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Familiarity with technology has become a requirement for independent living, however there is limited information on technology access and use for people with Down syndrome (DS). The aim of this study is to describe technology, gaming, and social-media use in people with DS. Parents/caregivers (N = 220) of individuals with DS aged 5-35 years (49% female) completed an online questionnaire. They felt that technology and social media use, and to a lesser extent gaming, played an important role in their son/daughter's life. However, many had concerns about their son/daughter's safety online, and identified challenges they faced with using technology, such as using a mouse and speech recognition. We also found substantial parental interest in learning more about technology-use in DS, particularly the impact of using social media. This paper summarises important details about technology-use in people with DS, providing foundational information for the design of effective technology-based activities and support.

A robust finding in cognitive psychology is that training children's spatial abilities is an effective route to improving mathematics performance. Despite this finding, there is limited representation of spatial reasoning in school curricula. To bridge this gap between research and practice, we created the Spatial Reasoning Toolkit (SRT; Gifford et al., 2022). In Study 1, we provide quantitative data of practitioner knowledge of spatial reasoning (N = 94) and their intended use of the SRT (N = 74). One year after the toolkit was launched, we compare these samples to a sample of SRT users (N = 59). In Study 2, we present case studies from three different school settings of users of the SRT. Results demonstrate that practitioners judged the SRT to be very useful. As intended, practitioners used it mainly for professional learning and for planning, but confidence in their ability to define spatial reasoning was mixed. Three diverse case studies demonstrate flexibility in application of the SRT resources, exemplifying that every child is unique and might not conform to the 'typical' trajectory. Practitioner time was presented as a barrier; this limitation was somewhat overcome by presenting multiple resource types, but nevertheless highlighted the need to maximize accessibility when translating research to practice.

First-order thalamic nuclei receive feedforward signals from peripheral receptors and relay these signals to primary sensory cortex. Primary sensory cortex, in turn, provides reciprocal feedback to first-order thalamus. Because the vast majority of sensory thalamocortical inputs target primary sensory cortex, their complementary corticothalamic neurons are assumed to be similarly restricted to primary sensory cortex. We upend this assumption by characterizing morphologically diverse neurons in multiple mid-level visual cortical areas of the primate (Macaca mulatta) brain that provide direct feedback to the primary visual thalamus, the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Although the majority of geniculocortical neurons project to primary visual cortex (V1), a minority, located mainly in the koniocellular LGN layers, provide direct input to extrastriate visual cortex. These "V1-bypassing" projections may be implicated in blindsight. We hypothesized that geniculocortical inputs directly targeting extrastriate cortex should be complemented by reciprocal corticogeniculate circuits. Using virus-mediated circuit tracing, we discovered corticogeniculate neurons throughout three mid-level extrastriate areas: MT, MST, and V4. Quantitative morphological analyses revealed nonuniform distributions of unique cell types across areas. Many extrastriate corticogeniculate neurons had spiny stellate morphology, suggesting possible targeting of koniocellular LGN layers. Importantly though, multiple morphological types were observed across areas. Such morphological diversity could suggest parallel streams of V1-bypassing corticogeniculate feedback at multiple stages of the visual processing hierarchy. Furthermore, the presence of corticogeniculate neurons across visual cortex necessitates a reevaluation of the LGN as a hub for visual information rather than a simple relay.

The scales of the gold-dust weevil Hypomeces squamosus are green because of three-dimensional diamond-type chitin–air photonic crystals with an average periodicity of about 430 nm and a chitin fill fraction of about 0.44. A single scale usually contains one to three crystallites with different lattice orientations. The reciprocal space images and reflection spectra obtained from single domains indicated a partial photonic bandgap in the wavelength range from 450 to 650 nm. Light reflected from {111}-oriented domains is green-yellow. Light reflected from blue, {100}-oriented domains exhibits polarization conversion, rotating the angle of linearly polarized light. The overall coloration, resulting from the reflections from many scales, is close to uniformly diffuse because of the random orientation of the domains. Using titania sol–gel chemistry, we produced negative replicas that exhibited a 70 to 120 nm redshift of the bandgap, depending on the lattice orientation. The wavelength shift in {100} orientation is supported by full-wave optical modeling of a dual diamond network with an exchanged fill fraction (0.56) of the material with the refractive index in the range of 1.55 to 2.00. The study suggests that the effective refractive index of titania in the 3D lattice is similar to that in sol–gel films. The study demonstrates the potential of replicating complex biophotonic structures using the sol–gel technique. Optimization of the sol–gel process could lead to customizable photonic bandgaps that might be used in novel optical materials.

