Program Scholarship Research Articles

Contract Farming in the Mekong Delta's Rice Supply Chain: Insights from an Agent-Based Modeling Study

We would like to thank Michael Maes and the anonymous reviewers for their insightful and constructive feedback. The first author, H. K. Nguyen, would like to acknowledge support from an Australian Government Research Training Program scholarship to study a PhD degree in Computer Science at The University of Newcastle, Australia. R. Chiong is the corresponding author of this paper. The third author, M. Chica, is supported through the Ramon y Cajal program (RYC-2016-19800)

Thinking, Young and Old: Cognitive Job Demands and Strain Across the Lifespan

This research is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.

SISTEM PENDUKUNG KEPUTUSAN UNTUK PEMBERIAN BEASISWA “PROGRAM JONT DEGREE” UNIVERSITAS BHAYANGKARA SURABAYA MENGGUNAKAN METODE ANALYTICAL HIERARCHY PROCESS (AHP)

Grant scholarships to students are conducted by the University based on the achievements achieved. Since the last few years Bhayangkara University has run a Joint Degree Program scholarship in cooperation with Thailand, India, and plans to continue to the Netherlands. In scholarship grants, the Universityoften finds it difficult to determine the scholarship recipients, so it is found that scholarships are not accurate due to the manual system for the awarding of scholarships. The decision support system is an information system aimed at assisting the University in solving the problem of awarding Joint Degree Program scholarship. One method that can be used in decision support systems is Analitycal Hierarchy Process (AHP). The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method takes into account the extent of validity to the extent of inconsistency tolerance of the various criteria and alternatives chosen by the decision maker. In this research, the data used is UBHARA student data 3 last generation. The criteria used are GPA, TOEFL score, TPA Test Score, and Value of Communication Skill Test. From the results of experiments carried out the results of manual calculations of the application and manual calculations from the Institute of Cooperation get a presentation 100% equation in determining scholarship recipients. So as to produce the ranking of students, two students with the highest score in each department that will get a Joint Degree Program scholarship.Keywords: Scholarship, Student, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Decision Support System.

ACS Scholars announced for 2018

The recipients of the 2018 ACS Scholars Program scholarships have been announced. This year’s class includes 143 scholars from 209 universities across the U.S., including Puerto Rico and Guam. The program awards renewable scholarships of up to $5,000 to underrepresented minority students who want to enter chemistry or related fields, such as environmental science, toxicology, or chemical technology. High school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are eligible to apply. The ACS Scholars Program was established in 1994 to encourage African American, Hispanic, and American Indian students—who were considered underrepresented in the chemical sciences by the National Science Foundation—to pursue careers in the field. The list of 2018 winners is available at goo.gl/EdkW12.

The Impact of Living–Learning Program Scholarships on Scholarship Recipients

Financial aid is often linked to evidence of learning inside the classroom (students’ GPA) and financial need. This mixed-methods study describes an assessment of a scholarship designed to encourage learning outside the classroom that required incoming students to live in a living–learning community (LLC). Results showed that though receipt of the scholarship did not predict retention, it encouraged some students to live in an LLC where otherwise they might have chosen a different option.

Habitat connectivity and complexity underpin fish community structure across a seascape of tropical macroalgae meadows

This research is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, as well as with funding provided by the Linnean Society of New South Wales. We also wish to thank Kelsey Sanborn for assistance in the field.

A quantitative, risk-based approach to the management of neonatal early-onset sepsis.

