Inter-letter spacing,inter-word spacing,and font with dyslexia-friendly features: testing text readability in people with and without dyslexia

Over the last years, several studies have suggested a possible link between dyslexia and deficits in low-level visual processing (e.g., excessive crowding). At the same time, specially designed “dyslexia-friendly” fonts appeared on the market. This class of fonts presents two main features: the particular graphic characteristics of the letterform designed to avoid confusion between similarly shaped letters, and wider inter-letter and inter-word spacing to limit crowding. The literature testing the efficacy of “dyslexia-friendly” fonts in improving reading accuracy and increasing reading speed is controversial. We evaluated the impact of letterform (with vs. without dyslexia-friendly graphic features), inter-letter spacing (standard vs. increased), and inter-word spacing (standard vs. increased) on reading accuracy and speed. Two groups of 64 children each, with and without dyslexia, read aloud 8 equivalent texts. The data collected failed to show any effect from the letterform. As regards spacing, the data showed that reading speed is impaired by an increase in inter-letter spacing not combined with an adequate increase in inter-word spacing.     

The effectiveness of Orton‐Gillingham‐based instruction with Singaporean children with specific reading disability (dyslexia)

This article, written by Assistant Professor Noel Chia from the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Professor Stephen Houghton from the Centre for Child and Adolescent Related Disorders, University of Western Australia, reports an empirical evaluation of a one‐year Orton‐Gillingham instruction based reading intervention programme. The programme was conducted with 77 (61 male and 16 female) Singaporean primary school‐aged children with dyslexia and a pre‐test/post‐test experimental group design was incorporated into a hybrid multiple baseline to inform analysis. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed a highly significant main effect for pre‐post on the composite dependent variable made up of word recognition age (WRA), word expression age (WEA) and sentence reading age (SRA) scores. Univariate F tests revealed significant improvements in WRA and WEA. These effects were modest (7% and 8% variance accounted for, respectively) but high enough to be considered educationally significant. There was no main effect for SRA and no main effect as well as no significant interaction effect for teacher, indicating that teacher was not a moderating variable in the gains made on the subtests.     

Adult Attachment,Cognitive Appraisal,and University Students' Reactions to Romantic Infidelity

This study examined the relationships between adult attachment, cognitive appraisal, and university students' behavioral and emotional reactions to infidelity situations in romantic relationships. Results based on 173 university students suggested that both attachment and cognitive appraisals significantly predicted distinct types of infidelity reactions and that participants' cognitive appraisal mediated the effects of attachment on behavioral and emotional reactions. Counseling applications for university counselors are discussed on the basis of attachment perspectives and cognitive appraisal models.     

Neural network and principal component regression in non-destructive soluble solids content assessment: a comparison

Visible and near infrared spectroscopy is a non-destructive, green, and rapid technology that can be utilized to estimate the components of interest without conditioning it, as compared with classical analytical methods. The objective of this paper is to compare the performance of artificial neural network (ANN) (a nonlinear model) and principal component regression (PCR) (a linear model) based on visible and shortwave near infrared (VIS-SWNIR) (400–1000 nm) spectra in the non-destructive soluble solids content measurement of an apple. First, we used multiplicative scattering correction to pre-process the spectral data. Second, PCR was applied to estimate the optimal number of input variables. Third, the input variables with an optimal amount were used as the inputs of both multiple linear regression and ANN models. The initial weights and the number of hidden neurons were adjusted to optimize the performance of ANN. Findings suggest that the predictive performance of ANN with two hidden neurons outperforms that of PCR.     

The effects of goal specificity and scaffolding on programming performance and self‐regulation in game design

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of goal specificity and scaffolding on the programming performance and self‐regulation of elementary students engaged in learning game design. This study recruited 232 students for the experimental activities. Two levels of goal specificity were employed: specific and nonspecific. Structuring and problematizing scaffolds were also used to support students in the process of learning. Our results reveal the following: (1) nonspecific goals and structuring scaffolds led to superior comprehension of programming, (2) nonspecific goals with problematizing scaffolds led to better problem‐solving performance, (3) problematizing scaffolds were more effective than structuring scaffolds in the development of self‐regulation behavior, and (4) nonspecific goals were more effective than specific goals in the promotion of resource management associated with self‐regulation.     

