A Family-School Literacy Program for Kindergarten Through Second Grade

Proposes a kindergarten to grade two family-school literacy program based on a balanced literacy curriculum. This program is designed to be carried out over one academic year. The focus of this study is on the family\u27s role in school and in the home on children\u27s literacy development. Includes descriptions of school and after school literacy events with accompanying materials

How Mexican-American Women Define Health: Cultural Beliefs and Practices in a Non-native Environment

Culture impacts the ways people evaluate and respond to health and illness. As a result, Mexican-American culture plays a part in how women take care of their heath and react toward the threat of breast cancer. Using previously identified dominant cultural factors that may influence the health of Mexican-American women as a foundation, this qualitative study describes how Mexican-American women define and maintain health, particularly breast health. Hispanics are the fastest growing minority group in the United States. As a result, it is important to better understand how Mexican-American women define health and take care of themselves. Doing so will not only provide richer insights into the health behaviors of women but provide insights into family health behaviors. This study is important because it adds to the current body of knowledge by investigating the cultural beliefs of Mexican-American women, a sub-group within the larger Hispanic ethnic category. While several researchers have studied the cultural beliefs of Hispanics, it is imperative that scholars begin to further investigate the cultural beliefs of the sub-groups within the larger Hispanic ethnic category. In addition, previous studies have primarily been conducted in states that border Mexico, thus providing an opportunity for this study to contribute to the current body of literature by giving a voice to Mexican-American women in the southeast. Using a grounded theory approach, ten in-depth interviews were conducted with Mexican-American women in the southeast. The main theme that emerged from the data was: The Maintenance of Health through Traditional Practices in a Non-native Environment. Two thematic constructs that participants engage in helped to describe how the women in the study maintain health in a traditional manner when they live in a nonnative environment: (1) the belief that health is a combination of the body and mind and (2) the belief that health care is a Mexican woman’s responsibility

Investigating the Effects of Photodynamic Therapy on Cells of the Nervous System In Vitro

The effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on neural cells is important when tumours are adjacent to or within the nervous system. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate PDT treatments using the photosensitiser meta-(tetrahydroxyphenyl) chlorin (m-THPC) on cells of the peripheral nervous system. There is evidence that, during clinical PDT-treatment of tumour sites near important nerve structures, peripheral neural cells respond differently to m-THPC-mediated PDT than do tumour cells. In this study, the response to PDT-treatment of rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurones co-cultured with satellite cells were compared with separately cultured human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) in innovative in vitro culture systems.Epi-fluorescence microscopy confirmed that m-THPC was incorporated into all cell types, excluding photosensitiser uptake as a reason for differences in the response to m-THPC-mediated PDT in vitro. Sensitivity of cells exposed to m-THPC- mediated PDT (0-10 ~g/ml m-THPC with 1 J/cm2white light) was determined in a 1 mm thin bespoke 3-dimensional (3D) collagen hydrogel culture system. Cell death was quantified using propidium iodide (PI) exclusion and DRG neurones were identified in co-culture using immunocytochemistry for β-tubulin. MCF-7 cells, DRG satellite cells and astrocytes (of the central nervous system) were significantly more sensitive to m-THPC-mediated PDT treatments than were DRG neurones. Importantly, the dose of interest, 4 f.lg/ml m-THPC-mediated PDT, caused no significant DRG neurone death in comparison with untreated controls, but was sufficient to elicit substantial cell death in the other cell types The cell death protocol was validated using a second photosensitiser, hypericin (0-3~g/ml with 1 J/cm2 white light), which caused substantial DRG neurone death equivalent to other cell types studied.Following m-THPC-mediated PDT treatments, ORG neurones displayed a loss of their neurites. An assessment of the ability of these cells to regenerate neurites after m-THPC-mediated PDT treatments was performed and neurite extension was found to be equivalent to that in untreated controls, demonstrating that the treated ORG neurones were viable and retained their neurite projecting function. Inhibiting specific cell antioxidant pathways gave an insight into the mechanism by which neurones survived m-THPC-mediated PDT. The results suggested that ORG neurones were protected from the phototoxic effects of m-THPC-mediated PDT by superoxide dismutase-1 (500-1) and the glutathione synthase antioxidant pathways.DRG neurones used in this study survived m-THPC-mediated PDT under conditions sufficient to kill tumour cells and other nervous system cells. Identifying and understanding this phenomenon could provide the basis for developing PDT treatments that reduce nerve damage during cancer therapy. The question of whether m-THPC-mediated PDT has different effects on ORG neurone survival and/or function depending on which part of the cell is illuminated is of particular interest. Preliminary experiments are described in which 2D and 3D tissue engineered nerve cultures were developed and assessed for use in evaluating focally applied m-THPC-mediated PDT treatment to different parts of DRG neurones. These peripheral nerve culture systems have controllable cellular environments that make them attractive experimental tools for further investigations into the effect of PDT on peripheral nerves

