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School choice has the potential to be a tool for desegregation, but research suggests that choice more often exacerbates segregation than remedies it. In the past several years, hundreds of ‘intentionally diverse’ charter schools have opened across the country, potentially countering the link between charter schools and segregation. Yet, these schools raise important questions about choice, segregation, and equity. For instance: how do leaders of diverse charter schools prioritize diversity in decisions about location, marketing, and recruitment? What are the implications of these diversity efforts for equity, especially within competitive and marketized educational contexts? We explore the concrete recruiting and marketing strategies schools used to build and retain their diverse communities, drawing on qualitative data from New Orleans, LA, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN. We identify key strategies used by school leaders, but also note that many strategies were ad-hoc and experimental. Furthermore, we noted that school goals around “how much” diversity was sufficient were often unarticulated, making schools susceptible to external pressures that might refocus attention away from equity and diversity, or allow groups with more power to shape agendas within the school. Finally, we find that contexts of gentrification and widening economic inequities threatened schools’ efforts to recruit and maintain a diverse student body. We discuss implications for leaders of diverse charter schools and other leaders seeking to diversify their student bodies, as well as policymakers and charter authorizers.

ABSTRACT: Plant growth regulators (PGRs) potentially improve the productivity and nutritional quality of crops through modulation of morphology, physiology and nutrient dynamics within plants. However, the effect of PGRs may differ under environments with deficient and adequate nutrients. Here the role of mepiquat chloride (MC) on the yield and seed nutritional quality of cotton was explored under boron (B) deficiency and adequate conditions in a two-year field study. Mepiquat chloride was foliar-applied at different dosages (0 and 70 mg L-1) and growth stages (squaring and flowering) and B was applied into soil (0, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 kg ha-1) to establish B deficiency and adequate levels. Seed cotton yield and seed nutritional quality were substantially higher under adequate B conditions, compared to B deficiency. Nonetheless, MC applications improved the seed cotton yield, seed oil yield, seed protein yield and concentration of seed mineral nutrients (N, P, K, B, Zn and Fe except for Mn) under both B deficiency and adequate conditions. Nonetheless, the improvement in all traits caused by MC application was greater under adequate B conditions (2-2.5 kg ha-1 B), compared to B deficiency conditions. Furthermore, the application of MC at squaring proved more beneficial in improving the seed cotton yield and nutritional quality, compared to the flowering stage. In conclusion, MC application improves seed cotton yield and cotton seed nutritional quality under both deficient and adequate B conditions, through an improved nutrient accumulation in seed tissues; however, the efficacy of MC is affected by B deficiency.

Knowledge regarding the systemic vulnerability of coastal territories to erosion and flood has progressed during the last decades thanks to the consideration of hazards but also of other components such as the stakes, the management and the social representations of the coastal risks. However, in numerous cases the development and urbanization of coastal territories submitted to the coastal risks continues. It results in the increase of exposed populations as well as in the increase of the cost of exposed properties, increasing in return their vulnerability. So, in the objective to improve the management strategies and to strengthen the memory of the risk, the need to specify the characteristics of hazards remains important. In this sense, the intensity, the area of distribution and the duration of action of hazards, as well as the magnitude of the forcing and their probability of occurrence require better definition. In this perspective, an approach based on the analysis of hazards of erosion and flooding is led on the coasts of Brittany for the contemporary period, stretching from the end of the 18thcentury to 2010. The data is inventoried from diverse local and regional written and iconographic archives. The intensity, the area of distribution and the duration of (immediate) action are determined from this inventory. The magnitude of the forcing, and consequently the probability of occurrence of these hazards by level of magnitude is more delicate to define. The magnitude, or, more exactly, the size (or severity) cannot depend on the level of the impacts even though we rarely have quantified data through historical data. Thus, an evaluation of the magnitude is proposed by taking into account, for every hazard identified regionally, the diversity of the impacts and the diversity of the forcing which generated it. The results show that they follow a power law which confirms, as for diverse hazards, the existence of a link between size and frequency of these hazards. The probability of occurrence can be computed to specify the annual, the ten-year or the centennial hazards for the region and also the associated uncertainties. These five main characters being specified and quantified, a comparison of hazards over time becomes possible. Most importantly, they become usable to establish a regional “memory” of coastal hazards. Their future evolution could also be monitored within the framework of a future observatory of coastal risks.

ABSTRACT The present study was aimed at determining the allelopathic influence of water extracts at varying concentrations (2.5% and 5% w/v) and residues with varying decomposition periods (0, 15 and 30 days) at 2% (w/w) concentration of four weeds (Trigonella polycerata, Vicia sativa, Lathyrus aphaca, Medicago polymorpha) against rate, synchronization and time of germination, and biomass partitioning of rice through plant and soil bioassays. Germination and biomass partitioning in rice plants were inhibited by extracts and residues. The maximum decrease in energy of germination (88.6%) and increase in time for 50% germination (210.4%) were caused by the L. aphaca extract at 5% concentration as compared to control. Root and shoot, fresh weight (13.6 and 28.6%, respectively) and dry weight (20.4 and 41.7%, respectively) were reduced by the M. polymorpha extract at 5% concentration. The Vicia sativa extract at both concentrations caused a great increase in the root/shoot ratio (125-145.8%). Trigonella polycerata and V. sativa residues decomposed for 30 days caused maximum inhibition of energy of emergence (71.4%) and their decomposition for zero and 15 days, respectively, inhibited coefficient of uniformity of emergence (78.9%). Medicago polymorpha and L. aphaca residues decomposed for 30 days exaggerated time for 50% emergence (47.1 and 50.3%, respectively) when compared with control. Medicago polymorpha residues decomposed for 30 days exerted the greatest inhibitory effect on shoot fresh weight (46.1%) and root dry weight (59.9%). Vicia sativa with 30 days and T. polycerata residues without decomposition produced the least root fresh weight (65.3%) and shoot dry weight (52.6%), respectively. The root/shoot ratio (56.8%) was increased by T. polycerata residues without decomposition. Phenolics from leguminous weeds caused inhibition of germination/emergence and biomass partitioning in rice. Therefore, these weeds must be eradicated from the field at their initial growth stages.

School choice policies, such as charter schools and vouchers, are in part designed to induce competition between schools. While several studies have examined the impact of private school competition on public schools, few studies have explored school leaders’ perceptions of private school competitors. This study examines the extent to which public school leaders in New Orleans, which already has a robust public school choice system, perceived competition with private schools, and the characteristics that predicted competition between the two types of schools. We find that while over half of principals reported competing with private schools for students, there was a wide range of the number and percentage of possible competitors reported. Furthermore, the results suggest that school voucher policies did not play a major role in influencing why schools competed with private schools. In addition, public school leaders who did lose students to private schools through the voucher program reported that they often recouped those losses, when parents returned to public schools unsatisfied or facing additional unexpected costs.

Aims. Using an etnographic method as information source between clinical patients – professionals, specify possible differences of approaching those types of illnesses quantifying the use of alternative treatments. Material and Method. A qualitative study of an ethnographic course, by means of a semi-structured survey, provided to 12 users of HTA and DM (6 6) programmes in Primary Health Centres, as well as to 12 professionals responsible for such programmes. Outcomes. An interview to 12 patients (6 hypertension ones 6 diabetics), also to 12 professionals of the same Health Centres. Both hypertension patients and diabetics do associate the origin of their illnesses to their previous life style, associated to certain events which left traces in their personalities. Professionals on their part, find a biologicist explanation. Conclusion. The importance of obtaining data and personal experience by means of the ethnographic method, helps us to understand the real life in which patients live, their believes, their habits, their life styles, their relationship towards their illnesses, their needs, their different ways of thinking and their feelings. The patients’ pathologies causes immmersed in their programmes, seem to be not extremely coincidental to those of their nursing professionals, or at least, they are not expressed in a similar way.

The increasing involvement of philanthropists in education policy has contributed to the emergence of a dynamic sector of intermediary organizations (IOs), entities that serve a number of functions in school reform, including advocacy, consultation, policy design, alternative teacher and leadership preparation, and research. In recent years, many IOs have converged into coalitions that are pushing for incentivist educational policies like “parent trigger” laws, charter schools, vouchers, and teacher merit pay or sanctions often tied to value added metrics of teacher performance. This article draws on data from a mixed-methods, multiyear study of research use and dissemination. In this article, we examine the role of foundations in a broader advocacy coalition in Denver, Colorado, a key site for various incentivist reforms, including teacher pay-for-performance and charter schools. We find that IOs and their affiliated networks broker the production and use of research evidence, often targeting government and education policymakers, journalists, and increasingly, influential bloggers and social media communities. This brokering function positions foundations as the “hub” of research production, promotion, and utilization.

