Stakeholders\u27 Perceptions of English Language Learners Meeting Adequate Yearly Progress in Reading

English language learners (ELLs) in a Midwestern urban elementary school have not been meeting the local school\u27s adequate yearly progress (AYP) in reading in 3 consecutive years on statewide test scores. Meeting school standards is important because failing to meet AYP for 6 consecutive years can result in the restructuring or closing of any public school in the nation. The rationale for this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of stakeholders, 7 parents, teachers, and school administrators, all of whom have demonstrated knowledge of and proximity to the school\u27s AYP decisions, to develop vocabulary strategies that may increase students\u27 state test scores in reading. The conceptual framework was based on Gardner\u27s multiple intelligences. The research questions focused on understanding stakeholders\u27 perceptions of the proficiency of ELLs in reading, professional development for reading teachers of ELLs, recommendations for helping ELLs improve reading proficiency, and the challenges reading teachers face in ELL classes. Semi-structured interviews with each participant were transcribed, color-coded, and analyzed using holistic and typological analysis techniques to search for and develop themes and patterns. Findings revealed a need for teachers to receive professional development training related to improving ELLs\u27 vocabulary to improve their reading proficiency. A 3-day professional development curriculum project was developed to focus on teaching effective vocabulary strategies. This study has implications for social change focused on improving teachers\u27 capacity to work with ELLs and to improve their reading scores which have lasting impact on students\u27 lives

Risk Factors for Fractures of Dogs in Quezon City, Philippines

A retrospective case-control study was conducted in dogs with bone fractures presented at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital - Diliman Station, Companion Animal Clinic, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines Los Baños from January 2016 to December 2021. One hundred sixty-one dogs were diagnosed with bone fractures. Limping was the most common chief complaint with falling from a height being the most common cause. Close, complete, and oblique fractures were the most prevalent fracture type. Around 29.81% of the cases were given medications only and 16.77% were treated with external coaptation.  Among the cases treated with external coaptation, only fourteen came back for follow-up with fully healed bone fractures. The mean age of dogs with bone fractures was 2.30 years old and was seen as a significant risk factor regardless of age group. Dogs fed with dry dog food and table food were 0.35 and 0.50 less likely to have bone fractures, respectively. The body weight, body condition scores, and dog breeds were not significant risk factors while the abode of the animal was a significant risk factor regardless whether the animal is indoor or outdoor. Age, diet, and abode were found to be significantly associated with bone fractures

Risk Factors for Patellar Luxation in Dogs in the Philippines

A retrospective case-control study was conducted on dogs with patellar luxation who presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital Diliman Station-Companion Animal Clinic between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. There was a total of 73 dogs were diagnosed with patellar luxation. The majority of the dogs presented with limping, and the causes were mostly unknown. Unilateral medial patellar luxation was the most common type (21.92%). The average age of patients with patellar luxation was 3.24 years old. Puppies are 0.03 less likely to be diagnosed with patellar luxation, while juveniles are 3.74 times more likely, and mature adults are 2.19 times more likely to be diagnosed. The affected dogs included intact males (47.95%), neutered males (4.11%), and intact females (47.95%). The average weight of the affected dogs was 8.39 kg and the majority (35.62%) had a body condition score of 5/9. The Pomeranian was the most common breed for patellar luxation, followed by the mixed breed Shih Tzu, Toy Poodle, and Chihuahua. Mixed breeds are 0.39 times less likely, and dogs fed with dry dog food are 0.51 times less likely to develop the condition. Age and breed were also significantly associated with patellar luxation

A comparative analysis of the cost-utility of the Philippine tax on sweetened beverages as proposed and as implemented.

BACKGROUND: In response to increasing overweight and obesity, the Philippine government introduced a tax on sweetened beverages (SBs) in 2018. Evidence suggests that the beverage industry influenced the final tax design, making it more favourable for industry than the initially proposed bill. This study aimed to compare the relative health and economic benefits of the proposed SB tax with the implemented SB tax. METHODS: Philippine dietary consumption data were combined with price elasticity data from Mexico and data from Australia adapted to the Philippine context to estimate reductions in SB purchases and changes in body mass index (BMI) following the implementation of the tax. A multi-state, multiple-cohort Markov model was used to estimate the change in health-adjusted life years (HALYs) due to reduction in the epidemiology of obesity-related diseases, healthcare cost savings and government taxation revenue, resulting from both the proposed and implemented tax policies, over the lifetime of the 2018 Philippine population. FINDINGS: The proposed and implemented taxes were modelled to be dominant (cost-saving and improving health). Intervention costs were modelled to be PHP305.2 million (M) (approximately US$6M). Compared to the proposed tax, the implemented tax was modelled to result in a 43.0% smaller reduction in targeted beverage intake (51.1 ml/person/day vs. 89.7 ml/person/day), a 43.5% smaller reduction in BMI (0.35 kg/m2 vs. 0.62 kg/m2), 39.7% fewer HALYs gained (2,503,118 vs. 4,149,030), 39.9% fewer healthcare cost savings (PHP16.4 billion (B) vs. PHP27.3B), and 27.7% less government taxation revenue (PHP426.3B vs. PHP589.4B). INTERPRETATION: While the implemented tax in the Philippines will benefit population health, it is likely to yield less benefit than the proposed tax. The influence of the food and beverage industry on policy processes has the potential to lessen the benefits of population NCD prevention policies. FUNDING: OH was supported to conduct this research by an Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship. The funding body had no role in data collection and analysis, or manuscript preparation

