Increasing Verbal Participation And Self-Concept Through Teaching Across The Curriculum

The high percentage of students lacking verbal participation in schools and experiencing a low self-concept in an above achieving third grade class was addressed by the implementation of teaching strategies across the curriculum. The target group of 25 students was involved in social studies, science, and expressive language activities that were designed to increase verbal participation and self-concept. In addition, the target group engaged in weekly self-concept activities with the school counselor. The comparison of The Student Tally of Participation prior to and after implementation showed the average verbal participation measuring at 60 percent which was four percent above the expected 56 percent. This represents his 32 percent increase of participation. The comparison of the Self-Concept Checklist showed that the target group answered with positive responses in a range of: 48 percent - 96 percent prior to implementation which is four percent higher than the predicted goal. Appendices include instruments, student, data, an analysis of progress, student worksheets, and a teacher handbook

Benchmarking urine storage and collection conditions for evaluating the female urinary microbiome.

Standardized conditions for collection, preservation and storage of urine for microbiome research have not been established. We aimed to identify the effects of the use of preservative AssayAssure® (AA), and the effects of storage time and temperatures on reproducibility of urine microbiome results. We sequenced the V3-4 segment of the 16S rRNA gene to characterize the bacterial community in the urine of a cohort of women. Each woman provided a single voided urine sample, which was divided into aliquots and stored with and without AA, at three different temperatures (room temperature [RT], 4 °C, or -20 °C), and for various time periods up to 4 days. There were significant microbiome differences in urine specimens stored with and without AA at all temperatures, but the most significant differences were observed in alpha diversity (estimated number of taxa) at RT. Specimens preserved at 4 °C and -20 °C for up to 4 days with or without AA had no significant alpha diversity differences. However, significant alpha diversity differences were observed in samples stored without AA at RT. Generally, there was greater microbiome preservation with AA than without AA at all time points and temperatures, although not all results were statistically significant. Addition of AA preservative, shorter storage times, and colder temperatures are most favorable for urinary microbiome reproducibility

Engaging stakeholders to improve innovation in the water industry

The majority of our nation's drinking water suppliers are small systems serving 25 to 3,300 people. It was recognized by U.S. EPA that to bring these small community systems into satisfactory compliance would necessitate new thinking and flexibility in terms of technology applications. Unfortunately, innovation in public water systems (PWSs) that provide drinking water to consumers is lacking. This lack of innovation is not due to technological advancements but rather due to institutional constraints. These institutional constraints may be U.S. EPA regulations or state regulatory rules, but also cultural norms and career incentives that reward conservative choices by drinking water utilities in communities and regulators. These institutional constraints pose greater challenges for small and medium communities and even result in greater economic burdens and lower public health protection than for comparable large communities. This presentation will describe the process to develop design criteria for low-pressure membranes that Ohio EPA will use as a supplement to the 10 state standards with the goal of improving innovation for water utilities in Ohio. Particularly, the Ohio Water Resources Center (WRC) at Ohio State has been working in conjunction with Ohio AWWA, regulators (Ohio EPA and U.S. EPA), utilities, manufacturers, and design professionals to lay out a framework for the design criteria by performing the following tasks: 1. identifying and selecting a relevant emerging technology in collaboration with our partners; 2. contacting the regulators, design professionals, and manufacturers of these technologies and composing a list of where microfiltration or ultrafiltration is currently in operation; 3. collecting sufficient full-scale data from these operating systems; 4. determining operating parameter(s) used to develop design criteria; 5. drafting design criteria for discussion among Ohio WRC, Ohio EPA and Ohio AWWA; 6. working effectively in a consensus-building process with Ohio EPA and these other stakeholders to come to agreement on final design criteria to be used by Ohio EPA in its approval process. Success of this project will eliminate the currently required pre-design demonstration study (typically at the pilot scale) for low-pressure membranes – significantly reducing the cost and project schedule for small and medium PWSs in Ohio to install current treatment technologies that are more cost effective and appropriate for treating the associated source water. Continued communication of progress on the supplemental design criteria for low-pressure membranes ensures that the project receives valuable input from stakeholders and strengthens the final product to provide the greatest benefit to PWSs throughout Ohio. The presentation will inform audience members of the project learnings and inspire interest in further work to propel innovation in the water industry.AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Zuzana Bohrerova, research specialist; associate director, Ohio State Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, [email protected] (Corresponding Author); Ohio Water Resources Center; Linda Weavers, professor and John C. Geupel Chair; co-director, Ohio State Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering; Ohio Water Resources Center; Timothy Wolfe, senior consultant and VP emeritus; adjunct faculty, Stantec Consulting Services, Inc; Ohio State Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering; Megan Patterson, graduate research associate; Environmental EIT, Ohio State Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.The majority of drinking water suppliers in the United States are small systems serving 25 to 3,300 people. Innovation in public water systems (PWSs) is lacking, not due to technological advancements, but rather due to institutional constraints that pose greater challenges for small and medium communities and result in greater economic burdens and lower public health protection than for large communities. The Ohio Water Resources Center (WRC) is developing design criteria for a treatment technology that Ohio EPA will use as a supplement to the 10 state standards. Success of this project will eliminate the currently required pre-design demonstration study for low-pressure membranes – significantly reducing the cost and project schedule for small and medium PWSs in Ohio to install this technology where it is more cost effective and appropriate. We will inform audience members of the project learnings and inspire interest in further work to propel innovation in the water industry

