Measuring The Effect Of Vocabulary Instruction On Reading Comprehension: A Comparison Of Academic And Tier II Words

The purpose of this study was (a) to determine if 4th grade students could learn academic vocabulary words or tier II general words using a vocabulary intervention program referred to as the lexicon enhancement program (LeEP), and b) to determine if the category of vocabulary words (tier II general vs. academic) impacts the number of vocabulary words learned, general vocabulary abilities, and reading comprehension. A total of 111 fourth graders participated in this study. Six classrooms were randomly assigned as either the academic group, tier II group, or control group. Pre- and posttest scores of the Zero-One-Two (ZOT; Robinson, 2013) were gathered to assess vocabulary knowledge, and pre- and posttest scores of the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP; Wang, McCall, Jiao, & Harris, 2013), a standardized, computerized test, were gathered to assess reading comprehension and general vocabulary abilities of all participants. Results revealed that intervention groups showed gains in vocabulary knowledge over the course of the intervention program when compared to the control group. Furthermore, posttest scores of the ZOT total score and ZOT words known were significantly higher for the academic group than the control group, indicating that teaching academic vocabulary words had a greater impact on the number of ZOT words that were learned than teaching tier II vocabulary words. Statistically significant gains were not discovered in general vocabulary abilities or reading comprehension for the interventions groups when compared to the control group suggesting that the LeEP did not generalize to general reading comprehension and vocabulary skills

Non-lethal DNA extraction methods for genetic analyses of endangered bumble bee species

Dr. Sujaya Rao is the faculty advisor for this Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).Several North American bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Bombus) are faced with decline as factors such as climate change, pollution, and urbanization threaten their existence, thus raising concern regarding genetic diversity as populations diminish. Consequently, genetic analysis of these susceptible species is essential when considering appropriate conservation efforts. One species, Bombus affinis, has experienced such sharp population declines that it was listed as federally endangered within the United States and Canada. This necessitates methods for collecting genetic samples from bumble bees that do not require euthanizing specimens or removing legs. A previous pilot study used 50 mL conical tubes fitted with sugar water soaked swabs to passively collect genetic material from Bombus affinis. Approximately 50% of the 63 samples obtained contained usable amounts of DNA. To further improve this technique, samples were collected from Bombus impatiens using two non-lethal, minimally-invasive DNA extraction methods that can be applied to declining and endangered species. In one method, bumble bee thoraxes were swabbed directly to collect hairs from the immobilized bumble bees, whereas the second technique involved the passive DNA collection method utilized in the pilot study. The results of these two techniques were compared using PCR and gel electrophoresis to determine which of these methods, direct swabbing or passive DNA collection, works best for gathering genetic samples without causing unnecessary harm to susceptible and endangered species. It was concluded that the passive technique resulted in distinguishable DNA approximately 1.8 times more consistently than the active technique and is the better option among these methods.This research was supported by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).Kuhlmey, Eiley E; Boone, Michelle; Lindsey, Amelia; Rao, Sujaya. (2021). Non-lethal DNA extraction methods for genetic analyses of endangered bumble bee species. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/223241

Randomized Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Combined Therapy with Laser-Surgery and Systemic Interferon-Alpha-2A in the Treatment of Anogenital Condylomata Acuminatum

An earlier study by this group failed to demonstrate significant therapeutic effect of 4 weeks of systemic recombinant interferon (IFN)-alpha2 monotherapy on anogenital condylomata acuminatum. The present study was undertaken to determine if 3 MIU of IFN given three times weekly for 4 consecutive weeks and starting immediately after CO2 laser ablation of all visible warts would be effective. In a multicenter placebo-controlled randomized double-blinded study of 130 evaluatable patients followed for 36 weeks after treatment, no beneficial effects were noted in terms of complete response (24 placebo vs. 23 IFN patients) and recurrences (38 placebo vs. 46 IFN patients). None of the pretreatment and demographic characteristics affected outcome with statistically significant differences. CO2 laser ablation combined with systemic recombinant IFN-alpha2 was ineffective in this study as treatment of anogenital condylomata

Plasma and Urinary Aluminum Concentrations in Severely Anemic Geophagous Pregnant Women in the Bas Maroni Region of French Guiana: A Case-Control Study

The clays consumed by geophagous individuals contain large quantities of aluminum, a known neurological and hematological toxin. This is the first study to evaluate the risk of aluminum poisoning in geophagous individuals. Blind determinations of plasma and urinary aluminum concentrations were carried out in 98 anemic geophagous pregnant women and 85 non-anemic non-geophagous pregnant women. Aluminum concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in the geophagous anemic women than in the controls, with odds ratios of 6.83 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.72–19.31) for plasma concentrations (13.92 ± 14.09 μg/L versus 4.95 ± 7.11 μg/L) and 5.44 (95% CI = 2.17–14.8) for urinary concentrations (92.83 ± 251.21 μg/L versus 12.11 ± 23 μg/L). The ingested clay is the most likely source of this overexposure to aluminum. If confirmed, the clinical consequences of this absorption for pregnant women and their offspring should be explored