Background: In Nigeria, there is an escalating incidence of hypertension, its complications and other cardiovascular risks, likely to have their origins in early life. Malaria is still hyperendemic, with pregnant women at increased risk, with associated consequences of maternal anemia and high rates of delivering low birth-weight babies. Aims and Hypothesis: In this study, we have tested the hypothesis that malaria in pregnancy will not only enhance the risk of small birth size and poor infant growth, but will also generate higher blood pressures in infancy and beyond. We also tested the hypothesis that metabolic markers in pregnant mothers affected by malaria would relate to infant birth size. Thus the aims of this project were: 1) to define relationships between the type of malaria exposure and birth size, 2) to characterize the association between maternal and cord metabolic biomarkers and birth size on the background of prenatal malaria exposure and 3) to examine the effect prenatal malaria exposure on first year growth and whether higher blood pressure (BP) is generated. Methods: Healthy pregnant women were recruited and followed at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Ibadan. Anthropometric, BP, and biomarkers (lipids, glucose, insulin and TNFα) measurements were obtained in the mothers at booking. Birth size and growth at 3 and 12 months along with biomarkers (as above) and IGF-I measures in cord blood were assessed in the infants. Blood films for malaria parasites were taken throughout pregnancy including delivery and in all babies. Women were grouped to distinguish between the timing of malaria parasitaemia (either during pregnancy only or during pregnancy and at delivery) and the severity of malaria infection (low vs high parasite load). At birth, 436 mother-baby pairs were measured. 467 maternal samples were obtained for metabolic profile and 187 cord blood samples. 318 babies were all followed from birth to 3 and 12 months. Results: Malaria parasitaemia was found in 48% of the women, associated with younger maternal age, being primigravid and a lower haematocrit. Babies of mothers with high parasitaemia through pregnancy had the smallest birth growth parameters compared with those without malaria (weight, length, and head circumference were smaller by 300g, 1.1cm and 0.7cm respectively, all p≤0.005) but their systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) adjusted for weight were higher than those with low parasitaemia by 1.7 and 1.4 mmHg/kg respectively. SBPs were lowest in babies of mothers with malaria at delivery implying an acute effect on the babies’ circulation. Mothers with malaria had significantly lower lipids (except triglycerides) but higher TNFa, effect not seen in cord blood. Cord IGF-I was significantly lower in babies whose mothers had malaria. Significant determinants of birth size were maternal total cholesterol, LDL- cholesterol, insulin, malarial status and cord insulin and IGF-I. Babies exposed to maternal malaria remained smaller at 1 year, most marked in boys, whose SBP adjusted for weight at 3 and 12 months was higher than those not exposed. Change in SBP over the first year was greater in boys than girls while the change in girls was greater in those exposed to maternal malaria than those not exposed (18.7 vs 12.7 mmHg, 95% CI 1-11, p=0.02). 11% of boys ( > twice expected) had BP >95th percentile (hypertensive, US criteria) of whom 68% had maternal malaria exposure. Gender, maternal malaria exposure and weight change were all independently associated with increased change in BP to 1 year. Conclusion: Intrauterine exposure to malaria appears not only to have an important impact on birth size but also gender-dependent effects on growth and changes in infant BP. These findings have potential implications for cardiovascular health in sub-Saharan Africa and may contribute to the global burden of hypertension.

