Comparison of Traditional Pull-out Therapy Versus Collaborative Classroom-based Services on Articulation Skills

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the improvement of articulation skills of children who received speech services through collaborative classroom-based intervention versus those who were provided services through traditional pull-out therapy. Nine children in first and second grades were treated using a collaborative classroom-based model and eleven first and second grade children were provided treatment in a pull-out setting. All twenty students were assessed using the Secord Contextual Articulation Tests (S-CAT) (Secord & Shine, 1997) at the beginning and end of the study. Children treated in the classroom setting weekly received 30 minutes of intervention time from the SLP and their respective classroom teacher as well as an additional 10 minutes (total of 40 minutes of intervention) of individual treatment, which was conducted within the classroom setting. Children participating in the pull-out model received two 20-minute sessions of intervention each week. Results revealed that children who participated in collaborative classroom-based intervention made significantly greater gains in their percent accuracy on IEP goal phonemes produced in words and story telling tasks than children who participated in the traditional pull-out model of intervention. The significantly greater mean gains recognized by the collaborative classroom-based group may have been a result of peer and teacher influence and child practice in a natural setting throughout the school year. The regular classroom environment may be the least restrictive environment for treating some early elementary children with mild to moderate articulation deficits

Comparison of Traditional Pull-out Therapy Versus Collaborative Classroom-based Services on Articulation Skills

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the improvement of articulation skills of children who received speech services through collaborative classroom-based intervention versus those who were provided services through traditional pull-out therapy. Nine children in first and second grades were treated using a collaborative classroom-based model and eleven first and second grade children were provided treatment in a pull-out setting. All twenty students were assessed using the Secord Contextual Articulation Tests (S-CAT) (Secord & Shine, 1997) at the beginning and end of the study. Children treated in the classroom setting weekly received 30 minutes of intervention time from the SLP and their respective classroom teacher as well as an additional 10 minutes (total of 40 minutes of intervention) of individual treatment, which was conducted within the classroom setting. Children participating in the pull-out model received two 20-minute sessions of intervention each week. Results revealed that children who participated in collaborative classroom-based intervention made significantly greater gains in their percent accuracy on IEP goal phonemes produced in words and story telling tasks than children who participated in the traditional pull-out model of intervention. The significantly greater mean gains recognized by the collaborative classroom-based group may have been a result of peer and teacher influence and child practice in a natural setting throughout the school year. The regular classroom environment may be the least restrictive environment for treating some early elementary children with mild to moderate articulation deficits

Employee Engagement, Voice Mechanisms, and Enterprise Social Network Sites (ESNS)

Effective organizational communication allowing a two-way flow of communication between subordinates and upper management can foster greater levels of engagement and productivity. This is often referred to as providing opportunities for direct employee voice. Understanding the influence and impact of ICTs on employee voice and engagement are critical for the success of modern organizations. ICTs can enhance the reach, speed, and interaction among employees, and between employees and management. Observing the success of social technologies for personal use, employers have been eager to capitalize on social technologies to engage employees by implementing enterprise social network sites (ESNS). Whether ESNS will be an effective tool in enhancing voice and engagement, and what potential drawbacks exist for employees and firms have yet to be fully studied. This article presents a review of the literature on the intersection of employee voice, engagement, and ICTs, and suggests a research framework to guide study of ESNS for organizational employee voice

Human spinal cord in vitro differentiation pace is initially maintained in heterologous embryonic environments

Species-specific differentiation pace in vitro indicates that some aspects of neural differentiation are governed by cell intrinsic properties. Here we describe a novel in vitro human neural-rosette assay that recapitulates dorsal spinal cord differentiation but proceeds more rapidly than in the human embryo, suggesting that it lacks endogenous signalling dynamics. To test whether in vitro conditions represent an intrinsic differentiation pace, human iPSC-derived neural rosettes were challenged by grafting into the faster differentiating chicken embryonic neural tube iso-chronically, or hetero-chronically into older embryos. In both contexts in vitro differentiation pace was initially unchanged, while long-term analysis revealed iso-chronic slowed and hetero-chronic conditions promoted human neural differentiation. Moreover, hetero-chronic conditions did not alter the human neural differentiation programme, which progressed to neurogenesis, while the host embryo advanced into gliogenesis. This study demonstrates that intrinsic properties limit human differentiation pace, and that timely extrinsic signals are required for progression through an intrinsic human neural differentiation programme

