The lack of readily available sterilization processes for medicine and dentistry practices in the developing world is a major risk factor for the propagation of disease. Modern medical facilities in the developed world often use autoclave systems to sterilize medical instruments and equipment and process waste that could contain harmful contagions. Here, we show the use of broadband light-absorbing nanoparticles as solar photothermal heaters, which generate high-temperature steam for a standalone, efficient solar autoclave useful for sanitation of instruments or materials in resource-limited, remote locations. Sterilization was verified using a standard Geobacillus stearothermophilus-based biological indicator.nanoscience | nanoshells | plasmon | energy conversion

Improving our knowledge of the number of incarcerated youth with disabilities can assist educators, other professionals, and policymakers to develop more effective services for youth. This article reports the findings of a national survey conducted to determine the number of youth identified as having disabilities in the juvenile corrections systems in the United States. The data show that, when compared to the national average, there is an overrepresentation of students identified as having disabilities, especially emotional disturbance, in those systems.

Many programs designed for children and youth with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) include a social skill training component. Using quantitative methods of meta-analysis, the findings from 35 studies investigating the effects of social skill interventions for students with EBD were synthesized. The pooled mean effect size (ES) was 0.199, from which the average student with EBD would be expected to gain a modest eight percentile ranks on outcome measures after participating in a social skill training program. Studies were further grouped and analyzed according to different variables (e.g., similarities of the intervention, participants, and assessment procedures). Slightly greater ESs were found for interventions that focused on teaching and measuring specific social skills (e.g., cooperating, or social problem solving) compared to more global interventions. Several pertinent issues for reviewing the results of this research synthesis are addressed.

Sixty-four single-subject studies examining the effectiveness of social skills interventions with students with emotional or behavioral problems were included in this synthesis. The results of quantitative synthesis procedures using percentage of nonoverlapping data suggest that social skills interventions have limited empirical support for their overall effectiveness. Implications for future social skills research and quantitative analysis methodology are discussed.

In this discussion of quantitative research synthesis (meta-analysis), past criticisms of meta-analysis are reviewed along with the ways in which they have been addressed. The problems associated with synthesizing single-subject research are discussed, particularly the difficulties in obtaining a metric equivalent to the effect size calculated for group-design research. After analyzing recommended approaches, the authors endorse the percentage-of-nonoverlapping-data metric. Their earlier single-subject synthesis showing limited efficacy for social skills instruction is then reviewed. The findings are discussed in relation to the nature of single-subject research, the proper role of research integration, and the influence of subjectivity in interpreting research findings. Finally, possible reasons for disappointing findings regarding the effectiveness of social skills instruction are explored. The authors conclude that, until expressed concerns are remedied, it is neither incorrect nor illogical to question the efficacy of social skills instruction.