Literacy Training in an Urban High School Professional Learning Community

The purpose of this study was to explore the essence of professional learning experiences shared by teachers who participated in a professional learning community (PLC) at a New York City high school in the South Bronx. Guided by Hord\u27s PLC characteristics and Bruner\u27s constructivism theories, this phenomenological study addressed the research questions of what PLC practices urban high school teachers employ to support the academic-literacy achievement of their students of low social economic status (SES); the role of administration in the PLC process; and the roles of a shared mission, values, vision, norms, and collaborative knowledge on the functioning of the PLC. Data collected from the 6 PLC teachers included semi-structured individual interviews, observations of PLC meetings over a 2-month period, participating teacher reflective journal entries, and a researcher\u27s log. Manual data analysis consisted of reading raw data multiple times to determine patterns, themes, and relationships. Additionally, concept and descriptive coding approaches facilitated data source analysis. Gerund words and short phrases generated labels and categories that resulted symbolic representation. The results were that the urban high school teachers demonstrated Hord\u27s PLC characteristics and Bruner\u27s constructivism theories within their PLC\u27s practices and principles leading to decision-making and solutions to problems such as improving teachers\u27 literacy practices, students\u27 literacy skills and classroom behavior, and school wide Individualized Educational Plan process. The findings of this study support the engagement of urban high school teachers in self-directed PLC activities that may promote social change by improving literacy instruction and literacy achievement among students of low SES

MARATHON STRIDE RATE DYNAMICS: A CASE STUDY

The purpose of this study was to investigate stride rate (SR) dynamics of a recreational runner participating in his debut marathon. Tibial accelerometry data obtained during a half marathon (R1) and marathon (R2) were utilised. SR data were extracted utilising novel computational methods and descriptive statistics were utilised for analysis of R2, and comparison of the first half of the marathon (R2half) to R1. Results indicate that the participant employed comparable SR strategy in R1 and R2half. For R2 a combined decreasing trend in SR and increased variance in SR from 30 km (R2 =0.0238) was observed. Results indicate that the participant had the ability to maintain SR strategy for the first half of the marathon, however as fatigue onset occurred this ability decreased. Running strategies on SR during fatigue may be of future use to recreational runners

COMPARISON OF ACCELEROMETRY STRIDE TIME CALCULATION METHODS

The purpose of this study was to investigate how a newly proposed method of stride time calculation, utilising data filtered at 2 Hz, compared to previous methods. Tibial accelerometry data for 6 participants completing half marathon running training were collected. One run was selected for each participant at random, from which five consecutive running strides were ascertained. Four calculation methods were employed to derive each stride time and results were compared. No significant difference was found between methods (p=1.00). The absolute difference in stride time, when comparing the proposed method to previous methods, ranged from 0.000 seconds to 0.039 seconds. Filtered data could offer a simplified technique for stride time output during running gait analysis, particularly when applied during automated data processing for large data sets

A STUDY TO INVESTIGATE THE RELIABILITY AND CONSISTENCY OF THE SPORTS TUTOR TENNIS CUBETM VELOCITY, TRAJECTORY AND LANDING POINTS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and consistency of the Sports Tutor Tennis CubeTM ball launcher. Five identical (mass, diameter) competition standard tennis balls were each launched twenty-five times and flight was assessed using 3D infra red motion analysis. 3D resultant velocity was found to be 18.9 ± 0.89 m/s, landing points had a coefficient of variation in the lateral direction of 8.28% and 18.4% in the vertical direction Trajectory was also projected to estimate ball carry showing ball flight range (horizontal spread) of 14.9 ± 3.71 m. Results showed that whilst the commercially popular tennis ball launcher was stroke specific, it exhibited a level of variability This could be seen to bring variance to tennis players’ practice that they once thought did not occur with the use of tennis ball machines

Elastic Buckling Under Combined Stresses of Flat Plates with Integral Waffle-like Stiffening

