Building successful partnerships between Teaching Assistants and Teachers: Which interpersonal factors matter?

This article identifies the factors that characterise effective interpersonal partnerships between teaching assistants (TAs) and teachers working in inclusive schools in Catalonia (Spain). This phenomenological study, based on 40 semi-structured interviews with 22 TAs and 18 teachers revealed that the main interpersonal factors affecting partnerships were: feeling at ease; trust; respect; and valuing one another. Participants detailed key aspects such as personal affinity, professional compatibility, open communi- cation, a sense of belonging to a class-group, and teamwork, as additionally important for successful partnerships. The findings provide insight into how schools can support the development of effective TA- teacher partnerships. Implications are discussed

LMDA New & Noteworthy, November 2017

Contents include: Q & A: Amy Stoller; Q & A: Andrea Kovich; Events/Announcements.https://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/lmdanewsletter/1013/thumbnail.jp

Evaluating the Duration of Post-Operative Cefuroxime Prophylaxis on Infectious Outcomes in Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Patients.

Abstract of poster presented at: Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting; May 2010; Vancouver, British Columbia

Porous Titanium surfaces to control bacteria growth: mechanical properties and sulfonated polyetheretherketone coating as antibiofounling approaches

Here, titanium porous substrates were fabricated by a space holder technique. The relationship between microstructural characteristics (pore equivalent diameter, mean free-path between pores, roughness and contact surface), mechanical properties (Young’s modulus, yield strength and dynamic micro-hardness) and bacterial behavior are discussed. The bacterial strains evaluated are often found on dental implants: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The colony-forming units increased with the size of the spacer for both types of studied strains. An antibiofouling synthetic coating based on a sulfonated polyetheretherketone polymer revealed an effective chemical surface modification for inhibiting MRSA adhesion and growth. These findings collectively suggest that porous titanium implants designed with a pore size of 100–200 µm can be considered most suitable, assuring the best biomechanical and bifunctional anti-bacterial properties.University of Seville VI Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia—US 2018, I.3A

Pre-Clinical Assessment of Single-Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy During In Vivo Porcine Wound Healing

Objective: Traditional negative pressure wound therapy systems can be large and cumbersome, limiting patient mobility and adversely affecting quality of life. PICO™, a no canister single-use system offers a lightweight, portable alternative to traditional negative pressure wound therapy, with improved clinical performance. The aim of this study was to determine the potential mechanism(s) of action of single-use negative pressure wound therapy versus traditional negative pressure wound therapy.Approach: Single-use negative pressure wound therapy and traditional negative pressure wound therapy were applied to in in vivo porcine excisional wound model, following product use guidelines. Macroscopic, histological and biochemical analyses were performed at defined healing time-points to assess multiple aspects of the healing response. Results: Wounds treated with single-use negative pressure displayed greater wound closure and increased re-epithelialisation versus those treated with traditional negative pressure. The resulting granulation tissue was more advanced with fewer neutrophils, reduced inflammatory markers, more mature collagen and no wound filler-associated foreign body reactions. Of note, single-use negative pressure therapy failed to induce wound edge epithelial hyperproliferation, while traditional negative pressure therapy compromised peri-wound skin, which remained inflamed with high transepidermal water loss; features not observed following single-use treatment. Innovation: Single-use negative pressure was identified to improve multiple aspects of healing versus traditional negative pressure treatment.Conclusion: This study provides important new insight into the differing mode of action of single-use versus traditional negative pressure and may go some way to explain the improved clinical outcomes observed with single use negative pressure therapy

Efficacy of Limited Cefuroxime Prophylaxis in Pediatric Patients After Cardiovascular Surgery

Purpose The efficacy of limited cefuroxime prophylaxis in pediatric patients after cardiovascular surgery was evaluated. Methods All patients age 18 years or younger who underwent cardiovascular surgery and received postoperative care from the cardiovascular surgery team between February and July 2006 (preintervention group) and between August 2006 and January 2007 (postintervention group) were eligible for study inclusion. Patients were excluded if they did not receive cefuroxime as postoperative prophylaxis, had a preexisting infection, underwent cardiac transplantation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or underwent delayed sternal closure. The preintervention group received prolonged cefuroxime prophylaxis, and the postintervention group received 24 hours of cefuroxime prophylaxis. Data collected included patient demographics and clinical and laboratory markers of infection, as well as microbiological evidence of and treatment courses for documented or presumed infections. Results A total of 210 patients were enrolled in the study. The number of patients who required additional antibiotics for suspicion of clinical infection did not significantly differ between the preintervention and postintervention groups (18.6% versus 26.9%, respectively), nor did the rate of documented infection (bacteremia, urinary tract infection, endocarditis, sepsis) (42.1% versus 48.3%, respectively). Moreover, indications for the antibiotics initiated were similar between the preintervention and postintervention groups. Clinical and laboratory signs of postoperative infection were similar between groups. There were no differences in postoperative white blood cell counts, peak serum glucose levels, and platelet nadir between groups. Conclusion Limiting postoperative cefuroxime prophylaxis to 24 hours did not increase infectious outcomes in pediatric patients

