Nasjonale prøver som grunnlag for skoleutvikling og kontroll

I løpet av de siste tiårene har det vært et økende fokus på læringsutbytte og resultatmåling i skolen. I 1988 kom OECD med en rapport der de stilte spørsmål om hvordan norske myndigheter kan sikre god kvalitet i et system som var så desentralisert. Fra vårt ståsted kan det synes som om OECD sin rapport fra 1988 markerte starten på et systemskifte som blant annet satte i gang en rekke utredninger og utvalg som skulle se på elevenes læringsutbytte og kvaliteten i utdanningssystemet vårt. Intensjonen var at ulike styringsdokument, som NOU- rapporter, Stortingsmeldinger, forskrifter, lærerplaner og et nasjonalt vurderingssystem skulle kommekjølvannet av denne rapporten. Disse skulle til sammen utgjøre en viktig del av utviklingen mot den skolehverdagen vi ser i dag, der målstyring, kvalitet og resultat vektlegges og har stor betydning. På bakgrunn av denne vektleggingen har det kommet en rekke styringsverktøy som for eksempel nasjonale prøver. Omtrent samtidig så man en ny styringsideologi kalt New Public Management vokse frem, der man prøvde å overføre styringsformer fra næringslivet og inn i det i det offentlige. En av de viktigste tradisjonene innenfor dette var prinsippet om målstyring og ansvarlighet eller accountability. I begrepene ansvarlighet eller accountability ligger det at man blir stilt ansvar for de resultatene man har, og man skal stå til ansvar for om man har forvaltet ressursene man på en fornuftlig måte. Kvalitetsutvalget (2002, 2003) ledet av Astrid Søgnen kom frem til at den beste måten å måle elevenes læringsresultat var nasjonale prøver, men var opptatt av at til grunn for det de kaller resultatkvalitet ligger strukturkvalitet og prosesskvalitet. Datainnsamlingen, som er intervjuer av seks rektorer i grunnskolen i Norge, er gjort innenfor FIRE-prosjektet. Dette prosjektet har hatt til hensikt å evaluere Kunnskapsløftet, med fokus på å spore endringer i skolenes jobbing med de grunnleggende ferdighetene og vurdering som verktøy når det gjelder kvalitetssikring og utvikling. Prosjektet har vært et samarbeid mellom Universitetet i Oslo og NIFU. Som studenter ved Institutt for lærerutdanning og skoleforskning ved UIO var vi med på å samle inn data våren 2010. Vi har ut fra vår problemstilling valgt å analysere intervjuene til seks rektorer i grunnskolen. Vi har undersøkt rektorenes beskrivelser av arbeidet med resultatene fra de nasjonale prøvene og analysert dette i lys av kvalitetsbegrepene struktur-, prosess- og resultatkvalitet. Innledningsvis i oppgaven redegjør vi politiske styringsdokumenter og hvordan disse beskriver jobbing med resultat og kvalitet i skolen. Videre har vi i analysen presentert empiriske funn med forankring i kategorier som vi har utviklet med utgangspunkt i en modell fra Leithwood og Riehl.(2003). Deretter har vi analysert funnene tematisk, og til slutt har vi en oppsummerende drøfting som munner ut i en konklusjon som et svar på vår problemstilling. De teoretiske perspektivene vi har valgt å ta for oss er Trond Fevolden og Sølvi Lillejord (2005) sin forståelse av kvalitetsbegrepene struktur-. prosess- og resultatkvalitet. De har utviklet en modell som illustrerer at disse begrepene står i en hierarkisk relasjon til hverandre. Det vil si at de vil påvirke hverandre i den forstand at til grunn for resultatkvaliteten ligger struktur- og prosesskvalitet. For å kunne se dette i relasjon med føringene i de politiske styringsdokumentene, der ansvarsstyring er sentralt som styringsstrategi, bygger vi på forskning som er gjennomført av Jennifer O`Day, Jorunn Møller og Eyvind Elstad og Gjert Langfeldt som belyser ansvarsstyring som fenomen. For å knytte dette igjen sammen med skoleutvikling og skoleledelse har vi benyttet oss av teori fra Knut Roald og Jorunn Møller. Vi har hatt som må å belyse spenningene som ligger i formålet med de nasjonale prøvene. Et av formålene med prøvene er at informasjonen fra disse skal brukes som grunnlag for skoleutvikling, mens den andre dimensjonen ligger på kontroll fra myndighetenes side. Våre funn kan tyde på at rektorene vi har intervjuet i liten grad bruker prøvene som grunnlag for skoleutvikling, men at man har mer fokus på rapportering av resultat og igangsetting av tiltak som er lett å måle i forhold til kontrolldimensjonen

