Assessing the Relationship Between Prosody and Reading Outcomes in Children Using the PEPS-C

This study investigated the relationship between both receptive and expressive prosody and each of three reading outcomes: accuracy of reading aloud words, accuracy of reading aloud nonwords, and comprehension. Participants were 63 children aged 7 to 12 years. To assess prosody, we used the Profiling Elements of Prosody in Speech Communication (PEPS-C; Peppé & McCann, 2003). Results revealed that certain subtests of the PEPS-C predicted a substantial proportion of variance across reading outcomes, even after age and segmental phonological awareness have been considered. In fact, our findings suggest that the PEPS-C compares favourably with a well-established test of segmental phonological awareness, the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP; Wagner, Torgesen, & Rashotte, 1999), in terms of its power to predict variability in children’s reading.     

The health information seeking behaviour and needs of community health workers in Chandigarh in Northern India

This article represents two‐firsts for the feature – it is the first to report on a study outside the UK and the first to examine the health information needs of community health workers. Sonika Raj is pursuing PhD at the Centre for Public Health, Panjab University, Chandigarh, in India and she conducted her research in Chandigarh. The article outlines the important role that health workers at community level play in determining health outcomes in the developing world, including Chandigarh. It demonstrates that while those workers recognise their information needs, there are many issues affecting their ability to access health information effectively, not least their limited access to appropriate technology and training. AM     

Measuring physical activity in preschoolers: Reliability and validity of The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time for Preschoolers (SOFIT-P)

The purpose of this study is describe the initial feasibility, reliability, and validity of an instrument to measure physical activity in preschoolers using direct observation. The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time for Preschoolers was developed and tested among 3- to 6-year-old children over fall 2008 for feasibility and reliability (Phase I, n=67) and in fall 2009 for concurrent validity (Phase II, n=27). Phase I showed that preschoolers spent >75% of their active time at preschool in light physical activity. The mean inter-observer agreements scores were ≥.75 for physical activity level and type. Correlation coefficients, measuring construct validity between the lesson context and physical activity types with and with the activity levels, were moderately strong. Phase II showed moderately strong correlations ranging from .50 to .54 between the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time for Preschoolers and Actigraph accelerometers for physical activity levels. The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time for Preschoolers shows promising initial results as a new method for measuring physical activity among preschoolers.     

Inherited Memories

ABSTRACT

This article explores the creation and transmission of second generation memories concerning the 1947 Partition of British India. The research is based on oral interviews with Punjabi families who migrated because of Partition and now live in Lahore and Delhi. It explores how Partition memories have been transmitted across generations within these families, and also examines similarities and differences between how the second generation interviewees from Delhi and Lahore remember Partition. It demonstrates that the second generation have not passively accepted everything that the first generation, or the state, has told them about Partition. The second generation's memories are also shaped by their age, nationality, religion and class, and the nature of contemporary politics.     

Preliminary studies on serum lipids, apolipoprotein-B and oxidative stress in xanthelasma

Serum lipid profile, apolipoprotein-B (apo-B), malondialdehyde levels(MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were assessed in 12 cases of xanthelasma with and without coronary artery disease (CAD)/hypertension (HTN) and results are compared with healthy controls. Dyslipidemia was found in 65% cases of xanthelasma as compared to 20% healthy controls. Xanthelasma patients had significantly high malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (p<0.01) and significantly decreased (p<0.05) SOD activity as compared to controls. Among xanthelasma patients, xanthelasma with CAD/HTN showed higher total cholesterol (236±32.7 vs 188±24.7 mg/dl), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (157±35.5 vs 113±16 mg/dl) and Apo-B (120.5±9.4 vs 114±19.2 mg/dl) levels as compared to xanthelasma without CAD/HTN. Results of our study indicate that xanthelasma patients with increased apo-B, MDA and decreased SOD need cardiovascular monitoring.     

Medicare Reimbursement for Counselors: Counseling Professionals’ Advocacy Beliefs and Behavior

The authors analyzed data from 5,528 American Counseling Association members to examine advocacy beliefs and behavior regarding Medicare reimbursement and advocacy for counselors. Nearly half (49.3%) of the respondents had participated in one or more forms of Medicare reimbursement advocacy. Advocacy participation differed significantly by professional status.