De Marillac academy: Perseverance, purpose, and promise

For many years, the Catholic school system within the United States was considered the preeminent educational institution, particularly for poor and marginalized students that live in low income, inner city areas. Now, given the large number of school closures, the Catholic school system’s long-standing goal of educating economically disadvantaged students in inner city schools is in peril. In this study, the researchers examined De Marillac Academy, a Catholic, tuition-free middle school, located in the Tenderloin District in San Francisco, CA, to identify both the non-cognitive skills students have learned and the organizational factors in place, which have contributed to these urban students’ success in high school and beyond. The authors discuss how the concept of what Angela Duckworth calls grit and Swadener and Lubeck’s notion of students-at-promise contribute, in part, to the students’ academic success. They also offer a perspective on how to best teach grit in our schools. De Marillac Academy: perseverancia, propósito y promesa Durante muchos años el sistema escolar católico en los Estados Unidos fue considerado la institución educativa preeminente, en particular para los estudiantes pobres y marginalizados que vivían en zonas urbanas de bajos ingresos. Hoy en día, dado el elevado número de escuelas que cierran, el objetivo tradicional del sistema escolar católico de educar a los estudiantes en desventaja económica de las escuelas urbanas está en peligro. En este estudio, los investigadores examinaron a De Marillac Academy, una escuela secundaria católica, gratuita, ubicada en Tenderloin District, en San Francisco, California, para identificar tanto las habilidades no cognitivas aprendidas por los estudiantes (como los factores organizativos en marcha) que han contribuido al éxito de estos estudiantes urbanos en la escuela secundaria superior y más allá. Los autores discuten cómo el concepto de lo que Angela Duckworth llama grit (determinación) y la noción de estudiante-prometedor de Swadener y Lubeck contribuyen, en parte, al éxito académico de los estudiantes. También ofrecen una perspectiva sobre cómo enseñar mejor la determinación en nuestras escuelas. Palabras clave: escuelas católicas urbanas, escuelas San Miguel, grit, determinación, estudiante-prometedor Académie de Marillac : Persévérance, détermination et promesse Pendant des années, on a considéré que le système des écoles catholiques aux États-Unis était l\u27institution éducative prépondérante, notamment pour les élèves pauvres et marginalisés, à bas revenus, vivant dans des cités. Maintenant qu\u27un grand nombre d\u27écoles ont fermé, l\u27objectif à long terme des écoles catholiques consistant à enseigner aux élèves économiquement défavorisés dans les cités est en péril. Dans cette étude, les chercheurs ont examiné l\u27académie de Marillac, un collège catholique sans frais de scolarité, situé dans le district Tenderloin, à San Francisco, en Californie, pour repérer ce que les élèves avaient appris et les facteurs organisationnels en place qui avaient contribué au succès de ces élèves issus d\u27un milieu urbain, au lycée et au-delà Les auteurs ont évoqué la manière dont ce qu\u27Angela Duckworth appelle avoir du cran et la notion d\u27élèves à promesse établie par Swadener et Lubeck, contribuent en partie à la réussite scolaire des élèves. Ils proposent également un point de vue sur la meilleure manière d\u27enseigner le cran à l\u27école. Mots-clés : écoles catholiques en milieu urbain, écoles de San Miguel, avoir du cran, élèves à promess

