Learning with a Purpose: Academic Service-Learning Curriculum

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program is authorized under Title II of P. L. 103-382. It provides institutions of higher education the opportunity to partner with K-12 teachers and administrators to assist with professional development through sustained, high-quality professional development activities in mathematics, science, reading, and other areas of the core academic curriculum. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development project shared here was undertaken by Eastern Michigan University and Romulus Community Schools to provide Romulus teachers professional development to integrate the teaching methodology of academic service-learning into their mathematics and science curriculum. The goal was to increase academic achievement and civic participation. This monograph contains sample units and lesson plans produced by teachers who participated in this grant

Geospatial mapping and data linkage uncovers variability in outcomes of foot disease according to multiple deprivation: a population cohort study of people with diabetes

Aims/hypothesis: Our aim was to investigate the geospatial distribution of diabetic foot ulceration (DFU), lower extremity amputation (LEA) and mortality rates in people with diabetes in small geographical areas with varying levels of multiple deprivation. Methods: We undertook a population cohort study to extract the health records of 112,231 people with diabetes from the Scottish Care Information – Diabetes Collaboration (SCI-Diabetes) database. We linked this to health records to identify death, LEA and DFU events. These events were geospatially mapped using multiple deprivation maps for the geographical area of National Health Service (NHS) Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Tests of spatial autocorrelation and association were conducted to evaluate geographical variation and patterning, and the association between prevalence-adjusted outcome rates and multiple deprivation by quintile. Results: Within our health board region, people with diabetes had crude prevalence-adjusted rates for DFU of 4.6% and for LEA of 1.3%, and an incidence rate of mortality preceded by either a DFU or LEA of 10.5 per 10,000 per year. Spatial autocorrelation identified statistically significant hot spot (high prevalence) and cold spot (low prevalence) clusters for all outcomes. Small-area maps effectively displayed near neighbour clustering across the health board geography. Disproportionately high numbers of hot spots within the most deprived quintile for DFU (p < 0.001), LEA (p < 0.001) and mortality (p < 0.001) rates were found. Conversely, a disproportionately higher number of cold spots was found within the least deprived quintile for LEA (p < 0.001). Conclusions/interpretation: In people with diabetes, DFU, LEA and mortality rates are associated with multiple deprivation and form geographical neighbourhood clusters

Size at birth, growth trajectory in early life, and cardiovascular and metabolic risks in early adulthood: EPICure study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether size at birth and growth trajectories in infancy and childhood are associated with determinants of cardiovascular and metabolic risks in young adults born extremely preterm (EP, <26 weeks of gestation). METHODS: We used longitudinal data from the EPICure study of 129 EP survivors up to 19 years in the UK and Ireland in 1995. Determinants of cardiovascular and metabolic risks at 19 years included the presence of metabolic syndrome, body mass index (BMI) and systolic blood pressure (SBP). Predictors were birth weight for gestation and gain in weight z-scores in the following periods: birth-postmenstrual age of 40 weeks (term), infancy (term-2.5 years), early childhood (2.5-6.0 years) and late childhood (6-11 years). RESULTS: Metabolic syndrome was present in 8.7% of EP participants at 19 years. Compared with subjects without metabolic syndrome, those with metabolic syndrome tended to have a smaller size at birth (difference in means: -0.55 SD, 95% CI -1.10 to 0.01, p=0.053) and a greater increase in weight z-scores from term to 2.5 years (difference in means: 1.00 SD, 95% CI -0.17 to 2.17, p=0.094). BMI at 19 years was positively related to growth from 2.5 to 6.0 years (β: 1.03, 95% CI 0.31 to 1.75, p=0.006); an inverse association with birthweight z-scores was found in the lower socioeconomic status group (β: -1.79, 95% CI -3.41 to -0.17, p=0.031). Central SBP was positively related to growth from 2.5 to 6.0 years (β: 1.75, 95% CI 0.48 to 3.02, p=0.007). CONCLUSION: Size at EP birth and increased catch-up in weight from 2.5 to 6.0 years were associated with BMI and central SBP in early adulthood

