Research Practices in Cohesive Devices’ Studies: Benefiting from Chaos

This study has as its main goal exploring the possibility of benefiting from the chaotic status that permeates discourse analysis research done on cohesive devices since their inception by Halliday and Hasan (1976). These research studies have been categorised based on the foci of the research questions and the genres to which the analysed texts belong. The research practices of the reviewed papers have been analysed, compared and contrasted, and evaluated apropos the research design, methodology, literature review and findings. The analysis of the research practices found that the dominant feature of the reviewed studies is incompatibility. On a cautious note, while it is acknowledged that variance is imbued with research purposes, variance can be the product of certain flaws in the research design. This paper seeks to serve three purposes: 1) To critically survey the empirical studies conducted on cohesive devices, 2) to identify the problematic practices that led to the chaotic status, and 3) to propose a host of practices that can be followed in future research done on cohesive devices. Concomitant with this review a brief account of the cohesive devices model that was espoused by the majority of the studies addressed in this paper

Theories and Research on Oral Reading Fluency: What Is Needed?

Oral reading fluency skill is considered to be the bridge to reading comprehension. However, it has been neglected in many English reading programs despite the fact that different theories (including behaviorism, information processing model theory, automaticity theory, and Ehri and McCormick’s word learning theory) have shed light on this skill. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review theories, studies and practices relevant to this skill. This study has two aims: (1) to identify the theories underpinning oral reading strategies and (2) to identify the gap in research so far conducted on oral reading fluency. Various reading-aloud techniques and assessment methods are presented in this study. Moreover, some factors that affect students’ oral reading fluency are illustrated. Significantly, the practices that this study investigates and presents concerning teaching and assessing oral reading fluency might give an inspiration for the policymakers and curriculum designers to integrate oral reading fluency in their reading programs

eP446: High rates of ‘atypical’ panorama noninvasive prenatal screening results among consanguineous Arab American women

Introduction: Panorama is one of the most accurate and commonly used methods of cell free DNA noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS). The results are reported as either high risk for a specific aneuploidy, high risk due to fetal fraction, insufficient fetal DNA, atypical, high risk, or no results. It is the only form of NIPS that uses a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) method, representing genetic changes that are present in over 1% of the general population, to screen for common fetal aneuploidies and microdeletion syndromes. We hypothesize that the SNP method could be leading to the increase in atypical results among women in consanguineous relationships, common amongst Arab Americans, where there is high homogeneity of genetic material. The aim of this study is to explore factors influencing atypical Panorama NIPS results and its association with abnormal fetal outcomes amongst Arab American women. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed by looking at Panorama NIPS performed between September 2018 and January 2021 at a large urban health system in Detroit, Michigan. The records were obtained from Natera, Inc, the clinical genetic testing company for Panorama. Singleton gestations who underwent Panorama screening and had ‘atypical’ results were included. The outcome of interest was fetal anomalies or abnormal genetic outcomes. Results: A total of 5,886 women underwent Panorama NIPS within the defined time frame and 772 (13.1%) were identified as Arab Americans. Forty-nine (0.79%) women had atypical results, of which 43 were singleton gestations. The mean age was 29.6 ± 5.3 years old. Nineteen women (44.2%) were White, 14 (32.6%) were Arab and 8 (18.6%) were Black. The percentage of Arab American women with atypical results (32.6%) was significantly higher than the overall percentage of Arab American women who ever underwent Panorama testing (13.0%) (p=0.00018). Eight women were in a known consanguineous relationship, all of whom identified as Arab Americans, hence making 57.1% of Arab women with atypical results. The outcomes for all 43 pregnancies showed normal fetal anatomy and no genetic abnormalities. In those who underwent further testing with amniocentesis (14.0%) or MaterniT21 (14.0%), the results were all normal. Conclusion: We identified a high percentage of Arab American women with atypical results compared to the baseline Arab American women ratio in the population screened. More importantly, we identified a high rate of consanguinity amongst Arab women with atypical results and subsequent normal fetal anatomy suggesting the possible influence of consanguinity on falsely elevated atypical results due to the SNP method used with Panorama testing. Such knowledge might suggest that, for Arab American women, particularly consanguineous couples, Panorama testing may not be the most ideal method for NIPS. This could help reduce unnecessary invasive testing and Maternal Fetal Medicine and genetics consultations

Invited review: Camel milk and gut health-Understanding digestibility and the effect on gut microbiota.

