Sit, Stay, Support! Exploring Canine-Assisted Activities with Individuals with Disabilities

Research describing animal-assisted activities (AAA) and their impact on young children have been documented, albeit sparingly, in the research base. This emerging base includes AAA efforts with “reluctant readers” (e.g., Lane & Zavada, 2013) and developing readers (e.g., Linder, Mueller, Gibbs, Alper, & Freeman, 2018). Scorzato et al. (2017) reported evidence from their pilot study on the behavior, communication, and social skills with adults with severe to profound intellectual disabilities. Fung (2017) noted that most animal-assisted related research to date has been focused on more therapeutic purposes, being delivered by health-care professionals. However, there has been more literature prevalent in the past few decades describing canine-assisted reading programs in public libraries; yet, there are few controlled studies which show clear measures of outcomes. Additionally, efforts have generally taken root in more urban areas (i.e., see www.sitstayread.org). Fung continued, making a case for canine-assisted activities (CAA) which focused on reading with participants being students with disabilities. She noted that canines could be used as a non-judgmental audience, as a speech elicitor, as a comfort companion, and as a younger sibling, allowing the child with a disability to become a caretaker to build self-esteem. The purpose of this presentation is to provide a description of law, the hierarchy of CAA, and research regarding animal-assistance strategies and programs. Target Audience: Educator

Self-perceptions of Gifted Achievers and Underachievers: A Phenomenological Study

Although much research exists on the academic benefits of ability grouping for highly gifted students, and considerable numbers of studies are reported in the literature concerning the emotional and social adjustment of these talented students, there is a lack of information on the reasons for the distinct disparity in the levels of achievement attained by members of this group. This study investigated, from the perceptions of the students themselves, what school factors make the difference in their motivation to succeed. The researcher examined the academic and later careers of seven gifted young people, and interviewed three of their teachers as well. The primary method of data collection was through open-ended, in-depth interviews. The findings of the study revealed that 100% of participants believed that ability grouping for high ability students was crucial to their success, and that teaching style and teacher expectations were also vitally important. The role of guidance counselors in helping this cohort to become motivated and engaged in their own education is addressed, as is the role of self-confidence in the achievement of gifted students. The effects of extra-curricular activities and acceleration are discussed as well. Finally, recommendations for educators of gifted students are offered, along with suggestions for further research

Induktion von veränderten Metabolitenprofilen in Streptomyceten durch Umweltfaktoren: Kokultivierung von Streptomyces avermitilis und Pseudomonas fluorescens und von Streptomyces coelicolor unter Schwermetallionenstress

The cultivation with non kind microorganisms induces the production of antibacterial secondary metabolites in microbes. In S. avermitilis such reaction could be monitored by analyzing the frequently observed guttation droplets, which might serve as reservoir for secondary metabolites in streptomycetes and fungi. Analyses showed that S. avermitilis formed guttation droplets mainly contained sucrose. S. avermitilis produced the sucrose from the nutrients of the medium. As reaction coculture with P. fluorescens the reduction of available sucrose amount was detected. This suggests that the sucrose could serve as energy storage, which is mobilized under the competitive pressure in the mixed culture. As well as non kind microorganisms have certain metal ions a stimulating effect on the secondary metabolism of streptomycetes. Therefore, the effects of cobalt ion stress Streptomyces coelicolor were characterized systematically. Relatively high concentration of cobalt ion in the medium induced the differentiation of a red and a blue colored phenotype of S. coelicolor. GC-MS analysis indicates that the two pigmented phenotypes produce a volatile profile different from the wild type. The volatile emission of S. coelicolor was characterized by the reduction of terpene release under cobalt ion stress. Specifically the red phenotype produced 2-tridecanone and undecylpyrrole, whereas the blue phenotype intensified its isozizaene emission. The formation of undecylprodigiosin as well as butylcycloheptylprodigiosin in the red colonies, and γ-actinorhodin, in the blue colonies was detected. These polyketides considerably contributed to pigmentation of the colored colonies. The gene expression of the colored phenotypes under cobalt ion stress was differentially regulated compared to the wild type. It can be concluded, that the development of an altered metabolite profile in S. coelicolor under cobalt ion stress is based on characteristic patterns in gene expression

AFLP-based genetic mapping of the " bud-flowering" trait in heather (Calluna vulgaris)

Background: Calluna vulgaris is one of the most important landscaping plants produced in Germany. Its enormous economic success is due to the prolonged flower attractiveness of mutants in flower morphology, the so-called bud-bloomers. In this study, we present the first genetic linkage map of C. vulgaris in which we mapped a locus of the economically highly desired trait " flower type" .Results: The map was constructed in JoinMap 4.1. using 535 AFLP markers from a single mapping population. A large fraction (40%) of markers showed distorted segregation. To test the effect of segregation distortion on linkage estimation, these markers were sorted regarding their segregation ratio and added in groups to the data set. The plausibility of group formation was evaluated by comparison of the " two-way pseudo-testcross" and the " integrated" mapping approach. Furthermore, regression mapping was compared to the multipoint-likelihood algorithm. The majority of maps constructed by different combinations of these methods consisted of eight linkage groups corresponding to the chromosome number of C. vulgaris.Conclusions: All maps confirmed the independent inheritance of the most important horticultural traits " flower type" , " flower colour" , and " leaf colour". An AFLP marker for the most important breeding target " flower type" was identified. The presented genetic map of C. vulgaris can now serve as a basis for further molecular marker selection and map-based cloning of the candidate gene encoding the unique flower architecture of C. vulgaris bud-bloomers.BLE (Federal Office of Agriculture and Food, Germany)/511–06.01-28-1-43.038-0

