Teacher Perspectives of Student Transitioning in Special Education from Correctional Facilities to Public Schools

The purpose of this study was to explore correctional special education teachers\u27 and public high school special education teachers \u27 perspectives of student transitioning from correctional facilities back to public schools. The point of interest was regarding what information these two groups of teachers believe to be important for transitioning to occur more smoothly from correctional education to the public schools. Surveys were distributed to the two groups of teachers. Respondents indicated the need for collaboration between correctional facilities and public schools. They also indicated the need for transference of information about the student prior to the student\u27s arrival in order to meet his/her educational needs and provide for a smoother transition

Absolute continuity and spectral concentration for slowly decaying potentials

We consider the spectral function $\rho(\mu)$ $(\mu \geq 0)$ for the Sturm-Liouville equation $y^{''}+(\lambda-q)y =0$ on $[0,\infty)$ with the boundary condition $y(0)=0$ and where $q$ has slow decay $O(x^{-\alpha})$ $(a>0)$ as $x\to \infty$. We develop our previous methods of locating spectral concentration for $q$ with rapid exponential decay (JCAM 81 (1997) 333-348) to deal with the new theoretical and computational complexities which arise for slow decay

Birth size and breast cancer risk: Re-analysis of individual participant data from 32 studied

Background Birth size, perhaps a proxy for prenatal environment, might be a correlate of subsequent breast cancer risk, but findings from epidemiological studies have been inconsistent. We re-analysed individual participant data from published and unpublished studies to obtain more precise estimates of the magnitude and shape of the birth size–breast cancer association. Methods and Findings Studies were identified through computer-assisted and manual searches, and personal communication with investigators. Individual participant data from 32 studies, comprising 22,058 breast cancer cases, were obtained. Random effect models were used, if appropriate, to combine study-specific estimates of effect. Birth weight was positively associated with breast cancer risk in studies based on birth records (pooled relative risk [RR] per one standard deviation [SD] [= 0.5 kg] increment in birth weight: 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–1.09) and parental recall when the participants were children (1.02; 95% CI 0.99–1.05), but not in those based on adult self-reports, or maternal recall during the woman's adulthood (0.98; 95% CI 0.95–1.01) (p for heterogeneity between data sources = 0.003). Relative to women who weighed 3.000–3.499 kg, the risk was 0.96 (CI 0.80–1.16) in those who weighed < 2.500 kg, and 1.12 (95% CI 1.00–1.25) in those who weighed ≥ 4.000 kg (p for linear trend = 0.001) in birth record data. Birth length and head circumference from birth records were also positively associated with breast cancer risk (pooled RR per one SD increment: 1.06 [95% CI 1.03–1.10] and 1.09 [95% CI 1.03–1.15], respectively). Simultaneous adjustment for these three birth size variables showed that length was the strongest independent predictor of risk. The birth size effects did not appear to be confounded or mediated by established breast cancer risk factors and were not modified by age or menopausal status. The cumulative incidence of breast cancer per 100 women by age 80 y in the study populations was estimated to be 10.0, 10.0, 10.4, and 11.5 in those who were, respectively, in the bottom, second, third, and top fourths of the birth length distribution. Conclusions This pooled analysis of individual participant data is consistent with birth size, and in particular birth length, being an independent correlate of breast cancer risk in adulthood

The lived experience of family members of older people who have died by suicide in rural China

Aim The aim of the study is to provide insight and facilitate a deeper understanding of family members who have experienced their older family member's suicide. Design Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study. Methods Semi-structured individual interviews with five family members of older people who died by suicide recruited from a rural area of Shanxi Province, China. Smith's (2009) six steps of IPA was used for data analysis. Results Three main themes emerged from the study: (a) Initial psychological reactions; (b) Long-term life effects; (c) Social attitudes. The study shows how the family members of older people who died by suicide have experienced stigmatization and felt largely ignored. A suicide event poses a challenge to the future living quality of the family members. The study also highlights that it is necessary to pay attention to families of older people who died by suicide and providing support is required to improve the quality of life of these family members in rural China. Conclusion The study adds to the understanding of the lived experience of family members of older people who died by suicide in less economically developed rural areas. Patient or Public Contribution Patients and the public were not involved in the design, conduct or reporting of this study. Participants of this study helped with recruitment via snowball sampling

Effect of phenylephrine on pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in rat hepatocytes and its interaction with insulin and glucagon

AbstractIn isolated rat hepatocytes phenylephrine promotes a rapid increase in the amount of pyruvate dehydrogenase present in its active form (PDHa). This action is mediated by α1-adrenergic receptors and is not observed in Ca2+-depleted hepatocytes. It is mimicked by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. No changes in metabolites known to affect PDH activity are measured 3 min after addition of phenylephrine. Glucagon also increases PDHa, its action is additive to that of phenylephrine. The action of phenylephrine on PDHa could be explained by an increase in mitochondrial free Ca2+