An Exploration of Professional Learning for Chief Diversity Officers in Higher Education

The purpose of the study is to understand the process of professional learning of Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) who work in higher education. Professionals who become CDOs come from a variety of backgrounds and rely on professional experiences, along with “on-the-job” learning rather than pre-service education to navigate the role of a diversity executive. Cervero (2001) stated the importance of continued professional education to continue learning so that individuals develop and enhance their practice. Professional learning is important for diversity executives who are in higher education because there is no pre-service formal education program, and the profession is still developing a common body of knowledge. For this study, professional learning is framed as a combination of continuing professional education, the context of work, and individual experiences. Daley (2000) supports the combination of the three areas to have optimal learning in professions. This roundtable discussion is a discussion about a study conducted to explore the process of professional learning for CDOs working in higher education institutions. At the core of the study is the process of learning as professionals function as a diversity executive

The medical student

The Medical Student was published from 1888-1921 by the students of Boston University School of Medicine

The medical student

The Medical Student was published from 1888-1921 by the students of Boston University School of Medicine

Cognitive Dimensions of Learning in Children With Problems in Attention, Learning, and Memory.

A data-driven, transdiagnostic approach was used to identify the cognitive dimensions linked with learning in a mixed group of 805 children aged 5 to 18 years recognised as having problems in attention, learning and memory by a health or education practitioner. Assessments included phonological processing, information processing speed, short-term and working memory, and executive functions, and attainments in word reading, spelling, and maths. Data reduction methods identified three dimensions of phonological processing, processing speed and executive function for the sample as a whole. This model was comparable for children with and without ADHD. The severity of learning difficulties in literacy was linked with phonological processing skills, and in maths with executive control. Associations between cognition and learning were similar across younger and older children and individuals with and without ADHD, although stronger links between learning-related problems and both executive skills and processing speed were observed in children with ADHD. The results establish clear domain-specific cognitive pathways to learning that distinguish individuals in the heterogeneous population of children struggling to learn

A 140 GHz pulsed EPR/212 MHz NMR spectrometer for DNP studies

We described a versatile spectrometer designed for the study of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) at low temperatures and high fields. The instrument functions both as an NMR spectrometer operating at 212 MHz ([superscript 1]H frequency) with DNP capabilities, and as a pulsed-EPR operating at 140 GHz. A coiled TE[subscript 011] resonator acts as both an NMR coil and microwave resonator, and a double balanced ([superscript 1]H, [superscript 13]C) radio frequency circuit greatly stabilizes the NMR performance. A new 140 GHz microwave bridge has also been developed, which utilizes a four-phase network and ELDOR channel at 8.75 GHz, that is then multiplied and mixed to obtain 140 GHz microwave pulses with an output power of 120 mW. Nutation frequencies obtained are as follows: 6 MHz on S = 1/2 electron spins, 100 kHz on [superscript 1]H, and 50 kHz on [superscript 13]C. We demonstrate basic EPR, ELDOR, ENDOR, and DNP experiments here. Our solid effect DNP results demonstrate an enhancement of 144 and sensitivity gain of 310 using OX063 trityl at 80 K and an enhancement of 157 and maximum sensitivity gain of 234 using Gd-DOTA at 20 K, which is significantly better performance than previously reported at high fields (⩾3 T).National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (EB002804)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (EB002026)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (EB001965)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (EB004866)Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Predicts Concurrent Mental Health Difficulties in a Transdiagnostic Sample of Struggling Learners

Children and adolescents with developmental problems are at increased risk of experiencing mental health problems. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is widely used as a screener for detecting mental health difficulties in these populations, but its use thus far has been restricted to groups of children with diagnosed disorders (e.g., ADHD). Transdiagnostic approaches, which focus on symptoms and soften or remove the boundaries between traditional categorical disorders, are increasingly adopted in research and practice. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of the SDQ to detect concurrent mental health problems in a transdiagnostic sample of children. The sample were referred by health and educational professionals for difficulties related to learning (N = 389). Some had one diagnosis, others had multiple, but many had no diagnoses. Parent-rated SDQ scores were significantly positively correlated with parent ratings of mental health difficulties on the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). Ratings on the SDQ Emotion subscale significantly predicted the likelihood of having concurrent clinical anxiety and depression scores. Ratings on the Hyperactivity subscale predicted concurrent anxiety levels. These findings suggest the SDQ could be a valuable screening tool for identifying existing mental health difficulties in children recognized as struggling, as it can be in typically developing children and those with specific diagnoses

PARP-3 and APLF function together to accelerate nonhomologous end joining

PARP-3 is a member of the ADP-ribosyl transferase superfamily of unknown function. We show that PARP-3 is stimulated by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in vitro and functions in the same pathway as the poly (ADP-ribose)-binding protein APLF to accelerate chromosomal DNA DSB repair. We implicate PARP-3 in the accumulation of APLF at DSBs and demonstrate that APLF promotes the retention of XRCC4/DNA ligase IV complex in chromatin, suggesting that PARP-3 and APLF accelerate DNA ligation during nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ). Consistent with this, we show that class switch recombination in Aplf−/− B cells is biased toward microhomology-mediated end-joining, a pathway that operates in the absence of XRCC4/DNA ligase IV, and that the requirement for PARP-3 and APLF for NHEJ is circumvented by overexpression of XRCC4/DNA ligase IV. These data identify molecular roles for PARP-3 and APLF in chromosomal DNA double-strand break repair reactions

Dynamic nuclear polarization at 9 T using a novel 250 GHz gyrotron microwave source

In this communication, we report enhancements of nuclear spin polarization by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) in static and spinning solids at a magnetic field strength of 9 T (250 GHz for g = 2 electrons, 380 MHz for [superscript 1]H). In these experiments, [superscript 1]H enhancements of up to 170 ± 50 have been observed in 1-[superscript 13]C-glycine dispersed in a 60:40 glycerol/water matrix at temperatures of 20 K; in addition, we have observed significant enhancements in [superscript 15]N spectra of unoriented pf1-bacteriophage. Finally, enhancements of ~17 have been obtained in two-dimensional [superscript 13]C–[superscript 13]C chemical shift correlation spectra of the amino acid U–[superscript 13]C, [superscript 15]N-proline during magic angle spinning (MAS), demonstrating the stability of the DNP experiment for sustained acquisition and for quantitative experiments incorporating dipolar recoupling. In all cases, we have exploited the thermal mixing DNP mechanism with the nitroxide radical 4-amino-TEMPO as the paramagnetic dopant. These are the highest frequency DNP experiments performed to date and indicate that significant signal enhancements can be realized using the thermal mixing mechanism even at elevated magnetic fields. In large measure, this is due to the high microwave power output of the 250 GHz gyrotron oscillator used in these experiments.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Postgraduate Scholarship Fellowship)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant GM-35382)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant GM-55327)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant RR-00995