bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using a Buddy Skills Package to Increase the Social Interactions Between a Preschooler With Autism and Her Peers
Authors: Kohler Frank W. , Greteman Cindy , Raschke Donna , Highnam Clifford
Published: June 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a buddy skills package on the social interactions between a preschooler with autism and her peers. Following baseline, the children participated in 8 sessions of training that focused on the strategies of Play, Stay, and Talk. An intervention consisting of teacher feedback, praise, and picture cards was then implemented to support peers' overtures to their classmate with autism. Teacher feedback and praise were terminated in a final maintenance phase, whereas the picture cards were still available as visual cues. A multiple baseline design indicated that the package increased peers' overtures to their playmate with autism, and these behaviors continued during the maintenance condition. The child with autism also directed more overtures to her peers, although she did not receive teacher support for this. Additional analyses indicated that children's interactions became longer and more reciprocal over the course of this study.
Systematic Review of Measures Used to Diagnose Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Research on Preschool Children
Authors: Smith KatheriNe G. , Corkum Penny
Published: June 2008

The diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in preschool children is challenging because the behavioral manifestations of the disorder are T not uncommon for many children this age. Therefore, the assessment of ADHD in preschoolers needs to be multifaceted and requires the use of a variety of assessment measures. A systematic review of the literature from 1985 through to 2005 found 38 relevant articles related to ADHD in preschool children. We extracted the assessment measures used to identify ADHD in preschoolers and categorized them into 4 core areas of measurement: standardized rating scales, structured interviews, direct observations of behavior, and direct measures of attention and hyperactivity—impulsivity. We examined quality indicators, such as symptom description, psychometric properties, and logistics, for the most frequent measures in each measurement areas. Our review of the literature highlights the need for more developmentally appropriate measures in 3 of the 4 core areas.
Assessment and Implementation of Positive Behavior Support in Preschools
Authors: Benedict Elizabeth A. , Horner Robert H. , Squires Jane K.
Published: June 2008

There is increasing concern over the number of young children who exhibit challenging behaviors in early childhood settings. Comprehensive prevention models are needed to support teachers' management of challenging behaviors and to avert the development of such behaviors within at-risk populations. One approach utilizes a three-tier prevention model called positive behavior support (PBS). The present research first assessed one region's implementation of PBS in 15 early childhood settings and found that on average, few features of PBS (30.79%) were implemented. Next, the impact of PBS consultation on teachers' use of universal PBS practices and children's behavior was evaluated in a multiple baseline design across four classrooms. A functional relationship was established between PBS consultation and teachers' implementation of universal PBS practices, but overall low levels of problem behavior prevented assessment of the impact of these changes on child problem behavior. Implications for future applications of PBS to early childhood settings are discussed.
Caregiver-Child Interactions and Early Literacy Development of Preschool Children From Low-Income Environments
Authors: Rush Karen L.
Published: June 2008

Children growing up in low-income environments have lower-than-average levels of reading achievement and higher-than-average rates of special education placement. Research suggests that this discrepancy can be linked to differences in experiences during the early childhood years. A group of Head Start children's (n = 39) early literacy skills (letter-naming, phoneme blending, and onset recognition) and expressive and receptive vocabulary skills were assessed and correlated with measures of caregiver-child interactions observed in the home. Caregivers also were asked to report rates of early literacy activities. Results indicated that the children in Head Start demonstrated a range of early literacy and language abilities, and variation in these skills was related to some aspects of the children's home environments. In particular, degree of caregiver involvement, rate of language interactions, and participation in early literacy activities were related to early literacy and language skills. This exploratory research provides a basis for experimental research to determine the effects of manipulating these caregiver variables on early literacy development.
Effects of Commenting During Joint Book Reading by Mothers with Low SES
Authors: Hockenberger Elaine Hontz , Goldstein Howard , Sirianni Haas Linda
Published: June 2008

This study investigated whether teaching mothers with low socioeconomic status (SES) to comment while reading to their children would increase communicative interaction in mother-child dyads and improve the children's emerging literacy skills. Three children with developmental disabilities and four at-risk children participated. Mothers were taught to comment on the literary content in books in a way that related events and characters in the story to the child's own experiences. A multiple baseline across participants with an embedded withdrawal design was used to evaluate the effects of intervention on parent-child interactions. All mothers increased their use of specific comments. Most mothers also increased other conversational acts that set the occasion for positive verbal interactions and increased their responsiveness to their children. All children demonstrated more assertive and responsive utterances during the commenting intervention. Four of the children showed improved emerging literacy skills on a standardized measure. These changes in interaction patterns during book reading seemed to provide improved opportunities for language learning and language use by low-SES children with and without developmental disabilities, as well as increased exposure to early literacy experiences.
Enhancing Linguistic Performance
Authors: Crain-Thoreson Catherine , Dale Philip S.
Published: June 2008

