Mobile Learning Innovation in Information Literacy Skills Training

The Mobile Information Literacy (MIL) tool is a user-friendly literacy app to help university students hone their information literacy skills through mobile technology

ENHANCING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PREVENTION PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH INFLUENTIAL CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

A current gap in the literature exists with regard to formulating a holistic view of contextual factors involved in school-based prevention programming implementation. The purpose of this grounded theory study is to further explore how multilevel ecological and cross-system factors influence prevention program implementation. This study builds on development of a theory to guide the practices for preventive program implementation with fidelity. The Integrated Program (IP) conceptual framework, initiated in an earlier paper (Schmidt Hanbidge, 2009) identified key program contextual and motivational factors that critically influence prevention program implementation. Taken from an ecological perspective, the IP framework incorporates multi-levels of systems from the individual, to organization, to the community contexts. Twenty-four interviews were conducted in two stages with school program facilitators, school principals, and program administrators delivering a prevention program, STEAM (Skills & Tools for Emotion Awareness and Management) in elementary schools in southern Ontario, Canada. Theoretical sampling was utilized and data was analyzed and coded, aided by the program, QSR Nvivo. Grounded theory was the research methodology used in this study to refine the IP conceptual framework for implementation of school-based emotion regulation programs. The study determined several contextual and motivational factors that facilitated program implementation, such as: open communication/support from key stakeholders, adequate program resources (including time and space), knowledgeable, experienced training and skilled supervision for program facilitators. The study identified how several contextual factors were considered to be barriers to the implementation process and could threaten the fidelity of the program. The study adds to the prevention literature by identifying how the program facilitators progress through an evolutionary process as they become more experienced. They typically start out as program facilitators, thereafter becoming role models, then mentors, then finally experts. This study identifies ways to integrate the specific contextual and motivational factors in the implementation process of the school-based prevention programs. The IP framework was refined, based on the study data, to recognize the effect of differentiated program delivery. During implementation, study participants identified and adapted the prevention program to fit the specific school environment which aided in the sustainability of their program

Information literacy skills on the go

Students’ understanding and integration of information literacy (IL) skills are fundamental to higher education and lifelong learning.  Development and implementation of thirteen mobile lessons application (http://renmil.ca/ ) in the Mobile Information Literacy Tool (MIL) was the result of a unique collaboration between faculty and the library. Lessons demonstrated how to locate, evaluate, and use information effectively. Mixed methods pilot study findings (Hanbidge, Sanderson, & Tin, 2015) informed the Canadian project’s second stage analysis to determine fluency in digital literacy skills and testing of the MIL tool. One hundred and twenty-eight undergraduate Arts students from eight different classes majoring in psychology, social work, English or social development studies participated in the study to determine the effectiveness of using mobile technology to enhance their IL skills.  Preliminary successes and experiences with overcoming the barriers to support anytime, anywhere student mobile information literacy training are discussed and future directions are recommended.&nbsp

Targeting HER2/neu with a fully human IgE to harness the allergic reaction against cancer cells

Breast and ovarian cancer are two of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in the United States. Overexpression of the HER2/neu oncoprotein has been reported in patients affected with breast and ovarian cancers, and is associated with poor prognosis. To develop a novel targeted therapy for HER2/neu expressing tumors, we have constructed a fully human IgE with the variable regions of the scFv C6MH3-B1 specific for HER2/neu. This antibody was expressed in murine myeloma cells and was properly assembled and secreted. The Fc region of this antibody triggers in vitro degranulation of rat basophilic cells expressing human FcεRI (RBL SX-38) in the presence of murine mammary carcinoma cells that express human HER2/neu (D2F2/E2), but not the shed (soluble) antigen (ECDHER2) alone. This IgE is also capable of inducing passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in a human FcεRIα transgenic mouse model, in the presence of a cross-linking antibody, but not in the presence of soluble ECDHER2. Additionally, IgE enhances antigen presentation in human dendritic cells and facilitates cross-priming, suggesting that the antibody is able to stimulate a secondary T-cell anti-tumor response. Furthermore, we show that this IgE significantly prolongs survival of human FcεRIα transgenic mice bearing D2F2/E2 tumors. We also report that the anti-HER2/neu IgE is well tolerated in a preliminary study conducted in Macaca fascicularis (cynomolgus) monkeys. In summary, our results suggest that this IgE should be further explored as a potential therapeutic against HER2/neu overexpressing tumors, such as breast and ovarian cancers.Fil: Daniels, Tracy R.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Leuchter, Richard K.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Quintero, Rafaela. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Helguera, Gustavo Fernando. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados Unidos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez, José A.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Martínez Maza, Otoniel. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Schultes, Birgit C.. Advanced Immune Therapeutics, Inc.; Estados Unidos. Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Estados UnidosFil: Nicodemus, Christopher F.. Advanced Immune Therapeutics, Inc.; Estados UnidosFil: Penichet, Manuel L.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados Unido

