Improving Students\u27 Scores on the Georgia End of Course Assessment for Biology

The purpose of this applied study is to solve the problem of underperforming student test scores on the End of Course Biology assessment for high school students at an alternative school in Georgia, and to formulate a solution to address the problem. A multi-method design will be used consisting of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The first approach will be structured interviews with the administration. The second approach will be focus groups with teachers. The third approach will analyze quantitative data from student surveys. The results may provide insight into an underlying problem in underperforming scores on the End of Course Biology assessment. Furthermore, an instructional intervention may be suggested and implemented to improve scores based on the consensus of students’ needs

Dissipation and mixing during the onset of stratification in a temperate lake, Windermere

Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers and chains of temperature sensors were used to observe the spring transition to stable stratification over a 55 day period in a temperate lake. Observations of the flow structure were complemented by measurements of dissipation, based on the Structure Function method, near the lake bed and in the upper part of the water column. During complete vertical mixing, wind-driven motions had horizontally isotropic velocities with roughly equal barotropic and baroclinic kinetic energy. Dissipation was closely correlated with the wind-speed cubed, indicating law of the wall scaling, and had peak values of ~1 x 10-5.5 W kg-1 at 10 m depth during maximum wind forcing (W~ 15 m s-1). As stratification developed, the flow evolved into a predominantly baroclinic regime dominated by the first mode internal seiche, with root mean square (rms) axial flow speeds of ~2-3 cm-1; ~ 2.5-times the transverse component. At 2.8 m above the bed, most of the dissipation occurred in a number of strong maxima coinciding with peaks of near-bed flow. In the pycnocline, dissipation was low most of the time, but with pronounced maxima (reaching ~1 x 10-5 W kg-1) closely related to the local velocity shear. The downward diffusive heat flux across the pycnocline over 27.5 days accounted for ~ 70% of the temperature rise in the water column below. Total lake kinetic energy increased by a factor of 3 between mixed and stratified regimes, in spite of reduced wind forcing, indicating less efficient damping in stable conditions

Dissipation and mixing during the onset of stratification in a temperate lake, Windermere

Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers and chains of temperature sensors were used to observe the spring transition to stable stratification over a 55 day period in a temperate lake. Observations of the flow structure were complemented by measurements of dissipation, based on the Structure Function method, near the lake bed and in the upper part of the water column. During complete vertical mixing, wind-driven motions had horizontally isotropic velocities with roughly equal barotropic and baroclinic kinetic energy. Dissipation was closely correlated with the wind-speed cubed, indicating law of the wall scaling, and had peak values of ~1 x 10-5.5 W kg-1 at 10 m depth during maximum wind forcing (W~ 15 m s-1). As stratification developed, the flow evolved into a predominantly baroclinic regime dominated by the first mode internal seiche, with root mean square (rms) axial flow speeds of ~2-3 cm-1; ~ 2.5-times the transverse component. At 2.8 m above the bed, most of the dissipation occurred in a number of strong maxima coinciding with peaks of near-bed flow. In the pycnocline, dissipation was low most of the time, but with pronounced maxima (reaching ~1 x 10-5 W kg-1) closely related to the local velocity shear. The downward diffusive heat flux across the pycnocline over 27.5 days accounted for ~ 70% of the temperature rise in the water column below. Total lake kinetic energy increased by a factor of 3 between mixed and stratified regimes, in spite of reduced wind forcing, indicating less efficient damping in stable conditions

Is saltwater intrusion occurring from the Avon River into the shallow aquifer in Christchurch, New Zealand?

Introduction:Seawater intrusion (SI) is the landward movement of saltwater into fresh coastal aquifers. SI is a global issue intensified by climate change-induced sea-level rise. Tidal rivers are a source of saltwater that can render the adjacent shallow aquifer vulnerable to SI (Fig. 1). In this study, we investigated the potential for SI from the tidal Avon River into the adjacent unconfined aquifer in Christchurch. We add to previous work by Rutter1 that identified temperature fluctuations with tide within a number of shallow monitoring wells near the Avon River. Our study aims to identify whether solute transport is occurring from the river into the adjacent aquifer

Future avenues and challenges of exploring complex personhood

Future avenues and challenges of exploring complex personhoo

Hospitalisations from one to six years of age: Effects of Gestational Age and Severe Neonatal Morbidity

Background: To investigate whether the adverse infant health outcomes associated with early birth and severe neonatal morbidity (SNM) persist beyond the first year of life and impact on paediatric hospitalisations for children up to six years of age. Methods: The study population included all singleton live births, >32 weeks gestation in New South Wales, Australia in 2001-2005, with follow-up to six years of age. Birth data were probabilistically linked to hospitalisation data (n=392,964). The odds of hospitalisation, mean hospital length of stay (LOS) and costs, and cumulative LOS were evaluated by gestational age and SNM using multivariable analyses. Results: A total of 74,341 (18.9%) and 41,404 (10.5%) infants were hospitalized once and more than once, respectively. SNM was associated with increased odds of hospitalisation once (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.16 [95% CI 1.10, 1.22]), and more than once (aOR 1.51 [1.42, 1.60]). Decreasing gestational age was associated with increasing odds of hospitalisation more than once from aOR 1.19 at 37-38 weeks to 1.49 at 33-34 weeks. Average LOS and costs per hospital admission were increased with SNM but not with decreasing gestational age. Cumulative LOS was significantly increased with SNM and decreasing gestational age. Conclusions: Adverse effects of SNM and early birth persist between one and six years of age. Strategies to prevent early birth and reduce SNM, and to increase health monitoring of vulnerable infants throughout childhood may help reduce paediatric hospitalisations.NHMRC, NSW Health Population Health and Health Services Gran

