School Re-entry Protocols for Children with Acquired Brain Injury

Acquired brain injury (ABI) results from trauma that causes temporary or permanent brain damage. Once critical medical issues are resolved, rehabilitation mainly involves learning and relearning, thus, schools play a critical role. The primary problem facing educators is the lack of appropriate school re-entry protocols to facilitate the transition from medical to educational settings. Without proper protocols, appropriate information is omitted, inappropriate decisions are made, and inadequate IEPs are developed (Glang, 2008). This study first looked at identifying any pre-existing school re-entry protocols through a detailed literature review, conducting a review of ABI specific medical and educational legislation, and contacting each Ontario school board\u27s special education learning consultant to determine whether any protocols existed. Based on these investigations the data revealed that there were no pre-existing protocols. Due to this gap in the literature and practice, the study\u27s main focus became constructing and evaluating an original school re-entry protocol. The protocol was designed through adherence to policy theory practices and accepted standards of practice found in the literature. To validate the content and structure of the protocol an evaluation was conducted by 13 special education experts using a combination of one-to-one interview(s) and a focus group discussion. Each of these professionals was identified as having prior experience working with children with ABI throughout the school re-entry process. The evaluators were all in agreement regarding the changes and additions made to the protocol post-evaluation and they felt that it would be particularly useful for educators who do not have any experience with the school re-entry process for children with ABI. The designed protocol appears to help bridge the gap between healthcare and education in the school re-entry process. Its application will be able to provide optimal learning environments for children with ABI that are free of barriers that have been documented to occur when protocols are not in place (Glang, 2008). The use of the designed protocol will also introduce more effective learning and/or behaviour management strategies that can maximize each student’s learning potential. Key words: Acquired brain injury, paediatric ABI, school re-entry, school transition

State of the water sector report 2015

The Australian Water Association and Deloitte are pleased to present the State of the Water Sector Report 2015. The Report is the only one of its kind, reporting on the trends and insights of water sector professionals about their own industry. The survey results reveal attitudes and behaviours relating to a range of topics affecting the industry. This year marks the fifth year that the survey has been run and, as such, a summary of trends across the five years has been included in this year’s report. Trends observed over the last five years operational efficiency first emerged as an issue affecting the water sector in 2013, due to growing concerns about the need to control costs and demonstrate value for money, both within the sector itself and for customers. This rose to become the primary issue and area of concern in 2014 as operational costs continued to rise and new capital investment costs were being passed on to customers. In 2015 operational efficiency remains the second biggest issue for the industry, with efficiencies still to be gained through asset management, process improvement and works management and systems improvement. Skills shortages, and talent attraction and retention were of significant concern when the survey commenced five years ago, with the issue of ageing workforces in particular seen by many as a looming threat for the industry. However, in more recent years these concerns have almost halved due to a reduction in demand for additional staff and the greater availability of skilled labour, given construction activity in the mining industry has eased. Unconventional gas came onto the industry’s radar in 2012. last year, 70% of respondents stated that they believed unconventional gas had a significant to moderate effect on the overall management of ground- or surface water. In 2015, 55% of respondents stated that produced water from unconventional gas activities can be treated to a suitable quality for irrigation and other purposes, nevertheless highlighting some concerns in relation to the oil and gas sector impact. Although climate change was identified by 86% of respondents last year as posing a significant or moderate risk to sustainable management of water, sustainability is rated as less important than in previous years, with it being ranked as one of the top issues for the sector in 2011. This may be due to broader changes in community sentiment regarding environmental issues, and more benign weather conditions. While the sector believed security of supply was being managed well, climate change, as well as population growth, is viewed as one of the greatest challenges over the next five years. from a price and regulatory perspective, satisfaction with the role of economic regulators continues to increase slowly, and an increasing proportion of respondents support regulators making deterministic decisions on prices, rather than just monitoring prices. However, a price monitoring role is still favoured by more than three times as many respondents as deterministic pricing. 2015 Key issues The price of water and water regulation Water sector professionals’ perceptions of customer beliefs Sources of water Digital technology Asset management and operational efficiency -- State based reports are also available at AWA\u27s websit

Evidence that the AGN dominates the radio emission in z ~ 1 radio-quiet quasars

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Sarah V. White, Matt J. Jarvis, Eleni Kalfoutnzou, Martin J. Hardcastle, Aprajita Verma, Mose M. Cao Orjales, and Jason Stevens, 'Evidence that the AGN dominates the radio emission in z ~ 1 radio quiet quasars', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, first published online 3 February 2017, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx284 Key results are presented in Table 4 and Figure 7, which illustrates where the RQQs lie in relation to the far-infrared--radio correlation © 2017 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.In order to understand the role of radio-quiet quasars (RQQs) in galaxy evolution, we must determine the relative levels of accretion and star-formation activity within these objects. Previous work at low radio flux-densities has shown that accretion makes a significant contribution to the total radio emission, in contrast with other quasar studies that suggest star formation dominates. To investigate, we use 70 RQQs from the Spitzer-Herschel Active Galaxy Survey. These quasars are all at $z$ ~ 1, thereby minimising evolutionary effects, and have been selected to span a factor of ~100 in optical luminosity, so that the luminosity dependence of their properties can be studied. We have imaged the sample using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA), whose high sensitivity results in 35 RQQs being detected above 2 $\sigma$. This radio dataset is combined with far-infrared luminosities derived from grey-body fitting to Herschel photometry. By exploiting the far-infrared--radio correlation observed for star-forming galaxies, and comparing two independent estimates of the star-formation rate, we show that star formation alone is not sufficient to explain the total radio emission. Considering RQQs above a 2-$\sigma$ detection level in both the radio and the far-infrared, 92 per cent are accretion-dominated, and the accretion process accounts for 80 per cent of the radio luminosity when summed across the objects. The radio emission connected with accretion appears to be correlated with the optical luminosity of the RQQ, whilst a weaker luminosity-dependence is evident for the radio emission connected with star formation.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