Lithium defects and diffusivity in forsterite

Lithium is an important geochemical tracer used to infer the thermal and chemical evolution of minerals in the Earth’s upper mantle. Knowledge of point defect chemistry and diffusion is critical for the interpretation of Li distribution in minerals. Using quantum mechanical methods we show that in forsterite Li will be incorporated as bound interstitial–substitutional pairs. Furthermore, there will be temperature dependent fractionation of its two isotopes between the different sites. The fractionation decreases dramatically from 87.1& at 300 K to 1.0& at 3000 K. Diffusion is predicted to occur via twointer-related mechanisms: Mg–Li exchange, and a second, vacancy assisted interstitial mechanism. This behaviour is complex, facilitates migration of the heavier isotope and offers insights into observations of Li mobility and zoning in olivine, the most volumetrically important upper mantle mineral

PATTERNS OF WILDFIRE RISK IN THE UNITED STATES FROM SYSTEMATIC OPERATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENTS – HOW RISK IS CHARACTERIZED BY LAND MANAGERS

Since the turn of the 21st century, the complexity and costs of wildfires have increased substantially. There is a need to evaluate entrenched fire management practices that encourage status quo decision making to suppress fires. Data stored in mandated reporting systems collected during wildfires may provide a perspective on fire management decision-making needed to change wildfire governance structures. The Relative Risk Assessment (RRA) resides within a federally mandated workflow process necessary for all longer duration federal wildfires since 2010. Land managers rate hazard, probability and values at risk as high, moderate or low throughout the course of an incident to define wildfire risk as a precursor to strategy. 5,087 published risk assessments were evaluated to provide a snapshot of the how land managers characterize risk from every geographic area (GA) in the United States. Results suggest that most GAs have a tendency to select moderate relative risk; however, two unique regions warranted greater inspection. The Northwest utilizes high risk more than any other geographic area; and the Southwest opts for low risk. Following a mixed method explanatory research design, these GAs became the basis for exploring factors influencing high and low risk by coding qualitative text belonging to the RRA. Investigation of a 20% sample of wildfires from these regions provided finer specificity of the values at risk, hazard, and probability concerns emerging during wildfires. Results suggest that climate plays a pivotal role to lessen the impact of the fire environment in the Southwest and generally increases the severity of the fire environment in the Northwest. When risk is low, land managers exercised greater decision space by using a variety of strategies. High risk constrains decision space and managers opt for suppression strategies. Subsequently, the Southwest is poised to benefit from favorable climate to use more fire and there is mounting evidence that a patchwork of historical wild and prescribed fires are leading to greater decision space for the management of current wildfires by serving as barriers to fire spread. However, suppression strategies were the most common for both GAs suggesting challenges remain for the use of fire to achieve resource objectives

A first principles study of the distribution of iron in sphalerite

Quantum mechanical techniques, based on density functional theory, have been used to study the distribution of iron impurities in sphalerite (ZnS) at compositions ranging from 3.125 to 12.5 mol% FeS. Our results show that iron is most easily incorporated by direct substitution onto the zinc site and that energies for solution reactions involving FeS are exothermic when the system is zinc deficient. Furthermore, there appears to be a small driving force for the formation of bound Fe? Fe pairs at low iron concentrations, though there is no particular preference found for larger clusters of iron. The influence of iron on the sphalerite cell parameter is shown to be sensitive to the presence of Fe-Fe pairs and to the degree of sample non-stoichiometry

Existe-t-il un consensus social pour définir et comprendre la problématique de la violence conjugale?

