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Objective: Via a research–practice partnership centering community partners' needs and goals in the research design, we examined how parent, infant, and social‐contextual characteristics relate to shared book reading frequency and perceptions of Reach Out and Read (ROR), a national physician‐to‐family program. Background: Shared book reading is associated with higher quality parent–child interactions and enhanced cognitive and socioemotional development. However, only a small percentage of families share books with their infants daily. Understanding factors related to engagement in book sharing is necessary to create developmental messaging that reflects families' experiences. Method: Parents (N = 70) in a southeastern U.S. state were recruited from two participating pediatric clinics and responded to an online survey. Regression analyses examined significant infant, parent, and social‐contextual predictors of shared book reading frequency and perceived ROR value. Results: Findings indicated that parents' insurance, mental health symptoms, and perceptions of the parent‐provider relationship significantly predicted shared book reading frequency. Perceived ROR value was best predicted by parents' mental health symptoms. Implications: Strengthening the parent–provider relationship and talking with families about their needs and experiences with their infants may support clinicians in partnering with families around literacy promotion and early relational health. Conclusion: Results suggest the value of considering socioeconomic status, parental mental health symptoms, and the parent–provider relationship when promoting early literacy and relationship‐building experiences during infancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on U.S. corporate finance and governance system. Topics include wave of leveraged takeovers and buyouts compounding the American competitiveness problem by pressuring companies for distributions of cash and cutbacks in capital spending; and maintaining the expected profit stream in turn ensuring the return and expansion of jobs.

Background: Considering (1) that reading proficiency is fundamental for educational success, (2) the reciprocal relationship between affective aspects of reading (e.g., reading attitude and motivation) and reading behaviour and ability, (3) the alarming decline in students' reading attitude throughout primary and secondary education and (4) the rather large group of pre‐service teachers starting teacher education with a negative reading attitude, this study used a person‐centred approach to examine the development of pre‐service teachers' reading attitude throughout teacher education and how it relates to their perceived reading ability and reading behaviour. Methods: In a sample of 128 pre‐service teachers, cluster (movement) analysis was executed at the start of teacher education and near graduation to identify different reading attitude clusters and possible changes throughout teacher education. A distinction between purpose (recreational vs academic) and context (personally vs socially oriented) was made when assessing reading attitude components. Results: Three reading attitude profiles (i.e., personally oriented, socially oriented and low attitude) were corroborated at both measurement occasions. Cluster movement analysis identified that the majority remained in the same profile over time (53–62%). When pre‐service teachers did switch profile, they most likely evolved towards the personally‐ or socially‐oriented profile (reading as a mere personal activity vs willing to interact about reading, respectively). Convergent validity evidence was found in that pre‐service teachers in the low‐attitude profile (24%) were least likely to read and perceived themselves as least competent in reading. They further appeared to be least willing to invest in reading promotion in their future school(s) of all profiles. Conclusions: It may be worrisome that about one fourth of the pre‐service teachers in this sample enters the profession with a rather negative reading attitude. Encouragingly, the majority of pre‐service teachers either retained or increased their positive reading attitude throughout teacher education. Highlights: What is already known about this topicDifferences in reading attitude are related to differences in reading behaviour and perceived reading ability.There is a declining trend in primary and secondary school students' reading attitude, starting at the end of primary school.Nearly half of all pre‐service teachers start teacher education with a negative reading attitude. What this paper adds Person‐centred movement analysis provided a basis to map the stability and change of pre‐service teachers' reading attitude profiles' throughout teacher education.Pre‐service teachers' reading attitude remains rather stable throughout teacher education and is related to reading behaviour and perceived reading ability.Almost one fourth of the pre‐service teachers graduate with a quite negative reading attitude. Implications for theory, policy or practice The urgency to address reading attitude more adequately in teacher education and to attend more closely to pre‐service teachers' individual differences in reading attitude.The importance of using a longitudinal approach to gain insight into reading attitude development throughout teacher education and preferably also during the first crucial years in the profession.This longitudinal study could be a possible step in the process of (re)designing teacher education programs and continuing professional development trajectories in relation to reading attitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While scholarly publishers have become increasingly interested in supporting the sharing of research beyond academia in recent times, there are few first‐hand accounts from academics that illustrate the realities and complexities of this process. As such, scholarly publishers may be somewhat in the dark about what is actually involved in such knowledge mobilization, and how to best support it. In this autoethnographic account, I describe my experience as an early career researcher involved in the creation of 14 scholarly outputs on the 2016 Western Australian Study in Children's Book Reading project. I illustrate how these scholarly outputs led to media engagements and Plain Language publications, and then were transformed into unique initiatives driven by schools and state government. The academic labour involved in these knowledge mobilization components are depicted as substantial. I also critically interrogate my own research training background and dispositions to identify some reasons for my adoption of knowledge mobilization as a priority, despite perceiving a general lack of support and recognition for this work. Finally, given the pragmatic considerations I raise in this article, I outline ways that scholarly publishers can support academic researchers to engage in knowledge mobilization more regularly and effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bias, gender data gap, gender differences However, it demonstrates the gender data gap from an overall holistic level, which makes this book an urgently needed addition in order to understand and correctly interpret inequalities between genders. Keywords: bias; gender data gap; gender differences EN bias gender data gap gender differences 1985 1989 5 09/22/21 20210901 NES 210901 I Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men i by Caroline Criado Perez is not only an interesting and informative book to read, but one of critical importance for the general understanding of the world women live in. [Extracted from the article]

