Take a Giant Step: A Blueprint for Teaching Young Children in a Digital Age

Calls for enhancing early childhood education and teacher preparation and development by incorporating digital learning and highlights best practices, policy and program trends, and innovative approaches. Outlines goals for 2020 and steps to achieve them

The 1983 tail-era data series. Volume 3: Geosynchronous particle measurements

Geosynchronous particle measurements are presented for comparison with same-scale plots of ISEE 3 plasma and field data. Shown for each day are electron and proton fluxes measured with the low-energy-range electron and the low-energy-range proton detectors of the Los Alamos Charged Particle Analyzer. This instrument has flown aboard several geosynchronous orbit satellites, including the three spacecraft from which the presented data were obtained. The presented data are 5-min averages of the integral flux in each of several energy channels

The proton and electron radiation belts at geosynchronous orbit: Statistics and behavior during high‐speed stream‐driven storms

The outer proton radiation belt (OPRB) and outer electron radiation belt (OERB) at geosynchronous orbit are investigated using a reanalysis of the LANL CPA (Charged Particle Analyzer) 8‐satellite 2‐solar cycle energetic particle data set from 1976 to 1995. Statistics of the OPRB and the OERB are calculated, including local time and solar cycle trends. The number density of the OPRB is about 10 times higher than the OERB, but the 1 MeV proton flux is about 1000 times less than the 1 MeV electron flux because the proton energy spectrum is softer than the electron spectrum. Using a collection of 94 high‐speed stream‐driven storms in 1976–1995, the storm time evolutions of the OPRB and OERB are studied via superposed epoch analysis. The evolution of the OERB shows the familiar sequence (1) prestorm decay of density and flux, (2) early‐storm dropout of density and flux, (3) sudden recovery of density, and (4) steady storm time heating to high fluxes. The evolution of the OPRB shows a sudden enhancement of density and flux early in the storm. The absence of a proton dropout when there is an electron dropout is noted. The sudden recovery of the density of the OERB and the sudden density enhancement of the OPRB are both associated with the occurrence of a substorm during the early stage of the storm when the superdense plasma sheet produces a “strong stretching phase” of the storm. These storm time substorms are seen to inject electrons to 1 MeV and protons to beyond 1 MeV into geosynchronous orbit, directly producing a suddenly enhanced radiation belt population.Key PointsDuring high‐speed stream‐driven storms, the electron and proton radiation belts are directly enhanced by a single substormThe enhancing substorm occurs during the “strong stretching” phase of the storm caused by the superdense plasma sheetProton and electron injection to 1 MeV is seen for these strong stretching phase substormsPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/133567/1/jgra52702.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/133567/2/jgra52702_am.pd

A density-temperature description of the outer electron radiation belt during geomagnetic storms

Bi-Maxwellian fits are made to energetic-electron flux measurements from seven satellites in geosynchronous orbit, yielding a number density (n) and temperature (T) description of the outer electron radiation belt. For 54.5 spacecraft years of measurements the median value of n is 3.7 × 10−4 cm−3, and the median value of T is 148 keV. General statistical properties of n, T, and the 1.1–1.5 MeV flux F are investigated, including local-time and solar-cycle dependencies. Using superposed-epoch analysis where the zero epoch is convection onset, the evolution of the outer electron radiation belt through high-speed-stream-driven storms is investigated. The number-density decay during the calm before the storm, relativistic-electron dropouts and recoveries, and the heating of the outer electron radiation belt during storms are analyzed. Using four different “triggers” (sudden storm commencement (SSC), southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) portions of coronal mass ejection (CME) sheaths, southward-IMF portions of magnetic clouds, and minimum Dst) a selection of CME-driven storms are analyzed with superposed-epoch techniques. For CME-driven storms, only a very modest density decay prior to storm onset is found. In addition, the compression of the outer electron radiation belt at the time of SSC is analyzed, the number-density increase and temperature decrease during storm main phase are characterized, and the increase in density and temperature during storm recovery phase is determined. During the different phases of storms, changes in the flux are sometimes in response to changes in the temperature, sometimes to changes in the number density, and sometimes to changes in both. Differences are found between the density-temperature and flux descriptions, and it is concluded that more information is available using the density-temperature description

Knowledge of fertility and perception of fertility treatment among adults with sickle cell disease (KNOW FERTILITY)

