Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: factor; FGF-23; phosphatonin; microarray; expression; phosphate; time; gene; RT-PCR; growth; fibroblast. Includes bibliographical references (p. 127-136).

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-03, Section: B, page: 1570. Advisers: Michael E. Scheurer; Jan M. Risser. Includes bibliographical references.

Canada’s 1991 ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) means that policies to eliminate commercial sexual exploitation should be implemented equally for all children, without discrimination. However, Aboriginal peoples are disproportionately represented among Canada’s population of commercially sexually exploited children and youth. They are also more likely to experience the primary risk factors for commercial sexual exploitation – poverty, exposure to violence, and involvement in the child welfare system. I conducted a policy analysis examining the implementation in Canada of the CRC Articles related to the primary predictors of commercial sexual exploitation of children, to determine whether they are being implemented differentially for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. The findings revealed that although Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children obtained identical scores on the quantitative measures, the implementation of the relevant rights standards differed substantially across the two populations, as evident in differential funding and service provision for the two groups.

Advanced placement courses are designed to be innovative and rigorous and also encourage and promote critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. Currently, most high schools across the United States offer advanced placement courses with the intent that students enrolled in such courses will be prepared for entering and completing college courses. While advanced placement courses are intended to promote enriched learning experiences for all students, the enrollment of Latino students in high school advanced placement courses is low as compared to other student groups excluding African American students (College Board, 2010). Despite reports, studies, and literature surrounding equity and access in the advanced placement program, research and literature is limited with respect to identifying factors that influence the enrollment in advanced placement courses in high schools from the perspective of Latino students. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence Latino students in their decision to enroll and participate in advanced placement courses in high schools. Moreover, identifying factors that influence enrollment in advanced placement courses from the perspective of the Latino student was critical to analyzing current practice and informing future strategies for increasing enrollment in high school advanced placement courses. This qualitative case study provided rich, descriptive data drawn from student experiences and perceptions from individual interviews that allowed for flexibility and opportunities for further exploration of topics or ideas that emerged from the research to best identify the factors that influence enrollment in advanced placement courses. / text

School engagement is associated with higher achievement and lower school drop- out rates. Teacher, peer, and parent relationships are critical in the development of school engagement. However, most researchers have looked at the effects of these relationships on school engagement in isolation. Also, few studies have looked at how the impact of these relationships on school engagement may vary as the result of school attended, age, gender, and race. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the growing body of research exploring the mechanisms that underlie the socio-emotional antecedents of school engagement. A theoretical framework for the examination of school engagement as an assessment of how well family, teacher, and peer relationships are meeting students' needs drew from Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological model and Catalano and Hawkins (1996) social development model. Latent variable structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze an archival data set that included 2,217 students in grades 6 through 8 attending three public middle schools in Texas. Results indicated that reported levels of school engagement were explained primarily by peer and teacher relationships. Family context played an indirect role on school engagement, via its influence on peer and teacher relationships. Grade, gender, and race also impacted how relational factors influenced school engagement. Results highlight the importance of positive relationships with family, peers, and teachers, in increasing the development of school engagement. Results also highlight taking into account the unique needs of the student based on his or her age, gender, and ethnic background when designing interventions for school engagement. / text

Increasing national emphasis on college completion and affordability has prompted institutional efforts to focus on increasing efficient degree attainment within four-years. Traditional predictors of four-year graduation, Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) scores and high school grade point average (GPA) may disproportionately negatively impact the enrollment of African American and Latino students who are more likely to receive lower scores on these metrics. This study sought to identify quantifiable non-academic metrics that can assist to predict bachelor's degree attainment in four years for African Americans and Latinos who do not meet typical standardized testing and scoring predictors. A regression analysis was performed on CIRP Freshmen Survey data for University of Texas at Austin students first enrolled in fall 2008 to assess the strength of Freshmen Survey constructs and student-level financial aid to predict graduation within a four-year timeframe. The results showed that the combined consideration of select variables increased the accuracy of prediction by over seven percentage points; moreover, two factors, holding a positive self-concept and likelihood of college involvement, demonstrated statistical significance within the model. While there are several study limitations, the findings offer support for further exploration of a model for predicting four-year graduation that considers non-academic data elements. / text

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

published_or_final_version / Community Medicine / Master / Master of Public Health

published_or_final_version / Biochemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy