Modelling individual differences in reading using an optimised MikeNet simulator: the impact of reading instruction.

Reading is vital for acquiring knowledge and studies have demonstrated that phonology-focused interventions generally yield greater improvements than meaning-focused interventions in English among children with reading disabilities. However, the effectiveness of reading instruction can vary among individuals. Among the various factors that impact reading skills like reading exposure and oral language skills, reading instruction is critical in facilitating children's development into skilled readers; it can significantly influence reading strategies, and contribute to individual differences in reading. To investigate this assumption, we developed a computational model of reading with an optimised MikeNet simulator. In keeping with educational practices, the model underwent training with three different instructional methods: phonology-focused training, meaning-focused training, and phonology-meaning balanced training. We used semantic reliance (SR), a measure of the relative reliance on print-to-sound and print-to-meaning mappings under the different training conditions in the model, as an indicator of individual differences in reading. The simulation results demonstrated a direct link between SR levels and the type of reading instruction. Additionally, the SR scores were able to predict model performance in reading-aloud tasks: higher SR scores were correlated with increased phonological errors and reduced phonological activation. These findings are consistent with data from both behavioral and neuroimaging studies and offer insights into the impact of instructional methods on reading behaviors, while revealing individual differences in reading and the importance of integrating OP and OS instruction approaches for beginning readers.

CART model to classify the drought status of diverse tomato genotypes by VPD, air temperature, and leaf-air temperature difference.

Regular water management is crucial for the cultivation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Inadequate irrigation leads to water stress and a reduction in tomato yield and quality. Therefore, it is important to develop an efficient classification method of the drought status of tomato for the timely application of irrigation. In this study, a simple classification and regression tree (CART) model that includes air temperature, vapor pressure deficit, and leaf-air temperature difference was established to classify the drought status of three tomato genotypes (i.e., cherry type 'Tainan ASVEG No. 19', large fruits breeding line '108290', and wild accession 'LA2093'). The results indicate that the proposed CART model exhibited a higher predictive sensitivity, specificity, geometric mean, and accuracy performance compared to the logistic model. In addition, the CART model was applicable not only to three tomato genotypes but across vegetative and reproductive stages. Furthermore, while the drought status was divided into low, medium, and high, the CART model provided a higher predictive performance than that of the logistic model. The results suggest that the drought status of tomato can be accurately classified by the proposed CART model. These results will provide a useful tool of the regular water management for tomato cultivation.

[Effects of tai chi in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: a systematic review].

BACKGROUND: Tai chi has been increasingly applied in osteoporosis patients. However, systematic reviews of the efficacy of this practice have been few and of limited scope. PURPOSE: This study reviews previous experimental research work using tai chi as an intervention in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and to appraise the reported research designs used, tai chi methods used, and outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review method was used to search 14 databases for articles published between January 1980 and July 2013. Searched keywords included: "tai chi," "osteoporosis," and "postmenopausal women". The 2,458 articles initially identified were reduced to 4 valid articles based on considerations of criteria and repeatability. The 4 valid articles used either a randomized clinical trial (RCT) or a controlled clinical trial (CCT). They were further analyzed and synthesized in terms of common variables such as balance, muscle strength, and quality of life. RESULT: Three of the 4 studies identified significant pretest / posttest differences in physiological aspects of quality of life in participants but did not obtain consistent results in terms of the psychological aspects. While reports identified a significant and positive tai chi effect on balance, they all used different measurements to do so. Only one of the four studies identified significant improvement in muscle strength. Therefore, this review could not identify clear support for the effectiveness of tai chi on balance or muscle strength. CONCLUSIONS: This review did not definitively support the positive effects of tai chi on balance, muscle strength, and quality of life in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. The designs used in the tai chi interventions may be referenced for future studies. We suggest that future studies use data triangulation rather than a single-item tool to validate the research in order to cross-verify the same information. This may strengthen the research and increase the credibility and the validity of related findings.

Taiwanese version of the EQ-5D: validation in a representative sample of the Taiwanese population.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: We know of no validated Taiwanese-language instrument to measure a utility of the patient's health. Our aim was to evaluate the reliability and validity of a Taiwanese version of the EuroQol instrument (EQ-5D) in a Taiwanese population. METHODS: Questionnaires containing the Taiwanese versions of the EQ-5D and the Short-Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12) were sent to 12,923 people in Taiwan in December 2002. Concurrent validity of the EQ-5D was analyzed by assuming that subjects with problems in any EQ-5D dimensions had decreased SF-12 scores. Discriminant validity of the EQ-5D was analyzed by assuming that subjects with the following characteristics had lowered EQ-5D indexes and scores on the EQ-5D visual analog scale (VAS): more chronic diseases than others, serious illness, more hospitalizations in the past year than others, poor general health, and more outpatient visits than others. Test-retest reliability was analyzed in a subgroup of respondents who were evaluated twice within a month by using the intraclass correlation coefficient and the kappa method. RESULTS: The general survey response rate was 12.7% (1644 of 12,923). SF-12 scores were lower in subjects reporting problems on EQ-5D dimensions than in others without such problems (p < 0.01). Subjects with more health problems than others had lower EQ-5D indexes and VAS scores (p < 0.01). The physical dimension of the EQ-5D was more strongly correlated with the SF-12 Physical Component Summary than with the Mental Component Summary; this finding satisfied the a priori hypothesis. For test-retest reliability of items on the EQ-5D, kappa values ranged from 0.49 to 1 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The Taiwanese EQ-5D instrument appears to be a moderately valid and reliable tool for measuring the health status of the general population in Taiwan.