Food and Energy for All

When asked what plants need for photosynthesis, many students can correctly recall the reaction equation and state that plants require CO2, H2O, and light. Many students, however, do not understand that these reactants are the raw materials plants use to make sugars and instead believe that they are food for plants. Moreover, when questioned further, students often voice the idea that plants get their food from the soil (Kestler 2014). This is consistent with findings that fewer than half of current middle and high school students have a correct understanding of the process of photosynthesis (AAAS 2015). We developed this lesson to help students confront their misconceptions about photosynthesis and what constitutes food for plants. Photosynthesis is a complex process that requires a unit of instruction including multiple student experiences. Therefore, we use this lesson as an introduction to the unit on matter and energy in organisms and ecosystems so that students develop a better understanding of the reactants of photosynthesis. We wanted students to investigate how different variables typically mistaken for plant food (e.g., CO2, H2O, light, soil) affect photosynthesis, with the goal of helping students develop an understanding that photosynthesis is a chemical process that produces food for plants. We modified a demonstration (Fox, Gaynor, and Shillcock 1999) that allows for an estimation of the rate of photosynthesis by timing how long it takes punched-out spinach-leaf disks to rise to the top of a solution due to the production of oxygen gas. In our modification, students perform the original demonstration in small groups and then develop their own follow-up investigations to explore the effects of other variables on the rate of photosynthesis, using the initial procedures as a model (see Online Supplemental Materials for a complete teacher guide)

Intraoperative Indocyanine Green Laser Angiography in Pediatric Autologous Ear Reconstruction.

Skin flap vascularity is a critical determinant of aesthetic results in autologous ear reconstruction. In this study, we investigate the use of intraoperative laser-assisted indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) as an adjunctive measure of skin flap vascularity in pediatric autologous ear reconstruction. Twenty-one consecutive pediatric patients undergoing first-stage autologous total ear reconstruction were retrospectively evaluated. The first 10 patients were treated traditionally (non-ICGA), and the latter 11 patients were evaluated with ICGA intraoperatively after implantation of the cartilage construct and administration of suction. Relative and absolute perfusion units in the form of contour maps were generated. Statistical analyses were performed using independent sample Student t test. Statistically significant differences in exposure and infection were not found between the 2 groups. However, decreased numbers of surgical revisions were required in cases with ICGA versus without ICGA (P = 0.03), suggesting that greater certainty in skin flap perfusion correlated with a reduction in revision surgeries. In cases of exposure, we found an average lowest absolute perfusion unit of 14.3, whereas cases without exposure had an average of 26.1 (P = 0.02), thereby defining objective parameters for utilizing ICGA data in tailoring surgical decision making for this special population of patients. Defined quantitative parameters for utilizing ICGA in evaluating skin flap vascularity may be a useful adjunctive technique in pediatric autologous ear reconstruction

Impact of Small Group Size on Neighborhood Influences in Multilevel Models

Objective: Although there is a growing body of literature on sample size in multilevel or hierarchical modeling, few studies have examined the impact of group sizeMultilevel, Neighborhood, Body Weight, Obesity, Sample Size

Evaluation of the Rape Crisis Scotland National Advocacy Project: Summary Report

This Summary Report outlines findings from the Evaluation of Rape Crisis Scotland’s National Advocacy Project (NAP), introduced to provide advocacy support for survivors of sexual crimes engaging, or considering engaging, with the criminal justice system. The evaluation assessed the impact of the NAP on victim-survivors, and the extent to which it has influenced policy and practice within key criminal justice agencies

Evaluation of the Rape Crisis Scotland National Advocacy Project: Summary Report

This Summary Report outlines findings from the Evaluation of Rape Crisis Scotland’s National Advocacy Project (NAP), introduced to provide advocacy support for survivors of sexual crimes engaging, or considering engaging, with the criminal justice system. The evaluation assessed the impact of the NAP on victim-survivors, and the extent to which it has influenced policy and practice within key criminal justice agencies

Evaluation of the Rape Crisis Scotland National Advocacy Project

This is the final report detailing findings from the evaluation of Rape Crisis Scotland’s National Advocacy Project (NAP). It draws upon data gathered since the launch of the NAP in February 2016 to the end of August 2017. Findings are presented in three main sections: key national stakeholder perspectives; survivor data and perspectives; and practitioner perspectives. Key themes and learning points from the evaluation findings and recommendations for future policy and practice are then identified. A shorter executive summary of this report has also been made available for use as a policy and practice briefing

Evaluation of the Rape Crisis Scotland National Advocacy Project: Final Report

This is the final report detailing findings from the evaluation of Rape Crisis Scotland’s National Advocacy Project (NAP). It draws upon data gathered since the launch of the NAP in February 2016 to the end of August 2017. Findings are presented in three main sections: key national stakeholder perspectives; survivor data and perspectives; and practitioner perspectives. Key themes and learning points from the evaluation findings and recommendations for future policy and practice are then identified. A shorter executive summary of this report has also been made available for use as a policy and practice briefing