Impact of Preschool Education on Reading Achievement of Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade Students

This study examines the impact of various types of preschool care and education on the reading achievement of children, kindergarten through fifth grade, who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K). The participants in this study are located throughout the United States of America. These students attend public and private schools. The data for this study were provided by the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), a division of the U.S. Department of Education. The researcher utilized ECLS-K\u27s Public Use Data File and Electronic Codebook to create an SPSS syntax file in order to determine if there is a difference in the longitudinal reading achievement of students from Kindergarten through the Fifth Grade and the cohort reading achievement of students in Kindergarten, First Grade, Third Grade, and Fifth Grade based on their preschool educational experience. Recommendations are provided for policymakers, teacher education programs, early childhood professionals, administrators, and K-12 public school teachers. A one way analysis of variance was conducted and indicated that the effect of preschool experience on the longitudinal reading achievement of students Kindergarten through the Fifth Grade was significant, F(4, 2528) = 46.42, p\u3c.001. A one way analysis of variance was also conducted to test hypothesis 2 and indicated that the effect of preschool experience on the cohort reading achievement of students in Kindergarten, F(4, 14291) = 90.6, First Grade, F(4, 13919) = 51.72, Third Grade, F(4, 11772) = 6.35, and Fifth Grade, F(4, 9367) = .89 was significant. Suggestions for future studies are presented as well

LGBTQ* Responsive Sand Tray: Creative Arts and Counseling

This article builds upon a heuristic framework for sand tray in supervision, multicultural focus areas, and the supervisory roles of teacher, consultant, and counselor to propose a framework for LGBTQ* responsive sand tray. This proposed framework provides supervisors with a creative arts-based structure to assist both counselors-in-training and practitioner supervisees in working with LGBTQ* persons, in a way that is culturally responsive and affirmative of their LGBTQ* identity. This article provides a group supervision case example and discussion to highlight to enactment and process of utilizing the proposed creative-arts framework

Perceptions of Clinical Adjunct Instructor Preparedness in Nurse Education

This project study addressed the perceptions of novice adjunct clinical instructors as they transition from clinician to novice educator within an associate degree nursing program in Ohio. Lack of formal training in educational preparation has caused the disorientation of effective supervisory practices in the clinical setting and prevents the optimal transfer of knowledge from educators to nursing students. Mezirow’s transformative adult learning theory and Schoening’s nurse educator transition model were the two conceptual frameworks that guided this study. A qualitative exploratory research design was used to study the role transition process and perceptions of supervision, challenges, and strategies or support. A demographic inquiry and in-depth interviews were conducted with 8 novice adjunct instructors with 3 years or less experience as a clinical educator. Verbatim transcripts were dissected line by line and a priori codes and descriptive coding methods were applied, yielding thematically categorized data. Lacking orientation and becoming an authority figure were a few of the emergent themes that offered insight into integral gaps in the orientation and training practices. An online professional development training program (PDTP) was subsequently developed as a result of the study findings and was designed using the study site’s web-based Canvas learning management system. The learning objectives of this PDTP have been designed to remedy the identified gaps in practice and will serve as an ongoing resource and toolkit for all novice adjunct clinical instructors. The findings of this study will impact positive social change by improving job satisfaction, retention rates, and onboarding procedures as well as the quality of education provided to the next generation of graduate nurses

Studies of the Suitability of Fowlpox as a Decontamination and Thermal Stability Simulant for Variola Major

Variola major, the causative agent of smallpox, has been eradicated from nature. However, stocks still exist; thus, there is a need for relevant decontamination studies, preferably with nonpathogenic simulants. Previous studies have shown a similarity in response of vaccinia virus and variola major to various decontaminants and thermal inactivation. This study compared vaccinia and fowlpox viruses under similar conditions, using disinfectants and temperatures for which variola major data already existed. Most disinfectants showed similar efficacy against vaccinia and fowlpox, suggesting the utility of fowlpox as a decontamination simulant. Inactivation kinetics studies showed that fowlpox behaved similarly to variola major when treated with 0.1% iodine and 5.7% polyethyleneglycol nonylphenyl ether, 0.025% sodium hypochlorite, 0.05% sodium hypochlorite, and 0.1% cetyltrimethylammonium chloride and 0.05% benzalkonium chloride, but differed in its response to 0.05% iodine and 0.3% polyethyleneglycol nonylphenyl ether and 40% ethanol. Thermal inactivation studies demonstrated that fowlpox is a suitable thermal simulant for variola major between 40°C and 55°C

Trophic Transfer of Fatty Acids, Sterols, and a Triterpenoid Alcohol Between Bacteria, a Ciliate, and the Copepod Acartia Tonsa

The incorporation of lipids into the copepod Acartia tonsa and its eggs was measured when it was fed either a bacterivorous ciliate (Pleuronema sp.) or a diatom (Thalassiosira weissflogii). Egg production was 10-fold higher on the diatom diet, whereas hatch success of eggs was the same for algal and ciliate diets. Adult copepods fed diatoms contained more total fatty acid and sterols than copepods fed the ciliate diet, and individual lipids reflected the dietary source. Eggs from diatom-fed copepods had fewer fatty acids but more sterols than eggs from copepods on a ciliate diet. Ciliate-fed copepods and their eggs contained significant amounts of odd chain-length and branched fatty acids diagnostic of bacteria. These fatty acids, in particular the iso C15 and C17, were also elevated in ciliates feeding on bacteria in culture, suggesting the direct transfer of bacterial fatty acids from ciliates to copepods and their eggs. We also observed the assimilation of tetrahymanol, a triterpenoid alcohol specific to ciliates, into adults and eggs when copepods were fed a ciliate diet. Tetrahymanol accounted for 6.6±1.9% of total neutral lipids in adults and 35.4 ± 6.5% in eggs. These results suggest that bacterivorous ciliates may not provide copepods with adequate nutritional requirements for long-term survival, but that lipids unique to bacteria and ciliates can be assimilated by and may provide useful tracers of consumption by copepods

