First Grade Teachers\u27 Literacy Instructional Practices Influence on the Learning of Elementary School Students in English Language Arts (ELA) and Reading

This qualitative case study investigated the literacy educational practices of five general education first grade teachers in a charter school in Western New York. Charter schools typically hire teachers with less experience; therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how first grade teachers in English Language Arts (ELA) and reading modified their literacy instruction to support all students, including, but not limited to, students with a variety of different disabilities. Through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations, this study focused on how specific literacy instructional tools and teaching methods, such as the arts and/or technology, impacted students’ literacy learning

Rationalization of water treatment as a top priority goal of sustainable development of residential areas and improvement of environmental quality

The problem of searching for resource-saving and cost-effective technologies for cleaning rinsing water within the filter structures of waterworks remains relevant for many years. Most of contaminated wastewater of Sverdlovsk Region comes to the surface water bodies from Municipal Unitary Enterprise 'Vodokanal'. The solution of engineering tasks aimed at the environmental situation improvement in urban areas and water bodies protection from pollution subsequently requires continuous improvement of wastewater treatment methods. The paper examines the construction project of rinsing waters treatment unit of the filter station of Municipal Unitary Enterprise 'Vodokanal' with the formation of dehydrated sludge and provides the calculations of technical and economic parameters of the project. The project implementation is expected to result in a decrease of the man-caused environmental impact by eliminating the rinsing waters discharge, as well as by reducing the amount of water taken from the surface source into the technological process of potable water treatment. © 2018 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved

Evidence‐Based Survey Design: The Use of Negatively Worded Items in Surveys

A close examination of the literature on including positively and negatively worded items in structured survey questionnaires revealed that contrary to the traditional wisdom, it is better not to use a mix of positively and negatively worded items as doing so can create threats to validity and reliability of the survey instrument. If mixing, it is recommended to use strategies derived from research to improve the quality of data and the instrument validity and reliability

Motherhood and Me (Mom-Me): The Development of an Acceptance-Based Group for Women with Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Symptoms

Untreated postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) place women and their families at risk for negative biopsychosocial sequelae. Innovative and tailored treatments are needed to address potential disruptions in maternal functioning. Third-wave cognitive-behavioral approaches, including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), hold promise for optimizing functioning given the focus on values-based living, rather than symptom reduction. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of an innovative psychotherapy group for women with symptoms of PMADs. Methods: This seven-session group, Motherhood and Me (Mom-Me), includes selected skills training from ACT, DBT, and Emotion-Centered Problem-Solving Therapy. Results: Mom-Me group sessions are described, and an outline of key information (session goals, content, and homework assignments) is provided to facilitate practical implementation. Conclusion: In line with third-wave approaches, this group was developed to enhance maternal functioning, which, in turn, may help women cope with psychological distress during the transition to motherhood

The study of the spin-orbit and inner dynamics of the Moon: Lunar mission applications

In view of the forthcoming Lunar mission SELENE (Japan) with geodetic experiments on board and with an optical telescope on the lunar north pole, a contribution of the theory of lunar rotation in order to study of inner dynamics is considered. Our present knowledge of the interior structure is reviewed, and it is shown how the data from SELENE can be used to improve this knowledge. The emphasis is put on the evidences of lunar core existence and on the necessity to take this fact into account in the lunar libration theory. It is considered, that in accordance with the general properties of resonant motion the synchronous satellites execute some free oscillations in the neighborhood of the stationary periodic solutions (in the neighborhood of Cassini's motion). The periods of these librations are evaluated. The model of the two-layer Moon gives several normal rotational modes; one of them - the Free Core Nutation (FCN) - can play an important role in the determination of the core's parameters. © 2005 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Effects of extreme weather events on child mood and behavior

Extreme weather events (EWEs) are increasing in frequency and severity as the planet continues to become warmer. Resulting disasters have the potential to wreak havoc on the economy, infrastructure, family unit, and human health. Global estimates project that children will be disproportionately impacted by the changing climate – shouldering 88% of the related burdens. Exposure to EWEs in childhood is traumatic, with ramifications for mental health specifically. Symptoms of posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety have all been associated with childhood EWE exposure and have the potential to persist under certain circumstances. Conversely, many childhood survivors of EWE also demonstrate resilience and experience only transient symptoms. While the majority of studies are focused on the effects resulting from one specific type of disaster (hurricanes), we have synthesized the literature across the various types of EWEs. We describe psychological symptoms and behavior, the potential for long-term effects, and potential protective factors and risk factors

Parent’s Physical Activity Associated With Preschooler Activity in Underserved Populations

INTRODUCTION: In the U.S., children from low-income families are more likely to be obese. The impact of parent modeling of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors in low-income American ethnic minorities is unclear, and studies examining objective measures of preschooler and parent PA are sparse. METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined 1,003 parent-child pairs who were of low income, largely Latino and African American, and living in one of two geographically disparate metropolitan areas in the U.S. Parents and children wore GT3X/GT3X+ accelerometers for an average of >12 hours/day (7:00am-9:00pm) for 1 week (September 2012 to May 2014). Analysis occurred in 2015-2016. RESULTS: About 75% of children were Latino and >10% were African American. Mean child age was 3.9 years. The majority of children (60%) were normal weight (BMI ≥50th and <85th percentiles), and more than a third were overweight/obese. Children's total PA was 6.03 hours/day, with 1.5 hours spent in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). Covariate-adjusted models showed a monotonic, positive association between parent and child minutes of sedentary behavior (β=0.10, 95% CI=0.06, 0.15) and light PA (β=0.06; 95% CI=0.03, 0.09). Child and parent MVPA were positively associated up to 40 minutes/day of parent MVPA, but an inverse association was observed when parental MVPA was beyond 40 minutes/day (p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing parental PA and reducing sedentary behavior correlate with increased PA-related behaviors in children. However, more work is needed to understand the impact of high levels of parental MVPA on the MVPA levels of their children

Climate Change is an Emerging Threat to Perinatal Mental Health

Objective: In this discussion, we build the case for why climate change is an emerging threat to perinatal mental health. Method: A search of current literature on perinatal and maternal mental health and extreme weather events was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science databases. Only articles focusing on maternal mental health were included in this narrative review. Results: The perinatal period represents a potentially challenging timeframe for women for several reasons. Necessary role adjustments (reprioritization), changes in one’s ability to access pre-birth levels (and types) of social support, fluctuating hormones, changes in body shape, and possible complications during pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum are just a few of the factors that can impact perinatal mental health. Trauma is also a risk factor for negative mood symptoms and can be experienced as the result of many different types of events, including exposure to extreme weather/natural disasters. Conclusion: While the concepts of “eco-anxiety,” “climate despair,” and “climate anxiety” have garnered attention in the mainstream media, there is little to no discussion of how the climate crisis impacts maternal mental health. This is an important omission as the mother’s mental health impacts the family unit as a whole