The Effects of Using Peer Tutors to Implement the Neurological Impress Method

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of using the Neurological Impress Method to increase fluency and improve reading attitude of three learning disabled fourth graders who had received fluency training by fourth grade tutors. A related purpose was to determine the attitudes and opinions of the tutors and tutees about the NIM tutoring program. The tutees of this study had documented difficulties in reading and each had an IEP. The peer tutors for this study were fluent and expressive readers who were reading above grade level. Both tutors and tutees were part of the same inclusive fourth grade classroom. This study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative measures. The Elementary Reading Attitude Survey was administered to learn about the tutees\u27 initial feelings about reading. The researcher also met with the same three subjects to model and describe how the NIM works and why this method would be implemented as part of their reading program. During the third meeting, each student was asked to choose a book at his/her instructional reading level. Each student was timed for one minute on word rate and word accuracy to determine baseline scores. This information was indicated on each student\u27s personal reading fluency graphs. The researcher also met with the peer tutors to describe and model the NIM. The researcher and peer tutors met for three consecutive sessions to practice administering the NIM. Finally, both the tutors and tutees met with the researcher to sign an Agreement of Participation that highlighted the responsibilities of both parties in the study. The tutees and peer tutors participated in the NIM for 10 minutes per day for 40 sessions. Word rate per minute and word accuracy scores were taken every 10 sessions. The subjects recorded their scores on their personal fluency graphs. Each session was audio taped and observations were noted by the researcher. Subjects were also observed throughout the school day to gather qualitative data concerning the students\u27 attitudes towards reading and the program. Furthermore, the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey was administered to the tutees at the conclusion of the 40 sessions to note any change in attitude towards reading. All subjects were interviewed individually at the end of the study to gather information regarding their feelings about the NIM tutoring program. Results of the study indicated at least a doubling of word rate per minute for two of the three tutees. The third tutee showed improvement in word rate per minute but, not a strong trend of change (doubling of word rate per minute). At the onset of the study, it was found that all three subjects already had word accuracy scores over 90%. All three tutees showed an improvement in their overall attitude towards reading. The tutees became more confident in their ability to read and demonstrated this confidence by reading more often, sharing books with the class, and by reading a greater variety of materials. Finally, both tutors and tutees revealed that participating in the NIM program was a positive and beneficial experience

THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE HEART RATES & GROWTH OF SEA SLUGS IN THE GULF OF MAINE

In the next 80 years, sea surface temperatures are expected to increase by 1.5o to 2oC and ocean pH is expected to drop by 0.06 to 0.32 units, with exacerbated effects seen in coastal waters. Temperature increase has already forced organisms to shift their range polewards and ocean acidification has negatively affected calcifying organisms. Interactive effects, only more recently studied, vary depending on phylum and life cycle stage. This study examined both the upper thermal tolerance and interactive effect of temperature and acidification on the heart rate of five cold-water species of nudibranchs (Aeolidia papillosa, Cuthona gymnota, Dendronotus frondosus, Flabellina verrucosa, and Onchidoris bilamellata) and one species of sacoglossan (Placida dendritica) from the Gulf of Maine. Thermal tolerance was determined by recording heart rate for each organism starting at 4oC and increasing the temperature by increments of 4oC until the organism’s heartbeat slowed or ceased. For interactive effects, pH levels used were pH 8 (control) and pH 7 at temperatures: 4o, 8o (control), 12o, and 16oC. Upper thermal tolerance limits ranged from 16o to 20oC for the nudibranchs and 24oC for the sacoglossan. The combined effects of increasing temperature and lower pH were neutral, negatively additive, and antagonistic. Only F. verrucosa exhibited an interactive effect, with higher temperature and lower pH leading to decreased heart rate. Although no interactive effect was demonstrated in C. gymnota, D. frondosus, and O. bilamellata, lower pH slowed heart rates across all temperatures. Subsequently, the relationship between temperature and growth rates was examined in D. frondosus and F. verrucosa. The nudibranchs were reared for eight weeks at 4o, 10o, or 16oC and growth was measured weekly. The ideal temperature for growth appeared to be 10oC, whereas 16oC was lethal. Additionally, an unsuccessful attempt was made to culture A. papillosa, but the number of embryos per egg capsule and larval growth rates were examined. Size of adult sea slug positively impacted the number of embryos per egg capsule, with embryos increasing in length by 50% over the first week and 10% over subsequent weeks. With an interactive effect only seen in one species and upper temperatures being lethal if held constant for a month, temperature appears to be the greatest threat to survival. What is happening to these sea slugs in the GOM is likely happening to other snails and marine invertebrates throughout the ocean

