From Peer Tutors to Writing Center Colleagues: The Potential of Writing Center Internships

The current conversation surrounding peer writing tutor professional development frequently includes discussions of authority, autonomy, and oversight. At the University of Michigan's Sweetland Writing Center, our conversations have followed similar trends with the added complication of an unusual setup when it comes to one-to-one writing consultations. Because Sweetland is staffed entirely by what the field calls "professional consultants" (university writing faculty with MFA or Ph.D. degrees), "professional development" has meant simply carrying out the work of the Academy, that is, attending conferences, publishing books and articles, conducting research, and revising curriculum. Yet in the Peer Tutoring Center – a space populated by upper-level undergraduates who have completed two semesters of intensive training taught by Sweetland faculty in the theory and practice of tutoring their peers – "professional development" has raised many issues of power and authority, at least for the faculty and staff supervising them. When the "professional consultants" seek to "professionalize" the student peer tutors, the emphasis shifts from self-improvement and self-interest (in the economic sense) to quality control and consciousness-raising. The question becomes one of how to help undergraduates transition from self-interest (in the psychological sense) to community- or organizational-interest, that is, how to help them identify with the body that oversees themUniversity Writing Cente

The Vehicle, Fall 1993

Table of Contents 7/10ths SynthesisPeter F. Essigpage 5 Aug 1992 (My Small Catechism)Jon Montgomerypage 6 Chaos Is-J. Dylan McNeillpage 7 UntouchedTraci Williamspage 8 The JustificationJohn C. Carminepage 8 LincolnJon Montgomerypage 9 Untitled (Photo)Nicole Niemanpage 10 Park PoemJohn Brillhartpage 11 SmokeJulia Ann Canhampage 12 Warming the BenchAnn Moutraypage 12 Cereal KillerJay Harnackpage 13 The Dutiful SonsTom McGrathpage 14 UntitledCatherine DeGraafpage 17 7-up bottleWalt Howardpage 17 BreedDan Trutterpage 18 An Argument Against LoveTony Martinezpage 19 UntitledT. Scott Laniganpage 19 Glassblowers BallStephanie Franzenpage 20 Portrait of a Young GirlJohn C. Carminepage 20 Untitled (artwork)Dan Trutterpage 21 Death of a FriendLizabeth Kulkapage 22 Submission BluesMartin Paul Brittpage 23 To the Fourteen Year Old SuicideScott Langenpage 23 The Flabby PilgrimTom McGrathpage 24 The Fall of ImmortalityBrian Wheelerpage 25 Merging with AirThom Schnarrepage 26 UntitledCatherine DeGraafpage 27 Tree FishSandra Beauchamppage 28 Country SlumberJ. Dylan McNeillpage 29 Untitled (artwork)Dan Trutterpage 33 Authors\u27 Pagepage 34https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1060/thumbnail.jp

Targeting the Γ-Aminobutyric Acid a Receptor (gabaar) to Alleviate Inflammation for Asthma and Neuropathic Pain