In this study, we instructed parents and early childhood special education staff in Dialogic Reading, an interactive language facilitation technique. We compared the effects of this instruction on adult and child language during shared book reading and on children's vocabulary growth in three different treatment conditions. Thirty-two children with language delays were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (a) parent instruction with one-on-one shared book reading practice, (b) staff instruction with one-on-one shared book reading practice, (c) staff instruction without one-on-one shared book reading practice (control group). Children were given standardized tests of vocabulary and were videotaped during shared book reading before and after the 8-week intervention period. Parents and staff showed changes in their shared book reading style consistent with the instruction they had received. After adult instruction in Dialogic Reading, children in all three groups spoke more, made longer utterances, produced more different words, and participated more in shared book reading. The magnitude of change in the children's linguistic performance from pre- to posttest was positively correlated with the magnitude of change in adult behavior. There were no statistically significant changes in children's vocabulary test scores. We interpret these findings as consistent with a Vygotskian model in which children's linguistic performance can be enhanced by a supportive social context.
Relations Among Emergent Literacy Skills, Behavior Problems, and Social Competence in Preschool Children From Low- and Middle-Income Backgrounds
Authors: Lonigan Christopher J. , Bloomfield Brenlee G. , Anthony Jason L. , Bacon Kimberly D. , Phillips Beth M. , Samwel Corine S.
Published: June 2008

Research has indicated a substantial overlap between reading disability (RD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, few studies concerning this overlap have been conducted with preschool children. This study examined the overlap between behaviors associated with ADHD and emergent literacy skills in preschool children. One group of 44 children (mean age = 48 months, SD = 11.3) was from middle-income families, and one group of 41 children (mean age = 53 months, SD = 8.1) attended Head Start. Results demonstrated that attention problems were substantially, consistently, and uniquely associated with emergent literacy skills in both groups; however, the effect was strongest for the middle-income group. These findings indicate that the association between reading skills and behaviors associated with ADHD is present in preschool children and that emergent literacy skills may mediate the link between ADHD and RD found in older children.
Perceived Needs of and Support for Puerto Rican Mothers of Young Children with Disabilities
Authors: Reyes-Blanes Maria E. , Correa Vivian I. , Bailey Donald B.
Published: June 2008

The study compared the family needs and sources of support as perceived by 55 Puerto Rican mothers of young children with disabilities residing in Puerto Rico (PR) and 39 of their counterparts living in Florida (FL). The relationship between (a) perceived family needs and sources of support and (b) mother and child characteristics was also explored. The ABILITIES Index, the Family Needs Survey, and the Family Support Scale were used in the interview process to measure, respectively, mothers' perception of (a) child's extent of delay, (b) family needs, and (c) sources of support. Multiple regression analyses indicated that family needs did not differ in the PR and FL samples. Mothers from the PR sample did, however, perceive significantly more sources of support than mothers in the FL sample. Implications for early interventionists working with Puerto Rican families of young children with disabilities are discussed.
A Multimeasure Performance-Based Assessment of Social Competence in Young Children with Disabilities
Authors: McConnell Scott R. , Odom Samuel L.
Published: June 2008

Social competence is a concept that has been defined and measured in many ways. Odom and McConnell (1985) proposed a performance-based assessment of social competence that involved significant social agents in children's environments to make judgments about the competence of the children's social behavior. This study constructed and initially evaluated such an approach for assessing social competence of young children with disabilities. A multimethod assessment of children's social competence (i.e., direct observation, observer impressions, teacher rating, peer ratings) was conducted with 222 preschool children with and without disabilities. Principal component analysis yielded four factors, the first of which accounted for the largest percentage of variance and may be the better global assessment of social competence. Results of this investigation are discussed conceptually with respect to the adequacy of multiple-measure performance-based approaches and empirically with regard to the possibility of using these measures to evaluate factors affecting the development of social competence in early childhood special education.
Relative Effects of Interventions Supporting the Social Competence of Young Children with Disabilities
Authors: Odom Samuel L. , McConnell Scott R. , McEvoy Mary A. , Peterson Carla , Ostrosky Michaelene , Chandler Lynette K. , Spicuzza Richard J. , Skellenger Annette , Creighton Michelle , Favazza Paddy C.
Published: June 2008

