Assessment and Analysis of Receptive and Expressive English Language Development in Spanish Speaking ELLs and Native English Speakers Using the Pre-KLBA

The purpose of this study is to examine the trends and differences in receptive and expressive English language development in native English speakers and Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELL). It also aims to analyze the relationship between auditory comprehension and narrative production skills and semantic skills and narrative production skills in native English-speakers and Spanish-speaking ELLs. Eighty-three preschool-aged children (17 Spanish-speaking ELLs and 66 Native English-speakers) were administered the Pre-Kindergarten Language Benchmark Assessment (Pre-KLBA) in Fall 2015, Winter 2016, and Spring 2016. This study utilized a three by two ANOVA to evaluate and determine: 1) If there are differences in Pre-KLBA total scores (i.e., sum of auditory comprehension, expressive categorization, and narrative scores) for Spanish-speaking ELLs and Native English speakers across fall, winter, and spring 2) If there are differences in Pre-KLBA total scores between Spanish-speaking ELLS and the native English-speakers across the fall, winter, and spring testing times 3) If there is an interaction effect between Spanish-speaking ELLs and native English speakers and the testing time (i.e., fall, winter, and spring) on the language score. Fourteen Spanish-speaking ELL Pre-K students and 14 native English-speaking children were assigned to the Spanish-speaking ELL group and the native English-speaking group, respectively, based on their native language. A contingency analysis was utilized to determine: 1) if auditory comprehension performance correlates with narrative productions and 2) if semantic skills correlates with narrative productions in Spanish-speaking ELLs and native English speakers. This study concludes that native English-speakers and Spanish-speaking ELLs both demonstrate overall language improvement, however, there continues to be a gap in performance between the groups in which native English-speakers continue to perform higher than their same-aged Spanish-speaking ELLs. Understanding Spanish-speaking ELL and native English-speaker English development can help shape assessment procedures and guide the intervention process in order to better identify ELLs and native English-speakers that are at-risk for language difficulties

Effect Of Prolonged Pacifier Use On Speech Articulation

Letački scenarij napravljen u simulatoru Gazebo u svrhu testiranja biometričkih odziva čovjeka, pilota, u raznim situacijama. Letački scenarij sadrži statični dio, lagan za letenje. Uz njega postoji i dinamični dio s preprekama koji od pilota zahtijeva više truda. Za upravljanje dinamičnim dijelom koristi se ROS.Flying scenario made in Gazebo simulator for the purposes of testing biometrical responses of man, pilot, in different situations. Flying scenario consist of static part, easy to fly. Besides it, there is dynamic part with obstacles which demands that the pilot puts more effort into it. For control of dynamic part ROS is used

The Relationship Between Leadership Styles and Conflict Management Techniques as Reported by Hospital Middle Management Personnel in Eight of the Largest Hospitals in North Dakota

The purpose of this study was to determine possible relationships between the self-reported leadership styles and conflict management techniques of a selected group of hospital middle management personnel. The major question studied was: Are there relationships between the self-reported leadership styles as measured by the Hersey and Blanchard LEAD-Self Instrument and the self-reported conflict management techniques as measured by the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument among supervisors in selected health care institutions in North Dakota as reported by sex, age, level of education, years in current supervisory position, total years in supervisory positions, number of subordinates supervised, and hours of management training completed? The sample was comprised of 156 department heads/cost center managers from the eight largest hospitals in North Dakota. The results of the study demonstrated that High Task and High Relationship was the dominant leadership style reported by the majority of respondents. The most frequently used supporting style was that of High Relationship and Low Task. Respondents indicated the use of Compromising as their most frequently utilized mode of handling conflict. The second most frequently used technique was that of Collaborating, although Avoiding was used almost as frequently as Collaborating. There were no significant differences between self-reported leadership styles on the basis of the seven variables studied. There were significant differences between conflict management techniques when the two variables of sex and age were considered. Females tended to use the Compromising mode more frequently than males. More females than males used the Competing mode and more males than females used the Accommodating mode. More respondents 35 years of age or under used the Competing mode. More respondents between 36 and 45 years of age used the Compromising mode. More respondents 46 years of age or above used the Collaborating mode. Respondents between the ages of 36 and 45 tended to use the Avoiding mode less frequently and the Accommodating more frequently than those in the other two age categories. Hospital administrators should conduct more in-depth assessments of the conflict management techniques of middle managers through validation of these behaviors by superordinates and subordinates; develop training programs to deal with common causes of conflict and appropriate strategies for dealing with them; and emphasize to managers the consequences of the use of Avoidance, Accommodation, and Compromising as primary conflict management techniques

