Magnetic resonance investigation into the mechanisms involved in the development of high-altitude cerebral edema

Rapid ascent to high altitude commonly results in acute mountain sickness, and on occasion potentially fatal high-altitude cerebral edema. The exact pathophysiological mechanisms behind these syndromes remain to be determined. We report a study in which 12 subjects were exposed to a FiO2 = 0.12 for 22 h and underwent serial magnetic resonance imaging sequences to enable measurement of middle cerebral artery velocity, flow and diameter, and brain parenchymal, cerebrospinal fluid and cerebral venous volumes. Ten subjects completed 22 h and most developed symptoms of acute mountain sickness (mean Lake Louise Score 5.4; p < 0.001 vs. baseline). Cerebral oxygen delivery was maintained by an increase in middle cerebral artery velocity and diameter (first 6 h). There appeared to be venocompression at the level of the small, deep cerebral veins (116 cm3 at 2 h to 97 cm3 at 22 h; p < 0.05). Brain white matter volume increased over the 22-h period (574 ml to 587 ml; p < 0.001) and correlated with cumulative Lake Louise scores at 22 h (p < 0.05). We conclude that cerebral oxygen delivery was maintained by increased arterial inflow and this preceded the development of cerebral edema. Venous outflow restriction appeared to play a contributory role in the formation of cerebral edema, a novel feature that has not been observed previously

Education Research in the Canadian Context

This special issue of the International Journal of Education Policy &amp; Leadership (IJEPL), Research in the Canadian Context, marks a significant milestone for the journal. Throughout our twelve-year history, we have sought to publish the best research in leadership, policy, and research use, allowing authors to decide the topics by dint of their research. While this model still serves as the foundation for IJEPL content, we decided to give researchers a chance to engage in deeper conversations by introducing special issues. In our first special issue, researchers discuss their work within the scope of education policy, leadership, and research use within the Canadian context. While many aspects of leadership, teaching, and learning can be seen as similar across contexts, there are also issues of particular concern within national, regional, provincial, or local spheres, particularly when looking at policy and system changes. The researchers featured in this issue provide an important look into education in Canada.PolicyIn the policy realm, Sue Winton and Lauren Jervis examine a 22-year campaign to change special education assessment policy in Ontario, examining how discourses dominant in the province enabled the government to leave the issue unresolved for decades. Issues of access and equity play out within a neoliberal context focused on individualism, meritocracy, and the reduced funding of public services. While Winton and Jervis highlight the tension between policy goals and ideological contexts, Jean-Vianney Auclair considers the place of policy dialogues within governmental frames, and the challenge of engaging in broadly applicable work within vertically structured governmental agencies. One often-touted way to move beyondResearch useWithin the scope of research use, Sarah L. Patten examines how socioeconomic status (SES) is defined and measured in Canada, the challenges in defining SES, and potential solutions specific to the Canadian context. In looking at knowledge mobilization, Joelle Rodway considers how formal coaches and informal social networks nserve to connect research, policy, and practice in Ontario’s Child and Youth Mental Health program.LeadershipTurning to leadership, contributing researchers explored the challenges involved in staff development, administrator preparation, and student outcomes. Keith Walker and Benjamin Kutsyuruba explore how educational administrators can support early career teachers to increase retention, and the somewhat haphazard policies and supports in place across Canada to bring administrators and new teachers together. Gregory Rodney MacKinnon, David Young, Sophie Paish, and Sue LeBel look at how one program in Nova Scotia conceptualizes professional growth, instructional leadership, and administrative effectiveness and the emerging needs of administrators to respond to issues of poverty, socioemotional health, and mental health, while also building community. This complex environment may mean expanding leadership preparation to include a broader consideration of well-being and community. Finally, Victoria Handford and Kenneth Leithwood look at the role school leaders play in improving student achievement in British Columbia, and the school district characteristics associated with improving student achievement.Taken together, the research in this special issue touches on many of the challenges in policy development, application, and leadership practice, and the myriad ways that research can be used to address these challenges. We hope you enjoy this first special issue of IJEPL

