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This best-evidence synthesis reviews the past 20 years of rigorous reading intervention research to identify effective programs of instruction for Grade K-3 English Learners (ELs), as well as to determine the average effect of reading instruction on reading outcomes for this population. We identified 10 studies, all of which only included students in Grades K, 1, and/or 2. These studies evaluated the effects of seven programs, reporting 76 effect sizes. We did not identify any studies that included Grade 3 ELs. To guide researchers and practitioners, we describe each program and discuss associated effect sizes in foundational skills, fluency, comprehension, and oral language. "Proactive Reading," delivered in a small group setting, produced some of the largest effects on foundational skills, fluency, and reading comprehension outcomes. "Sound Partners" was also shown to be effective even when delivered for a shorter duration, in a one-to-one setting. Finally, for practitioners and researchers aiming to improve oral language outcomes, "Early Vocabulary Connection," delivered to small groups of students for 20 weeks, had the largest effects on oral language outcome measures. The primary limitation of this review was the small number of studies meeting the best-evidence synthesis criteria. Future research is needed to better understand the impact of reading interventions on reading outcomes for ELs in Grades 2-3 and the impact of meaning-focused intervention on reading outcomes. In particular, additional research is needed to identify interventions that have the potential to meaningfully improve reading comprehension and oral language outcomes for K-3 ELs.

Background: That lead is harmful to multiple systems of the human body has been known since antiquity and numerous recent studies have shown that blood transfusion may be an important source of exposure to lead in blood recipients. In this study factors influencing elevated lead levels in blood samples from donors in Qingdao, a city in northern China were investigated to provide screening procedures for blood donors and safer blood transfusions for blood recipients., Materials and Methods: In 2021, subjects from 15 blood donation sites in Qingdao were selected by stratified random sampling. Blood lead levels (BLL) were analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression models were used to analyze factors influencing BLL., Results: Of 2,142 blood donors, 1,434 were male and 708 were female, with an average age of 34.8 years. The geometric mean of BLL was 26.03 μg/L (95% confidence interval: 25.52-26.56), and donors in the high blood lead group (≥35 μg/L) accounted for 25.6% of the study population. Multiple linear regression results showed BLL was associated with gender, age, place of residence, duration of residence, and smoking status. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male, increasing age, living in Jimo, duration of residence ≥30 years, and smoking were risk factors for high BLL, with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) being 2.10 (1.61-2.73), 1.03 (1.01-1.04), 3.89 (1.09-13.86), 1.64 (1.22-2.20), and 1.76 (1.40-2.22), respectively., Discussion: Male, advanced age, living in Jimo, smoking, and duration of residence ≥30 years were associated with higher BLL. Infusion of blood with elevated lead concentration can be reduced by screening out donors presenting one or more of the above risk factors.