Effects of post-mortem storage conditions of bovine epididymides on sperm characteristics:investigating a tool for preservation of sperm from endangered species

The aim of this study was to establish and validate a reliable and efficient protocol for the recovery and cryopreservation of epididymal spermatozoa used for in vitro fertilization, using bulls of two different age classes. Testicles from 26 (37–51 weeks old, group 1) and 19 (52–115 weeks old, group 2) Danish Holstein bulls were collected after slaughter and stored at 5°C. After 0, 24 or 48 h, epididymides were isolated and spermatozoa collected. Assessments included spermatozoal motility, viability and morphology before and after cryopreservation and in vitro embryo production. Results showed that live spermatozoa can be collected from epididymides of bulls after their death. Storage of the testicles at 5°C for 24 h followed by cryopreservation of recovered epididymal spermatozoa resulted in 21% (group 1) and 31% (group 2) blastocysts produced in vitro. These results illustrate that epididymal spermatozoa recovered from testicles kept in specific conditions can be used to preserve genetic material from endangered and threatened species or populations in nature as well as in domestic and zoo animals

Real-life efficacy of pregabalin for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain in daily clinical practice in Denmark:the NEP-TUNE study

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to provide evidence regarding the real-life efficacy of pregabalin in the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain (NeP) in Denmark. METHODS: In this prospective, observational, noninterventional study, pregabalin (Lyrica(®)) was prescribed following usual clinical practice. Compared with baseline, the primary study end points after 3 months of observation were changes in 1) the average level of pain during the past week, 2) the worst level of pain during the past week, and 3) the least level of pain during the past week. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to perform paired analyses, and a multivariate regression analysis investigated factors driving change in pain. RESULTS: A total of 86 of the 128 patients included were regarded as efficacy evaluable (those completing 3 months of pregabalin treatment). Patients (59 years) were long-time sufferers of peripheral NeP, and 38% of them had comorbidities. The majority had previously been treated with tricyclic antidepressants or gabapentin. The average dose of pregabalin was 81.5 mg/d at baseline and 240 mg/d after 3 months. A clinically and statistically significant improvement of 2.2 points in the average level of pain intensity was found after 3 months. The higher the pain intensity at baseline, the higher was the reduction of the pain score. Positive results were also found for pain-related sleep interference, patients’ global impression of change, quality of life, and work and productivity impairment. Twenty-one patients reported 28 adverse events. CONCLUSION: This real-life study indicates that for some patients (two-thirds), addition of pregabalin for peripheral NeP helps to reduce their pain intensity significantly

Mass estimates of individual gas-bearing mesopelagic fish from in situ wideband acoustic measurements ground-truthed by biological net sampling

A new acoustic approach to estimate the mass of individual gas-bearing fish at their resident depth at more than 400 m was tested on Cyclothone spp.. Cyclothone are small and slender, and possibly numerically underestimated globally as individuals can pass through trawl meshes. A towed instrumented platform was used at one sampling station in the Northeast Atlantic, where Cyclothone spp. dominated numerically in net catches, to measure in situ acoustic wideband target strength (TS) spectra, i.e. acoustic scattering response of a given organism (”target”) over a frequency range (here, 38 + 50–260 kHz). Fitting a viscous–elastic scattering model to TS spectra of single targets resulted in swimbladder volume estimates from where individual mass was estimated by assuming neutral buoyancy for a given flesh density, such that fish average density equals that of surrounding water. A density contrast (between fish flesh and seawater) of 1.020 resulted in similar mass–frequency distribution of fish estimated from acoustics/model and Cyclothone spp. caught in nets. The presented proof of concept has the potential to obtain relationships between TS and mass of individual gas-bearing mesopelagic fish in general.publishedVersio