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability. Knowledge about dyslexia is thus essential for its prevention and early identification. Despite recent advances in dyslexia grounded in the science of reading and the science of teaching reading, it remains unclear the extent to which different professionals who work with children diagnosed with dyslexia actually know about the disorder. This study examines the knowledge of professionals working with children with dyslexia in Lebanon. We administered a 29-item online Qualtrics survey to 175 professionals including speech-language pathologists, special educators, and psychologists. Using exploratory factor analysis in the exploratory structural equation modeling framework, we compared one-, two-, and three-factor models and selected the one factor solution as optimal. Results indicate that the instrument is valid as a measure of dyslexia knowledge in this population. Furthermore, participants held both correct knowledge and misconceptions about dyslexia. We conclude with limitations, recommendations for future research and practice. [Note: The page range (39-74) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range is 38-74.]

Rainfall–runoff modeling is essential for the hydrological analysis of basins; however, the traditional modeling approach does not incorporate geological features such as fractures and fissures in the modeling task. These features are significant in the water loss during a rainstorm, which should be incorporated to obtain realistic rainfall–runoff results. A novel approach is presented here in to quantify the geological features and link them to the curve number (CN) method. The proposed methodology has not been applied in the literature. This approach is validated on five gauged basins, namely, Yiba, Al Lith, Liyya, Habawnah, and Tabalah, in the southwest part of Saudi Arabia. Four major stages are conducted. The first stage is the extraction of the geological lineaments using remote sensing and geographical information system technology; the second stage is estimating CN from rainfall–runoff data; the third stage is developing a relationship between CN and lineament density (LD); and the final stage is evaluating the developed equations on hydrological response. The least-squares method is employed to minimize the difference between observed and predicted runoff and determine the optimum range of CN. The research provides a comprehensive understanding of hydrological processes in fractured geologic systems and explores the influence of fractures on curve number. This study identifies two major lineament trends aligned with the Arabian trend direction, namely, north-northwest (NNW)–south-southeast (SSE) and north-northeast (NNE)–south-southwest (SSW). Furthermore, a moderate inverse correlation is established between LD and CN, highlighting the significance of geologic fractures on the hydrological response. The findings of this study provide insight into how the geological fissures in the mountainous region affected the rainfall–runoff response that leads to a low value of CN due to the water loss in the fissures and faults. As a result, this study clearly demonstrates the importance of the geological structures on rainfall–runoff responses.

Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic syndrome. As with all rare syndromes, obtaining adequately powered sample sizes is a challenge. Here we present legacy data from seven UK labs, enabling the characterisation of cross-sectional and longitudinal developmental trajectories of verbal and non-verbal development in the largest sample of individuals with WS to-date. In Study 1, we report cross-sectional data between N = 102 and N = 209 children and adults with WS on measures of verbal and non-verbal ability. In Study 2, we report longitudinal data from N = 17 to N = 54 children and adults with WS who had been tested on at least three timepoints on these measures. Data support the WS characteristic cognitive profile of stronger verbal than non-verbal ability, and shallow developmental progression for both domains. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal data demonstrate steeper rates of development in the child participants than the adolescent and adults in our sample. Cross-sectional data indicate steeper development in verbal than non-verbal ability, and that individual differences in the discrepancy between verbal and non-verbal ability are largely accounted for by level of intellectual functioning. A diverging developmental discrepancy between verbal and non-verbal ability, whilst marginal, is not mirrored statistically in the longitudinal data. Cross-sectional and longitudinal data are discussed with reference to validating cross-sectional developmental patterns using longitudinal data and the importance of individual differences in understanding developmental progression.

