Has education lost sight of children?

The reflections presented in this chapter are informed by clinical and personal experiences of school education in the UK. There are many challenges for children and young people in the modern education system and for the professionals who support them. In the UK, there are significant gaps between the highly selective education provided to those who pay privately for it and to the majority of those educated in the state-funded system. Though literacy rates have improved around the world, many children, particularly boys, do not finish their education for reasons such as boredom, behavioural difficulties or because education does not ‘pay’. Violence, bullying, and sexual harassment are issues faced by many children in schools and there are disturbing trends of excluding children who present with behavioural problems at school whose origins are not explored. Excluded children are then educated with other children who may also have multiple problems which often just make the situation worse. The experience of clinicians suggests that school-related mental health problems are increasing in severity. Are mental health services dealing with the consequences of an education system that is not meeting children’s needs? An education system that is testing- and performance-based may not be serving many children well if it is driving important decisions about them at increasingly younger ages. Labelling of children and setting them on educational career paths can occur well before they reach secondary schools, limiting potential very early on in their developmental trajectory. Furthermore, the emphasis at school on testing may come at the expense of creativity and other forms of intelligence, which are also valuable and important. Meanwhile the employment marketplace requires people with widely different skills, with an emphasis on innovation, creativity, and problem solving. Is education losing sight of the children it is educating

Heel raises versus prefabricated orthoses in the treatment of posterior heel pain associated with calcaneal apophysitis (Sever's Disease): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Posterior Heel pain can present in children of 8 to 14 years, associated with or clinically diagnosed as Sever's disease, or calcaneal apophysitis. Presently, there are no comparative randomised studies evaluating treatment options for posterior heel pain in children with the clinical diagnosis of calcaneal apophysitis or Sever's disease. This study seeks to compare the clinical efficacy of some currently employed treatment options for the relief of disability and pain associated with posterior heel pain in children.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Design: Factorial 2 × 2 randomised controlled trial with monthly follow-up for 3 months.</p> <p>Participants: Children with clinically diagnosed posterior heel pain possibly associated with calcaneal apophysitis/Sever's disease (n = 124).</p> <p>Interventions: Treatment factor 1 will be two types of shoe orthoses: a heel raise or prefabricated orthoses. Both of these interventions are widely available, mutually exclusive treatment approaches that are relatively low in cost. Treatment factor 2 will be a footwear prescription/replacement intervention involving a shoe with a firm heel counter, dual density EVA midsole and rear foot control. The alternate condition in this factor is no footwear prescription/replacement, with the participant wearing their current footwear.</p> <p>Outcomes: Oxford Foot and Ankle Questionnaire and the Faces pain scale.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This will be a randomised trial to compare the efficacy of various treatment options for posterior heel pain in children that may be associated with calcaneal apophysitis also known as Sever's disease.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Trial Number: ACTRN12609000696291</p> <p>Ethics Approval Southern Health: HREC Ref: 09271B</p

Ginkgo biloba for the treatment of vitilgo vulgaris: an open label pilot clinical trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vitiligo is a common hypopigmentation disorder with significant psychological impact if occurring before adulthood. A pilot clinical trial to determine the feasibility of an RCT was conducted and is reported here.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>12 participants 12 to 35 years old were recruited to a prospective open-label pilot trial and treated with 60 mg of standardized <it>G. biloba </it>two times per day for 12 weeks. The criteria for feasibility included successful recruitment, 75% or greater retention, effectiveness and lack of serious adverse reactions. Effectiveness was assessed using the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI) and the Vitiligo European Task Force (VETF), which are validated outcome measures evaluating the area and intensity of depigmentation of vitiligo lesions. Other outcomes included photographs and adverse reactions. Safety was assessed by serum coagulation factors (platelets, PTT, INR) at baseline and week 12.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 2 months of recruitment, the eligible upper age limit was raised from 18 to 35 years of age in order to facilitate recruitment of the required sample size. Eleven participants completed the trial with 85% or greater adherence to the protocol. The total VASI score improved by 0.5 (P = 0.021) from 5.0 to 4.5, range of scale 0 (no depigmentation) to 100 (completely depigmented). The progression of vitiligo stopped in all participants; the total VASI indicated an average repigmentation of vitiligo lesions of 15%. VETF total vitiligo lesion area decreased 0.4% (P = 0.102) from 5.9 to 5.6 from baseline to week 12. VETF staging score improved by 0.7 (P = 0.101) from 6.6 to 5.8, and the VETF spreading score improved by 3.9 (P < 0.001)) from 2.7 to -1.2. There were no statistically significant changes in platelet count, PTT, or INR.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The criteria for feasibility were met after increasing the maximum age limit of the successful recruitment criterion; participant retention, safety and effectiveness criteria were also met. Ingestion of 60 mg of <it>Ginkgo biloba </it>BID was associated with a significant improvement in total VASI vitiligo measures and VETF spread, and a trend towards improvement on VETF measures of vitiligo lesion area and staging. Larger, randomized double-blind clinical studies are warranted and appear feasible.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Clinical trials.gov registration number <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00907062">NCT00907062</a></p

Typing Late Prehistoric Cows and Bulls—Osteology and Genetics of Cattle at the Eketorp Ringfort on the Öland Island in Sweden