Nutzung molekularer Marker in der Züchtung von Heide (Calluna vulgaris)

ZusammenfassungZur Unterstützung der Züchtung von knospenblühender Sommerheide (Calluna vulgaris) wurde die Vererbung des Merkmals „Knospenblütigkeit“ in verschiedenen spaltenden Rückkreuzungspopulationen untersucht. Aufgrund der analysierten Spaltungsverhältnisse wird von einem monogen-rezessiven Erbgang ausgegangen. RAPD- und ISSR-Marker wurden zur Untersuchung der Größe des genetischen Pools der Art C. vulgaris verwendet, und ein Verfahren zur Identifikation sogenannter „abgeleiteter Sorten“ wurde für diese Pflanzenart angepasst. Zudem wurde nach molekularen Markern für das ökonomisch wichtige Merkmal „Blütentyp“ gesucht, die eine Selektion auf dieses Merkmal bereits im Jungpflanzenstadium ermöglichen würden. Sowohl für RAPD- als auch für AFLP-Marker wurden ausschließlich Marker für das dominante Allel „Einfachblüher“ gefunden.Die dargestellten Ergebnisse fassen mehrere Arbeiten zur Züchtungsforschung an knospenblühender Sommerheide zusammen.Stichwörter: AFLP, ISSR, Knospenblüher, Marker-gestützte Selektion, RAPD, SortenidentifizierungUse of molecular markers in breeding of heather (Calluna vulgaris)AbstractIn order to assist breeding of bud-flowering heather (Calluna vulgaris) the inheritance of the trait “budflowering” has been analyzed in various segregating backcross populations. From the resulting segregation ratios a monogenic recessive inheritance was deduced. RAPD- and ISSR-markers have been used for evaluation of the genetic pool of C. vulgaris, and a technique for identification of “essentially derived varieties” has been adapted for this species. Moreover, it has been searched for molecular markers of the economically important trait “flower type” that would allow selection already in the seedling stage. However, both RAPD as well as AFLP-markers have only been found for the dominant wild-type allele.In the current review various publications on breeding research of bud-flowering heather are summarized.Keywords: AFLP, bud-flowers, cultivar identification, ISSR, marker-assisted selection, RAP

How do medical students learn conceptual knowledge? High-, moderate- and low-utility learning techniques and perceived learning difficulties

Background: Acquiring medical knowledge is a key competency for medical students and a lifelong requirement for physicians. Learning techniques can improve academic success and help students cope with stressors. To support students' learning process medical faculties should know about learning techniques. The purpose of this study is to analyse the preferred learning techniques of female and male as well as junior and senior medical students and how these learning techniques are related to perceived learning difficulties. Methods: In 2019, we conducted an online survey with students of the undergraduate, competency-based curriculum of medicine at Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin. We chose ten learning techniques of high, moderate and low utility according to Dunlosky et al. (2013) and we asked medical students to rate their preferred usage of those techniques using a 5-point Likert scale. We applied t-tests to show differences in usage between female and male as well as junior and senior learners. Additionally, we conducted a multiple regression analysis to explore the predictive power of learning techniques regarding perceived difficulties. Results: A total of 730 medical students (488 women, 242 men, M-age = 24.85, SD = 4.49) use three techniques the most: 'highlighting' (low utility), 'self-explanation' (moderate utility) and 'practice testing' (high utility). Female students showed a significantly higher usage of low-utility learning techniques (t(404.24) = -7.13, p < .001) and a higher usage of high-utility learning techniques (t(728) = -2.50, p < .05) than male students (M = 3.55, SD = .95). Compared to junior students (second to sixth semester; M = 3.65, SD = .71), senior students (seventh semester to final clerkship year; M = 3.52, SD = .73) showed a lower use of low-utility learning techniques (t(603) = 2.15, p < .05). Usage of low-utility techniques is related to more difficulties (beta = .08, t(724) = 2.13, p < .05). Usage of moderate-utility techniques is related to less learning difficulties (beta = -.13, t(599) = -3.21, p < .01). Conclusions: Students use a wide range of low-, moderate- and high-utility learning techniques. The use of learning techniques has an influence on the difficulties perceived by students. Therefore, they could benefit from knowing about and using high-utility learning techniques to facilitate their learning. Faculties should inform their students about effective learning and introduce them to useful learning techniques

Divalent Transition-Metal-Ion Stress Induces Prodigiosin Biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor M145 : Formation of Coeligiosins

The bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor M145 reacts to transition-metal-ion stress with myriad growth responses, leading to different phenotypes. In particular, in the presence of Co2+ ions (0.7 mM) S. coelicolor consistently produced a red phenotype. This phenotype, when compared to the wild type, differed strongly in its production of volatile compounds as well as high molecular weight secondary metabolites. LC-MS analysis revealed that in the red phenotype the production of the prodigiosins, undecylprodigiosin and streptorubin B, was strongly induced and, in addition, several intense signals appeared in the LC-MS chromatogram. Using LC-MS/MS and NMR spectroscopy, two new prodigiosin derivatives were identified, that is, coeligiosin A and B, which contained an additional undecylpyrrolyl side chain attached to the central carbon of the tripyrrole ring system of undecylprodigiosin or streptorubin B. This example demonstrates that environmental factors such as heavy metal ion stress can not only induce the production of otherwise not observed metabolites from so called sleeping genes but alter the products from well-studied biosynthetic pathways