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In an effort to develop and support high quality urban school leaders, this study examined what factors affect pre-service urban school leaders’ perception of preparedness for performing instructional leadership activities. The findings revealed that participating in a leadership training program is the only significant factor that predicts urban educators’ scores on instructional leadership readiness measures. By examining perception of preparedness of aspiring urban school leaders the findings contribute to our understanding about some perspectives to prepare and develop urban school leaders solve large and complex problems related to the curriculum, instruction and assessment. Implications for preparing performance ready school leaders in high need urban schools are further discussed. © Official Publication of EARDA-Turkish Educational Administration Research and Development Association.

We report measurements of the nuclear modification factor RCP for charged hadrons as well as identified π+(−), K+(−), and p(¯p) for Au+Au collision energies of √sNN=7.7, 11.5, 14.5, 19.6, 27, 39, and 62.4 GeV. We observe a clear high-pT net suppression in central collisions at 62.4 GeV for charged hadrons which evolves smoothly to a large net enhancement at lower energies. This trend is driven by the evolution of the pion spectra but is also very similar for the kaon spectra. While the magnitude of the proton RCP at high pT does depend on the collision energy, neither the proton nor the antiproton RCP at high pT exhibit net suppression at any energy. A study of how the binary collision-scaled high-pT yield evolves with centrality reveals a nonmonotonic shape that is consistent with the idea that jet quenching is increasing faster than the combined phenomena that lead to enhancement.

Recent work with the NESSI speckle camera at Kitt Peak and the 'Alopeke speckle camera at Gemini-North indicates that speckle data reduction techniques can be successfully modified to produce high-resolution images over fields that are at least tens of arc seconds across. While these wide-field speckle image reconstructions are not diffraction-limited, the improvement in resolution over the seeing-limited case can be substantial. In this paper, we explore the application of these techniques to data taken with a small (0.6-m) telescope in an urban environment. Many telescopes located in urban communities, such as New Haven, Connecticut, where Southern Connecticut State University resides, have limited use scientifically due to substantial light pollution, poor seeing, poor telescope tracking, and other issues. We will present initial data using our set-up and discuss the potential for this approach for improving the imaging capabilities of small telescopes on our campus and beyond.

The Southern Connecticut Stellar Interferometer (SCSI) is a two-telescope astronomical intensity interferometer that was completed in June 2016 and has been taking photon correlation data since that time. It uses single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors at the telescope focal plane and a central timing module, which records the signals from both telescopes simultaneously. In the observations taken to date, single-pixel SPADs have been connected to signal cables that stretch from each telescope to the timing module. However, we are now in the process of making the instrument “wireless” by using a separate timing module at each telescope and synchronizing the signals recorded using GPS timing cards. We have also upgraded one of the two stations with an 8-pixel SPAD device, which allows us to achieve higher count rates in a variety of observing conditions. In this paper, we report on the current state of the instrument, including engineering tests made in preparation for wireless operation, and we discuss the expected capabilities in that mode.

The Southern Connecticut Stellar Interferometer (SCSI) is a portable optical intensity interferometer located on the campus of Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut. Since its completion in 2016, the instrument has been used to take engineering data of bright stars. This paper will discuss the data collection and analysis methods, as well as the progress toward reliably measuring a significant stellar photon correlation. Vega has been the main star chosen for test observations to date because its diameter is well known by other methods, and it is not an extended source for the baselines used. The correlation peak in the processed data is compared to theoretical expectations. Given our expected sensitivity, a significant correlation peak is expected for small baselines (~2 m) to appear after a few hours of observation. So far, the observations indicate that the correlation peak is at the expected time delay, and the signal-to-noise ratio roughly scales as predicted.

Transiting exoplanets in young open clusters present opportunities to study how exoplanets evolve over their lifetimes. Recently, significant progress detecting transiting planets in young open clusters has been made with the K2 mission, but so far all of these transiting cluster planets orbit close to their host stars, so planet evolution can only be studied in a high-irradiation regime. Here, we report the discovery of a long-period planet candidate, called HD 283869 b, orbiting a member of the Hyades cluster. Using data from the K2 mission, we detected a single transit of a super-Earth-sized (1.96 0.12 R ⊕) planet candidate orbiting the K-dwarf HD 283869 with a period longer than 72 days. As we only detected a single-transit event, we cannot validate HD 283869 b with high confidence, but our analysis of the K2 images, archival data, and follow-up observations suggests that the source of the event is indeed a transiting planet. We estimated the candidate's orbital parameters and find that if real, it has a period P ≈ 100 days and receives approximately Earth-like incident flux, giving the candidate a 71% chance of falling within the circumstellar habitable zone. If confirmed, HD 283869 b would have the longest orbital period, lowest incident flux, and brightest host star of any known transiting planet in an open cluster, making it uniquely important to future studies of how stellar irradiation affects planetary evolution. © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..