Evolution between animals causes many changes so that it can adapt to its environments. Each species has unique features that help them survive and can consume different types of food. Sheep and rabbits are economically important animals and used in many aspects of veterinary medicine.This study aimed to compare the histomorphometric and histochemical features of the esophagus of twenty sheep (n=10) and rabbit (n=10) adult males. The samples were collected from slaughterhouse and market Misan and were used for histological studies of two types of stains, hematoxylin and eosin, and special stains (Periodic acid Schiff stains). Histological study showed differences in the type epithelium of mucosa lining the esophagus between sheep and rabbits. The epithelium lining was composed of a keratinized stratified squamous epithelium in sheep while in rabbit was composed of a non-keratinized stratified squamous. In both animals, the submucosa layer does not possess glands. The muscular layer of both was composed of striated muscle in the cervical, thoracic, and abdomen parts of the esophagus. Both animals contained an outer layer of loose connective tissue called the adventitia. All layers in sheep showed more thickness than in rabbits. The histochemical study showed that the reaction to Periodic acid Schiff stain was similar between the animals and in different places. Only stratum corneum cells of the sheep mucosa and squamous cells of the rabbit mucosa demonstrated a strong reaction to this stain. In contrast, the rest of the cells of the mucosa and muscular layers were moderate reactions with Periodic acid Schiff stain in all regions sheep and rabbit esophagus. Submucosa and adventitia showed weakly reaction with Periodic acid Schiff's stain in both animals. In conclusion, this study showed that sheep and rabbits have similarities and differences in the esophagus; that is, the layers of this organ has different thicknesses and respond differently to Periodic acid Schiff stain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary headache is one of the most common disorders treated in neurology clinics. Globally, it has been estimated that the current prevalence of headache disorder in adults symptomatic, at least once within the last year, is about 50%. According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015, migraine was ranked as the third most common cause of disability worldwide. One of the significant migraines is migraine with aura, a frequent headache that occurs after or with sensory disturbances. Aim: This study aimed to identify and compare triggers in previously diagnosed patients with migraine with aura (MwA) to those who have not been identified with migraine with aura before but diagnosed according to a questionnaire survey distributed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: Adults aged 18-50 years were randomly selected in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to participate in this non-interventional, multicentre, cross-sectional study. The study data was collected via an online questionnaire using the diagnostic criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders 2018 and the Cleveland Clinic Canada headache questionnaire. Results and Discussion: Of the 4.140 potentially eligible individuals, 302 were not previously diagnosed with migraine with aura but were diagnosed with a questionnaire (Group A), while 71 participants were already diagnosed (MwA) (Group B). A significant relationship was found among MwA and stress and anxiety, sleep disturbance, noisy places, exposure to lots of lights, prolonged computer work, hunger, fasting, studying for exams, and menstruation in Group A. Group B experienced all of the previous triggers in addition to weather changes, certain odors, and the consumption of cheese, bananas, and hotdogs. Conclusions: The trigger factors are common in individuals with MwA. Awareness of these triggers is essential for preventing the severe complications of MwA, hence, enhance the quality of life of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumo Fundamento: A Sauromatum guttatum (S. guttatum) é utilizado no tratamento de doenças do sangue e supostamente tem atividade espasmolítica através da inibição dos canais de Ca2+. Objetivos: O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o potencial anti-hipertensivo de S. guttatum em modelo de rato Sprague-Dawley (SD) com hipertensão induzida por dieta com alto teor de sal (HIDATS). Métodos: Ratos SD foram divididos em normotensos, hipertensos e grupos tratados com verapamil e S. guttatum. Extrato bruto de S. guttatum (Sg.B) (100, 150 e 300 mg/kg/dia) e verapamil (5, 10 e 15 mg/kg/dia) foram administrados por via oral junto com NaCl. Anéis aórticos e faixas do átrio direito de ratos normotensos foram utilizados para investigar os mecanismos subjacentes. O nível de significância estatística adotado foi de 5%. Resultados: A pressão arterial média diminuiu nos grupos hipertensos tratados com Sg.B e verapamil de forma dose-dependente (p