The use of topical anesthetics in RGP contact lens fitting

This study compared advantages and disadvantages of using a topical anesthetic while fitting twenty first time RGP contact lens wearers. Changes in attitude and corneal health were compared between subject groups. The experimental group received one drop of 0.5% proparacaine OU just prior to initial lens insertion while the control group received a placebo drop. Anesthetic was used at the fitting visit only. Corneal health was established prior to subjects being fit with lenses, immediately after being fit, and then again monitored at one week and one month of lens wear. Subjects answered questionnaires before and immediately after being fit with RGP lenses. Follow-up questionnaires were then answered at one week and one month of lens wear to assess differences in adaptation and attitude. Results indicated that subjects receiving anesthetic required less time to be fit and were more likely to be confident about their chances for becoming successful rigid lens wearers. No significantly adverse effects to corneal health or integrity were noted. Preliminary data from one week and one month follow-up visits indicated that subjects receiving anesthetic may be more likely to feel adapted to their lenses within two weeks. We have suggested, baring any outward contraindication, that anesthetic can be advantageous when used with unusually tense or apprehensive patients

GPS Rates of Vertical Bedrock Motion Suggest Late Holocene Ice-Sheet Readvance in a Critical Sector of East Antarctica

We investigate present-day bedrock vertical motion using new GPS timeseries from the Totten-Denman glacier region of East Antarctica (∼77-120°E) where models of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) disagree, glaciers are likely losing mass, and few data constraints on GIA exist. We show that varying surface mass balance loading (SMBL) is a dominant signal, contributing random-walk-like noise to GPS timeseries across Antarctica. In the study region, it induces site velocity biases of up to ∼+1 mm/yr over 2010-2020. After correcting for SMBL displacement and GPS common mode error, subsidence is evident at all sites aside from the Totten Glacier region where uplift is ∼1.5 mm/yr. Uplift near the Totten Glacier is consistent with late Holocene ice retreat while the widespread subsidence further west suggests possible late Holocene readvance of the region’s ice sheet, in broad agreement with limited glacial geological data and highlighting the need for sampling beneath the current ice sheet

Urban grasslands support threatened water voles

Urbanisation is often linked with habitat loss and a reduction in species richness but some species may be able to adapt to urban environments. Water voles Arvicola amphibius, a rapidly declining species in the UK, have recently been recorded in isolated grassland habitats in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city (human population 1.2 million). The aim of this study was to determine the distribution and habitat characteristics of water vole populations occupying these dry grasslands. Field work was undertaken from March to October 2014 in a 34 km2 study area located 3 km east of the city centre. Field sign transects recorded water vole presence in 21/65 (32%) and 19/62 (31%) surveyed sites in spring and autumn, respectively. Vole occupancy increased with distance from water and was greatest in parkland, followed by sites with rank vegetation and roadside habitats. Occupancy was lower where signs of predators were recorded but surprisingly occupancy was found to be greater in the most disturbed sites, perhaps linked to the fact that many of these sites were public parks containing suitable grassland. Sites occupied by water voles were classed as neutral grasslands with species composition dominated by two main species. The number of grassland sites occupied by water voles, especially within public areas suggests that careful management of these urban grassland habitats will benefit the conservation of this highly threatened species in the UK

A Compton reflection dominated spectrum in a peculiar accreting neutron star

We report on a puzzling event occurred during a long BeppoSAX observation of the slow-rotating binary pulsar GX 1+4. During this event, lasting about 1 day, the source X-ray flux was over a factor 10 lower than normal. The low-energy pulsations disappeared while at higher energies they were shifted in phase. The spectrum taken outside this low-intensity event was well fitted by an absorbed cut-off power law, and exhibited a broad iron line at ~6.5 keV probably due to the blending of the neutral (6.4 keV) and ionised (6.7 keV) K_alpha iron lines. The spectrum during the event was Compton reflection dominated and it showed two narrow iron lines at ~6.4 keV and ~7.0 keV, the latter never revealed before in this source. We also present a possible model for this event in which a variation of the accretion rate thickens a torus-like accretion disc which hides for a while the direct neutron star emission from our line of sight. In this scenario the Compton reflected emission observed during the event is well explained in terms of emission reflected by the side of the torus facing our line of sight.Comment: 10 pages; to be published in MNRA