A perspective of teachers’ appropriation of educational innovations

Purpose – This paper proposes a framework describing teachers’ affective and cognitive thought processes, as well as the sensemaking and decision-making ongoing within them, during the various stages of the appropriation of an educational innovation. Design/methodology/approach – The Rubicon model of action phases, borrowed from psychology, is first used as a lens to understand teacher will. The model is subsequently adapted to reconcile it with existing literature on teacher beliefs, teacher sensemaking, and teacher resistance. Findings – The proposed framework shows that teachers’ appropriation of an educational innovation is multi-layered and multi-dimensional. This contradicts appropriation as simply a procedural implementation of research recommendations, culminating in only success or failure. Originality/value – The paper sensitises policy makers, school leaders, and teacher educators to the complexity of the appropriation process. The proposed framework serves as a starting point for school and reform leaders, to re-examine their school’s implementation of an educational innovation from a more human relations perspective. Keywords Appropriation, Educational innovations, Implementation, Rubicon model, Teacher beliefs, Teacher sensemaking. Paper type Conceptual pape

The use of video role play for teaching therapeutic communication skills

Background: Effective Communication is a fundamental skill for practice across health care settings and is a component ofundergraduate nursing programs around the world. Resource materials appropriate for the teaching of communication in an Asiancontext are lacking.Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a self-developed video using role play in facilitating teaching andlearning associated with therapeutic communication.Methods: Videos were produced which demonstrated the fundamental communication skills of listening, understanding,exploring and comforting/supporting, using role play. These were shown to Year 1 nursing students in tutorials over four weeks.Their usefulness was evaluated using a self-developed questionnaire. Among 74 questionnaires distributed at the end of thefourth tutorial, 72 were returned, with a 97% response rate.Results: Most students agreed that the video clips provided useful examples for role-playing the communication skills (89%),helped trigger them to perform role-playing (74%), were useful to improve understanding of different communication skills(93%) and helped them learn from other students’ role-playing performance (87%). Overall impression of using the videos in thetutorial teaching was very useful (27%) and useful (68%).Conclusions: Most students valued the videos developed purposely for teaching therapeutic communication and recommendedthat the videos be used in the future. Using video role plays facilitated the teaching and learning process and enhancedundergraduate nursing students’ understanding and application of communication skills. More video clips will be developed inthe future, with improved quality and with a broader range of health care communication scenarios demonstrated in order to beused more widely

Anti–hypercholesterolemic effect of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed on high–fat diet Sprague dawley rats

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the antihypercholesterolemic effects of kenaf seed samples and compare with the commercial hypocholesterolemic drug on serum lipids profiles and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the rat.MethodsKenaf seed oil (KSO), microencapsulated kenaf seed oil (MKSO), kenaf seed extract (KSE) and defatted kenaf seed meal (DKSM) were prepared and phytochemicals screening on these samples were done prior in vivo study. Phenolic compounds in KSE were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography. There were 40 (divided in eight diet groups of 5) male Sprague dawley rats adapted to normal standard diet or hypercholesterolemic diet (HD) with or without the treatment of these kenaf samples for 32 days.ResultsAll the kenaf samples exhibited to contain most of the major phytochemicals. KSE possessed gallic acid, tannic acid, catechin, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, syringic acid, sinapic acid, ferulic acid, naringin acid, and protocatechuic acid. The significant higher (P<0.05) serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and MDA levels in HD group without treatment than the normal control group suggested the hypercholesterolemia was induced by the incorporation of cholesterol into diet. KSE exhibited higher cholesterol–lowering properties due to the significant lower (P<0.05) in serum triglycerides, total cholesterol and MDA levels. KSE showed the highest efficiency of cholesterol–lowering activity, followed by KSO, MKSO and DKSM.ConclusionsDKSM, MKSO, KSO and KSE appeared to have comparable anti–hypercholesterolemic effect with the commercial hypocholesterolemic drug. Hence, kenaf seed could be used as an alternative natural source to replace the synthetic hypocholesterolemic drugs

Zerumbone-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier induces apoptosis in human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco2) cell line

