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Open Access Publications from the University of California

Scholarly Works (4 results)

  • Thesis
  • Peer Reviewed
UC Irvine Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2016)

Sentence processing skills contribute to successful L2 reading, and require understanding and manipulation of the order and interdependence of words within a sentence. Acknowledging that this syntactic awareness is significant but challenging in language development, a small number of researchers have explored whether modified text format increases reading abilities by raising syntactic awareness. This mixed within- and between-subjects study aims to examine whether phrase-segmented format, supported by visual-syntactic text formatting technology, scaffolds rapid and accurate L2 reading. Three groups of college students from the U.S. (NES and ESL) and Korea (EFL) read eight passages (4 block-formatted vs. 4 phrase-segmented) and answered four types of comprehension questions (topic, vocabulary, information, and inference-making). This study also investigates whether the format effect on rapid and accurate reading varies depending on L2 students’ working memory capacity.

This study revealed three main findings. First, text format type did not generally affect reading speed in any language group, but the group difference between ESL and NES students narrowed in the phrase-segmented versus the block condition. Second, the positive impact of the phrase-segmented format on comprehension was found among the L2 groups but not the NES group. Group differences in comprehension were mostly associated with the block condition rather than the phrase-segmented format, except for the persistent difference between EFL and NES groups across format. The third finding was that the phrase-segmented format did not influence the reading speed of L2 students with low working memory; however, it assisted them in making inferences and possibly expanding vocabulary.

Although syntactic cues are only part of a multifaceted L2 reading process, these findings provide support for the phrase-segmented format as a helpful resource to promote L2 reading comprehension without hindering reading speed. This study additionally demonstrated that reading phrase-segmented text may scaffold inference by alleviating working memory overload.

    Cover page: Technology-Enhanced L2 Reading: The Effects of Hierarchical Phrase Segmentation
    • Article
    • Peer Reviewed
    UC Irvine Previously Published Works (2019)
    The current study examines the effects of digital scaffolding on the English literacy of fourth- and sixth-grade students. A total of 1085 native English-speaking and language minority students from 25 treatment classes and 20 control classes across three school districts participated in this study for one school year. Treatment students read their English language arts and social studies text in visual-syntactic text format (VSTF) on their laptops and control students read the regular block format of the textbook either on their laptops or in print. Observations and interviews revealed that VSTF reading facilitated instruction processes and student learning in reading activities. The results of California Standard Tests (CST) before and after the treatment revealed that sixth-graders who received syntactic scaffolding outperformed control students on the composite CST score. In particular, reading in VSTF benefited the treatment students in three CST sub-categories: word analysis, written conventions and writing strategies. This study suggests that future research should investigate instructional strategies that support reading and writing development of adolescents, including at-risk students, using syntactic scaffolding.
      Cover page: Scaffolding learning of language structures with visual‐syntactic text formatting
      • Article
      • Peer Reviewed
      UC San Francisco Previously Published Works (2022)

      Background

      Chemokine receptor CXCR4 antagonist plerixafor (Px) as well as high volume (HV) leukapheresis have been shown to reduce hematopoietic stem progenitor cell (HSPC) mobilization failure rates. However, no direct comparisons of such methods currently exists.

      Methods and materials

      We compared the HSPC collection yield based on basal peripheral blood CD34+ cell numbers in patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation in a retrospective chart review. The leukapheresis methods used included HV versus regular volume (RV) with or without Px. There were 116 patients in the study group while the historical control group had 34 patients.

      Results and conclusions

      Control group underwent RV leukapheresis without Px. Addition of Px or HV in the study group failed to display significant improvement in CD34+ cell collection yield; however, when basal CD34+ cell numbers were taken into account, both Px + RV and HV without Px increased CD34+ cell collection yield. The collection failure rates of HV without Px group were comparable to Px + RV when the basal CD34+ cell numbers were over 20/μl. Of interest, multivariate linear regression analysis did not detect any significant difference between HV versus Px + RV or other leukapheresis methods in CD34 yields or collection failure rates from a single collection after controlling for other factors (sex, age, or underlying disease). In multivariate analysis, pre apheresis CD34+ cell number was significantly and positively associated with the CD34+ cell yields from a single apheresis. In our studies, the majority of patients can be rescued without Px by HV alone as a potential cost saving approach. In summary, trend in our studies reflects that both Px and HV are capable of reducing the mobilization failure rates except the poorest mobilizers, which will need to be validated in larger studies.
        • Article
        • Peer Reviewed
        UC San Francisco Previously Published Works (2021)

        Background

        Whether race/ethnicity plays a role in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) mobilization in autologous donors has not been studied. We hypothesize that donor characteristic including race/ethnicity, age, sex, body mass index, and diagnostic groups influences HSPC mobilization. Diagnostic groups include healthy allogeneic donors, autologous multiple myeloma (MM) and non-MM donors.

        Study design and methods

        Here, we conducted a single-center retrospective study in 64 autologous patients and 48 allogeneic donors. Autologous donors were patients diagnosed with MM or non-MM. All donors were grouped as African American (AA), White (W), or "Other"(O).

        Results

        Multivariate analysis demonstrated diagnostic group differences for CD34+ cell yields between race/ethnicity. Specifically, non-MM patients had the lowest CD34+ cell yields in AA and O, but not in W. For pre-apheresis peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ cell numbers, race/ethnicity had a significant effect both in bivariate and multivariate analyses. Non-MM patients had the lowest, and AA patients had the highest PB CD34+ cells. The results support the view that past therapies used in MM are likely more conducive of recovery of HSPC.

        Conclusions

        Our study shows that race/ethnicity and diagnostic group differences influenced CD34+ cell mobilization response across donor types. Interestingly, autologous MM donors with the aid of plerixafor displayed comparable CD34 yields to allogeneic donors. Even though both MM and non-MM donors received plerixafor, non-MM donors had significantly lower CD34 yields among AA and O donors but not in W donors. Larger studies would be required to validate the role of diagnostic groups and race/ethnicity interactions.
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