This study compared the effects of different intervention approaches designed to promote peer-related social competence of young children with disabilities. Preschool-age children with disabilities who were enrolled in classes in Tennessee and Minnesota participated in four intervention conditions (environmental arrangements, child specific, peer mediated, and comprehensive) and a control (no intervention) condition. A performance-based assessment of social competence, which consisted of observational, teacher rating, and peer rating measures, was collected before and after the interventions and again the following school year. Analyses revealed that the peer-mediated condition had the greatest and most sustained effect on children's participation in social interaction and on the quality of interaction, with the child-specific condition also having a strong effect. The environmental arrangements condition had the strongest effect on peer ratings. These findings indicate that there are effective intervention approaches available for children who have needs related to social competence and that different types of interventions may be useful for addressing different goals (e.g., social skills or social acceptance) of individual children.
Maximizing Peer-Mediated Resources in Integrated Preschool Classrooms
Authors: Kohler Frank W. , Strain Phillip S.
Published: June 2008

The inclusion of young children with special needs has been a predominant topic in early childhood special education in the past 25 years. Despite considerable advocacy and public policy, the instructional resources provided in integrated preschool settings continue to present a dilemma for many professionals and families. Although an abundance of research indicates that peers can be functional and potent resources, some studies have suggested that placement in integrated preschool programs does not always enhance the skills of preschoolers with disabilities. This article describes four characteristics that might be associated with the optimal use of peer-mediated procedures in integrated preschools: comprehensive in the skills and activities that they address, intensive or large scale in application, practical and acceptable to teachers, and effective for producing intended outcomes. Peer-mediated interventions with these characteristics may ensure that preschoolers with disabilities accrue positive outcomes from integrated preschool settings.
Typically Developing Children's Interactions with Peers with Disabilities
Authors: Innes Fiona K. , Diamond Karen E.
Published: June 2008

The research reported in this article examined (a) the ways in which mothers talk with their preschool children about physical disabilities and Down syndrome and (b) the relationships between their comments and their children's ideas about disabilities and interactions with classmates with disabilities. Mothers and children participated in a storytelling task that focused on the ways in which mothers talked with their children about people with physical disabilities and Down syndrome. Moreover, children were interviewed about social situations that included a child with a physical disability, and teachers rated children's interactions with classmates with disabilities. We found that mothers and their children talked more about children with physical disabilities than about children with Down syndrome during the storytelling task. Furthermore, children's comments about children with physical disabilities were positively related, and mothers' comments were negatively related, to teachers' ratings of children's social interactions with classmates with disabilities.
Peer Micronorms in the Assessment of Young Children
Authors: Bell Susan H. , Barnett David W.
Published: June 2008

Results from norm-referenced instruments have been the standard for making important decisions in the lives of young children. However, serious concerns have surrounded the use of discrepancy scores to determine developmental delays and their utility for goal setting and intervention development. In response to these concerns, a number of assessment models have proposed the use of local or classroom norms for goal development, instructional design, progress monitoring, and eligibility determination. We outline the rationale, critical dimensions, and techniques for using peer micronorms and discuss technical adequacy considerations. Case examples of the use of peer micronorms with preschool children, supplemented with hypothetical data, are used to illustrate the technique.
Parent Education in Early Intervention
Authors: Mahoney Gerald , Kaiser Ann , Girolametto Luigi , MacDonald James , Robinson Cordelia , Safford Philip , Spiker Donna
Published: June 2008

Parent education as a key component of early intervention has been greatly deemphasized during the past 15 years, we believe, because of the perceived inconsistencies between the purposes and goals of parent education and family-centered approaches to early intervention. We argue that research indicating that parent involvement is critical to early intervention effectiveness and that parents want information about specific ways they can help their children's development supports the need for parent education in early intervention. We propose that the early intervention field address the concerns expressed about the lack of sensitivity in parent education approaches, develop strategies for parent education that are consistent with contemporary family service concepts, address the need for explicit instruction of service providers in parent education strategies, and conduct research on the immediate and long-term effects of parent education on children and families.
Teacher-Mediated Facilitation of Engagement by Children with Developmental Delays in Inclusive Preschools
Authors: Malmskog Susan , McDonnell Andrea P.
Published: June 2008

