Meaningful Reading: Instruction for Children Experiencing Reading Difficulty

Traditional instruction in reading is grounded in a bottom-up model which asserts that learning occurs from part to whole. Thomas C. O\u27Brien (1989) suggests that this model was fueled by the industrial revolution in America. Educators developed an assembly line mentality, which assumed that readers are built like cars —part by part. If all the parts which go into a car are assembled correctly and in the prescribed order, then the final product should run well

A Technical and Behavioural Energy Efficiency Assessment of McGill Cafeteria Operations at Bishop Mountain Hall and Royal Victoria College

McGill Food and Dining Services (MFDS) have, over the past three years, progressed as a leader in sustainable practices at McGill University. Increased expectations for sustainable management have pushed Executive Chef Oliver deVolpi to assess energy efficiency at the Bishop Mountain Hall (BMH) and Royal Victoria College (RVC) cafeterias. This project aims to determine which technical and behavioural modifications should be made in the Royal Victoria College (RVC) and Bishop Mountain Hall (BMH) cafeterias in order to increase energy efficiency. Two key aspects determining energy consumption were addressed: the required energy input of the appliances and the frequency and manner of appliance usage. The technical approach assessed the sustainability of energy sources, including natural gas, electricity, and steam. The behavioural approach identified necessary improvements in mealtimes, the operation and availability of appliances, and staff practices. Using this data and appliance specification data, priority lists of suggested appliance replacements were made

Effect of a liver cancer education program on hepatitis B screening among Asian Americans in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, 2009-2010

IntroductionAsian Americans have the highest incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the major form of primary liver cancer, of all ethnic groups in the United States. Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the most common cause of HCC, and as many as 1 in 10 foreign-born Asian Americans are chronically infected with HBV. We tested the effectiveness of a culturally tailored liver cancer education program for increasing screening for HBV among Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese Americans residing in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area, from November 2009 through June 2010. MethodsWe used a cluster randomized controlled trial to recruit volunteer participants from community-based organizations (CBOs) in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. We selected 877 participants by using a pretest survey. People were eligible to participate if they had not attended a hepatitis B–related education program in the past 5 years. The intervention group (n = 441) received a 30-minute educational program, and the control group (n = 436) received an educational brochure. After attending the educational program, the intervention group completed a post-education survey. Six months later, participants in both groups were followed up by telephone. Receipt of HBV screening was the outcome measure. ResultsApproximately 79% (n = 688) of participants completed the 6-month follow-up telephone survey. Among those who had not had HBV screening at baseline (n = 446), the adjusted odds of self-reported receipt of HBV screening at the 6-month follow-up to the educational program were significantly higher for the intervention group than for the control group (odds ratio = 5.13; 95% confidence interval, 3.14–8.39; P \u3c .001). Chinese Americans and Vietnamese Americans had significantly higher odds of having HBV screening in the 6-month period than Korean Americans. ConclusionCulturally tailored education programs that increase liver cancer awareness can be effective in increasing HBV screening among underserved Asian American populations

Intercomparison of Airborne Multi-Angle Polarimeter Observations from the Polarimeter Definition Experiment (PODEX)

In early 2013, three airborne polarimeters were flown on the high altitude NASA ER-2 aircraft in California for the Polarimeter Definition Experiment (PODEX). PODEX supported the pre-formulation NASA Aerosol-Cloud-Ecosystem (ACE) mission, which calls for an imaging polarimeter in polar orbit (among other instruments) for the remote sensing of aerosols, oceans and clouds. Several polarimeter concepts exist as airborne prototypes, some of which were deployed during PODEX as a capabilities test. Two of those instruments to date have successfully produced Level 1 (georegistered, calibrated radiance and polarization) data from that campaign: the Airborne Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (AirMSPI) and the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP). We compared georegistered observations of a variety of scene types by these instruments to test if Level 1 products agree within stated uncertainties. Initial comparisons found radiometric agreement, but polarimetric biases beyond measurement uncertainties. After subsequent updates to calibration, georegistration, and the measurement uncertainty models, observations from the instruments now largely agree within stated uncertainties. However, the 470nm reflectance channels have a roughly +6% bias of AirMSPI relative to RSP, beyond expected measurement uncertainties. We also find that observations of dark (ocean) scenes, where polarimetric uncertainty is expected to be largest, do not agree within stated polarimetric uncertainties. Otherwise, AirMSPI and RSP observations are consistent within measurement uncertainty expectations, providing credibility for subsequent creation of Level 2 (geophysical product) data from these instruments, and comparison thereof. The techniques used in this work can also form a methodological basis for other intercomparisons, such as of the data gathered during the recent Aerosol Characterization from Polarimeter and Lidar (ACEPOL) field campaign, carried out in October and November of 2017 with four polarimeters (including AirMSPI and RSP)

