Design of a Professional Development Framework in Teaching and Learning for Engineering Educators

Ireland’s National Professional Development Framework for Those who Teach in Higher Education, aims to provide guidance and leadership in the planning, developing and engaging in professional development practices. A series of pilot projects have been initiated to help explore the framework’s likely utility and acceptance by educators and their institutions. These projects require engagement with staff in the interpretation and adaption of the framework within their working contexts. The purpose of this paper is to outline the development of one such project with engineering educators at three Institutes of Technology seeking designation as a technological university. The initiative aims to gain traction in the acceptance of the framework with the engineering education community by linking core and discipline-specific teaching and learning competencies with professional development activities most valued by engineering educators. Informed by three strands of literature: professional development in higher education; engineering education; and teaching and learning training provisions, the project begins with a survey of all those involved in teaching and learning in engineering across the three institutes. Based on engagement with key stakeholders, subsequent qualitative research informs the contextualization of the national framework for discipline-specific and institutional piloting. The paper concludes by exploring engineering educator perceptions of the national framework’s utility based on their engagement with the pilot process. Feedback from the pilot indicates that there is a significant gap between the professional development needs of engineering educators and the current professional development provision in teaching and learning

Considerations For Implementing a Telerehabilitation Treatment Program For Individuals With Chronic Aphasia

The purpose of this research project is to identify the considerations that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) need to review before beginning to use telerehabilitation services to treat patients with chronic aphasia. This research will specifically target therapy treatments for patients with chronic aphasia and the technology adaptations and adjustments necessary for this population. This research project includes a systematic literature review as well as an in-service presentation. As telerehabilitation will continue to develop and grow, practicing SLPs need to have a foundational understanding of what teletherapy is, the patients suitable for services, and the benefits it has the potential to provide. This research project serves to provide SLPs with the foundational information necessary when beginning to learn about telerehabilitation services

Twist Deformations of the Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics

The N-extended Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics is deformed via an abelian twist which preserves the super-Hopf algebra structure of its Universal Enveloping Superalgebra. Two constructions are possible. For even N one can identify the 1D N-extended superalgebra with the fermionic Heisenberg algebra. Alternatively, supersymmetry generators can be realized as operators belonging to the Universal Enveloping Superalgebra of one bosonic and several fermionic oscillators. The deformed system is described in terms of twisted operators satisfying twist-deformed (anti)commutators. The main differences between an abelian twist defined in terms of fermionic operators and an abelian twist defined in terms of bosonic operators are discussed.Comment: 18 pages; two references adde

“…the point is to change it”: Critical realism and human geography

This paper picks up themes discussed in Cox’s (2013) ‘Notes on a brief encounter: critical realism, historical materialism and human geography’. I argue that perhaps the encounter was more complex than Cox allows. At core Cox underplays, or marginalises, the discussion of causality and dismisses the significance of ontology stressing instead epistemology. The paper makes a case for another reading of the debate, one that has continuing significance

Medication-Assisted Therapy and First Episode Psychosis: Evaluating Treatment and Readmission Rates: A Scoping Review

Purpose/Background: There is limited research aimed at addressing the reoccurrence of admission rates for first-episode psychosis. Research shows that early interventions for first-episode psychosis lead to remissions and prevention of relapses. Research also estimates that approximately one-half of first-episode clients have a history of cannabis abuse or dependence and one-third have a current cannabis use disorder (Wisdom et al., 2011). This study looks to determine whether Medication-assisted therapy (MAT) impacts readmission rates for patients who have substance use disorder and first-episode psychosis within six months of discharge. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using several electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL. The search was limited to articles published in English between 2011 and 2021 using The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) database. All articles utilized human subjects who met diagnostic criteria for psychosis and were able to consent to treatment. Key words included: medication-assisted therapy, first episode psychosis, psychosis, substance use disorders, and others. Eleven articles were initially found that met the criteria. After a rapid critical appraisal and in-depth discussion of the articles, the remaining nine were chosen for the final selection. Findings: The key areas assessed in the articles include various types of MAT, and substance use disorders including alcohol use, cannabis, and opiate use disorders. The results of the studies showed that the use of MAT in individuals with first-episode psychosis improved treatment outcomes and reduced readmission rates. Implications for Nursing Practice: The results of the scoping review suggest that MAT may be effective in reducing readmission rates and improving treatment outcomes for those with first-episode psychosis and comorbid substance use disorder. However, more research is needed to determine specific types of MAT, dosage, and duration of MAT in this specific patient population