Abstract Lego construction ability is associated with a variety of spatial skills and mathematical outcomes. However, it is unknown whether these relations are causal. We aimed to establish the causal impact of Lego construction training on: Lego construction ability; a broad range of spatial skills; and on mathematical outcomes in 7-9-year-olds. We also aimed to identify how this causal impact differs for digital versus physical Lego construction training. One-hundred and ninety-eight children took part in a six-week training programme, delivered twice weekly as a school lunch time club. They completed either physical Lego training (N = 59), digital Lego training (N = 64), or an active control condition (crafts; N = 75). All children completed baseline and follow-up measures of spatial skills (disembedding, visuo-spatial working memory, spatial scaling, mental rotation, and performance on a spatial-numerical task, the number line task), mathematical outcomes (geometry, arithmetic, and overall mathematical skills) and Lego construction ability. Exploratory analyses revealed evidence for near transfer (Lego construction ability) and some evidence for far transfer (arithmetic) of Lego training, but overall transfer was limited. Despite this, we identified key areas for further development (explicit focus on spatial strategies, training for teachers, and embedding the programme within a mathematical context). The findings of this study can be used to inform future development of Lego construction training programmes to support mathematics learning.

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common causes of legal blindness in developing countries, particularly between the ages of 20 to 65 years. Kiribati is currently facing the burden of DR where more than 5% of diabetes patients had experienced negative impacts of DR. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of DR patients on DR management in South Tarawa, Kiribati. This qualitative study was carried out at the Eye clinic in Tarawa Central Hospital from the 29th of August to 23rd of September, 2022. Patients diagnosed with DR of both sexes aged ≥ 18 years were purposively selected to participate in this study. 27 DR patients were recruited and interviewed using a semi-structured open-ended questionnaire. Manual thematic analysis was applied to observe the similarities and differences in answers obtained from interview transcripts. A total of 27 DR patients were enrolled in this study. The majority of patients were between the age of 50-59 (37%) and were males (62%). The findings highlighted a lack of knowledge and awareness of DR management among patients with diabetes in Kiribati. Poor health education, in-availability and lack of access to eye care services, patient belief, and healthcare system issues were identified as the most crucial contributing barriers. These data characterized the need for more communication campaigns including specific messaging on DR and its management to increase diabetes patients' awareness of the importance of DR treatments.

Food-Borne Disease (FBD) is defined as an illness resulting from consuming foods contaminated with bacteria, their toxins, viruses, or parasites. Food poisoning due to improper food handling is a major global public health problem. In Lebanon, numerous challenges affect safe food consumption, with poultry being a common vehicle for many pathogens, such as Salmonella spp. This bacterium can cause serious illnesses, including gastroenteritis, characterized by abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. This study aimed to examine the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAPs) towards poultry handling among households in Beirut, Lebanon, and identify factors influencing KAP levels. A cross-sectional study was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 125 households in different areas of Beirut. The interview was divided into four main parts: sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices. The results showed that consumers' knowledge and practices were inadequate, though their attitude was positive. Participants aged 43–55 had higher odds of having a good knowledge level than those aged 18–29 (OR = 3.889, p = 0.02). Additionally, those with a college education were 7.442 times more likely to have a positive attitude towards food safety compared to those with no formal education (p = 0.005). Most participants (91.2 %) do not regularly check their refrigerator and freezer temperatures. Furthermore, significant associations (p

Background: There is a growing evidence base for the importance of spatial reasoning for the development of mathematics. However, the extent to which this translates into practice is unknown. Aims: We aimed to understand practitioners' perspectives on their understanding of spatial reasoning, the extent to which they recognize and implement spatial activities in their practice, and the barriers and opportunities to support spatial reasoning in the practice setting. Sample: Study 1 (questionnaire) included 94 participants and Study 2 (focus groups) consisted of nine participants. Participants were educational practitioners working with children from birth to 7 years. Methods: The study was mixed methods and included a questionnaire (Study 1) and a series of focus groups (Study 2). Results: We found that whilst practitioners engage in a variety of activities that support spatial reasoning, most practitioners reported little confidence in their understanding of what spatial reasoning is. Conclusion: Informative and accessible resources are needed to broaden understanding of the definition of spatial reasoning and to outline opportunities to support spatial reasoning.

Spatial thinking predicts Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics achievement, yet is often absent from educational "policy." We provide benchmarks of teachers' usage and perceptions of spatial activities "in practice" in the reception classroom (first year of primary school). In this questionnaire study of educational professionals working in the reception classroom in England (N = 104), we found that spatial and numeracy activities were perceived as significantly less important, and were reportedly completed significantly less often, than literacy or life skills. Despite the lower perceived importance of spatial skills in curriculum guidance in England, rates of reported spatial activity use were encouragingly high and were broadly comparable to those of numeracy. Teachers had moderate anxiety levels for both spatial and mathematics domains. The findings highlight a need to elevate teachers' understanding of the importance of developing children's early spatial and numeracy skills, which may begin with efforts to reduce spatial and mathematics anxiety.

