Using a Mixed Methods Approach to Explore Perceptions of Early Learners in Classroom-Based Interprofessional Education Experiences

Background: - Interprofessional education (IPE) is a global imperative - Health profession education programs, motivated by accreditation requirements, have added IPE activities into their required curricula. - Curriculum development varies considerably across institutions and debate exists regarding appropriate timing for introducing learners to IPE in order to optimally improve health outcomes. - Some evidence shows benefit of early learner IPE in professional identity development, interprofessional socialization and positive attitude development toward interprofessional practice. - At Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), IPE is integrated longitudinally through the curriculum for several of the health professions programs via IPEC courses

Parameter estimation of Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process generating a stochastic graph

Given Y a graph process defined by an incomplete information observation of a multivariate Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process X, we investigate whether we can estimate the parameters of X. We define two statistics of Y. We prove convergence properties and show how these can be used for parameter inference. Finally, numerical tests illustrate our results and indicate possible extensions and applications

Inside Online Charter Schools

Online charter schools -- also known as virtual charters or cyber charters -- are publicly funded schools of choice that deliver student instruction via telecommunications. Today, about 200 online charter schools are operating in the United States, serving about 200,000 students at the elementary, middle, and high school grade levels. Although online instruction is increasing rapidly, there have been few studies of their operations and effects. In innovative new research funded by the Walton Family Foundation, the National Study of Online Charter Schools offers a rigorous analysis of online charter schools and their effects. Mathematica Policy Research's report provides the first nationwide data and analysis of the operations and instructional approaches of online charter schools, based on data collected in a survey completed by 127 principals of online charter schools across the country and public data from the U.S. Department of Education

Structural Diversity in Galactans From Red Seaweeds and Its Influence on Rheological Properties

Galactans are important components of many plant cell walls. Besides, they are the major polysaccharides in extracellular matrixes from different seaweeds, and other marine organisms, which have an acidic character due to the presence of sulfate groups in their structures. In particular, most of the red seaweeds biosynthesize sulfated galactans with very special linear backbones, constituted by alternating (1→3)-β-d-galactopyranose units (A-unit) and (1→4)-α-galactopyranose residues (B-unit). In the industrially significant seaweeds as source of hydrocolloids, B-units belong either to the d-series and they produce carrageenans (as in the order Gigartinales), or to the l-series, and they are sources of agarose and/or structurally related polymers (i.e., Gelidiales, Gracilariales). In both cases, the latter units appear as cyclized 3,6-anhydro-α-galactose in certain amounts, which can be increased by alkaline cyclization of α-galactose 6-sulfate units. Besides, it has been clearly shown that some red algae produce different amounts of both galactan structures, known as d/l-hybrids. It is not yet clear if they comprise both diasteromeric types of units in the same molecule, or if they are mixtures of carrageenans and agarans that are very difficult to separate. It has been reported that the biosynthesis of these galactans, showing that the nucleotide transport for d-galactopyranose units is UDP-d-Gal, while for l-galactose, it is GDP-l-Gal, so, there is a different pathway in the biosynthesis of agarans. However, at least in those seaweeds that produce carrageenans as major galactans, but also agarans, both synthetic pathways should coexist. Another interesting characteristic of these galactans is the important variation in the sulfation patterns, which modulate their physical behavior in aqueous solutions. Although the most common carrageenans are of the κ/ι- and λ-types (with A-units sulfated at the 4- and 2-positions, respectively) and usually in agarans, when sulfated, is at the 6-position, many other sulfate arrangements have been reported, greatly influencing the functional properties of the corresponding galactans. Other substituents can modify their structures, as methyl ethers, pyruvic acid ketals, acetates, and single stubs of xylose or other monosaccharides. It has been shown that structural heterogeneity at some extent is essential for the proper functional performance of red algal galactans.Fil: Ciancia, Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; ArgentinaFil: Matulewicz, Maria Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; ArgentinaFil: Tuvikene, Rando. Tallinn University; Estoni

Hard photon and neutral pion production in cold nuclear matter

The production of hard photons and neutral pions in 190 MeV proton induced reactions on C, Ca, Ni, and W targets has been for the first time concurrently studied. Angular distributions and energy spectra up to the kinematical limit are discussed and the production cross-sections are presented. From the target mass dependence of the cross-sections the propagation of pions through nuclear matter is analyzed and the production mechanisms of hard photons and primordial pions are derived. It is found that the production of subthreshold particles proceeds mainly through first chance nucleon-nucleon collisions. For the most energetic particles the mass scaling evidences the effect of multiple collisions.Comment: submitted to Phys. Lett.

Possibilities in the application of solid lipid nanoparticles in combination with 5-fluorouracil to overcome the drugresistance of non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549

Introduction: Multidrug resistance of non-small cell lung cancer cells is associated with a high percentageof therapeutic failures. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of solid lipid nanoparticles as atransporter of the conventionally used cytostatic (5-fluorouracil) to overcome the resistance of A549 cells.Material and methods: MTT assay was used to assess the differences in viability of cells treated with5-fluorouracil alone or in combination with different types of solid lipid nanoparticles. Type of cell deathand distribution of cell cycle phases were evaluated using flow cytometry.Results: The use of nanoparticles as a 5-fluorouracil transporter reduced the viability of A549 cells to agreater extent than the cytostatic alone. This was mainly due to the increase in apoptosis, but also necrosisand cell cycle arrest.Conclusion: Our results indicate the great potential of nanotechnology in the treatment of non-small celllung cancer. By using nanoparticles, it is possible to sensitise tumour cells to cytostatics to which theyare normally resistant. In addition, literature data confirm the safety of solid lipid nanoparticle application

Emission patterns of neutral pions in 40 A MeV Ta+Au reactions

Differential cross sections of neutral pions emitted in 181Ta + 197Au collisions at a beam energy of 39.5A MeV have been measured with the photon spectrometer TAPS. The kinetic energy and transverse momentum spectra of neutral pions cannot be properly described in the framework of the thermal model, nor when the reabsorption of pions is accounted for in a phenomenological model. However, high energy and high momentum tails of the pion spectra can be well fitted through thermal distributions with unexpectedly soft temperature parameters below 10 MeV.Comment: 16 pages (double-spaced), 5 figures; corrections after referee's comments and suggestion

The influence of house dust extract on normal lung cell Mrc5 and non-small lung carcinoma A549

Introduction. Desensitisation is a therapeutic method of allergic disease treatment, but its impact on the cellular level remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of house dust extract on two cell lines types: non-small lung cancer A549 and non-cancerous lung fibroblast Mrc5. Furthermore, we analysed cell viability, type of cell death, and reorganisation of mainly cytoskeletal proteins such as vimentin, F-actin, and b-tubulin. Material and methods. To determine the cell viability, the MTT test was used. The type of cell death was analysed using double staining of annexin V and iodide propidium. The reorganisation of cytoskeletal proteins was evaluated by fluorescent staining and microscopy observation. Results. Our data presented non-statistical differences in a population of live, apoptotic, and necrotic cells. We did not observe significant abnormalities in cytoskeletal reorganisation. Moreover, Mrc5 cell line exhibited a lower sensitivity for house dust extract in comparison to A549 cell line. Conclusions. Our study suggests that desensitisation has no significant influence on survival and cytoskeleton in both cell lines, which correlate with potential use of this method in cancer patients. Obviously, the choice of these kinds of treatment should be used carefully in consultation with a specialist. Additionally, to our knowledge, it was the first presentation of the influence of house dust extract on cells in the context of the main cytoskeletal reorganisations.