How can a science teacher and non-science teacher effectively collaborate?

Team teaching in an earth science classroom between a special education and a regular teacher can prove to be challenging, especially when the special education teacher is new to the teaching profession and does not have a background in science. Couple this with a regular education teacher that has never co-taught a class and classroom situations that are neither efficient nor productive are created. This creates frustration, resentment, and low self esteem. An accurate record of our daily education lives would reveal that there existed high levels of frustration toward on another, the curriculum, and the students. Our roles were very well defined, as the regular education teacher i did most of the educating, while the special education teacher was more like highly paid secretary. These roles continued for many months until we each took the Gately and Gately survey of co-teaching environments. This survey served as a starting point for the development of strategies and techniques that would redefine our roles and create an environment more conducive to learning. As a result we have developed into a more effective partnership in education

Skin-targeted inhibition of PPAR β/δ by selective antagonists to treat PPAR β/δ-mediated psoriasis-like skin disease in vivo

We have previously shown that peroxisome proliferator activating receptor ß/δ (PPAR β/δ is overexpressed in psoriasis. PPAR β/δ is not present in adult epidermis of mice. Targeted expression of PPAR β/δ and activation by a selective synthetic agonist is sufficient to induce an inflammatory skin disease resembling psoriasis. Several signalling pathways dysregulated in psoriasis are replicated in this model, suggesting that PPAR β/δ activation contributes to psoriasis pathogenesis. Thus, inhibition of PPAR β/δ might harbour therapeutical potential. Since PPAR β/δ has pleiotropic functions in metabolism, skin-targeted inhibition offer the potential of reducing systemic adverse effects. Here, we report that three selective PPAR β/δ antagonists, GSK0660, compound 3 h, and GSK3787 can be formulated for topical application to the skin and that their skin concentration can be accurately quantified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/mass spectrometry. These antagonists show efficacy in our transgenic mouse model in reducing psoriasis-like changes triggered by activation of PPAR β/δ. PPAR β/δ antagonists GSK0660 and compound 3 do not exhibit systemic drug accumulation after prolonged application to the skin, nor do they induce inflammatory or irritant changes. Significantly, the irreversible PPAR β/δ antagonist (GSK3787) retains efficacy when applied topically only three times per week which could be of practical clinical usefulness. Our data suggest that topical inhibition of PPAR β/δ to treat psoriasis may warrant further exploration

Development of a 2,4-diaminothiazole series for the treatment of human African trypanosomiasis highlights the importance of static-cidal screening of analogues

While treatment options for human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) have improved significantly, there is still a need for new drugs with eradication now a realistic possibility. Here, we report the development of 2,4-diaminothiazoles that demonstrate significant potency against Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of HAT. Using phenotypic screening to guide structure-activity relationships, potent drug-like inhibitors were developed. Proof of concept was established in an animal model of the hemolymphatic stage of HAT. To treat the meningoencephalitic stage of infection, compounds were optimized for pharmacokinetic properties, including blood-brain barrier penetration. However, in vivo efficacy was not achieved, in part due to compounds evolving from a cytocidal to a cytostatic mechanism of action. Subsequent studies identified a nonessential kinase involved in the inositol biosynthesis pathway as the molecular target of these cytostatic compounds. These studies highlight the need for cytocidal drugs for the treatment of HAT and the importance of static-cidal screening of analogues

How can a science teacher and non-science teacher effectively collaborate?

Team teaching in an earth science classroom between a special education and a regular teacher can prove to be challenging, especially when the special education teacher is new to the teaching profession and does not have a background in science. Couple this with a regular education teacher that has never co-taught a class and classroom situations that are neither efficient nor productive are created. This creates frustration, resentment, and low self esteem. An accurate record of our daily education lives would reveal that there existed high levels of frustration toward on another, the curriculum, and the students. Our roles were very well defined, as the regular education teacher i did most of the educating, while the special education teacher was more like highly paid secretary. These roles continued for many months until we each took the Gately and Gately survey of co-teaching environments. This survey served as a starting point for the development of strategies and techniques that would redefine our roles and create an environment more conducive to learning. As a result we have developed into a more effective partnership in education

Estimating teacher value-added from schools’ internal assessments in England

This study investigated the acceptability and feasibility of estimating reliable and valid Value-Added Models (VAMs) in England for the evaluation of school interventions and different teacher training routes. Datasets already available in English primary and secondary schools were explored to examine whether they could inform and support the evaluation of school interventions and different training routes. The originality of this study also lies in the use of end-of-year assessments and data which are already available and collected by schools in England. Furthermore, this study suggests a three-step assessment quality check framework for researchers and school data managers, which could be implemented before proceeding with any analysis of the school assessment data. The key finding of this study is that it is acceptable and feasible to estimate aggregated teacher impact with VAMs for evaluation of interventions and policies. This suggests that it is possible to maximise the use of available school data for evaluating the effectiveness of different interventions to support evidence-based decision-making