De Marillac Academy: Perseverance, Purpose, and Promise

For many years, the Catholic school system within the United States was considered the preeminent educational institution, particularly for poor and marginalized students that live in low income, inner city areas. Now, given the large number of school closures, the Catholic school system’s long-standing goal of educating economically disadvantaged students in inner city schools is in peril. In this study, the researchers examined De Marillac Academy, a Catholic, tuition-free middle school, located in the Tenderloin District in San Francisco, CA, to identify both the non-cognitive skills students have learned and the organizational factors in place, which have contributed to these urban students’ success in high school and beyond. The authors discuss how the concept of what Angela Duckworth calls grit and Swadener and Lubeck’s notion of students-at-promise contribute, in part, to the students’ academic success. They also offer a perspective on how to best teach grit in our schools. De Marillac Academy: perseverancia, propósito y promesa Durante muchos años el sistema escolar católico en los Estados Unidos fue considerado la institución educativa preeminente, en particular para los estudiantes pobres y marginalizados que vivían en zonas urbanas de bajos ingresos. Hoy en día, dado el elevado número de escuelas que cierran, el objetivo tradicional del sistema escolar católico de educar a los estudiantes en desventaja económica de las escuelas urbanas está en peligro. En este estudio, los investigadores examinaron a De Marillac Academy, una escuela secundaria católica, gratuita, ubicada en Tenderloin District, en San Francisco, California, para identificar tanto las habilidades no cognitivas aprendidas por los estudiantes (como los factores organizativos en marcha) que han contribuido al éxito de estos estudiantes urbanos en la escuela secundaria superior y más allá. Los autores discuten cómo el concepto de lo que Angela Duckworth llama grit (determinación) y la noción de estudiante-prometedor de Swadener y Lubeck contribuyen, en parte, al éxito académico de los estudiantes. También ofrecen una perspectiva sobre cómo enseñar mejor la determinación en nuestras escuelas. Palabras clave: escuelas católicas urbanas, escuelas San Miguel, grit, determinación, estudiante-prometedor Académie de Marillac : Persévérance, détermination et promesse Pendant des années, on a considéré que le système des écoles catholiques aux États-Unis était l\u27institution éducative prépondérante, notamment pour les élèves pauvres et marginalisés, à bas revenus, vivant dans des cités. Maintenant qu\u27un grand nombre d\u27écoles ont fermé, l\u27objectif à long terme des écoles catholiques consistant à enseigner aux élèves économiquement défavorisés dans les cités est en péril. Dans cette étude, les chercheurs ont examiné l\u27académie de Marillac, un collège catholique sans frais de scolarité, situé dans le district Tenderloin, à San Francisco, en Californie, pour repérer ce que les élèves avaient appris et les facteurs organisationnels en place qui avaient contribué au succès de ces élèves issus d\u27un milieu urbain, au lycée et au-delà Les auteurs ont évoqué la manière dont ce qu\u27Angela Duckworth appelle avoir du cran et la notion d\u27élèves à promesse établie par Swadener et Lubeck, contribuent en partie à la réussite scolaire des élèves. Ils proposent également un point de vue sur la meilleure manière d\u27enseigner le cran à l\u27école. Mots-clés : écoles catholiques en milieu urbain, écoles de San Miguel, avoir du cran, élèves à promess

Atopic dermatitis and role of Relizema: a multi-country user experience

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by itching or pruritus, erythematous lesions, pruritus, and a skin barrier defect. Repeated scratching can trigger the itch-scratch cycle. Itching is associated with an adverse impact on quality of life. The first-line treatment of AD includes the use of topical corticosteroids for atopic dermatitis. However, parents of children with atopic dermatitis are often reluctant to accept the use of topical corticosteroids due to their concern of adverse effects flare-up. Relizema™ cream is a prescription emollient device (PED) multi-ingredients moisturizer formulation that has been indicated for the treatment of signs and symptoms of dermatitis. It is approved as medical device (MD) class IIa in Europe and it is registered as a topical medical device in countries of Asia Pacific. A consensus meeting of 9 dermatologists from multiple countries in Asia Pacific region treating atopic dermatitis was conducted. The dermatologists presented their cases of atopic dermatitis. PED was reported by patients to offer good relief of symptoms and improve skin softness unlike other moisturizers. In fact, a few patients reported relief with Relizema™ cream after using other moisturizers which were not demonstrating clinical effectiveness. Patients reported they noticed a softness in their skin after the application of the PED. PED was effective even in patients with lichenified skin. The formulation which is enriched with antioxidants helped relieve eczema. Due to its steroid-free formulation, the PED can be continued as a part of long-term maintenance treatment to maintain healthy skin conditions, prolong remission, and prevent recurrence

A comparison of course-related stressors in undergraduate problem-based learning (PBL) versus non-PBL medical programmes

Background: Medical students report high levels of stress related to their medical training as well as to other personal and financial factors. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there are differences in course-related stressors reported by medical students on undergraduate problem-based learning (PBL) and non-PBL programmes in the UK. Method: A cross-sectional study of second-year medical students in two UK medical schools (one PBL and one non-PBL programme) was conducted. A 16-question self-report questionnaire, derived from the Perceived Medical Student Stress Scale and the Higher Education Stress Inventory, was used to measure course-related stressors. Following univariate analysis of each stressor between groups, multivariate logistic regression was used to determine which stressors were the best predictors of each course type, while controlling for socio-demographic differences between the groups. Results: A total of 280 students responded. Compared to the non-PBL students (N = 197), the PBL students (N = 83) were significantly more likely to agree that: they did not know what the faculty expected of them (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.38, p = 0.03); there were too many small group sessions facilitated only by students resulting in an unclear curriculum (OR = 0.04, p < 0.0001); and that there was a lack of opportunity to explore academic subjects of interest (OR = 0.40, p = 0.02). They were significantly more likely to disagree that: there was a lack of encouragement from teachers (OR = 3.11, p = 0.02); and that the medical course fostered a sense of anonymity and feelings of isolation amongst students (OR = 3.42, p = 0.008). Conclusion: There are significant differences in the perceived course-related stressors affecting medical students on PBL and non-PBL programmes. Course designers and student support services should therefore tailor their work to minimise, or help students cope with, the specific stressors on each course type to ensure optimum learning and wellbeing among our future doctors

