School Psychology Crossroads in America: Discrepancies between Actual and Preferred Discrete Practices and Barriers to Preferred Practice

A nationally representative sample of American school psychology practitioners were surveyed to analyze discrepancies that they experience between their actual discrete practices and their preferred discrete practices relative to several domains of practice including assessment, intervention, meetings, and continuing education. Discrepancies were also analyzed relative to service delivery in three levels of prevention (primary, secondary, and tertiary). Results indicate that practicing school psychologists experience significant discrepancies between actual and preferred practices in all discrete practices, with the largest discrepancies by hours noted in the discrete practices of report writing, prevention screening, CBA/CBM administration, IQ testing, and conducting research. Respondents also indicated a clear preference for participating in significantly more primary-level and secondary-level prevention efforts. Barriers to preferred practices were analyzed with the most commonly reported barriers being time and administrative expectations. Findings are discussed in terms of emerging models of school psychology, including problem-solving and response-to-intervention, and implications for the international practice of school psychology

Comparison of Cyclic Nucloetide Phosphodiesterase in Physarum favicomum

We have studied both cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase in the myxomycete Physarum flavicomum. The cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase preparations were isolated from both the diploid plasmodial stage of the lifecycle and the haploid myxamoebal stage. The plasmodial enzyme was prepared from spent medium (extracellular) and also from purified nuclei. The myxamoebal enzyme was prepared from purified nuclei. Cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activity was studied in purified nuclei isolated from the plasmodium. One unusual feature of all the enzymes from the plasmodium is extreme heat stability; they remain catalytically active even after exposure to a boiling water bath for twenty minutes. The myxamoebae enzyme lost all activity after five minutes in a boiling water bath. All four enzyme preparations gave linear product formation with time and all were inhibited by isobutyl-methyl xanthine, a potent competitive inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase

Ultrastructural pathology of primary ciliary dyskinesia: report about 125 cases in Germany

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetically induced disorder of cilia inducing mainly respiratory diseases. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of ciliary ultrastructure is classically used for diagnosis. We report our experience of TEM investigations in a large series of patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>TEM analysis performed of 742 biopsies from patients with suspected PCD was reviewed retrospectively. Ultrastructural defects were analysized further in 125 cases with changes typical for PCD.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In 18.1% of patients diagnosis of PCD was made because of morphological alterations, in 68.2% secondary changes were seen. In 13.7% material was not feasible for analysis. Mostly defects of dynein arms were detected in PCD (96.8%). In particular defects of the inner arms (51.2%) and combined dynein defects (37.6%) were found. Total loss of dynein arms was dominant. Only in 3.2% deficiencies of central structures were found alone. Associated situs inversus or dextracardia was reported clinically in 21.4%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>TEM analysis is possible in most patients and a useful tool for diagnosis of PCD. Functional and genetic analysis should be done additionally. Registers should be installed to collect all available informations and push further research.</p

Very Low Tidal Volume Ventilation with Associated Hypercapnia - Effects on Lung Injury in a Model for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Ventilation using low tidal volumes with permission of hypercapnia is recommended to protect the lung in acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, the most lung protective tidal volume in association with hypercapnia is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of different tidal volumes with associated hypercapnia on lung injury and gas exchange in a model for acute respiratory distress syndrome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this randomized controlled experiment sixty-four surfactant-depleted rabbits were exposed to 6 hours of mechanical ventilation with the following targets: Group 1: tidal volume = 8-10 ml/kg/PaCO(2) = 40 mm Hg; Group 2: tidal volume = 4-5 ml/kg/PaCO(2) = 80 mm Hg; Group 3: tidal volume = 3-4 ml/kg/PaCO(2) = 120 mm Hg; Group 4: tidal volume = 2-3 ml/kg/PaCO(2) = 160 mm Hg. Decreased wet-dry weight ratios of the lungs, lower histological lung injury scores and higher PaO(2) were found in all low tidal volume/hypercapnia groups (group 2, 3, 4) as compared to the group with conventional tidal volume/normocapnia (group 1). The reduction of the tidal volume below 4-5 ml/kg did not enhance lung protection. However, oxygenation and lung protection were maintained at extremely low tidal volumes in association with very severe hypercapnia and no adverse hemodynamic effects were observed with this strategy. CONCLUSION: Ventilation with low tidal volumes and associated hypercapnia was lung protective. A tidal volume below 4-5 ml/kg/PaCO(2) 80 mm Hg with concomitant more severe hypercapnic acidosis did not increase lung protection in this surfactant deficiency model. However, even at extremely low tidal volumes in association with severe hypercapnia lung protection and oxygenation were maintained