Proposed Strategies for Incident Information Flow, Organizational Learning, and Incident-driven Quality Improvement in Health Care

Every year, tens of thousands of patients in North America die from preventable errors. Incident learning can decrease this number, but is not currently reaching its full potential in health care. The goal of this research was to propose strategies to effectively report and learn from incidents to drive quality improvement. A detailed literature review, focus groups, in-depth interviews, and thematic analysis were used to identify potential process improvement strategies from aviation and nuclear power and assess these strategies for feasibility and desirability in health care. This work was guided by World Health Organization recommendations and Rasmussen’s risk management framework. An extensive list of strategies to address existing shortcomings was ultimately proposed for consideration in health care. These strategies can serve as guidelines to proactively improve incident learning processes. This should help create more effective systems and in turn, improve patient safety.MAS

Cancer of the Pancreas: The Best Image for Early Detection – CT, MRI, PET or US?

Pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis, and the best chance for survival is to diagnose the tumour at an early stage. Abdominal ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography are the most commonly used radiological techniques for imaging the pancreas. The diagnostic evaluation should be tailored to the individual patient. Dual-phase helical computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have similar accuracies for detecting and staging pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Sonography results are highly dependent on the skill and persistence of the operator. No radiological examination is very sensitive at visualizing small metastases in the lymph nodes and peritoneum, or on the surface of the liver. Thus, it is difficult to establish with certainty whether a tumour is resectable. Another major challenge is to differentiate cancer from an inflammatory mass in chronic pancreatitis. Functional imaging (using positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose) may be helpful, especially if the images are fused with those of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The diagnostic accuracies, applications and limitations of the various modalities are discussed

ENHANCING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PREVENTION PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH INFLUENTIAL CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

A current gap in the literature exists with regard to formulating a holistic view of contextual factors involved in school-based prevention programming implementation. The purpose of this grounded theory study is to further explore how multilevel ecological and cross-system factors influence prevention program implementation. This study builds on development of a theory to guide the practices for preventive program implementation with fidelity. The Integrated Program (IP) conceptual framework, initiated in an earlier paper (Schmidt Hanbidge, 2009) identified key program contextual and motivational factors that critically influence prevention program implementation. Taken from an ecological perspective, the IP framework incorporates multi-levels of systems from the individual, to organization, to the community contexts. Twenty-four interviews were conducted in two stages with school program facilitators, school principals, and program administrators delivering a prevention program, STEAM (Skills & Tools for Emotion Awareness and Management) in elementary schools in southern Ontario, Canada. Theoretical sampling was utilized and data was analyzed and coded, aided by the program, QSR Nvivo. Grounded theory was the research methodology used in this study to refine the IP conceptual framework for implementation of school-based emotion regulation programs. The study determined several contextual and motivational factors that facilitated program implementation, such as: open communication/support from key stakeholders, adequate program resources (including time and space), knowledgeable, experienced training and skilled supervision for program facilitators. The study identified how several contextual factors were considered to be barriers to the implementation process and could threaten the fidelity of the program. The study adds to the prevention literature by identifying how the program facilitators progress through an evolutionary process as they become more experienced. They typically start out as program facilitators, thereafter becoming role models, then mentors, then finally experts. This study identifies ways to integrate the specific contextual and motivational factors in the implementation process of the school-based prevention programs. The IP framework was refined, based on the study data, to recognize the effect of differentiated program delivery. During implementation, study participants identified and adapted the prevention program to fit the specific school environment which aided in the sustainability of their program