Background: While many researchers studying reading motivation and attitudes have taken a variable‐centred approach, few have employed a person‐centred analysis to examine profiles of reading attitudes and how they relate to reading outcomes. Methods: As a person‐centred approach, cluster analysis was used to examine the multiple reading attitude profiles of 499 seventh‐grade to ninth‐grade Chinese adolescents. The effects of each attitude profile on reading outcomes, which include strategy use and language arts grades, were tested using a multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: Cluster analysis identified four profiles: engaged digital readers (positive attitudes towards both academic and recreational reading in digital medium), avid readers (positive attitudes towards all dimensions), engaged print readers (positive attitudes towards both academic and recreational reading in print medium) and recreational digital‐only readers (relatively average attitudes towards recreational digital reading but substantially lower attitudes towards the other three dimensions). Avid readers outperformed all other profiles regarding strategy use but were equally successful with engaged print readers in terms of language arts. Recreational digital‐only readers scored the lowest in both reading outcomes. Conclusions: Chinese adolescents have multiple reading attitude profiles distinct in nature and in their relation to reading outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in technology and reading habits over the last decade have ushered in a new informational landscape. The Internet has become the central means by which children and adults form understandings of the world. Since readers on the Internet choose from a nearly unlimited selection of websites, they play a more active role in determining which ideas they encounter. These shifts in technology have been accompanied by shifts in culture and politics which have led to a post‐truth era in which "identity [determines] how people respond to texts" (Janks, 2018, p. 98). While there is ample pedagogical literature addressing online reading, few resources exist for preparing students to navigate online in the post‐truth era. Utilizing tools drawn from critical literacy, this article builds on new literacies pedagogies by introducing instructional strategies that help students attend to the ways in which their own culturally‐situated viewpoints influence the meanings they make online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reading books or articles digitally has become accessible and widespread thanks to the large amount of affordable mobile devices and distribution platforms. However, little effort has been devoted to improving the digital book reading experience, despite studies showing disadvantages of digital text media consumption, such as diminished memory recall and enjoyment, compared to physical books. In addition, a vast amount of physical, printed books of interest exist, many of them rare and not easily physically accessible, such as out‐of‐print art books, first editions, or historical tomes secured in museums. Digital replicas of such books are typically either purely text based, or consist of photographed pages, where much of the essence of leafing through and experiencing the actual artifact is lost. In this work, we devise a method to recreate the experience of reading and interacting with a physical book in a digital 3D environment. Leveraging recent work on static modeling of freeform developable surfaces, which exhibit paper‐like properties, we design a method for dynamic physical simulation of such surfaces, accounting for gravity and handling collisions to simulate pages in a book. We propose a mix of 2D and 3D models, specifically tailored to represent books to achieve a computationally fast simulation, running in real time on mobile devices. Our system enables users to lift, bend and flip book pages by holding them at arbitrary locations and provides a holistic interactive experience of a virtual 3D book. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on digitization of dual-language book (DLB) pedagogies by educators. It discusses the growth of remote education, the abundance of DLB resources as a result of the digital revolution, ways in using digitization of DLB pedagogies for literacy education and multilingual literacy, and factors to be considered by educators in using DLB reading.

Engaging in discussions of texts featuring diverse expressions of bilingualism is important at the elementary level to move away from historical conceptions of bilingualism focused on language proficiency and instead embrace a translanguaging view focused on linguistic practices. To successfully engage in these conversations, understanding bilingualism's complexities is important. To choose books that reflect students, it is also key to learn more about their language practices, as they are often more complex than what home language surveys may capture. To these ends, the authors present ways to supplement home language surveys and engage students in text discussions about bilingualism (including providing book recommendations and potential discussion questions). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though student‐led small‐group book discussions about fiction have been a curricular staple, teachers still contend with surface‐level discussions and students who have difficulty with creating meaning together. Based on their previous findings, the authors explore building a foundation for discussions (for teachers new to literature study) and scaffolding deeper discussions (for teachers working on deeper, dialogic discussions). Suggestions emphasize scaffolding students to expand their perspectives, become more metacognitive, and use transmediation to communicate the abstract. The activities/strategies taken together demonstrate that teachers have a dual responsibility in their classrooms: teaching students how to engage in deeper conversations and helping students value what can be accomplished through them. When teachers commit to this dual responsibility, students are more able to learn deeply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young readers depend on adults to provide access to a variety of materials representing diverse perspectives and providing information about topics of interest and importance to them. The decisions of literacy professionals to include or exclude a book from a lesson or a collection have far‐reaching implications for the kinds of ideas, information, genres, and formats available for young readers. Given this gatekeeping role, how can educators ensure that they are providing students with a diverse range of books and avoiding censorship? The authors present six principles that educators can use when making book selections for the curriculum or the classroom or school library collection; application of the principles is demonstrated using George by Alex Gino, one of the most frequently challenged children's books in recent years. Applying these selection principles will assist educators with understanding how to avoid censorship and support students' right to read. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Skin cancer prevention should ideally begin with healthy sun protection habits during childhood. Children's books can be effective tools to introduce healthy habits early in life and should be targeted toward all children regardless of skin tone. This study examined sun protection guidelines and the representation of skin tones in commercial children's books. Methods: We performed internet searches for children's books about sun protection. We compared content from these books to current sun protection guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). We assessed books for reading level, author profession, and skin tone representation. Results: Seventeen books met study criteria. Of 19 factors surrounding sun protection provided by the AAD, the median number of factors mentioned within children's books was nine (range 3‐13). Of the 13 books with color illustrations of people, one (7.6%) book depicted people with dark skin tones on the cover, and three (23.1%) books depicted people with dark skin tones within the story. Conclusion: Commercial children's books about sun protection incorporate some, but not all, of the AAD guidelines, and there is an inadequate representation of darker skin tones within and on the cover of these books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate determination of the water retention curve (WRC) of a soil is essential for the understanding and modelling of the subsurface hydrological, ecological, and biogeochemical processes. Volcanic ash soils with andic properties (Andosols) are recognized as important providers of ecological and hydrological services in mountainous regions worldwide due to their large fraction of small size particles (clay, silt, and organic matter) that gives them an outstanding water holding capacity. Previous comparative analyses of in situ (field) and standard laboratory methods for the determination of the WRC of Andosols showed contrasting results. Based on an extensive analysis of laboratory, experimental, and field measured WRCs of Andosols in combination with data extracted from the published literature we show that standard laboratory methods using small soil sample volumes (≤300 cm3) mimic the WRC of these soils only partially. The results obtained by the latter resemble only a small portion of the wet range of the Andosols' WRC (from saturation up to −5 kPa, or pF 1.7), but overestimate substantially their water content for higher matric potentials. This discrepancy occurs irrespective of site‐specific land use and cover, soil properties, and applied method. The disagreement limits our capacity to infer correctly subsurface hydrological behaviour, as illustrated through the analysis of long‐term soil moisture and matric potential data from an experimental site in the tropical Andes. These findings imply that results reported in past research should be used with caution and that future research should focus on determining laboratory methods that allow obtaining a correct characterization of the WRC of Andosols. For the latter, a set of recommendations and future directions to solve the identified methodological issues is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, master equation (ME) simulations using semiclassical transition state theory (SCTST) and high‐accuracy extrapolated ab initio thermochemistry (HEAT) predicted rate constants in excellent agreement with published experimental data over a wide range of pressure and temperatures ≳250 K, but the agreement was not as good at lower temperatures. Possible reasons for this reduced performance are investigated by (a) critically evaluating the published experimental data and by investigating; (b) three distinct ME treatments of angular momentum, including one that is exact at the zero‐ and infinite‐pressure limits; (c) a hindered‐rotor model for HOCO that implicitly includes the cis‐ and trans‐conformers; (d) possible empirical adjustments of the thermochemistry; (e) possible empirical adjustments to an imaginary frequency controlling tunneling; (f) including or neglecting the prereaction complex PRC1; and (g) its possible bimolecular reactions. Improvements include better approximations to factors in SCTST and using the Hill and van Vleck treatment of angular momentum coupling. Evaluation of literature data does not reveal any specific shortcomings, but the stated uncertainties may be underestimated. All ME treatments give excellent fits to experimental data at T ≥ 250 K, but the discrepancy at T < 250 K persists. Note that each ME model requires individual empirical energy transfer parameters. Thermochemical adjustments were unable to match the experimental H/D kinetic isotope effects. Adjusting an imaginary frequency can achieve good fits, but the adjustments are unacceptably large. Whether PRC1 and its possible bimolecular reactions are included had little effect. We conclude that none of the adjustments is an improvement over the unadjusted theory. Note that only one set of experimental data exists in the regime of the discrepancy with theory, and data for DO + CO are scanty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABC transporters fulfill diverse physiological functions in different cellular localizations ranging from the plasma membrane to intracellular membranous compartments. Several ABC transporters have been spotted in the endolysosomal system, which consists of endosomes, autophagosomes, lysosomes, and lysosome‐related organelles. In this review, we present an overview of lysosomal ABC transporters including ABCA2, ABCA3, ABCA5, ABCB6, ABCB9, and ABCD4, discussing their trafficking routes, putative substrates, potential physiological functions, and associated diseases. In addition, we offer a critical evaluation of the literature linking ABC transporters to lysosomal drug sequestration, examining pitfalls associated with in vitro models of drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the complexity of an engineered system is challenging for any organization, even more so when operating in a System‐of‐Systems (SoS) context. Here, we analyze one particular decision support tool as an illustratory case study. This tool has been used for several years by Thales Group to evaluate system complexity across a variety of industrial engineering projects. The case study is informed by analysis of semistructured interviews with systems engineering experts within the Thales Group. This analysis reveals a number of positive and negative aspects of (i) the tool itself and (ii) the way in which the tool is embedded operationally within the wider organization. While the first set of issues may be solved by making improvements to the tool itself, informed by further comparative analysis and growing literature on complexity evaluation, the second "embedding challenge" is distinct, seemingly receiving less attention in the literature. In this paper, we focus on addressing this embedding challenge, by introducing a complexity evaluation framework, designed according to a set of principles derived from the case study analysis; namely that any effective complexity evaluation activity should feature collaborative effort toward building an evaluation informed by a shared understanding of contextually relevant complexity factors, iterative (re‐)evaluation over the course of a project, and progressive refinement of