This study investigated the effects of naturalistic, teacher-mediated intervention strategies on increasing levels of active engagement in young children with developmental delays. All interventions occurred in the context of ongoing child-selected play activities in inclusive preschool classrooms that used developmentally appropriate practices. Results showed that the intervention strategies were effective in increasing the level of active engagement in identified areas of need for all three children. Additional data on classroom ecological factors suggest that classroom social and ecological characteristics important to developmentally appropriate practices were maintained during intervention sessions. Checklists on the acceptability of the intervention to classroom teachers and parents are discussed.
Inclusion in a Childcare Context
Authors: Buell Martha J. , Gamel-McCormick Michael , Hallam Rena A.
Published: June 2008

This study examines the experience and attitudes of 189 family childcare providers regarding their willingness to care for children with disabilities. Providers who had experience caring for children with disabilities were more likely to report a willingness to care for them in the future. Differences in reported services and supports needed to care for children with disabilities, as well as explanations for unwillingness to care for children with disabilities, were examined for those with and without experience in caring for children with disabilities. Family childcare providers who were not willing to care for children with disabilities indicated three primary barriers: a lack of knowledge about disabilities, the limitation that caring for a child with a disability would impose on caring for other children, and the need to purchase special equipment. Finally, general attitudes concerning inclusion were compared for providers who had and had not had experience in caring for children with disabilities.
Early Intervention Program Practices That Support Collaboration
Authors: Dinnebeil Laurie A. , Hale Lynette , Rule Sarah
Published: June 2008

Partnerships between parents of infants and toddlers with special needs and their service coordinators are developed within the context of early intervention program practices that can either support or hinder effective collaboration. The purpose of this study was to explore parents' and service coordinators' perceptions of program practices that affected collaboration. A qualitative analysis of responses to open-ended survey questions from 397 parents and 226 service coordinators yielded five categories and two subcategories related to (a) program philosophy and climate, (b) service delivery (including options for service delivery), (c) teaming approaches, (d) administrative policies and practices (including quality of program personnel), and (e) community context. This research has important implications for early intervention administrators who wish to design and deliver quality services to infants and toddlers with special needs and their families.
Community Development Approaches for Early Intervention
Authors: Buysse Virginia , Wesley Patricia , Skinner Debra
Published: June 2008

This study assessed the impact of a project that used a community development framework to implement change in early care and intervention services in two culturally diverse communities. Two aspects of community development are emphasized: the change process, which involves creating a community planning team to identify and implement change strategies; and empowerment theory, to develop and test new ways of giving consumers a voice in shaping community-based reform. This article describes how community forums and parent leadership training assisted in change efforts, reports results associated with four short-term outcomes, and discusses lessons learned from implementing and evaluating reforms in culturally diverse and traditionally underserved communities.
Eastern European Adoptions
Authors: Lesar Judge Sharon
Published: June 2008

Children born in the countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe are now a main source of international adoptions in the United States. Infants and young children constitute the majority of adopted children. Young children reared in institutional settings may experience increased medical problems, a lack of appropriate interaction with caregivers, and language, cognitive, and motor abnormalities that clearly place them at risk. This article reviews the current status and issues related to the development of young children adopted from Eastern Europe. These issues are considered in light of their potentially deleterious effects on child and family development and functioning. Implications for research and intervention are discussed to address the complex needs and challenges presented by internationally adopted children.
Development and Measurement Through Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Young Adult Social Behavior Scale (YASB)
Authors: Crothers Laura M. , Schreiber James B. , Field Julaine E. , Kolbert Jered B.
Published: June 2008

The Young Adult Social Behavior Scale was developed for the purpose of measuring self-reported relational and social aggression and behaviors of interpersonal maturity in adolescents and young adults (the sample included 629 university students; 66% female; 91.6% White). Despite previous research suggesting that relational and social aggression comprise a single paradigm, there is emerging evidence that indirect, social, and relational aggression are, in fact, separate constructs. In accordance with this more recent research, in this study, confirmatory factor analysis supports that the Young Adult Social Behavior Scale measures three internally consistent constructs: relationally aggressive behaviors, socially aggressive behaviors, and interpersonally mature behaviors.
Universal Design for Learning
Authors: Kortering Larry J. , McClannon Terry W. , Braziel Patricia M.
Published: June 2008

This article examines findings on student perceptions of individual interventions based on the principles of universal design for learning (UDL). The examination includes a comparison of the reported perceptions of mainstreamed students with high incidence disabilities (i.e., learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, or other health impairments under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) to that of their general education peers. Findings showed that relative to their other academic classes, both groups of students had high levels of satisfaction and expressed similar themes as to what they perceived to be the best and worst parts of the interventions and ideas for improvement. Both groups also reported near unanimous agreement as to wanting their teachers to use more UDL interventions. The reported perceptions and subsequent comparison forms the basis for discussing the implications of UDL in high school settings.
Is Animal Cruelty a “Red Flag” for Family Violence?
Authors: DeGue Sarah , DiLillo David
Published: June 2008

