Effect of a Classwide Peer-Mediated Intervention on the Social Interactions of Students with Low-Functioning Autism and the Perceptions of Typical Peers

Students with autism often display significant challenges when acquiring friendships and participating in ongoing relationships with typical peers. The social interaction deficits that characterize students with autism are further exacerbated by the severity of the disorder, such that students with low-functioning autism require significantly more support to successfully participate in peer interactions than students with high functioning autism. This study used mixed methodology to examine the effects of a classwide peer-mediated intervention on the social interactions of students with low-functioning autism and typically-developing peers. A single subject ABAB design was employed in which students with low-functioning autism were grouped with typical peers for a shared reading activity. The study alternated between baseline and intervention stages in which students were taught to stay, read, and talk with their buddy. Results of the study indicate that three of the four participants with low-functioning autism increased their interactions with typical peers from each baseline to intervention stage. Results of a perception survey indicate that typical students held a high positive perception of their peers with autism, while interviews revealed that typically-developing peers considered themselves to be friends with their buddies with low-functioning autism. The unexpected response pattern of one participant with low-functioning autism warrants further investigation into individual characteristics of the student as well as characteristics of the peer group

Research versus practice in quality improvement? Understanding how we can bridge the gap

The gap between implementers and researchers of quality improvement (QI) has hampered the degree and speed of change needed to reduce avoidable suffering and harm in health care. Underlying causes of this gap include differences in goals and incentives, preferred methodologies, level and types of evidence prioritized and targeted audiences. The Salzburg Global Seminar on 'Better Health Care: How do we learn about improvement?' brought together researchers, policy makers, funders, implementers, evaluators from low-, middle- and high-income countries to explore how to increase the impact of QI. In this paper, we describe some of the reasons for this gap and offer suggestions to better bridge the chasm between researchers and implementers. Effectively bridging this gap can increase the generalizability of QI interventions, accelerate the spread of effective approaches while also strengthening the local work of implementers. Increasing the effectiveness of research and work in the field will support the knowledge translation needed to achieve quality Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.Fil: Hirschhorn, Lisa R.. Northwestern University; Estados UnidosFil: Ramaswamy, Rohit. University of North Carolina; Estados UnidosFil: Devnani, Mahesh. Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research; IndiaFil: Wandersman, Abraham. University Of South Carolina; Estados UnidosFil: Simpson, Lisa A.. Academy Health; Estados UnidosFil: Garcia Elorrio, Ezequiel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentin

Healthy People 2020 Structured Evidence Queries for PubMed: Practice Informed by Research

Objective: Healthy People 2020 is a set of objectives with 10-year targets to guide national health promotion and disease prevention efforts. Public health professionals may have limited time to identify relevant research articles on public health strategies. NLM recognized the need to reduce the time and increase the precision of finding research to support evidence-based actions to achieve HP2020 objectives. Methods: NLM collaborated with the HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion to develop pre-formulated search strategies ─ structured evidence queries (SEQs) ─ of PubMed to make research evidence related to HP2020 objectives easier to find. The queries were developed by librarians, working in consultation with subject matter experts in public health. The PubMed search strategies are organized by HP2020 topic areas on the HP2020 SEQ website that is supported by NLM with assistance of the collaboration, Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce. The website also provides search queries for the Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators, a subset of high-priority health issues that represent significant threats to the public’s health. Information to help users learn more about PubMed, obtain full-text copies of articles, and find additional resources for public health practice are provided on the site. Results: The Healthy People 2020 Structured Evidence Queries website, http://phpartners.org/hp2020, launched in June 2011. As of the end of 2012, structured evidence queries were formulated for 268 health objectives in 24 Healthy People 2020 topic areas, with the expectation of full coverage by May 2013. The SEQs are also integrated with the HHS HealthyPeople.gov website. The PubMed search strategies were designed to return a manageable number of relevant citations for busy public health professionals to review. Users retrieve the most recent research articles indexed for MEDLINE on Healthy People objectives each time a SEQ is selected and run in PubMed. The search strategies can be modified to address particular practice and research needs. The website includes FAQs on how to modify and save searches, obtain copies of articles, and receive assistance from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. Additional resources on public health topics are available from the Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce website, http://PHPartners.org. Conclusions: The HP2020 SEQs provide peer-reviewed research evidence to support national objectives for improving the health of all Americans. The resource is the outcome of an effective partnership between librarians, public health professionals, and subject experts

