Bilingualism and executive functioning in children born very low birth weight and normal birth weight

Research has documented an advantage on executive functioning in bilingual compared to monolingual children, suggesting that bilingual children may develop inhibitory control earlier than their monolingual peers. There are no known studies examining the differences between monolingual and bilingual children who were born very low birth weight (VLBW). Children born VLBW are at greater risk for difficulties with attention and inhibition. Executive functioning abilities were measured at 3-4 years and at 5-7 years. Caregivers reported sociodemographic information. Bilingualism was measured by self-report and observation of unstructured mother-child play. Executive functioning abilities were measured using the Bear Dragon (inhibition and working memory 3-4 years), Memory for Location 2 (working memory 3-4 years), Gift Delay (inhibition 3-4 & 5-7 years), WJ-III Memory for Words (working memory 3-4 & 5-7 years), Color Form (inhibition and task switching 5-7 years), and the DCCS (inhibition and task switching 5-7 years). Children born normal birth weight (NBW) performed significantly better on tasks involving working memory (3-4 years), and inhibition (5-7years). Monolingual children born NBW performed better on tasks of working memory (3-4 years) and inhibition (5-7 years) compared to bilingual children born VLBW. Modest evidence for a bilingual (parent reported but not observational) advantage on one of three inhibition tasks (Gift Delay) emerged at school age (5-7 years). Children born NBW performed better on executive functioning measures beginning at the preschool age (3-4 years). Evidence for developmental differences between these groups helps to provide a broader understanding of the development of early executive processes

Planning for compound hazards during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of climate information systems

Roundtable on Compound Hazards and COVID-19 What: An online panel with leading experts in compound hazard research, preparedness, and response, attended by over 80 online participants, met to discuss hazard response in the context of COVID-19. When: 30 June 2021 Where: Online, convened by the World Meteorological Organization and hosted by the American Geophysical UnionPeer Reviewed"Article signat per 12 autors/es: Benjamin F. Zaitchik, Judy Omumbo, Rachel Lowe, Maarten van Aalst, Liana O. Anderson, Erich Fischer, Charlotte Norman, Joanne Robbins, Rosa Barciela, Juli Trtanj, Rosa von Borries, and Jürg Luterbacher"Postprint (published version

Community perceptions of bushfire risk

The public often view and evaluate risk differently from researchers and experts. Understanding how the public construct their perceptions of risk can greatly improve risk communication, and direct risk reduction strategies most appropriately. This chapter explores the social construction of risk in two peri-urban bushfire-prone communities in Queensland. These case studies were undertaken in 2005 using a multiplemethods approach, which included group interviews with community and fire brigade members, and a community survey. While there are common factors that can similarly influence perceptions of bushfire risks within and between communities, there are often local-based issues unique to a community that have important implications for bushfire management. Through understanding and clarifying fire issues in communities, fire managers can address problems affecting bushfire risk mitigation in their local cOl1ullUnily. Engaging the community through a number of means could help considerably. The community should be viewed as a resource - communities have the capacity to act, despite vulnerabilities

Challenges we just couldn’t IgG-nore: Case studies of process optimization for next- generation, highly engineered multispecifics

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Characterization of subsurface media from locations up- and down-gradient of a uranium-contaminated aquifer.

The processing of sediment to accurately characterize the spatially-resolved depth profiles of geophysical and geochemical properties along with signatures of microbial density and activity remains a challenge especially in complex contaminated areas. This study processed cores from two sediment boreholes from background and contaminated core sediments and surrounding groundwater. Fresh core sediments were compared by depth to capture the changes in sediment structure, sediment minerals, biomass, and pore water geochemistry in terms of major and trace elements including pollutants, cations, anions, and organic acids. Soil porewater samples were matched to groundwater level, flow rate, and preferential flows and compared to homogenized groundwater-only samples from neighboring monitoring wells. Groundwater analysis of nearby wells only revealed high sulfate and nitrate concentrations while the same analysis using sediment pore water samples with depth was able to suggest areas high in sulfate- and nitrate-reducing bacteria based on their decreased concentration and production of reduced by-products that could not be seen in the groundwater samples. Positive correlations among porewater content, total organic carbon, trace metals and clay minerals revealed a more complicated relationship among contaminant, sediment texture, groundwater table, and biomass. The fluctuating capillary interface had high concentrations of Fe and Mn-oxides combined with trace elements including U, Th, Sr, Ba, Cu, and Co. This suggests the mobility of potentially hazardous elements, sediment structure, and biogeochemical factors are all linked together to impact microbial communities, emphasizing that solid interfaces play an important role in determining the abundance of bacteria in the sediments

A comparison of the clinical effectiveness and cost of specialised individually-delivered parent training for preschool attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and a generic, group-based programme: a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial of the New Forest Parenting Programme versus Incredible Years

Objective: To compare the efficacy and cost of specialised individually-delivered parent training (PT) for preschool children with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) against generic group-based PT and treatment as usual (TAU). Design: Multi-centre, three-arm parallel group randomised controlled trial. Research Setting: National Health Service Trusts. Participants: Preschool children (33-54 months) fulfilling ADHD research diagnostic criteria. Interventions: New Forest Parenting Programme (NFPP) – 12 week individual, home-delivered ADHD PT programme; Incredible Years (IY) – 12 week group-based, PT programme initially designed for children with behaviour problems. Main outcome measures: Primary outcome - Parent ratings of child’s ADHD symptoms (Swanson, Nolan & Pelham Questionnaire - SNAP-IV). Secondary outcomes - teacher ratings (SNAP-IV) and direct observations of ADHD symptoms and parent/teacher ratings of conduct problems. NFPP, IY and TAU outcomes were measured at baseline (T1) and post-treatment (T2). NFPP and IY outcomes only were measured 6 months post treatment (T3). Researchers, but not therapists or parents, were blind to treatment allocation. Analysis employed mixed effect regression models (multiple imputation). Intervention and other costs were estimated using standardized approaches. Results: NFPP and IY did not differ on parent-rated SNAP-IV, ADHD combined symptoms (mean difference -0.009 95%CI [-0.191, 0.173], p=0.921) or any other measure. Small, non-significant, benefits of NFPP over TAU were seen for parent-rated SNAP-IV, ADHD combined symptoms (-0.189 95%CI [-0.380, 0.003], p=0.053). NFPP significantly reduced parent-rated conduct-problems compared to TAU across scales (p-values.05). The cost per family of providing NFPP in the trial was significantly lower than IY (£1,591 versus £2,103). Conclusions: Although, there were no differences between NFPP and IY with regards clinical effectiveness, individually-delivered NFPP cost less. However, this difference may be reduced when implemented in routine clinical practice. Clinical decisions should take into account parental preferences between delivery approaches. Funding: National Institute of Health Research. Trial Registration: Trial name: COPPI Trial; ISRCTN39288126