Critical Self-Reflection as Disruption: A Black Feminist Self-Study

As the PK-12 student population grows more diverse, the teaching population steadfastly continues to be white middle-class women (NCES, 2016). Critical teacher educators understand the importance of preparing pre-service teachers to become culturally responsive and sustaining (CR/S) practitioners by engaging in culturally relevant education (CRE). Critical teacher educators, particularly those of color from historically marginalized groups, can be important advocates in the struggle to strengthen the teaching candidate pool of CR/S practitioners. Building a cadre of teachers, who are poised to decolonize minds and spaces, sustains the work of many teacher educators of color. However, the acts of teaching and learning in most institutions of education are inundated with oppressive norms such as white privilege, xenophobia and anti-blackness. It is this reality in which I, a Black female junior teacher educator, attempt to disrupt normative teaching practices within a special education course. This self-study examined insight derived from a focus group as well as from my self-reflections conducted over the course of two semesters (Spring 2018 to Fall 2018). Using a qualitative methodological approach, the findings indicated tensions between my vulnerable position of being a junior faculty member and my desire to dismantle normative deficit practices through critical self-reflection.   &nbsp

Women\u27s Stories of Breast Cancer: Sharing Information Through YouTube Video Blogs

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases among North American women. Individuals need accessible and reliable health information for self-care and self-health promotion. Increasingly, individuals are contributing to and accessing information about cancer, using interactive online resources such as YouTube. The purpose of this research was to investigate the personal YouTube video blogs of women with breast cancer and their portrayed messages. This study used a narrative inquiry to examine the video blogs of four women with breast cancer. The women talked about having cancer as a transformative experience. Information about breast cancer from healthcare providers was helpful but not always sufficient. The women sought and provided additional information on treatments, complementary and alternative methods, side effects, prosthetics, and changes to their identity. YouTube is growing in importance as a source of peer-to-peer health information sharing and support

Effects of stair stepping on late day postprandial glycemia

Increased postprandial glycemia is problematic as chronic increases make one more susceptible to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mortality. It is important to explore exercise interventions that are convenient and effective in reducing postprandial glycemia. PURPOSE: The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether the benefits of very short, single bout stair stepping established for early day food consumption extend to late day food consumption. METHODS: Seven participants without glycemic control abnormalities performed two standard oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), consuming 75g of glucose dissolved in 350mL of water followed by assessment of blood glucose response for 2 hours.Participants performed the OGTTs in the evening on two separate days. One day was the control condition, where participants remained seated throughout the entire duration of the OGTT. The other day (in randomized order) participants performed 1 min of stair stepping at a self-selected, comfortable pace 58 min after the consumption of the glucose solution. Blood glucose measurement via standard finger sticks were performed at 0, 30, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 120 min of the OGTT. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was assessed immediately following the stair stepping. Participants were instructed to not vary their diet or exercise during the two testing days. Diet and activity logs were collected to verify compliance.RESULTS:Blood glucose was not different at baseline and 30min. At the 60, 70, and 80min time points blood glucose was lower in the stair stepping compared to control conditions with narrowing margins as time progressed. At 90 and 120 min values were again not different between conditions. The change in blood glucose from baseline to peak values (60min) was statistically significantly lower in the stair-stepping (mean = 26, SD = 45 mg/dL) compared to control (mean = 63, SD = 41 mg/dL) condition (p = .032). All participants reported an RPE of 1 showing an overall low perception of intensity. CONCLUSION: A single 1-minute bout of low-intensity stair-stepping showed a marked reduction in peak postprandial blood glucose in the evening

How the Shareplace Pilot Regions Deal with the Corona Crisis

The Interreg Central Europe co-funded three-year project SHAREPLACE (“Shared mobility and Regional transport integrated Planning for a better connected Central Europe”) addresses, among others, the development and implementation of new mobility services in order to enhance the existing transport network based on the current needs of travellers. These new tools and services are being developed for five pilot regions, located in Croatia, Germany, Hungary and Italy. One objective of the project is to show how a co-design approach can support the design and implementation of new mobility services. Although the situation in terms of availability and quality of services as well as strategic planning processes are quite different in all pilot regions, they all profited from using living labs and stakeholder involvement for the development and design of services. Due to COVID-19 the situation change and the pilot regions are facing new challenges. How can participation work in times of COVID-19 and social distancing? This paper shows how the SHAREPLACE pilot regions deal with the new situation and which new experiences they made

