The effects of phonological awareness based centers to enhance literacy skills in kindergarten

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using phonological awareness centers to facilitate development of kindergarten students’ phonological awareness skills. The research question asked: How will facilitating phonological awareness centers make kindergarten students better readers? The research design consisted of quantitative pre/post assessments, small group study research design. The findings/results of the action research confirmed my hypothesis which was that the kindergarten students would significantly show growth in reading skills after 7 weeks of using phonological awareness centers. The fact that the students were able to show significant improvements in seven of the eight subcategories on the PASS assessment verifies that the students were able to increase their understanding of phonological awareness skills. The significance/implications of the research shows that teachers need to have access to continuous effective instructional activities to help their students become more competent with the use of phonemes to strengthen their reading skills

Unequal at the Starting Line: Creating Participatory Inequalities across Generations and among Groups

Governmen

Soil organic matter stability and the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration

Soil respiration is an important source of atmospheric CO2, with the potential for large positive feedbacks with global warming. The size of these feedbacks will depend on the relative sensitivity to temperature of very large global pools of highly stable soil organic matter (SOM), with residence times of centuries or longer. Conflicting evidence exists as to the relationships between temperature sensitivity of respiration and stability of SOM, as well as the temperature sensitivity of individual stabilisation mechanisms. This PhD considers the relationship between different stabilisation mechanisms and the temperature sensitivity of SOM decomposition. I used physical fractionation to isolate SOM pools with a variety of turnover rates, from decadal to centennially cycling SOM, in a peaty gley topsoil from Harwood Forest. Mean residence times of SOM as determined by 14C dating was most strongly affected by depth, providing stability on a millienial scale, while OM-mineral associations and physical protection of aggregates provided stability to around 500 years. Chemical characteristics of organic material in these fractions and whole soils (13C CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, FTIR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, ICP-OES) indicated the relative contribution of different stabilisation mechanisms to the longevity of each of these fractions. Two long-term incubations of isolated physical fractions and soil horizons at different temperatures provided information about the actual resistance to decomposition in each SOM pool, as well as the temperature sensitivity of respiration from different pools. Naturally 13C-labelled labile substrate additions to the mineral and organic horizons compared the resistance to priming by labile and recalcitrant substrates. Manipulation of soil pore water was investigated as a method for isolating the respiration of SOM from physically occluded positions within the soil architecture. Contadictory lines of evidence emerged on the relative stability of different SOM pools from 14C dating, incubation experiments and chemical characterisation of indicators of stability. This led to the interpretation that physical aggregate protection primarily controls SOM stability within topsoils, while mineral and Fe oxide stability provides more lasting stability in the mineral horizon. Less humified and younger SOM was found to have a higher sensitivity to temperature than respiration from well-humified pools, in contrast to predictions from thermodynamics

Predictors of Swallowing Outcomes in Patients with Combat-Injury Related Dysphagia

Background: Traumatic injuries, such as those from combat-related activities, can lead to complicated clinical presentations that may include dysphagia. Methods: This retrospective observational database study captured dysphagia-related information for 215 US military service members admitted to the first stateside military treatment facility after sustaining combat-related or combat-like traumatic injuries. A multidimensional relational database was developed to document the nature, course, and management for dysphagia in this unique population and to explore variables predictive of swallowing recovery using Bayesian statistical modeling and inferential statistical methods. Results: Bayesian statistical modeling revealed the importance of maxillofacial fractures and soft tissue loss as primary predictors of poor swallowing outcomes. The presence of traumatic brain injury (TBI), though common, did not further complicate dysphagia outcomes. A more detailed examination and rating of videofluoroscopic swallow studies from a subset of 161 participants supported greater impairment for participants with maxillofacial trauma and no apparent relationship between having sustained a TBI and swallow functioning. Conclusion: These analyses revealed that maxillofacial trauma is a stronger indicator than TBI of dysphagia severity and slower or incomplete recovery following combat-related injuries. Level of evidence: Therapeutic/Care Management study, level IV

