An exploration of issues affecting the assessment of social work students on practice placement in England

This article explores issues affecting assessment of social work students on practice placements in England. The authors have many years of experience in this area of social work and aim to highlight concerns about the complexity of assessment in practice settings. This report draws on research presented by Bailey-McHale and Caffrey (2018) at the 12th International Conference on Practice Teaching and Field Education in Health and Social Work in order to consider student perspectives. These highlight a sense of feeling powerless and judged. This article also explores the wider issues potentially impacting on the assessment of students practice. Acknowledging the challenges of all assessments, we consider how assessment of student practice may be further complicated by factors including the role and demands of universities, the impact of training and support for practice educators and pressures within current social work practice. This commentary highlights longstanding inequalities within social work assessment on placements for some student groups, including BAME students. The authors draw on Brookfield’s (1998) reflective lenses and encourage the social work profession to reflect and consider how current practice might be improved. The authors invite ideas and feedback to stimulate a professional debate and new ideas

The use of photo elicitation to explore the impact of social work student’s perceptions of placements on social work tutors and consider their role in practice learning

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Practice: Social Work in Action on 22 December 2020, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/09503153.2020.1859105The importance of learning in practice is acknowledged across health and social care professions. Social work students’ experiences in practice settings has attracted some attention in academic literature, and the role and impact of the Practice Educator (PE) on student learning is increasingly recognised. However, there is a paucity of research examining the role of the social work tutor generally and particularly within practice learning settings. This paper presents a small-scale qualitative study exploring the impact of visual images produced by social work students reflecting their practice experiences on six social work tutors. Photo elicitation prompted discussion in a focus group setting which was subsequently thematically analysed, with four themes emerging. These were dichotomous relationships, difference and diversity, tutor brokerage skills, and student support. The images encouraged tutors to reflect upon the complexity of their relationship with social work students and question whether they were professionally equipped to support students in complex placement situations. In addition, the effectiveness of the curriculum in preparing social work students for practice was considered, particularly space afforded to students to reflect on practice learning in a safe environment. Opportunities to support SW tutors in their role and SW students in practice are deliberated

IL-1α Signaling Is Critical for Leukocyte Recruitment after Pulmonary Aspergillus fumigatus Challenge

Aspergillus fumigatus is a mold that causes severe pulmonary infections. Our knowledge of how A. fumigatus growth is controlled in the respiratory tract is developing, but still limited. Alveolar macrophages, lung resident macrophages, and airway epithelial cells constitute the first lines of defense against inhaled A. fumigatus conidia. Subsequently, neutrophils and inflammatory CCR2+ monocytes are recruited to the respiratory tract to prevent fungal growth. However, the mechanism of neutrophil and macrophage recruitment to the respiratory tract after A. fumigatus exposure remains an area of ongoing investigation. Here we show that A. fumigatus pulmonary challenge induces expression of the inflammasome-dependent cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 within the first 12 hours, while IL-1α expression continually increases over at least the first 48 hours. Strikingly, Il1r1-deficient mice are highly susceptible to pulmonary A. fumigatus challenge exemplified by robust fungal proliferation in the lung parenchyma. Enhanced susceptibility of Il1r1-deficient mice correlated with defects in leukocyte recruitment and anti-fungal activity. Importantly, IL-1α rather than IL-1β was crucial for optimal leukocyte recruitment. IL-1α signaling enhanced the production of CXCL1. Moreover, CCR2+ monocytes are required for optimal early IL-1α and CXCL1 expression in the lungs, as selective depletion of these cells resulted in their diminished expression, which in turn regulated the early accumulation of neutrophils in the lung after A. fumigatus challenge. Enhancement of pulmonary neutrophil recruitment and anti-fungal activity by CXCL1 treatment could limit fungal growth in the absence of IL-1α signaling. In contrast to the role of IL-1α in neutrophil recruitment, the inflammasome and IL-1β were only essential for optimal activation of anti-fungal activity of macrophages. As such, Pycard-deficient mice are mildly susceptible to A. fumigatus infection. Taken together, our data reveal central, non-redundant roles for IL-1α and IL-1β in controlling A. fumigatus infection in the murine lung