Using culturally significant birds to guide the timing of prescribed fires in the Klamath Siskiyou Bioregion

Historically, wildfire and tribal burning practices played important roles in shaping ecosystems throughout the Klamath Siskiyou Bioregion of northern California and southern Oregon. Over the past several decades, there has been increased interest in the application of fire for forest management through the implementation of prescribed fires within habitats that are used by a diversity of migrant and resident land birds. While many bird species may benefit from habitat enhancements associated with wildfires, cultural burning, and prescribed fire, individuals may face direct or indirect harm. In this study, we analyzed the timing of breeding and molting in 11 species of culturally significant land birds across five ecologically distinct regions of northern California and southern Oregon to explore the potential timeframes that these bird species may be vulnerable to wildland fires (wildfire, prescribed fire, or cultural burning). We estimated that these selected species adhered to a breeding season from April 21 to August 23 and a molting season from June 30 to October 7 based on bird capture data collected between 1992 and 2014. Within these date ranges, we found that breeding and molting seasons of resident and migratory bird species varied temporally and spatially throughout our study region. Given this variability, spring fires that occur prior to April 21 and fall fires that occur after October 7 may reduce the potential for direct and indirect negative impacts on these culturally significant birds across the region. This timing corresponds with some Indigenous ecocultural burning practices that are aligned with traditionally observed environmental cues relating to patterns of biological phenology, weather, and astronomy. We detail the timing of breeding and molting seasons more specific to regions and species, and estimate 75%, 50%, and 25% quartiles for each season to allow for greater flexibility in planning the timing of prescribed fires and cultural burning, or regarding the potential implications of wildfires. The results of our study may serve as an additional resource for tribal members and cultural practitioners (when examined within the context of Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge) and forest and wildland fire managers to promote stable populations of culturally significant bird species within fire-dependent forest systems

Deciphering the Microbiome: Integrating Theory, New Technologies, and Inclusive Science

