Resaca supports range expansion of invasive apple snails (Pomacea maculata Perry, 1810; Caenogastropoda: Ampullariidae) to the Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Resacas, or oxbow lakes, form from old river channels. In the Rio Grande, resacas provide habitat for diverse wildlife, including native and non-native species. Biologists unexpectedly found pink egg masses on emergent vegetation (November 2015) and later adult apple snails (May 2016) within a resaca at a former fish hatchery in Brownsville, Texas. This report extends the non-native range of Pomacea maculata Perry, 1810 by 429 km southeast in Texas. Our findings imply that abandoned waterbodies, such as fish hatcheries, can act as unrecognized conduits for non-native invasive species

The Casa della Regina Carolina (CRC) project, Pompeii: preliminary report on 2018 and 2019 field seasons

This article summarizes the first two seasons of archaeological fieldwork (June–July 2018, June–July 2019) in the garden of the large Pompeian house known as the Casa della Regina Carolina (VIII 3.14), an elite Pompeian dwelling that saw only partial excavation in the 19th century

Preliminary Report: Evaluating the Potential of Archaeogeophysical Surveying on Viking Age and Medieval Sites in Greenland, 2 – 16 August, 2010

The primary goal of this research is to begin to overcome biases in the Greenlandic Norse archaeological record. Assessing the establishment dates and organization of Norse sites in Greenland is difficult because substantial cultural deposits can be hidden under deep windblown sand deposits as well as later occupations. Shallow geophysical methods were used to help recover information on the nature, extent and depth of subsurface cultural deposits. Assessing these site characteristics is a first step in overcoming the bias towards the later, the larger, and the more visible sites in the archaeological record. Norse Greenland presents a relatively visible medieval landscape with many ruins preserved on the surface. Survey archaeologists have taken advantage of these conditions to do comprehensive surveys of Norse settlements producing inventories of farm buildings and settlements (Guldager, et al. 2002; Keller 1990). Coring surveys and excavation at known sites have demonstrated that some sites are buried under significant aeolian deposits and that areas within many other sites can be deep and contain ruins that are not visible on the surface. In many cases Viking Age deposits cannot be accessed by archaeological excavation, as this would damage later occupational phases. In these cases, application of archeogeophysics may be the only way to assess this unique cultural history. The identification, characterization, and dating of these subsurface architectural remains are critical to systematic survey programs and to the production of regional settlement patterns and chronologies that can help explain the ecological and political dynamics of Norse colonization, land use, and the eventual demise of Norse Greenland. Over the past 10 years the Skagafjörður Archaeological Settlement Survey (SASS) has developed an intensive subsurface survey protocol to systematically recover, date, and characterize Viking Age landscapes in Iceland. While we believe the SASS subsurface protocol can be effective in Greenland there are many questions that must be resolved before any wide-scale application of the methods can be developed. The project set out to address two basic questions: (1) what is the actual subsurface record at Norse sites, and (2) which methods work best and how are they most effectively employed? In this initial investigation, we tested and adapted this protocol to conditions in Greenland. We hope that the preliminary test of these methods will significantly expand the range of sites and periods accessible to researchers working in Greenland and allow for new questions regarding the long-term political and environmental histories of the region. The successful integration of archaeogeophysics with archaeological survey and excavation will result in a more holistic approach to the preservation of Norse archaeological sites in Greenland. These sites suffer from increased modern impacts resulting from mineral exploitation, sheep farming, and tourism. Additionally, there is now total summer sub-surface thaw and conditions that were once ideal for preserving organic remains are now deteriorating, especially in well-drained areas. In the coming years the Greenland National Museum will begin a program of scheduling and protecting some of these sites. We believe that the application of archaeogeophysics could be a great asset in determining which sites are in danger and worthy of preservation

Stand Tall, Don’t Fall: A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Tai Chi for Improving Balance in Healthy Older Adults

Objectives: •Identify and describe the need for effective balance related interventions among the healthy older adult population • Recognize occupational therapy’s role in improving balance to decrease risk of falls • Discuss the effectiveness of Tai Chi as an intervention for improving balance within this population PICO • Is Tai Chi an effective intervention for improving balance in the healthy older adult population? Presentation: 40:55 Handout at bottom of page

Resaca supports range expansion of invasive apple snails (Pomacea maculata Perry, 1810; Caenogastropoda: Ampullariidae) to the Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Resacas, or oxbow lakes, form from old river channels. In the Rio Grande, resacas provide habitat for diverse wildlife, including native and non-native species. Biologists unexpectedly found pink egg masses on emergent vegetation (November 2015) and later adult apple snails (May 2016) within a resaca at a former fish hatchery in Brownsville, Texas. This report extends the non-native range of Pomacea maculata Perry, 1810 by 429 km southeast in Texas. Our findings imply that abandoned waterbodies, such as fish hatcheries, can act as unrecognized conduits for non-native invasive species