A hybrid dielectrophoretic system for trapping of microorganisms from water

Assessment of the microbial safety of water resources is among the most critical issues in global water safety. As the current detection methods have limitations such as high cost and long process time, new detection techniques have transpired among which microfluidics is the most attractive alternative. Here, we show a novel hybrid dielectrophoretic (DEP) system to separate and detect two common waterborne pathogens, Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacterium, and Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum), a protozoan parasite, from water. The hybrid DEP system integrates a chemical surface coating with a microfluidic device containing inter-digitated microelectrodes to impart positive dielectrophoresis for enhanced trapping of the cells. Trimethoxy(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl) silane, (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane, and polydiallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (p-DADMAC) were used as surface coatings. Static cell adhesion tests showed that among these coatings, the p-DADMAC-coated glass surface provided the most effective cell adhesion for both the pathogens. This was attributed to the positively charged p-DADMAC-coated surface interacting electrostatically with the negatively charged cells suspended in water leading to increased cell trapping efficiency. The trapping efficiency of E. coli and C. parvum increased from 29.0% and 61.3% in an uncoated DEP system to 51.9% and 82.2% in the hybrid DEP system, respectively. The hybrid system improved the cell trapping by encouraging the formation of cell pearl-chaining. The increment in trapping efficiency in the hybrid DEP system was achieved at an optimal frequency of 1 MHz and voltage of 2.5 V_pp for C. parvum and 2 V_pp for E. coli, the latter is lower than 2.5 V_pp and 7 V_pp, respectively, utilized for obtaining similar efficiency in an uncoated DEP system.     

关于慈竹属和单竹属的讨论

 When F. A. McClure published the new genus Sinocalamus McClure in 1940, the 4 species he listed are S. latiflorus (Munro) McClure, S. beecheyanus (Munro) Mc- Clure, S. oldhami (Munro) McClure and S. affinis (Rendle) McClure.  After careful examination, the authors of this paper considered that the type species of McClure’s genus S. latiflorus (Munro) McClure should belong to the genus Dendrocalamus Nees, and the other species are of Bambusa Schreber.  Owing to Sinocalamus McClure is not a taxon representative of its type species, but a mixture, it must be rejected as a synonym of Dendrocalamus Nees.  In consequence then, the authors make adjustment to the taxonomic category of the 14 species and 1 variety which have ever been in Sinocalamus McClure.      As for the characters of Lingnania McClure, except that some differences exist in the vegetative parts, the structure of the spikelets is in the main the same as that of Bambusa Schreber.  Consequently, with regard to the systematic relationship, the authors consider it may be more resonable that the rank of Lingnania McClure should be alter- ed to Bambusa Schreber subg.  Lingnania (MeClure) Chia  et H. L. Fung; all the species of Lingnania McClure, except that L. tsiangii McClure should be transferred to Dendrocalamus Nees, should be assignable to Bambusa Schreber subg.  Lingnania (McClure) Chia et H. L. Fung.     

A self-determination approach to understanding students' motivation in project work

The use of project work (PW) or project-based learning has escalated in Singapore since its inception by the Ministry of Education in the year 2000. There is however little information on students' motivation, and their experience of PW over time. This study sought to identify homogeneous groups of students with distinct perceived locus of causality (PLOC) profiles using a cluster analytic approach, and to examine group differences in their perceived psychological needs, emotions, metacognition, and perceived skills learned in PW over time. Four distinct clusters of students were identified. The “high self-determined/low controlled” group was the most adaptive cluster, and the “low self-determined/high controlled” group was the least adaptive cluster. The study affirms that the self-determination theory (SDT) can provide important insights into the motivational processes in PW. It establishes that students' motivational regulations and their perceived needs satisfaction at the start of PW are related to their experience of and learning in PW.