The Impact of Neonatal Inflammatory Insult on Adult Somatosensory Processing: The Role of the Descending Nociceptive Circuit

The neonatal period represents a critical window of increased neurodevelopmental plasticity in the immature nervous system. Unlike other sensory modalities, which require appropriate stimulation for proper development, maturation of nociceptive circuitry in neonates typically occurs in the absence of noxious stimulation. Premature infants, however, are routinely exposed to multiple invasive medical procedures during neonatal intensive care treatment, which are largely performed in the absence of anesthetics or analgesics. To date, it is largely unknown how exposure to early noxious insult during this time of increased plasticity alters the development of the CNS and influences future nociceptive responses. As previous studies examining the impact of neonatal inflammatory insult on adult nociceptive responses have been conducted primarily in males, the potential adverse effects in females are unknown. Furthermore, the biological mechanisms underlying neonatal insult-induced deficits in nociceptive processing have yet to be elucidated. Therefore, this dissertation addressed the following questions: (1) Does neonatal inflammatory insult differentially alter male and female baseline somatosensory thresholds and response to re-inflammation in adulthood?; (2) Are neonatal inflammation-induced deficits in nociceptive responsiveness mediated by a potentiation in endogenous opioid tone?; and (3) Does pre-emptive morphine analgesia attenuate the behavioral consequences of neonatal inflammatory insult? Collectively, these studies will provide valuable information about the long-term consequences of neonatal noxious stimulation in males and females, which may lead to improved understanding and prevention of the lasting effects of repeated invasive interventions in premature infants in the NICU

Using group dynamics and personality characteristics to form learning groups in high school multimedia courses

The purpose of this study was to provide insights into Emergenetics® STEPTM personality profiling as a selection and placement strategy to enhance process and performance in high school learning groups. An explanatory case study was conducted in a private high school currently subscribing to the Emergenetics® STEPTM program. Emergenetics® STEPTM Profile results of students enrolled in the school’s six Multimedia Productions courses were analyzed as the basis for learning group construction. Key individual thinking preferences (Analytical, Structural, Social, Conceptual) identified by the STEPTM Profile was the main variable of analysis. One learning group from each of the six classes (n = 30) served as the unit of analysis. Data were collected from learning group observations, student journals, project assessments, and student and teacher interviews. Results of the study indicated Emergenetics® personality profiling may be a useful approach for grouping students. In particular, grouping students in WEteam® combinations, where all Thinking Attributes are adequately represented, may produce stronger, more creative, and productive learning groups, as Emergenetics® theory suggests (The Browning Group International Inc., n.d.). Groups where all Thinking Attributes were present also tended to adopt teamwork as their primary leadership style. The adoption of this participative leadership style, whether by an individual leader or through shared group leadership, appeared to generate a more successful and enjoyable group learning experience than other leadership styles. This is consistent with previous research (Chen & Lawson, 1996; French, Waas, Stright, & Baker, 1986; Mueller & Fleming, 2001; M.R. Myers & Slavin, 1990). Factors possibly contributing to lower member participation were also identified. These factors included lack of or flawed prior relationships, adverse perception of group learning, and presence of specific levels of Behavioral Attributes. Specific levels of Behavioral Attributes associated with diminished participation included first-third Expressives, first-third Assertiveness, and third-third Flexibles. However, this should not be taken to imply people with these preferences would always participate less than those holding other levels of these Behavioral Attributes. Instead, these Behavioral Attributes offer insight into why some people in certain circumstances participate less in group work