Key Lessons from Tailoring Agile Methods for Large-Scale Software Development

We describe advice derived from one of the largest development programs in Norway, where twelve Scrum teams combined agile practices with traditional project management. The Perform program delivered 12 releases over a four-year period, and finished on budget and on time. In this article, we summarize 12 key lessons on five crucial topics, relevant to other large development projects seeking to combine Scrum with traditional project management.Comment: Accepted for publication in IEEE IT Professiona

Long-Term Change and Predictors of Change in Physical and Mental Function after Rehabilitation: A Multi-Centre Study

Objective: To investigate changes and predictors of change in physical and mental function over a 3-year period after rehabilitation. Design: Prospective cohort. Participants: Patients, across diseases, living in western Norway, accepted for somatic specialized interprofessional rehabilitation (n = 984). Methods: Physical and mental function were assessed at admittance (baseline), and after 1 and 3 years using the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 (SF-36). Associations between changes in SF-36 component summary scores and sense of coherence, pain, disease group (musculoskeletal, neoplasm, cardiovascular, neurological, other), exercise habits and demographic variables were analysed using linear mixed modelling. Results: In the total group, mean (standard deviation) physical component summary scores improved by 2.9 (8.4) and 3.4 (9.3) points at 1 and 3 years, respectively. Mental component summary scores improved by 2.1 (9.7) and 1.6 (10.8) points. Improvement in physical component summary was significantly greater for patients with higher sense of coherence (b = 0.09, p = 0.001) and for the neoplasm disease group (b = 2.13, p = 0.046). Improvement in mental component summary was significantly greater for patients with low sense of coherence (b = –0.13, p = < 0.001) and higher level of education (b = 3.02, p = 0.0302). Interaction with age (physical component summary: b = 0.22, p = 0.039/mental component summary b = 0.51, p = 0.006) indicated larger effect at 1 year than at 3 years. Conclusion: Physical and mental function improved in the total study group over the 3-year period. Sense of coherence at baseline was associated with improved physical and mental function, suggesting that coping resources are important in rehabilitation.publishedVersio

Regulation of the molecular repertoires of oxidative stress response in the gills and olfactory organ of Atlantic salmon following infection and treatment of the parasite Neoparameoba perurans

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Cancer-related neuropathic pain in out-patient oncology clinics: a European survey

BACKGROUND: Although pain is frequently experienced by patients with cancer, it remains under-treated. The primary aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of cancer-related neuropathic pain (CRNP) in patients with chronic pain who attended an outpatient clinic for standard care in Europe (irrespective of the reason or stage of the cancer). The secondary aims of this study were to characterise pain and cancer in patients with CRNP (including treatment) and to evaluate the usefulness of the painDETECT (PD-Q) screening tool to help physicians identify a potential neuropathic component of cancer-related pain. METHODS: An observational, non-interventional, cross-sectional, multi-centre study of adult patients with cancer using patient and physician case report forms (CRFs). Patients with CRNP were identified by physicians’ clinical assessments after examining the completed PD-Q. RESULTS: A total of 951 patients visiting outpatient clinics across Europe were enrolled in this study between August 2010 and July 2011. Of these, 310 patients (32.60%; 95% confidence interval 29.62, 35.58) were identified as having CRNP. Twenty-nine of 39 (74.4%) physicians who completed the CRF relating to the PD-Q considered it a useful tool to help detect CRNP in daily practice and 28 of 39 (71.8%) indicated that they would use this tool in the future for most or some of their patients. Data from physicians before and after review of the completed PD-Qs showed a shift in clinical opinion (either to positive CRNP diagnosis [yes] or negative CRNP diagnosis [no]) in respect of 142 patients; about half of which (74) were categorised with an initial diagnosis of unknown. Opinions also shifted from a no to a yes diagnosis in 10 patients and from a yes to a no diagnosis in 51 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one-third of adults with cancer experiencing chronic pain attending outpatient clinics as part of routine care were considered to have CRNP in the opinion of the physicians after considering scores on the PD-Q. While physicians did not consider the PD-Q to be a useful tool for all patients, shifts in diagnosis before and after the use of this tool indicate that it may help physicians identify CRNP, especially where there is initial uncertainty

