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Potassium i.s one of the major constituents of the human body but its role in metabolism is not clearly defined. One reason for this is the predominant intracellular distribution of the ion and the attendant difficulties in the detection of deficiency states. Serum potassium levels are of little value as over 95% of the potassium in the body is intracellular. Balance studies and the analysis of biopsy material have been used. However, they are so time consuming that they are only of use in establishing the diagnosis retrospectively and give very little indication of the severity of the deficit. Exchangeable potassium measurements do give an indication of the severity of the deficit. However, they involve the administration of an isotope which is not always available because of its short half-life. The development of the whole body counter has overcome most of these problems.

Annually, about 3.5 million Americans of all ages, ethnicities, and professions experience homelessness (National Coalition for the Homeless [NCH], 2009c). About one-third of the total homeless population is comprised of families, and families with children are among the fastest growing segments of the population (NCH, 2009b). It is reported that homelessness is typically a recurrent experience that results in children’s educational, emotional, and physical needs being neglected as families struggle to obtain stable housing and other basic needs (Nunez, 2000). While families in homeless situations – currently homeless, previously homeless, and at-risk of homelessness – face many challenges and issues, one frequent difficulty is the enrollment of their young children in child care or preschool programs. Although the McKinney-Vento Act stipulates that educational agencies must review and revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as a barrier to the enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children and youth (National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth [NAEHCY], n.d.a.; United States Department of Education [U.S. DOE], 2002, 2004), it is estimated that only 16-21% of homeless preschoolers are enrolled in child care programs, while the rate of all children nationally is 53% (Nunez 2000; U.S. DOE, 2004). Clearly, the existence of the McKinney-Vento Act alone is not enough to remove the barriers to enrolling children in homeless situations in child care programs. Early childhood professionals – center owners/ directors (O/Ds), family advocates (FAs), assistant center directors/center lead teachers (ADs/CLs), lead teachers (LTs), and assistant teachers (ATs) – are also in key positions to ensure that the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Act are consistently applied to assist families in homeless situations access educational opportunities for their young children. However, very few empirical studies have addressed the ways or the extent to which early childhood professionals (ECPs) are responsive to the needs of children and families in homeless situations. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how ECPs work with children and families who are in homeless situations. Specifically, the researcher examined (1) the specialized knowledge ECPs have about children and families in homeless situations and their unique needs; (2) the practices ECPs implement to be responsive to the needs of children and families in homeless situations; and (3) what ECPs believe they need so that they can work more effectively with children and families in homeless situations. In-depth interview data and supporting documents were collected from a purposeful sample of 14 ECPs employed at six different child care centers. Then, the data were analyzed using a qualitative thematic approach. The data revealed that ECPs have specialized knowledge about who is likely to experience homelessness; they understand the adverse impact of homelessness on child development and family well-being; and they recognize the need and importance of providing family-oriented child care services. The practices ECPs implement to be responsive to the needs of children and families in homeless situations include the three Rs – recruiting families, reducing barriers to enrollment and attendance, and referring families to community agencies; building trusting and supportive relationships; and implementing individualized strategies in the classroom. In order to work more effectively with children and families in homeless situations, ECPs believe they need public and private funding to make child care programs more accessible; specialized professional development to learn best practices for working with this population; and policy changes to support child success and family stability. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester 2016. / November 16, 2016. / Children and families, Early childhood, Exploratory study, Homeless, Qualitative / Includes bibliographical references. / Ithel Jones, Professor Directing Dissertation; Motoko Akiba, University Representative; Lindsay Dennis, Committee Member; Diana Rice, Committee Member.

