Policy Decisions and Options-Based Responses to Active Shooters in Public Schools

Active shooter events in K-12 schools have increased since 1990, and developing response policies to such events is a responsibility of school personnel. A paucity of data regarding options-based response practices existed with no focus on policy processes. The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to describe the decision-making processes used in school districts when approving the inclusion of options-based responses to active shooter events in Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs). The research questions addressed processes that shaped the development of options-based responses to active shooter policies in 3 K-12 school districts within the Midwest. The conceptual framework was informed by the theory of policy paradox and the concepts of situational awareness and resilience. Structured interviews were conducted with 12 school personnel and safety professionals involved in 3 high schools; EOPs and state and federal regulations and guidelines were reviewed. An analysis of the interview responses and document reviews using four levels of descriptive coding required a cross-case analytic technique to discover patterns, connections, and themes. Law enforcement and school personnel worked together to create policy and to implement trainings related to options-based response. Results included enhancing situational awareness and empowering teachers and students to become responsible for their safety. These findings can be used to inform and guide school leaders in their efforts to make policy and implementation decisions regarding active shooter policies in EOPs. The potential for social change exists in more school personnel understanding and implementing options-based response policies and making the lives of K-12 students safer

Integrated Communication: Perceptions among the Fields of Marketing, Public Relations, and Journalism

The literature indicates the importance of the public relations, marketing, and journalism disciplines being aware of the professional demands of each area. An analysis of student perceptions from each discipline about the other disciplines reveals the need to do more of an integrated approach in the teaching domain. A research instrument surveyed classes in public relations/journalism and marketing/management in the College of Business and the Communication Department

Eminence Apartments

CONCEPT STATEMENT To create compact and affordable housing that will minimize costs for the massive amount of people living or moving into urban residencies and pervent urban sprawl

Iron-catalyzed regioselective synthesis of 2-arylbenzoxazoles and 2-arylbenzothiazoles via alternative reaction pathways

A one‐pot regioselective method for the preparation of 2‐arylbenzoxazoles from N‐arylbenzamides has been developed using iron(III)‐catalyzed bromination of the aryl ring, followed by copper(I)‐catalyzed O‐cyclization with the benzamide side chain. In contrast, reaction of N‐arylthiobenzamides with N‐bromosuccinimide and iron triflimide led directly to the isolation of the corresponding 2‐arylbenzothiazoles via intramolecular C–S bond formation. Mechanistic and control experiments suggest that in this case, bromination occurs at the sulfur atom, resulting in a reactive intermediate that can undergo electrophilic aromatic substitution and S‐cyclization. The scope of both processes was explored yielding a range of structural analogues, including a pharmaceutically active compound for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and an affinity agent of the amyloid‐beta protein in Alzheimer's disease

Improving Homecare Risk Management and Patient Safety

Background: Risk management in the domiciliary healthcare setting is a harder challenge than in a hospital environment. Many, not always predictable, variables related to the patient, the caregiver, the health professionals and the home environment make it impossible to guarantee complete safety in homecare. The first aim of the study was to verify that the Electrical Medical Devices (EMD) and medical Consumables Supplies (CS) provided to mechanically ventilated and artificially fed patients at home comply with requirements for safe homecare.  Methods: We conducted a Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) on two processes, mechanical ventilation and artificial feeding at home, and defined a local institutional list of the requirements for safe home healthcare; a checklist containing all the items in the list was administered to ventilated and artificially fed patients at home.  Results: The checklist was used for 92 home patients, sex M/F=52/40, mean age 59,8±22 years (range 2÷102 years). Many failures were highlighted when the checklist was applied and problems affecting AMBU resuscitator bags, tracheostomy tubes, ventilators in patients being mechanically ventilated around-the-clock and ventilator circuits were identified as the most critical potential vulnerabilities for homecare patients.  Conclusion: The checklist is a simple and valid tool for implementing proactive clinical risk management initiatives in homecare. Although it is impossible to guarantee complete safety in any healthcare environment, scheduling periodic checks with checklists to assess the quantitative and qualitative adequacy of EMD and CS provided to the patient could contribute to the homecare risk reduction.&nbsp

TetraPh-Tol-BITIOPO: a new atropisomeric 3,3’-bithiophene based phosphine oxide as organocatalyst in Lewis Base-catalyzed Lewis Acid mediated reactions

A new chiral phosphine oxide based on 3,3’-bithiophene scaffold (tetraPh-Tol-BITIOPO) was synthesized, fully characterized and separated into antipodes through chiral HPLC. This new compound was successfully employed as organocatalyst in Lewis base-catalyzed Lewis acid mediated reactions involving trichlorosilyl compounds. The new atropisomeric catalyst was able to promote the allylation of aldehydes with allyltrichlorosilane in up to 98% yield and up to 96% enantiomeric excess (ee), and the direct aldol reaction to afford β-hydroxy ketones and β-hydroxy thioesters, with good chemical yields and modest stereochemical efficiency. Computational studies helped to elucidate and to rationalize the stereochemical outcome of the reactions catalyzed by TetraPh-Tol-BITIOPO, that was found to favour the formation of the isomer with the opposite absolute configuration in comparison with the products obtained with the previously reported 3,3’-bithiophene-based catalyst

Metachronous bladder metastases from renal cell carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION: adrenal gland, parotid gland, pharynx, eye and bladder are rare localizations of metastases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We report a case of metachronous RCC metastases to the bladder in a patient with a medical history of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: a case study and review of the relevant literature are presented. RESULTS: during a follow-up cystoscopy examination following treatment of TCC, a single 5-mm lesion was detected and endoscopically resected. The histology of the resected sample was confirmed to be RCC, comparable to a primary kidney cancer and not recurrent TCC. CONCLUSION: the patient had a probability of metastases three years after nephrectomy of 62.9%. Survival rates following single metastasectomy are 60% and 38% at three and five years, respectively; metachronous diagnosis has a better prognosis than synchronous. During RCC follow-up, each lesion should be considered as a possible metastasis of RCC