Crystal structure of rhodopsin bound to arrestin by femtosecond X-ray laser.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) signal primarily through G proteins or arrestins. Arrestin binding to GPCRs blocks G protein interaction and redirects signalling to numerous G-protein-independent pathways. Here we report the crystal structure of a constitutively active form of human rhodopsin bound to a pre-activated form of the mouse visual arrestin, determined by serial femtosecond X-ray laser crystallography. Together with extensive biochemical and mutagenesis data, the structure reveals an overall architecture of the rhodopsin-arrestin assembly in which rhodopsin uses distinct structural elements, including transmembrane helix 7 and helix 8, to recruit arrestin. Correspondingly, arrestin adopts the pre-activated conformation, with a ∼20° rotation between the amino and carboxy domains, which opens up a cleft in arrestin to accommodate a short helix formed by the second intracellular loop of rhodopsin. This structure provides a basis for understanding GPCR-mediated arrestin-biased signalling and demonstrates the power of X-ray lasers for advancing the frontiers of structural biology

Using visual methodology: Social work student's perceptions of practice and the impact on practice educators.

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Practice: Social Work in Action on 21-6-18, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/09503153.2018.1476477Practice learning within social work education plays a significant part in students’ educational journey. Little is understood about the emotional climate of placements. This paper presents a small scale qualitative study of 13 social work students’ perceptions of their relationship with a practice educator (PE) and 6 PE’s perceptions of these emotional experiences. Visual methodology was employed over a two-phased research project, first social work students were asked to draw an image of what they thought practice education looked like, phase two used photo eliciation, PEs were then asked to explore the meaning of these images. Results demonstrated that social work students focused on their own professional discourse, the identity of PEs, power relationship and dynamics between themselves and PEs, the disjointed journey and practice education in its entirity. Whilst the PEs shared their personal views of practice education and reflected on this, both groups had a shared understanding of practice education including its values and frustrations. Keywords: social work placements, visual methodology, practice educator

IL-1α Signaling Is Critical for Leukocyte Recruitment after Pulmonary Aspergillus fumigatus Challenge

Aspergillus fumigatus is a mold that causes severe pulmonary infections. Our knowledge of how A. fumigatus growth is controlled in the respiratory tract is developing, but still limited. Alveolar macrophages, lung resident macrophages, and airway epithelial cells constitute the first lines of defense against inhaled A. fumigatus conidia. Subsequently, neutrophils and inflammatory CCR2+ monocytes are recruited to the respiratory tract to prevent fungal growth. However, the mechanism of neutrophil and macrophage recruitment to the respiratory tract after A. fumigatus exposure remains an area of ongoing investigation. Here we show that A. fumigatus pulmonary challenge induces expression of the inflammasome-dependent cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 within the first 12 hours, while IL-1α expression continually increases over at least the first 48 hours. Strikingly, Il1r1-deficient mice are highly susceptible to pulmonary A. fumigatus challenge exemplified by robust fungal proliferation in the lung parenchyma. Enhanced susceptibility of Il1r1-deficient mice correlated with defects in leukocyte recruitment and anti-fungal activity. Importantly, IL-1α rather than IL-1β was crucial for optimal leukocyte recruitment. IL-1α signaling enhanced the production of CXCL1. Moreover, CCR2+ monocytes are required for optimal early IL-1α and CXCL1 expression in the lungs, as selective depletion of these cells resulted in their diminished expression, which in turn regulated the early accumulation of neutrophils in the lung after A. fumigatus challenge. Enhancement of pulmonary neutrophil recruitment and anti-fungal activity by CXCL1 treatment could limit fungal growth in the absence of IL-1α signaling. In contrast to the role of IL-1α in neutrophil recruitment, the inflammasome and IL-1β were only essential for optimal activation of anti-fungal activity of macrophages. As such, Pycard-deficient mice are mildly susceptible to A. fumigatus infection. Taken together, our data reveal central, non-redundant roles for IL-1α and IL-1β in controlling A. fumigatus infection in the murine lung