Closing the delivery gaps in pediatric HIV care in Togo, West Africa: using the care delivery value chain framework to direct quality improvement

ABSTRACT Providing quality care for all children living with HIV/AIDS remains a global challenge and requires the development of new healthcare delivery strategies. The care delivery value chain (CDVC) is a framework that maps activities required to provide effective and responsive care for a patient with a particular disease across the continuum of care. By mapping activities along a value chain, the CDVC enables managers to better allocate resources, improve communication, and coordinate activities. We report on the successful application of the CDVC as a strategy to optimize care delivery and inform quality improvement (QI) efforts with the overall aim of improving care for Pediatric HIV patients in Togo, West Africa. Over the course of 12 months, 13 distinct QI activities in Pediatric HIV/AIDS care delivery were monitored, and 11 of those activities met or exceeded established targets. Examples included: increase in infants receiving routine polymerase chain reaction testing at 2 months (39–95%), increase in HIV exposed children receiving confirmatory HIV testing at 18 months (67–100%), and increase in patients receiving initial CD4 testing within 3 months of HIV diagnosis (67–100%). The CDVC was an effective approach for evaluating existing systems and prioritizing gaps in delivery for QI over the full cycle of Pediatric HIV/AIDS care in three specific ways: (1) facilitating the first comprehensive mapping of Pediatric HIV/AIDS services, (2) identifying gaps in available services, and (3) catalyzing the creation of a responsive QI plan. The CDVC provided a framework to drive meaningful, strategic action to improve Pediatric HIV care in Togo

Effects of short-term treatment with atorvastatin in smokers with asthma - a randomized controlled trial

&lt;b&gt;Background&lt;/b&gt; The immune modulating properties of statins may benefit smokers with asthma. We tested the hypothesis that short-term treatment with atorvastatin improves lung function or indices of asthma control in smokers with asthma.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Methods&lt;/b&gt; Seventy one smokers with mild to moderate asthma were recruited to a randomized double-blind parallel group trial comparing treatment with atorvastatin (40 mg per day) versus placebo for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks treatment inhaled beclometasone (400 ug per day) was added to both treatment arms for a further 4 weeks. The primary outcome was morning peak expiratory flow after 4 weeks treatment. Secondary outcome measures included indices of asthma control and airway inflammation.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results&lt;/b&gt; At 4 weeks, there was no improvement in the atorvastatin group compared to the placebo group in morning peak expiratory flow [-10.67 L/min, 95% CI -38.70 to 17.37, p=0.449], but there was an improvement with atorvastatin in asthma quality of life score [0.52, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.87 p=0.005]. There was no significant improvement with atorvastatin and inhaled beclometasone compared to inhaled beclometasone alone in outcome measures at 8 weeks.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusions&lt;/b&gt; Short-term treatment with atorvastatin does not alter lung function but may improve asthma quality of life in smokers with mild to moderate asthma. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT0046382

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

SummaryBackground Azithromycin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 on the basis of its immunomodulatoryactions. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.Methods In this randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19Therapy [RECOVERY]), several possible treatments were compared with usual care in patients admitted to hospitalwith COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 176 hospitals in the UK. Eligible and consenting patients wererandomly allocated to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus azithromycin 500 mg once perday by mouth or intravenously for 10 days or until discharge (or allocation to one of the other RECOVERY treatmentgroups). Patients were assigned via web-based simple (unstratified) randomisation with allocation concealment andwere twice as likely to be randomly assigned to usual care than to any of the active treatment groups. Participants andlocal study staff were not masked to the allocated treatment, but all others involved in the trial were masked to theoutcome data during the trial. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treatpopulation. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936.Findings Between April 7 and Nov 27, 2020, of 16 442 patients enrolled in the RECOVERY trial, 9433 (57%) wereeligible and 7763 were included in the assessment of azithromycin. The mean age of these study participants was65·3 years (SD 15·7) and approximately a third were women (2944 [38%] of 7763). 2582 patients were randomlyallocated to receive azithromycin and 5181 patients were randomly allocated to usual care alone. Overall,561 (22%) patients allocated to azithromycin and 1162 (22%) patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days(rate ratio 0·97, 95% CI 0·87–1·07; p=0·50). No significant difference was seen in duration of hospital stay (median10 days [IQR 5 to >28] vs 11 days [5 to >28]) or the proportion of patients discharged from hospital alive within 28 days(rate ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·98–1·10; p=0·19). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, nosignificant difference was seen in the proportion meeting the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilationor death (risk ratio 0·95, 95% CI 0·87–1·03; p=0·24).Interpretation In patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, azithromycin did not improve survival or otherprespecified clinical outcomes. Azithromycin use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 should be restrictedto patients in whom there is a clear antimicrobial indication