Evaluation of the computers for pupils initiative: final report

The Computers for Pupils (CfP) initiative aimed to help overcome the digital divide, which can prevent young people from disadvantaged backgrounds from enjoying the benefits of access to information and communications technology. The initiative provided funding for schools in deprived areas to invest in home access to ICT for their neediest pupils in order to: • give eligible learners the same opportunities as their peers • contribute to raising educational achievement • support personalised learning • encourage the development of ICT skills among learners and families. In December 2006, Becta commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to undertake a national evaluation of the CfP initiative. The main aim of the two-year evaluation was to assess the impact of CfP on learners and their families and to explore how schools and teachers had developed their pedagogic practices in order to support and capitalise on the new educational opportunities afforded by the technology. The evaluation involved distinct though interrelated strands of quantitative and qualitative research: • Questionnaire surveys of teachers in CfP schools, learners selected for CfP, and learners’ parents, which were conducted twice (autumn 2007 and 2008) in order to explore changes in general access to and use of computers and ICT, and assess the impact of the CfP initiative • In-depth case-study research across 13 schools within eight local authorities (LAs) in the spring and summer terms 2008 and again in the autumn term 2008 (including the same LAs and schools at all time points), in order to explore through detailed interviews perceptions of the implementation and impact of CfP. Key findings in relation to the aims of CfP

A Retrospective, Epidemiological Review of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Military Population

OBJECTIVE: Examine incidence rates of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in a military population over a tenyear period and whether demographic characteristics differ within the same population. METHODS: Diagnostic data and demographic variables from 23,821 active duty service members between 2006 and 2015 were analyzed from the Defense Medical Epidemiological Database. RESULTS: The incidence rates of new onset cases ranged from .22 (per 1,000 service members) in 2015 to a high of 1.46 (per 1,000 service members) in 2006 for T2DM without complications and .00 (per 1,000 service members) in 2007 to a high of .29 (per 1,000 service members) in 2015 for T2DM with complications. The one-sample chi-square test showed the observed, and expected frequencies differed significantly for all demographic variables tested. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was a significant increase in the diagnosis of T2DM with complications in 2015, the overall downtrend is similar to that of the general US population. Older age and higher rank were more likely to be associated with the diagnosis of T2DM with and without complications, again suggestive of similar trends with the general US population. Continued efforts towards early diagnosis and treatment of these service members are needed to address this problem regarding military readiness

2019 Scholars at Work Conference Program

Program for the 2019 Scholars at Work Conference at Minnesota State University, Mankato on March 29, 2019

A sensitive and specific histopathologic prognostic marker for H3F3A K27M mutant pediatric glioblastomas

Pediatric glioblastomas (GBM) are highly aggressive and lethal tumors. Recent sequencing studies have shown that ~30 % of pediatric GBM and ~80 % of diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas show K27M mutations in the H3F3A gene, a variant encoding histone H3.3. H3F3A K27M mutations lead to global reduction in H3K27me3. Our goal was to develop biomarkers for the histopathologic detection of these tumors. Therefore, we evaluated the utility of measuring H3K27me3 global reduction as a histopathologic and prognostic biomarker and tested an antibody directed specifically against the H3.3 K27M mutation in 290 samples. The study cohort included 203 pediatric (including 38 pediatric high-grade astrocytomas) and 38 adult brain tumors of various subtypes and grades and 49 non-neoplastic reactive brain tissues. Detection of H3.3 K27M by immunohistochemistry showed 100 % sensitivity and specificity and was superior to global reduction in H3K27me3 as a biomarker in diagnosing H3F3A K27M mutations. Moreover, cases that stained positive for H3.3 K27M showed a significantly poor prognosis compared to corresponding negative tumors. These results suggest that immunohistochemical detection of H3.3 K27M is a sensitive and specific surrogate for the H3F3A K27M mutation and defines a prognostically poor subset of pediatric GBM. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00401-014-1338-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Review of the curriculum and qualification needs of young people who are at risk of disengagement

This review suggests that consideration of curriculum and qualification needs is relevant for all learners, and especially those who are at risk of becoming not in education, employment or training (NEET). Common themes to consider are: the need for positive teaching approaches that adapt to meet young people’s needs; supportive and informal environments to learn where young people can achieve success; supportive relationships with teachers; high quality advice and guidance; and the availability of high quality curricula and qualification options (including vocationally-related options) that give young people opportunities to progress to their choice of further learning or employment. Much of the literature comments, to some extent, on how the curriculum and qualifications can influence young people’s engagement with learning, but rarely makes links with the segment of NEET young people who are ‘open to learning’ or ‘undecided’ about their futures but at risk of temporary disengagement from learning. This suggests that there is currently a gap in research around effective strategies to engage or re-engage those who are ‘open to learning’, or ‘undecided’ NEETs. This gap will be the focus of the From Education to Employment theme within The NFER Research Programme

Taxonomic composition, abundance and habitat associations of squid paralarvae in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Summer plankton surveys were conducted in 2015–2017 to characterize the distribution and abundance of squid paralarvae in epipelagic waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). Paralarvae present at stations sampled were from 12 families, with the most abundant being Ommastrephidae (flying squids), Enoploteuthidae (armed squids) and Onychoteuthidae (hooked squids). Mean density and percent frequency of occurrence for squid paralarvae across all surveys was 8.8 paralarvae 1000 m−3 and 76%, respectively. Julian day, salinity, sea surface height (SSH) and time of day were identified as influential environmental variables in generalized additive models (GAMs). Paralarval densities peaked during early morning and late evening sampling times, which is in accord with diel vertical migration patterns. Densities increased in early July, in areas with low SSH and lower salinity (28–35 psu), indicating upwelling areas and proximity to inflow from the Mississippi River represent productive early life habitats for squid. Results suggest that oceanic squid spawn in the northern Gulf in the summer exploiting the position of mesoscale oceanographic features and the extension of freshwater discharges from the Mississippi River