the complexity evaluation tools and processes themselves through linking project evaluations to project outcomes via a wider organizational learning cycle. The paper concludes by considering next steps including the challenge of assuring that such a framework is being implemented effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to identify items of economic evaluation guidelines that are frequently not complied within obstetric economic evaluations and to search for reasons for non-adherence.Design: Scoping review and qualitative study.Setting: Literature on economic evaluations in obstetric care and interviews with experts.Population or Sample: The sample included 229 scientific articles and five experts.Methods: A systematic literature search was performed. All types of literature about economic evaluations in obstetric care were included. The adherence to guidelines was assessed and articles were qualitatively analysed on additional information about reasons for non-adherence. Issues that arose from the scoping review were discussed with experts.Main Outcome Measures: Adherence to guideline items of the included economic evaluations studies. Analytical themes describing reasons for non-adherence, resulting from qualitative analysis of articles and interviews with experts.Results: A total of 184 economic evaluations and 45 other type of articles were included. Guideline items frequently not complied with were time horizon, type of economic evaluation and effect measure. Reasons for non-adherence had to do with paucity of long-term health data and assessing and combining outcomes for mother and child resulting from obstetric interventions.Conclusions: This study identified items of guidelines that are frequently not complied with and the reasons behind this. The results are a starting point for a broad consensus building on how to deal with these challenges that can result in special guidance for the conduct of economic evaluations in obstetric care.Tweetable Abstract: Non-adherence to guidelines in obstetric economic evaluation studies: the difficulties in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use and effect of vegetation in autochthonous buildings Based on a literature analysis, this study evaluates and summarizes the current state of the art of autochthonous buildings and their contribution to a climate‐responsive design of the building environment on a global and regional level. The use and the effect of green structures in outdoor spaces for climate adaption is analyzed in a focused way. According to various studies, autochthonous buildings are not only characterized by a responsible resource management, but also take into account a bioclimatic design doctrine through a sensitive integration into the geographical and topographical context. Furthermore, existing research gaps, especially for the regional context, will be identified and formulated on the basis of the literature evaluation. In Germany the scientific analysis of autochthonous buildings is still underrepresented and requires further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University academics face multiple pressures to publish. These pressures emanate from contexts with different, often competing, social norms, which result in academics publishing for reasons that may run counter to accepted scientific practice. This paper asks what decisions are being taken by academics when it comes to their choice of scholarly book publisher. An analysis of books selected from more than 2,500 self‐reported scholarly publications produced by academics at Makerere University in Uganda from 2011 to 2017 shows that 31 scholarly books were published. Of these books, more than half (54%) were published by publishers that do not follow accepted scholarly publishing practice. Findings also show that there was a sharp decline in books published with suspect publishers in the second half of the 7‐year period. The article discusses possible reasons for the selection of suspect publishers and considers four factors that may account for the observable decline: (1) a cyclical downturn, (2) improved research management and reporting, (3) explication of the norms of science, and (4) self‐correction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation biology was founded on the idea that efforts to save nature depend on a scientific understanding of how it works. It sought to apply ecological principles to conservation problems. We investigated whether the relationship between these fields has changed over time through machine reading the full texts of 32,000 research articles published in 16 ecology and conservation biology journals. We examined changes in research topics in both fields and how the fields have evolved from 2000 to 2014. As conservation biology matured, its focus shifted from ecology to social and political aspects of conservation. The 2 fields diverged and now occupy distinct niches in modern science. We hypothesize this pattern resulted from increasing recognition that social, economic, and political factors are critical for successful conservation and possibly from rising skepticism about the relevance of contemporary ecological theory to practical conservation. Article impact statement: Quantitative literature evaluation reveals that the research topics of ecology and conservation biology are drawing apart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Number of mood episodes (NoE) may be an important prognostic indicator in bipolar disorder, with implications for treatment. However, NoE has been conceptualized and measured inconsistently throughout the literature. This review examines the construct of NoE in bipolar disorder, with the aim of enhancing its conceptualization and measurement. Methods: A critical evaluation of literatures on important correlates of NoE, conceptually and phenomenologically overlapping features, and previous studies considering and measuring this construct was undertaken. Results: The literature indicates that despite frequent use, NoE has been inconsistently defined and measured. Multiple studies have linked NoE with important clinical factors, including relapse, functioning, cognitive impairment and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and psychosocial interventions, yet conclusions are limited by its inconsistent treatment. Additionally, it seems evident that that NoE may best be treated as a fuzzy construct (rather than precise figure), with yet to be defined overlaps with clinical variables such as age at onset and severity. Attempts to measure this construct have varied in comprehensiveness and structure. Conclusions: The NoE construct may have important implications for individuals with bipolar disorders. However, more consistent and systematic definition and assessment of NoE is required to advance this literature and clarify its role. Recommendations aimed at advancing the conceptualization and the measurement of NoE are provided. Conceptualization may be advanced by considering and exploring relationships between NoE and factors with which it overlaps, while measurement may best be improved with increased consistency and balancing accuracy with feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interventions that train parents to share picture books with children are seen as a strategy for supporting child language development. We conducted meta-analyses using robust variance estimation modeling on