Many Christian faith-based preschools in the Oyo State of Nigeria are realising that spiritual development is an essential part of young children’s natural growth and should be given due attention. Accordingly, activities at preschools should be geared to support young children’s spiritual development. In conjunction with the administrators, the preschool teachers at Christian faith-based schools are charged with the responsibility of attending to the spiritual development of young children in their care. This research study examined factors affecting the spiritual development of young children in the Oyo State of Nigeria by employing a qualitative method with phenomenological research design. The research highlighted realities via developmental theories regarding the spiritual development of young children; government’s stand on the spiritual development of young children; how spiritual development of young children is facilitated in an early childhood setting; the benefits of spiritual development during early childhood; and the implications of spiritual development for practice in the Oyo State of Nigeria. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, observation of practices and document analyses of the records of four preschools. All were purposefully selected, including the twenty teachers and four administrators. The results of the research revealed that all the pre-school teachers who showed interest in fostering spirituality in young children should gain experience, understanding and training in best practices. It was also found that although the Nigerian government has policies and curricula for early childhood education (ECE), these do not include spirituality or faith-based teaching. Further, to exacerbate the situation, the government does not monitor and evaluate the implementation of policies and ECE curricula. This study discovered that preschool teachers have a general understanding of how to enhance the spiritual development of young children by drawing on their own (i.e. the preschool teachers’) personal spiritual development processes, which should be complemented by formal training. The benefits of spiritual development in young children include the inculcation of sound moral values, feelings of joy, academic excellence, unity and development in the community, the development of committed future leaders and the promotion of national peace. The research study recommends that the government of Nigeria intervene in early childhood education by providing financial support and formal training for preschool teachers in the area of spiritual development of young children and by motivating administrators and preschool teachers to be more cooperative and creative in including spiritual development in their school’s curriculum. / Early Childhood Education

This article discusses how instant video revisiting (IVR) promotes reflective thinking for both teachers and children. IVR was used as a daily classroom experience with both the children and the teachers throughout one semester in two preschool classrooms with children 2.5 to 5 years old. The teachers used a digital video camera to generate data to help them understand the behavior of the children and revisit the children's actions immediately, with the children using the video clips to extend their learning. Two classroom examples illustrate how IVR supports the children's learning and the teacher's reflection of this learning. The first example describes how IVR helped the children reflect on their actions and solve their own conflicts. The second example describes the use of IVR to scaffold the children's idea of the middle of a story, thereby strengthening their own thought processes in relation to a story construction.

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The Cycle of Inquiry (COI) is a tool for emergent curriculum planning and for professional development of early childhood teachers and teacher education students. The COI includes a sequence of five organizational forms connecting analysis of documentation data with intentional planning for long-term emergent inquiry inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach. The authors discuss and analyze the COI System through examination and analysis of the work of a student in a university early childhood teacher preparation program. Through this case study, the authors explore (1) whether a preservice teacher can learn to use the COI form-driven process to plan and facilitate emergent curriculum and (2) whether a mentor can scaffold and assess the development of an inservice or preservice teacher using the teacher's COI documentation. The authors also describe ongoing research into use of the COI System and outline potential directions for future research.

Background. The majority of childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients lack a matched-related bone marrow transplant (BMT) donor in first remission. Procedure. Disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), and post-relapse outcome were evaluated for children with de novo AML on CCG 213 and the standard timing (ST) and intensive timing (IT) induction arms of CCG 2891 who were randomized to (intent-to-treat, ITT) or who received (as-treated, AT) only chemotherapy intensification. Results. Outcomes at 8 years post-induction in ITT analysis of chemotherapy intensification were as follows: 31% DFS, 43% OS on CCG 213; 34% DFS, 51% OS on CCG 2891 ST; 48% DFS, 56% OS on CCG 2891 IT. All toxic deaths during and following Capizzi II chemotherapy intensification on both protocols were in patients >3 years of age (P ≤ 0.001). Black race was a significant poor prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.008, hazard ratio: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.15-2.61). Overall 48% of patients on both trials relapsed and 19.1% of patients who relapsed on these trials survived. CR1 >12 months portends a much better OS for patients who relapse. Post-relapse treatment included BMT in 47% of patients. Conclusions. OS on CCG 2891 was superior to CCG 213 but equivalent between ST and IT arms due to better salvage rates post-relapse in ST patients. Overall survival for childhood AML in the absence of BMT in CR1 is influenced by duration of CR1 and by race.

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