IntroductionThis study assessed fertility knowledge in adults with sickle cell disease using the Cardiff Fertility Knowledge Scale and Fertility Treatment Perception Survey and compared knowledge scores in respondents with sickle cell disease to previously reported unaffected cohorts.MethodsThis cross-sectional study surveyed adults over age 18 with sickle cell disease at an adult sickle cell disease center using a 35-question survey addressing infertility risk factor knowledge and perceptions of fertility treatment. Analyses included summary statistics for continuous and categorical variables, univariate linear regression, and Mann-Whitney U tests for group comparisons of Fertility Knowledge Scale scores. Fertility Treatment Perception Survey scores were measured by medians of the two positive statements and four negative statements to generate separate positive and negative treatment belief scores. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 for all analyses.ResultsNinety-two respondents (71 female, 21 male) with median age of 32 years (IQR: 25.0, 42.5) completed the survey between October 2020-May 2021. Sixty-five percent of respondents reported taking sickle cell disease treatment and 18% reported refusing at least one sickle cell disease treatment due to fertility concerns. The mean Fertility Knowledge Score was 49% (SD: 5.2), lower than reported in an international cohort (57% vs. 49%, p = 0.001), and higher than in a cohort of reproductive-aged Black women in the USA (49% vs. 38%, p = 0.001). Less than 50% of respondents correctly identified common infertility risk factors including sexually transmitted infections, advanced age, and obesity. Mean positive fertility perception score was 3 (IQR 3, 4), and negative fertility perception score was 3.5 (IQR 3, 4). Factors associated with agreement with negative fertility perception statements included: trying to conceive, refusing sickle cell disease treatment, and undergoing fertility treatment.DiscussionOpportunities exist to improve knowledge of infertility risk factors among adults with sickle cell disease. This study raises the possibility that nearly one in five adults with sickle cell disease refuse SCD treatment or cure due to infertility concerns. Education about common infertility risks factors needs to be addressed alongside disease- and treatment- associated fertility risks

Stigma and GPs’ perceptions of dementia

YesObjectives: General practitioners (GPs) are crucial to improving timely diagnosis, but little is reported about how they perceive dementia, and whether their perceptions display any elements of stigma. The aim of this study was to explore how GPs’ perceptions of dementia map onto current conceptualizations of stigma and whether GPs feel that stigma affects timely diagnosis. Methods: Twenty-three GPs from England were interviewed by telephone. Data were analyzed by means of content analysis. This involved open coding followed by the application of a coding framework derived from the literature to explore how and to what extent their perceptions relate to stigma as well as the unique nature of their perceptions. Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis: (1) ‘making sense of dementia’, (2) ‘relating perceptions of dementia to oneself’ and (3) ‘considering the consequences of dementia’. GPs’ perceptions of dementia mapped onto current conceptualizations of stigma. Perceptions about dementia that were linked to their own existential anxiety and to a perceived similarity between people with dementia and themselves were particularly salient. GPs perceived dementia as a stigma which was gradually being overcome but that stigma still hindered timely diagnosis. They provided examples of structural discrimination within the health service, including lack of time for patients and shortcomings in training that were to the detriment of people with dementia. Conclusion: Measures to involve GPs in tackling stigma should include training and opportunities to explore how they perceive dementia, as well as support to address structural discrimination.The study was funded by Alzheimer Europe (Luxembourg) in the form of tuition fees for Dianne Gove for her PhD study

Gamma-Ray Observations of a Giant Flare from The Magnetar SGR 1806-20

Magnetars comprise two classes of rotating neutron stars (Soft Gamma Repeaters (SGRs) and Anomalous X-ray Pulsars), whose X-ray emission is powered by an ultrastrong magnetic field, B ~ 10^15 G. Occasionally SGRs enter into active episodes producing many short X-ray bursts; extremely rarely (about once per 50 years per source), SGRs emit a giant flare, an event with total energy at least 1000 times higher than their typical bursts. Here we report that, on 2004 December 27, SGR 1806-20 emitted the brightest extra-solar transient event ever recorded, even surpassing the full moon brightness for 0.2 seconds. The total (isotropic) flare energy is 2x10^46 erg, 100 times higher than the only two previous events, making this flare a once in a century event. This colossal energy release likely occurred during a catastrophic reconfiguration of the magnetar's magnetic field. Such an event would have resembled a short, hard Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) if it had occurred within 40 Mpc, suggesting that extragalactic SGR flares may indeed form a subclass of GRBs.Comment: Submitted to Nature 2005-02-02, revised 2005-03-01. 21 pp, incl. 6 figure