Self supporting Nanodiamond gels: Elucidating colloidal interactions through rheology

While ND represents a promising class of nanofiller due to its high surface area, superior mechanical strength, optical transparency, tailorable surface functionality and biocompatibility, much remains unknown about the behavior of ND dispersions and their responses to various processing conditions. We hypothesize that controlling interactions in ND dispersions will lead to highly functional systems with tunable modulus and shear response. Steady and dynamic rheology techniques are thus employed to systematically investigate nanodiamonds dispersed in model polar and non-polar media and examine the microstructure and concomitant rheological behavior. We find that low concentrations of ND form gels almost instantaneously in a non-polar media, the strength of which follow a power-law behavior. In contrast, ND’s in polar media show a time-dependent behavior with the modulus increasing with time. We attribute the difference in behavior to variations in inter-particle interactions as well as the interaction of the ND with the media. Large steady and oscillatory strains are applied to ND colloidal gels to investigate the role of shear in gel microstructure breakdown and recovery. For colloidal gels in non-polar medium, the incomplete recovery of elastic modulus at high strain amplitudes indicates dominance of particle-particle interactions; however, in polar media the complete recovery of elastic modulus even at high strain amplitudes indicates dominance of particle-solvent interactions. These results taken together provide a platform to develop self-supporting gels with tunable properties in terms of ND concentration, and solvent ty

Fracture Quality From Integrating Time-Lapse VSP and Microseismic Data

Tight gas reservoirs are problematic to produce, often requiring multiple stages of hydraulic fracturing in order to create connected pathways through which hydrocarbons may flow. In this paper, we propose a new methodology to characterize the quality of hydraulic fractures. Using synthetic VSP and microseismic data, we test the concept that the rock volume containing open, gas filled fractures will scatter seismic energy more profusely than a volume containing closed, non-productive fractures. By measuring the amount of scattered energy in a time lapse 3D VSP study taken before and after the hydraulic fracturing episode, we hope to be able to compare the productive flow quality of different regions of the hydraulically fractured rock. The microseismic recordings allow us both to locate areas which have been hydraulically fractured and create imaging operators to extract the scattered signals from the time lapse VSP data.United States. Dept. of Energy (grant DE-FC26-06NT42956)Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Earth Resources Laborator

Taste Manipulation and Swallowing Mechanics in Trauma-Related Sensory-Based Dysphagia

Purpose: This study explored the effects of highconcentration taste manipulation trials on swallow function in persons with sensory-based dysphagia. Method: Dysphagia researchers partnered with clinical providers to prospectively identify traumatically injured U.S. military service members (N = 18) with sensorybased dysphagia as evidenced by delayed initiation and/or decreased awareness of residue/penetration/ aspiration. Under videofluoroscopy, participants swallowed trials of 3 custom-mixed taste stimuli: unflavored (40% weight/volume [wt/vol] barium sulfate in distilled water), sour (2.7%wt/vol citric acid in 40% wt/vol barium suspension), and sweet–sour (1.11% wt/vol citric acid plus 8% wt/vol sucrose in 40% wt/vol barium suspension). Trials were analyzed and compared via clinical rating tools (the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile [Martin-Harris et al., 2008] and the Penetration-Aspiration Scale [Rosenbek, Robbins, Roecker, Coyle, & Wood, 1996]). Additionally, a computational analysis of swallowing mechanics (CASM) was applied to a subset of 9 swallows representing all 3 tastants from 3 participants. Results: Friedman’s tests for the 3 stimuli revealed significantly (p \u3c .05) improved functional ratings for Penetration-Aspiration Scale and pharyngoesophageal opening. CASM indicated differences in pharyngeal swallowing mechanics across all tastant comparisons (p ≤ .0001). Eigenvectors revealed increased tongue base retraction, hyoid elevation, and pharyngeal shortening for sweet–sour and, to a lesser extent, sour than for unflavored boluses. Conclusion: Advantageous changes in certain parameters of oropharyngeal swallowing physiology were noted with high-intensity tastants per both clinical ratings and subsequent CASM, suggesting potential therapeutic application for taste manipulation