A qualitative study of gambling, deprivation and monetary motivations

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Routledge (Taylor & Francis) in International Gambling Studies on 09/02/2021, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14459795.2021.1883093?src= The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published versionThe link between gambling and deprivation is well recognized both in the UK and internationally; and manipulating perceptions of relative deprivation can encourage people to gamble. The current study sought to learn more about whether individuals who gamble consciously perceive themselves to be motivated by feelings of deprivation, and how this is contextualized alongside monetary factors more broadly. Thematic analysis was conducted on 25 in-depth qualitative interviews with UK residents who gamble regularly; most of whom resided in areas of high socio-economic deprivation. Monetary themes relating to financial circumstances, the meaning and value of money, and the perception of gambling as a way to make money, all had strong relevance for deprivation, though people did not often endorse the idea that relative deprivation was important to them, per se. We conclude that gambling motivations are complex and heterogeneous, and that it is pertinent for prevention and intervention strategies for problem gambling to consider individuals’ financial circumstances and how they perceive them, along with how this intersects with their gambling motives

Rapid molecular evolution of Spiroplasma symbionts of Drosophila

Spiroplasma is a genus of Mollicutes whose members include plant pathogens, insect pathogens and endosymbionts of animals. Spiroplasma phenotypes have been repeatedly observed to be spontaneously lost in Drosophila cultures, and several studies have documented a high genomic turnover in Spiroplasma symbionts and plant pathogens. These observations suggest that Spiroplasma evolves quickly in comparison to other insect symbionts. Here, we systematically assess evolutionary rates and patterns of Spiroplasma poulsonii , a natural symbiont of Drosophila. We analysed genomic evolution of sHy within flies, and sMel within in vitro culture over several years. We observed that S. poulsonii substitution rates are among the highest reported for any bacteria, and around two orders of magnitude higher compared with other inherited arthropod endosymbionts. The absence of mismatch repair loci mutS and mutL is conserved across Spiroplasma , and likely contributes to elevated substitution rates. Further, the closely related strains sMel and sHy (>99.5 % sequence identity in shared loci) show extensive structural genomic differences, which potentially indicates a higher degree of host adaptation in sHy, a protective symbiont of Drosophila hydei. Finally, comparison across diverse Spiroplasma lineages confirms previous reports of dynamic evolution of toxins, and identifies loci similar to the male-killing toxin Spaid in several Spiroplasma lineages and other endosymbionts. Overall, our results highlight the peculiar nature of Spiroplasma genome evolution, which may explain unusual features of its evolutionary ecology

Academic and non-academic predictors of student psychological distress: the role of social identity and loneliness

Background: University students experience high rates of stress and mental illness; however, few studies have comprehensively examined the impact of academic and non-academic stressors on student mental health. Similarly, there has been little focus on the role of social groups in protecting against mental distress in this young adult group. Aim: To identify the key social determinants of mental health symptoms in a student population. Methods: Using an online survey, we administered measures of social connectedness and mental health symptoms alongside academic and non-academic stressors to a large sample of UK university students. Results: Loneliness was the strongest overall predictor of mental distress, while assessment stress was the most important academic predictor. Strong identification with university friendship groups was most protective against distress relative to other social identities, and the beneficial impact of identification on symptoms was mediated by reduced loneliness. Conclusions: The study highlights the benefits of establishing strong social connections at university and the importance of minimising stress associated with assessment tasks

Establishing a core outcome set for peritoneal dialysis : report of the SONG-PD (standardized outcomes in nephrology-peritoneal dialysis) consensus workshop

Outcomes reported in randomized controlled trials in peritoneal dialysis (PD) are diverse, are measured inconsistently, and may not be important to patients, families, and clinicians. The Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology-Peritoneal Dialysis (SONG-PD) initiative aims to establish a core outcome set for trials in PD based on the shared priorities of all stakeholders. We convened an international SONG-PD stakeholder consensus workshop in May 2018 in Vancouver, Canada. Nineteen patients/caregivers and 51 health professionals attended. Participants discussed core outcome domains and implementation in trials in PD. Four themes relating to the formation of core outcome domains were identified: life participation as a main goal of PD, impact of fatigue, empowerment for preparation and planning, and separation of contributing factors from core factors. Considerations for implementation were identified: standardizing patient-reported outcomes, requiring a validated and feasible measure, simplicity of binary outcomes, responsiveness to interventions, and using positive terminology. All stakeholders supported inclusion of PD-related infection, cardiovascular disease, mortality, technique survival, and life participation as the core outcome domains for PD