The diversity and functional significance of microbiomes have become increasingly clear through the extensive sampling of Earth\u27s many habitats and the rapid adoption of new sequencing technologies. However, much remains unknown about what makes a “healthy” microbiome, how to restore a disrupted microbiome, and how microbiomes assemble. In December 2019, we convened a workshop that focused on how to identify potential “rules of life” that govern microbiome structure and function. This collection of mSystems Perspective pieces reflects many of the main challenges and opportunities in the field identified by both in-person and virtual workshop participants. By borrowing conceptual and theoretical approaches from other fields, including economics and philosophy, these pieces suggest new ways to dissect microbiome patterns and processes. The application of conceptual advances, including trait-based theory and community coalescence, is providing new insights on how to predict and manage microbiome diversity and function. Technological and analytical advances, including deep transfer learning, metabolic models, and advances in analytical chemistry, are helping us sift through complex systems to pinpoint mechanisms of microbiome assembly and dynamics. Integration of all of these advancements (theory, concepts, technology) across biological and spatial scales is providing dramatically improved temporal and spatial resolution of microbiome dynamics. This integrative microbiome research is happening in a new moment in science where academic institutions, scientific societies, and funding agencies must act collaboratively to support and train a diverse and inclusive community of microbiome scientists

Leukotriene antagonists as first-line or add-on asthma controller therapy

Most randomized trials of treatment for asthma study highly selected patients under idealized conditions. METHODS: We conducted two parallel, multicenter, pragmatic trials to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of a leukotriene-receptor antagonist (LTRA) as compared with either an inhaled glucocorticoid for first-line asthma-controller therapy or a long-acting beta(2)-agonist (LABA) as add-on therapy in patients already receiving inhaled glucocorticoid therapy. Eligible primary care patients 12 to 80 years of age had impaired asthma-related quality of life (Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire [MiniAQLQ] score =6) or inadequate asthma control (Asthma Control Questionnaire [ACQ] score =1). We randomly assigned patients to 2 years of open-label therapy, under the care of their usual physician, with LTRA (148 patients) or an inhaled glucocorticoid (158 patients) in the first-line controller therapy trial and LTRA (170 patients) or LABA (182 patients) added to an inhaled glucocorticoid in the add-on therapy trial. RESULTS: Mean MiniAQLQ scores increased by 0.8 to 1.0 point over a period of 2 years in both trials. At 2 months, differences in the MiniAQLQ scores between the two treatment groups met our definition of equivalence (95% confidence interval [CI] for an adjusted mean difference, -0.3 to 0.3). At 2 years, mean MiniAQLQ scores approached equivalence, with an adjusted mean difference between treatment groups of -0.11 (95% CI, -0.35 to 0.13) in the first-line controller therapy trial and of -0.11 (95% CI, -0.32 to 0.11) in the add-on therapy trial. Exacerbation rates and ACQ scores did not differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Study results at 2 months suggest that LTRA was equivalent to an inhaled glucocorticoid as first-line controller therapy and to LABA as add-on therapy for diverse primary care patients. Equivalence was not proved at 2 years. The interpretation of results of pragmatic research may be limited by the crossover between treatment groups and lack of a placebo group

Technology assessment in the development of guidelines for vascularising the ischaemic leg

Critical leg ischaemia can be treated by amputation of the affected leg or by reconstruction of the arteries. Arterial reconstruction is perceived to be an expensive procedure, often requiring more than one operation, which does not always prevent amputation. However, amputation is associated with long term costs of rehabilitation and social support. A retrospective analysis was undertaken of 337 patients receiving initially arterial reconstruction or amputation between 1985 and 1989, a minimum of one year follow-up being obtained. Data were collected on the success of grafts, reoperation rates, type and rate of complications, hospital inpatient resource use and costs, subsequent rehabilitation and social support, and patient outcomes in terms of mobility and survival. A decision theoretic approach was used to assess the relative cost-effectiveness of distal reconstruction versus amputation, proximal reconstruction versus amputation and all reconstruction versus amputation. Overall, arterial reconstruction showed an expected net saving of £2730 per patient over amputation. Proximal grafts showed a saving of £3800 per patient and distal grafts a small net cost of £525. This net cost needs to be considered alongside any gains in social mobility and quality of life. This approach can be used to develop guidelines for arterial construction and data on outcomes and cost from other units could be used to assess cost-effectiveness in different locations.ischaemia, amputation

F.A.R.O.G. FORUM, Vol. 5 No. 5

Contains a supplément littéraire.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/francoamericain_forum/1063/thumbnail.jp