Commentary on: Kuzniewicz MW, Puopolo KM, Fischer A, Walsh EM, Li S, Newman TB, et al. A Quantitative, Risk-Based Approach to the Management of Neonatal Early-Onset Sepsis. JAMA Pediatr. 2017; 171(4):365-371. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.4678. Antibiotics are life-saving for babies who have early-onset sepsis (EOS), and a false negative assessment for this disease can be lethal. However, the risk evaluation process is challenging: early signs are subtle, and frequently occur with other pathologies. For this reason, a careful and conservative approach is employed in clinical guidelines 1 and by clinicians charged with the decision of whether to prescribe antimicrobials to a newborn who has a small, but quantifiable, risk of infection. As is the case for any intervention, antibiotics are not without associated risk. They are generally prescribed to neonates intravenously and involve risks inherent to invasive vascular devices and parenteral medications 2. The impact of antibiotic exposure to the developing microbiome is becoming better understood, including its association with allergic pathologies 3 and metabolic diseases including obesity 4. Further, the contribution of excess antibiotic use to the global escalation of antibiotic resistance cannot be ignored 5. Thus, whilst true cases of EOS must be identified and treated, there is a strong case for reducing potentially avoidable antibiotic prescriptions to newborns. Kuzniewicz et al.'s demonstration that an EOS calculator can effect safe reduction in investigations for infection and antimicrobial use is a positive step forward. The study's large cohort and careful analysis conducted for missed cases or delayed therapy lends confidence to the EOS calculator approach. Their data confirm that contemporary rates of EOS are lower than those observed prior to the Group B Streptococcus screening era 6, underscoring the rationale of reappraising currently high antimicrobial use for suspected EOS. There are several aspects to this study, which should be interpreted in context. First, population prevalence of antibiotic use varies between neonatal health services. In this study, pre-intervention antimicrobial use was 5% and post intervention 2.6%. Recently published experience in an Australian neonatal unit showed much higher baseline antimicrobial use: 12%, reduced to 7.6% with implementation of the EOS calculator 7. By comparison, Fjalstad et al. estimated antimicrobial exposure amongst term Norwegian term infants antibiotics at 2.3%, lower than what has been published with EOS calculator use, despite a higher baseline incidence of EOS in the Norwegian study in comparison with the Australian study and Kuzniewiez et al.'s cohort (0.54/1000 versus 0.44/1000 and 0.3/1000 live births respectively) 7, 8. Assessment of the EOS calculator's efficacy in demographically similar regions where antimicrobial use is already <2.5% has not been performed, and it remains to be seen whether it might play a role where lower rates are already achieved. Further, whilst the EOS calculator can account for differing baseline disease incidence, its use will need careful appraisal for safety in regions with different pathogen distributions to the study's population. This could be particularly pertinent for health services in low and middle income regions where Gram negative infections are a more frequent cause of EOS 9. In summary, this study presents a practical, feasible and highly relevant intervention for neonatal health services to safely reduce currently high rates of neonatal antimicrobial exposure. https://ebneo.org/2018/06/a-quantitative-risk-based-approach-to-the-management-of-neonatal-early-onset-sepsis/ Naomi Spotswood is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (Australian Commonwealth Government) and the Rowden White Scholarship (University of Melbourne). None.

CCL2‐CCR2 Signalling in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus Elicits Sympathetic‐Mediated Blood Pressure Elevations Through Monocyte and Lymphocyte Recruitment

Chemokine C‐C motif ligand 2 (CCL2) is a chemotactic cytokine, which is elevated in the plasma of hypertensive patients. In experimental models of hypertension, CCL2 levels are increased by 3‐fold in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). However, the underlying neural and molecular mechanisms leading to the development of hypertension still remain unknown. Here, we show for the first time that in Sprague‐Dawley rats activation of receptors for CCL2 (i.e. CCR2) in the PVN elicited biphasic blood pressure (BP) responses and changes in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), consisting of early reductions followed by long‐lasting increases in RSNA and mean arterial pressure (MAP). These responses were abolished by prior CCR2 blockade with the antagonist RS‐102895. Purinergic transmission between astrocytes and neurons mediated the initial sympathoinhibition, whereas monocyte and lymphocyte infiltration into the PVN were involved in the subsequent sympathoexcitation. Our anatomical results support these findings by showing that CCR2 are predominantly expressed in the membrane of astrocytes, which make close appositions with PVN neurons projecting to the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) ‐ where cardiovascular sympathetic premotor neurons are found. Finally, in renovascular hypertensive rats (2 kidney ‐ 1 clip) plasma and cerebrospinal fluid levels of CCL2 were elevated with an onset occurring on the first week ‐ prior to the development of hypertension. Microglia activation and lymphocyte infiltration in the PVN were also evident by the second week, when animals were still pre‐hypertensive. The results here suggest that CCL2 upregulation, microglia activation, and lymphocyte infiltration in the PVN precede the sustained increases in sympathetic activity and blood pressure observed in hypertension.Support or Funding InformationDepartment of Health, Australian Government | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC): Song T Yao, GNT1079680. Rebecca L Cooper Medical Foundation: Willian S Korim. Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarships: Khalid Elsaafien. Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, Australian Government | Australian Research Council (ARC): Song T Yao, FT170100363.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Adenosine G Protein‐Coupled Receptor Biased Agonism to Treat Ischemic Heart Disease

