Elementary Teachers’ Ideologies On The Experience Of A Mixed-Race Student

With bi/multi-racial students existing within a nebulous racial categorization that has been historically defined to support an economic agenda, creating a positive self-identity for students in this group can be challenging. This article examined those challenges by exploring the reflections of elementary level teachers’ classroom practices and perceptions of the collective elementary educational experience of one bi-racial student in a southeastern U.S. public school

Teachers’ Influence On Black/White Biracial Student Identity Development

The purpose of this study was to report on what teachers and parents see as significant factors affecting Black-White biracial student identity development. Through a qualitative case study using individual interviews with parents and grandparents of a Black/White biracial child and the child’s teachers, various factors affecting Black/White biracial identity development emerged. Historical laws, court cases, U.S. Census reports, theoretical data, and identity models were examined and explored to provide a clear argument that Black/White biracial individuals have historically been marginalized and that this marginalization within society has carried over into our current curricular and instructional practices within schools. This study examined the teacher’s role in affecting Black/White biracial student identity development and found that teachers play a crucial role in the development of Black/White biracial student identities

Light scattering study of attractive interactions in a model microemulsion system

Static and dynamic (photon correlation spectroscopy) light scattering studies were conducted on AOT/WATER/n- DECANE microemulsions near room temperature. The molar ratio of water to AOT was varied from W = 20 to 30. The volume fractions of the studied microemulsions ranged from $ = 0.03 to 0.45. Static light scattering data was modeled by a theory based on attractive perturbations to hard spheres. From the model, values for A, the attractive perturbation to the second virial coefficient, were determined. It was found that A is an increasing function of W. Photon correlation spectra were analyzed in terms of an adhesive sphere model to produce corresponding values of A, which were compared to the statically determined A-values. The two methods produced A values that were not in agreement within experimental error, however the methods independently had reasonable agreement between theory and experiment

Cognitive impairment among patients with multiple sclerosis:associations with employment and quality of life

OBJECTIVES To explore the relationship between cognitive impairment and conventional measures of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS), quality of life (QOL) and employment status using the brief international cognitive assessment for multiple sclerosis (BICAMS) in the routine outpatient clinic. METHODS 62 patients with MS were assessed on the BICAMS test battery for cognitive impairment. Data were obtained on employment status and a number of questionnaires completed including fatigue severity score, multiple sclerosis neuropsychological questionnaire, hospital anxiety and depression scale, the functional assessment of multiple sclerosis (FAMS) as well as on the EuroQOL five dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D). Other assessments include the patient activation measure and unidimensional self-efficacy scale for multiple sclerosis. RESULTS Cognitive assessment revealed 44 subjects (65%) had evidence of cognitive impairment on formal testing. In comparison with patients without evidence of cognitive impairment, cognitively impaired patients exhibited significantly higher rates of unemployment (p=0.009). The symbol digits modalities test was the most significant predictor of unemployment. Cognitive impairment was associated with lower QOL scores on the FAMS (p=0.001) and EQ-5D (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS BICAMS provides a sensitive and easy to administer screening test for cognitive impairment within the outpatient setting. Cognitive impairment is common in our cohort of patients with MS attending outpatients and appears to be associated with increased rates of unemployment and lower measures of QOL

Quantitative sensory testing in children with sickle cell disease: additional insights and future possibilities.

Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is used in a variety of pain disorders to characterize pain and predict prognosis and response to specific therapies. In this study, we aimed to confirm results in the literature documenting altered QST thresholds in sickle cell disease (SCD) and assess the test-retest reliability of results over time. Fifty-seven SCD and 60 control subjects aged 8-20 years underwent heat and cold detection and pain threshold testing using a Medoc TSAII. Participants were tested at baseline and 3 months; SCD subjects were additionally tested at 6 months. An important facet of our study was the development and use of a novel QST modelling approach, allowing us to model all data together across modalities. We have not demonstrated significant differences in thermal thresholds between subjects with SCD and controls. Thermal thresholds were consistent over a 3- to 6-month period. Subjects on whom hydroxycarbamide (HC) was initiated shortly before or after baseline testing (new HC users) exhibited progressive decreases in thermal sensitivity from baseline to 6 months, suggesting that thermal testing may be sensitive to effective therapy to prevent vasoocclusive pain. These findings inform the use of QST as an endpoint in the evaluation of preventative pain therapies

Health literacy and its association with adherence in pediatric liver transplant recipients and their parents