Disk and Envelope Structure in Class 0 Protostars: I. The Resolved Massive Disk in Serpens FIRS 1

We present the first results of a program to characterize the disk and envelope structure of typical Class 0 protostars in nearby low-mass star forming regions. We use Spitzer IRS mid-infrared spectra, high resolution CARMA 230 GHz continuum imaging, and 2-D radiative transfer models to constrain the envelope structure, as well as the size and mass of the circum-protostellar disk in Serpens FIRS 1. The primary envelope parameters (centrifugal radius, outer radius, outflow opening angle, and inclination) are well constrained by the spectral energy distribution (SED), including Spitzer IRAC and MIPS photometry, IRS spectra, and 1.1 mm Bolocam photometry. These together with the excellent uv-coverage (4.5-500 klam) of multiple antenna configurations with CARMA allow for a robust separation of the envelope and a resolved disk. The SED of Serpens FIRS 1 is best fit by an envelope with the density profile of a rotating, collapsing spheroid with an inner (centrifugal) radius of approximately 600 AU, and the millimeter data by a large resolved disk with Mdisk~1.0 Msun and Rdisk~300 AU. These results suggest that large, massive disks can be present early in the main accretion phase. Results for the larger, unbiased sample of Class~0 sources in the Perseus, Serpens, and Ophiuchus molecular clouds are needed to determine if relatively massive disks are typical in the Class 0 stage.Comment: Comments: 13 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables; accepted for publication in the Ap

Properties of the Youngest Protostars in Perseus, Serpens, and Ophiuchus

We present an unbiased census of deeply embedded protostars in Perseus, Serpens, and Ophiuchus, assembled by combining large-scale 1.1 mm Bolocam continuum and Spitzer Legacy surveys. We identify protostellar candidates based on their mid-infrared properties, correlate their positions with 1.1 mm core positions, and construct well-sampled SEDs using our extensive wavelength coverage (lam=1.25-1100 micron). Source classification based on the bolometric temperature yields a total of 39 Class 0 and 89 Class I sources in the three cloud sample. We compare to protostellar evolutionary models using the bolometric temperature-luminosity diagram, finding a population of low luminosity Class I sources that are inconsistent with constant or monotonically decreasing mass accretion rates. This result argues strongly for episodic accretion during the Class I phase, with more than 50% of sources in a ``sub-Shu'' (dM/dt < 1e-6 Msun/yr) accretion state. Average spectra are compared to protostellar radiative transfer models, which match the observed spectra fairly well in Stage 0, but predict too much near-IR and too little mid-IR flux in Stage I. Finally, the relative number of Class 0 and Class I sources are used to estimate the lifetime of the Class 0 phase; the three cloud average yields a Class 0 lifetime of 1.7e5 yr, ruling out an extremely rapid early accretion phase. Correcting photometry for extinction results in a somewhat shorter lifetime (1.1e5 yr). In Ophiuchus, however, we find very few Class 0 sources (N(Class0)/N(ClassI)=0.1-0.2), similar to previous studies of that cloud. The observations suggest a consistent picture of nearly constant average accretion rate through the entire embedded phase, with accretion becoming episodic by at least the Class I stage, and possibly earlier.Comment: 31 pages, 19 figures, 8 tables; accepted for publication in Ap

Utilization of direct smears of thyroid fine‐needle aspirates for ancillary molecular testing: A comparison of two proprietary testing platforms

Background Ancillary molecular testing has been recommended for thyroid fine‐needle aspirates (FNA) with indeterminate cytologic diagnoses. Rosetta Genomics and Interpace Diagnostics have developed assays that can utilize direct smears as the testing substrate. Methods A retrospective study of indeterminate thyroid FNAs with known histologic follow‐up was performed. One Diff‐Quik‐stained smear and one Papanicolaou‐stained smear with similar cellularity (at least 60‐100 lesional cells) from each case were sent to Rosetta and Interpace, respectively, for analysis. The results were directly compared and correlated with the final histopathology. Neither company was aware of the follow‐up histologic findings in these cases. Results A total of 10 thyroid FNAs were identified from our 2015 files. The cytologic diagnoses included follicular lesion of undetermined significance (FLUS, n = 5), follicular neoplasm/suspicious for follicular neoplasm (FN/SFN, n = 4), and suspicious for malignancy (SM, n = 1). Of the seven cases with benign histology, six smears were classified as benign by the RosettaGX microRNA classifier, and one case was designated as suspicious. Five cases were negative by both ThyGenX oncogene panel and ThyraMIR microRNA classifier. One case was negative by ThyGenX and positive on follow‐up ThyraMIR, and one case was positive for KRAS mutation and positive on ThyraMIR. Both the RosettaGX and ThyGenX/ThyraMIR tests demonstrated positive results for the three histologically malignant cases. Conclusion This study demonstrates that two molecular testing platforms performed equally well using our stained direct smears. Both molecular tests revealed a 100% negative predictive rate. RosettaGX showed a 75% positive predictive value in comparison to 60% for ThyGenX/ThyraMIR

Cockpit control system conceptual design

The purpose of this project was to provide a means for operating the ailerons, elevator, elevator trim, rudder, nosewheel steering, and brakes in the Triton primary flight trainer. The main design goals under consideration were to illustrate system and subsystem integration, control function ability, and producibility. Weight and maintenance goals were addressed