Ischemic heart disease and secondary heart failure places an immense burden on society. Stimulation of adenosine G protein‐coupled receptors (ARs) represents a powerful protective mechanism to decrease cardiac ischemia‐reperfusion injury (IRI). Despite this, therapeutic targeting of ARs has been largely unsuccessful due to on‐target adverse effects, including pronounced bradycardia, atrioventricular block and hypotension (1). Biased agonism has the potential to overcome these limitations by enabling the separation of therapeutic from adverse effects (2).AimTo profile prototypical and biased AR agonism in isolated cardiac cells. Subsequent studies investigated the in vivo profile of AR biased agonism in acute and longer‐term rat models of cardiac ischemia‐reperfusion injury.ResultsIn isolated rat cardiomyocytes, prototypical and biased AR agonists stimulated reperfusion injury salvage kinase (RISK) signalling pathways, including Akt and ERK1/2, and promoted cardioprotection. Exposure to in vitro simulated ischemia‐reperfusion conditions differentially influenced the RISK signalling stimulated by prototypical and biased AR agonists. Within an in vivo model of acute myocardial ischemia‐reperfusion injury, both biased and prototypical agonists stimulated an A1AR‐mediated reduction in infarct size and an improvement in cardiac function post‐IRI. However, in contrast to prototypical agonists, our biased agonist had no significant adverse hemodynamic effects. Furthermore, in a longer‐term in vivo model of myocardial IRI, an AR biased agonist improved cardiac function and decreased cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis.DiscussionInsights into AR signalling in cardiomyocytes under normoxic and simulated ischemia‐reperfusion conditions suggests that context‐specific biased agonism stimulates a preferential signalling profile. Furthermore, AR biased agonism can promote cardioprotection and decrease pathological cardiac remodelling in the absence of bradycardia, a profile suggestive of ligand bias. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that AR biased agonism can stimulate potent cardioprotection in the absence of adverse hemodynamic effects and therefore represents an attractive therapeutic approach for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported by Project Grant APP1084487 of the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC). J‐A.B., CHC and E.A.V are recipients of the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. A.C. is a Senior Principal Research Fellow of the NHMRC. L.T.M. is an Australian Heart Foundation Future Leaders Fellow.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Limited Evidence Suggests that a History of Suboptimal Breastfeeding May Increase the Risk of Developing Anterior Open Bite, Posterior Crossbite, and Class II Canine Relationship

Malocclusion in young children. Does breast-feeding really reduce the risk? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Doğramacı EJ, Rossi-Fedele G, Dreyer CW. J Am Dent Assoc 2017; 148(8):566-74. Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship TYPE OF STUDY/DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis of data.

ImageSURF: An ImageJ Plugin for Batch Pixel-Based Image Segmentation Using Random Forests

Image segmentation is a necessary step in automated quantitative imaging. ImageSURF is a macro-compatible ImageJ2/FIJI plugin for pixel-based image segmentation that considers a range of image derivatives to train pixel classifiers which are then applied to image sets of any size to produce segmentations without bias in a consistent, transparent and reproducible manner. The plugin is available from ImageJ update site http://sites.imagej.net/ImageSURF/ and source code from https://github.com/omaraa/ImageSURF . Funding statement: This research was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.