The incorporation of zerumbone (Zer) into nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) is hypothesized to increase the efficacy of the drug. Nanostructured lipid carrier has sustained-drug release characteristics and is able to improve the solubility and bioavailability of the lipophilic drug. In this study, the anti-cancer effect of Zer was tested on human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cell line. The effect of Zer, zerumbone-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (Zer-NLC) and NLC on the Caco-2 cell viability were determined using the MTT assay. The treatment concentration ranges from 0 to 120 μM at four different time intervals (i.e., 0 h, 24 hrs, 48 hrs and 72 hrs) were evaluated. At 24 hrs, the half-growth inhibitory concentration (GI50) of Zer-NLC (i.e., 4.25 μM) is lower than that of Zer (i.e., 23.75 μM). However, Zer outperformed the Zer-NLC at the subsequent time points. Similar trend was observed in other parameters including the cytostatic concentration (CC) and half-lethal concentration 50 (LC50). Phase contrast imaging and AO/PI fluorescence staining were performed at the CC and LC50 values. The morphological changes and the apoptosis features could be seen in cells treated with Zer and Zer-NLC while cells treated with NLC showed minor morphological changes. The cells treated with Zer-NLC demonstrated a slightly slower progression of apoptosis, which could be due to the controlled release of Zer from the NLC matrix. It was concluded that the incorporation of Zer into NLC did not compromise the potency and efficacy of the drug

Phonological discrimination and contrast detection in pupillometry

IntroductionThe perception of phonemes is guided by both low-level acoustic cues and high-level linguistic context. However, differentiating between these two types of processing can be challenging. In this study, we explore the utility of pupillometry as a tool to investigate both low- and high-level processing of phonological stimuli, with a particular focus on its ability to capture novelty detection and cognitive processing during speech perception.MethodsPupillometric traces were recorded from a sample of 22 Danish-speaking adults, with self-reported normal hearing, while performing two phonological-contrast perception tasks: a nonword discrimination task, which included minimal-pair combinations specific to the Danish language, and a nonword detection task involving the detection of phonologically modified words within sentences. The study explored the perception of contrasts in both unprocessed speech and degraded speech input, processed with a vocoder.ResultsNo difference in peak pupil dilation was observed when the contrast occurred between two isolated nonwords in the nonword discrimination task. For unprocessed speech, higher peak pupil dilations were measured when phonologically modified words were detected within a sentence compared to sentences without the nonwords. For vocoded speech, higher peak pupil dilation was observed for sentence stimuli, but not for the isolated nonwords, although performance decreased similarly for both tasks.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate the complexity of pupil dynamics in the presence of acoustic and phonological manipulation. Pupil responses seemed to reflect higher-level cognitive and lexical processing related to phonological perception rather than low-level perception of acoustic cues. However, the incorporation of multiple talkers in the stimuli, coupled with the relatively low task complexity, may have affected the pupil dilation

Replication and Meta-analysis of the Association between BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism and Cognitive Impairment in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) adversely affects cancer patients. We had previously demonstrated that the BDNF Val66Met genetic polymorphism is associated with lower odds of subjective CRCI in the multitasking and verbal ability domains among breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. To further assess our previous findings, we evaluated the association of BDNF Val66Met polymorphism with subjective and objective CRCI in a temporally separate cohort of patients and pooled findings from both the original (n = 145) and current (n = 193) cohorts in a meta-analysis. Subjective CRCI was assessed using FACT-Cog. Objective CRCI was evaluated using computerized neuropsychological tests. Genotyping was carried out using Sanger sequencing. The association of BDNF Val66Met genotypes and CRCI was examined with logistic regression. A fixed-effect meta-analysis was conducted using the inverse variance method. In the meta-analysis (n = 338), significantly lower odds of CRCI were associated with Met allele carriers based on the global FACT-Cog score (OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.29-0.94). Furthermore, Met allele carriers were at lower odds of developing impairment in the domains of memory (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.17-0.70), multitasking (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.18-0.59), and verbal ability (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.24-0.88). Consistent with the previous study, lower odds of subjective CRCI among patients with the BDNF Met allele was observed after adjusting for potential confounders in the multitasking (OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.14-0.67) domain. In conclusion, carriers of the BDNF Met allele were protected against global subjective CRCI, particularly in the domains of memory, multitasking, and verbal ability. Our findings further contribute to the understanding of CRCI pathophysiology