results from 19 RCTs (Ntotal  = 2,594; Mchildage  = 1-6 years). Overall, book-sharing interventions had a small sized effect on both expressive language (d = 0.41) and receptive language (d = 0.26). They had a large effect on caregiver book-sharing competence (d = 1.01). The impact of the intervention on child language was moderated by intervention dosage, with lower dosage associated with a minimal impact. Child age and caregiver education level were unrelated to child outcome. This review and meta-analysis confirms the promise of book-sharing interventions for enhancing and accelerating child language development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether weight bias is apparent in young and older children's interactions during a paired reading activity.Methods: One hundred seventy-two children (57% girls) read a book in which the main character, "Alfie," was portrayed either as average weight or as having obesity. Younger children (mean = 6.1 years) were paired with a same-sex older child (mean = 9.5 years). Questions within and at the end of the story prompted discussion. Children's conversations were analyzed according to valence (emotional tone). Nonverbal behavior was noted via observation.Results: Pairs of children reading about the Alfie character with obesity made significantly more negative and fewer positive comments when offering story completions. Just one pair of boys spoke about him being "fat." There was no evidence that older children passed negative attitudes to younger children. Covertly expressed weight bias was more common. There was more frequent laughter while reading about the character with obesity, and two pairs made nonverbal reference to Alfie's appearance.Conclusions: Covert weight bias was apparent in the interactions of some of these children, but overt weight bias was rare. There is a need to establish a better chronology of children's awareness of, and attitudes toward, obesity and how they are acquired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital books, such as e‐books, story apps, picture book apps, and interactive stories, are narratives presented on touchscreens with multimedia and interactive features. Evidence suggests that early reading of print versus digital books is associated with different patterns of parent–child engagement and children's outcomes. Parents' verbal scaffolding, children's age, and the congruence between a book's narrative and its interactive and multimedia features are three documented process variables that explain the difference between reading print and digital books. To maximize the added value of digital books for children, we need to study the interaction among the characteristics of parents, children, and books; we also need to target these interactions through interventions and through collaborations between designers and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

APPRAISAL OF THIS BOOK The author definitely does not simplify validation (unlike what I was expecting from such a book), but she instead explains it with a set of terms generally used in (what we are introduced to as) Toulmin argument. Regardless, the author's intention is to streamline validation research from an argument-based perspective, which on most occasions could appear daunting to the readers of this book. Here, I am reviewing a book that addresses psychometric validity from a perspective that is not very well known to the industrial and organizational psychology community - an argument-based validity (ABV; Kane, 1992). [Extracted from the article]

Implementation of digital literacies in secondary literature study can result in increased textual engagement and explorations of identity. The author describes the results of practitioner research at a Midwestern U.S. high school in which senior AP students created short films as a way to analyze literature circle texts. The purpose of the study was to understand how video storytelling can support young adult readers' literary analysis. The author used qualitative content analysis to analyze a focal participant's screenplay and film, as well as his transcribed commentary and interviews. Findings showed that his film reflected analyses that demonstrated engagement with literature, increased appetite for reading, and text‐driven social interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors drew on empirical data from a blogging project that brought English teachers from the United States and Lithuania together online to discuss the young adult novel Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. The novel tells the story of a 15‐year‐old girl, Lina, and her family, who are forcibly separated and deported to a Siberian labor camp under Stalin's occupation of the Baltic States during World War II. The authors argue that the pedagogical context sheds light on what an empathetic reading of the state‐sponsored atrocities described in this book might entail, thus avoiding common pitfalls with difficult knowledge when readers are positioned to try on through role‐play or detach through close reading and literary analysis. Throughout, the authors define and promote one possibility of what empathetic reading can look like when pedagogies position readers as empathetic learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This forum focuses on the intersections of texts and identities with the aim of selecting and mediating texts that readers and writers find valuable within and outside of formal educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AIIB's non‐resident Board of Directors has drawn a lot of attention among experts and in the literature, although it is not an unprecedented feature among the existing international financial institutions. A non‐resident Board setting has implications for how the respective Board undertakes its role and responsibilities. This essay analyses the characteristics of the AIIB's non‐resident board in regard to four roles or functions as defined in the literature on Board evaluation (Martinez‐Diaz 2008), that is, the roles of strategic thinker, political counterweight, performance police, and democratic forum. AIIB's Board of Directors is particularly apt to perform the role of a strategic thinker, while taking on the other roles to different degrees of effectiveness. In spite of its successes so far, the AIIB non‐resident governance model may be subject to some future challenges as the Bank continues to grow, both in terms of its membership and operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food contact surfaces (FCS) in food processing facilities may become contaminated with a number of unwanted microorganisms, such as Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Staphylococcus aureus. To reduce contamination and the spread of disease, these surfaces may be treated with sanitizers or have active antimicrobial components adhered to them. Although significant efforts have been devoted to the development of coatings that improve the antimicrobial effectiveness of FCS, other important coating considerations, such as hardness, adhesion to a substrate, and migration of the antimicrobial substance into the food matrix, have largely been disregarded to the detriment of their translation into practical application. To address this gap, this review examines the mechanical properties of antimicrobial coatings (AMC) applied to FCS and their interplay with their antimicrobial