Analogical reasoning is a foundational skill necessary for enabling learners to draw inferences about new experiences, to transfer learning across contexts, and to make abstractions based on relevant information from daily experiences. Linguistic and executive function (EF) skills may support analogical reasoning ability, as both these skill sets have previously been shown to influence other higher-order cognitive abilities, such as perspective taking. Outside influences such as socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds may also influence analogical reasoning, as they have been shown to affect other cognitive processes. At present, current research offers little information about developmental relations among SES, language, EF and analogical learning. The purpose of this dissertation research was to explore the extent to which the provision of relational language facilitates children’s analogical reasoning, and to investigate the influence of SES, executive function and language skills in regard to such facilitation. Results indicate that the use of relational language indeed aids analogical reasoning. SES significantly predicted analogical reasoning, but interestingly, this was so only when relational language was absent. These findings support that relational language plays a key role in scaffolding analogical reasoning, and this support is particularly beneficial to children whose cognitive skills may be influenced by SES.

Background and aims: Southern European countries have been showing high overweight and obesity (OW/OB) rates especially among the younger generations (Cattaneo et al. 2010). Portugal is one of those countries with 37.9% overweight and 15.3% obesity in 6 to 8 year olds (Rito et al. 2012). However little is known about the health of ethnic minorities living in its capital city, Lisbon. The Cape Verdean community in Lisbon, the second largest group in Portugal, would be expected to be more affected by this epidemic due to social inequalities. This community also tend to have low educational levels, material deprivation and struggle with discrimination and racism, factors that would likely be associated with a higher prevalence of OW/OB. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of Cape Verdean ancestry children aged 6 to 12 years old living in Lisbon according to their socioeconomic status, general living conditions, family composition, diet and physical activity levels. To compare the findings with previous projects conducted in 1993 and 2009 in the same location with Cape Verdean ancestry children and with Portuguese ancestry children (national study conducted in 2009). To determine what early life factors have significant effect on these children's nutritional health. Methods : Physical measures and household information were collected from November 2013 to February 2014 in Cova da Moura Neighbourhood in Lisbon. Physical measures included height, weight, skinfolds, arm and waist circumferences. From these survey data body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of stunting (chronic malnutrition - low height-for- age) and underweight (low-weight-for-age) were calculated according to reference values proposed by Frisancho (2008). Overweight and obesity values were defined based on the references established by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), CDC, and WHO depending on the specific aim or research question. Results: Results show this is a very deprived community with low educational levels and mostly employed in the service sector. Maternal height and child birth order showed a significant association with child's height. Moreover maternal height and age are associated with child leg length. Living in a single parent family is associated with an increase in child BMI of 1.412 units when accounting for maternal waist circumference. Also significant differences in height for boys and girls were observed between Cape Verdean and Portuguese children. Generally, Cape Verdeans growth falls within the healthy range of International growth references across all of the survey data collected. Cape Verdean rates for combined over nutrition (overweight and obesity) in 2013 (9.8% for boys and 16.7% for girls) are lower than the Portuguese (33% for boys and 31.7% for girls). Logistic regression models showed that Cape Verdean children have a lower risk of being OW/OB compared to Portuguese children when accounting for breastfeeding,birth weight,maternal education and occupation. Conclusions : Despite living in a deprived neighbourhood these Cape Verdean children seem to have grown healthier than Portuguese ancestry children. The challenge for policy makers will be to support improvement of the poverty related living conditions of this community without creating a risky environment for increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity.

