Uma notata

Number of Pages: 2Integrative BiologyGeological Science

The Relationship Between Reading Achievement Test Scores of Pre-Kindergarten Entrants and Standard Entrants at the Beginning of Kindergarten

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of early intervention on reading achievement scores of children of urban low-income families. Need for the study was prompted by the debate among early childhood experts about whether early intervention had an influence on children from urban low-income families. One hundred fifty kindergarten students who attended school in the city of Rochester, New York were identified. Of the one hundred fifty students, seventy-seven were prekindergarten entrants and seventy-three were standard entrants. The California Achievement Test Level 10 form E was administered to the subjects by their kindergarten teacher at the beginning of the kindergarten school year. The scores of the California Achievement Test were analyzed to determine if participation in a prekindergarten program was a significant influence on reading achievement test scores. After testing the null hypothesis, it was found that there was a significant difference on reading achievement test scores favoring prekindergarten entrants

Advancing Groundwater Sustainability in Texas: A Guide to Existing Authorities and Management Tools for Groundwater Conservation Districts and Communities

Groundwater provides about 60% of our yearly water supply in Texas — it is a vital, yet limited, resource that supports Texas communities, economies, and natural systems. Despite its importance, across most of Texas, groundwater is being managed in a way that allows for its eventual depletion, putting communities, rivers and streams and the ecosystems that depend on groundwater at risk. A recent report from the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment concluded groundwater conservation districts, Texas' preferred method of managing groundwater, have an opportunity to change course and to manage groundwater sustainably.Fortunately, the Texas Legislature wisely imparted management obligations on GCDs that are imperative for long-term water security and livability of Texas' communities. And the Legislature has equipped GCDs with a full toolbox of planning, rulemaking, and permitting authorities to carry out their management obligations. GCDs have flexibility within their existing authorities to integrate sustainability principles into management goals, desired future conditions, management plans, and rules. Although GCDs face challenges managing a common pool resource that is privately owned and many suffer from a lack of funding and state investment in local data and modeling, GCDs can still move toward sustainable management by actively engaging the public and implementing new approaches through smaller, targeted programs, enabling GCDs to fully utilize the tools already available to them

Implementing Meaningful Problem-Based Learning in a Middle School Science Classroom

The purpose of this action research study was to explore the impact of problem-based learning on science instruction in my eighth-grade college preparatory classroom. Constructivism was the framework for this study. Problem-based learning is based on constructivist principles, and it served as the instructional model for this study. PBL can foster the use of problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and communication skills, which are needed in the 21st century. This research study was centered around three research questions. The first question asked about the impact PBL has on students’ science achievement. The second question asked how does PBL impact students’ engagement towards science and learning. The third question asked how does PBL impact students’ problem-solving skills. This research study utilized a mixed-methods design. Quantitative and qualitative data showed that although some students struggled with abstract scientific concepts, PBL increased students’ academic achievement in science. Data also showed that while students may need frequent redirection, the activities utilized while implementing PBL engaged most students. I also found that although students may need additional support, PBL improved students’ problem-solving skills. An action plan was created to implement PBL school-wide. Implications for classroom practice and future research were also discussed

Development of Pre-stressed CFRP Fatigue Retrofits for Common Steel Bridge Connections

Aging or deterioration of the nation’s bridge infrastructure is a significant issue that requires attention. Causes for much of this deterioration can be attributed to two main factors, 1) corrosion, and 2) metallic fatigue, both of which work together to reduce the strength and serviceability of bridge components over time. In many instances, strengthening of bridge components using localized retrofits offers an economical and fast solution for increasing the longevity of existing steel bridges; however, such retrofits must be resilient to further corrosion and fatigue damage. In this study, a localized retrofit is developed using pre-stressed Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strips to strengthen fatigue sensitive details within existing steel bridges. Four stringer/multi-girder steel bridges are considered with varying construction types are analyzed using 3D finite element modeling techniques. Critical fatigue regions are identified for each bridge based on the stress history resulting from the passage of an HS 20-44 design truck. Pre-stress forces required to shift the steel component stress range from a state of finite to infinite fatigue life are determined using the Goodman constant life criterion. Results of the analyses showed that connection details near cross-frame configurations within skewed bridge geometries are more susceptible to fatigue damage than bridges with non-skewed geometries due to distortion induced fatigue in longitudinal girders during loading. Additionally, the developed retrofit successfully reduced the mean stress of a diaphragm connection detail during a laboratory test, indicating that the pre-stressed CFRP retrofit is capable of improving the fatigue performance of structural details. Equations and pre-stressing forces required for the CFRP retrofit are developed for several truck load levels (allowing consideration of increased truck traffic weights)

A Fetal-Maternal Shift of Blood Oxygen Affinity in an Australian Viviparous Lizard, Sphenomorphus quoyii (Reptilia, Scincidae)

Compared to adults, the oxygen affinity of blood from fetal Sphenomorphus quoyii is very much higher: P50 is approximately 70 Torr in adults and 30 Torr in nearly full term embryos (PC02= 17 Torr, T=34 degrees C). Following birth, oxygen affinity decreases gradually and adult values are approached after about 15 weeks, with the onset of winter retreat. Electrophoresis revealed a multiple hemoglobin system in both adults and embryos, but there were no apparent differences between them

Incubation environment impacts the social cognition of adult lizards

Recent work exploring the relationship between early environmental conditions and cognition has shown that incubation environment can influence both brain anatomy and performance in simple operant tasks in young lizards. It is currently unknown how it impacts other, potentially more sophisticated, cognitive processes. Social-cognitive abilities, such as gaze following and social learning, are thought to be highly adaptive as they provide a short-cut to acquiring new information. Here, we investigated whether egg incubation temperature influenced two aspects of social cognition, gaze following and social learning in adult reptiles (Pogona vitticeps). Incubation temperature did not influence the gaze following ability of the bearded dragons; however, lizards incubated at colder temperatures were quicker at learning a social task and faster at completing that task. These results are the first to show that egg incubation temperature influences the social cognitive abilities of an oviparous reptile species and that it does so differentially depending on the task. Further, the results show that the effect of incubation environment was not ephemeral but lasted long into adulthood. It could thus have potential long-term effects on fitness