properties within the framework of relevant regulatory constraints that would apply if these were used in real‐world applications. This review also explores the various assessment techniques for examining these properties, the effects of the deposition methods on coating properties, and the potential applications of such coatings for FCS. Overall, this review attempts to provide a holistic perspective. Evaluation of the current literature urges a compromise between antimicrobial effectiveness and mechanical stability in order to adhere to various regulatory frameworks as the next step toward improving the industrial feasibility of AMC for FCS applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers balance many goals when selecting texts for small‐group reading. The author explored the impact of one variable that teachers consider, quantitative text difficulty, on students' participation, discussion, comprehension, and fluency in small‐group discussions of informational science texts. Six bilingual third graders identified as reading below grade level participated. Students' comprehension scores were the same for matched and difficult texts. Matched texts benefited three students in terms of fluency and two students in terms of participation. Difficult texts benefited three students in developing conversations around print and ideas (rather than focusing on pictures) and in having more inferential (rather than merely literal) talk. Different levels of text had drawbacks and advantages, and the findings encourage teachers to use both matched and difficult texts at different times and for different instructional purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), including rhinitis, nasopharyngitis, tonsillitis and otitis media (OM), comprise of 88% of total respiratory infections, especially in children. Therefore effective prevention and treatment of RTIs remain a high priority worldwide. Preclinical and clinical data highlight the rationale for the use and effectiveness of immunity‐targeted approaches, including targeted immunisations and non‐specific immunomodulation in the prevention and management of recurrent upper RTIs. Objective of review: The idea of this review was to summarise the current evidence and address key questions concerning the use of conservative and immunity‐targeted approaches to recurrent and chronic URTIs, with a focus on the paediatric population. Search strategy/Evaluation method: Literature searches were conducted in March 2017 and updated in September 2017 using: Academic Search Complete; CENTRAL; Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition; MEDLINE; clinicaltrials.gov; and Cochrane databases. In total, 84 articles were retrieved and reviewed. Two independent researchers focused on primary and secondary endpoints in systematic reviews, meta‐analyses and randomised, controlled trials, using immunity‐directed strategies as the control group or within a subpopulation of larger studies. Existing guidelines and interventional/observational studies on novel applications were also included. Results: Children are particularly susceptible to RTIs due to the relative immaturity of their immune systems, as well as other potential predisposing factors such as day care attendance and/or toxic environmental factors (eg increased pathogenic microbial exposure and air pollutants). Recurrent URTIs can affect otherwise healthy children, leading to clinical sequelae and complications, including the development of chronic conditions or the need for surgery. Available pre‐clinical and clinical data highlight the rationale for the use and effectiveness of immunity‐targeted approaches, including targeted immunisations (flu and pneumococcal vaccines) and non‐specific immunomodulation (bacterial lysates), in the prevention and management of recurrent croup, tonsillitis, otitis media, recurrent acute rhinosinusitis and chronic rhinosinusitis. Conclusions: In this review, we summarise the current evidence and provide data demonstrating that some immunity‐targeted strategies, including vaccination and immunomodulation, have proved effective in the treatment and prevention of recurrent and chronic URTIs in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is commonly believed that reading challenges should be addressed early to reduce the likelihood that developmental delays will impact students over the long term. However, students in developing countries often have limited access to reading resources. In this study, the authors used a randomized controlled trial of 11,083 fourth‐ and fifth‐grade students in 120 primary schools in rural China to examine the causal effect of an in‐class library program on student reading outcomes and academic achievement in schools with poor reading resources over an eight‐month period. An in‐class library was installed in each of the selected classes in the 40 treatment schools. The authors found that the program significantly improved student affinity toward reading and student reading habits, and in these regards, it narrowed the gap between male and female students, between low‐ and high‐performing students, and between left‐behind children and children living with parents. However, the authors found no overall effect of the program on reading and academic achievement and a negative effect on student confidence in reading. There was also no effect on student, teacher, and primary caregiver perceptions toward the effect of independent reading on academic achievement, nor any effect on whether teachers and primary caregivers provided reading instructions to students. The authors propose three possible explanations for these findings: a lack of reading instruction from teachers and caregivers, a lack of reading materials specifically tailored to local needs and interests, and the relatively short duration of the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anogenital warts (AGW) can cause economic burden on healthcare systems and are associated with emotional, psychological and physical issues. Objective: To provide guidance to physicians on the diagnosis and management of AGW. Methods: Fourteen global experts on AGW developed guidance on the diagnosis and management of AGW in an effort to unify international recommendations. Guidance was developed based on published international and national AGW guidelines and an evaluation of relevant literature published up to August 2016. Authors provided expert opinion based on their clinical experiences. Results: A checklist for a patient's initial consultation is provided to help physicians when diagnosing AGW to get the relevant information from the patient in order to manage and treat the AGW effectively. A number of frequently asked questions are also provided to aid physicians when communicating with patients about AGW. Treatment of AGW should be individualized and selected based on the number, size, morphology, location, and keratinization of warts, and whether they are new or recurrent. Different techniques can be used to treat AGW including ablation, immunotherapy and other topical therapies. Combinations of these techniques are thought to be more effective at reducing AGW recurrence than monotherapy. A simplified algorithm was created suggesting patients with 1–5 warts should be treated with ablation followed by immunotherapy. Patients with >5 warts should use immunotherapy for 2 months followed by ablation and a second 2‐month course of