factors and the need for breast self-examination. Despite many annual efforts to disseminate breast cancer awareness and the availability of information about the disease, our study showed that both college and high school students have a poor understanding of breast cancer. Most participants, however, were receptive to the provision of more information at school. Based on our findings, we recommend more breast cancer awareness programs targeting high school and college students. Breast cancer awareness could be included as a component of the high school curriculum, as well as via the internet and public health programs.

High-performing, at-risk schools are not all equal in the challenges they face and the resources available. This study extends the research on at-risk schools by expanding the definition of at-risk to include risk factors beyond poverty. In addition, the study explicitly examines possible differences between district and school-level factors. Using mixed methods, 23 interviews were conducted with both district and school personnel. Overall, when both the prevalence and frequency of factors mentioned in the interviews are examined, three themes emerged; administrative support, professional collaboration and academic support programs. Differences between district and school personnel are also examined. It is hoped that the themes identified can help inform all schools of successful practices for supporting academic achievement. (Contains 1 figure, 2 tables and 1 note.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify common and unique risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) among young adults in relationships. Guided by two models of IPV, the same set of risk factors was used to examine outcomes of unidirectional (perpetration or victimization) and bidirectional (reciprocal) IPV separately for males and females. Methods: The sample included 10,187 young adults, ages 18-27, from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The respondents were drawn from Wave 3 and stated they had a romantic relationship during the time of the study. The risk factors were primarily related to violent socialization (e.g., childhood maltreatment, youth violence) and personal adjustment (e.g., alcohol use, depression). Results: Approximately 47% of the respondents experienced some form of IPV in romantic relationships, and the majority of respondents reported bidirectional violence. For males, childhood sexual abuse was associated with perpetration and bidirectional IPV, and childhood neglect was associated with bidirectional IPV. For females, childhood neglect was associated with all three IPV outcomes, and childhood physical abuse was associated with bidirectional IPV. Youth violence perpetration during adolescence increased the odds for all IPV outcomes among females, while low self-esteem increased the odds for all IPV outcomes among males. A history of suicide attempts predicted bidirectional IPV across genders. Being married and living with a partner predicted all three IPV outcomes for males and females. Conclusions: The results revealed more common risk factors for bidirectional IPV than unidirectional IPV and few common risk factors across genders. The results indicate that IPV prevention and intervention strategies should be tailored to the unique risk experiences of males and females rather than focus on a common factors approach. However, child abuse, youth violence, and suicide prevention efforts may reduce incidents of later IPV for males and females, and these strategies should continue to be an emphasis in practice and research. (Contains 5 tables.)

This study examines naturally occurring mentors by the quality and presence of a mentor (no mentor, low quality, high quality), type of mentors (adult mentors vs. peer mentors), and mentor quality within mentor type. A sub-sample of adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent-Health is used. Results indicate the effect of mentoring is dependent upon the quality and type of mentor and is different for different measured outcomes, as various characteristics of the mentoring process are associated with later problem behaviors and emotional affect in different ways. Specifically, high-quality mentoring is significantly related to increasing self-esteem, fewer alcohol problems and less depressed affect when compared to low-quality mentors. Mentees with adult mentors are significantly lower in depressed affect and have fewer alcohol problems when compared to mentees with peer mentors. Implications for the use of mentoring with specifically at-risk students are discussed to help improve positive youth development. (Contains 8 tables.)

Using holistic-interactionistic theory, the simultaneous nature of risk and protection factors for both males and females (age 6-11 in Wave 1) is examined using latent profile analysis (LPA). Risk/protection classes are estimated using multiple risk factor variables (e.g., physical child abuse) and multiple protective factors (e.g., extracurricular activities). These risk/protection classes were used to predict low academic performance. For both males and females, high risk, low protection individuals were significantly more likely to experience low academic performance than low risk, high protection cases. Gender differences emerged in a class for females that included the importance of parental/peer disapproval of antisocial behavior as a protective factor that was not present for males. Findings support elements of the holistic-interactionistic theory for human development and suggest the need to examine risk and protective factors in combination to account for their shared influences on developmental outcomes. Implications for youths underperforming academically are discussed. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)

Examines family variables that may influence adolescent substance use during the 6 months following inpatient treatment: parental substance use, family aftercare attendance, and adolescent ratings of family helpfulness. Results revealed no relationship between either parental substance use and family aftercare attendance or reports of family helpfulness. Findings highlight the importance of family behaviors on adolescent substance abuse treatment outcome. (Contains 24 references, 2 tables, and 2 figures.) (GCP)

Using Lehigh Longitudinal Study data (N = 457), the authors compare prospective parent self-reports and retrospective adolescent reports of early childhood physical abuse, exploring their correspondence, predictive equivalence, und outcomes associated with conflicting reports. Correspondence between prospective und retrospective reports of child maltreatment was moderate ([PHI]) = 0.27). Concurrence rates were similar for males and females. Analyses of the relative predictive capacity of prospective and retrospective measures revealed both to be significant predictors of key outcomes in adolescence. Findings support the predictive validity of both measures of childhood maltreatment and underscore the methodological challenges of measuring this important construct. Given the abundance und salience of research on the consequences of childhood maltreatment, greater attention to such measurement issues is due.

This study investigates several factors as possible mediators of physical child abuse in the prediction of violence among adolescents. Prospective and retrospective measures of abuse are compared in mediation tests. Data are from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study, a prospective study of 457 children followed from preschool into adolescence. Structural equation models examined the degree to which abuse is mediated in the prediction of violence through youths' bonds to family, commitment to school, involvement with antisocial peers during adolescence, and attitudes about the use of violence. The model included measures of family socioeconomic status and youths' gender and age as controls on violence. Findings suggest that abuse (whether measured prospectively or retrospectively) is heavily mediated in its prediction of later violence and that a sizeable proportion of variance is accounted for in the violence outcome. A fuller pattern of mediation was shown when the retrospective abuse variable was modeled. Keywords: child abuse; youth violence; mediation; prospective and retrospective measurement of abuse

Fire ants (Solenopsis spp.) are bothersome insects to both humans and the environment alike. Due to their prevalence in areas near human habitation, we sought to determine a substance that the ants find attractive that could be used in future control methods. To answer our question, we designed a simple experiment in which Solenopsis sp. specimens were each given the opportunity to choose from a variety of sugars and oils that were presented on a piece of paper in front of them. It was determined that fire ants have a stronger attraction to substances higher in fatty acids, such as cooking oils, than carbohydrates. These results have shown that when devising a home remedy for controlling these insects, individuals would have the most success if they were to use an oil-based product in their control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale modeling and simulation (M&S) applications that do not require run-time inter-process communications can exhibit scaling problems when migrated to high-performance computing (HPC) clusters if traditional software parallelization techniques, such as POSIX multi-threading and the message passing interface, are used. A comprehensive approach for scaling M&S applications on HPC clusters has been developed and is called "computation segmentation." The computation segmentation is based on the built-in array job facility of job schedulers. If used correctly for appropriate applications, the array job approach provides significant benefits that are not obtainable using other methods. The parallelization illustrated in this paper becomes quite complex in its own right when applied to extremely large M&S tasks, particularly due to the need for nested loops. At the United States Food and Drug Administration, the approach has provided unsurpassed efficiency, flexibility, and scalability for work that can be performed using embarrassingly parallel algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]