Why Teachers Trust School Leaders

Research indicates trust in schools significantly relates to student achievement and trust in school leaders significantly relates to trust in schools. This study expands on the existing research by identifying behaviours principals display and teachers identify that correspond to antecedent conditions of trust, as identified in the research literature. Principalunderstandings are compared to teacher articulated thoughts in order to identify if shared understandings and interpretations of events are a component of trust in schools. Seventeen survey questions about trust were asked in 138 schools. Three high trust and three low trust schools were identified via deviation from the grand mean. Interview data related to a broad spectrum of school structures and daily events was gathered at the six identified schools from a randomly selected group of teachers and each school’s principal. The interview data was coded using antecedent conditions of trust as the organizational units for analysis. Supporting previous research, this thesis finds teacher data identified the antecedent conditions that are described most frequently by teachers as being Competence, Consistency and Reliability,Openness and Respect. Principal data identified the antecedent conditions of trust as being similar, not identical. There are relevant differences described in elements within the antecedents between teachers and school leaders. Overall, the results confirm the findings of Bryk and Schneider and Tschannen-Moran, while adding detail to the understanding of what matters in trust when in-school educators reflect on issues of organizational life.ED

3.1 Shared Reading of Research

Students, particularly international students who are frequently reading complex materials in their fourth or fifth language, struggle to read primary research, yet graduate programs require reading of primary research. This session provides one idea for how to build towards success in this area

School District Contributions to Students' Math and Language Achievement

Conducted in British Columbia, this mixed-methods study tested the effects of nine district characteristics on student achievement, explored conditions that mediate the effects of such characteristics, and contributed to understandings about the role school-level leaders play in district efforts to improve achievement. Semistructured interview data from 37 school administrators provided qualitative data. Quantitative data were provided by the responses of 998 school and district leaders’ in 21 districts to two surveys. Student achievement data were district-level results of elementary and secondary student provincial math and language test scores. All nine district characteristics contributed significantly to student achievement. Three conditions served as especially powerful mediators of such district effects. The same conditions, as well as others, acted as significant mediators of school-level leader effects on achievement. This is among the few large-scale mixed-methods studies identifying characteristics of districts explaining variation in student achievement

Reconciliation of Philosophical Perspectives to Address Autoethnographic Methodological Concerns

An instance of editorial work was found to address methodological issues at the juncture of autoethnography and narrative inquiry. The particular case is reported because it addresses the conceptual basis of known methodological issues. The case involved interactions between a chapter author and editors of a book as well as between the editors. Although the chapter was autoethnographic as initially submitted, through the use of research-oriented open-ended questioning, the editors engaged with the author causing the author to gain a deeper insight and richer narrative regarding his own experience. The result bridges the gap between autoethnography and narrative inquiry. Interactions between the editors were directed at providing constructive support while leaving ownership of the narrative with the author. The process has features overlapping and distinct from duoethnography. An empirical explanation is proposed through the reconciliation of philosophical stances of the author and editors. Key words: Autoethnography, narrative inquiry, emergent design, duoethnography, editorial methodology Un exemple de travail éditorial a permis d’aborder des questions méthodologiques à la jonction de l’autoethnographie et de l’enquête narrative. Le cas particulier à l’étude porte sur la base conceptuelle de questions méthodologiques connues. Le cas implique des interactions entre l’auteur d’un chapitre et les éditeurs d’un livre, ainsi que des interactions entre les éditeurs. Bien que le chapitre ait été autoethnographique lors de la soumission initiale, l’emploi par les éditeurs de questions ouvertes axées sur la recherche et communiquées à l’auteur lui a permis d’arriver à des connaissances approfondies et à un récit enrichi relativement à ses propres expériences. Les résultats jettent un pont entre l’autoethnographie et l’enquête narrative. Les interactions entre les éditeurs visaient à apporter un appui constructif tout en permettant à l’auteur de conserver son récit. Certaines caractéristiques du processus chevauchent la duoethnographie; d’autres s’en distinguent. Nous proposons une explication empirique née de la réconciliation des positions philosophiques de l’auteur et des éditeurs. Mots clés: autoethnographie, enquête narrative, modèle émergent, duoethnographie, méthodologie éditorial