immunotherapy. Guidance for daily practice situations and the subsequent action that can be taken, as well as an algorithm for treatment of large warts, were also created. Conclusion: The guidance provided will help physicians with the diagnosis and management of AGW in order to improve the health and quality of life of patients with AGW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supporting exploratory visual analysis (EVA) is a central goal of visualization research, and yet our understanding of the process is arguably vague and piecemeal. We contribute a consistent definition of EVA through review of the relevant literature, and an empirical evaluation of existing assumptions regarding how analysts perform EVA using Tableau, a popular visual analysis tool. We present the results of a study where 27 Tableau users answered various analysis questions across 3 datasets. We measure task performance, identify recurring patterns across participants' analyses, and assess variance from task specificity and dataset. We find striking differences between existing assumptions and the collected data. Participants successfully completed a variety of tasks, with over 80% accuracy across focused tasks with measurably correct answers. The observed cadence of analyses is surprisingly slow compared to popular assumptions from the database community. We find significant overlap in analyses across participants, showing that EVA behaviors can be predictable. Furthermore, we find few structural differences between behavior graphs for open‐ended and more focused exploration tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizational evaluation systems become sustainable through being networked, use‐focused, and by undertaking processes aligned with agreed‐upon quality standards. Through being sustainable, organizational evaluation systems can more effectively contribute to the aims and values of sustainable development by undertaking evaluation processes that enable the understanding of complexity, and generate process use, learning loops, and networks of practice. The importance of developing networks of evaluation practice is specifically highlighted in this chapter as it has received less coverage than the importance of use and quality in the literature on evaluation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author introduces the Editorial Task Force for Children's Books and discusses its mission, created when the task force was launched in the mid‐1960s in Taiwan, to publish children's books for young readers. The messages embedded in such a mission for access to books are not only individually pertinent but also nationally and globally significant. Munro Leaf and Helen R. Sattley, two cultural ambassadors from the United States, also play significant roles as children's literature specialists to usher in new concepts on reading and writing for the young. A look back at the history of the campaign for childhood reading in one country and in a global context can help teachers and educators (re)consider why access to books matters for students in the present day. Children's access to books, particularly in the digital age, remains an urgent and demanding issue that requires further cross‐cultural dialogue and understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students are nowadays given many options to consume educational content in digital formats as alternatives to printed material. Previous research suggests that while digital content has advantages, printed media still provides other benefits that cannot be matched by digital. Therefore, technology should leverage the benefits of both. In this paper, we present the Meaningful Education and Training Information System, a multifaceted hybrid textbook learning platform. The goal of the system is to provide an easy digital‐to‐print‐to‐digital content creation and reading service. The Meaningful Education and Training Information System incorporates technologies for layout, personalization, cocreation, and assessments. These facilitate common teacher/student tasks and help provide a richer, more effective learning experience. Our system has been demonstrated in multiple international education events, partner engagements, and pilots with local universities and high schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors illustrate ways that diverse linguistic repertoires were constrained within a set of classroom book club discussions among sixth-grade students and their teachers in a public school setting. The study took place in a U.S. Mountain West middle school with a majority population of Latinx students, many of whom were emerging bilinguals (EBs). In these book clubs, 21 students and two teachers read one of four mystery novels. The groups comprised both native and nonnative English-speaking students and were grouped according to reading ability/level. Using discourse analysis strategies, the researchers analyzed the participants' talk across the book club discussions. The authors found that although a primary purpose of a literature discussion group is to provide more equitable participatory opportunities for EBs, in this case, the linguistic and discursive practices of the teachers and the native English speakers did not fully honor EBs' contributions. These practices led to EBs' ultimate withdrawal from discussions. Therefore, the implications suggest a cautionary tale for educators working with EBs to critically analyze and identify ways in which generic methods for English as a second language and "good" teaching practices may position EBs as incapable. Moreover, the authors suggest that teachers should develop more critical linguistically and culturally responsive practices that acknowledge the linguistic repertoires of EBs and (re)position EBs as communicatively competent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study aims to address whether boys and girls learn words differently from shared reading of informational books, which are often perceived as 'boys' books'. Methods: Forty‐five mother‐child dyads (Mean age = 60.4 months, SD = 6.84) were video recorded reading sets of informational and narrative trade books at home. Children's learning of 12 target words of varying difficulty from each book was tested, controlling for initial vocabulary levels. Results: Boys and girls learned target words from a single reading of both book genres, with no significant differences between the genders. However, gender and genre interacted with girls less likely to learn new words at the expressive level from the informational books. Conclusions: Book genre seems to matter for preschoolers learning new vocabulary at the expressive level from shared reading, with girls at a possible disadvantage. Because of this, additional support, such as direct explanation of words, can be added when reading these books. Highlights: What is already known about this topic: Extensive research supports the use of shared book reading for promoting children's vocabulary learning.Adults (parents and teachers) prefer using narrative books for shared book reading with young children.It is not clear whether differences exist between boys' and girls' learning of words from narrative and informational books.What this paper adds: This paper quantitatively explored whether differences exist between boys' and girls' learning of new vocabulary from shared reading of narratives and informational books.Results