“Colors and Kindness”: Nature Photography as a Means to Support Academic Skill Development of Elementary Students at Risk

This article describes a service project involving a 3–year partnership between a university professor (the author) and P–12 faculty at a local rural Title I elementary school. Major aims of the project were to provide an opportunity for students to explore and learn about their natural surroundings through the use of nature photography activities and to connect these experiences to classroom activities with the goal of supporting academic skill development. The author visited the school twice per week to take children around the school grounds to photograph nature for about 20 minutes per session. Outcomes included the following: (a) students demonstrated increased interest in and curiosity about the subjects of their photographs over time; and (b) the nature photography project provided a beneficial context for supporting students’ learning in art and technology and for practicing their writing skills. Sample student photographs and writing excerpts are presented here

Time to address the double inequality of differences in dietary intake between Scotland and England

Geographical disparities in health outcomes have been evident across the UK for decades. There is limited recent analysis on the dietary differences between Scotland and England that might go some way to explain these health differences. This study aimed to assess whether, and to what degree, aspects of diet and nutrition differ between Scottish and English populations, specifically between those with similar household incomes. Twelve years of UK food purchase data (2001-2012) were pooled and used to estimate household level consumption data for Scotland and England. Population mean food consumption and nutrient intakes were estimated, adjusting for known confounders (year, age of household reference person, age they left full-time education and income). Comparison was also made within equivalised income quintiles. Analysis showed that the foods and nutrients that should be increased in the diet (highlighted in the Scottish Dietary Goals) were lower in Scotland than England (e.g. fruit and vegetables 267g/day (99%CI 259-274g/day) vs. 298g/day (99%CI 296-301g/day), P<0.001). Likewise, foods and drinks linked with poor health outcomes were higher in Scotland. These regional inequalities in diet were even more pronounced in the lower income groups (e.g. red and processed meat consumption in the lowest income quintile was 65g/day (99% CI 61-69g/day) in Scotland vs. 58g/day (99% CI 57-60g/day) in England, P<0.001, but similar in the highest income quintile (58g/day (99%CI 54-61 g/day) vs. 59g/day (99% CI 58-60 g/day) respectively). A poorer diet in Scotland compared to England, particularly among disadvantaged groups, may contribute to differences in excess mortality between countries

Identifying dietary differences between Scotland and England:a rapid review of the literature

Rates of premature mortality have been higher in Scotland than in England since the 1970s. Given the known association of diet with chronic disease, the study objective was to identify and synthesise evidence on current and historical differences in food and nutrient intakes in Scotland and England.A rapid review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature was carried out. After an initial scoping search, Medline, CINAHL, Embase and Web of Science were searched. Relevant grey literature was also included. Inclusion criteria were: any date; measures of dietary intake; representative populations; cross-sectional or observational cohort studies; and English-language publications. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-sectional Studies. A narrative synthesis of extracted information was conducted.Fifty publications and reports were included in the review. Results indicated that children and adults in Scotland had lower intakes of vegetables and vitamins compared with those living in England. Higher intakes of salt in Scotland were also identified. Data were limited by small Scottish samples, difficulty in finding England-level data, lack of statistical testing and adjustment for key confounders.Further investigation of adequately powered and analysed surveys is required to examine more fully dietary differences between Scotland and England. This would provide greater insight into potential causes of excess mortality in Scotland compared with England and suitable policy recommendations to address these inequalities

Developing a Topic-Centered FY Seminar with a Renewed Focus on Information Literacy

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Supporting Metacognitive Awareness and Strategy Use Through Digital Photography in a Rural Title I School

The Photography and Media Literacy Project (PMLP) was an after-school program designed to teach fourth and fifth grade children about the science and art of photography in a Title I school in rural southeast Georgia. Through the completion of a problem-based applied project, we endeavored to further enhance and develop students’ media literacy, critical thinking, and metacognitive skills. The project involved having students consider some aspect of their environment (i.e., a problem from the natural, physical, school or social environment) and develop a media presentation about the topic (e.g., a movie), which included images that they took (with iPods that we provided), as well as a narrative that described their observation, research, argument and/or experience. Through the use of technology and various other media, our purpose was to help these young learners improve their metacognitive planning and monitoring skills, as well as their problem-solving and reasoning ability, all foundational skills critical for success in high stakes assessments such as Georgia Milestone Assessment. Although no significant differences were found in pre-posttest assessments, we believe that with minor modifications, this type of program shows promise in its potential for boosting participants’ metacognitive functioning and other skills related to critical evaluation of information, which have been found to enhance learning outcomes