First Fruits of the Spitzer Space Telescope: Galactic and Solar System Studies

This article provides a brief overview of the Spitzer Space Telescope and discusses its initial scientific results on galactic and solar system science.Comment: Review article to appear in slightly different format in Vol.44 of Annual Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 200

Greater risk of severe COVID-19 in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic populations is not explained by cardiometabolic, socioeconomic or behavioural factors, or by 25(OH)-vitamin D status: study of 1326 cases from the UK Biobank.

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Public Health, following peer review. The version of record: Zahra Raisi-Estabragh, Celeste McCracken, Mae S Bethell, Jackie Cooper, Cyrus Cooper, Mark J Caulfield, Patricia B Munroe, Nicholas C Harvey, Steffen E Petersen, Greater risk of severe COVID-19 in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic populations is not explained by cardiometabolic, socioeconomic or behavioural factors, or by 25(OH)-vitamin D status: study of 1326 cases from the UK Biobank, Journal of Public Health, fdaa095, https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa095 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa095BACKGROUND: We examined whether the greater severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) amongst men and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals is explained by cardiometabolic, socio-economic or behavioural factors. METHODS: We studied 4510 UK Biobank participants tested for COVID-19 (positive, n = 1326). Multivariate logistic regression models including age, sex and ethnicity were used to test whether addition of (1) cardiometabolic factors [diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, prior myocardial infarction, smoking and body mass index (BMI)]; (2) 25(OH)-vitamin D; (3) poor diet; (4) Townsend deprivation score; (5) housing (home type, overcrowding) or (6) behavioural factors (sociability, risk taking) attenuated sex/ethnicity associations with COVID-19 status. RESULTS: There was over-representation of men and BAME ethnicities in the COVID-19 positive group. BAME individuals had, on average, poorer cardiometabolic profile, lower 25(OH)-vitamin D, greater material deprivation, and were more likely to live in larger households and in flats/apartments. Male sex, BAME ethnicity, higher BMI, higher Townsend deprivation score and household overcrowding were independently associated with significantly greater odds of COVID-19. The pattern of association was consistent for men and women; cardiometabolic, socio-demographic and behavioural factors did not attenuate sex/ethnicity associations. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, sex and ethnicity differential pattern of COVID-19 was not adequately explained by variations in cardiometabolic factors, 25(OH)-vitamin D levels or socio-economic factors. Factors which underlie ethnic differences in COVID-19 may not be easily captured, and so investigation of alternative biological and genetic susceptibilities as well as more comprehensive assessment of the complex economic, social and behavioural differences should be prioritised

TSPO interacts with VDAC1 and triggers a ROS-mediated inhibition of mitochondrial quality control

The 18-kDa TSPO (translocator protein) localizes on the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) and participates in cholesterol transport. Here, we report that TSPO inhibits mitochondrial autophagy downstream of the PINK1-PARK2 pathway, preventing essential ubiquitination of proteins. TSPO abolishes mitochondrial relocation of SQSTM1/p62 (sequestosome 1), and consequently that of the autophagic marker LC3 (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3), thus leading to an accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria, altering the appearance of the network. Independent of cholesterol regulation, the modulation of mitophagy by TSPO is instead dependent on VDAC1 (voltage-dependent anion channel 1), to which TSPO binds, reducing mitochondrial coupling and promoting an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that counteracts PARK2-mediated ubiquitination of proteins. These data identify TSPO as a novel element in the regulation of mitochondrial quality control by autophagy, and demonstrate the importance for cell homeostasis of its expression ratio with VDAC1

Real-life treatment of rhinitis in Australia : a historical cohort study of prescription and over-the-counter therapies for patients with and without additional respiratory disease

Peer reviewedPublisher PD