Cross-reporting legislation, which permits child and animal welfare investigators to refer families with substantiated child maltreatment or animal cruelty for investigation by parallel agencies, has recently been adopted in several U.S. jurisdictions. The current study sheds light on the underlying assumption of these policies—that animal cruelty and family violence commonly co-occur. Exposure to family violence and animal cruelty is retrospectively assessed using a sample of 860 college students. Results suggest that animal abuse may be a red flag indicative of family violence in the home. Specifically, about 60% of participants who have witnessed or perpetrated animal cruelty as a child also report experiences with child maltreatment or domestic violence. Differential patterns of association were revealed between childhood victimization experiences and the type of animal cruelty exposure reported. This study extends current knowledge of the links between animal- and human-directed violence and provides initial support for the premise of cross-reporting legislation.
Effect of Microstructure and Texture on the Macroscopic Piezoelectric Response of Ferroelectric Barium Titanate and PZN—PT Films
Authors: Jayachandran K.P. , Guedes J.M. , Rodrigues H.C.
Published: June 2008

A two-dimensional (2D) plane-strain finite element method (FEM) model of polycrystalline film wherein the film thickness is much greater than the microstructure is presented. A finite element based solution for the rigorous homogenization problem to quantify the microstructural features, such as orientation and spatial distribution of crystallographic grains on the global piezoelectric response of unclamped polycrystalline ferroelectric films is implemented. The homogenized material parameters of the piezoelectric films are calculated using the FEM by the solution of the coupled equilibrium electrical and mechanical fields in the linear domain. The dependence of macroscopic electromechanical properties on domain orientation and texture of single-crystalline as well as polycrystalline ferroelectric BaTiO3 and PZN—PT films are demonstrated based on this model. The orientation dependent anisotropy of homogenized electromechanical moduli of polycrystalline and single-crystalline films are examined. The polycrystalline films can be improved in their out-of-plane global piezoelectric behavior by engineering microstructures that favor {111} texture in the case of BaTiO3 and {001} texture in the case of PZN—PT.
Identification of an ER Fluid in Unsteady Flow with Random Electric Field and Solidification
Authors: Esmonde H. , See H.
Published: June 2008

An identification procedure to simultaneously determine electrorheological (ER) and viscous characteristics of an ER fluid is presented. The analysis is performed under unsteady flow conditions with randomly varying electric field and intermittent solidification of the fluid. Tests conducted using a standard viscometer and cylindrical couette geometry indicate that there is some interaction between viscous and ER effects and that some residual structuring persists in the fluid after removal of the electric field.
A Theoretical Study on Piezoelectric Smart Isolation System for Seismic Protection of Equipment in Near-fault Areas
Authors: Lu Lyan-Ywan , Lin Ging-Long
Published: June 2008

In order to enhance the efficiency and safety of seismic isolation for equipment subjected to near-fault earthquakes that usually possess a long-period pulse-like waveform, a semi-active isolation system named piezoelectric smart isolation system (PSIS), composed of a sliding isolation platform and a piezoelectric friction damper (PFD), is proposed in this study. By controlling the embedded piezoelectric actuator with a DC voltage, the friction force of the PFD can be regulated; therefore, the PFD is able to provide a supplemental damping, which is controllable by a predetermined control law, for the PSIS system. In order to evaluate its isolation performance, the seismic responses of the PSIS was simulated numerically, and the isolation performance of the PSIS was also compared with those of a passive and an active isolation system. The results of these comparisons are discussed in this study. The simulation result has shown that the PSIS can prevent both the excessive isolator displacement and equipment acceleration induced by the long-period pulse component of a near-fault earthquake.
Building adaptive game-based learning resources: The integration of IMS Learning Design and
Authors: Burgos Daniel , Moreno-Ger Pablo , Sierra José Luis , Fernández-Manjón Baltasar , Specht Marcus , Koper Rob
Published: June 2008