Plasma Lipids and Betaine Are Related in an Acute Coronary Syndrome Cohort

BACKGROUND: Low plasma betaine has been associated with unfavorable plasma lipid profiles and cardiovascular risk. In some studies raised plasma betaine after supplementation is associated with elevations in plasma lipids. We aimed to measure the relationships between plasma and urine betaine and plasma lipids, and the effects of lipid-lowering drugs on these. METHODOLOGY: Fasting plasma samples were collected from 531 subjects (and urine samples from 415) 4 months after hospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome episode. In this cross-sectional study, plasma betaine and dimethylglycine concentrations and urine excretions were compared with plasma lipid concentrations. Subgroup comparisons were made for gender, with and without diabetes mellitus, and for drug treatment. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Plasma betaine negatively correlated with triglyceride (Spearman's r(s) = -0.22, p<0.0001) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r(s) = -0.27, p<0.0001). Plasma betaine was a predictor of BMI (p<0.05) and plasma non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride (p<0.001) independently of gender, age and the presence of diabetes. Using data grouped by plasma betaine decile, increasing plasma betaine was linearly related to decreases in BMI (p = 0.008) and plasma non-HDL cholesterol (p = 0.002). In a non-linear relationship betaine was negatively associated with elevated plasma triglycerides (p = 0.004) only for plasma betaine >45 µmol/L. Subjects taking statins had higher plasma betaine concentrations (p<0.001). Subjects treated with a fibrate had lower plasma betaine (p = 0.003) possibly caused by elevated urine betaine loss (p<0.001). The ratio of coenzyme Q to non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher in subjects with higher plasma betaine, and in subjects taking a statin. CONCLUSION: Low plasma betaine concentrations correlated with an unfavourable lipid profile. Betaine deficiency may be common in the study population. Controlled clinical trials of betaine supplementation should be conducted in appropriate populations to determine whether correction affects cardiovascular risk

Betaine and Secondary Events in an Acute Coronary Syndrome Cohort

BACKGROUND: Betaine insufficiency is associated with unfavourable vascular risk profiles in metabolic syndrome patients. We investigated associations between betaine insufficiency and secondary events in acute coronary syndrome patients. METHODS: Plasma (531) and urine (415) samples were collected four months after discharge following an acute coronary event. Death (34), secondary acute myocardial infarction (MI) (70) and hospital admission for heart failure (45) events were recorded over a median follow-up of 832 days. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The highest and lowest quintiles of urinary betaine excretion associated with risk of heart failure (p = 0.0046, p = 0.013 compared with middle 60%) but not with subsequent acute MI. The lowest quintile of plasma betaine was associated with subsequent acute MI (p = 0.014), and the top quintile plasma betaine with heart failure (p = 0.043), especially in patients with diabetes (p<0.001). Top quintile plasma concentrations of dimethylglycine (betaine metabolite) and top quintile plasma homocysteine both associated with all three outcomes, acute MI (p = 0.004, <0.001), heart failure (p = 0.027, p<0.001) and survival (p<0.001, p<0.001). High homocysteine was associated with high or low betaine excretion in >60% of these subjects (p = 0.017). Median NT-proBNP concentrations were lowest in the middle quintile of plasma betaine concentration (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Betaine insufficiency indicates increased risk of secondary heart failure and acute MI. Its association with elevated homocysteine may partly explain the disappointing results of folate supplementation. In some patients, especially with diabetes, elevated plasma betaine also indicates increased risk

Author Correction: A consensus-based transparency checklist.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper

Updated Clinical Guidelines for Diagnosing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

The adverse effects of prenatal alcohol exposure constitute a continuum of disabilities (fetal alcohol spectrum disorders [FASD]). In 1996, the Institute of Medicine established diagnostic categories delineating the spectrum but not specifying clinical criteria by which diagnoses could be assigned. In 2005, the authors published practical guidelines operationalizing the Institute of Medicine categories, allowing for standardization of FASD diagnoses in clinical settings. The purpose of the current report is to present updated diagnostic guidelines based on a thorough review of the literature and the authors’ combined expertise based on the evaluation of >10 000 children for potential FASD in clinical settings and in epidemiologic studies in conjunction with National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism–funded studies, the Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and the Collaboration on FASD Prevalence. The guidelines were formulated through conference calls and meetings held at National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offices in Rockville, MD. Specific areas addressed include the following: precise definition of documented prenatal alcohol exposure; neurobehavioral criteria for diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome, partial fetal alcohol syndrome, and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder; revised diagnostic criteria for alcohol-related birth defects; an updated comprehensive research dysmorphology scoring system; and a new lip/philtrum guide for the white population, incorporating a 45-degree view. The guidelines reflect consensus among a large and experienced cadre of FASD investigators in the fields of dysmorphology, epidemiology, neurology, psychology, developmental/behavioral pediatrics, and educational diagnostics. Their improved clarity and specificity will guide clinicians in accurate diagnosis of infants and children prenatally exposed to alcohol