The Impact of After-School Programs That Promote Personal and Social Skills

The first of several reports to come from CASEL's major meta-analysisproject. Conducted in collaboration with Joseph Durlak of Loyola Universityand funded by the W.T. Grant Foundation, this first report describes thestrong positive effects after-school programs can have, and the conditionsneeded to realize these benefits

Student help seeking from pastoral care in UK high schools: a qualitative study

Background Little is known about high school students' perceptions of school-based pastoral support. This study aimed to explore this in the context of a high school–based emotional support project. Methods Qualitative interviews explored perspectives on help seeking of students (N = 23) and staff (N = 27) in three UK high schools where a pastoral project was introduced. Data were analysed thematically. Results Student peer groups perceived help seeking as a sign of weakness. However, students valued learning skills in managing emotions and friendships. Staff expressed concerns about students' ability to help seek proactively, and highlighted organisational influences on pastoral support. Conclusions Increasing student control over the process, and involving trusted staff, could encourage help seeking in high school. It is possible to access the views of students who do not help seek, to improve understanding of help-seeking behaviour

The implausibility of ‘usual care’ in an open system: sedation and weaning practices in Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) in the United Kingdom (UK)

Background: The power of the randomised controlled trial depends upon its capacity to operate in a closed system whereby the intervention is the only causal force acting upon the experimental group and absent in the control group, permitting a valid assessment of intervention efficacy. Conversely, clinical arenas are open systems where factors relating to context, resources, interpretation and actions of individuals will affect implementation and effectiveness of interventions. Consequently, the comparator (usual care) can be difficult to define and variable in multi-centre trials. Hence outcomes cannot be understood without considering usual care and factors that may affect implementation and impact on the intervention. Methods: Using a fieldwork approach, we describe PICU context, ‘usual’ practice in sedation and weaning from mechanical ventilation, and factors affecting implementation prior to designing a trial involving a sedation and ventilation weaning intervention. We collected data from 23 UK PICUs between June and November 2014 using observation, individual and multi-disciplinary group interviews with staff. Results: Pain and sedation practices were broadly similar in terms of drug usage and assessment tools. Sedation protocols linking assessment to appropriate titration of sedatives and sedation holds were rarely used (9 % and 4 % of PICUs respectively). Ventilator weaning was primarily a medical-led process with 39 % of PICUs engaging senior nurses in the process: weaning protocols were rarely used (9 % of PICUs). Weaning methods were variably based on clinician preference. No formal criteria or use of spontaneous breathing trials were used to test weaning readiness. Seventeen PICUs (74 %) had prior engagement in multi-centre trials, but limited research nurse availability. Barriers to previous trial implementation were intervention complexity, lack of belief in the evidence and inadequate training. Facilitating factors were senior staff buy-in and dedicated research nurse provision. Conclusions: We examined and identified contextual and organisational factors that may impact on the implementation of our intervention. We found usual practice relating to sedation, analgesia and ventilator weaning broadly similar, yet distinctively different from our proposed intervention, providing assurance in our ability to evaluate intervention effects. The data will enable us to develop an implementation plan; considering these factors we can more fully understand their impact on study outcomes

Thinkertoys in Informationland

During the past two centuries, men gained knowledge and power, which vastly increased their ability to predict and control, and they used these powers to make a world increasingly unpredictable and uncontrollable. </jats:p

A novel high-content immunofluorescence assay as a tool to identify at the single cell level γ-globin inducing compounds

The identification of drugs capable of reactivating γ-globin to ameliorate β-thalassemia and Sickle Cell anemia is still a challenge, as available γ-globin inducers still have limited clinical indications. High-throughput screenings (HTS) aimed to identify new potentially therapeutic drugs require suitable first-step-screening methods combining the possibility to detect variation in the γ/β globin ratio with the robustness of a cell line. We took advantage of a K562 cell line variant expressing β-globin (β-K562) to set up a new multiplexed high-content immunofluorescence assay for the quantification of γ-and β-globin content at single-cell level. The assay was validated by using the known globin inducers hemin, hydroxyurea and butyric acid and further tested in a pilot screening that confirmed HDACs as targets for γ-globin induction (as proved by siRNA-mediated HDAC3 knockdown and by treatment with HDACs inhibitors entinostat and dacinostat) and identified Heme-oxygenases as novel candidate targets for γ-globin induction. Indeed, Heme-oxygenase2 siRNA knockdown as well as its inhibition by Tin protoporphyrin-IX (TinPPIX) greatly increased γ-globin expression. This result is particularly interesting as several metalloporphyrins have already been developed for clinical uses and could be tested (alone or in combination with other drugs) to improve pharmacological γ-globin reactivation for the treatment of β-hemoglobinopathie

Role of electrical impedance tomography in clinical practice in pediatric respiratory medicine

