Characteristics of Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Mentoring Relationship Practices In Secondary Education Settings: A Case Study

The use of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) mentors in public school systems and other organizations has grown comparably with our economy’s increasing demand for STEM industry professionals. However, inspiring students to pursue STEM careers by using STEM industry professionals as mentors requires an understanding of effective mentor practices. Limited research exists that focuses on the mentoring practices students respond to as they make academic and career plans. The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify practices that promote STEM careers among youth. The study sought to answer the question, “What STEM mentor practices, behaviors, and roles do students identify as increasing their interest in pursuing STEM careers?” This study used a qualitative case study methodology. Golden Meadows School District was selected due to its extensive secondary education STEM mentoring programming. STEM education courses and activities are offered district-wide at the Center for STEM Instruction and Innovation (CSII). Golden Meadows was also chosen for the longevity of its program and the variety of STEM-focused project teams. The project teams were supported by industry mentors recruited from local businesses. The study focused on the perspectives of mentees working with industry mentors from various STEM disciplines. Students in the 11th and 12th grades were asked to participate in interviews. Participants answered questions about mentoring experiences that influenced their plans to pursue STEM professions. Interview responses and project team artifact review were used to analyze mentee perspectives. Two themes emerged from the findings which defined practices identified by mentees. The findings revealed that mentees pursuit of STEM careers was influenced by mentor practices that built mentee self-confidence and a comprehensive understanding of STEM careers. The study is supported by previous research focused on the value of mentoring and its use to positively influence young people

Schizophrenia in older adults

Although the number of persons over the age of 55 with schizophrenia is expected to double over the next 20 years, the research data on older people with schizophrenia is limited. This appears to be because until the middle of the 20th century, it was assumed that mental illness in older people was a part of the aging process and older people are often excluded from research investigations. There is a need for nursing research to explore how people with schizophrenia, as they age, learn to manage their problems, as well as how those who are first diagnosed with schizophrenia in later life adapt to their illness. Mental health nurses need to be cautious in assigning premature labels to older adults with mental illness that may lead to unsubstantiated assumptions about levels of disability. Instead, they should realize individual potential regarding undiscovered strengths and should attempt to create interventions that recognize and foster personal development for older adults with schizophrenia

Patient-reported Outcomes and Quality of Life in Anemic and Symptomatic Patients With Myelofibrosis: Results From the MOMENTUM Study

Patient-reported outcomes; Anemic; MyelofibrosisResultados informados por los pacientes; Anémicos; MielofibrosisResultats informats pels pacients; Anèmics; MielofibrosiMyelofibrosis (MF) is a chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm that typically manifests with debilitating symptoms that progressively worsen, negatively impacting patients’ quality of life. Fatigue is a multifactorial and burdensome MF-related symptom due to its severity, persistence, and prevalence, with anemia a contributing factor and major unmet need. Clinical trials of the Janus kinase (JAK)1/JAK2/activin A receptor type 1 inhibitor momelotinib have shown consistent anemia benefits, in addition to improvements in MF-related symptoms. The phase 3 MOMENTUM trial in symptomatic and anemic patients met its primary end point, with a greater proportion having a Myelofibrosis Symptom Assessment Form (MFSAF) Total Symptom Score (TSS) reduction ≥50% at week 24 with momelotinib versus danazol. To support the positive primary end point result, we conducted longitudinal, responder, and time-to-event analyses of patient-reported outcomes from MOMENTUM, as measured by the MFSAF, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) assessments. These analyses demonstrated rapid and durable response benefits with momelotinib, with achievement of first TSS response by day 29 and continued improvement over time. Improvements favored momelotinib versus danazol for each MFSAF individual item, and greater improvements were observed for disease- and cancer-related fatigue and physical functioning at week 24, with significant results for multiple items/domains across the 3 assessments. These findings are consistent in demonstrating that momelotinib provides substantial symptom benefit.This study was funded by Sierra Oncology, a GSK company

