Collaborations Between Speech-Language Pathology and Early Childhood Special Education Graduate Programs

There is limited documentation on interprofessional education (IPE) between graduate speech-language pathology and early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) programs. Because collaborative relationships can lead to IPE, this study examined the current state of collaborative relationships between speech-language pathology and EI/ECSE graduate programs and faculty. A mixed-method design was conducted. Closed- and open-ended survey questions were sent to representatives of 266 graduate speech-language pathology programs. There was a 29% (77/266) overall response rate. Out of 77 graduate speech-language pathology programs, 27% (21/77) indicated an emphasis in EI, 17% (13/77) in ECSE, and 14% (11/77) in EI/ECSE combined. Respondents reported collaborative relationships in the forms of shared coursework, clinical experiences, and research. Although some respondents engaged in collaborative relationships, their reported barriers contribute to an instruction-practice gap. Program respondents indicated that collaboration between graduate speech-language pathology and EI/ECSE programs and faculty occurred in a variety of ways

Problem Solving Interventions: Impact on Young Children with Developmental Disabilities

Problem-solving skills are imperative to a child\u27s growth and success across multiple environments, including general and special education. Problem solving is comprised of: (a) attention to the critical aspects of a problem, (b) generation of solution(s) to solve the problem, (c) application of a solution(s) to the identified problem, and (d) evaluation of the consequences of the solution. Children with developmental disabilities may experience difficulty with the problem-solving process. The purpose of this study was to determine an effective method to teach young children with developmental disabilities to problem solve. Specifically, this study compared two types of problem-solving instruction. The two interventions compared for this study were, Literacy-Based Structured Problem-Solving instruction followed by embedded problem solving opportunities and Literacy-Based Structured Problem-Solving followed by Center-Based Direct Instruction. Results of this study support the use of problem-solving instruction among young children with developmental disabilities. Both interventions were effective for improving the ability of young children with developmental disabilities to learn and apply the steps within the problem-solving process. Significant gains were made at posttest for both instructional groups on the acquisition of identifying a problem, identifying a solution, and evaluating a problem solution. Although both interventions were significant over time, further comparison indicated that children who received the combined method of instruction (Literacy-Based Structured Problem-Solving and Center-Based Direct Instruction) were more capable of applying problem-solving strategies

Impact of natural organic matter on particle behavior and phototoxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles

Due to their inherent phototoxicity and inevitable environmental release, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano- TiO2) are increasingly studied in the field of aquatic toxicology. One of the particular interests is the interactions between nano-TiO2 and natural organic matter (NOM). In this study, a series of experiments was conducted to study the impacts of Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM) on phototoxicity and particle behaviors of nano-TiO2. For Daphnia magna, after the addition of 5 mg/L SRNOM, LC50 value decreased significantly from 1.03 (0.89–1.20) mg/L to 0.26 (0.22–0.31) mg/L. For zebrafish larvae, phototoxic LC50 values were 39.9 (95% CI, 25.9–61.2) mg/L and 26.3 (95% CI, 18.3–37.8) mg/L, with or without the presence of 5 mg/L SRNOM, respectively. There was no statistically significant change of these LC50 values. The impact of SRNOM on phototoxicity of nano- TiO2 was highly dependent on test species, with D. magna being the more sensitive species. The impact on particle behavior was both qualitatively and quantitatively examined. A global predictive model for particle behavior was developed with a three-way interaction of SRNOM, TiO2 concentration, and time and an additive effect of ionic strength. Based on power analyses, 96-h exposure in bioassayswas recommended for nanoparticle–NOM interaction studies. The importance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) quenching of SRNOMwas also systematically studied using a novel exposure system that isolates the effects of environmental factors. These experiments were conducted with minimal impacts of other important interaction mechanisms (NOM particle stabilization, NOM UV attenuation, and NOM photosensitization). This study highlighted both the particle stabilization and ROS quenching effects of NOM on nano-TiO2 in an aquatic system. There is an urgent need for representative test materials, together with key environmental factors, for future risk assessment and regulations of nanomaterials