Long Term Impact of Neonatal Injury in Male and Female Rats: Sex Differences, Mechanisms and Clinical Implications

Over the last several decades, the relative contribution of early life events to individual disease susceptibility has been explored extensively. Only fairly recently, however, has it become evident that abnormal or excessive nociceptive activity experienced during the perinatal period may permanently alter the normal development of the CNS and influence future responses to somatosensory input. Given the significant rise in the number of premature infants receiving high‐technology intensive care over the last twenty years, ex‐preterm neonates may be exceedingly vulnerable to the long‐term effects of repeated invasive interventions. The present review summarizes available clinical and laboratory findings on the lasting impact of exposure to noxious stimulation during early development, with a focus on the structural and functional alterations in nociceptive circuits, and its sexually dimorphic impact

Neonatal Injury Alters Adult Pain Sensitivity by Increasing Opioid Tone in the Periaqueductal Gray

Studies in both rodents and humans have shown that acute inflammatory pain experienced during the perinatal period produces long-term decreases in pain sensitivity (hypoalgesia) (Grunau et al., 1994a , 2001 ; Ren et al., 2004 ; LaPrairie and Murphy, 2007 ). To date, the mechanisms underlying these long-term adaptations, however, have yet to be elucidated. The present studies tested the hypothesis that neonatal inflammatory pain induces an upregulation in endogenous opioid tone that is maintained into adulthood, and that this increase in opioid tone provides the underlying mechanism for the observed hypoalgesia. On the day of birth (P0), inflammatory pain was induced in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats by intraplantar administration of carrageenan (CGN; 1%). In adulthood (P60), these animals displayed significantly increased paw withdrawal latencies in response to a noxious thermal stimulus in comparison to controls. Systemic administration of the brain-penetrant opioid receptor antagonist naloxone HCl, but not the peripherally restricted naloxone methiodide, significantly attenuated the injury-induced hypoalgesia. Direct administration of naloxone HCl or antagonists directed at the mu or delta opioid receptors into the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) also significantly reversed the injury-induced hypoalgesia in adult rats. Parallel anatomical studies revealed that inflammatory pain experienced on the day of birth significantly increased beta-endorphin and met/leu-enkephalin protein levels and decreased opioid receptor expression in the PAG of the adult rat. Thus, early noxious insult produces long-lasting alterations in endogenous opioid tone, thereby profoundly impacting nociceptive responsiveness in adulthood

Female Rats are More Vulnerable to the Long-Term Consequences of Neonatal Inflammatory Injury

Premature infants are routinely exposed to invasive medical procedures during neonatal intensive care treatment that are largely performed in the absence of anesthetics or analgesics. Data collected to date suggest that exposure to early insult during this time of increased plasticity alters the development of the CNS and influences future pain responses. As previous studies examining the impact of neonatal injury on nociception have been conducted primarily in males, the potential adverse effects on females are not known. Therefore, the present studies were conducted to determine whether neonatal injury differentially impacts male and female sensory thresholds in adulthood. A short lasting inflammatory response was evoked in male and female rats on the day of birth with an injection of carrageenan (CGN; 1% or 2%) into the right hindpaw. Nociceptive thresholds were assessed using a noxious thermal stimulus at both adolescence (P40) and adulthood (P60). A more persistent inflammation was subsequently evoked in adult rats with an intraplantar injection of Complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA). Neonatally injured females exhibited significantly greater hypoalgesia at P60, and displayed enhanced inflammatory hyperalgesia following re-injury in adulthood compared to neonatally injured males and controls. These results demonstrate that the long-term adverse effects of neonatal injury are exacerbated in females, and may contribute to the higher prevalence, severity and duration of pain syndromes noted in women compared to men