Critical empathy

ConstellationsVolume 24, Issue 4 p. 594-607 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Critical empathy Andrea Lobb, Corresponding Author Andrea Lobb andrealobb@yahoo.com.au La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Correspondence Andrea Lobb, Gender, Sexuality and Diversity Studies, Department of Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Email: andrealobb@yahoo.com.auSearch for more papers by this author Andrea Lobb, Corresponding Author Andrea Lobb andrealobb@yahoo.com.au La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Correspondence Andrea Lobb, Gender, Sexuality and Diversity Studies, Department of Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Email: andrealobb@yahoo.com.auSearch for more papers by this author First published: 31 August 2017 https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8675.12292Citations: 8 Funding This work was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume24, Issue4December 2017Pages 594-607 RelatedInformation

University for All Programs (ProUni): Engagement, Satisfaction, and Employability

A training at Higher Education level needs, in addition to improve the skills specific in the area chosen, to develop a set of skills and/or personal attributes that make him or her more likely to succeed in the profession. In this context, this paper was developed and has the objective to identify the relationships between engagement, satisfaction, and employability of students who completed the university as University for All Program (ProUni) scholarship. This target group of students was chosen because of the importance of ProUni for the Advancement of Education policies of affirmative actions in Brazil. The ProUni gives scholarships to students from minority (underrepresented) groups to study at private universities, through the National Secondary Education Exam – ENEM (Brasil, 2005). Among these groups are students who attend public high schools (a proxy for lower social class), low-income students, African Brazilian students, Indigenous Brazilian students, students with disabilities, and not graduated teachers that work in public elementary and secondary schools. The research involved 198 ProUni graduates invited to answer an online questionnaire. There were 134 respondents, 123 (91.8%) were working since we were interested in employment, only these participants were included in the analysis. The results suggest that employability consolidates and reflects in the conquest of labor activity, as well as in graduate satisfaction with their training and job. These results are indicative of the engagement of the student with their learning, therefore with their graduate degree.

Does a comprehensive family-centred early intervention service affect stress reactivity and emotion regulation in very low birthweight preterm infants at toddler age?

Commentary on: Wu Y-C, Hsieh W-S, Hsu C-H, Chang J-H, Chou H-C, Hsu H-C, Chiu N-C, Lee W-T, Chen W-J, Ho Y-W, Jeng S-F. Intervention effects on emotion regulation in preterm infants with very low birth weight: A randomize controlled trial. Res Dev Disabil 2016; 48: 1–12. Preterm infants have higher risk of adverse developmental outcomes compared with term-born infants, including attentional 1, cognitive and behavioural impairments at school age 2, and motor impairment throughout childhood 3. Early intervention programmes positively affect cognitive and motor outcomes in infancy, with persisting cognitive benefits at preschool age 4. However, Wu and colleagues highlight that studies investigating the efficacy of early intervention programmes for emotion regulation in preterm infants at toddler age are lacking, and Taiwanese services for VLBW infants are largely limited to in-hospital, child-centred design 5. This multicentre RCT suggests that a comprehensive clinic or home-based child, parent and dyad-focused early intervention programme improved emotion regulation for Taiwanese VLBW infants. However, the authors found no stress reactivity benefits, or enhanced regulatory strategies for either intervention group, only partly supporting this conclusion. Cognitive and language performance at 12 months CA did not differ between groups, although statistical significance is not presented. The authors identify several pertinent study limitations. Of particular interest is the demographic characteristics of VLBW families, with 73% having high maternal education level and moderate to high socio-economic status. Socio-environmental factors play an important role in the developmental outcome of preterm infants 6, 7; therefore, this factor may affect the representativeness of participants. The laboratory setting for outcome assessment and follow-up length should be considered in future study design. Participant follow-up is another important consideration, with low follow-up rates introducing potential bias and possibly affecting the statistical power of this study. The lack of details regarding sample size calculation for stress reactivity and emotion regulation in this article is similarly important to highlight. Furthermore, at each time point, a proportion of infants were not assessed due to seating difficulty. For VLBW infants, this was reported 42 times, and eight term-born toddlers at 24 months were unable to be seated. The birth and demographic characteristics of these infants were comparable with assessed infants; however, it is possible that nonparticipants may have had underlying behavioural or motor difficulties. Exclusion of these infants from assessment limits the representativeness of the VLBW population in this study. This RCT contributes to the field by exploring the important area of emotion regulation and behaviour after a comprehensive child, parent and dyad-focused early intervention programme in Taiwan. In RCTs of early intervention, all participants receive the same intensity of in-hospital and post-discharge treatment; however, in clinical practice, it is important to target service provision to each family's individual needs and resources. Future research should include high-risk preterm populations to identify the efficacy of intervention programmes for those infants who are likely to benefit most 4. The financial feasibility of the home-based and clinic-based interventions detailed by Wu and colleagues would be a valuable area of further study to guide future design of early intervention programmes. As both clinic-based and home-based settings were found to be beneficial for reducing stress-evoked primitive behaviour when compared with usual care, the parental mental health, well-being and engagement in each programme could also be a valuable method of evaluating each setting. https://ebneo.org/2017/06/26524725 None to declare. Ms. FitzGerald's PhD candidature is supported by The University of Melbourne via The Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and the Centre of Research Excellence in Newborn Medicine.