This review discusses the effectiveness of visual and haptic cues for second language (L2) lexical tone acquisition, with a special focus on observation and production of hand gestures. It explains how these cues can facilitate initial acquisition of L2 lexical tones via multimodal depictions of pitch. In doing so, it provides recommendations for incorporation of multimodal cues into L2 lexical tone pedagogy.

Studies show that spatial interventions lead to improvements in mathematics. However, outcomes vary based on whether physical manipulatives (embodied action) are used during training. This study compares the effects of embodied and non-embodied spatial interventions on spatial and mathematics outcomes. The study has a randomized, controlled, pre-post, follow-up, training design (N = 182; mean age 8 years; 49% female; 83.5% White). We show that both embodied and non-embodied spatial training approaches improve spatial skills compared to control. However, we conclude that embodied spatial training using physical manipulatives leads to larger, more consistent gains in mathematics and greater depth of spatial processing than non-embodied training. These findings highlight the potential of spatial activities, particularly those that use physical materials, for improving children's mathematics skills.

There is a known association between LEGO® construction ability and mathematics achievement, yet the mechanisms which drive this association are largely unknown. This study investigated the spatial mechanisms underlying this association, and whether this differs for concrete versus digital construction. Between January 2020 and July 2021, children aged 7-9 years (N = 358, 189 female, ethnicity not recorded) completed spatial and mathematics tasks, and either a concrete or digital Lego construction task. Mediation analyses examining direct and indirect pathways (through spatial skills) between Lego construction ability and mathematics explained 8.4% to 26.6% of variance in mathematics scores. Exploratory moderated mediation analyses revealed that only the indirect path through mental rotation differed between Lego conditions. Findings are discussed in relation to theories of spatial-numerical associations and the potential of Lego training for mathematics improvement.

Teaching assistants are a common presence in pre-kindergarten programs, but their role and the dynamics between lead teachers and their assistants are understudied. The classroom behaviors of lead teachers and assistants from 80 public prekindergarten classrooms were examined for similarities and differences in their roles and to determine how they functioned as teams. Lead teachers spent more of their time instructing and worked more often with the whole class. Assistants working in classrooms with a demanding curriculum spent more time instructing than assistants in less demanding classrooms. Latent class analysis of behavior patterns suggests that the adults adopt similar rather than complementary roles. Two groups of teaching teams emerged: one with both teachers and assistants spending time more time on instruction, and a second with both teachers and assistants spending more time on management. Despite lower pay and credentials, assistant teachers contributed in substantive ways to the instruction in these classrooms. It appears that the lead teacher likely determines how the team functions. Helping teachers know how to establish a well-functioning team should be part of early childhood training. Additionally, consideration to be given to offering direct and ongoing professional development to assistants.

Abstract Background Relatively little is known about social cognition in people with intellectual disability (ID), and how this may support understanding of co-occurring autism. A limitation of previous research is that traditional social-cognitive tasks place a demand on domain-general cognition and language abilities. These tasks are not suitable for people with ID and lack the sensitivity to detect subtle social-cognitive processes. In autism research, eye-tracking technology has offered an effective method of evaluating social cognition—indicating associations between visual social attention and autism characteristics. The present systematic review synthesised research which has used eye-tracking technology to study social cognition in ID. A meta-analysis was used to explore whether visual attention on socially salient regions (SSRs) of stimuli during these tasks correlated with degree of autism characteristics presented on clinical assessment tools. Method Searches were conducted using four databases, research mailing lists, and citation tracking. Following in-depth screening and exclusion of studies with low methodological quality, 49 articles were included in the review. A correlational meta-analysis was run on Pearson’s r values obtained from twelve studies, reporting the relationship between visual attention on SSRs and autism characteristics. Results and conclusions Eye-tracking technology was used to measure different social-cognitive abilities across a range of syndromic and non-syndromic ID groups. Restricted scan paths and eye-region avoidance appeared to impact people’s ability to make explicit inferences about mental states and social cues. Readiness to attend to social stimuli also varied depending on social content and degree of familiarity. A meta-analysis using a random effects model revealed a significant negative correlation (r = −.28, [95% CI −.47, −.08]) between visual attention on SSRs and autism characteristics across ID groups. Together, these findings highlight how eye-tracking can be used as an accessible tool to measure more subtle social-cognitive processes, which appear to reflect variability in observable behaviour. Further research is needed to be able to explore additional covariates (e.g. ID severity, ADHD, anxiety) which may be related to visual attention on SSRs, to different degrees within syndromic and non-syndromic ID groups, in order to determine the specificity of the association with autism characteristics.