The first records of Rickia wasmannii Cavara, 1899, a myrmecophilous fungus, and its Myrmica Latreille, 1804 host ants in Hungary and Romania (Ascomycetes: Laboulbeniales; Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Rickia wasmannii CAVARA, 1899 (Ascomycetes: Laboul-beniales) obligately exploits ants (for a review on Laboul-beniales: WEIR & BLACKWELL 2005; and for one espe-cially on myrmecophilous species: HERRAIZ & ESPADALER 2007). The ants appear to be neutral to the presence of this fungus on their cuticules (A. Tartally, pers. obs.). Myrmica LATREILLE, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) species are reported to be the usual hosts of R. wasmannii (HERRAIZ & ESPADALER 2007). To the best of our knowledge, this fungus has not been reported previously from the Carpa-thian Basin. The occurrence of R. wasmannii was checked on 5788 Myrmica specimens from 580 colonies collected between 2001 and 2006 at 26 sites in Hungary and three sites in Transylvania, Romania (Fig. 1), and the density of the fungus on the different parts of the body of infected Myrmica specimens was estimated. The fungus was pres-ent on 353 infected ant specimens in 45 colonies at nine Hungarian and two Transylvanian sites (Fig. 1). Although 11 Myrmica species (M. gallienii BONDROIT, 1920; M. lobi-cornis NYLANDER, 1846; M. lonae FINZI, 1926; M. rubra (LINNAEUS, 1758); M. ruginodis NYLANDER, 1846; M. sa-buleti MEINERT, 1861; M. salina RUZSKY, 1905; M. scabri-nodis NYLANDER, 1846; M. schencki VIERECK, 1903; M. specioides BONDROIT, 1918 and M. vandeli BONDROIT, 1920) were involved in our work, only four of them (M. salina, M. scabrinodis, M. specioides and M. vandeli) were found to be infected. M. scabrinodis was the most common host, and M. salina was most heavily infected. The fungus was present on workers (Figs. 2 - 4) and dealate (old) queens, but not on males, alate (young) queens and larvae. How-ever, the numbers of males, alate queens and larvae exam-ined were small. Our results indicate that it is quite prob-able that R. wasmannii could be found at several other sites in the Carpathian Basin with a more intensive survey

Structural validity and reliability of the Danish self-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire among male and female students in vocational education and training

Objective: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a widely used mental health screening instrument among children and adolescents and increasingly used by welfare professionals in Denmark. However, the psychometric properties of the SDQ-self report (SDQ-S) among vocationaleducation and training (VET) students are unknown. We assess the structural validity, internal consistency reliability, and test-retest reliability of the Danish SDQ-S among these students. Method: The SDQ-S was tested twice in a sample of VET students (sample N = 486; mean age = 17 years) with 10 to 14 days in-between. Using separate analyses for men (n = 371) and women (n = 115), structural validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis; internal consistency was assessed using composite reliability (CR); and test-retest reliability using Pearson’s correlation.Results: Overall, the results provide inconsistent support for the five-factor first-order model, especially among males. CR was acceptable for all five scales except for Peer problems (among females and males) and Conduct (among males only). Test-retest reliability was satisfactory for all scales among females but for only two of the five scales (Conduct, Hyperactivity) among men.Conclusion: Overall, the SDQ-S is a more valid and reliable instrument among females. Results suggest caution in using the SDQ-S among VET students, in particular males