Study of the Mechanisms of Jadomycin Cytotoxicity in Multidrug Resistant Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

BackgroundWe previously demonstrated that jadomycins, natural products biosynthesized by the soil bacteria Streptomyces venezuelae, are cytotoxic to drug‐sensitive and multidrug‐resistant breast cancer cells in vitro. Jadomycin cytotoxicity involves the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) but the downstream mechanisms contributing to cell death are not completely understood.ObjectiveTo determine if jadomycin anticancer mechanisms involve ROS‐mediated DNA damage and apoptosis in triple negative breast cancer cells in vitro.MethodsMDA‐MB‐231 control (231‐CON) and paclitaxel‐resistant (231‐TXL) breast cancer cells were treated with various concentrations of jadomycin B, F and S or the positive control drug mitoxantrone in the presence and absence of the ROS inducer auranofin or ROS inhibitor N‐acetylcysteine (NAC) for 24 to 36 hours. Western blotting for phosphorylated histone H2AX, a marker of DNA double strand breaks, was used to assess DNA damage. Annexin‐V‐FLUOS and propidium iodide flow cytometric analysis was used to measure apoptosis. The effect of jadomycin treatments on gene expression of topoisomerases IIα and IIβ (Topo IIα and IIβ, respectively) was measured using quantitative PCR. To study the direct inhibition of Topo IIα, Topo IIα decatenation of catenated circular kDNA was measured in the presence and absence of jadomycins.ResultsAll jadomycin treatments and mitoxantrone significantly increased histone H2AX phosphorylation (2.3 – 5.3‐fold) and early apoptosis (1.6 – 3.0‐fold) in 231‐CON and ‐TXL cells versus the vehicle control. NAC and auranofin did not alter jadomycin‐induced DNA damage or early apoptosis. However, auranofin did increase jadomycin‐induced necrosis/late apoptosis (2.7 – 4.5‐fold). Jadomycins caused a significant reduction of Topo IIα and IIβ mRNA expression (4.2 – 8.1‐fold decrease) and directly inhibited Topo IIα in the kDNA decatenation assays.ConclusionsJadomycins induce DNA double strand breaks and apoptosis in drug‐sensitive and multidrug‐resistant MDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cells. These effects occur independently of ROS generation and may involve gene regulatory and functional inhibition of Topo IIα and IIβ.Support or Funding InformationThe study was funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation ‐ Atlantic Chapter, the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, The Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation and the Dalhousie Pharmacy Endowment. S Hall was a recipient of an Izaak Walton Killam Predoctoral Scholarship. J MacLeod was a recipient of a Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute Cancer Research Training Program Scholarship.

