Results of the Accreditation Process to Guide Postsecondary Certificate-Granting Institution Improvement

Research gaps exist in knowledge about postsecondary certificate-granting institutions, as well as results of accreditation processes. This qualitative study focuses on national accreditation results that can: 1) define strengths and improvement areas in these institutions; 2) determine why action is taken or not taken on accreditation recommendations; and 3) identify results, strengths, and challenges of accreditation. This research base can guide improvements in these institutions and the North Central Association – Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) process. The population was 125 accredited schools in ten states, representing 96% of all NCA CASI accredited public, postsecondary institutions. Methods included: document analysis, interviews, and peer review validation. All commendations and recommendations in the 125 school NCA CASI accreditation reports were coded. Interview participants were selected using a maximum variance sampling with completion and licensure/certification passage averages as the variance component. Interviews were conducted with selected 15 NCA CASI school coordinators, one State Department Coordinator and one AdvancED/NCA CASI representative. Seven school personnel from five states participated in a peer-review validation process. Results indicate: 1) the accreditation report documentation shows the highest percentage of schools receive commendations related to: business, industry and community involvement; pupil personnel services; positive school culture and relationships; safety and space considerations, and data collection processes. Highest percentage of schools recommendations focused on: data analysis and decisions; lack of space; student support service strategies; business, industry, and community support strategies; and increased documentation. 2) Interviews identified themes of action taken on accreditation report recommendations: documentation, compliance, performance measures, and process improvements. Actions not taken related to: resource costs or philosophical differences. 3) Accreditation process strengths are: financial aid access; credibility; continuous improvement framework; critical analysis of self study using internal teams; and gaining external peer-review team perspectives. Accreditation challenges or areas in need of improvement are: accountability duplication; resource constraints; subjectivity/ philosophical differences; and suggestions for process improvements. These NCA CASI accredited institutions show an average of 84.5% completion, 87.9% placement, and 89.7% licensure/certification performance rates

A novel MDMA analogue, UWA-101, that lacks psychoactivity and cytotoxicity, enhances L-DOPA benefit in parkinsonian primates

Treatment of Parkinson's disease with dopaminergic agents, such as L-DOPA, is frequently compromised by disabling side effects, particularly dyskinesia and a shortening in duration of antiparkinsonian action. Studies in animal models and anecdotal evidence from a patient with Parkinson's disease show that the illicit drug ecstasy (MDMA) can alleviate these side effects, though with many drawbacks (e.g., psychoactivity). MDMA itself thus has little therapeutic potential. On the basis of known structure-psychoactivity relationships, we designed a series of α-substituted MDMA analogues, one of which, bearing an α-cyclopropyl substituent (UWA-101), enhanced the quality of L-DOPA actions in animal models. Indeed, UWA-101 was more effective than MDMA.Unlike MDMA, UWA-101 did not reduce viability of serotonergic cells, exhibit psychoactive properties, or reduce food intake, and did not substitute for MDMA in drug discrimination assays. UWA-101 displayed a unique receptor/transporter binding profile relative to MDMA, with a >5-fold decrease in affinity for NET and 5-HT2A receptors and a 10-fold increase in affinity for DAT. Furthermore, in a functional reuptake assay, UWA-101 inhibited both 5-HT and dopamine reuptake, while having no effect on the reuptake of noradrenaline. UWA-101 is the first selective DAT/SERT inhibitor described with comparable affinities for these two sites. These data identify a new class of therapeutic in Parkinson's disease and highlight the potential benefits of studying illicit drugs that in themselves would never be considered safe for longterm therapy