Reflection: Kathy Reardon Kennedy

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Implementing Elementary School Next Generation Science Standards

Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards requires developing elementary teacher content and pedagogical content knowledge of science and engineering concepts. Teacher preparation for this undertaking appears inadequate with little known about how in-service Mid-Atlantic urban elementary science teachers approach this task. The purpose of this basic qualitative interview study was to explore the research questions related to perceived learning needs of 8 elementary science teachers and 5 of their administrators serving as instructional leaders. Strategies needed for professional growth to support learning and barriers that hamper it at both building and district levels were included. These questions were considered through the lens of Schön\u27s reflective learning and Weick\u27s sensemaking theories. Analysis with provisional and open coding strategies identified informal and formal supports and barriers to teachers\u27 learning. Results indicated that informal supports, primarily internet usage, emerged as most valuable to the teachers\u27 learning. Formal structures, including professional learning communities and grade level meetings, arose as both supportive and restrictive at the building and district levels. Existing formal supports emerged as the least useful because of the dominance of other priorities competing for time and resources. Addressing weaknesses within formal supports through more effective planning in professional development can promote positive change. Improvement to professional development approaches using the internet and increased hands on activities can be integrated into formal supports. Explicit attention to these strategies can strengthen teacher effectiveness bringing positive social change

Promotion of faster weight gain in infants born small for gestational age - Is there an adverse effect on later blood pressure?

Background - Being born small for gestational age is associated with later risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure. Promotion of postnatal growth has been proposed to ameliorate these effects. There is evidence in animals and infants born prematurely, however, that promotion of growth by increased postnatal nutrition increases rather than decreases later cardiovascular risk. We report the long-term impact of growth promotion in term infants born small for gestational age ( birth weight < 10th percentile).Methods and Results - Blood pressure was measured at 6 to 8 years in 153 of 299 ( 51%) of a cohort of children born small for gestational age and randomly assigned at birth to receive either a standard or a nutrient-enriched formula. The enriched formula contained 28% more protein than standard formula and promoted weight gain. Diastolic and mean ( but not systolic) blood pressure was significantly lower in children assigned to standard compared with nutrient-enriched formula ( unadjusted mean difference for diastolic blood pressure, - 3.2 mm Hg; 95% CI, - 5.8 to - 0.5; P = 0.02) independent of potential confounding factors ( adjusted difference, - 3.5 mm Hg; P = 0.01). In observational analyses, faster weight gain in infancy was associated with higher later blood pressure.Conclusions - In the present randomized study targeted to investigate the effect of early nutrition on long-term cardiovascular health, we found that a nutrient-enriched diet increased later blood pressure. These findings support an adverse effect of relative "overnutrition" in infancy on long-term cardiovascular disease risk, have implications for the early origins of cardiovascular disease hypothesis, and do not support the promotion of faster weight gain in infants born small for gestational age

Teaching with technology needs care

Digital learning doesn't have to mean that students aren't going to feel cared for, according to research from Allison Littlejohn, Eileen Kennedy, Diana Laurillard, and Kathy Armour

The effects of surface layer proteins isolated from Clostridium difficile on TLR4 signalling

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a gram-positive, spore-forming, pathogenic bacterium that results in a range of gastrointestinal diseases. The incidence of C. difficile infection (CDI) has increased dramatically and has a significant impact on healthcare settings worldwide. The severity of disease may be dependent on the ribotype (RT) of C. difficile present. Previous research from our laboratory has shown that Surface Layer Proteins (SLPs) from RT 001 activate Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), with subsequent activation of downstream signalling pathways known to be important in the clearance of CDI. In this study we demonstrate that SLPs from RT 001 fail to activate IRF3 signalling, while SLPs from RT 027 activate both arms of the TLR4 pathway. Evidence from the literature suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) tightly regulate TLR4 signalling and have a role in orchestrating the host’s immune response to infection. The profile of miRNAs regulated in response to SLPs from C. difficile has not been profiled before. Subsequently we identified novel miRNAs regulated in response to LPS, SLPs from RT 001 and RT 027 in vitro. We found 24 miRNAs were differentially regulated between SLPs in response to RT 001 and RT 027 and there was a global down regulation of miRNAs in response to SLPs from RT 027. These miRNAs may modulate TLR4 signalling. Data from colonic tissue, from an in vivo murine model show miR-146a, miR-145, miR-155 and let-7e may have a role in regulating the host’s immune response during early and late stage CDI. The absence of miRNAs regulated in response to RT 027 may correlate to less efficient clearance by the host’s immune response and more persistent infection. The miRNAs are predicted to target essential cell processes and the impact of the modulation of the immune response by these miRNAs may lead to biologically relevant changes at the cell level. Further work is needed to fully elucidate the complexities of these miRNAs in relation to the networks they modulate. The effectiveness of current treatments is limited by a lack of response in some patients and high recurrence rates. The data generated in this study may be used to develop miRNA based therapy for the treatment of persistent CDI, allowing bacterial clearance by the host’s immune system without the need for antibiotics

Challenges and opportunities for the future of Brain-Computer Interface in neurorehabilitation

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) provide a unique technological solution to circumvent the damaged motor system. For neurorehabilitation, the BCI can be used to translate neural signals associated with movement intentions into tangible feedback for the patient, when they are unable to generate functional movement themselves. Clinical interest in BCI is growing rapidly, as it would facilitate rehabilitation to commence earlier following brain damage and provides options for patients who are unable to partake in traditional physical therapy. However, substantial challenges with existing BCI implementations have prevented its widespread adoption. Recent advances in knowledge and technology provide opportunities to facilitate a change, provided that researchers and clinicians using BCI agree on standardisation of guidelines for protocols and shared efforts to uncover mechanisms. We propose that addressing the speed and effectiveness of learning BCI control are priorities for the field, which may be improved by multimodal or multi-stage approaches harnessing more sensitive neuroimaging technologies in the early learning stages, before transitioning to more practical, mobile implementations. Clarification of the neural mechanisms that give rise to improvement in motor function is an essential next step towards justifying clinical use of BCI. In particular, quantifying the unknown contribution of non-motor mechanisms to motor recovery calls for more stringent control conditions in experimental work. Here we provide a contemporary viewpoint on the factors impeding the scalability of BCI. Further, we provide a future outlook for optimal design of the technology to best exploit its unique potential, and best practices for research and reporting of findings

“Sometimes I think my frustration is the real issue”: A qualitative study of parents’ experiences of transformation after a parenting programme

Parenting programmes help to alleviate conduct problems in children, but ensuring that all parents feel supported to attend, complete and learn from these programmes has proven difficult. Parents can feel overwhelmed and struggle to change their parenting. This article aims to inform the future refinement of parenting programmes by examining parents’ narratives of how programmes motivated them to change and enabled them to put changes into practice