Hold on to your friends: dedicated chaperones of ribosomal proteins

Eukaryotic ribosomes are assembled from their components, the ribosomal RNAs and ribosomal proteins, in a tremendously complex, multi-step process, which primarily takes place in the nuclear compartment. Therefore, most ribosomal proteins have to travel from the cytoplasm to their incorporation site on pre-ribosomes within the nucleus. However, due to their particular characteristics, such as a highly basic amino acid composition and the presence of unstructured extensions, ribosomal proteins are especially prone to aggregation and degradation in their unassembled state, hence specific mechanisms must operate to ensure their safe delivery. Recent studies have uncovered a group of proteins, termed dedicated chaperones, specialized in accompanying and guarding individual ribosomal proteins. In this essay, we review how these dedicated chaperones utilize different folds to interact with their ribosomal protein clients and how they ensure their soluble expression and interconnect their intracellular transport with their efficient assembly into pre-ribosomes

Experience of Robotic Exoskeleton Use at Four Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers

Background and Purpose: Refinement of robotic exoskeletons for overground walking is progressing rapidly. We describe clinicians\u27 experiences, evaluations, and training strategies using robotic exoskeletons in spinal cord injury rehabilitation and wellness settings and describe clinicians\u27 perceptions of exoskeleton benefits and risks and developments that would enhance utility. Methods: We convened focus groups at 4 spinal cord injury model system centers. A court reporter took verbatim notes and provided a transcript. Research staff used a thematic coding approach to summarize discussions. Results: Thirty clinicians participated in focus groups. They reported using exoskeletons primarily in outpatient and wellness settings; 1 center used exoskeletons during inpatient rehabilitation. A typical episode of outpatient exoskeleton therapy comprises 20 to 30 sessions and at least 2 staff members are involved in each session. Treatment focuses on standing, stepping, and gait training; therapists measure progress with standardized assessments. Beyond improved gait, participants attributed physiological, psychological, and social benefits to exoskeleton use. Potential risks included falls, skin irritation, and disappointed expectations. Participants identified enhancements that would be of value including greater durability and adjustability, lighter weight, 1-hand controls, ability to navigate stairs and uneven surfaces, and ability to balance without upper extremity support. Discussion and Conclusions: Each spinal cord injury model system center had shared and distinct practices in terms of how it integrates robotic exoskeletons into physical therapy services. There is currently little evidence to guide integration of exoskeletons into rehabilitation therapy services and a pressing need to generate evidence to guide practice and to inform patients\u27 expectations as more devices enter the market. Background and Purpose: Refinement of robotic exoskeletons for overground walking is progressing rapidly. We describe clinicians\u27 experiences, evaluations, and training strategies using robotic exoskeletons in spinal cord injury rehabilitation and wellness settings and describe clinicians\u27 perceptions of exoskeleton benefits and risks and developments that would enhance utility. Methods: We convened focus groups at 4 spinal cord injury model system centers. A court reporter took verbatim notes and provided a transcript. Research staff used a thematic coding approach to summarize discussions. Results: Thirty clinicians participated in focus groups. They reported using exoskeletons primarily in outpatient and wellness settings; 1 center used exoskeletons during inpatient rehabilitation. A typical episode of outpatient exoskeleton therapy comprises 20 to 30 sessions and at least 2 staff members are involved in each session. Treatment focuses on standing, stepping, and gait training; therapists measure progress with standardized assessments. Beyond improved gait, participants attributed physiological, psychological, and social benefits to exoskeleton use. Potential risks included falls, skin irritation, and disappointed expectations. Participants identified enhancements that would be of value including greater durability and adjustability, lighter weight, 1-hand controls, ability to navigate stairs and uneven surfaces, and ability to balance without upper extremity support. Discussion and Conclusions: Each spinal cord injury model system center had shared and distinct practices in terms of how it integrates robotic exoskeletons into physical therapy services. There is currently little evidence to guide integration of exoskeletons into rehabilitation therapy services and a pressing need to generate evidence to guide practice and to inform patients\u27 expectations as more devices enter the market