ObjectiveNon- adherence to pediatric regimens is a common concern. Low health literacy is correlated with poor outcomes in adults but is understudied in pediatrics. The current project aimed to determine the relationship between health literacy, adherence, and outcomes in pediatric liver transplant recipients. Hypotheses included a) parent and patient health literacy would be positively correlated; and b) low patient and/or parent health literacy would be negatively correlated with adherence and health outcomes.Patients and MethodsEligible participants were recruited during routine follow- up visits in a pediatric liver transplant clinic. Parents and patients (>13 years old) completed 2 measures of health literacy. Patients - ¥18 years completed health literacy measures without corresponding parent surveys. Adherence variables and health outcomes were obtained from medical records.ResultsSeventy- nine patients across two sites completed the study. Variance in classification of health literacy between measures was observed; however, most parents (82%- 100%) scored within an - adequate literacy- range. More adolescents scored in lower health literacy ranges relative to the parents. Markers of SES were positively correlated with health literacy. Parent health literacy was negatively associated with biopsy- proven rejection episodes and the number of hospitalizations; however, it was not associated with measures of tacrolimus adherence. There were no relationships observed between parent and adolescent health literacy.ConclusionsHealth literacy is an important consideration in managing patient care; however, available measures demonstrate variability in capturing the skills of patients. Effective communication strategies may ameliorate admittedly small, but negative, impacts of limited health literacy on outcomes.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156215/2/petr13726_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156215/1/petr13726.pd

Collaborative College Leadership

With the collaborative leadership style of a new dean, the Dean’s Executive Council (associate deans, school directors, chair) in the BGSU College of Education and Human Development transformed operations of the team and our work with college faculty. This has reenergized the college and garnered substantial faculty support and engagement

The Winter Camp of the Viking Great Army, AD 872–3, Torksey, Lincolnshire

This paper presents the results of a multidisciplinary project that has revealed the location, extent and character of the winter camp of the Viking Great Army at Torksey, Lincolnshire, of AD 872–3. The camp lay within a naturally defended area of higher ground, partially surrounded by marshes and bordered by the River Trent on its western side. It is considerably larger than the Viking camp of 873–4 previously excavated at Repton, Derbyshire, and lacks the earthwork defences identified there. Several thousand individuals overwintered in the camp, including warriors, craftworkers and merchants. An exceptionally large and rich metalwork assemblage was deposited during the Great Army’s overwintering, and metal processing and trading was undertaken. There is no evidence for a pre-existing Anglo-Saxon trading site here; the site appears to have been chosen for its strategic location and its access to resources. In the wake of the overwintering, Torksey developed as an important Anglo-Saxon borough with a major wheel-thrown pottery industry and multiple churches and cemeteries. The Torksey evidence allows for a radical reappraisal of the character of Viking winter camps, and the legacy of the Viking Great Army for Anglo-Saxon England

A randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a single session of nurse administered massage for short term relief of chronic non-malignant pain

Background: Massage is increasingly used to manage chronic pain but its benefit has not been clearly established. The aim of the study is to determine the effectiveness of a single session of nurse-administered massage for the short term relief of chronic non-malignant pain and anxiety. Methods: A randomised controlled trial design was used, in which the patients were assigned to a massage or control group. The massage group received a 15 minute manual massage and the control group a 15 minute visit to talk about their pain. Adult patients attending a pain relief unit with a diagnosis of chronic pain whose pain was described as moderate or severe were eligible for the study. An observer blind to the patients' treatment group carried out assessments immediately before (baseline), after treatment and 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours later. Pain was assessed using 100 mm visual analogue scale and the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Pain Relief was assessed using a five point verbal rating scale. Anxiety was assessed with the Spielberger short form State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results: 101 patients were randomised and evaluated, 50 in the massage and 51 in the control group. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups at baseline interview. Patients in the massage but not the control group had significantly less pain compared to baseline immediately after and one hour post treatment. 95% confidence interval for the difference in mean pain reduction at one hour post treatment between the massage and control groups is 5.47 mm to 24.70 mm. Patients in the massage but not the control group had a statistically significant reduction in anxiety compared to baseline immediately after and at 1 hour post treatment. Conclusion: Massage is effective in the short term for chronic pain of moderate to severe intensity

The case for Tai Chi in the repertoire of strategies to prevent falls among older people

Falls among older people is a global public health issue. In this article, Dr Samuel Nyman of Bournemouth University Dementia Research Institute, and Professor Dawn Skelton, Institute for Applied Health Research, Glasgow Caledonian University highlight the effectiveness of Tai Chi as an alternative strategy to physiotherapy to combat this issue