The National Network of Partnership Schools: How Research Influences Educational Practice

The National Network of Partnership Schools was initiated in 1996 to assist schools, districts, and states in developing comprehensive programs of school, family, and community partnership as part of their school improvement efforts. Members of the National Network are provided with tools and strategies to implement partnership activities that promote students' success. These tools and strategies are based on over 15 years of research conducted by Epstein and her colleagues at Johns Hopkins University. Through a discussion of the development of the National Network, this article illustrates how research can be used to inform and improve educational practice in schools, districts, and states. It does so by highlighting the center's research on family and community involvement conducted since 1987 with elementary, middle, and high schools; school districts; and state departments of education across the United States. This research generated the knowledge needed to establish the National Network of Partnership Schools, which presently works with over 1,100 schools, 130 districts, and 12 states to help them develop permanent and productive school, family, and community partnership programs.     

Online use statistics

Online use statistics can provide libraries with a tool to be used when developing an online collection of resources. Statistics can provide information on overall use of a collection, individual print and electronic journal use, and collection use by specific user populations. They can also be used to determine the number of user licenses to purchase. This paper focuses on the issue of use statistics made available for one collection of online resources.     

Perturbation solutions of the Carson–Cambi equation

The periodic differential equation (1+ε cos t)y&#x030B; + py = 0, hereby termed the Carson–Cambi equation, is the simplest second-order differential equation having a periodic coefficient associated with the second derivative. Provided |ε|<1, which is the case we examine, then the differential equation is a Hill's equation and thus possesses regions of stability and instability in the p–ε plane. Ordinary perturbation theory is employed to obtain the stable (periodic) solutions to ε³. Two-timing theory is employed to obtain solutions for values of k near the critical points k = ±$\text{1}\text{2}$, ±$\text{3}\text{2}$, ±$\text{5}\text{2}$. Three-timing is employed to extend the solution near k = ±$\text{1}\text{2}$. The solutions of the Carson–Cambi equation are compared with the solutions of the corresponding Mathieu equation.     

Activism, drug regulation, and the politics of therapeutic evaluation in the AIDS era: a case study of ddC and the 'surrogate markers' debate

This paper presents an extended case study to demonstrate that the interpretation of clinical trials of antiviral AIDS drugs is significantly shaped by a widely dispersed allocation of scientific credibility. Specifically, the participation of AIDS activists in claims-making about AIDS trials and AIDS drugs complicates the politics of therapeutic evaluation, even as it challenges the monopolization of credibility by credentialed researchers. The paper tracks the social construction of belief about the efficacy of the combination therapy of AZT and ddC, between 1990 and 1995 in the United States. By intervening simultaneously in interpretative debates about the results of the clinical trials of this therapy and in methodological debates about how efficacy might best be measured in such trials, activists have helped to shape what is believed to be known about these drugs.     

Impulsive cognitive tempo in severe and mild learning disabled children

The purpose of the study was to compare the performance of severe and mild learning disabled children to normal children on a problem-solving task. The three types of children were assessed on the Matching Familiar Figures task, which provides a measure of impulsivity during problem-solving tasks. Results indicated that on the MFF, LD children, as a group, were more impulsive than normal children, and severe LD were more impulsive than mild LD children. Impulsivity scores were correlated with reading achievement, indicating a relationship between problem-solving strategy and academic performance. Educational implications are discussed regarding the usefulness of the reflection-impulsivity dimension in the area of learning disabilities and the applicability of the MFF as a diagnostic and evaluative measure.     

Graded hypoxia and blood oxidative stress during exercise recovery

Altitude exposure and exercise elicit oxidative stress in blood; however, exercise recovery at 5000 m attenuates oxidative stress. The purpose was to determine the altitude threshold at which blood oxidative stress is blunted during exercise recovery. Twelve males 18–28 years performed four-cycle ergometry bouts (60 min, 70% VO_2max, at 975 m). In a randomised counterbalanced crossover design, participants recovered 6 h at 0, 1667, 3333 and 5000 m in a normobaric hypoxia chamber (recovery altitudes were simulated by using a computerised system in an environmental chamber by lowering the partial pressure of oxygen to match that of the respective altitude). Oxygen saturation was monitored throughout exercise recovery. Blood samples obtained pre-, post-, 1 h post- and 5 h post-exercise were assayed for ferric-reducing antioxidant plasma, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, uric acid, lipid hydroperoxides and protein carbonyls. Muscle biopsies obtained pre and 6 h were analysed by real-time polymerase chain reaction to quantify expression of hemeoxgenase 1, superoxide dismutase 2 and nuclear factor (euthyroid-derived 2)-like factor. Pulse oximetry data were similar during exercise, but decreased for the three highest recovery elevations (0 m = 0%, 1667 m = ?3%; 3333 m = ?7%; 5000 m = ?17%). A time-dependent oxidative stress occurred following exercise for all variables, but the two highest recovery altitudes partially attenuated the lipid hydroperoxide response (0 m = +135%, 1667 m = +251%, 3333 m = +99%; 5000 m = +108%). Data may indicate an altitude threshold between 1667 and 3333 m, above which the oxidative stress response is blunted during exercise recovery.     

The Effect of Bicycle Ergometer Exercise at Varying Intensities on the Heart Rate,EMG and Mood State Responses to a Mental Arithmetic Stressor

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of bicycle ergometer exercise at varying metabolic intensities upon the heart rate, electromyographic (EMG), and mood state responses to a timed mental arithmetic stressor. Twelve males participated in four experimental conditions: three exercise trials consisting of workloads of 40%, 55%, and 70% of physical work capacity, and an attentional control condition. Daily test protocol involved the following time sequence: habituation, baseline, exercise or control condition (presented in a counterbalanced order), recovery, mental arithmetic, and completion of mood state questionnaire. Results indicated no differential response to the mental arithmetic stressor across the four conditions for the 12 subjects for heart rate, EMG activity, or mood state. Thus, 15 min of exercise at 40%, 55%, and 70% of physical work capacity proved to be no different from an attentional control condition in influencing the physiological and psychological responses to the mental arithmetic stressor.     

Connecting Faculty Researchers to Librarians via Departmental Associates

Librarians have provided reference and research support for faculty to varying degrees for many years, and librarian support is needed more than ever today with the rapidly evolving nature of library resources and online information. Learning about faculty research needs and determining ways to support their research is an ongoing challenge facing librarians. This article describes a library program that uses academic department administrative personnel to connect with faculty researchers and helps clarify the roles that librarians, faculty, and administrative personnel play in the research process.