Exclusionary behaviors can be detrimental to the health and well-being of faculty in the workplace. When colleagues are judged by their peers because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, their gender, or who they choose to love (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, or questioning), affected faculty are left emotionally and physically vulnerable. Institutions of higher learning must set standards of zero tolerance for faculty-to-faculty incivility. With standards taken from each faculty discipline, codes of conduct can be implemented not only at a departmental level, but also throughout the educational system.

It is well established that roughly half of all nearby solar-type stars have at least one companion. Stellar companions can have significant implications for the detection and characterization of exoplanets, including triggering false positives and masking the true radii of planets. Determining the fraction of exoplanet host stars that are also binaries allows us to better determine planetary characteristics as well as establish the relationship between binarity and planet formation. Using high angular resolution speckle imaging, we detect stellar companions within ∼1 arcsec of K2 planet-candidate host stars. Comparing our detected companion rate to TRILEGAL star count simulations and known detection limits of speckle imaging, we estimate the binary fraction of K2 planet host stars to be 40%-50%, similar to that of Kepler exoplanet hosts and field stars. © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

The Gene Book: Explorations in the Code of Life is designed to introduce undergraduate college students to foundational concepts in genetics. The text provides in-depth coverage of the essential principles of genetics, from Mendel to molecular gene therapy, and reads like a story, guiding readers through each of these areas in an interesting, engaging, and enlightening way.  Milestone scientific discoveries introduce conceptual topics in each of the 10 chapters. The significance of each genetics paradigm is reinforced by the meaningful research context in which it is placed, whether the focus is single gene inheritance of disorders such as PKU and cystic fibrosis, or more complex genetic phenomena. Chromosomes, cell division, and cytogenetic disorders, including Down Syndrome and leukemia, are presented in a riveting historical context. In addition, the principles of molecular genetics are a major focus of this book. Students learn about the double helix, DNA replication, gene expression, mutation, natural selection, genomics, and the tools of molecular DNA analysis.  Approachable and effective, The Gene Book is a highly readable comprehensive text on genetics principles designed to highlight essential concepts that make up their very core. The text is well suited to undergraduate genetics courses and can also be used as a primer for more advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in medial or molecular genetics.Sarah Adelaide Crawford is professor of genetics at Southern Connecticut State University. Dr. Crawford received a Ph.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, an M.S. degree in biochemistry from Princeton University, and a B.S. degree from Marymount Manhattan College. She is director of the Cancer Biology Research Laboratory and the recently opened the Autism Research Laboratory at the Southern Connecticut State University.

Using Fahrenheit 451 as a model for reading in the age of spectacle, this paper offers a critique of reading curriculum driven by Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CCSS-ELA), which divorces reading from dialogue and lived experience.  Drawing on Debord’s (1967/1983) notion of spectacle, the author considers how our current cultural moment may be shaping and shaped by an alienated and alienating curriculum of reading.  By embracing the political implications of reading curriculum, we can reclaim reading as a dialogic activity grounded in the world.

To determine the present situation regarding services provided to mobile users in US urban libraries, the authors surveyed 138 Urban Libraries Council members utilizing a combination of mobile visits, content analysis, and librarian interviews. The results show that nearly 95% of these libraries have at least one mobile website, mobile catalog, or mobile app. The libraries actively applied new approaches to meet each local community’s remote-access needs via new technologies, including app download links, mobile reference services, scan ISBN, location navigation, and mobile printing. Mobile services that libraries provide today are timely, convenient, and universally applicable.

This work examines expressions of personal hostility and animosity toward presidents―even beloved ones―throughout American history and their impact on policymaking, politics, and culture.• Investigates a unique form of expressions of hatred toward American presidents, focusing on the personal rather than the political• Covers every president from Washington to Trump• Includes coverage of personal attacks on First Families• Details how presidents and allies responded to these attacks

Effective leadrship talent management practices are important components of successful organizations. This correlational quantitative study is designed to inform educational leadership training programs in their work to revise their curricula and to utilize the candidates’ perception data to ensure successful program delivery and outcomes. Particularly, the findings of this study aim to inform educational leadership preparation practices on developing talent managers who can recruit, hire, retain, and support the most talented and high qualified teachers, as well as support staff available in the education job market. Results indicate that after completing the first year of educational leadership training only around half of the aspiring school leaders felt performance or impact ready to serve as talent managers, in order to select and develop highly qualified educators to increase the success of all students. The findings also suggest the importance of understanding how various factors predict an individual’s perception of preparedness to perform talent management leadership activities. Therefore, the study results may serve to enrich conversations of educational leadership training programs, guide program evaluation efforts, and help ensure candidates in educational leadership programs are exposed to talent management and strategies in their coursework. This may help future school leaders clearly and purposefully apply their knowledge and skills.

Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and their adult counterparts (ATCKs) refer to individuals who spent part of their developmental years abroad and are an important demographic to study in this rapidly globalizing world. To date, the bulk of the research on (A)TCKs has been descriptive and little is known about their developmental trajectories in adulthood. The major objective of this study was to examine the personality traits, dimensions of well-being, and cognitive-affective styles of ATCKs across the adult life span using well-validated psychological measures. A subsidiary goal was to develop a new multidimensional international experiences scale to assess levels of multicultural engagement in ATCKs. The participants in this study (N = 700+; age = 18-80+) were recruited from the Alumni Office of an international school in Japan. Somewhat contrary to how they are often depicted in the news media and in qualitative studies, the ATCKs showed normative changes in personality and well-being in the direction of greater maturity and adjustment during adulthood, with those reporting higher levels of multicultural engagement generally exhibiting a more resilient personality profile, higher levels of well-being, and more adaptive cognitive and affective styles.

Prayer is viewed in modern medicine as a complimentary alternative treatment. However, to many patients, it is a source of hope and comfort. Patients, when facing illness, advanced disease, disability or death, can benefit from prayer. For healthcare providers, comfort with praying with patients can be deemed as unprofessional conduct or blurred therapeutic boundaries, particularly, when prayer is offered to patients' unsolicited by the patient or their family member(s). Therefore, it is imperative that healthcare providers await the request of prayer by the patient before prayer is initiated.

Family business research typically views family firms using the frameworks developed for non-family businesses (e.g., agency theory, institutional theory). Thus, using an evolutionary perspective on family may help address gaps in the family business literature, particularly regarding deviance. In the current study, we use kin selection theory to predict that family members receive preferential treatment and this history of privileges can create entitlement and lead genetically-related employees to misuse company resources. Using an experimental vignette methodology and data from 161 people recruited from an online panel, we found that the participants' purported genetic relatedness to the owner of a business increased their theft intentions and decreased their expected severity of sanctions and likelihood of being reported. Biological sex moderated the relationships between genetic relatedness and theft intentions, as well as between expectations of punishment and theft intentions. Specifically, when females expected higher severity of sanctions or likelihood of whistleblowing, they were less likely to report theft intentions, compared to males. The results of this study suggest that family business owners should protect against theft by all employees, including genetic relatives. Future research using field samples would help provide context for these findings. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The purpose of this commentary was to describe the barriers and facilitators to mental health screening efforts for children between age 5 and 18 years within three primary care clinics in poverty-impacted communities as part of an integrated care model. Three screeners, two women and one male, participated in a screening effort between September and December 2015. Screeners were interviewed about their perceptions of barriers and facilitators to screening. Organizational, family, and screener-level factors were found to influence delivery of screenings to children. Given the benefits of screening in primary care settings, identifying barriers to these initiatives and ways to address them pre-emptively could potentially alter the developmental trajectory and outcomes of children at risk for serious mental health conditions. © 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis.

A metallicity, chemical composition, and kinematic survey has been conducted for a sample of 340 candidate field red horizontal-branch (RHB) stars. Spectra with high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio were gathered with the McDonald Observatory 2.7 m Tull and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope echelle spectrographs, and were used to determine effective temperatures, surface gravities, microturbulent velocities, [Fe/H] metallicities, and abundance ratios [X/Fe] for seven α and Fe-group species. The derived temperatures and gravities confirm that at least half of the candidates are true RHB stars, with (average) parameters T eff ∼ 5000 K and log g ∼ 2.5. From the α abundances alone, the thin and thick Galactic populations are apparent in our sample. Space motions for 90% of the program stars were computed from Hipparcos and Gaia parallaxes and proper motions. Correlations between chemical compositions and Galactic kinematics clearly indicate the existence of both thin-disk and thick-disk RHB stars. © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..

The results of speckle interferometric observations at the 4.1 m Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope in 2016 and 2017 are given, totaling 2483 measurements of 1570 resolved pairs and 609 non-resolutions. We describe briefly recent changes in the instrument and observing method and quantify the accuracy of the pixel scale and position angle calibration. Comments are given on 44 pairs resolved here for the first time. The orbital motion of the newly resolved subsystem BU 83 Aa,Ab roughly agrees with its 36-year astrometric orbit proposed by J. Dommanget. Most Tycho binaries examined here turned out to be spurious. © 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..