Obstacle detection and avoidance on a mobile robotic platform using active depth sensing

The ability to recognize and navigate surrounding environments free from collision with obstacles has been at the forefront of mobile robotic applications since its inception. At the price of nearly one tenth of a laser range finder, the Xbox Kinect uses an infrared projector and camera to capture images of its environment in three dimensions. The objective of this thesis was to investigate if the Xbox Kinect can be utilized to detect thin or narrow obstacles that are often invisible to the P3-DX mobile robotic platform. We present an algorithm to process and analyze point cloud data from the Xbox Kinect sensor and transform it into a two-dimensional map of the surrounding environment for further use with the P3-DX. Obstacle avoidance scenarios were then performed using two separate algorithms: a narrow corridor following algorithm and a potential fields algorithm. The results demonstrate that in a structured testing environment, the Xbox Kinect can be used to detect and avoid narrow obstacles that are not immediately recognized by the onboard sonar array of the P3-DX.http://archive.org/details/obstacledetectio1094542591Ensign, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Metadata Extraction Analysis: A Review of Video Data in Effect to Social Media Compression

In the 21st century, the unending improvement of the web, online networking has made approaches to take advantage to streamline the speed of its webpage. Through metatadta extraction, two of the most well-known social networking sites were subjected to experimentation to see the impacts of video compression using standard parameters when uploaded to the said sites. The assessment demonstrates that both sites display keys similarities and differences. It is further explained in the research the different structures amongst the social network that create the outcom

Assessment of heavy metals found in commonly consumed fishes from Lake Lanao, Philippines

This study was carried out to assess potential heavy metal contamination in the muscles of three commonly consumed fish species in Lake Lanao and to determine associated health risks that may endanger local community residents who consume these fishes. The concentrations of Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Mercury (Hg) and Lead (Pb) were assessed in the muscles of Glossogobius giurus, Oreochromis niloticus and Giuris margaritacea and were measured via atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Statistical analysis showed that heavy metal concentrations in the muscles of the three fish species collected from the two different locations in the lake are not significantly different (P>0.05) except for O. niloticus. Recorded amounts of the five heavy metals in the present study were lower than the maximum and standard levels except for Pb. Four (As, Cd, Cr, and Hg) among the five pollutants of concern obtained Non-carcinogenic Hazard Quotient (NHQ) values that are less than one, while NHQ values for Pb range between 815.6 and 1396.03 for all fish samples obtained from both sampling stations. The continued consumption of G. giuris, O. niloticus and G. margaritacea collected from Marawi City and Tugaya, Lanao del Sur posed a high likelihood for local residents to contract adverse non-carcinogenic impacts, specifically by Pb. This does not necessarily hold true for the whole of Lake Lanao however, due to limitations related to representativeness. Steps should be taken to manage the risks posed by the consumption of G. giuris, O. niloticus, and G. margaritacea from Marawi City and Tugaya, Lanao del Sur, especially in consideration of vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women and their developing fetus, and people with existing health conditions

Single-Trial Cognitive Stress Classification Using Portable Wireless Electroencephalography

This work used a low-cost wireless electroencephalography (EEG) headset to quantify the human response to different cognitive stress states on a single-trial basis. We used a Stroop-type color⁻word interference test to elicit mild stress responses in 18 subjects while recording scalp EEG. Signals recorded from thirteen scalp locations were analyzed using an algorithm that computes the root mean square voltages in the theta (4⁻8 Hz), alpha (8⁻13 Hz), and beta (13⁻30 Hz) bands immediately following the initiation of Stroop stimuli; the mean of the Teager energy in each of these three bands; and the wideband EEG signal line-length and number of peaks. These computational features were extracted from the EEG signals on thirteen electrodes during each stimulus presentation and used as inputs to logistic regression, quadratic discriminant analysis, and k-nearest neighbor classifiers. Two complementary analysis methodologies indicated classification accuracies over subjects of around 80% on a balanced dataset for the logistic regression classifier when information from all electrodes was taken into account simultaneously. Additionally, we found evidence that stress responses were preferentially time-locked to stimulus presentation, and that certain electrode⁻feature combinations worked broadly well across subjects to distinguish stress states