Releasing latent compassion through an innovative compassion curriculum for Specialist Community Public Health Nurses

Aims: To evaluate the impact of a curriculum based on the Compassionate Mind Model designed to facilitate the expression of compassion in Specialist Community Public Health Nurses. Background: The Compassionate Mind Model identifies that fear of compassion creates a barrier to the flow of compassion. There is some evidence linking self-compassion to compassionate care but no previous research has explored this potential with post registration specialist community public health nursing students. Design: Prospective, longitudinal design using focus group interviews. Methods: 26 students (81% of cohort) agreed to participate in a wider evaluation (2014-2015). For this study, two groups were drawn from those participants (total 13 students) who attended audio-taped group interviews at the course mid- and end-points to explore their perceptions on compassion and compassionate care. Transcripts were analysed thematically. Findings: A number of sub-themes were identified. ‘Cultural change in the NHS’, ‘Workload and meeting targets’ and ‘Lack of time were barriers to compassionate care, as was negative ‘Role modelling’. These were collated under a macro-theme of ‘A culture lacking in compassion’. Secondly, the sub-themes ‘Actualisation of compassion’ and ‘Transformation’ were collated within a macro-theme: ‘Realisation of compassion’. This theme identified realisation of latent compassion from their previous roles that in some transferred into students’ personal lives suggesting a transformation beyond professional attitude. Conclusion: The curriculum facilitated a realisation of compassion in students over the period of the course by enhancing their capacity to be self-compassionate and by actualisation of compassion that had previously been suppressed

Perceived benefits and challenges of using an electronic cancer prediction system for safety netting in primary care: an exploratory study of C the Signs

Objectives: This paper reports on an exploratory study into the perceived benefits and challenges of using an electronic cancer prediction system, C the Signs, for safety netting within a Primary Care Network (PCN) in the East of England. Methods: The study involved semi-structured interviews and a qualitative questionnaire with a sample of 15 clinicians and practice administrators within four GP practices in the PCN. Results: Participants generally perceived benefits of C the Signs for managing and monitoring referrals as part of post-consultation safety netting. Clinicians made little use of the decision support function though, as part of safety netting during the consultation, and referrals were still sent by administrators, rather than directly by clinicians through C the Signs. Conclusion: Emphasising the benefits of C the Signs for post-consultation safety netting is most likely to gain buy-in to the system from clinicians, and can also be used by administrators for shared visibility of referrals. More evidence is needed on the value of C the Signs for safety netting during the consultation, through better diagnosis of cancer, before this is seen as a valued benefit by clinicians and provides motivation to use the system

Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 mediates gonadotropin-releasing hormone signaling to a specific extracellularly regulated kinase-sensitive transcriptional locus in the luteinizing hormone beta-subunit gene

G protein-coupled receptor regulation of gene transcription primarily occurs through the phosphorylation of transcription factors by MAPKs. This requires transduction of an activating signal via scaffold proteins that can ultimately determine the outcome by binding signaling kinases and adapter proteins with effects on the target transcription factor and locus of activation. By investigating these mechanisms, we have elucidated how pituitary gonadotrope cells decode an input GnRH signal into coherent transcriptional output from the LH β-subunit gene promoter. We show that GnRH activates c-Src and multiple members of the MAPK family, c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase 1/2, p38MAPK, and ERK1/2. Using dominant-negative point mutations and chemical inhibitors, we identified that calcium-dependent proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 specifically acts as a scaffold for a focal adhesion/cytoskeleton-dependent complex comprised of c-Src, Grb2, and mSos that translocates an ERK-activating signal to the nucleus. The locus of action of ERK was specifically mapped to early growth response-1 (Egr-1) DNA binding sites within the LH β-subunit gene proximal promoter, which was also activated by p38MAPK, but not c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase 1/2. Egr-1 was confirmed as the transcription factor target of ERK and p38MAPK by blockade of protein expression, transcriptional activity, and DNA binding. We have identified a novel GnRH-activated proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2-dependent ERK-mediated signal transduction pathway that specifically regulates Egr-1 activation of the LH β-subunit proximal gene promoter, and thus provide insight into the molecular mechanisms required for differential regulation of gonadotropin gene expression