The presence of a monoclonal protein detected by serum immunofixation electrophoresis (sIFE) has been reported as an adverse prognostic factor in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, the genetic underpinning of this finding has not been studied. We retrospectively studied 97 CLL patients with simultaneous information on sIFE and genetic alterations detected by next-generation sequencing. sIFE was positive in 49 patients. The most common isotypes were IgG κ (27%) and bi/triclonal (25%). A +sIFE was associated with a higher number of mutated genes [median 2 (range 0–3) vs. 0 (range 0–2), p = 0.006], and a higher frequency of unmutated IGHV status (60 vs. 29%, p = 0.004). An IgM monoclonal protein was associated with TP53 mutations (36% in IgM +sIFE vs. 12% in non-IgM +sIFE or –sIFE, p = 0.04), and bi/triclonal proteins with NOTCH1 mutations (33% in bi/triclonal vs. 9% in monoclonal +sIFE or –sIFE, p = 0.04). These data suggest an association between a +sIFE and a higher mutational burden, and some monoclonal isotypes with specific mutations.

This article explores the development of a new observation research tool called the EMC-PK2, designed to capture coherent mathematics teaching and learning practices in preschool through second-grade classrooms. There is widespread interest in improving early math instruction and moving from traditional didactic instructional methods to a more problem-solving approach. However, there are few observational tools appropriate for research supporting high-quality mathematics teaching and learning practices that can inform what is happening during math lessons and that are appropriate across preschool and elementary school environments. This tool was developed to try and meet that need. It was piloted and first used in a longitudinal study in two large U.S. public school districts, across Pre-K through second grade. Analysis of the observational data offers insights into the psychometrics of the tool, showing reliable use and capturing several key dimensions of practice: at the activity level, teacher facilitation and student engagement; and at the observation level, differentiation and classroom environment. Although costly in both time and resources to implement at a large scale, the EMC-PK2 can offer much-needed understanding for researchers concerned with early math teaching and learning.

The block design task (BDT) is a visuospatial measure that individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) perform poorly on. However, it is unclear what underlies their impaired performance. This study investigated whether poorer performance is a result of visuospatial difficulties, executive function (EF) difficulties, atypical looking strategies, or a combination of these. Eleven individuals with WS participated alongside mental age (MA)- and chronological age (CA)-matched control groups. Eye movements were recorded while they took the BDT. Dwell times and visits to areas of interest in WS differed from CA, but not MA, groups. Findings suggest that BDT abilities of individuals with WS are delayed, but not atypical. Delays result from visuospatial and attention-switching difficulties rather than atypical looking strategies.

Pediatric traumatic brain injury (pTBI) represents a major cause of child injuries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This review aims to assess pTBIs in the MENA region and reports their clinical severity and outcomes. A search was conducted using major electronic databases, including Medline/Ovid, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and SCOPUS. Abstracts were screened independently and in duplicate to detect original research. The objective and study findings for each article were recorded, along with the mechanism of pTBI, patient age and sex, injury assessment tool(s) used, and outcome. A total of 1345 articles were retrieved, of which 152 met the criteria for full-text review, and 32 were included in this review. Males predominantly suffered from pTBIs (78%). Motor vehicle accidents, followed by child abuse, were the leading causes of pTBI. Overall, 0.39% of cases were mild, 0.58% moderate, 16.25% severe, and 82.27% unclassified. The mortality rate was 13.11%. Most studies used the computed tomography scan, Glasgow Coma Scale, Abbreviated Injury Scale, and Injury Severity Score as investigation methods. This review reports on the alarming rate of child-abuse?related pTBI and offers further understanding of pTBI-associated risk factors and insight into the development of strategies to reduce their occurrence, as well as policies to promote child well-being.