found no significant differences between genders in terms of word learning.Gender and book genre did interact in predicting word learning, with boys having an advantage in learning new words at the expressive level from informational booksImplications for theory, policy or practice: Informational books have the potential to promote children's word learning.Attempts should be made to counter the perception that informational books are 'boys' books'.Earlier exposure to informational books can be encouraged by including them in shared reading repertoires, along with support for new word learning, such as by direct explanation of vocabulary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large and growing segment of global society is comprised of capable but unwilling readers. Despite the proliferation of aliteracy and extant research on illiterate consumers, the topic of consumer aliteracy is unexplored. To address the issue, an eight‐item unidimensional measure of the construct is developed and validated. This consumer aliteracy scale captures reading attitudes and behaviors across a variety of written marketing materials. Results indicate that consumer aliteracy is predictive of how consumers approach written versus visual marketing information and the amount of time devoted to these information formats in a choice setting. Understanding the phenomenon of consumer aliteracy is essential for researchers studying consumer responses to a wide variety of written marketing materials. In addition, consideration of consumer aliteracy may help research that employs written marketing messages as stimuli to better detect other processing effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A university's literacy festival can promote reading and foster the idea that books make a difference, especially to undersupported students from Title I schools. A literacy festival featuring a variety of diverse authors presenting hands‐on workshops showcasing their literary craft can enable students from Title I schools to engage with the authors and can motivate students from diverse backgrounds to develop an excitement for reading. It can also motivate teachers and librarians to use literature that reflects their population to engage students in reading and can transform teacher candidates' understanding of students from diverse backgrounds. The authors describe how a university College of Education's literacy festival was implemented and explore how it provided an opportunity for children in low‐socioeconomic‐status communities to be exposed to books and authors of quality children's literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The category of nonfiction picture books has changed in the past few decades, putting more emphasis on engaging writing styles, attention to accuracy, and using synergic relations between images and texts. As a result of this shift, the strategies taught to students for reading nonfiction picture books must change. The author presents five strategies that readers navigating new nonfiction picture books can use to comprehend all of the information provided by authors and illustrators: reading the pictures, tracking the words, focusing on the medium, analyzing the back matter, and highlighting the text in visual elements. When readers use these strategies, new nonfiction picture books encourage them to think critically, engage in their own research, and dive deeply into the content they are reading about. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning how to choose and use diverse literature for students to read and as an inspiration for their writing has never been more important, as more than 50% of today's students in U.S. classrooms do not identify as white. This teaching tip explores the importance of finding high‐quality diverse literature for all learners and how to use these books as mentor texts for writing based on the traits of writing: ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. The author models combining high‐quality diverse literature and the traits for readers in a fully developed lesson plan that leads to writing in different modes (narrative, informational, opinion/argument), based on the picture book A Different Pond by Bao Phi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on several dream narratives by Walter Benjamin, this paper questions the syntactic ramifications and motivic tensions between the theoretical conceptualization and the literary claims of this author. In attempting a constellatory reading of these texts by comparing, in particular, The Arcades Project and On the Origins of German Tragic Drama, I show that Benjamin not only conceptualized allegory in theoretical terms, but that he literally dreamed it up. I argue that a certain multilingualism inherent in the text and an alertness to mediatic leaps are decisive for the reading of any text. An allegorical reading, in the very strict sense of the word limned in what follows, breaks with the representational function of language in order to retrace and reflect its unique relief and physiognomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a list of books related to business and finance. Some of the books are "The Politics of Israel: The First Decade of Statehood," by Marver H. Bernstein, "Guidebook to California Taxes With Special Emphasis on Relationship to Federal Taxes," by Russell S. Bock, "The Mechanics of Inflation," "Marxism and Freedom: From 1776 Until Today," by Raya Dunayevskaya, "Prosperity through Competition," by Ludwig Erhard, "Practical Financial Statement Analysis," 4th ed., by Roy A. Foulke, "Supply and Demand," by Hubert Henderson, and "Corporate Bonds: Quality and Investment Performance," by W. Braddock Hickman.

James Crooks, who lectures in philosophy, liberal arts, music, and musical theater at Bishop's University, Canada, has offered a fresh, philosophically engaged, reading of the book of Job. Crooks is not concerned with the critical questions which have typically engaged commentators on the book of Job. [Extracted from the article]

A criticism is offered of the science fiction television (TV) program "Doctor Who." Particular focus is given to the depiction of books within the TV show, including in regard to reading portrayed in the show and the relationship between books and digital databases. It also discusses the themes of death and time within "Doctor Who."

Abstract: Enjoyment of reading books is related to reading proficiency, and fostering students’ enjoyment of reading is imperative to support continued reading engagement. However, not all students understand that reading is important, and not all students are regularly engaged in recreational reading. Children typically read for pleasure less often as they age, leading researchers to seek effective ways that social influences can support them to be lifelong readers beyond the early years. Parents can play an important role in communicating the continued importance of reading and fostering positive attitudes toward reading. However, after independent reading skill acquisition, parents may become a less potent encouraging and supportive force. The authors explore older students’ experiences of both independent and shared reading and their perception of parental support, involvement, and modeling to highlight potential roles that parental figures can play in reading beyond the early years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]