IMS Learning Design (IMS-LD) is a specification to create units of learning (UoLs), which express a certain pedagogical model or strategy (e.g., adaptive learning with games). However, the authoring process of a UoL remains difficult because of the lack of high-level authoring tools for IMS-LD, even more so when the focus is on specific topics, such as educational eGames. However, external tools that are not specifically IMS-LD oriented can be used. In this case, the main challenge is the integration between these external resources developed with other technologies and the personalized learning experience of an IMS-LD UoL. In this article, the authors use the < e-Adventure> project to develop conversational games that are integrated with IMS-LD UoLs to improve personalized learning. The main contribution of this setting is the integration of both parts, the IMS-LD specification and < e-Adventure> , and the communication that enables a mutual influence of the adaptive learning experience.
Theorizing on the Treatment of Time in Simulation Gaming
Authors: Lainema Timo
Published: June 2008

A key element in organizational decision making is the progress of time and the ability to live with it. This article discusses the factor of time in decision making and how time can be taken into account in computerized simulation gaming. The discussion is based on recent definitions and classifications of time. The author reflects on these classifications and argues that embedding a richer time conception could increase the application domain of simulation gaming in the organizational context. Finally, the author theorizes on the implications of continuous processing in simulation gaming. The results indicate that continuous gaming provides an intense and meaningful learning environment.
Seasonal Variation in the Occurrence of Venous Thromboembolism: Data From the MASTER Registry
Authors: Manfredini Roberto , Imberti Davide , Gallerani Massimo , Verso Melina , Pistelli Riccardo , Ageno Walter , Agnelli Giancarlo
Published: June 2008

Many studies showed that the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events exhibits a seasonal variation. As for venous thromboembolism (VTE), not univocal results are available, and studies are mainly retrospective. We aimed to confirm the existence of a seasonal pattern in the occurrence of VTE on a large prospective population. The analysis considered consecutive cases of VTE enrolled into the MASTER Registry in 25 Italian hospitals, between January 2002 and November 2004. The total population consisted of 2119 subjects (1056 men, mean age 59 ± 18 years). The total sample was divided into subgroups by gender, age (<40, 41—60, 61—80, ≥80 years), type of event (first episode; proximal or distal; upper or lower limb; idiopathic or secondary deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, or both), and underlying risk factors, eg, cancer, previous VTE, estroprogestinic therapy, lack of prophylaxis, immobilization, surgery, pregnancy or puerperium, and medical diseases. Cases were grouped according to season and month of occurrence, and the data were analyzed by either the χ2 test for goodness of fit and chronobiological analysis. VTE was most frequent in Autumn and less frequent in Spring (32.9% vs 19%, respectively, χ2 = 90.62; P < .001). This pattern was shown for most subgroups. Chronobiological analysis identified a significant rhythmic annual pattern, with a main September—October peak for several subgroups (men, age 41—60 and 61—80 years, secondary event, previous VTE, immobilization), and a trend for most of the others. It is possible that subjects at increased risk could perhaps deserve appropriate or potentiated VTE prophylaxis in certain periods of the year.
A Meta-Analysis of Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory: On Performance Parameters in Reinforcement Tasks
Authors: Leue Anja , Beauducel André
Published: June 2008

J. A. Gray's Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) has produced a wealth of quasi-experimental studies in more than 35 years of research on personality and reinforcement sensitivity. The present meta-analysis builds on this literature by investigating RST in conflict and nonconflict reinforcement tasks in humans. Based on random-effects meta-analysis, we confirmed RST predictions of performance parameters (e.g., number of responses, reaction time) in reinforcement tasks for impulsivity- and anxiety-related traits. In studies on anxiety-related traits, the effect size variance was smaller for conflict tasks than for nonconflict tasks. A larger mean effect size and a larger variability of effect sizes were found for conflict compared to nonconflict tasks in studies on impulsivity-related traits. Our results suggest that problems with RST confirmation in reinforcement tasks are at least partly caused by insufficient statistical power of primary studies, and thus, encourage future research on RST.
The Effects of School District Consolidation on Educational Cost and Quality
Authors: Gordon Nora , Knight Brian
Published: June 2008

We examine the effects of both whole-grade sharing and administrative consolidations of local school districts in Iowa in the 1990s, the majority of which were induced by state fiscal incentives. We find no effects of either sharing or consolidation on the pupil-teacher ratio, enrollments, or dropout rates. In terms of revenues, we find evidence of temporary increases in state aid, as predicted by the state incentives. This increased state aid, however, is not offset by changes in local revenue and thus total revenue increases. We find a corresponding increase in local expenditures, although this increase was smaller than the increase in revenues, resulting in an increased surplus. Although we lack detailed quality data on student outcomes, these findings suggest an absence of efficiency gains from either whole-grade sharing or consolidation.
Changing Education Finance Policy, School Referenda Activity, and Success Rates
Authors: Maher Craig , Skidmore Mark
Published: June 2008