Pourquoi certaines relations de couple, initialement harmonieuses, basculent-elles dans des rapports de violence et d'abus ? Quelle est l'ampleur de ce type d'abus ? Plusieurs études se sont penché sur ce phénomène pour tenter d'en circonscrire l'incidence et d'en saisir la dynamique. Ces recherches semblent faire ressortir un phénomène social d'une ampleur non négligeable. Ainsi, selon une étude réalisée par MacLeod et Cadieux en 1980, une femme sur dix serait battue sur une base régulière. Selon Statistique Canada, en 1993, 25 % des femmes canadiennes mentionnent avoir été victimes de violence de la part d'un conjoint depuis l'âge de 16 ans. Parmi ce groupe, 15 % de ces femmes vivent toujours avec leur conjoint. De plus, en dépit des programmes d'aide aux victimes de violence conjugale, le nombre de cas de violence déclarés ne semble pas avoir diminué. Ces résultats alarmants ont amené plusieurs chercheurs à se pencher sur cette dynamique. Dans les dix dernières années, certains progrès ont ainsi été réalisés dans la compréhension du phénomène de la violence faite aux femmes. Des programmes d'intervention, l'implication des gouvernements, la judiciarisation de certaines formes d'abus, la sensibilisation accrue de la population face à la violence conjugale ainsi que la dénonciation des cas de violence ont marqué ces progrès. En dépit de cette conscience sociale accrue vis-à-vis ce phénomène, la recherche se bute parfois à des obstacles. En dépit de modélisations complexes des concepts et des facteurs de prédiction du phénomène, les résultats se montrent parfois décevants. Existe-t-il donc un consensus social pour définir cette problématique et la dynamique qui y est associée ? Nous tenterons de répondre à cette question en révisant les diverses approches théoriques utilisées pour définir la violence conjugale. Nous tenterons ensuite de faire une analyse critique de ces théories en examinant les diverses recherches empiriques qui ont été menées dans ce domaine.Why is that some relationships, initially harmonious, tip into violence and abuse ? Many studies have examined the phenomenon to attempt to circumscribe the incidence and seize its dynamics. These studies seem to bring out a social phenomenon of quite serious amplitude. Thus, according to a study conducted by MacLeod and Cadieux in 1980, one in ten women is battered on a regular basis. According to Statistics Canada, in 1993, 25 % of Canadian women have been victim of violence by their partner since the age of sixteen. Among this group, 15 % are still living with the same partner. Moreover, despite programs destined to help victims of conjugal violence, the number of cases declared appears not to have diminished. Such alarming results have brought many researchers to study the problem further. In the last ten years, some progress has thus been realized in the understanding of the phenomenon of violence against women. Programs of intervention, government involvement, judiciarization of certain forms of abuse, sensitization of the public regarding conjugal violence as well as denunciation of cases of violence have marked this progress. In spite of a rising conscience regarding conjugal violence, research sometimes runs up against obstacles. In spite of complex modelization of concepts and factors of prediction of the phenomenon, results sometimes appear disappointing. Thus, is there a social consensus on a definition of the problem and its dynamics ? The authors will try to answer this question by reviewing different thoretical approaches used to define conjugal violence. They will then attempt to make a critical analysis of these theories by examining different empirical studies realized in this field

Great saphenous vein diameter does not correlate with worsening quality of life scores in patients with great saphenous vein incompetence

ObjectivePrevious studies have correlated increasing great saphenous vein (GSV) diameter with increasing CEAP clinical classification. Some insurance carriers are currently using specific GSV diameters to determine coverage for treatment of axial venous insufficiency. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of patient quality of life (QOL) measures with GSV diameters in varicose vein patients with GSV reflux.MethodsData were collected from the records of 91 patients prospectively enrolled in two varicose vein trials. The patients had symptomatic varicose veins with saphenofemoral junction and proximal GSV reflux. Maximum GSV diameter was measured on duplex ultrasound imaging, with the patient standing, within 5 cm of the saphenofemoral junction. Chronic Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire 2 (CIVIQ-2; Servier, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France), Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study (VEINES) Symptom (Sym) and QOL assessments, and the Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) assessment were completed before treatment of GSV insufficiency. Demographic information, patient weight, height, and body mass index were collected. Correlations between pairs of data were done using Pearson product-moment and Spearman correlation coefficients.ResultsThe 91 study patients (19 men, 72 women) were a mean age of 45 years (range, 18-65 years). The mean GSV diameter was 6.7 mm (range, 2.2-14.1 mm). The mean VCSS score was 7.8 (range, 3-12). There was a weak correlation between increasing GSV diameter and VCSS (r = 0.23; P = .03) and no correlation between GSV diameter and the CIVIQ-2 score (r = 0.01), VEINES-QOL (r = −0.07), and VEINES-Sym (r = −0.1).ConclusionsGSV diameter is a poor surrogate marker for assessing the effect of varicose veins on a patient's QOL; thus, using GSV diameter as a sole criterion for determining medical necessity for the treatment of GSV reflux is inappropriate. Further correlations between QOL measures and duplex-derived objective findings are warranted