Azusa Pacific University

This study aims to present a systematic review of research on the key components necessary for parental involvement in public middle schools. There is limited research on how parental involvement contributes to a student's achievement, specifically in public middle schools. This systematic review seeks to identify the key components of parental involvement, the approaches used to engage parents, and the effectiveness of those components in enhancing the achievement of public middle school students in the United States. A qualitative methodological approach was employed, and six databases were searched to find relevant studies that adhered to the PRISMA 2020 protocol. In total, 14 studies revealed themes related to five research questions: (a) communication as a key component, (b) school-based parental involvement, (c) home-based parental involvement, (d) the engagement period for parental involvement after school, and (e) the effectiveness of these components. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for parents, teachers, school administrators, community members, Education Preparation Programs, and policymakers regarding the impact of parental involvement on middle school students.

OBJECTIVES:Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is the most common injury among masters runners. The single-leg horizontal hop test (SLHH) is a common return to running test utilized to assess the propulsive phase of running. The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinetic relationships between the SLHH test and running in masters runners with and without AT. DESIGN:Cross-Sectional Observational Study. SETTING:University Biomechanics Lab. PARTICIPANTS:Thirty-two master runners over age fifty were included, with 16 with AT (60.31 ± 8.37) and without AT (59.93 ± 4.95). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:3D motion capture and force plates were used to assess peak joint moments and powers during the SLHH and running. A simple linear regression was used to establish relationships. RESULTS:Masters runners with AT demonstrated SLHH peak lower extremity joint moments that were predictive of running peak lower extremity joint moments. Healthy masters runners demonstrated SLHH peak ankle plantarflexion moments that were predictive of running peak ankle plantarflexion moments. Both groups demonstrated SLHH peak ankle plantarflexion powers that were predictive of running peak ankle plantarflexion powers. CONCLUSIONS:The SLHH hop test may be an appropriate tool to predict running kinetics in masters runners with AT but not healthy masters runners.

This commentary reflects how well-intentioned Western interventions in global orphan care often perpetuate cycles of trauma, family separation, and systemic harm. Drawing on personal experience as a former foster youth and on field observations abroad, these reflections are grounded in dialogue with research on neuroscience, child development, and social policy. The discussion critiques donor-driven aid models, institutional care practices, and rescue-centered theologies that, despite sincere intentions, disrupt children’s development and sever vital family bonds. Particular attention is given to how institutionalization and voluntourism contribute to an entrenched “orphan economy” that privileges donor narratives over child welfare and sustains poverty-based family separation. In response, this commentary calls on both faith-based and secular humanitarian actors to adopt trauma-informed, family-preserving, and economically empowering approaches. Grounded in ethical imperatives from human rights and theological reflection, it argues for a systemic shift away from rescue-oriented frameworks toward collaborative, culturally respectful strategies that uphold the dignity and relational needs of vulnerable children. The contribution aims to advance scholarly and practitioner dialogue on reforming global orphan care to align humanitarian action with long-term healing and justice.

Research Questions: Using a sample of 56,807 community college students and 10,343 faculty from 105 community colleges, this study asked which faculty behaviors were associated with student learning, and if there were differences in those behaviors based on faculty type.Methods: Our two-stage analysis used data from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) and the Community College Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (CCFSSE). We used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to identify faculty practices that predict student learning, with a random-effects ANOVA model and a means-as-outcomes model. After identifying the faculty practices that most strongly predicted learning, we identified differences in frequency of their use based on faculty type.Results: Three of the four strongest indicators of student learning were an emphasis on (a) support to help students succeed, (b) contact among students from different backgrounds, and (c) amount of study time. Talking about career plans with an instructor or advisor predicted career learning, academic learning, and personal development. Full-time faculty, faculty teaching career and technical education, developmental faculty, and faculty who had taught a course more than 20 times used these effective practices more than other faculty.Conclusions: Introducing students to institutional support for their success was the strongest predictor in the model, but part-time faculty, faculty teaching only college-level courses, and faculty with less experience in a course engaged in this behavior less often than their peers. Part-time faculty may need more information about support available to students, and college-level faculty could benefit by emphasizing support services.

Hypertension is associated with obesity and vascular dysfunction in postmenopausal women (PMW). We examined the impact of obesity and hypertension on forearm muscle microvascular reactivity and its associations with macrovascular function and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in PMW aged 50-69 years. They were classified by waist circumference (WC) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) as non-obese (PMW-NOB, n = 15) and obese non-hypertensive (PMW-OB, n = 17), and obese hypertensive (PMW-HTN, n = 17). Microvascular function was measured by near-infrared spectroscopy-derived tissue oxygen saturation indices (reperfusion magnitude [TSIRMag], hyperemic response [TSIHRes], and area under the curve [TSIAUC2min]) during reactive hyperemia. Macrovascular function was assessed by aortic stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity [cfPWV]) and pressures (SBP, pulse [PP], augmentation [AP], forward wave [Pf], and backward wave [Pb]) using arterial tonometry. Abdominal obesity was assessed by WC and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry-derived VAT. WC and VAT, but not body mass index, were higher in PMW-HTN compared to PMW-NOB and PMW-OB (P < 0.01). TSIHRes and TSIAUC2min were lower in PMW-HTN compared to PMW-NOB and PMW-OB (P < 0.05). cfPWV, aortic SBP, PP, AP, Pf, Pb (all P < 0.05), and VAT (P < 0.01) were higher while plasma arginine was lower (P < 0.05) in PMW-HTN compared to PMW-NOB and PMW-OB. TSIHRes and TSIAUC2min were inversely associated with cfPWV, aortic pressures, and VAT (all P < 0.05). Our findings suggest that abdominal obesity with hypertension is characterized by micro-and macrovascular dysfunction in PMW. Greater VAT is associated with impaired microvascular reactivity, aortic stiffening, and increased aortic pressures.