Early Childhood Educators’ Readiness Embrace Inclusion for Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities in California

Despite the push to increase inclusive early childhood (EC) care and education programs to support the learning and development of all children, such programs remain rare in California where most preschoolers with disabilities receive special education services in special day classrooms. Developing inclusive programs requires EC educators who are committed to supporting inclusion. Using a survey of EC teachers in public and private programs, this study sought to identify factors that influenced the teachers’ attitudes toward and self-efficacy for providing inclusive programs for young children with disabilities. While most of the teachers reported positive views of inclusion, they reported less comfort with the idea of supporting children with disabilities in their programs. Examinations of the teachers’ education and experience levels suggest that experience with children with disabilities influences teacher comfort while education may influence understanding of law

Effect of Stroke on Fall Rate, Location and Predictors: A Prospective Comparison of Older Adults with and without Stroke

BACKGROUND: The literature suggests that stroke is a major risk factor for falls, but there is a lack of prospective, controlled studies which quantify fall-risk after stroke. The purpose of this study was to compare the rates, location and predictors among individuals recently discharged home from stroke rehabilitation to age and sex matched controls. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A sample of 80 people with stroke and 90 controls received baseline assessments of balance, mobility and balance confidence. Falls were recorded prospectively over 13 months for both groups. Group differences in fall rates and contribution of clinical measures to falls were determined using negative binomial regression. Fall location was compared between groups using χ(2) statistics. The rate of falls for individuals with stroke was 1.77 times the rate for the control group. People with stroke were more likely to fall at home. Poorer balance (Berg Balance Scale) was associated with greater falls for both stroke and control groups (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0.908 and IRR: 0.877 respectively). A faster Timed Up and Go Test was associated with greater falls for the stroke group (IRR: 0.955) while better walking endurance (Six Minute Walk Test) was associated with greater falls for the controls (IRR: 1.004). Balance confidence was not an independent predictor in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals recently discharged home are at greater risk of falling than individuals without stroke. Attention to home environment is warranted. Balance function can predict falls for both people with stroke and age and sex matched controls. Increased mobility may increase exposure to fall opportunities

College Debt: An Exploratory Study of Risk Factors Among College Freshmen

The goals of this study are to examine the relationships between loan knowledge, money management skills, debt tolerance attitudes, and student income potential to their willingness to incur educational debt at a mid-western university. The current study showed that freshmen students lacked personal and general loan knowledge and had unrealistic expectations of future income at graduation

Assessing the Risk of 100-year Freshwater Floods in the Lamprey River Watershed of New Hampshire Resulting from Changes in Climate and Land Use

What is the coastal resource issue the project sought to address? Both the magnitude and frequency of freshwater flooding is on the rise in seacoast NH and around much of New England. In the Great Bay watershed, this is the result of two primary causes: 1) increases in impervious surface stemming from a three-to-four fold increase in developed land since 1962; and 2) changing rainfall patterns in part exemplified by a doubling in the frequency of extreme weather events that drop more than 4 inches of precipitation in less than 48 hours (Wake et al., 2011) over the same time period. Moreover, the size of the 100-year precipitation event in this region has increased 26% from 6.3 inches to 8.5 inches from the mid 1950’s to 2010 (NRCC and NRCS, 2012). One consequence is the occurrence of three 100-year floods measured on the Lamprey River at Packers Falls since 1987, and a fourth if the three days of flooding in March of 2010 had occurred instead in two days (Figure 1). Flooding events are expected to continue to increase in magnitude and frequency as land in the watershed is further developed and climate continues to change in response to anthropogenic forcing (e.g., Hayhoe et el., 2007; IPCC, 2007; Karl et al., 2009). Land use management strategies, in particular low impact development (LID) zoning requirements, are one strategy that communities can employ for increased resiliency to flooding with the greatest influence in urban environments

Report of the Research Coordination Network RCN : OceanObsNetwork, facilitating open exchange of data and information