O empreendimento Gasoduto Urucu-Coari-Manaus é uma rede de tubulações que conduz o gás natural do Terminal Solimões TESOL do município de Coari até a Refinaria de Manaus REMAN, na cidade de Manaus, Estado do Amazonas. A tubulação do gasoduto ocupa uma extensão de aproximadamente 700 km, atravessando territórios dos sete municípios do Estado do Amazonas: Coari, Codajás, Anori, Anamã, Caapiranga, Manacapuru e Iranduba. A jazida de gás natural da bacia do Solimões/Amazonas sinaliza um elevado potencial de desenvolvimento regional na geração de energia a gás. Seu aproveitamento vem sendo apontado como um marco de referência na economia da Amazônia Ocidental. Em 1998, na mesma faixa de oleoduto de Urucu até o Terminal do Solimões, foi construído o trecho do Gasoduto para Manaus. A construção do gasoduto pode ser um fator de desenvolvimento socioeconômico em uma região de poucas opções principalmente de fontes energéticas. Neste sentido, o estudo do recurso natural (gás) do gasoduto em questão e de seus impactos ambientais e socioeconômicos tornam-se cada vez mais importante, pois contribuem com a pesquisa nessa área e poderão ser observados os resultados destes, especialmente, na cidade de Manacapuru-AM. Este trabalho demonstra a importância dos questionamentos a cerca da exploração dos recursos naturais, desenvolvimento econômico, social e preservação do meio ambiente. Assim, em ciência geográfica pode-se afirmar que a temática Recurso Natural, exige uma abordagem que considera aspectos sociais e naturais. Por um lado, o recurso é algo ao qual se recorre, portanto é histórico, por outro, é natural e exige o conhecimento da dinâmica da natureza para se compreender sua ocorrência e distribuição na superfície ou crosta terrestre. Este trabalho desenvolveu-se in loco verificando a relevância da implantação do Gasoduto Urucu-Coari-Manaus analisando os aspectos sociais e econômicos no referido município. / The project Urucu-Coari-Manaus pipeline network is a leading natural gas Solimões Terminal - TESOL in the city of Coari to Manaus Refinery - REMAN in the city of Manaus, in Amazonas state. The pipe of the pipeline occupies an area of approximately 700 km across the territories of the seven counties of the State of Amazonas Coari Codajás, Anori, Anamã, Caapiranga, Manacapuru and Iranduba. With this natural gas field in the basin of the Solimões / Amazonas, signals to a high potential for regional development in power generation gas. Its use has been appointed as a benchmark in the economy of the Western Amazon. In 1998, in the same range of pipeline Urucu to the Solimões Terminal, was built the section of pipeline to Manaus. The construction of the pipeline may be a factor of socio-economic development in a region with few options especially for energy sources. In this sense, the study of natural resource (gas) pipeline in question and its environmental and socioeconomic impacts becomes increasingly important as it contributes to research in this area and may be seen the results of environmental and socioeconomic impacts, especially in the city of Manacapuru-AM. This research demonstrates the importance of natural resources in the questioning of economic development with environmental preservation. Thus, in geographical science can say that the theme \"Natural Resource\", requires an approach that considers the social and natural. On the one hand, the feature is something to which it refers, so it is historical, the other is natural and requires knowledge of the dynamics of nature to understand their occurrence and distribution on the surface or crust. This research has developed on-site checking the relevance of deployment of the Urucu-Coari-Manaus analyzing the social and economic aspects in that municipality.

Purpose: Food insecurity is an important social determinant of health and is linked with higher health care costs. There is a high prevalence of food insecurity among recent immigrant households in Canada. The aim of the present project was to evaluate the prevalence of food insecurity in immigrant and non-immigrant households in Ottawa, to explore determinants of food insecurity in that population and to evaluate the link between food insecurity, diet quality and weight status. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 258 Ottawa households having a child between 6 and 12 years old, with a mother born in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean or Canada. Health Canada’s Household Food Security Survey Module was used to evaluate participants’ food access in the past 12 months. Children’s dietary intake was evaluated with the use of a 24-hour recall and a modified Healthy Eating Index diet quality score was calculated. Chi-square and logistic and linear regression analyses were used to determine correlates of food insecurity and its link with diet quality and weight status (n=249). Results: A high rate of food insecurity (39%) was found among participants. Household food insecurity was associated with low education attainment, lone motherhood, mother’s visible minority status, recent arrival to Canada, limited English fluency, reliance on social assistance, and subsidized/temporary/COOP housing. Food insecurity was associated with consumption of sweetened beverages, lower consumption of saturated fat among children, and with obesity among mothers. Conclusion: These findings suggest that food insecurity is associated with certain indicators of poor diet quality among children and with obesity among mothers. The findings also highlight the need for food insecurity to be explicitly addressed in immigrant integration strategies in order to improve the financial power of new immigrants to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally acceptable foods. Enhancing immigrants’ access to affordable child care and well-paid jobs, improving social assistance programs, and providing more subsidized housing programs would be beneficial to help reduce food insecurity and increase diet quality.