Theory and experiment were compared and found in good agreement for the elastic buckling under combined stresses of long flat plates with integral waffle-like stiffening in a variety of configurations. For such flat plates, 45 degree waffle stiffening was found to be the most effective of the configurations for the proportions considered over the widest range of combinations of compression and shear

Posaconazole therapeutic drug monitoring in a regional hospital setting

BACKGROUND: Posaconazole therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is recommended to promote effective antifungal prophylaxis, but its utility has yet to be optimized. Breakthrough invasive fungal infections have been reported with serum concentrations/L, but there is little evidence to determine the optimal serum concentration for efficacy or concentrations associated with toxicity. Challenges for effective monitoring are greater in settings without posaconazole TDM facilities because of the long turnaround time before receipt of results. METHODS: Thirty-eight TDM episodes were performed on 18 patients in a regional center in Australia during a 30-month period. Australian guidelines recommend a trough serum concentration of ≥700 mcg/L. The response to concentrations below the recommendation threshold (700 mcg/L), the final serum plasma concentration for each patient, and the appropriateness of TDM were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 19 (50%) concentrations were recorded to be \u3c 700 mcg/L. Of these 19 concentrations, the drug dose was increased on only 4 occasions. Eleven of 18 patients (61%) had initial concentrations CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate a lack of confidence and consistency in ordering, interpreting, and following up posaconazole concentrations. Therefore, the use of TDM should be carefully considered, especially in regional centers. Such settings should consider the practicalities of posaconazole TDM and try to improve the process to ensure consistency and optimization of patient care

THE APPLICATION OF DETREMDED FLUCTUATION ANALYSIS IN RUNNING AND ITS INTEGRATION INTO A REAL-TIME SYSTEM

Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) provides valuable information regarding both training and injury when applied to running time series. However, there is limited information when applied to recreational runners, or within a real-time environment. Firstly, DFA was applied to the stride time series of select training runs and competitive runs for recreational runners completing a half marathon and full marathon. Results indicate recreational runners maintain similar stride time dynamics in a half marathon, compared to training, however, stride time variability becomes increasingly deterministic during a marathon, compared to training. Secondly, we explore the implementation of DFA in a real-time system and provide evidence to support the use of DFA in running feedback

Bayesian estimation of tobramycin exposure in cystic fibrosis

Fixed tobramycin (mg/kg) dosing is often inappropriate in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), as pharmacokinetics are highly variable. The area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) is an exposure metric suited to monitoring in this population. Bayesian strategies to estimate AUC have been available for over 20 years but are not standard practice in the clinical setting. To assess their suitability for use in clinical practice, three AUC estimation methods using limited sampling were compared to measured true exposure by using intensive sampling tobramycin data. Adults prescribed once daily intravenous tobramycin had eight concentrations taken over 24 h. An estimate of true exposure within one dosing interval was calculated using the trapezoidal method and compared to three alternate estimates determined using (i) a two-sample log-linear regression (LLR) method (local hospital practice); (ii) a Bayesian estimate using one concentration (AUC(1)); and (iii) a Bayesian estimate using two concentrations (AUC(2)). Each method was evaluated against the true measured exposure by a Bland-Altman analysis. Twelve patients with a median (range) age and weight of 25 (18 to 36) years and 66.5 (51 to 76) kg, respectively, were recruited. There was good agreement between the true exposure and the three alternate estimates of AUC, with a mean AUC bias of < 10 mg/liter center dot h in each case, i.e., -8.2 (LLR), 3.8 (AUC(1)), and 1.0 (AUC(2)). Bayesian analysis-based and LLR estimation methods of tobramycin AUC are equivalent to true exposure estimation. All three methods may be suitable for use in the clinical setting; however, a one-sample Bayesian method may be most useful in ambulatory patients for which coordinating blood samples is difficult. Suitably powered, randomized clinical trials are required to assess patient outcomes