A handbook using picture journals in transitional kindergarten

The written language has several different functions in today\u27s society. There is environmental print, occupational print, informational print and recreational print. Students in today\u27s classrooms are learning all about the different aspects of writing and how to express themselves through their writing skills. Only when most children are personally interested in their writing can teachers have the chance to move around and conference with each individual author. At the end of the day, a sharing time usually occurs which permits the authors to share their work with others. Even young students can keep journals, write and share their work with others. Keeping folders on the writing the students produce will show how their spelling, handwriting and writing have developed. Marie Clay (1975) says that students who are involved in the writing experience stories are well rounded students who excel in reading and expressing themselves through the written language. Whole language teachers have found that with young students, a teacher should start the students out by having the students draw a picture and dictate a sentence/story to go along with the drawing. The next step, is to let the students draw and write on their own. This is one of the different phases of learning about the writing process. There is very little if any writing process activities done in the Transitional Kindergarten class. If students are started in Transitional Kindergarten writing then by the time the students get to First Grade their writing will be further ahead of other students. Transitional students can also experience the wonderful experience of getting their thoughts and feelings onto paper. In this handbook, it will be shown how to establish and teach the writing process using picture journals and other writing activities to the Transitional Kindergarten student

The CO-produced Psychosocial INtervention delivered by GPs to young people after self-harm (COPING): protocol for a feasibility study

BackgroundSelf-harm in young people is a growing concern and reducing rates a global priority. General practitioners (GPs) can intervene early after self-harm but there are no effective treatments presently available. We developed the GP-led COPING intervention, in partnership with young people with lived experience and GPs, to be delivered to young people 16–25 years across two consultations. This study aims to examine the feasibility and acceptability of conducting a fully powered effectiveness trial of the COPING intervention in NHS general practice.MethodsThis will be a mixed-methods external non-randomised before-after single arm feasibility study in NHS general practices in the West Midlands, England. Patients aged 16–25 years who have self-harmed in the last 12 months will be eligible to receive COPING. Feasibility outcomes will be recruitment rates, intervention delivery, retention rates, and completion of follow-up outcome measures. All participants will receive COPING with a target sample of 31 with final follow-up data collection at six months from baseline. Clinical data such as self-harm repetition will be collected. A nested qualitative study and national survey of GPs will explore COPING acceptability, deliverability, implementation, and likelihood of contamination.DiscussionBrief GP-led interventions for young people after self-harm are needed and address national guideline and policy recommendations. This study of the COPING intervention will assess whether a main trial is feasible

Association between Alcoholism and the Genetic Polymorphisms of the GABAA Receptor Genes on Chromosome 5q33-34 in Korean Population

Family, twin, and adoption studies have demonstrated that genes play an important role in the development of alcoholism. We investigated the association between alcoholism and the genetic polymorphisms of the GABAA receptor genes on chromosome 5q33-34 in Korean population. The genotype of the GABAA receptor gene polymorphisms were determined by performing polymerase chain reaction genotyping for 172 normal controls and 162 male alcoholics who are hospitalized in alcoholism treatment institute. We found a significant association between the genetic polymorphisms of the GABAA α1 and GABAA α6 receptor gene and alcoholism. The GG genotype of the GABAA α1 receptor gene was associated with the onset age of alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and a high score on the Korean version of the ADS. However, there was no association between the genetic polymorphisms of the GABAA β2 and γ2 receptor gene and alcoholisms. Our finding suggest that genetic polymorphisms of the GABAA α1 and GABAA α6 receptor gene may be associated with the development of alcoholism and that the GG genotype of the GABAA α1 receptor gene play an important role in the development of the early onset and the severe type of alcoholism

Oscillatory surface rheotaxis of swimming E. coli bacteria

Bacterial contamination of biological conducts, catheters or water resources is a major threat to public health and can be amplified by the ability of bacteria to swim upstream. The mechanisms of this rheotaxis, the reorientation with respect to flow gradients, often in complex and confined environments, are still poorly understood. Here, we follow individual E. coli bacteria swimming at surfaces under shear flow with two complementary experimental assays, based on 3D Lagrangian tracking and fluorescent flagellar labelling and we develop a theoretical model for their rheotactic motion. Three transitions are identified with increasing shear rate: Above a first critical shear rate, bacteria shift to swimming upstream. After a second threshold, we report the discovery of an oscillatory rheotaxis. Beyond a third transition, we further observe coexistence of rheotaxis along the positive and negative vorticity directions. A full theoretical analysis explains these regimes and predicts the corresponding critical shear rates. The predicted transitions as well as the oscillation dynamics are in good agreement with experimental observations. Our results shed new light on bacterial transport and reveal new strategies for contamination prevention.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

The (cost-)effectiveness of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention on the recovery from neck and upper limb symptoms in computer workers

BACKGROUND: Neck and upper limb symptoms are frequently reported by computer workers. Work style interventions are most commonly used to reduce work-related neck and upper limb symptoms but lifestyle physical activity interventions are becoming more popular to enhance workers health and reduce work-related symptoms. A combined approach targeting work style and lifestyle physical activity seems promising, but little is known on the effectiveness of such combined interventions. METHODS/DESIGN: The RSI@Work study is a randomised controlled trial that aims to assess the added value of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention to reduce neck and upper limb symptoms in computer workers. Computer workers from seven Dutch companies with frequent or long-term neck and upper limb symptoms in the preceding six months and/or the last two weeks are randomised into three groups: (1) work style group, (2) work style and physical activity group, or (3) control group. The work style intervention consists of six group meetings in a six month period that take place at the workplace, during work time, and under the supervision of a specially trained counsellor. The goal of this intervention is to stimulate workplace adjustment and to improve body posture, the number and quality of breaks and coping behaviour with regard to high work demands. In the combined (work style and physical activity) intervention the additional goal is to increase moderate to heavy physical activity. The control group receives usual care. Primary outcome measures are degree of recovery, pain intensity, disability, number of days with neck and upper limb symptoms, and number of months without neck and upper limb symptoms. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and six and 12 months after randomisation. Cost-effectiveness of the group meetings will be assessed using an employer's perspective. DISCUSSION: This study will be one of the first to assess the added value of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention in reducing neck and upper limb symptoms of computer workers. The results of the study are expected in 2007

Evidence-based consensus guidelines for the management of catatonia: Recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology

The British Association for Psychopharmacology developed an evidence-based consensus guideline on the management of catatonia. A group of international experts from a wide range of disciplines was assembled. Evidence was gathered from existing systematic reviews and the primary literature. Recommendations were made on the basis of this evidence and were graded in terms of their strength. The guideline initially covers the diagnosis, aetiology, clinical features and descriptive epidemiology of catatonia. Clinical assessments, including history, physical examination and investigations are then considered. Treatment with benzodiazepines, electroconvulsive therapy and other pharmacological and neuromodulatory therapies is covered. Special regard is given to periodic catatonia, malignant catatonia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome and antipsychotic-induced catatonia. There is attention to the needs of particular groups, namely children and adolescents, older adults, women in the perinatal period, people with autism spectrum disorder and those with certain medical conditions. Clinical trials were uncommon, and the recommendations in this guideline are mainly informed by small observational studies, case series and case reports, which highlights the need for randomised controlled trials and prospective cohort studies in this area