O empreendimento Gasoduto Urucu-Coari-Manaus é uma rede de tubulações que conduz o gás natural do Terminal Solimões TESOL do município de Coari até a Refinaria de Manaus REMAN, na cidade de Manaus, Estado do Amazonas. A tubulação do gasoduto ocupa uma extensão de aproximadamente 700 km, atravessando territórios dos sete municípios do Estado do Amazonas: Coari, Codajás, Anori, Anamã, Caapiranga, Manacapuru e Iranduba. A jazida de gás natural da bacia do Solimões/Amazonas sinaliza um elevado potencial de desenvolvimento regional na geração de energia a gás. Seu aproveitamento vem sendo apontado como um marco de referência na economia da Amazônia Ocidental. Em 1998, na mesma faixa de oleoduto de Urucu até o Terminal do Solimões, foi construído o trecho do Gasoduto para Manaus. A construção do gasoduto pode ser um fator de desenvolvimento socioeconômico em uma região de poucas opções principalmente de fontes energéticas. Neste sentido, o estudo do recurso natural (gás) do gasoduto em questão e de seus impactos ambientais e socioeconômicos tornam-se cada vez mais importante, pois contribuem com a pesquisa nessa área e poderão ser observados os resultados destes, especialmente, na cidade de Manacapuru-AM. Este trabalho demonstra a importância dos questionamentos a cerca da exploração dos recursos naturais, desenvolvimento econômico, social e preservação do meio ambiente. Assim, em ciência geográfica pode-se afirmar que a temática Recurso Natural, exige uma abordagem que considera aspectos sociais e naturais. Por um lado, o recurso é algo ao qual se recorre, portanto é histórico, por outro, é natural e exige o conhecimento da dinâmica da natureza para se compreender sua ocorrência e distribuição na superfície ou crosta terrestre. Este trabalho desenvolveu-se in loco verificando a relevância da implantação do Gasoduto Urucu-Coari-Manaus analisando os aspectos sociais e econômicos no referido município. / The project Urucu-Coari-Manaus pipeline network is a leading natural gas Solimões Terminal - TESOL in the city of Coari to Manaus Refinery - REMAN in the city of Manaus, in Amazonas state. The pipe of the pipeline occupies an area of approximately 700 km across the territories of the seven counties of the State of Amazonas Coari Codajás, Anori, Anamã, Caapiranga, Manacapuru and Iranduba. With this natural gas field in the basin of the Solimões / Amazonas, signals to a high potential for regional development in power generation gas. Its use has been appointed as a benchmark in the economy of the Western Amazon. In 1998, in the same range of pipeline Urucu to the Solimões Terminal, was built the section of pipeline to Manaus. The construction of the pipeline may be a factor of socio-economic development in a region with few options especially for energy sources. In this sense, the study of natural resource (gas) pipeline in question and its environmental and socioeconomic impacts becomes increasingly important as it contributes to research in this area and may be seen the results of environmental and socioeconomic impacts, especially in the city of Manacapuru-AM. This research demonstrates the importance of natural resources in the questioning of economic development with environmental preservation. Thus, in geographical science can say that the theme \"Natural Resource\", requires an approach that considers the social and natural. On the one hand, the feature is something to which it refers, so it is historical, the other is natural and requires knowledge of the dynamics of nature to understand their occurrence and distribution on the surface or crust. This research has developed on-site checking the relevance of deployment of the Urucu-Coari-Manaus analyzing the social and economic aspects in that municipality.

Influences on Foster Care Reentry Rate looked at demographic and socioeconomic characteristics in each state within the United States. Those characteristics were then studied to see how they related to foster care reentry rates. Then, a case study analysis was conducted on three states, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Tennessee, because of their similarity in demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and divergence in foster care reentry rates. The case analysis was an in depth pursuit of differences in each of the state's policies that may be a driving force of higher reentry rates.

The increase in the number of parents who decide not to enroll their children into a formal kindergarten once they become of age has triggered questions of what impacts readiness. The act of redshirting has doubled since 1980. Redshirting is simply delaying a child’s entry into kindergarten by 1 year after they become age eligible to enroll. Parents want to make sure that with high stakes testing, a more demanding curriculum, and an increase in rigorous standards that their children are ready to start kindergarten with the best opportunity for success. The purpose of this study was to examine how preschool and kindergarten teachers perceive age, gender, prior preschool experience, and socioeconomic status impact a child’s readiness for kindergarten upon school entry. The study was also an examination of perceptions of preschool and kindergarten teachers as to whether or not readiness can be determined by a readiness test. The design method chosen for this study was nonexperimental quantitative. Teachers responded to an online survey. The survey was distributed via email to preschool and kindergarten teachers who were employed in 2 rural east Tennessee counties. This study included the responses of 46 participants who chose to respond to the survey.

The implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS, 2013), No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and the Race to the Top initiative of 2009 has placed a greater emphasis on high stakes testing. A renewed emphasis on math education for all students and their ability to succeed in high school mathematics place new challenges on today’s classroom teachers. Although the belief is that with new standards and best teaching strategies students will improve their test scores, there are multiple factors that can serve as deterrents to the success in mathematics for at-risk high school students (Balfanz, 2009). The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship of at-risk indicators attendance, family composition, socioeconomic status (as measured by free and reduced priced meals), grade retention, special education status, number of discipline referrals, students who are English language learners (ELL), and gender with student performance in high school mathematics. Using archived data from the student management system of a rural county school in Northeast Tennessee, data were gathered for 412 high school freshmen attending the county’s 4 high schools. There were 8 research questions with corresponding null hypotheses. Each research question was analyzed with a series of independent t-tests or Pearson correlation coefficient tests. All data were analyzed at the .05 level of significance. Findings from the data indicated a significant difference in the mean scores on the algebra I end of course (EOC) assessment with 5 at-risk factors. Mean scores for students from two-parent families were higher than students from single-parent families. Mean scores for students not from low socioeconomic status were higher than students from low socioeconomic status. Mean scores for students that had not been retained where higher than students that had been retained. Mean scores for students that did not receive special education services were higher than students that did receive special education services. Mean scores for female students were higher than male students. Findings for the data also indicated negative relationships between the students’ score on the end of course assessment and the number of days absent from school and the number of discipline referrals received.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how the age structure of Utah's population has changed since the turn of the century and how it is likely to change during the next quarter of a century. It is also to study selected demographic characteristics and special distribution of the aged population of Utah which are fundamental prerequisites to understanding the problems confronting Utah's aged. This study also analyzes some socioeconomic characteristics of the aged population. Some significant findings are inadequate income, inadequate housing, living arrangement, unemployability, etc. Future growth of the aged population was derived from the projection of Utah's population from 1970 to 2000 prepared by a component method of population projection which projects the population by component of birth, death and migra~ion. The projection assumes a declining fertility up to 1985 after which the fertility will remain constant, and declining of mortality and the continuous migration observed during the 1960-70 period.

Data from 7285 individual participants in the USDA Spring Nationwide Food Consumption Survey were analyzed using the nutrient density concept and multiple regression procedures to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status on the nutritional quality of foods consumed. For each socioeconomic group the average daily amount of nutrients consumed per 1000 kcal of food consumed were computed and compared with the Recommended Dietary Allowances which had been converted to single-value nutrient allowances per 1000 kcal. This nutrient density approach identified qualitative patterns of food consumption for selected income, region, urbanization, household size, race, employment and education groups as well as indicating the degree to which these groups met the RDA. Results demonstrated that socioeconomic status had relatively little impact upon the average nutrient density of diets consumed by the population. Income level had no statistically significant effect upon the nutritional quality of diets for any of the fourteen nutrients studied. Household size affected nutrient density consumption of fat, carbohydrate, vitamin s6 and vitamin C. Race affected calcium, magnesium, vitamin A and thiamin density of diets. Other socioeconomic factors were significantly related to only one or two nutrients. The differences in average nutrient density of diets resulted from differences in the quality of foods consumed from the Basic Four (nutrient-dense) Plus One (calorie-dense) food groups and not from differences in the percent contribution of these two food groups to nutrient intake per 1000 kcal. Average diets for all socioeconomic groups were below nutrient density standards for calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin B6 and carbohydrate. There was also a high frequency of individuals with vitamins A and vitamin C intakes below nutrient density standards despite adequate group mean intakes per 1000 kcal for these nutrients. Results supported the hypothesis that, regardless of socioeconomic status, Americans consume diets that average very similar nutrient content per energy unit. This type of information contributes to a better understanding of dietary habits of Americans and provides a meaningful framework from which to establish guidelines for government agencies, nutrition educators and the food industry.