Assessment Of Professional Development Activities, Instructional Needs, And Methods Of Delivery For Part-Time Technical And Occupational Faculty In U.S. Community Colleges

This study describes the professional development activities and perceived instructional needs and best methods of delivering professional development opportunities for part-time occupational and technical program faculty within the community colleges in the U.S. Introduction to the policies and procedures of the college and/or department, introduction to other college faculty/staff, orientation to the course/classroom, and help in meeting administrative requirements were the professional development activities found to occur at least once a quarter or semester. The types of instructional help part-time faculty members were perceived to need most were: (a) identifying the learning characteristics of students, (b) alternating teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles, (c) participation in web-based instruction, and (d) participation in distance learning. It was discovered that professional development activities should be offered to part-time faculty at least once per semester or quarter using seminar discussions, group classroom activities, and computer assisted instruction or multi-media interaction as the preferred methods of delivery. An evening/night format and during the Fall were found to be the most suitable times to offer professional development opportunities and per diem and travel expenses should be provided to part-time faculty for participation in professional development activities

Is ultrasonography useful in the assessment of diffuse parenchymal liver disease?

One hundred twenty-five patients investigated at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, who underwent both hepatic ultrasonography and liver biopsy between 1980 and 1983, were scored quantitatively for ultrasound features of loss of detail, echogenicity, and attenuation, as well as for histologic features of fat, fibrosis, and inflammation. Strong correlations were found between the score for fat content and each of the three ultrasound features, and between the score for hepatic fibrosis and loss of detail and echogenicity, but there was no strong correlation with attenuation. Hepatic inflammation did not correlate with any of the ultrasound features. The correlations for fat were strongest when the interval between ultrasonography and liver biopsy was ≤7 days. Although ultrasonography had a positive predictive value of 98% in the diagnosis of diffuse parenchymal abnormality, it did not distinguish fat from fibrosis nor reliably diagnose cirrhosis. Ultrasonography gave false-positive results in only 2 patients, but in 17 patients, false-negative ultrasound examinations were encountered. These findings indicate that ultrasound is not a useful screening investigation for parenchymal liver disease, nor is it useful in gauging hepatic pathology. However, abnormal hepatic ultrasonography in patients with suspected liver disease strongly suggests the presence of diffuse liver disease

2,2,2-Trifluoroethanol as a Tool to Control Nucleophilic Peptide Arylation

The SNAr arylation of peptides with perfluoroaromatics provides a route by which to install a useful chemical handle that enables both 19F-NMR analysis and further chemical modification. However, chemo-selective arylation in peptides containing multiple nucleophilic side chains currently presents a challenge to the field. Herein, we demonstrate that employing 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) as a solvent in peptide SNAr reactions significantly improves nucleophile-selectivity when compared to N,Nʹ-dimethylformamide (DMF)

Ultra-sonografia abdominal na degeneração hepatolenticular: estudo de 33 casos

O estudo ultra-sonográfico de 33 pacientes com degeneração hepatolenticular revelou as seguintes alterações princpais: desordens da ecotextura hepática (29 casos), alterações das dimensões esplénicas (21), contração do fígado (10), colelitíase (8), hepatomegalia e ascite (1). As desordens da ecotextura hepática se apresentaram sob diversas formas, desde leves até graves alterações da ecogênese hepática, associadas com distorções anatômicas do fígado, tais como modificações do perfil e redução das dimensões. A contração hepática sempre se acompanhou de esplenomegalia. A raridade da hepatomegalia pode ser explicada pelo fato de que a ultra-sonografia foi realizada após o início do tratamento com penicilamina, ou por outros fatores ainda desconhecidos, como a possibilidade de que o cobre possua uma ação fibrogênica maior do que a de outros agentes hepatotóxicos. A colelitíase foi muito freqüente no sexo teminino (6 de 13 pacientes) e sua incidência tendeu a crescer com a idade. Quanto aos doentes do sexo masculino, não se notou aumento da incidência em relação à freqüência na população geral. Os dois únicos pacientes do sexo masculino eram jovens, fato raramente observado nos homens normais

Positive youth development through an outdoor physical activity programme: evidence from a four-year evaluation

In 2006, Sandford, Armour and Warmington undertook a comprehensive review of the literature on the role of physical activity/sport and physical education in promoting positive development for disaffected youth. This paper revisits the findings of the literature review in light of data from a four-year evaluation of one corporate-sponsored physical activity intervention in the UK. Literature on the role of physical activity/sport in positive youth development (PYD) is summarised and updated from the original review. Impact data were collected on approximately 600 pupils (310 boys and 285 girls) and showed that there were some positive benefits for the majority of participants and that those pupils who participated for longer showed more sustained improvements. It is argued, however, that physical activity settings are no panacea, and that complex understandings of learning and skill “transfer” from such programmes are required if sponsors and designers are to maximise the potential of sport/physical activity for positive youth development