Camel milk (CM), known for its immune-regulatory, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and antidiabetic properties, is a natural healthy food. It is easily digestible due to the high levels of β-casein and diverse secreted antibodies, exhibiting superior antibacterial and antiviral activities compared with bovine milk. β-casein is less allergic and more digestible because it is more susceptible to digestive hydrolysis in the gut; therefore, higher levels of β-casein make CM advantageous for human health. Furthermore, antibodies help the digestive system by destroying the antigens, which are then overwhelmed and digested by macrophages. The connection between the gut microbiota and human health has gained substantial research attention, as it offers potential benefits and supports disease treatment. The gut microbiota has a vital role in regulating the host's health because it helps in several biological functions, such as protection against pathogens, immune function regulation, energy harvesting from digested foods, and reinforcement of digestive tract biochemical barriers. These functions could be affected by the changes in the gut microbiota profile, and gut microbiota differences are associated with several diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, irritable bowel disorder, mental illness, allergy, and obesity. This review focuses on the digestibility of CM components, particularly protein and fat, and their influence on gut microbiota modulation. Notably, the hypoallergenic properties and small fat globules of CM contribute to its enhanced digestibility. Considering the rapid digestion of its proteins under conditions simulating infant gastrointestinal digestion, CM exhibits promise as a potential alternative for infant formula preparation due to the high β-/αs-casein ratio and protective proteins, in addition to the absence of β-lactoglobulin.fals

Dynamic in vitro gastric digestion behaviour of camel milk

This study investigated the dynamic in vitro gastric digestion behaviour of camel milk. Coagulum that was retainable in the stomach was not formed during the digestion of camel milk, whereas bovine milk reconstituted to the same protein concentration (2.9%, w/w) underwent pronounced gastric coagulation into structured clots. During early digestion, the camel milk formed small particles, resulting from its weak coagulation, that were preferentially emptied from the stomach. These particles became more compact and spherical in the first hour of digestion and then gradually decreased in size. Protein analysis indicated that the main camel milk proteins were digested in the order αS1-casein > β-casein > α-lactalbumin, which may have been modulated by the decreasing pH during the dynamic gastric digestion. This unique coagulation behaviour of camel milk resulted in its rapid gastric digestion and emptying, which may have nutritional implications.fals

Changes in Microbial Safety and Quality of High-Pressure Processed Camel Milk

High-pressure processing (HPP) is used as a non-thermal approach for controlling microbial viability. The purposes of this study were to (i) establish the decimal reduction times (D-values) for pathogenic bacteria during 350 MPa HPP treatment,; (ii) evaluate the impact of 350 MPa HPP on total plate count (TPC), yeasts and molds (YM), and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in camel milk; (iii) investigate the behavior of several spoilage-causing bacteria during storage at 4 °C and 10 °C for up to 10 d post-HPP treatment; and (iv) assess the effect of HPP on the protein degradation of camel milk. The D-values for L. monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella spp. were 3.77 ± 0.36 min, 1.48 ± 0.08 min, and 2.10 ± 0.13 min, respectively. The HPP treatment decreased pathogenic microorganisms by up to 2 to 3 log cfu/mL (depending on treatment conditions). However, HPP reduced TPC, YM, and LAB by <1 log cfu/mL, regardless of the length of pressure exposure. HPP treatment, even at extended holding times, did not significantly alter either the proteolytic activity or casein micelle structure in camel milk. This study highlights HPP as a promising non-thermal technique for enhancing the microbiological safety of camel milk