University of North Carolina at Charlotte

About: University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a education organization based out in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 8772 authors who have published 22239 publications receiving 562529 citations. The organization is also known as: UNC Charlotte & UNCC.

Partisan Monetary Policies: Presidential Influence Through the Power of Appointment

Abstract: We investigate the channels through which partisan influence from a Presidential administration could affect monetary policy-making. Influence could be a result of direct Presidential pressure exerted on members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), or it could be a result of partisan considerations in Presidential appointments to the Board of Governors. To investigate these two channels of influence, we devise and apply a method for estimating parameters of monetary policy reaction functions that can vary across individual members of the FOMC. Our results suggest that the appointments process is the primary mechanism by which partisan differences in monetary policies arise.

Psychometric Analysis and Revision of the Opinions Relative to Mainstreaming Scale

Abstract: This article provides supporting evidence for the use of a revised version of the Opinions Relative to Mainstreaming (ORM) scale. Analyses of data produced by a test of the revised scale, the Opinions Relative to Integration of Students with Disabilities (ORI), indicated satisfactory item characteristics and adequate reliability and homogeneity. Initial support for ORI's construct validity was demonstrated by the results of regression analyses relating ORI scores to respondent sociodemographic and experiential data and scores on the Scale of Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons (SADP). The ORI should prove useful to researchers evaluating the attitudes of educators toward the integration of students with disabilities into general education classrooms.

Induction of NFATc2 Expression by Interleukin 6 Promotes T Helper Type 2 Differentiation

Abstract: Interleukin (IL)-6 is produced by professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) such as B cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells. It has been previously shown that APC-derived IL-6 promotes the differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells into effector T helper type 2 (Th2) cells. Here, we have studied the molecular mechanism for IL-6–mediated Th2 differentiation. During the activation of CD4+ T cells, IL-6 induces the production of IL-4, which promotes the differentiation of these cells into effector Th2 cells. Regulation of IL-4 gene expression by IL-6 is mediated by nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), as inhibition of NFAT prevents IL-6–driven IL-4 production and Th2 differentiation. IL-6 upregulates NFAT transcriptional activity by increasing the levels of NFATc2. The ability of IL-6 to promote Th2 differentiation is impaired in CD4+ T cells that lack NFATc2, demonstrating that NFATc2 is required for regulation of IL-4 gene expression by IL-6. Regulation of NFATc2 expression and NFAT transcriptional activity represents a novel pathway by which IL-6 can modulate gene expression.

Examining student decisions to adopt Web 2.0 technologies: theory and empirical tests

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine student awareness of the pedagogical benefits of Web 2.0 to supplement in-class learning and to better understand factors that influence student decisions to adopt these tools, using the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB). Findings indicated that while many students feel that some Web 2.0 applications can be effective at increasing satisfaction with a course, improving their learning and their writing ability, and increasing student interaction with other students and faculty; few choose to use them in educational contexts. Additional results indicated that student attitudes and their subjective norms are strong indicators of their intentions to use Web 2.0.