Synthetic studies towards panacene : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Chemistry at Massey University

SYNTHETIC STUDIES TOWARDS PANACENE (1) 2-Trimethylsilyloxyfuran (l}) and 2-acetyl-1 ,4-benzoquinone (6) were prepared according to published methods. The uncatalysed addition of 2-trfmethylsilyloxyfuran (23) to the quinone (6) gave cis-3a,8b-dihydro-8-acetyl-7-hydroxyfuro­ [3,2-b]benzofuran-2-(3H)-one (24) in 50% yield. The reaction of other 1,4-benzoquinones was investigated, establishing the necessity of an activating substituent at C-2 of the quinone. Attempts to reduce the acetyl group of cis-3a,8b-dihydro-8- -acetyl-7-hydroxyfuro[3,2-b]benzofuran-2-(3H)-one (24) to the ethyl group present in Panacene (l) were unsuccessful, although reduction of the ketone with sodium borohydride gave cis-3a,8b-dihydro-8-(1 '-hydroxyethyl)-7-hydroxyfuro[3,2-b]­ benzofuran-2-(3H)-one (51). The conversion of cis-3a,8b-dihydro-8-acetyl-7-hydroxyfuro­ [3,2-b]henzofuran-2-(3H)-one (24) to cis-3,3a,9b-trihydro- 5-hydroxy-5-methylfuro[3,2-c][2]benzopyran-2,6,9-(5H)-trione (58) was carried out using cerie ammonium nitrate

Book Review: The South Carolina State House Grounds

Jennifer Gibson reviews The South Carolina State House Grounds, written by Lydia Mattice Brandt with photographs by Chandler Yonkers

Communicating geoscience in uncertain times

Under the geoscience umbrella shelters a great breadth and depth of topics and concepts, from the applied to the abstract, and from the every-day to the extraordinary. This umbrella branches onto ethical and philosophical topics around the environment, society, justice, economics, heritage and so on—it is truly interdisciplinary. It is no wonder, then, that communicating geoscience can be tricky. Indeed, it is increasingly acknowledged that challenges in communicating geoscience are a major barrier to developing new geological technologies for society

Trypanosomes are monophyletic: evidence from genes for glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase and small subunit ribosomal RNA.

The genomes of Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major have been sequenced, but the phylogenetic relationships of these three protozoa remain uncertain. We have constructed trypanosomatid phylogenies based on genes for glycosomal glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (gGAPDH) and small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA). Trees based on gGAPDH nucleotide and amino acid sequences (51 taxa) robustly support monophyly of genus Trypanosoma, which is revealed to be a relatively late-evolving lineage of the family Trypanosomatidae. Other trypanosomatids, including genus Leishmania, branch paraphyletically at the base of the trypanosome clade. On the other hand, analysis of the SSU rRNA gene data produced equivocal results, as trees either robustly support or reject monophyly depending on the range of taxa included in the alignment. We conclude that the SSU rRNA gene is not a reliable marker for inferring deep level trypanosome phylogeny. The gGAPDH results support the hypothesis that trypanosomes evolved from an ancestral insect parasite, which adapted to a vertebrate/insect transmission cycle. This implies that the switch from terrestrial insect to aquatic leech vectors for fish and some amphibian trypanosomes was secondary. We conclude that the three sequenced pathogens, T. brucei, T. cruzi and L. major, are only distantly related and have distinct evolutionary histories