This paper summarizes current knowledge about electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and its present and possible applications in clinical practice in pediatric respiratory medicine. EIT is a relatively new technique based on real-time monitoring of bioimpedance. Its possible application in clinical practice related to ventilation and perfusion monitoring in children has gaine increasing attention in recent years. Most of the currently published data is based on studies performed on small and heterogenous groups of patients. Thus the results need to be corroborated in future well-designed clinical trials. Firstly a short theoretical overview summarizing physical principles and main advantages and disadvantages is provided. It is followed by a review of the current data regarding EIT application in ventilation distribution monitoring in healthy individuals. Finally the most important studies utilizing EIT in ventilation and perfusion monitoring in critically ill newborns and children are outlined

The social and emotional dimensions of schooling : a case study in challenging the ‘barriers to learning’

The educational landscape in England and Wales is shaped by demands made on head teachers, teachers and pupils to perform within a ‘field of judgement’ dominated by clearly defined outcomes of academic success (Ball 2003). This puts schools from challenging socio-economic contexts where there are potentially ‘barriers to learning’ at a considerable disadvantage. This paper draws on case study data from an English secondary school in an area of considerable deprivation. The empirical focus revolves around school participants’ perceptions and understandings of the social and emotional dimensions of schooling. The emphasis on the relational and emotional work undertaken by teaching staff underpins the case study school’s approach to challenging the barriers to learning. A number of themes and concerns are reported in this paper including relational work in school which extends into the community, the school as a sprawling network of communication and the heighted role of the emotions at a number of levels in school. In drawing on interview data from teachers, school managers, pupils and parents we are developing a model of schooling that approximates to Fielding’s (2006) conception of a ‘people oriented learning community’

Internal and external threat in relationship with right-wing attitudes

Objective Previous studies on the relationship between threat and right-wing attitudes have tended to focus on either internal threat, emanating from one's private life, or external threat, originating from society. However, these studies failed to examine whether these types of threats constitute two distinctive dimensions and which of these threats is most closely related to right-wing attitudes. Method In order to explore the dimensions underlying threat, a factor analysis on a variety of threat scales was conducted (Study 1; N?=?300). Furthermore, in a meta-analysis (Study 2; total N?=?22,086) and a questionnaire study in a large representative sample (Study 3, N?=?800) the strength of the relationships of internal and external threat with right-wing attitudes were investigated. Results The present studies revealed that internal and external threat can be considered as two distinct dimensions underlying threat. Moreover, whereas external threat yielded strong relationships with right-wing attitudes, internal threat only explained a minor part of the variance in these attitudes. Conclusions External rather than internal threat underlies the relationship between threat and right-wing attitudes

Aortic aneurysm – current state of knowledge analysis

Introduction: Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) are rare vascular pathologies involving the aorta from the descending thoracic to the abdominal segments. Due to their asymptomatic progression and high risk of rupture, they present significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Although endovascular repair has become increasingly common, open surgical repair remains essential for complex or extensive aneurysms. Aim of the study: This study aims to summarize current knowledge on the etiology, classification, diagnosis, and classical surgical treatment of TAAAs. Materials and methods: A literature review was conducted focusing on diagnostic modalities, surgical techniques, and clinical outcomes. Special emphasis was placed on Crawford’s classification and protective measures during open repair. Results: TAAAs represent ~3% of all aortic aneurysms. Risk of rupture rises significantly with diameter, exceeding 14% annually for aneurysms &gt;6 cm. CT angiography remains the diagnostic gold standard. Point-of-care ultrasound and MRI are useful adjuncts. Open surgery, although technically demanding, remains essential for extensive disease. Perioperative complications include spinal cord injury and renal failure. Techniques such as cerebrospinal fluid drainage and left heart bypass improve safety and outcomes. Conclusion: Open repair of TAAAs remains a key therapeutic approach. Early detection, optimal imaging, and tailored intraoperative strategies are essential to reduce complications and improve prognosis

THE EFFECT OF GIBBERELLIC ACID AND BENZYLADENINE ON THE YIELD OF (Allium karataviense Regel.) ‘IVORY QUEEN’

The research focused on the effect of GA3 and BA on the yield of Allium&nbsp;karataviense ‘Ivory Queen’. The substances in concentration of 500 mg.dm-3 were appliedin the form of a 60-minute bulb soaking prior to planting or plant spraying in the green&nbsp;bud phase. It was discovered that GA3 applied in the both forms causes the inflorescence&nbsp;shoot elongation and the increased number of flowers in inflorescence, and increases the&nbsp;total yield expressed in the bulb weight. When applied in the form of plant spraying, it increases&nbsp;the number of bulbs in the total yield. Plant spraying with BA leads to the production&nbsp;of a greater number of flowers in inflorescence. BA application in the both forms increases&nbsp;the total yield expressed in the bulb weight