Preparation for Practice through Service User involvement in the Diagnostic Radiography curriculum at University Campus Suffolk

The purpose of this small-scale study was to evaluate the student experience of service user involvement in the curriculum for the module entitled ‘The Service User’ as part of a BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography degree programme.Following four teaching sessions, at which service users came to speak to the students about their experiences, a questionnaire was distributed to 43 second year diagnostic radiography students. Twenty-six responses were received (60%). The questionnaire was used to evaluate the usefulness of the sessions. A mixture of open and attitudinal questions using a seven point Likert scale was employed.The results were analysed and the feedback was generally positive in terms of the involvement of service users within the curriculum

Barriers and Facilitators to Achieving Well-being in Pediatric Providers

Introduction: Physician well-being has become increasingly important for health systems across the country due to the strong ties between quality, safety, and overall patient outcomes. Burnout has increased steadily and has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study seeks to successfully identify factors that both enhance and detract from well-being in a cohort of pediatric faculty and advanced practice providers (APPs). Methods: This study utilized a multimethod approach including surveys and a total of 8 semi-structured, virtual focus groups of pediatricians and advanced practice providers (orchestrated through Microsoft Teams) to understand perspectives on burnout and well-being. Each group session was scheduled 2-3 months in advance to allow for maximum participation. Results: A total of 83 physicians and APPs participated in the focus groups. The majority of respondents were female, white, aged 31-50 years, and married with children living at home. When asked about current level of burnout, the most frequent response was 8 out of 10 (10 as highest, mean 5.5, std 2.5). Factors associated with higher burnout: outpatient providers (compared to inpatient) (p = 0.0361), female gender (p = 0.0127), and those without a mentor (p = 0.0021). Multiple factors were identified that improved and detracted from well-being. Well-being was positively impacted by the shift to telework practices and increased autonomy in scheduling and focus on self-care. Well-being was reduced by a perceived disconnect from leadership, lack of control, and societal influences and expectations. Conclusion: This study provides insight into modifiable factors that affect well-being at an academic institution that can support interventions and systemic modifications to promote physician well-being

Aldosterone as a renal growth factor

Aldosterone regulates blood pressure through its effects on the cardiovascular system and kidney. Aldosterone can also contribute to the development of hypertension that leads to chronic pathologies such as nephropathy and renal fibrosis. Aldosterone directly modulates renal cell proliferation and differentiation as part of normal kidney development. The stimulation of rapidly activated protein kinase cascades is one facet of how aldosterone regulates renal cell growth. These cascades may also contribute to myofibroblastic transformation and cell proliferation observed in pathological conditions of the kidney. Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disorder that is accelerated by hypertension. EGFR-dependent proliferation of the renal epithelium is a factor in cyst development and trans-activation of EGFR is a key feature in initiating aldosterone-induced signalling cascades. Delineating the components of aldosterone-induced signalling cascades may identify novel therapeutic targets for proliferative diseases of the kidney

Écrire, trobar : le troubadour entre création et représentation

Comment le troubadour évoque-t-il sa propre créativité artistique ? Au fil des années, la représentation de l’acte de trobar a fait l’objet de plusieurs études et de remarques notées au passage par les érudits. On a souligné la fameuse « circularité du chant », l’équivalence entre « aimer » et « chanter », et entre « chanter » et « composer ». On n’a pas manqué de signaler le goût des poètes pour les métaphores tirées de l’artisanat et de la vie quotidienne : si, dès le début de la tradition,..