In this article, we use data on Wisconsin school referenda over the 1991– 2004 period to examine how changes in education finance affected school referenda activity. Beginning in 1996–1997, state officials in Wisconsin altered the average state share of school costs from about one-half to two-thirds. Because the state equalization aid formula depends on the school district tax base and per pupil spending, the policy change resulted in some districts receiving up to 80–90 percent state funding for school district spending. However, a requirement for capital project approval is that school districts place such proposals on the local ballot. We find evidence that changes in tax prices associated with the modified state aid formula altered school district referenda success rates across school districts. In particular, we find that in districts where the state aid formula further encouraged own source spending, the probability of referenda success increased.
Targeting a single mismatched minor histocompatibility antigen with tumor-restricted expression eradicates human solid tumors
Authors: Hambach Lothar , Vermeij Marcel , Buser Andreas , Aghai Zohara , van der Kwast Theodorus , Goulmy Els
Published: June 2008

Regressions of metastatic solid tumors after allogeneic human leukocyte antigen (HLA)–matched stem cell transplantation (SCT) are often associated with detrimental graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The graft-versus-host reaction of the HLA-matched donor is directed mainly against the multiple mismatched minor histocompatibility antigens (mHags) of the patient. mHags are strong HLA-restricted alloantigens with differential tissue distribution. Ubiquitously expressed mHags are the prime in situ targets of GVHD. The mHag HA-1 is hematopoiesis restricted, but displays additionally an aberrant expression on solid tumors. Thus, HA-1 might be an excellent target to boost the anti–solid tumor effect of allogeneic SCT without inducing severe GVHD. Here, we show that cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) solely targeting the human mHag HA-1 are capable of eradicating 3-dimensional human solid tumors in a highly mHag-specific manner in vitro, accompanied by interferon-γ release. In vivo, HA-1–specific CTLs distribute systemically and prevent human breast cancer metastases in immunodeficient mice. Moreover, HA-1–specific CTLs infiltrate and inhibit the progression of fully established metastases. Our study provides the first proof for the efficacy of a clinically applicable concept to exploit single mismatched mHags with hematopoiesis- and solid tumor–restricted expression for boosting the anti–solid tumor effect of allogeneic SCT.
Gene expression predicts overall survival in paraffin-embedded tissues of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP
Authors: Rimsza Lisa M. , LeBlanc Michael L. , Unger Joseph M. , Miller Thomas P. , Grogan Thomas M. , Persky Daniel O. , Martel Ralph R. , Sabalos Constantine M. , Seligmann Bruce , Braziel Rita M. , Campo Elias , Rosenwald Andreas , Connors Joseph M. , Sehn Laurie H. , Johnson Nathalie , Gascoyne Randy D.
Published: June 2008

Gene expression profiling (GEP) on frozen tissues has identified genes predicting outcome in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Confirmation of results in current patients is limited by availability of frozen samples and addition of monoclonal antibodies to treatment regimens. We used a quantitative nuclease protection assay (qNPA) to analyze formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks for 36 previously identified genes (N = 209, 93 chemotherapy; 116 rituximab + chemotherapy). By qNPA, 208 cases were successfully analyzed (99.5%). In addition, 15 of 36 and 11 of 36 genes, representing each functional group previously identified by GEP, were associated with survival (P < .05) in the 2 treatment groups, respectively. In addition, 30 of 36 hazard ratios of death trended in the same direction versus the original studies. Multivariate and variable cut-off point analysis identified low levels of HLA-DRB (< 20%) and high levels of MYC (> 80%) as independent indicators of survival, together distinguishing cases with the worst prognosis. Our results solve a clinical research problem by demonstrating that prognostic genes can be meaningfully quantified using qNPA technology on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues; previous GEP findings in DLBCL are relevant with current treatments; and 2 genes, representing immune escape and proliferation, are the common features of the most aggressive DLBCL.
A single nucleotide polymorphism at chromosome 2q21.3 (LCT −13910C>T) associates with clinical outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Hauser Hanns , Zach Otto , Krieger Otto , Kasparu Hedwig , Koenig Josef , Girschikofsky Michael , Oberbauer Rainer , Lutz Dieter
Published: June 2008