Heads Up: Using Your Brain When Tackling Concussions

Introduction: A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) typically caused by bio-mechanical forces inflicted on the head that change the way the brain works. Concussions can also result from a blow elsewhere in the body causing an impulsive force transmitted to the head. These types of injuries often involve a sudden onset of neurologic function impairment such as confusion, amnesia, or loss of consciousness that quickly dissipates and is generally not life-threatening. Unfortunately, these seemingly “mild” symptoms have led numerous primary care providers to undermine its potential risks, often leading to inadequate evaluation, premature return to play, and poor psychological management. Complications of severe or repeated concussions include migraines, depression & mood changes, sleep disorders, convulsions, coma, and in some instances even death. The goals of our study were to evaluate public awareness and knowledge of concussion, identify common misconceptions, assess barriers to proper management, and propose uniform guidelines for education, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to be used in the Vermont school system.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1051/thumbnail.jp

Training in Trauma-Informed Care (TIC): An Evidence-Based Practice Project

This Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) project examined the following question: What are the characteristics and effectiveness of trauma-informed care (TIC) training on the performance of health professionals and organizations who provide services to populations who have experienced trauma (traumatic events or ACE)

Neutralizing antibodies protect mice against Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus aerosol challenge

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) remains a risk for epidemic emergence or use as an aerosolized bioweapon. To develop possible countermeasures, we isolated VEEV-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from mice and a human immunized with attenuated VEEV strains. Functional assays and epitope mapping established that potently inhibitory anti-VEEV mAbs bind distinct antigenic sites in the A or B domains of the E2 glycoprotein and block multiple steps in the viral replication cycle including attachment, fusion, and egress. A 3.2-Å cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of VEEV virus-like particles bound by a human Fab suggests that antibody engagement of the B domain may result in cross-linking of neighboring spikes to prevent conformational requirements for viral fusion. Prophylaxis or postexposure therapy with these mAbs protected mice against lethal aerosol challenge with VEEV. Our study defines functional and structural mechanisms of mAb protection and suggests that multiple antigenic determinants on VEEV can be targeted for vaccine or antibody-based therapeutic development

Supporting child witnesses during identification lineups: Exploring the effectiveness of Registered Intermediaries

Performance at identification lineup was assessed in 85 6- to 11-year-old typically developing children. Children viewed a live staged event involving two male actors, and were asked to identify the perpetrators from two separate lineups (one perpetrator present lineup, and one perpetrator absent lineup). Half the children took part in lineups adapted by a Registered Intermediary (an impartial, trained professional who facilitates understanding and communication between vulnerable witnesses and members of the justice system), and half took part in ‘Best-Practice’ lineups, according to current guidance for eyewitness identification in England and Wales. Children receiving assistance from a Registered Intermediary (relative to children who received ‘Best-Practice’ lineups) were more accurate in their identifications for perpetrator present lineups, and there was some evidence that they were also more accurate for perpetrator absent lineups. This provides the first empirical evidence for the effectiveness of Registered Intermediary support during identification lineups

Changing the culture of social care in Scotland: Has a shift to personalization brought about transformative change?

In April 2014, the Social Care (Self Directed Support) Act 2013 (SDS) was implemented in Scotland. This marked a major shift in how social care is delivered and organised for both users and professionals across the country. Whilst it emerged through the personalisation agenda - which has dominated international social care systems over recent years - SDS represented a significant shift in thinking for service provision in Scotland. In this article, we review the initial stages of policy implementation. Drawing on two Freedom of Information requests from 2015 and 2016 and a series of interviews with local authority practitioners, we argue that, to date, SDS has yet to produce radical transformative change. We explore the reasons behind this through four key themes. Firstly, we highlight the challenges of promoting the principles of coproduction in policy and suggest that in reality, this has been compromised through SDS implementation. Secondly, we suggest that SDS has been caught up in a policy overload and ultimately overshadowed by new legislation for health and social care integration. In looking at the impact of this relationship, our third theme questions the role of new partnership working. Finally we argue that the timing of SDS in a period of acute austerity in social care has resulted in disabled people being offered limited choice rather than increased opportunities for independent living