Reliability of translaryngeal airway resistance measurements during maximal exercise

Objective Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction is an important cause of exertional dyspnoea. The diagnosis rests on visual judgement of relative changes of the laryngeal inlet during continuous laryngoscopy exercise (CLE) tests, but we lack objective measures that reflect functional consequences. We aimed to investigate repeatability and normal values of translaryngeal airway resistance measured at maximal intensity exercise. Methods 31 healthy nonsmokers without exercise-related breathing problems were recruited. Participants performed two CLE tests with verified positioning of two pressure sensors, one at the tip of the epiglottis (supraglottic) and one by the fifth tracheal ring (subglottic). Airway pressure and flow data were continuously collected breath-by-breath and used to calculate translaryngeal resistance at peak exercise. Laryngeal obstruction was assessed according to a standardised CLE score system. Results Data from 26 participants (16 females) with two successful tests and equal CLE scores on both test sessions were included in the translaryngeal resistance repeatability analyses. The coefficient of repeatability (CR) was 0.62 cmH2O·L−1·s−1, corresponding to a CR% of 21%. Mean±sd translaryngeal airway resistance (cmH2O·L−1·s−1) in participants with no laryngeal obstruction (n=15) was 2.88±0.50 in females and 2.18±0.50 in males. Higher CLE scores correlated with higher translaryngeal resistance in females (r=0.81, p<0.001). Conclusions This study establishes translaryngeal airway resistance obtained during exercise as a reliable parameter in respiratory medicine, opening the door for more informed treatment decisions and future research on the role of the larynx in health and disease.publishedVersio

Mucosal immune and stress responses of Neoparamoeba perurans-infected Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) treated with peracetic acid shed light on the host-parasite-oxidant interactions

Treatment development for parasitic infestation is often limited to disease resolution as an endpoint response, and physiological and immunological consequences are not thoroughly considered. Here, we report the impact of exposing Atlantic salmon affected with amoebic gill disease (AGD) to peracetic acid (PAA), an oxidative chemotherapeutic. AGD-affected fish were treated with PAA either by exposing them to 5 ppm for 30 min or 10 ppm for 15 min. Unexposed fish from both infected and uninfected groups were also included. Samples for molecular, biochemical, and histological evaluations were collected at 24 h, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks post-treatment. Behavioral changes were observed during PAA exposure, and post-treatment mortality was higher in the infected and PAA treated groups, especially in 10 ppm for 15 min. Plasma indicators showed that liver health was affected by AGD, though PAA treatment did not exacerbate the infection-related changes. Transcriptome profiling in the gills showed significant changes, triggered by AGD and PAA treatments, and the effects of PAA were more notable 24 h after treatment. Genes related to immune pathways of B- and T- cells and protein synthesis and metabolism were downregulated, where the magnitude was more remarkable in 10 ppm for 15 min group. Even though treatment did not fully resolve the pathologies associated with AGD, 5 ppm for 30 min group showed lower parasite load at 4 weeks post-treatment. Mucous cell parameters (i.e., size and density) increased within 24 h post-treatment and were significantly higher at termination, especially in AGD-affected fish, with some treatment effects influenced by the dose of PAA. Infection and treatments resulted in oxidative stress—in the early phase in the gill mucosa, while systemic reactive oxygen species (ROS) dysregulation was evident at the later stage. Infected fish responded to elevated circulating ROS by increasing antioxidant production. Exposing the fish to a crowding stress revealed the interference in the post-stress responses. Lower cortisol response was displayed by AGD-affected groups. Collectively, the study established that PAA, within the evaluated treatment protocols, could not provide a convincing treatment resolution and, thus, requires further optimization. Nonetheless, PAA treatment altered the mucosal immune and stress responses of AGD-affected Atlantic salmon, shedding light on the host-parasite-treatment interactions.publishedVersio