Developing Skills for Social Work Practice, Michela Rogers, Dawn Whitaker, David Edmondson and Donna Peach

Version: Vo

An exploration of issues affecting the assessment of social work students on practice placement in England

Abstract;This PN explores issues affecting assessment of social work students on practice placements in England.  The authors have many years of experience in this area of social work and aim to highlight concerns about the complexity of assessment in practice settings. The PN reports on research presented by (author) at the 12th International Conference on Practice Teaching and Field Education in Health and Social Work, September 2018 to consider student perspectives. These highlight a sense of feeling powerless and judged. The PN also explores the wider issues potentially impacting on the assessment of students practice. Acknowledging the challenges of all assessments the PN considers how assessment of student practice may be further complicated by factors including the role and demands of universities, the impact of training and support for practice educators and pressures within current social work practice. The PN highlights longstanding inequalities within social work assessment on placements for some student groups, including BAME students. The authors draw on Brookfields (1998) reflective lenses and encourage the social work profession to reflect and consider how current practice might be improved. The authors invite ideas and feedback to stimulate a professional debate and new ideas

<i>Il1r1</i>-deficient mice are highly susceptible to <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> infection.

<p>Age-matched C57BL/6 or <i>Il1r1</i>-deficient mice were infected i.t. with 5×10⁷ CEA10 conidia and at indicated time-points, mice were euthanized, BALF collected, and lungs saved for histological analysis. <b>(A)</b> Formalin-fixed lungs were paraffin embedded, sectioned, and stained with H&E (top) or GMS (bottom) for analysis by microscopy. Representative lung sections from C57BL/6 and <i>Il1r1</i>-deficient mice infected with CEA10 for 48 h are shown using either the 4× (left) or 20× (right) objectives. <b>(B)</b><i>A. fumigatus</i> germination rates were assessed over the first 72 h of infection by microscopically counting both the number of conidia and number of germlings in GMS-stained section. <b>(C)</b> Survival of C57BL/6, <i>Pycard</i>^−/−, and <i>Il1r1^−/−</i> mice challenged i.t. with 1.5×10⁷<i>A. fumigatus</i> (CEA10) conidia was then monitored for survival over the first 96 h (Mantel-Cox log-rank test, p = 0.0002). Data are representative of 2 independent experiments at each time point consisting of at least 5 mice per group. <b>(D)</b> Total macrophage (left panel) and neutrophil (right panel) recruitment in the BALF was measured at 12, 24, and 48 h post-infection. Data are representative of at least 2 independent experiments at each time point consisting of 3–5 mice per group. Bar graphs show the group mean ± one SEM. Statistically significant differences were determined using Student’s t-test (*p < 0.05; **p < 0.01).</p

C57BL/6 mice treated with IL-1α neutralizing antibody were more susceptible to <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> infection.

<p>C57BL/6 mice treated with isotype control antibody or IL-1α neutralizing antibody were infected i.t. with 5×10⁷ CEA10 conidia. At the indicated time points mice were euthanized, BALF collected and lungs saved for histological analysis. <b>(A)</b> Formalin-fixed lungs were paraffin embedded, sectioned and stained with H&E (top) or GMS (bottom) for analysis by microscopy. Representative lung sections from C57BL/6 mice treated with isotype control antibody (left) or with anti-IL-1α antibody (right) and infected with CEA10 for 48 h are shown using either the 4× (left) or 20× (right) objectives. <b>(B)</b><i>A. fumigatus</i> germination rates at 48 h after challenge was determined by microscopically counting both the number of conidia and number of germlings in GMS-stained section. <b>(C)</b> Total macrophage (left panel) and neutrophil (right panel) recruitment in the BALF was measured at 24 and 48 h post-infection via cytospins. Data are representative of two independent experiments consisting of 4–5 mice per group. Bar graphs show the group mean ± one SEM. Statistically significant differences were determined using a Student’s t-test (*p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001).</p