Symptomatic benefit of momelotinib in patients with myelofibrosis: Results from the SIMPLIFY phase III studies

Momelotinib; Myelofibrosis; Patient-reported outcomesMomelotinib; Mielofibrosi; Resultats informats pel pacientMomelotinib; Mielofibrosis; Resultados informados por el pacienteBackground Myelofibrosis (MF)-associated constitutional symptoms can severely impact health-related quality of life. Clinical trials in MF traditionally measure symptom response to treatment as a landmark endpoint of total symptom score (TSS) reduction ≥50% from baseline. However, this dichotomous assessment provides a limited view of clinically relevant symptomatic changes. Herein we evaluated longitudinal change from baseline in TSS over the continuous 24-week period and individual symptom scores to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of symptom benefits experienced by patients with MF receiving therapy. Methods Longitudinal symptom change was evaluated using mixed-effect model repeated measure (MMRM) methodology with individual item-level analyses to complement the interpretation of the landmark symptom results in the completed phase III SIMPLIFY studies of momelotinib in MF. MMRM compared mean change in TSS from baseline with Week 24 using data from all patient visits. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate item-level odds ratios using multiple predictive imputations for missing data. Results Momelotinib and ruxolitinib groups reported similar overall symptom improvements, with a TSS difference of <1.5 points between groups for each post-baseline visit in SIMPLIFY-1. In SIMPLIFY-2, the improvement in TSS observed in momelotinib-treated patients was consistent with that observed in SIMPLIFY-1, whereas progressive TSS deterioration was observed with control. Item-level scores were heterogeneous in both studies. A similar and greater proportion of momelotinib-treated patients were categorized as “improved” or “stable” compared with control in SIMPLIFY-1 and SIMPLIFY-2, respectively. Odds ratios for between-group comparison ranged from 0.75 to 1.21 in SIMPLIFY-1, demonstrating similarity in likelihood of symptom improvement. In SIMPLIFY-2, the likelihood of symptom improvement in each item was higher in the momelotinib arm. Conclusions These findings suggest that momelotinib provides clinically relevant symptom benefits in the JAK inhibitor-naïve and JAK inhibitor-exposed settings.SIMPLIFY-1 and SIMPLIFY-2 were sponsored by Gilead Sciences. This analysis was sponsored by Sierra Oncology, a GSK company

Overlap subtype of chronic graft-versus-host disease is associated with an adverse prognosis, functional impairment, and inferior patient-reported outcomes: A Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Consortium study

Background The National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference proposed the term “overlap” graft-versus-host disease to describe the situation when both acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease are present. Design and Methods We examined whether the overlap subtype of graft-versus-host disease was associated with a different prognosis, functional limitations, or patient-reported outcomes compared to “classic” chronic graft-versus-host disease without any acute features. Results Prospective data were collected from 427 patients from nine centers. Patients were classified as having overlap (n=352) or classic chronic (n=75) graft-versus-host disease based on reported organ involvement. Overlap cases had a significantly shorter median time from transplantation to cohort enrollment (P=0.01), were more likely to be incident cases (P\u3c0.001), and had a lower platelet count at onset of the graft-versus-host disease (P\u3c0.001). Patients with overlap graft-versus-host disease had significantly greater functional impairment measured by a 2-minute walk test, higher symptom burden and lower Human Activity Profile scores. Quality of life was similar, except patients with overlap graft-versus-host disease had worse social functioning, assessed by the Short Form-36. Multivariable analysis utilizing time-varying covariates demonstrated that the overlap subtype of graft-versus-host disease was associated with worse overall survival (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1–4.7; P=0.03) and higher non-relapse mortality (HR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2–8.3; P=0.02) than classic chronic graft-versus-host disease. Conclusions These findings suggest that the presence of acute features in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease is a marker of adverse prognosis, greater functional impairment, and higher symptom burden

Restoring Rivers One Reach at a Time: Results from a Survey of U.S. River Restoration Practitioners

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72915/1/j.1526-100X.2007.00244.x.pd