Self-regulation and frontal EEG alpha activity during infancy and early childhood: A multilevel meta-analysis

Integrating behavioral and neurophysiological measures has created new and advanced ways to understand the development of self-regulation. Electroencephalography (EEG) has been used to examine how self-regulatory processes are related to frontal alpha power during infancy and early childhood. However, findings across previous studies have been inconsistent. To address this issue, the current meta-analysis synthesized all prior literature examining associations between individual differences in self-regulation and frontal EEG alpha power (baseline and/or task). In total, 23 studies consisting of 1275 participants between 1 month and 6 years of age were included, which yielded 149 effect sizes. Findings of the three-level meta-analytic model demonstrated a non-significant overall association between self-regulation and frontal alpha power. Yet, significant moderating effects were found for self-regulation construct (emotion regulation, effortful control, executive function), self-regulation measurement (behavioral task, computer assessment, lab observation, questionnaire), and children's mean age. Self-regulation was only significantly correlated with frontal alpha power when studies focused on the executive functioning construct. Moreover, the use of behavioral tasks or questionnaires and a higher mean age of the children resulted in small but significant effect size estimates. Higher frontal alpha power values were related to higher order top-down mechanisms of self-regulation, indicating that these mechanisms might become stronger when the frontal cortex is sufficiently developed. The findings of the current meta-analysis highlight the importance of longitudinal analyses and multimethod approaches in future work to reach a more comprehensive understanding of the role of frontal EEG alpha activity in the etiology of individual differences in early self-regulation. Research Highlights: The first meta-analysis of individual differences in self-regulation and frontal EEG alpha power during infancy and early childhood demonstrated a non-significant overall association. Moderation analyses revealed that variations in frontal alpha power were significantly associated with executive function, but not with effortful control and emotion regulation. Frontal alpha power was related to variations in self-regulation when measured by behavioral tasks and questionnaires, but not via computer assessments and lab observations. The association between individual differences in self-regulation and frontal alpha power becomes significantly stronger with age

Prevalence and Clinical Profile of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection among Farmworkers, California, USA, June-November 2020.

During the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, farmworkers in the United States are considered essential personnel and continue in-person work. We conducted prospective surveillance for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and antibody prevalence among farmworkers in Salinas Valley, California, during June 15-November 30, 2020. We observed 22.1% (1,514/6,864) positivity for SARS-CoV-2 infection among farmworkers compared with 17.2% (1,255/7,305) among other adults from the same communities (risk ratio 1.29, 95% CI 1.20-1.37). In a nested study enrolling 1,115 farmworkers, prevalence of current infection was 27.7% among farmworkers reporting >1 COVID-19 symptom and 7.2% among farmworkers without symptoms (adjusted odds ratio 4.16, 95% CI 2.85-6.06). Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies increased from 10.5% (95% CI 6.0%-18.4%) during July 16-August 31 to 21.2% (95% CI 16.6%-27.4%) during November 1-30. High SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence among farmworkers underscores the need for vaccination and other preventive interventions

Translating Marine Animal Tracking Data into Conservation Policy and Management

There have been efforts around the globe to track individuals of many marine species and assess their movements and distribution with the putative goal of supporting their conservation and management. Determining whether, and how, tracking data have been successfully applied to address real-world conservation issues is however difficult. Here, we compile a broad range of case studies from diverse marine taxa to show how tracking data have helped inform conservation policy and management, including reductions in fisheries bycatch and vessel strikes, and the design and administration of marine protected areas and important habitats. Using these examples, we highlight pathways through which the past and future investment in collecting animal tracking data might be better used to achieve tangible conservation benefits

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Forouzanfar MH, Afshin A, Alexander LT, et al. Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. LANCET. 2016;388(10053):1659-1724.Background The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors-the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57.8% (95% CI 56.6-58.8) of global deaths and 41.2% (39.8-42.8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211.8 million [192.7 million to 231.1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148.6 million [134.2 million to 163.1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143.1 million [125.1 million to 163.5 million]), high BMI (120.1 million [83.8 million to 158.4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113.3 million [103.9 million to 123.4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103.1 million [90.8 million to 115.1 million]), high total cholesterol (88.7 million [74.6 million to 105.7 million]), household air pollution (85.6 million [66.7 million to 106.1 million]), alcohol use (85.0 million [77.2 million to 93.0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83.0 million [49.3 million to 127.5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Copyright (C) The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