The Effects of Continuous Improvement Practices Using State Value-Added Data for Reading Educator Program Enhancement

Louisiana’s value-added evaluation of teacher preparation programs has provided a salient impetus for program improvement; however, due to the nature of the assessment, teacher preparation programs need to use additional sources of data to identify actionable responses to the value-added results. This paper describes one teacher preparation program’s approach to continuous program improvement in reading education and describes some of the limitations and benefits of value-added assessment results for that purpose

Reproductive Biology of Cobia, Rachycentron canadum, from Coastal Waters of the Southern United States

Reproductive biology of the cobia, Rachycentron canadum, is described from four coastal areas in the southern United States. Samples were obtained from recreational fishermen between December 1995 and November 1997 from the southeastern United States (Morehead City, NC, to Cape Canaveral, FL), the eastern Gulf of Mexico (Ft. Myers to Crystal River, FL), the north-central Gulf of Mexico (Destin, FL, to Chandeleur Islands, LA) and the western Gulf of Mexico (Port Aransas, TX). Histological evidence of spawning occurred from April through September in all areas. Some female cobia (17-32%) throughout the Gulf of Mexico had spent or regressed ovaries by July. Gonadosomatic index peaked between May and July throughout the region. Ovaries of females from all areas contained both postovulatory follicles (POF) and oocytes in final oocyte maturation (FOM) during all months of the reproductive season. Batch fecundity was calculated by using three different methods: oocytes \u3e700 pm were fixed in 1) Gilson\u27s fixative or 2) 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF), and 3)oocytes undergoing FOM were sectioned for histological examination. Mean batch fecundity ranged from 377,000 +/- 64,500 to 1,980,500 +/- 1,598,500 eggs; there was no significant difference among methods. Batch fecundity calculated with the NBF method showed a positive relationship with fork length (P=0.021, r(2)=0.132) and ovary-free body weight (OFBW; P=0.016, r(2)=0.143). Relative batch fecundity was not significantly different among months during the spawning season and averaged 53.1 +/-9.4 eggs/g OFBW for the NBF method and 29.1 +/- 4.8 eggs/g OFBW for the FOM method. Although spawning frequencies were not significantly differ ent among areas (P=0.07), cobia from the southeastern United States and north-central Gulf of Mexico were estimated to spawn once every 5 days, whereas cobia from the western Gulf of Mexico were estimated to spawn once every 9 to 12 days

Dysphagia Management and Research in an Acute-Care Military Treatment Facility: The Role of Applied Informatics

Purpose: This report describes the development and preliminary analysis of a database for traumatically injured military service members with dysphagia. Methods: A multidimensional database was developed to capture clinical variables related to swallowing. Data were derived from clinical records and instrumental swallow studies, and ranged from demographics, injury characteristics, swallowing biomechanics, medications, and standardized tools (e.g.. Glasgow Coma Scale, Penetration-Aspiration Scale). Bayesian Belief Network modeling was used to analyze the data at intermediate points, guide data collection, and predict outcomes. Predictive models were validated with independent data via receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: The first iteration of the model (n = 48) revealed variables that could be collapsed for the second model (n = 96). The ability to predict recovery from dysphagia improved from the second to third models (area under the curve = 0.68 to 0.86). The third model, based on 161 cases, revealed “initial diet restrictions” as first-degree, and “Glasgow Coma Scale, intubation history, and diet change” as second-degree associates for diet restrictions at discharge. Conclusion: This project demonstrates the potential for bioinformatics to advance understanding of dysphagia. This database in concert with Bayesian Belief Network modeling makes it possible to explore predictive relationships between injuries and swallowing function, individual variability in recovery, and appropriate treatment options