En hög andel repetitioner är ett av de utmärkande dragen i barnriktat tal. Tidigare forskning har visat att andelen repetitioner i barnriktat tal varierar beroende på barnets ålder. Dessutom tyder forskningen på att repetitioner i barnriktat tal kan vara främjande för språkutvecklingen. Syftet med studien var att undersöka eventuella variationer över tid i andelen repetitioner i barnriktat tal under det första levnadsåret, samt försöka hitta ett samband mellan detta och barnens språkliga utveckling. Repetitionerna i föräldrarnas tal hos tio förälder-barn-dyader då barnet var 3, 6, 9 och 12 månader undersöktes kvantitativt. Exakta och varierade självrepetitioner samt exakta och varierade repetitioner av barnens yttranden undersöktes och jämfördes med samma barns språkliga nivå vid 18 månader. Resultatet visade att andelen exakta självrepetitioner var cirka en tredjedel lägre vid 12 månaders ålder än vid de tre tidigare inspelningstillfällena. Den totala andelen repetitioner av barnens yttranden mer än fyrdubblades från 3 till 12 månader. Ett samband kunde påvisas mellan repetitionerna under det första levnadsåret och barnens språkutveckling, där en låg andel exakta självrepetitioner vid 6 till 9 månader korrelerade med en hög språklig nivå vid 18 månader. Som en tolkning av resultatet föreslogs kopplingar mellan barnens aktiva språkbruk och repetitionerna i föräldrarnas tal. / A high proportion of repetitions is one of the distinctive features of child-directed speech (CDS). Research has shown that the percentage of repetitions in CDS varies over time depending on the age of the child. In addition, it is suggested that repetitions in CDS correlate with child language development. The aim of the study was to investigate the possible variations over time in the percentage of repetitions in CDS during the child’s first year, and to try to find a connection between repetitions and the child’s language development. Repetitions in parent speech in ten parent-child dyads as the children were 3, 6, 9 and 12 months old were investigated quantitatively. Exact and varying self-repetitions and exact and varying repetitions of the child’s utterances were investigated and compared to the same children’s linguistic level at 18 months of age. The results showed that the percentage of exact self-repetitions was more than 30 percent lower at the age of 12 months than at 3, 6 and 9 months of age. The total percentage of repetitions of the child’s utterances increased more than four times from 3 to 12 months of age. A connection was found between the repetitions during the child’s first year and the child’s language development, indicating that a low percentage of exact self-repetitions at 6 to 9 months of age correlated with a high vocabulary at 18 months of age. A link between the expressive language of the child and the repetitions in parents’ speech was suggested. / MINT: Modelling infant language acquisition from parent-child interaction (MAW 2011.007)

The problem of this study was to compare the achievement and attitude of students in an individualized biology program, modeled after parts of the Proposed Texas Science Framework, with the achievement and attitude of students in conventional biology classes. The subjects used for the study were tenth grade, first year biology students in three high schools in a large North Central Texas city. Each of the three high schools was selected to represent a particular category of high schools. The categories were based upon the mean achievement scores for the students within a school. The categories of schools were above average, medium low, and very low. In each of the schools the classes and teachers in the experimental group and the control group were matched as closely as possible.

A variety of lenses were used to examine the world of the novice science teacher. A degree of agency was provided by looking through the eyes of the beginning teacher. Previous studies focused on researcher or program’s orientation, the successes of various educator preparation programs, or were limited in scope to elementary teachers of science. This study was conducted to better understand and appreciate the high school novice science teacher’s view of science, teaching, and teaching science in the today’s contextual setting. Experiences encountered during the initial year of teaching high school science and as perceived by teachers without previous professional teaching experience presents are presented. A multiple case study was built around four individual novice cases from one of the largest school districts in the state of Florida. Of the four cases, three participants were rehired for the following year. The fourth left teaching after nine weeks. The research questions are: How do today’s novice science teachers describe their first year’s teaching experiences? How do novice teacher’s feelings about being science teachers change during their first year of teaching? How do beginning science teachers describe their successes? And, what challenges do today’s beginning science teachers face? These research questions were asked to relate the novice experiences and perceptions associated with the initial year of teaching high school science. Emergent themes included concerns for questionable ethical administrative actions and poor administrative decisions as they are perceived by the novice science teacher. Findings of the multiple case study relate experiences perceived as positive, bureaucratic, involving student and parent apathy, local administration, and missed communications. Beliefs changed about student needs, mandated science exams, district micromanagement, confidence, and unique personal changes. Descriptions provided of success involved mentoring, students, lesson planning, confidence, and retention. Perceived challenges were parent and student apathy, mandated science exam validity, student needs, micromanagement of science lessons, discipline, abandonment, and development. The researcher was employed as a science teacher in the same district as the participants, but at a separate high school.