Management of Parkinson’s Disease during pregnancy: Literature review and multi-disciplinary input

Background There are no standardised clinical guidelines for the management of Parkinson’s disease during pregnancy. Increasing maternal age would suggest that the incidence of pregnancy in women diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease is likely to increase. Objective To evaluate the evidence for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease during pregnancy, and to canvass opinion from patients and clinical teams as to the optimum clinical management in this setting. Methods This involved: i) a literature review of available evidence for the use of oral medical therapy for the management of PD during pregnancy, and ii) anonymised survey of patients and clinical teams relating to previous clinical experiences. Results Literature review identified 31 publications (148 pregnancies; 49 Parkinson’s Disease, 2 Parkinsonism, 21 Dopa-Responsive Dystonia, 32 Restless Leg Syndrome, 1 Schizophrenia and 43 unknown indication) detailing treatment with levodopa, and 12 publications with dopamine agonists. Adverse outcomes included seizures and congenital malformations. Survey participation included patients (n=7), neurologists (n=35), PD Nurse Specialists (n=50), obstetricians (n=15) and midwives (n=20) and identified a further 34 cases of pregnancy in women with PD. Common themes for suggested management included: optimisation of motor symptoms, preference for levodopa monotherapy, and normal delivery unless indicated by obstetric causes. Conclusions This study demonstrates the paucity of evidence for decision-making in the medical management of PD during pregnancy. Collaboration is needed to develop a prospective registry, with longitudinal maternal and child health outcome measures, to facilitate consensus management guidelines

Psychometric assessment of the Temptations to Try Alcohol Scale

Effective interventions require an understanding of the behaviors and cognitions that facilitate positive change as well as the development of psychometrically sound measures. This paper reports on the psychometric properties of the Temptations to Try Alcohol Scale (TTAS), including factorial invariance across different subgroups. Data were collected from 3565 6th grade RI middle school students. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the appropriate factorial invariance model for the 9-item TTAS. The measure consists of three correlated subscales: Social Pressure, Social Anxiety, and Opportunity. Three levels of invariance, ranging from the least to the most restrictive, were examined: Configural Invariance, which constrains only the factor structure and zero loadings; Pattern Identity Invariance, which requires factor loadings to be equal across the groups; and Strong Factorial Invariance, which requires factor loadings and error variances to be constrained. Separate analyses evaluated the invariance across two levels of gender (males vs. females), race (white vs. black) ethnicity (Hispanic vs. Non-Hispanic) and school size (small, meaning \u3c 200 6th graders, or large). The highest level of invariance, Strong Factorial Invariance, provided a good fit to the model for gender (CFI: .95), race (CFI: .94), ethnicity (CFI: .94), and school size (CFI: .97). Coefficient Alpha was .90 for Social Pressure, .81 for Social Anxiety, and .82 for Opportunity. These results provide strong empirical support for the psychometric structure and construct validity of the TTAS in middle school students

Prevention of alcohol use in middle school students: Psychometric assessment of the decisional balance inventory

A measurement model should be equivalent across the different subgroups of a target population. The Decisional Balance Inventory for the Prevention of Alcohol Use is a 2-factor correlated model with 3 items for Pros of alcohol use and 3 items for Cons. The measure is part of a tailored intervention for middle school students. This study evaluated the important psychometric assumptions of factorial invariance and scale reliability with a large sample of sixth grade students (N = 3565) from 20 schools. A measure is factorially invariant when the model is the same across subgroups. Three levels of invariance were assessed, from least restrictive to most restrictive: 1) Configural Invariance (unconstrained nonzero factor loadings); 2) Pattern Identity Invariance (equal factor loadings); and 3) Strong Factorial Invariance (equal factor loadings and measurement errors). Structural equation modeling was used to assess invariance over two levels of gender (male and female), race (white and black), ethnicity (Hispanic and non-Hispanic), and school size (large, indicating \u3e 200 students per grade, or small). The strongest level of invariance, Strong Factorial Invariance, was a good fit for the model across all of the subgroups: gender (CFI: 0.94), race (CFI: 0.96), ethnicity (CFI: 0.93), and school size (CFI: 0.97). Coefficient alpha was 0.61 for the Pros and 0.67 for Cons. Together, invariance and reliability provide strong empirical support for the validity of the measure

The Impact of School Closures and Isolation on Parents in the US

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented global event. Research demonstrates the impact the pandemic had on both parents and children regarding their mental health and learning abilities. The current study examined parents’ experiences during the pandemic. This study had a particular focus on how changes to schooling impacted school experiences and social emotional experiences. The sample was comprised of parents whose children were in K-12 schooling and data was collected during Fall of 2020. The findings suggest that while there were several challenges, parents also reported some positive outcomes. This study serves as a foundation for future research to be conducted as long-term effects need to be examined. The study also provides a better understanding of the impacts that school closures have on children and adults. Limitations and future research are further discussed