The γ-Aminobutyric Acid A Receptor (GABAAR) is a ligand-gated, pentameric chloride channel composed of subunits that include α1-6, β1-3, γ1-3, δ, ε, π, θ, ρ1-3.1-2 The most common arrangement includes two α subunits, two β subunits, and a γ subunit.3 This receptor includes two binding sites for the endogenous ligand γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) between the α and β subunits and a binding site between the α and γ subunit for benzodiazepines, a large family of positive allosteric modulators.4-5 Benzodiazepines are one of the most prescribed classes of pharmaceuticals to treat anxiety, insomnia, and epilepsy as well as for muscle relaxation.6-7 However, adverse effects are also associated with benzodiazepine use, including tolerance, dependence, sedation, amnesia, and severe withdrawal symptoms.6, 8 Physiological effects of these compounds corresponds to their selectivity towards GABAARs containing specific alpha subunits.8 This is also the case for non-neuronal cells as these cells express narrower subsets of GABAAR subunits.9-11 A high-throughput assay was developed using automated patch clamp and cell lines stably expressing functional GABAARs to determine subtype selectivity. To determine any adverse CNS effects of novel imidazodiazepines, the rotarod assay was employed. Traditionally, this assay has been used to detect neurological deficits caused by muscle relaxants, convulsants, and CNS depressants since the 1950’s.12 It is one of the most commonly used sensorimotor assays because of its sensitivity and reliability. After its implementation, hundreds of compounds have been screened in the recent years by members of the Arnold group. Subtype-selective imidazodiazepines without CNS effects were used to target non-neuronal cell types in an effort to alleviate inflammation in asthma and neuropathic pain (NP). Many cell types play a role in the airway inflammatory response, including T-lymphocytes, alveolar macrophages, and eosinophils.13 CD4+ T-lymphocytes14 and macrophages15 have both been shown to express GABAAR, however eosinophils have not previously been investigated.16-17 Herein, it is demonstrated that eosinophils express GABAAR subunits. The ability of imidazodiazepines to reduce inflammation was investigated by measuring the production of nitric oxide (NO) in activated macrophages. NO can cause vasodilation18, increase in mucus secretion18, recruit eosinophils18, cause cell injury and airway remodeling19, and mediate steroid resistance.19 Exhaled NO is used to determine the severity of lung inflammation of asthmatics.19 Among many compounds investigated, a novel imidazodiazepine was identified with the ability to reduce NO production. Lymphocytes mediate the inflammatory response in asthma by infiltrating the airway and secreting inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and chemokines.20 Functional GABAAR were confirmed on lymphocytes and targeted with novel imidazodiazepines to reduce IL-2, a cytokine associated with asthma exacerbations.21 The reduction of IL-2 was accompanied by a reduction of intracellular calcium, a signaling molecule that underlies many inflammatory processes.22 Alveolar macrophages have been successfully targeted with novel imidazodiazepines.23-24 Interestingly, these cells have been reported to be developmentally related to other resident macrophages, including microglia, the resident macrophages in the central nervous system.25 Microglia have been shown to express GABAAR subunits11, however a full characterization was not completed. It is demonstrated that human and mouse microglia express functional GABAAR that can be modulated with novel imidazodiazepines. Neuropathic pain has been suggested to be caused by hyper-excitability of neurons, however new evidence showed that the underlying cause is inflammation as a result of microglial activation.26-27 Upon nerve injury, microglia are stimulated to cause an influx of intracellular calcium28-29, which leads to upregulation of numerous inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, chemokines, and cytotoxic compounds; substances known to contribute to allodynia, hyperalgesia, and nociception.30-32 Novel imidazodiazepines have been identified among many compounds that reduce NO production, a key inflammatory modulator that causes extensive cell damage.33 Further experiments showed that this reduction was caused by a decrease in intracellular calcium, which in turn downregulated transcription and translation of iNOS, the enzyme responsible for generating nitric oxide during the inflammatory response.34 Initial experiments showed that these compounds have a stronger interaction with the κ opioid receptor than with GABAAR

Sinus pericranii with facial involvement-A great mimicker

Sinus pericranii is a rare vascular anomaly characterized by an abnormal communication between the intra- and extracranial venous systems through a calvarial defect(s). We present three cases of congenital sinus pericranii with facial involvement, emphasizing its cutaneous presentation with diagnostic pitfalls and discuss the multidisciplinary management of this vascular anomaly

High-Volume, Zero Balanced Ultrafiltration Improves Pulmonary Function in a Model of Post-Pump Syndrome

The systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), which may develop following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), can cause postoperative complications that contribute to the morbidity and mortality associated with open-heart surgery. Inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, are thought to play an important role in SIRS. Zero Balance Ultrafiltration (Z-BUF) is thought to reduce the quantity of inflammatory mediators associated with CPB and may attenuate the adverse effects of bypass. Following ethics committee approval, both an unfiltered experimental group and Z-BUF treatment group consisting of Yorkshire pigs (41 ± 19 kg) were anesthetized, ventilated, instrumented, cannulated and placed on CPB for 60 minutes. Following CPB, an infusion of low-dose endotoxin (1 μg/kg) was administered I.V. and the animals were monitored for 3.5 hours. The Z-BUF treatment group (n = 5) received high-volume ZBUF (122ml/kg ± 41) and the unfiltered experimental group (n = 5) did not. Hemodynamics, blood gases, and pulmonary functions were measured before, during, and after CPB. Following euthanasia, the middle lobe of the lung was prepared for histological analysis. Necropsy of the lung sample was weighed before and after dehydration to evaluate lung water content. During the experimental time course, plasma samples were evaluated for Interleukin-8 (IL-8) concentrations. Arterial PO2’s (mmHg) in the unfiltered experimental group showed a significant reduction at 3.5 hours post CPB when compared to baseline while the Z-BUF treatment group PaO2 did not significantly change. There was a significant difference in the PaO2 between the unfiltered experimental and Z-BUF group at the final 3.5 hour time point (78 ± 32 vs. 188 ± 92 mmHg respectively). Pulmonary compliance (ml/cmH2O) was significantly reduced in both the unfiltered experimental and Z-BUF treatment groups with the unfiltered experimental group being the most significant. Lung wet/dry ratios were established and results found the unfiltered experimental group ratio significantly greater than that of the Z-BUF treatment group. Morphometric analysis of histologic lung sections confirmed pulmonary injury in the unfiltered experimental group and protection in the Z-BUF treatment group. This study suggests that Z-BUF provides higher arterial PO2’s and lung compliances while reducing pulmonary edema and lung injury in a porcine model of PPS