Development of a Cryptosporidium oocyst assay using an automated fiber optic-based biosensor

An intestinal protozoan parasite, Cryptosporidium parvum, is a major cause of waterborne gastrointestinal disease worldwide. Detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts in potable water is a high priority for the water treatment industry to reduce potential outbreaks among the consumer populace. Anti-Cryptosporidium oocyst polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies were tested as capture and detection reagents for use in a fiber optic biosensor assay for the detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts. Antibodies were validated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, flow cytometry, Western blotting and fluorescent microscopy. Oocysts could be detected at a concentration of 105 oocysts/ml when the polyclonal antibodies were used as the capture and detection reagents. When oocysts were boiled prior to detection, a ten-fold increase in sensitivity was achieved using the polyclonal antibody. Western blotting and immunofluorescence revealed that both the monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies recognize a large (>300 kDa) molecular weight mucin-like antigen present on the surface of the oocyst wall. The polyclonal antibody also reacted with a small (105 kDa) molecular weight antigen that was present in boiled samples of oocysts. Preliminary steps to design an in-line biosensor assay system have shown that oocysts would have to be concentrated from water samples and heat treated to allow detection by a biosensor assay

An Analysis of PubMed Abstracts From 1946 to 2021 to Identify Organizational Affiliations in Epidemiological Criminology: Descriptive Study

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological criminology refers to health issues affecting incarcerated and nonincarcerated offender populations, a group recognized as being challenging to conduct research with. Notwithstanding this, an urgent need exists for new knowledge and interventions to improve heath, justice, and social outcomes for this marginalized population. OBJECTIVE: To better understand research outputs in the field of epidemiological criminology, we examined the lead author's affiliation by analyzing peer-reviewed published outputs to determine countries and organizations (eg, universities, governmental and nongovernmental organizations) responsible for peer-reviewed publications. METHODS: We used a semiautomated approach to examine the first-author affiliations of 23,904 PubMed epidemiological studies related to incarcerated and offender populations published in English between 1946 and 2021. We also mapped research outputs to the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index to better understand whether there was a relationship between research outputs and the overall standard of a country's justice system. RESULTS: Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark) had the highest research outputs proportional to their incarcerated population, followed by Australia. University-affiliated first authors comprised 73.3% of published articles, with the Karolinska Institute (Sweden) being the most published, followed by the University of New South Wales (Australia). Government-affiliated first authors were on 8.9% of published outputs, and prison-affiliated groups were on 1%. Countries with the lowest research outputs also had the lowest scores on the Rule of Law Index. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides important information on who is publishing research in the epidemiological criminology field. This has implications for promoting research diversity, independence, funding equity, and partnerships between universities and government departments that control access to incarcerated and offending populations

Clostridioides difficile binary toxin binding component (cdtb) increases virulence in a hamster model

Background Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of hospital-acquired gastrointestinal infection, in part due to the existence of binary toxin (CDT)-expressing hypervirulent strains. Although the effects of the CDT holotoxin on disease pathogenesis have been previously studied, we sought to investigate the role of the individual components of CDT during in vivo infection. Methods To determine the contribution of the separate components of CDT during infection, we developed strains of C difficile expressing either CDTa or CDTb individually. We then infected both mice and hamsters with these novel mutant strains and monitored them for development of severe illness. Results Although expression of CDTb without CDTa did not induce significant disease in a mouse model of C difficile infection, we found that complementation of a CDT-deficient C difficile strain with CDTb alone restored virulence in a hamster model of C difficile infection. Conclusions Overall, this study demonstrates that the binding component of C difficile binary toxin, CDTb, contributes to virulence in a hamster model of infection

'Beyond places of safety' - a qualitative study exploring the implementation of mental health crisis care innovations across England

BACKGROUND: Mental health acute and crisis care consumes a large share of mental health budgets internationally but is often experienced as unsatisfactory and difficult to access. As a result, there is an increasing move towards developing innovative community crisis services, to improve patient experience and relieve pressure on inpatient and emergency services. This study aims to understand what helps and hinders the implementation of innovative mental health crisis care projects in England. METHODS: Using a qualitative approach, 18 interviews were conducted with crisis care service managers exploring their experiences and views of the development and implementation of their service developed with support from an English national capital funding programme. A framework analysis was conducted informed by implementation science. RESULTS: Key facilitators to implementation of innovative crisis services included bottom-up development, service user involvement, strong collaborative working, and leadership and management buy-in. Key barriers that affected the projects implementation included the complexities of crisis care, workforce challenges and resourcing issues. CONCLUSION: There is a recognised need to improve, update, and innovate current crisis care offers. Results from this study suggest that a range of models can help address the heterogenous needs of local populations and that new approaches can be implemented where they utilise a whole-systems approach, involving service users and relevant professional stakeholders beyond mental health services in planning and developing the service