Role of aberrant PI3K pathway activation in gallbladder tumorigenesis

The PI3K/AKT pathway governs a plethora of cellular processes, including cell growth, proliferation, and metabolism, in response to growth factors and cytokines. By acting as a unique lipid phosphatase converting phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5,-trisphosphate (PIP3) to phosphatidylinositol-4,5,-bisphosphate (PIP2), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) acts as the major cellular suppressor of PI3K signaling and AKT activation. Recently, PI3K mutations and loss/mutation of PTEN have been characterized in human gallbladder tumors; whether aberrant PTEN/PI3K pathway plays a causal role in gallbladder carcinogenesis, however, remains unknown. Herein we show that in mice, deregulation of PI3K/AKT signaling is sufficient to transform gallbladder epithelial cells and trigger fully penetrant, highly proliferative gallbladder tumors characterized by high levels of phospho-AKT. Histopathologically, these mouse tumors faithfully resemble human adenomatous gallbladder lesions. The identification of PI3K pathway deregulation as both an early event in the neoplastic transformation of the gallbladder epithelium and a main mechanism of tumor growth in Pten heterozygous and Pten mutant mouse models provides a new framework for studying in vivo the efficacy of target therapies directed against the PI3K pathway, as advanced metastatic tumors are often addicted to “trunkular” mutations

Anthropogenic supply of nutrients in a wildlife reserve may compromise conservation success

In nutrient-poor wildlife reserves it has become common-practice to provide supplemental mineral resources for wildlife. Yet, the impacts of anthropogenic mineral supplementation on large herbivore nutrition, behaviour, and subsequent impact on ecosystem processes have received little attention. Here, we examine the contribution of anthropogenic mineral lick provision to wildlife nutrient intake across a community of mammalian herbivores (>10 kg) in the southern Kalahari Desert. Based on predicted daily nutrient intake and a faecal nutrient assessment, many large herbivore species appear deficient in phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), or zinc (Zn). For these nutrients, anthropogenic salt and mineral licks constitute an important source of nutrient intake helping to reduce or overcome requirement deficits. Larger-bodied species disproportionately consumed licks, acquiring more nutritional benefits. A comprehensive assessment of animal body condition indicated that, in general, large herbivores display good health. However, bulk grazers, non-ruminants and females displayed poorer body condition. We discuss how provisioning of anthropogenic mineral licks may inflate large herbivore populations beyond the long-term carrying capacity of the reserve by decoupling wildlife fecundity from nutrient-related feedbacks on population growth. Over time, this could compromise ecosystem integrity through habitat degradation, modified species interactions and trophic cascades. Based on results presented here, it is clear that anthropogenic provisioning of mineral licks should be considered cautiously by wildlife managers aiming to conserve natural processes in landscapes

Near Infrared Hydrogen Emission Line Ratios as Diagnostics of the Broad Emission Line Region

Broad emission line flux ratios are a powerful diagnostic of the physical conditions of the broad-line region gas in Active Galactic Nuclei. With recent advances in infrared spectroscopy, previously unstudied emission lines provide a new means to investigate the physical nature of the BELR gas. The hydrogen emission lines are particularly sensitive to the upper limits of both the radius from the central ionising source and the number density of the gas. Using an existing subset of near-infrared quasar spectra from the Glikman et al. (2006) sample [1] together with Cloudy photoionization simulations, we confirm the Locally Optimally emitting Cloud (LOC) model\u27s ability to reproduce observed emission line flux ratios. The model is then used to constrain physical conditions for individual sources. The photoionization models show that high number density, low incident flux gas is required to reproduce observed near-infrared hydrogen emission line ratios. We also find that comparison to individual sources, rather than composites, is vital