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) responsible for lactase persistence (LCT −13910C>T) changes intestinal microflora. Considering the influence of bacterial microflora on various immune effects, we tested DNA from 111 recipients/donors and analyzed whether this SNP interferes with survival and the incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoetic stem cell tranplantations (HSCT). Median overall survival (OS) was significantly longer when donors had a CC genotype (not reached after 133 vs 11.1 months, P = .004). Multivariate analysis identified a donor T allele (hazard ratio 2.63, 95% confidence interval 1.29-5.33, P = .008) as independent risk factor for death. Surprisingly, recipient genotypes did not influence outcome and there were no differences regarding aGVHD. Transplantation-related mortality (TRM), relapse and pneumonia were significantly less frequent in patients with CC donors. These findings add to the growing list of non-HLA polymorphisms with impact on outcome after allogeneic HSCT.
Semantic role labeling for protein transport predicates
Authors: Bethard Steven , Lu Zhiyong , Martin James H , Hunter Lawrence
Published: June 2008

Background

Automatic semantic role labeling (SRL) is a natural language processing (NLP) technique that maps sentences to semantic representations. This technique has been widely studied in the recent years, but mostly with data in newswire domains. Here, we report on a SRL model for identifying the semantic roles of biomedical predicates describing protein transport in GeneRIFs – manually curated sentences focusing on gene functions. To avoid the computational cost of syntactic parsing, and because the boundaries of our protein transport roles often did not match up with syntactic phrase boundaries, we approached this problem with a word-chunking paradigm and trained support vector machine classifiers to classify words as being at the beginning, inside or outside of a protein transport role.

Results

We collected a set of 837 GeneRIFs describing movements of proteins between cellular components, whose predicates were annotated for the semantic roles AGENT, PATIENT, ORIGIN and DESTINATION. We trained these models with the features of previous word-chunking models, features adapted from phrase-chunking models, and features derived from an analysis of our data. Our models were able to label protein transport semantic roles with 87.6% precision and 79.0% recall when using manually annotated protein boundaries, and 87.0% precision and 74.5% recall when using automatically identified ones.

Conclusion

We successfully adapted the word-chunking classification paradigm to semantic role labeling, applying it to a new domain with predicates completely absent from any previous studies. By combining the traditional word and phrasal role labeling features with biomedical features like protein boundaries and MEDPOST part of speech tags, we were able to address the challenges posed by the new domain data and subsequently build robust models that achieved F-measures as high as 83.1. This system for extracting protein transport information from GeneRIFs performs well even with proteins identified automatically, and is therefore more robust than the rule-based methods previously used to extract protein transport roles.
Microarray analysis of ncRNA expression patterns in Caenorhabditis elegans after RNAi against snoRNA associated proteins
Authors: Aftab Muhammad Nauman , He Housheng , Skogerbø Geir , Chen Runsheng
Published: June 2008

Background

Short non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) perform their cellular functions in ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, which are also essential for maintaining the stability of the ncRNAs. Depletion of individual protein components of non-coding ribonucleoprotein (ncRNP) particles by RNA interference (RNAi) may therefore affect expression levels of the corresponding ncRNA, and depletion of candidate associated proteins may constitute an alternative strategy when investigating ncRNA-protein interactions and ncRNA functions. Therefore, we carried out a pilot study in which the effects of RNAi against protein components of small nucleolar RNPs (snoRNPs) in Caenorhabditis elegans were observed on an ncRNA microarray.

Results

RNAi against individual C. elegans protein components of snoRNPs produced strongly reduced mRNA levels and distinct phenotypes for all targeted proteins. For each type of snoRNP, individual depletion of at least three of the four protein components produced significant (P ≦ 1.2 × 10-5) reductions in the expression levels of the corresponding small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), whereas the expression levels of other ncRNAs were largely unaffected. The effects of depletion of individual proteins were in accordance with snoRNP structure analyses obtained in other species for all but two of the eight targeted proteins. Variations in snoRNA size, sequence and secondary structure characteristics were not systematically reflected in the affinity for individual protein component of snoRNPs. The data supported the classification of nearly all annotated snoRNAs and suggested the presence of several novel snoRNAs among unclassified short ncRNA transcripts. A number of transcripts containing canonical Sm binding element sequences (Sm Y RNAs) also showed reduced expression after depletion of protein components of C/D box snoRNPs, whereas the expression of some stem-bulge RNAs (sbRNAs) was increased after depletion of the same proteins.

Conclusion

The study confirms observations made for other organisms, where reduced ncRNA levels after depletion of protein components of ncRNPs were noted, and shows that such reductions in expression levels occur across entire sets of ncRNA. Thereby, the study also demonstrates the feasibility of combining RNAi against candidate proteins with ncRNA microarray analysis to investigate ncRNA-protein interactions and hence ncRNA cellular functions.