This qualitative study explores the experiences of creative improvisation in music therapy sessions of a group of 12 first-year international students. The students took part in a group music therapy process which consisted of eight sessions. Music therapy is explored as a possible approach for offering first-year international students valuable social, emotional and psychological support in light of literature findings that note the continuous struggles faced by international students in their transition to university. Data collection was in the form of a focus group interview, which was conducted after the final session, and two video excerpts from different sessions within the process. I drew on these data sources to explore how music is used as a medium for expressing and sharing first-year experiences, and how the group music therapy sessions afford students opportunities for the development of mutually supportive relationships. Data were coded, then categorised and in this process, themes emerged. The emergent themes suggest that creative improvisation in group music therapy sessions facilitates moving from disconnection to building more friendships and deeper relationships; creates a platform for increasing openness towards exploring, expressing and sharing experiences and emotions concerning being a first-year international student; and how music as an alternative medium to verbal and/or other expression for expressing and interacting, allows for this expression of emotions and experiences, and connection in the group. The findings indicate that it was in expressing and sharing their experiences with one another through musicking that students were able to develop mutually supportive relationships. Copyright / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Music / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to investigate and predict Latino male student retention using ACT’s Engage College survey at a research university in the southwestern region of the U.S. ACT’s Engage survey was designed to predict first-year college retention using 10 psychosocial measures. However, no empirical study exists to support ACT’s claim especially for Latino male students. Data from a four-year research university between 2009 and 2011 were analyzed with logistic regression. Logistic regression analysis was performed for the whole sample (N = 8,061) and for the Latino male subsample (n = 860). In the entire sample’s first regression model, high school grade quartile and SAT score as well as demographic variables were used as predictor variables. In this model, the independent variables of high school grade point average quartile, SAT score, gender, and race made statistically significant contributions to the model (Nagelkerke R2 = .031, p < .01). In the entire sample’s second regression model, ACT’s 10 psychosocial variables were added to the first regression model as predictor variables. Results indicated the instrument was valid for the freshmen as a whole because five out of 10 psychosocial measures displayed statistically significant odds ratios (ORs) for predicting retention: (a) Commitment to College (OR = 1.006, p < .01), (b) Academic Discipline (OR = 1.005, p < .01), (c) Social Activity (OR = -.997, p < .01), (d) Social Connection (OR = 1.004, p < .01), and (e) Academic Self-Confidence (OR = -.997, p < .01). Regarding the subsample of 860 Latino males, none of the 10 psychosocial measures produced statistically significant results. The findings indicate the need to determine a new way of identifying at-risk Latino male students because current methods have failed to build a robust predictive model for this student population.

The purpose of this thesis was to create an Online Mentoring website that would benefit teachers by helping them to feel more confident and efficient through their first couple of years teaching. Its focus is to provide new teachers access to all information involving its processes, procedures and expectations within a specific school site.

The significance of the project was to answer the call of California schools in their plight to stop attrition and retain teachers. This project alone or in conjunction with other programs offered by schools/school districts gives them another tool to reach their goal of 100% teacher retention. It is the belief of this project that the problems with retention could be diminished if not eliminated, by giving beginning teachers a handbook.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The sexual behaviours, attitudes, beliefs and communication of 1896 black first-year university students were examined by means of a structured questionnaire for their contribution to the development of a university-based sex counselling programme. The areas of sexuality investigated included intra-familial communication about contraception and sexuality, belief in sex myths, knowledge of and myths about AIDS and the manner of acquisition of sex knowledge. The results of this study are consistent in reflecting much greater deficits in the knowledge of respondents about sexuality than encountered in the literature. Statistically significant gender differences were found for intra-familial communication about contraception, prejudice towards AIDS victims, knowledge of the modes of HIV infection, prejudice towards homosexuals, belief in myths about sexuality, age at which sex information was acquired, the preferred source of information about sexuality, attitude towards pre-marital intercourse, experience of pre-marital intercourse, belief about the acceptability of abortion, experience of pre-marital intercourse and worry about masturbation. No gender differences were found for belief in myths about high-risk AIDS infection, exposure to sex information within educational institutions and approval of sex education. The statistically significant gender differences which were found for most of the questionnaire items reflect the different sexual socialization experiences of respondents. Male and female students may therefore require counselling interventions geared to their respective needs Concern about AIDS has become central to university student sexual behaviour as well as protection against rape and sexual harassment and male responsibility for contraception. All campus counsellors will eventually experience the impact of AIDS and other sexually·transmitted diseases in their sessions with clients. Sexual harassment, rape, contraceptive failure and abortion will also increasingly impact on counselling sessions and require the university-based counsellor's involvement in broader university-wide prevention programmes as well as group based interventions. The development of a university-based sex counselling programme requires comprehensive interventions ranging from individual counselling to human sexuality courses. An awareness of the high profile sexuality problems as perceived by students, is essential for the development of preventive programmes at the group and academic class level as well as at the level of inf luencing uni versi ty policy. Knowledge of the merits of different theoretical positions and interventions for particular sexual problems is crucial for counselling intervention or referral. A systemic model of intervention for sexuality problems is proposed. The task of university-based sex counselling programmes is made more onerous by the paucity and ineffectiveness of sex information students are exposed to, the lack of sex education in the schools and the inadequate quality and degree of intrafamilial communication about sexuality. A significant proportion of respondents engage in pre-marital sexual intercourse without the benefit of adequate sex knowledge. The results of this study emphasize the need for research on the sexuality of, black South Africans, the particular vulnerabilities of first-year university students to sexuality problems and the dire need for structured sex education programmes at school as well as university.

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