The ABCs of TSC: How One Counselor Education Department Transformed its School Counseling Program

There is an urgent need to revise school counselor education programs to better prepare future professional school counselors to meet the challenges of today’s K-12 students. Counselor educators at DePaul University recently made significant curricular and programmatic changes aligned with the Education Trust’s Transforming School Counseling Initiative (TSCI). This manuscript details the steps involved with these extensive revisions and encourages other counselor education programs to consider making similar modifications

The Cellular and Physiological Basis for Lung Repair and Regeneration: Past, Present, and Future.

The respiratory system, which includes the trachea, airways, and distal alveoli, is a complex multi-cellular organ that intimately links with the cardiovascular system to accomplish gas exchange. In this review and as members of the NIH/NHLBI-supported Progenitor Cell Translational Consortium, we discuss key aspects of lung repair and regeneration. We focus on the cellular compositions within functional niches, cell-cell signaling in homeostatic health, the responses to injury, and new methods to study lung repair and regeneration. We also provide future directions for an improved understanding of the cell biology of the respiratory system, as well as new therapeutic avenues

Intranasal delivery of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells, macrophages, and microglia to the brain in mouse models of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease

In view of the rapid preclinical development of cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury, and tumors, the safe and efficient delivery and targeting of therapeutic cells to the central nervous system is critical for maintaining therapeutic efficacy and safety in the respective disease models. Our previous data demonstrated therapeutically efficacious and targeted delivery of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the brain in the rat 6-hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The present study examined delivery of bone marrow derived MSCs, macrophages, and microglia to the brain in a transgenic model of PD ((Thy1)-h[A30P] αS) and an APP/PS1 model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) via intranasal application (INA). INA of microglia in naïve BL/6 mice led to targeted and effective delivery of cells to the brain. Quantitative PCR analysis of eGFP DNA showed that the brain contained the highest amount of eGFP-microglia (up to 2.1x104) after INA of 1x106 cells, while the total amount of cells detected in peripheral organs did not exceed 3.4x103. Seven days after INA, MSCs expressing eGFP were detected in the olfactory bulb (OB), cortex, amygdala, striatum, hippocampus, cerebellum, and brainstem of (Thy1)-h[A30P] αS transgenic mice, showing predominant distribution within the OB and brainstem. INA of eGFP-expressing macrophages in 13 month-old APP/PS1 mice led to delivery of cells to the OB, hippocampus, cortex, and cerebellum. Both, MSCs and macrophages contained Iba-1-positive population of small microglia-like cells and Iba-1-negative large rounded cells showing either intracellular Amyloid beta (macrophages in APP/PS1 model) or α-Synuclein (MSCs in (Thy1)-h[A30P] αS model) immunoreactivity. Here we show, for the first time, intranasal delivery of cells to the brain of transgenic PD and AD mouse models. Additional work is needed to determine the optimal dosage (single treatment regimen or repeated administrations) to achieve functional improvement in these mouse models with intranasal microglia/macrophages and MSCs

Intranasal delivery of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells, macrophages, and microglia to the brain in mouse models of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease

In view of the rapid preclinical development of cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury, and tumors, the safe and efficient delivery and targeting of therapeutic cells to the central nervous system is critical for maintaining therapeutic efficacy and safety in the respective disease models. Our previous data demonstrated therapeutically efficacious and targeted delivery of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the brain in the rat 6-hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The present study examined delivery of bone marrow derived MSCs, macrophages, and microglia to the brain in a transgenic model of PD ((Thy1)-h[A30P] αS) and an APP/PS1 model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) via intranasal application (INA). INA of microglia in naïve BL/6 mice led to targeted and effective delivery of cells to the brain. Quantitative PCR analysis of eGFP DNA showed that the brain contained the highest amount of eGFP-microglia (up to 2.1x104) after INA of 1x106 cells, while the total amount of cells detected in peripheral organs did not exceed 3.4x103. Seven days after INA, MSCs expressing eGFP were detected in the olfactory bulb (OB), cortex, amygdala, striatum, hippocampus, cerebellum, and brainstem of (Thy1)-h[A30P] αS transgenic mice, showing predominant distribution within the OB and brainstem. INA of eGFP-expressing macrophages in 13 month-old APP/PS1 mice led to delivery of cells to the OB, hippocampus, cortex, and cerebellum. Both, MSCs and macrophages contained Iba-1-positive population of small microglia-like cells and Iba-1-negative large rounded cells showing either intracellular Amyloid beta (macrophages in APP/PS1 model) or α-Synuclein (MSCs in (Thy1)-h[A30P] αS model) immunoreactivity. Here we show, for the first time, intranasal delivery of cells to the brain of transgenic PD and AD mouse models. Additional work is needed to determine the optimal dosage (single treatment regimen or repeated administrations) to achieve functional improvement in these mouse models with intranasal microglia/macrophages and MSCs

Assisted reproductive technologies are associated with limited epigenetic variation at birth that largely resolves by adulthood

More than 7 million individuals have been conceived by Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) and there is clear evidence that ART is associated with a range of adverse early life outcomes, including rare imprinting disorders. The periconception period and early embryogenesis are associated with widespread epigenetic remodeling, which can be influenced by ART, with effects on the developmental trajectory in utero, and potentially on health throughout life. Here we profile genome-wide DNA methylation in blood collected in the newborn period and in adulthood (age 22-35 years) from a unique longitudinal cohort of ART-conceived individuals, previously shown to have no differences in health outcomes in early adulthood compared with non-ART-conceived individuals. We show evidence for specific ART-associated variation in methylation around birth, most of which occurred independently of embryo culturing. Importantly, ART-associated epigenetic variation at birth largely resolves by adulthood with no direct evidence that it impacts on development and health

Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology Standards and Parameters for Guideline Development and Publication

Background As much of the scope of neurointerventional practice falls outside data covered by existing randomized clinical trials, and, as a result, may have failed to enter into existing guidelines, an evidence‐based framework for guideline and standards development is needed. We establish an evidence‐based framework to guide all subsequent guidelines and brief practice updates produced by the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN). Methods The SVIN formed the Guidelines and Practice Parameters committee to develop the structure and procedures for guidelines and brief practice updates. Results In this article, the Guidelines and Practice Parameters committee has outlined the process by which the guidelines will be created and approved by the SVIN. Additionally, the Guidelines and Practice Parameters committee has adopted the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association framework of Class of Recommendation and Level of Evidence. A unique, additional separation of the Expert Opinion endorsement category has been developed when high‐quality evidence does not exist at the time of the publication. Conclusions The SVIN has developed an evidence‐based framework for all guideline statements and brief practice updates. The SVIN guidelines and brief practice updates will guide clinicians in the field of interventional neurology to improve and standardize patient care

Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology Standards and Parameters for Guideline Development and Publication

Background As much of the scope of neurointerventional practice falls outside data covered by existing randomized clinical trials, and, as a result, may have failed to enter into existing guidelines, an evidence‐based framework for guideline and standards development is needed. We establish an evidence‐based framework to guide all subsequent guidelines and brief practice updates produced by the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN). Methods The SVIN formed the Guidelines and Practice Parameters committee to develop the structure and procedures for guidelines and brief practice updates. Results In this article, the Guidelines and Practice Parameters committee has outlined the process by which the guidelines will be created and approved by the SVIN. Additionally, the Guidelines and Practice Parameters committee has adopted the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association framework of Class of Recommendation and Level of Evidence. A unique, additional separation of the Expert Opinion endorsement category has been developed when high‐quality evidence does not exist at the time of the publication. Conclusions The SVIN has developed an evidence‐based framework for all guideline statements and brief practice updates. The SVIN guidelines and brief practice updates will guide clinicians in the field of interventional neurology to improve and standardize patient care