The OceanObsNetwork goals and objectives are to foster a broad, multi-disciplinary dialogue, enabling more effective use of sustained ocean observatories and observing systems. To achieve these, the activities for the RCN include a working group titled “Facilitating Open Exchange of Data and Information.” Within this area 3 task teams were created dealing with elements that impact on open exchange of data and information. This report examines the foundation of Open Data and its importance to the international community, science, innovation and jobs. While the goal may be similar, the paths to Open Data are varied and drawing together a pervasive approach will take time. There are however, near term steps, technical and social, that could have significant impacts. Stimulating interdisciplinary collaboration occurs through adoption of common standards for data exchange, creation of information brokering for improved discovery and access and working toward common or defined vocabularies. Simply finding other scientists’ data has been noted as a major barrier for research. Open Data impinges on existing reward systems and social interactions. Areas that need to be addressed are the academic reward system (in terms of promotion and resources), the peer review panels and grant selection processes (in terms of acknowledging the importance and challenge of data collection) and the needs for acceptable citation mechanisms. Intellectual property should not be abandoned in an Open Data environment and managing IPR is necessary. A sustainable Open Data Policy is essential and sustainability is a matter for all parties, government, private sector, academia and non-profit organizations. As full implementation of Open Data will involve a change in practices in a number of research and publication activities, an end-to-end perspective and strategy would most likely allow a long-term sustainable path to be pursued. Various business models are discussed in the paper that would not have been considered a decade ago. These range from cloud storage to publication of data with Digital Object Identifiers. These set a possible foundation for the future.National Science Foundation through Grant Award No. OCE-1143683

Program Redesign to Prepare Transformative Special Educators

Teacher educators are in a unique position to prepare future educators to disrupt the status quo and enact changes that ensure equitable access to educational opportunities for all students, including those with disabilities. It is critical that those who prepare future special education teachers (SETs) ensure they are prepared to engage with the broader school community to foster inclusivity and positive outcomes for all students, in addition to designing specially designed instruction (SDI) responsive to the unique learning needs of individual students with disabilities. Addressing this task requires candidates who are prepared to employ high leverage and evidence-based practices, culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy, and universal design for learning. In this article, we describe how one small Department of Special Education sought to reinvent its program to center anti-racism and anti-ableism to inspire the next generation of SETs to adopt a transformative vision for public education. The result was a cohesive course roadmap that employs a “common trunk” of classes aligned with differentiated coursework needed for specialization for each credential that centers these principles while reducing assignments. The newly aligned road- maps ensure candidates in our programs will be ready to situate their work with students with identified disabilities within the context of the broader goals of public education

Aerobic Exercise Training May Not Offset the Pro-inflammatory Effects of a High Fat Feeding

Aerobic Exercise Training May Not Offset the Pro-inflammatory Effects of a High Fat Feeding. Katie C. Carpenter, Lisa Esposito, Kelley A. Strohacker, Richard J. Simpson, Brian K. McFarlin. University of Houston, Houston, TX Increased adiposity is associated with an increase in systemic inflammation, which is involved in the pathophysiology of various disease states. A current hypothesis in our laboratory suggests that the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway may link physical activity and systemic inflammation. PURPOSE: The primary purpose was to determine if 6-weeks of aerobic exercise training (5 days per week, 1 hour per day. 21-22m/min) would limit the increase in systemic inflammation resulting from high-fat (60% of calories from fat) feeding. A secondary purpose was to determine if changes in cell-surface TLR4 expression would account for observed differences in inflammatory status between mice which exercise and those that remain sedentary. METHODS: 36 CD-1 male mice were randomly assigned to one of three groups (N=12/group): HF (remained sedentary and consumed a high-fat chow (60% fat)), HF-EX (consumed the high-fat chow and underwent an aerobic exercise intervention (running 4.56±0.08 h/week for 6 weeks, or LF (sedentary and consumed a low-fat chow (10% fat)). Key outcome measurements were made on weekly saphenous vein blood samples (~40 uL) using 3-color flow cytometry. Blood glucose and cholesterol concentration were analyzed by an enzymatic assay. RESULTS: Absolute and percent body weight gain over 6-weeks was similar between HF and HF-EX, but significantly greater than LF (P\u3c0.001). HF and HF-EX had 66% more leukocytes than LF at weeks 3-5 (P\u3c0.0001). HF and HF-EX had 145% greater CD11b+/14+/TLR4+ cells than LF (P=0.001). There was no difference in the concentration of CD11b+ cells expressing IL-6 or TNF-alpha following LPS-stimulation between HF and HF-EX. No significant difference was found for blood glucose and cholesterol concentrations between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise training did not prevent weight gain during 6-weeks of high fat feeding. Since HF and HF+EX gained a similar amount of weight, they did not differ with regarding to blood monocytes expressing TLR4. Both HF and HF+EX were elevated above LF. More research is needed to determine how changes in the blood relate to changes in peripheral tissue compartments