The Integration of Remote Sensing and Ancillary Data

Obtaining up-to-date information concernmg the environment at reasonable costs is a challenge faced by many institutions today. Satellite images meet both demands and thus present a very attractive source of information. The following thesis deals with the comparison of satellite images and a vector based land use data base of the City of Vienna. The satellite data is transformed using the spectral mixture analysis, which allows an investigation at a sub-pixel level. The results of the transformation are used to determine how suitable this spectral mixture analysis is to distinguish different land use classes in an urban area. In a next step the results of the spectral mixture analysis of two different images (recorded in 1986 and 1991) are used to undertake a change detection. The aim is to show those areas, where building activities have taken place. This information may aid the update of data bases, by limiting a detailed examination of an area to those areas, which show up as changes in the change detection. The proposed method is a fast and inexpensive way of analysing large areas and highlighting those areas where changes have taken place. lt is not limited to urban areas but may easily be adapted for different environments. (author's abstract)Series: Research Reports of the Institute for Economic Geography and GIScienc

Processing of preribosomal RNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Most, if not all RNAs, are transcribed as precursors that require processing to gain functionality. Ribosomal RNAs (rRNA) from all organisms undergo both exo- and endonucleolytic processing. Also, in all organisms, rRNA processing occurs inside large preribosomal particles and is coupled to nucleotide modification, folding of the precursor rRNA (pre-rRNA), and assembly of the ribosomal proteins (r-proteins). In this review, we focus on the processing pathway of pre-rRNAs of cytoplasmic ribosomes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, without doubt, the organism where this pathway is best characterized. We summarize the current understanding of the rRNA maturation process, particularly focusing on the pre-rRNA processing sites, the enzymes responsible for the cleavage or trimming reactions and the different mechanisms that monitor and regulate the pathway. Strikingly, the overall order of the various processing steps is reasonably well conserved in eukaryotes, perhaps reflecting common principles for orchestrating the concomitant events of pre-rRNA processing and ribosome assembly

Functional analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ribosomal protein Rpl3p in ribosome synthesis

Ribosome synthesis in eukaryotes requires a multitude of trans-acting factors. These factors act at many steps as the pre-ribosomal particles travel from the nucleolus to the cytoplasm. In contrast to the well-studied trans-acting factors, little is known about the contribution of the ribosomal proteins to ribosome biogenesis. Herein, we have analysed the role of ribosomal protein Rpl3p in 60S ribosomal subunit biogenesis. In vivo depletion of Rpl3p results in a deficit in 60S ribosomal subunits and the appearance of half-mer polysomes. This phenotype is likely due to the instability of early and intermediate pre-ribosomal particles, as evidenced by the low steady-state levels of 27SA3, 27SBS and 7SL/S precursors. Furthermore, depletion of Rpl3p impairs the nucleocytoplasmic export of pre-60S ribosomal particles. Interestingly, flow cytometry analysis indicates that Rpl3p-depleted cells arrest in the G1 phase. Altogether, we suggest that upon depletion of Rpl3p, early assembly of 60S ribosomal subunits is aborted and subsequent steps during their maturation and export prevented

Software for Acquiring Image Data for PIV

PIV Acquisition (PIVACQ) is a computer program for acquisition of data for particle-image velocimetry (PIV). In the PIV system for which PIVACQ was developed, small particles entrained in a flow are illuminated with a sheet of light from a pulsed laser. The illuminated region is monitored by a charge-coupled-device camera that operates in conjunction with a data-acquisition system that includes a frame grabber and a counter-timer board, both installed in a single computer. The camera operates in "frame-straddle" mode where a pair of images can be obtained closely spaced in time (on the order of microseconds). The frame grabber acquires image data from the camera and stores the data in the computer memory. The counter/timer board triggers the camera and synchronizes the pulsing of the laser with acquisition of data from the camera. PIVPROC coordinates all of these functions and provides a graphical user interface, through which the user can control the PIV data-acquisition system. PIVACQ enables the user to acquire a sequence of single-exposure images, display the images, process the images, and then save the images to the computer hard drive. PIVACQ works in conjunction with the PIVPROC program which processes the images of particles into the velocity field in the illuminated plane