Hearing care across the life course provided in the community

Untreated hearing loss is recognized as a growing global health priority because of its prevalence and harmful effects on health and well-being. Until recently, little progress had been made in expanding hearing care beyond traditional clinic-based models to incorporate public health approaches that increase accessibility to and affordability of hearing care. As demonstrated in numerous countries and for many health conditions, sharing health-care tasks with community health workers (CHWs) offers advantages as a complementary approach to expand health-service delivery and improve public health. This paper explores the possibilities of task shifting to provide hearing care across the life course by reviewing several ongoing projects in a variety of settings - Bangladesh, India, South Africa and the United States of America. The selected programmes train CHWs to provide a range of hearing-care services, from childhood hearing screening to management of age-related hearing loss. We discuss lessons learnt from these examples to inform best practices for task shifting within community-delivered hearing care. Preliminary evidence supports the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of hearing care delivered by CHWs in these varied settings. To make further progress, community-delivered hearing care must build on established models of CHWs and ensure adequate training and supervision, delineation of the scope of practice, supportive local and national legislation, incorporation of appropriate technology and analysis of programme costs and cost-effectiveness. In view of the growing evidence, community-delivered hearing care may now be a way forward to improve hearing health equity.United States Department of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH) - National Institute on Aging (NIA) [K23AG059900]; United States Department of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA NIH National Institute on Deafness & Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) [R21/R33 DC015062, R21/R33 DC013681]; PCORI Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute - PCORI [AD-1602-34571]; Hear the World FoundationOpen access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Cost-effectiveness of Mohs micrographic surgery vs surgical excision for basal cell carcinoma of the face

Objective: To assess the cost-effectiveness of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) compared with the surgical excision for both primary and recurrent basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Design: A cost-effectiveness study performed alongside a prospective randomized clinical trial in which MMS was compared with surgical excision. Setting: The study was carried out from 1999 to 2002 at the dermatology outpatient clinic of the University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands. Participants: A total of 408 primary (374 patients) and 204 recurrent (191 patients) cases of facial BCC were included. Main Outcome Measures: The mean total treatment costs of MMS and surgical excision for both primary and recurrent BCC and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, calculated as the difference in costs between MMS and surgical excision divided by their difference in effectiveness. The resulting ratio is defined as the incremental costs of MMS compared with surgical excision to prevent 1 additional recurrence. Results: Compared with surgical excision, the total treatment costs ofMMSare significantly higher (cost difference: primary BCC, €254; 95% confidence interval, €181-€324; recurrent BCC, €249; 95% confidence interval, €175-€323). For primary BCC, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was €29 231, while the ratio for recurrent BCC amounted to €8094. The acceptability curves showed that for these ratios, the probability of MMS being more cost-effective than surgical excision never reached 50%. Conclusions: At present, it does not seem costeffective to introduce MMS on a large scale for both primary and recurrent BCC. However, because a 5-year period is normally required to determine definite recurrence rates, it is possible that MMS may become a costeffective treatment for recurrent BCC

Praxis, Volume 07, No. 01: Professionalization and the Writing Center, Part I

Contents: A Writer, an Editor, an Instructor, and an Alumna Walk into the Writing Center... / by Jennifer Jefferson, Amy Cohn, Ellen Goldstein, Chris Wallis, and Lindsey Campbell -- An Interview with Ben Rafoth on Writing Center Research, Dissertations, and Job Opportunities / by Rebecca Day Babcock -- Bringing "Abnormal" Discourse into the Classroom / by Virginia Tucker -- Engaging Peer Tutors in Voicing Insights from the Tutorial Process / by Julian Brasington and Wendy Smeets -- Finding a Good Topic is Hard These Days / by Kelly Kamp -- From Peer Tutors to Writing Center Colleagues: The Potential of Writing Center Internships / by Naomi Silver, Carrie Luke, Lindsey Nieman, and Nicole Premo -- Kairotic Moments in the Writing Center / by Tim Taylor, Nia Klein, Kristi McDuffie, Fern Kory, Devin Black, and Serena Heath -- Mentoring Students with Special Circumstances / by Katerina Koutsantoni -- Nurturing Kairos-Consciousness / by Fern Kory -- Professional Development at the UWC: Three Personal Experiences / by Alanna Bitzel, Stephanie Odom, and Andrea Saathoff -- Professionalizing the Everyday / by R. Evon Hawkins -- Right Place, Wrong Timing / by Devin Black -- Situating Our Rhetorical Practice / by Tim Taylor -- The Future of WPA Professionalization: A 2007 Survey / by Jonikka Charlton -- The Most Vital Kairotic Moment / by Kristi McDuffie -- The Writing Center and Professionalization: Preparing Teachers for Administrative Responsibilities / by Tiffany Bourelle -- Tutors Teaching Directors about Professionalism / by Claire Lutkewitte -- Using Kairos to Mediate / by Serena HeathUniversity Writing Cente

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