Inviting Teacher Candidates into Book Talks: Supporting a Culture of Lifelong Reading

This article describes our collaborative inquiry, three teacher educators/researchers of literacy from different institutions who shared a concern about how few teacher candidates in our programs neither viewed themselves as readers nor possessed a love of reading, qualities we view as key to supporting all children as lifelong readers, writers, and communicators. In this paper, we share how we took action and studied the use of book talks in our programs to support a culture of lifelong reading among our teacher candidates and to offer possibilities for candidates’ future teaching experiences. The study took place over two years. In phase one, we studied groups of our candidates from our literacy/ language arts methods courses as they engaged in book talks. In phase two, we followed-up with nine of the participating candidates, three in each institution, during student teaching or their first year of teaching to explore how the book talk experience influenced their early teaching efforts. Findings show that book talks and the culture created in reading for pleasure and purpose made a positive impression on the way candidates viewed what it means to be a reader and their role as future teachers of literacy. In addition, we found many challenges that impeded candidates’ efforts to act on their visions of using book talks and developing independent readers in their classrooms

Prevalence of mental health conditions and relationship with general health in a whole-country population of people with intellectual disabilities compared with the general population

Background: There are no previous whole-country studies on mental health and relationships with general health in intellectual disability populations; study results vary. Aims: To determine the prevalence of mental health conditions and relationships with general health in a total population with and without intellectual disabilities. Method: Ninety-four per cent completed Scotland’s Census 2011. Data on intellectual disabilities, mental health and general health were extracted, and the association between them was investigated. Results: A total of 26 349/5 295 403 (0.5%) had intellectual disabilities. In total, 12.8% children, 23.4% adults and 27.2% older adults had mental health conditions compared with 0.3, 5.3 and 4.5% of the general population. Intellectual disabilities predicted mental health conditions; odds ratio (OR)=7.1 (95% CI 6.8–7.3). General health was substantially poorer and associated with mental health conditions; fair health OR=1.8 (95% CI 1.7–1.9), bad/very bad health OR=4.2 (95% CI 3.9–4.6). Conclusions: These large-scale, whole-country study findings are important, given the previously stated lack of confidence in comparative prevalence results, and the need to plan services accordingly

Attachment security as a predictor of blood glucose control in adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes, when the roles of additional psychological factors are considered

Introduction: Key studies have found an association between attachment style and poor diabetes outcomes in the adult diabetic populations. Specifically insecure attachment has been found to predict elevated glycated haemoglobin levels (HbA1c). Further studies have indicated that substance use and mental health difficulties also influence HbA1c. These factors have been looked at individually making it difficult to directly assess the overall effect of attachment on HbA1c and the potential mediating effects of substance use and mental health. The adolescent population has not been considered in studies examining these relationships. This study compares attachment security, level of substance use, interpersonal problems, anxiety and depression in relation to their role in blood glucose control in an adolescent population with Type 1 diabetes. Method: A quantitative, cross sectional, questionnaire design was employed to examine the role of the aforementioned factors in relation to HbA1c level. The target population included all patients aged 14 years to 18 years, inclusive, who attended for review at Diabetes Clinics across Lothian. Participants had a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes for at least one year and no additional diagnoses of mental health disorder or other chronic condition. At the clinic patients were approached and asked to complete a set of self report questionnaires. Measures of attachment were adapted versions of the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) and the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ). Interpersonal problems were assessed using the short version of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-32). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) assessed levels of anxiety and depression. The Adolescent Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory- A2 (SASSI-A2) was used to measure substance use. Blood glucose levels (HbA1c%) were obtained from clinic staff. A total of 88 participants returned completed questionnaires (response rate 79.3%). Results: When all correlations between predictors and HbA1c were examined, a negative correlation was found between attachment and HbA1c level. A positive correlation was found between anxiety and HbA1c level. Multiple regression analyses examined the relationship between attachment security and HbA1c before analysing additional predictors in the same model. No significant relationships emerged however the multiple regression model was not a significant fit for the data. Path Analysis considered all relationships between variables simultaneously while also providing information on how the model fits the data. Attachment security directly related to HbA1c levels when the contributions of gender, interpersonal problems and substance use were considered. Anxiety and depression did not predict HbA1c nor did they contribute to any other relationships with HbA1c. Interpersonal problems had a direct relationship with HbA1c when the contribution of substance use and attachment were considered. Conclusion: Attachment predicts HbA1c. The nature of this relationship is further understood when the contribution of additional psychological variables are considered. Methodological issues, clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed

Thesis Statement

As I attempt to set down in rather formal terms a discussion of and about my art I am undeniably forced into a categorizing effort. At this point in my painting such a defining of both my intellectual feelings toward my art and my emotional feelings is most difficult, as they are indistinguishable and lie tangled in an unqualified knot. I have begun to look forward to a new objective in my work which I had forgotten about and not remembered in my more formal pieces. This is the completion and final outcome of the painting which has begun to come to me, unpredicted, as a final surprise. The shapes or objects or images, passing through different planes in space, changing at will, merely because I want them to, not because they should to achieve a certain structure in space or optical effect, coloring them as I feel at the time, has kindled the more direct experience of painting. This seems to feed on itself and makes me objectively search for a way of combining my symmetrical, formal world with the more subjectively perceptual one I had forgotten. &nbsp;</p

A Guide to Integrated Pest Management for Brassica - Insect Pest, Disease, Virus, Nematode and Weed Control