The Ursinus Weekly, October 12, 1972

Freshman voters elect leaders • Senator George L. Murphy to speak at convocation - dedication ceremonies • Continued false alarms may bring restrictions • Messiah\u27s annual performance slated for December 7th • Student-teachers assignments presented to seniors • Editorial: The Weekly wants you! • Student from Sri-Lanka speaks to Socratic Club • Stenzler sculpture in review: A good show • ProTheatre presents: Albee\u27s American dream • Faculty portrait: Emilio Paul • Bear Gridders win first • Harriers return to winning ways; Roll over three opponents • Aggressive play leads to victory at Goucher games • Manning takes helm; Aggression made keyhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1087/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, November 16, 1972

Counselor on campus • Altman, Kaplan, Clatworthy & Marek to sing in 1972 Messiah performance • Evangelical theologian to speak at forum • Fire danger extinguished • Counseling, courses, change highlight S.F.A.R.C. monthly meeting • Editorial: It could only happen in the United States • Answer to the suitcase college critics: Lock the suitcases or close the pens • Perversion abundant in new action film, Deliverance • Letters to the editor: Forum cards for dances; Righteous indignation • Director of ProTheatre casts Fantasticks • Ezra Pound, leader of modern poetry in Britain and America dies at age 87 • M.A.C. championships held; U.C. Harriers third • Gridders trample Trenton; Finish with 5-3 slate • Sports buffs\u27 corner • Soccer team plays wellhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1092/thumbnail.jp

Research and Education in Computational Science and Engineering

Over the past two decades the field of computational science and engineering (CSE) has penetrated both basic and applied research in academia, industry, and laboratories to advance discovery, optimize systems, support decision-makers, and educate the scientific and engineering workforce. Informed by centuries of theory and experiment, CSE performs computational experiments to answer questions that neither theory nor experiment alone is equipped to answer. CSE provides scientists and engineers of all persuasions with algorithmic inventions and software systems that transcend disciplines and scales. Carried on a wave of digital technology, CSE brings the power of parallelism to bear on troves of data. Mathematics-based advanced computing has become a prevalent means of discovery and innovation in essentially all areas of science, engineering, technology, and society; and the CSE community is at the core of this transformation. However, a combination of disruptive developments---including the architectural complexity of extreme-scale computing, the data revolution that engulfs the planet, and the specialization required to follow the applications to new frontiers---is redefining the scope and reach of the CSE endeavor. This report describes the rapid expansion of CSE and the challenges to sustaining its bold advances. The report also presents strategies and directions for CSE research and education for the next decade.Comment: Major revision, to appear in SIAM Revie

Rapid Analysis of Legume Root Nodule Development Using Confocal Microscopy

This article discusses the rapid analysis of legume root nodule development using confocal microscopy

Crosswalk study on blood collection-tube types for Alzheimer's disease biomarkers

Introduction: Blood-based Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers show promise, but pre-analytical protocol differences may pose problems. We examined seven AD blood biomarkers (amyloid beta [ A β ] 42 , A β 40 , phosphorylated tau [ p - ta u 181 , total tau [t-tau], neurofilament light chain [NfL], A β 42 40 , and p - ta u 181 A β 42 ) in three collection tube types (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid [EDTA] plasma, heparin plasma, serum). Methods: Plasma and serum were obtained from cerebrospinal fluid or amyloid positron emission tomography-positive and -negative participants (N = 38) in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention. We modeled AD biomarker values observed in EDTA plasma versus heparin plasma and serum, and assessed correspondence with brain amyloidosis. Results: Results suggested bias due to tube type, but crosswalks are possible for some analytes, with excellent model fit for NfL ( R 2 = 0.94), adequate for amyloid ( R 2 = 0.40-0.69), and weaker for t-tau ( R 2 = 0.04-0.42) and p - ta u 181 ( R 2 = 0.22-0.29). Brain amyloidosis differentiated several measures, especially EDTA plasma pTa u 181 A β 42 ( d = 1.29). Discussion: AD biomarker concentrations vary by tube type. However, correlations for some biomarkers support harmonization across types, suggesting cautious optimism for use in banked blood