Transitions in the temporal parameters of sensory preconditioning during the first year of life

Prelocomotor infants spend most of their waking moments simply observing their surround. Research using a sensory preconditioning (SPC) paradigm has revealed that infants form associations between events they see together. Currently, we examined whether older infants form associations in the same way. In SPC, an association is formed when two stimuli co-occur (preexposure: A-B); association formation is confirmed when a response conditioned to stimulus A transfers to stimulus B. In prior research, 3- and 6-month-olds associated two puppets that were presented simultaneously. Research with rat pups found that formation of an A-B association is differentially affected during development by the timing regimen during A-B preexposure. Newborns associated two odors only when they were presented simultaneously; 12-day-olds associated the odors whether they were presented simultaneously or sequentially; 21-day-olds associated the odors only when they were presented sequentially. The present study used a deferred imitation task to examine whether older human infants form an A-B association and, if so, whether the timing of the preexposure regimen also shifts developmentally. Six-, 9-, and 12-month-olds received simultaneous or sequential preexposure to puppets A and B (Days 1-2). Puppets were displayed simultaneously or sequentially, after interstimulus intervals (ISIs) of 0, 7.5, 15, 30, or 60 s. We then modeled three target actions on puppet A (Day 3) and tested whether infants imitated them on puppet B (Day 4). Puppets were associated only when presented simultaneously at 6 months of age, when presented either simultaneously or sequentially (0-s ISI) at 9 months, and only when presented sequentially (7.5- and 30-s ISI) at 12 months. This developmental pattern parallels prior findings with rat pups and most likely reflects a shift from contiguous ("what goes with what") to anticipatory ("what comes after what") stimulus relationships. Nine-month-olds associated puppets after a longer ISI (15 s) with more presentations, revealing that experiential factors also affect association formation. At all ages, association formation was unrelated to infants' looking times, motor skills, or verbal skills. In sum, infants associate two objects that they merely see together, but the effective preexposure regimen shifts from simultaneous to sequential during the first postnatal year.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical references (p. 55-61)by Kimberly Cueva

Teaching Writing: Exemplary Teachers Describe their Instruction

This qualitative research study examined how exemplary 11th grade English teachers described their writing instruction. The seven teacher participants were selected for the study after receiving a “highly effective” evaluation and being identified by their principal, an assistant principal, and a department leader as being exemplary teachers of writing. Each participant was interviewed twice and asked to describe their writing instruction, writing curriculum, how they plan for writing, and how Common Core State Standards and high stakes assessments have affected their planning and instruction. During the second interview, participants read and reflected on the transcripts from their first interview. The transcripts were analyzed for themes. Eight themes were strongly supported with multiple participant voices. The following themes were supported in the analysis: (1) exemplary writing teachers are readers and writers; (2) exemplary writing teachers are passionate and personal about their work; (3) writing is at the center of curricula; (4) exemplary writing teachers connect reading and writing; (5) exemplary writing teachers use models and modeling; (6) exemplary writing teachers are process oriented and communication oriented; (7) writing-driven, high-stakes assessments can facilitate curriculum planning; and (8) exemplary writing teachers are reflective practitioners. The first seven themes are supported by the research of Graham and Perin (2007), Murphy and Smith (2015), and Smith et al. (2013). The teachers in the study all employ research-supported writing strategies and techniques in their classrooms that have been shown to improve adolescent writers. The final theme demonstrated the type of mastery learning experience that Bandura (1977; 1993) suggested was important to increase self-efficacy and, therefore, showed that teachers who are confident in their own abilities as readers and writers have self-efficacy, which also helps improve student self-efficacy. The study has multiple implications for consideration in the development of future teachers of writing, including how new and struggling teachers may be paired with mentor and model teachers and how learning to be a teacher of writing mirrors the process of learning to be writer. Additionally, the study revealed how strong curriculum frameworks such as Advanced Placement can be used to guide instruction in positive ways