Disease-Modifying Drugs for Multiple Sclerosis and Association With Survival

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We examined the association between the disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) for multiple sclerosis (MS) and survival in a multiregion population-based study. METHODS: We accessed multiple administrative health databases from 4 Canadian provinces. Persons with MS were identified and followed from the most recent of the first MS or demyelinating event or January 1, 1996 (index date), until death, emigration, or December 31, 2017. Association between the first-generation and second-generation DMDs and all-cause mortality was examined using stratified Cox proportional hazard models, reported as adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs). Timing of DMD initiation was explored, with findings reported at 2, 5, or 10 years postindex date, representing very early, early, or late initiation. RESULTS: We identified 35,894 persons with MS; 72% were female. The mean age at index date was 44.5 years (SD = 13.6). The total person-years of follow-up while DMD-exposed was 89,180, and total person-years while unexposed was 342,217. Compared with no exposure, exposure to any DMD or to any first-generation DMD was associated with a 26% lower hazard of mortality (both aHRs 0.74; 95% CI 0.56-0.98), while any second-generation DMD exposure was associated with a 33% lower hazard (aHR 0.67; 95% CI 0.46-0.98). Earlier DMD initiation (beta-interferon or glatiramer acetate vs no exposure) was associated with a significant mortality effect (p < 0.05), while later initiation was not (95% CIs included 1). However, the survival advantage with earlier initiation diminished over time, no longer reaching statistical significance at 15 years postindex date. DISCUSSION: Our study demonstrates an association between the DMDs for MS and improved survival in the real-world setting

Disease-modifying drugs for multiple sclerosis and subsequent health service use

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the relationship between the multiple sclerosis (MS) disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) and healthcare use. METHODS: Persons with MS (aged ⩾18 years) were identified using linked population-based health administrative data in four Canadian provinces and were followed from the most recent of their first MS/demyelinating event or 1 January 1996 until the earliest of death, emigration, or study end (31 December 2017 or 31 March 2018). Prescription records captured DMD exposure, examined as any DMD, then by generation (first-generation (the injectables) or second-generation (orals/infusions)) and individual DMD. The associations with subsequent all-cause hospitalizations and physician visits were examined using proportional means model and negative binomial regression. RESULTS: Of 35,894 MS cases (72% female), mean follow-up was 12.0 years, with person-years of DMD exposure for any, or any first- or second-generation DMD being 63,290, 54,605 and 8685, respectively. Any DMD or any first-generation DMD exposure (versus non-exposure) was associated with a 24% lower hazard of hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio, aHR: 0.76; 95% confidence intervals (CIs): 0.71–0.82), rising to 29% for the second-generation DMDs (aHR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.58–0.88). This ranged from 18% for teriflunomide (aHR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.67–1.00) to 44% for fingolimod (aHR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.36–0.87). In contrast, DMD exposure was generally not associated with substantial differences in physician visits. CONCLUSION: Findings provide real-world evidence of a beneficial relationship between DMD exposure and hospitalizations

Disease-Modifying Drug Uptake and Health Service Use in the Ageing MS Population

Background: Evidence regarding the efficacy or effectiveness of the disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) in the older multiple sclerosis (MS) population is scarce. This has contributed to a lack of evidence-based treatment recommendations for the ageing MS population in practice guidelines. We examined the relationship between age (<55 and ≥55 years), DMD exposure and health service use in the MS population. Methods: We conducted a population-based observational study using linked administrative health data from British Columbia, Canada. We selected all persons with MS and followed from the most recent of their first MS or demyelinating event, 18th birthday or 01-January-1996 (index date) until the earliest of emigration, death or 31-December-2017 (study end). We assessed DMD exposure status over time, initially as any versus no DMD, then by generation (first or second) and finally by each individual DMD. Age-specific analyses were conducted with all-cause hospitalizations and number of physician visits assessed using proportional means model and negative binomial regression with generalized estimating equations. Results: We included 19,360 persons with MS (72% were women); 10,741/19,360 (56%) had ever reached their 55th birthday. Person-years of follow-up whilst aged <55 was 132,283, and 93,594 whilst aged ≥55. Any DMD, versus no DMD in the <55-year-olds was associated with a 23% lower hazard of hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio, aHR0.77; 95%CI 0.72-0.82), but not in the ≥55-year-olds (aHR0.95; 95%CI 0.87-1.04). Similar patterns were observed for the first and second generation DMDs. Exposure to any (versus no) DMD was not associated with rates of physician visits in either age group (<55 years: adjusted rate ratio, aRR1.02; 95%CI 1.00-1.04 and ≥55 years: aRR1.00; 95%CI 0.96-1.03), but variation in aRR was observed across the individual DMDs. Conclusion: Our study showed beneficial effects of the DMDs used to treat MS on hospitalizations for those aged <55 at the time of exposure. In contrast, for individuals ≥55 years of age exposed to a DMD, the hazard of hospitalization was not significantly lowered. Our study contributes to the broader understanding of the potential benefits and risks of DMD use in the ageing MS population