An Investigation of Narration Rates for the Reading While Listening Strategy

This study investigated the effects of Reading While Listening narration rates on elementary students' comprehension. Slow, normal and sentence interval narration rates were used. Results showed higher comprehension scores with the slow narration rate for students with low reading levels, and normal rate for high and medium level readers

Correlates of voluntary HIV testing and counseling among middle aged and older Latinas

This study identifies and describes HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) of middle aged and older Latinas. The rate of new cases of HIV in people age 45 and older is rapidly increasing, with a 40.6% increase in the numbers of older Latinas infected with HIV between 1998 and 2002. Despite this increase, there is paucity of research on this population. This research seeks to address the gap through a secondary data analysis of Latina women. The aim of this study is twofold: (1) Develop and empirically test a multivariate model of VCT utilization for middle aged and older Latinas; (2) To test how the three individual components of the Andersen Behavioral Model impact VCT for middle aged and older Latinas. The study is organized around the three major domains of the Andersen Behavioral Model of service use that include: (a) predisposing factors; (b) enabling characteristics and (c) need. Logistic regression using structural equation modeling techniques were used to test multivariate relationships of variables on VCT for a sample of 135 middle age and older Latinas residing in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Over 60% of participants had been tested for HIV. Provider endorsement was found to he the strongest predictor of VCT (odds ration [OR] 6.38), followed by having a clinic as a regular source of healthcare (OR=3.88). Significant negative associations with VCT included self rated health status (OR=.592); Age (OR=.927); Spanish proficiency (OR=.927); number of sexual partners (OR=.613) and consumption of alcohol during sexual activity (.549). As this line of inquiry provides a critical glimpse into the VCT of older Latinas, recommendations for enhanced service provision and research will he offered.

Testing the Efficacy of Panax ginseng Extract as a Novel Anti-Quorum Sensing Agent

Quorum sensing (QS) is the phenomenon by which microorganisms regulate gene expression in response to cell-population density. These microorganisms synthesize and secrete small molecules known as autoinducers that increase in concentration as a function of cell density. Once the cell detects the minimal threshold concentration of an autoinducer, the gene expression is altered accordingly. Although the cellular circuitry responding to QS is relatively conserved, the cellular processes regulated by QS, for example are conjugation, motility, sporulation, biofilm formation and production of virulence factors importamt for infection. Since many pathogens have developed resistance to available antibiotics, novel therapies are required to further treat these pathogens. Inhibitors of QS are potential therapeutic candidates since they would inhibit virulence without selecting for antibiotic resistant strains. Previous studies have shown that the Chinese herb Panax ginseng contains compounds that inhibit QS activity. To further characterize this activity, a highly sensitive quantitative liquid assay was developed using a Chromobacterium violaceum AHL mutant, CV026 as a biomonitor strain. After confirmation that P. ginseng aqueous extracts had anti-QS activity, the extract was fractionated on a reverse phase C18 Sep Pak column. Most anti-QS activity was present in the flow through, and compounds eluted with ten percent acetonitrile in water antibacterial activity. We thus conclude that P. ginseng has anti-QS activity and the active compound is water soluble. Compounds from P. ginseng, could be used as a lead structure to design compound with higher anti-QS activity for therapeutic treatments.

An Investigation on Biocompatibility of Bio-Absorbable Polymer Coated Magnesium Alloys

Advances in biomaterials have enabled medical practitioners to replace diseased body parts or to assist in the healing process. In situations where a permanent biomaterial implant is used for a temporary application, additional surgeries are required to remove these implants once the healing process is complete, which increases medical costs and patient morbidity. Bio-absorbable materials dissolve and are metabolized by the body after the healing process is complete thereby negating additional surgeries for removal of implants. Magnesium alloys as novel bio-absorbable biomaterials, have attracted great attention recently because of their good mechanical properties, biocompatibility and corrosion rate in physiological environments. However, usage of Mg as biodegradable implant has been limited by its poor corrosion resistance in the physiological solutions. An optimal biodegradable implant must initially have slow degradation to ensure total mechanical integrity then degrade over time as the tissue heals. The current research focuses on surface modification of Mg alloy (MZC) by surface treatment and polymer coating in an effort to enhance the corrosion rate and biocompatibility. It is envisaged that the results obtained from this investigation would provide the academic community with insights for the utilization of bio-absorbable implants particularly for patients suffering from atherosclerosis. The alloying elements used in this study are zinc and calcium both of which are essential minerals in the human metabolic and healing processes. A hydrophobic biodegradable co-polymer, polyglycolic-co-caprolactone (PGCL), was used to coat the surface treated MZC to retard the initial degradation rate. Two surface treatments were selected: (a) acid etching and (b) anodization to produce different surface morphologies, roughness, surface energy, chemistry and hydrophobicity that are pivotal for PGCL adhesion onto the MZC. Additionally, analyses of biodegradation, biocompatibility, and mechanical integrity were performed in order to investigate the optimum surface modification process, suitable for biomaterial implants. The study concluded that anodization created better adhesion between the MZC and PGCL coating. Furthermore, PGCL coated anodized MZC exhibited lower corrosion rate, good mechanical integrity, and better biocompatibility as compared with acid etched.