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Liat Gantz, Einat Shneor, Natalie Shaw, Ravid Doron Department of Optometry and Vision Science, Hadassah Academic College, Jerusalem, IsraelCorrespondence: Liat Gantz, Email Liatg@hac.ac.ilPurpose: Fusional vergence ranges (FVR) quantify the oculomotor system’s ability to overcome heterophoria, playing a critical role in diagnosis and treatment. This study investigated the effect of prism order on near vertical FVR using the smooth and step methods.Methods: Normal participants were randomly assigned to either the smooth or step testing method and to Base-Up (BU, infravergence) first or Base Down (BD, supravergence) first prism type. After an hour, they crossed over to the alternative testing method and prism-type. The mean of two consecutive measurements of break and recovery values for one eye in each of the 16 experimental conditions were compared using the Friedman test with post-hoc Bonferroni correction, and non-parametric Bland and Altman analysis.Results: The mean break/recovery values of 27 participants (mean age: 22.5± 2.0, range: 20– 29, 20 female) when BU or BD were measured first were BU: 4.20± 1.15Δ/3.07± 1.04Δ and BD: 4.20± 1.21Δ/3.00± 0.96Δ for step, and BU: 4.31± 0.98Δ/2.97± 0.85Δ and BD: 4.15± 1.14Δ/2.70± 0.87Δ for smooth methods, respectively. When measured second, they were BU: 3.74± 1.02Δ/2.63± 0.93Δ and BD: 3.85± 1.09Δ/2.64± 1.06Δ for step, BU: 3.91± 0.99Δ/2.73± 0.93Δ and BD: 3.81± 1.04Δ/2.54± 1.04Δ for smooth, respectively. The Friedman test found a significant effect of prism order on break values of the smooth (p< 0.001) and step (p< 0.02) methods, and recovery values of the step method (p< 0.005), but post-hoc tests showed no significant differences. Mean differences were below 0.50Δ indicating clinical insignificance.Conclusion: Unlike horizontal FVR, prism order does not affect near vertical FVR using the smooth and step. This simplifies clinical assessment and suggests that horizontal and vertical fusion systems may be treated as separate entities.Plain Language Summary: This study examined whether the order in which prisms are presented affects the measurement of near vertical fusional vergence ranges—a measure of the ability of the eye’s muscles to move in order to avoid double vision. Researchers tested 27 participants using two methods (smooth and step) and presented the prisms in different orders: Base-Up (BU) first or Base-Down (BD) first. Findings show that the order of prism presentation did not significantly affect the results, meaning that the measurements remained consistent regardless of whether BU or BD was tested first. This suggests that, unlike the effect of prism order on horizontal eye muscle movements, vertical eye muscle movement measurements are not influenced by the sequence in which tests are conducted. These results are important because they simplify clinical assessments – and clinicians can confidently measure vertical fusional vergence without worrying about the order of prism presentation. Findings also imply that the systems controlling horizontal and vertical eye movements may function independently of each other.Keywords: vertical fusional vergence ranges, vertical fusional amplitudes, vertical fusional reserves, vertical heterophoria, vertical prism vergence ranges, vertical motor fusion

Background: The study aims to understand system barriers to research participation for people with intellectual disabilities. Methods: A mixed‐methods approach examined the inclusivity of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in a random sample of National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) studies conducted in 2019–2020. An online questionnaire (stage 1) was sent to the selected studies lead investigators. An expert by experience panel of 25 people with intellectual disabilities (IDs, stage 2), discussed the stage 1 feedback. Descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data was conducted. Results: Of 180 studies reviewed, 131 studies (78%) excluded people with IDs. Of these, 45 (34.3%) study researchers provided feedback. Seven (20%) of the 34 studies which included people with IDs gave feedback. Of all respondents over half felt their study had some relevance to people with IDs. A minority (7.6%) stated their study had no relevance. For a quarter of respondents (23.5%), resource issues were a challenge. Qualitative analysis of both stages produced four overarching themes of Research design and delivery, Informed consent, Resource allocation, and Knowledge and skills. Conclusion: Health research continues to exclude people with IDs. Researchers and experts by experience identified non‐accessible research design, lack of confidence with capacity and consent processes, limited resources such as time and a need for training as barriers. Ethics committees appear reluctant to include people with cognitive deficits to 'protect' them. People with IDs want to be included in research, not only as participants but also through coproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Paraguay, a majority of the population speaks Guarani, an indigenous language. Guarani is a co-official language along with Spanish and bilingual education has been implemented. Despite these positive measures, literacy education in Guarani is limited to urban areas. The challenge is how to find the political will and economic resources to provide language education to all children in Paraguay. (Author/VWL)

Discusses migration patterns and language maintenance in Paraguay, where the majority of the population are speakers of Guarani, an indigenous South American language. Careful examination of Paraguayan census data reveals that Spanish-Guarani bilingualism is not nearly as widespread as claimed. (Author/VWL)

Provides a study of language attitudes in Paraguay's unique Spanish-Guarani bilingual situation. Suggests issues of public opinion that language policy makers should consider in determining the roles of the two languages, especially with respect to literacy education. (Author/VWL)

Analysis of the first 10 years of the newsletter, "US ENGLISH Update," reveals that its main focus is restricting the use of Spanish in the United States out of fear for the status of English. This policy objective is rooted in language attitudes based on impressions and hearsay. It blames bilingual education for an unwillingness of Spanish speakers to learn English. (Author/SM)

ABSTRACT. Language data from the 2002 Paraguayan census ate analyzed in order to determine differential patterns of intergenerational transmission of Guarani and Spanish. The census data are interpreted in light [...]