Human management of livestock and the presence of different breeds have been discussed in archaeozoology and animal breeding. Traditionally osteometrics has been the main tool in addressing these questions. We combine osteometrics with molecular sex identifications of 104 of 340 morphometrically analysed bones in order to investigate the use of cattle at the Eketorp ringfort on the Öland island in Sweden. The fort is dated to 300–1220/50 A.D., revealing three different building phases. In order to investigate specific patterns and shifts through time in the use of cattle the genetic data is evaluated in relation to osteometric patterns and occurrence of pathologies on cattle metapodia. Males were genotyped for a Y-chromosomal SNP in UTY19 that separates the two major haplogroups, Y1 and Y2, in taurine cattle. A subset of the samples were also genotyped for one SNP involved in coat coloration (MC1R), one SNP putatively involved in resistance to cattle plague (TLR4), and one SNP in intron 5 of the IGF-1 gene that has been associated to size and reproduction

Intradermal Electroporation of Naked Replicon RNA Elicits Strong Immune Responses

RNA-based vaccines represent an interesting immunization modality, but suffer from poor stability and a lack of efficient and clinically feasible delivery technologies. This study evaluates the immunogenic potential of naked in vitro transcribed Semliki Forest virus replicon RNA (RREP) delivered intradermally in combination with electroporation. Replicon-immunized mice showed a strong cellular and humoral response, contrary to mice immunized with regular mRNA. RREP-elicited induction of interferon-γ secreting CD8+ T cells and antibody responses were significantly increased by electroporation. CD8+ T cell responses remained substantial five weeks post vaccination, and antigen-specific CD8+ T cells with phenotypic characteristics of both effector and central memory cells were identified. The immune response during the contraction phase was further increased by a booster immunization, and the proportion of effector memory cells increased significantly. These results demonstrate that naked RREP delivered via intradermal electroporation constitute an immunogenic, safe and attractive alternative immunization strategy to DNA-based vaccines

T-2 toksin - pojavnost i toksičnost u peradi

T-2 toxin is the most toxic type A trichothecene mycotoxin. It is the secondary metabolite of the Fusarium fungi, and is common in grain and animal feed. Toxic effects have been shown both in experimental animals and in livestock. It has been implicated in several outbreaks of human mycotoxicoses. Toxic effects in poultry include inhibition of protein, DNA, and RNA synthesis, cytotoxicity, immunomodulation, cell lesions in the digestive tract, organs and skin, neural disturbances and low performance in poultry production (decreased weight gain, egg production, and hatchability). Concentrations of T-2 toxin in feed are usually low, and its immunosuppressive effects and secondary infections often make diagnosis difficult. If at the onset of the disease, a change in diet leads to health and performance improvements in animals, this may point to mycotoxin poisoning. Regular control of grain and feed samples is a valuable preventive measure, and it is accurate only if representative samples are tested. This article reviews the incidence and toxic effects of T-2 toxin in poultry.T-2 toksin je najtoksičniji predstavnik trikotecenskih mikotoksina tipa A. On je sekundarni produkt metabolizma plijesni roda Fusarium i često je prisutan u žitaricama i hrani za životinje. Štetni učinci uočeni su u eksperimentalnih životinja i životinja u uzgoju. On se povezuje s pojavom bolesti ljudi od mikotoksikoza. Učinci toksina u peradi su višestruki: inhibicija sinteze proteina, DNA i RNA, citotoksični učinak, imunomodulatorni učinak, oštećenje stanica probavnog sustava, organa i kože, živčani poremećaji te pad proizvodnih karakteristika u uzgoju peradi (slabiji prirast, pad nesivosti i valivosti). Koncentracije T-2 toksina u hrani redovito su vrlo malene, a zbog imunosupresivnog djelovanja toksina te istodobne sekundarne infekcije bolest se često teško dijagnosticira. Pri pojavi bolesti promjenom hrane može doći do poboljšanja zdravstvenog stanja, što tako|er upućuje na moguće trovanje mikotoksinima. Redovita kontrola uzoraka žitarica i hrane za životinje jedna je od preventivnih mjera, a detekcija mikotoksina u žitaricama i hrani pouzdana je samo ako se ispituje reprezentativan uzorak. U radu su opisani učestalost i toksični učinci T-2 toksina u peradi

In vitro and in vivo mRNA delivery using lipid-enveloped pHresponsive polymer nanoparticles

Biodegradable core−shell structured nanoparticles with a poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE) core enveloped by a phospholipid bilayer shell were developed for in vivo mRNA delivery with a view toward delivery of mRNA-based vaccines. The pH-responsive PBAE component was chosen to promote endosome disruption, while the lipid surface layer was selected to minimize toxicity of the polycation core. Messenger RNA was efficiently adsorbed via electrostatic interactions onto the surface of these net positively charged nanoparticles. In vitro, mRNA-loaded particle uptake by dendritic cells led to mRNA delivery into the cytosol with low cytotoxicity, followed by translation of the encoded protein in these difficult-to-transfect cells at a frequency of 30%. Particles loaded with mRNA administered intranasally (i.n.) in mice led to the expression of the reporter protein luciferase in vivo as soon as 6 h after administration, a time point when naked mRNA given i.n. showed no expression. At later time points, luciferase expression was detected in naked mRNA-treated mice, but this group showed a wide variation in levels of transfection, compared to particle-treated mice. This system may thus be promising for noninvasive delivery of mRNA-based vaccines.United States. Dept. of Defense (Institute for Soldier Nanotechnology, contract W911NF-07-D-0004)Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and HarvardSingapore. Agency for Science, Technology and ResearchHoward Hughes Medical Institute (Investigator