134 RELAXIN AND ITS RECEPTORS IN MATURE CANINE SPERMATOZOA

Relaxin and its receptors (RXPF1 and RXFP2) are found in reproductive and non-reproductive tissues of both males and females, across species. In dogs, both relaxin and receptors are found in reproductive tissues of females and play important roles during pregnancy; however, their presence in male reproductive tissues remains unclear. The goal of this study was to explore the presence of both relaxin and receptors in mature dog spermatozoa. Semen samples of 4 adult (≥4 years old) dogs were harvested from a local breeder and diluted (vol:vol) with a pre-warmed Tris extender solution (pH 6.9). Samples were centrifuged and sperm pellets were resuspended in the Tris extender for motility and velocity analyses using computer-assisted sperm analyzer. Semen with over 70% motility were retained for analyses. A subset of those samples (n = 4 dogs) was subjected to total RNA extraction, followed by RT-PCR to amplify relaxin and RXFP1/2 RNA transcripts, with β-actin used as the housekeeping gene. All PCR amplicons were run on a gel electrophoresis for imaging. Another subset of samples (n = 4 dogs) were used for total protein extraction, followed by immunoblotting using anti-human RXFP1 and RXFP2 antibodies. Finally, the remaining subset of samples (n = 4 dogs) was fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and submitted to a standard procedure of immunofluorescence using an anti-human relaxin, and followed by fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated secondary antibody. Labelled spermatozoa were immediately analysed with flow cytometry and imaged with a confocal microscope. Gene expression data were collected after 40 cycles of PCR and all samples expressed β-actin. The detection of RXFP2 was observed at a low level in all samples, whereas RXFP1 and relaxin were absent. Protein analysis with western immunoblotting showed weak signal bands of both receptors in all samples; however, the band corresponding to RXFP1 (~82 kDa) appeared stronger than that of RXFP2 (~90 kDa). Flow cytometry revealed small proportions of relaxin immunopositive spermatozoa (less than 35%) that exhibited low fluorescence intensity. Confocal microcopy imaging confirmed the weak signals that were mostly located in the sperm head. Altogether, the findings showed that relaxin and its receptors RXFP1 and RXFP2 are present in mature spermatozoa of adult dogs. More studies are needed to better characterise the roles of the relaxin system on canine sperm fertility. Grant supports are from the USDA-ARS Biophotonics Initiative project #58–6402–3-018 and Brazil Scientific Mobility Program (BSMP) scholarship from CAPES-Brazil.

My Life as a Bookbinder: Binding Connection, Knowledge and Authenticity

I love to persuade people to write in a journal. In 2008, I received a cultural exchange program scholarship and took the opportunity to learn how to bind books in an Etsy class in Brooklyn, USA. After that, I decided to become a bookbinder. It wasn’t only because of my journaling habit; the decision also fit with my mission to support the literacy movement in Indonesia. This mission is embedded in Tobucil &amp; Klabs, a literacy and hobby community space in Bandung, West Java, that I founded in 2001. The space allows me to spread ideas about literacy through writing and also to share my passion for making hand-bound journals.