This guide outlines the key issues that should be considered in relation to the implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for brassica crops on a whole of crop basis. The guide addresses the key control methods and their rating in an IPM system for the major insect pests, disease, virus, nematode and weed control. The guide should be used in conjunction with the posters; “Brassica crop protection products – A guide to potential impacts on beneficials” and the “Best Practice IPM – Overview”. The guide should also be used alongside other publications such as the, “Field Guide to – Pests,Diseases and Disorders of Vegetable Brassicas

Trends and variations in per capita expenditure on adult intellectual disabilities health and social care across Scotland, and by urban/rural class

Background: Following the global financial crisis in 2007/08, the UK implemented an austerity programme which may impact on services. Scotland comprises both densely-populated urban conurbations and highly-dispersed remote rural and island communities. Methods: Expenditure data were extracted from Scottish Government statistics. Per capita expenditure was calculated using adjusted Scotland’s 2011 census data. Results: There was a 3.41% decrease in real term expenditure on adult intellectual disabilities services between 2012/13 and 2014/15 (&gt;£32million). In 2014/15, per capita expenditure on adult intellectual disabilities health care ranged from £1,211-£17,595; social care from £21,147-£83,831; combined health and social care expenditures from £37,703-£85,929. Per capita expenditure on combined health and social care was greater in rural areas; with more on intellectual disabilities social care, though less on health care. Conclusions: Scottish expenditure on adult intellectual disabilities services has not kept abreast of rising living costs. It varies considerably across the country: a post-code lottery

I Wrote Eugene Onegin: Voices of Subversion and Submission in Soviet Anecdotes

What is the difference between capitalism and communism? Capitalism is the exploitation of man by man. Communism is the other way round.This was a question aired on the Armenian Radio, a station renowned for offering freedom of speech in Soviet Russia, which notoriously voiced the officially forbidden yet widely accepted truths of Soviet existence. The Armenian Radio was created only discursively, in the vast body of quips and anecdotes that are a marked feature of popular Soviet discourse: regardless of the political observation or clarity, the above quotation is merely a joke. In this article, it is my intention to use these anecdotes as a means of exploring the power relationship at the centre of the soviet regime, to see these voices as part of what Foucault calls a "popular" or "disqualified knowledge," and to explore what the very process of joke telling reveals about the nature of struggle and resistance, under Foucault's premise of "using resistances as a chemical catalyst so as to bring to light power relations" ("Subject and Power" 211).

Standardizing and communicating IPM data

The practice of integrated pest management is well defined, and a common approach is spreading internationally following the production of protocols and standards that describe good practice. One essential element of IPM is the collection of data. This paper explores the potentials and limitations of data collection and presentation as commonly practiced within IPM, in particular the potential for confirmation bias in data collection following patterns of placement of insect pest monitors where problems are already identified. The paper examines the outcomes being sought from using IPM and asks whether the data collection and presentation currently offered are a good fit. Many IPM research questions identify dynamic challenges, such as the migration of a new pest through a country, or the spread of an established pest within a collection but data representation is less well suited to dynamic change. The paper proposes that a greater focus on the needs of the audience and the goal of data presentation is necessary to generate an effective range of approaches for peers, technical experts, colleagues and decision makers. To resolve this, the paper recommends a fundamental change to the way that IPM data is collected and shared, using standardisation of data collection and a consideration of user needs in presenting the findings

Prevalence of physical conditions and multimorbidity in a cohort of adults with intellectual disabilities with and without Down syndrome: cross-sectional study

Abstract: Objectives To investigate the prevalence of multimorbidity in adults with intellectual disabilities with and without Down syndrome. Design: Large, population-based cross-sectional study. Setting: The geographical area of one Health Board, Scotland. Participants: All adults (aged 16+ years) known to general practitioners to have intellectual disabilities and adults receiving services provided or paid by intellectual disabilities health or social work services. 1023/1562 potential participants took part (65.5%); 562 (54.9%) men and 461 (45.1%) women, aged 43.9 years (16–83 years). 186 had Down syndrome and 837 did not. Main outcome measures: The prevalence of International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, physical health conditions and multimorbidity detected at a comprehensive health assessment. Results: The mean number of physical health conditions/participant was 11.04, and 98.7% had multimorbidity. The most prevalent conditions are painful and/or disabling and, in some cases, life threatening. The five most prevalent were visual impairment, obesity, epilepsy, constipation and ataxic/gait disorders. The pattern of multimorbidity differs from that seen in the general population and is spread across the entire adult life course. The extent of multimorbidity in the adults with Down syndrome was similar to that of the adults without Down syndrome, while the prevalence of individual conditions differed. Conclusions: This robustly designed study with a large population found an extremely high prevalence of multimorbidity in adults with intellectual disabilities across the entire adult life course. This increases complexity of medical management that secondary healthcare services and medical education are not yet geared towards, as these tend to focus on single conditions. This is in addition to complexity due to limitations in communication and understanding. As the physical conditions within their multimorbidity also differ from that seen in the older general population, urgent attention is needed to develop the care pathways and guidelines that are required to inform and so improve their healthcare

Better pest management through more effective communication of data

Natural history collections belong to those museum collections most vulnerable to pest damage. Preventing collections from being damaged by pests is a major challenge of collection care. Integrated pest management (IPM) programmes are currently the preferred option within the heritage sector for protecting collections from insect pests. One essential feature of IPM is monitoring and recording, resulting in large amounts of data. While there is a considerable body of literature on the implementation and maintenance of an IPMprogramme, little guidance exists on effective analysis and communication of data. Our work on data visualisation advocates for more effective communication by adopting novel graphical representations to achieve improvements in communication, which remains an under-researched aspect of collection care