ASHFoundation Offers New Century Awards

You have accessThe ASHA LeaderASHA News1 Mar 2011ASHFoundation Offers New Century Awards Beverly Ryan Beverly Ryan Google Scholar More articles by this author https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.AN3.16032011.33 SectionsAbout ToolsAdd to favorites ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2011/110315/ASHFoundation-Offers-New-Century-Awards.htm The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation is now accepting applications and grant proposals for the 2011 New Century Scholars Program. Awards of $10,000 are available to doctoral students and teacher-investigators in communications sciences and disorders (CSD). Now in its ninth year, this special initiative, funded by the ASHFoundation’s Dreams and Possibilities Campaign, supports CSD doctoral education and research. In the past eight years, 63 doctoral candidates and 28 teacher-investigators have received $910,000 in New Century Program scholarships and grants. Rita Patel (right) rreceives a $10,000 New Century Scholars grant from Nancy Creaghead, former ASHFoundation President, at the ASHFoundation 2010 Foundation breakfast. Research Grants Up to five $10,000 grants for one- or two-year investigations are available to support innovative research by individuals committed to teacher-investigator careers in academia or external research institutes or laboratories. Selection criteria include the applicant’s ability and the research proposal methodology and feasibility. Funding supports the actual investigation and may not be used for indirect costs. Eligible applicants must submit an official application packet and research proposal. To be eligible, applicants must have received a PhD or equivalent research doctorate within CSD and must demonstrate the potential for and commitment to significant independent research that is directly applicable to communication sciences and disorders. The research setting must be conducive to completing the investigation. The deadline for grant proposal submissions is April 29. Doctoral Scholarships Up to 10 scholarships will be awarded to doctoral candidates planning to pursue a teacher-investigator career in higher education. Selection criteria include the applicant’s potential for doctoral study and ability to complete a doctoral program, as well as the student’s commitment to a career as a teacher-investigator. Scholarships may be used for educational support, such as tuition, books, school-related expenses, or living expenses. Eligible applicants must submit an official application packet. To be eligible, students must be accepted or enrolled in a CSD research doctoral program (PhD or equivalent; includes new PhD, continuing PhD, bachelor’s-to-PhD, and professionals returning to school). Students must be a member of ASHA or the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association at the time of application. The deadline for scholarship application submission is May 2. Application Guidelines Application materials, information, and profiles of past recipients are available at the ASHFoundation website or by calling 800-498-2071, ext. 8703. Applicants are urged to request required institutional documentation as soon as possible to allow university personnel time to process paperwork before the deadline. No extensions will be granted; no fax copies will be accepted. Awards will be distributed in November at the 2011 ASHA Convention in San Diego. Author Notes ASHFoundation annual fundraising manager, can be reached at [email protected]. Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Additional Resources FiguresSourcesRelatedDetails Volume 16Issue 3March 2011 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in print: Mar 1, 2011 Metrics Downloaded 57 times Topicsleader_do_tagleader-topicsasha-article-typesCopyright & Permissions© 2011 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...

A Scrutiny of the Coaching Education Program Scholarship Since 1995

The authors sought to identify and categorize completed coaching education program (CEP) scholarship published in a recent 13-year period to provide a framework regarding the process of how coaches are prepared and certified. Scholarship was defined as data-based investigations, reviews, and position papers focused on CEPs, coaching training, and coaching development. Our review exposed that (a) there was an increasing emphasis on naturalistic research methods, (b) coaches' views and concerns were a major focus, (c) the early part of the era saw scholarship focused on the “what” of CEPs and a call for examining more of the “how” and “why” is being heeded, and (d) few assessments or interventions of CEPs were conducted. The findings provide scholars with a clear view of how the CEP field “sits” (Silverman & Skonie, 1997) and serve as a useful tool for extending the scholarship.

Neural Correlates of Internal-Model Loading

Skilled object manipulation requires knowledge, or internal models, of object dynamics relating applied force to motion , and our ability to handle myriad objects indicates that the brain maintains multiple models . Recent behavioral studies have shown that once learned, an internal model of an object with novel dynamics can be rapidly recruited and derecruited as the object is grasped and released . We used event-related fMRI to investigate neural activity linked to grasping an object with recently learned dynamics in preparation for moving it after a delay. Subjects also performed two control tasks in which they either moved without the object in hand or applied isometric forces to the object. In all trials, subjects received a cue indicating which task to perform in response to a go signal delivered 5-10 s later. We examined BOLD responses during the interval between the cue and go and assessed the conjunction of the two contrasts formed by comparing the primary task to each control. The analysis revealed significant activity in the ipsilateral cerebellum and the contralateral and supplementary motor areas. We propose that these regions are involved in internal-model recruitment in preparation for movement execution.