Traumatic Brain Injury Knowledge and Perceived Competence among Practicing School Psychologists

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a common occurrence in school-aged children. The epidemic of TBI is the leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults (Harris, Mishkin, & Ross, 2010). Children who suffer head injuries frequently experience behavioral, adaptive, and educational deficits (Taylor et al., 2002). As child study team members, under the provisions set forth by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), school psychologists are responsible for the identification, classification, assessment, and implementation of proper school-based treatment for children who sustain a TBI. This study sought to determine New Jersey school psychologists’ endorsement of common myths and misconceptions regarding brain injuries and compare those beliefs to past research. As well, it proposed to assess New Jersey school psychologists’ knowledge and self-perceived competence in the areas of TBI identification, assessment, and school-based intervention strategies. This study evaluated the results of a survey made available in of two formats (paper-and-pencil and e-mail); the first portion of the study, a true-false format, was a partial replication of the Gouvier, Prestholdt, and Warner (1988) study and the second portion was a Likert-scale developed by this study’s investigator. Surveys were disseminated via paper-and-pencil format to the principal investigators current school district and email addresses to other school psychologists within the state of New Jersey. A total of 229 school psychologists responded. When comparing current responses to past research, results reveal overall enhancement in knowledge of mild TBI and concussions, as well as of the impact of serial brain injuries, with fewer endorsements of misconceptions and myths in these vi areas. However, inaccurate beliefs were espoused equally by current practicing school psychologists as those of past research in areas of TBI recovery, amnesia, and brain damage, thus suggesting school professionals require further awareness of TBI sequelae and recovery consequences, especially with regard to more severe head injuries. Further, this study revealed a difference in the knowledge base in identifying TBI when comparing master’s-level to education specialist degreed school psychologists, indicating greater knowledge in identification among those with an education specialist degree. While not statistically significant, a similar trend was noted when comparing master’s and education specialist degree school psychologists in their knowledge of TBI assessment procedures. Moreover, while most practicing school psychologists felt competent in providing intervention strategies for children with head injuries, they did not necessarily possess accurate knowledge of TBI. As such, results implicate an ongoing need for further training and graduate-degree-program enhancement in the area of TBI, especially at the master’s degree level

Aneuploidy triggers a TFEB-mediated lysosomal stress response

Aneuploidy, defined as an alteration in chromosome number that is not a multiple of the haploid complement, severely affects cellular physiology. Changes in chromosome number lead to imbalances in cellular protein composition, thus disrupting cellular processes and causing proteins to misfold and aggregate. We recently reported that in mammalian cells protein aggregates are readily encapsulated within autophagosomes but are not degraded by lysosomes. This leads to a lysosomal stress response in which the transcription factor TFEB induces expression of factors needed for macroautophagy-mediated protein degradation. Our studies uncover lysosomal degradation defects as a feature of the aneuploid state, and a role for the transcription factor TFEB in the response thereto. Keywords: aneuploidy; autophagy; cancer; proteotoxicity; TFE

5000 Exoplanets: Listen to the Sounds of Discovery

Presented at the 27th International Conference on Auditory Display (ICAD 2022) 24-27 June 2022, Virtual conference.In March of 2022, NASA announced the discovery of the 5000th planet orbiting a star other than our sun (an exoplanet). We have created a sonification and visualization to celebrate this milestone and to communicate the exciting history of discovery to the general public. Our work provides a visceral experience of how humanity’s knowledge of alien worlds has progressed. A relatively simple and straightforward sonification mapping is used to make the informational content as accessible to the general public as possible. Listeners can see and hear the timing, number, and relative orbital periods of the exoplanets that have been discovered to date. The sonification was experienced millions of times through NASA’s social media channels and there are plans to update the sonification as future milestones are reached

Short- and long-term effects of chromosome mis-segregation and aneuploidy

Dividing cells that experience chromosome mis-segregation generate aneuploid daughter cells, which contain an incorrect number of chromosomes. Although aneuploidy interferes with the proliferation of untransformed cells, it is also, paradoxically, a hallmark of cancer, a disease defined by increased proliferative potential. These contradictory effects are also observed in mouse models of chromosome instability (CIN). CIN can inhibit and promote tumorigenesis. Recent work has provided insights into the cellular consequences of CIN and aneuploidy. Chromosome mis-segregation per se can alter the genome in many more ways than just causing the gain or loss of chromosomes. The short- and long-term effects of aneuploidy are caused by gene-specific effects and a stereotypic aneuploidy stress response. Importantly, these recent findings provide insights into the role of aneuploidy in tumorigenesis.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant GM56800

Hashimoto's thyroiditis and autoimmune gastritis

The term "thyrogastric syndrome" defines the association between autoimmune thyroid disease and chronic autoimmune gastritis (CAG), and it was first described in the early 1960s. More recently, this association has been included in polyglandular autoimmune syndrome type IIIb, in which autoimmune thyroiditis represents the pivotal disorder. Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the most frequent autoimmune disease, and it has been reported to be associated with gastric disorders in 10-40% of patients while about 40% of patients with autoimmune gastritis also present HT. Some intriguing similarities have been described about the pathogenic mechanism of these two disorders, involving a complex interaction among genetic, embryological, immunologic, and environmental factors. CAG is characterized by a partial or total disappearance of parietal cells implying the impairment of both hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor production. The clinical outcome of this gastric damage is the occurrence of a hypochlorhydric-dependent iron-deficient anemia, followed by pernicious anemia concomitant with the progression to a severe gastric atrophy. Malabsorption of levothyroxine may occur as well. We have briefly summarized in this minireview the most recent achievements on this peculiar association of diseases that, in the last years, have been increasingly diagnosed

2005 The Maine Warden Service and The State of Maine: A Contemporary and Historical Overview

Multi facet changes in many aspects of the State of Maine has not necessarily been followed by proportional changes in the structure of the Maine Warden Service. The following areas will be reviewed in this report Increased Population -A review of population trends in the state from 1970 to 1997. Reference will be made to population movements in the state creating more of an interaction between people and wildlife. Increased Access - Road access to remote sections of the state has increased dramatically over the past 20 years; creating increased opportunity for recreational use. Development of water access sites allows for more opportunity to enjoy water related sports. Expanded Constituency and User Trends - Hunting, fishing , and trapping are still popular but increased interest and industry developments in other outdoor related activities has created a new workload. Increased Responsibilities - Increased responsibilities through user trends and mandates Reduced Warden Service Personnel - Structure of the Maine \Varden Service peaked in 197 5. Restructuring since that time has left less working officers for our current operation. Reduced Available Work Hours and Labor Issues - Today Wardens are faced with time constraints that were unheard of 20 years ago. A look at work schedules and labor mandates show the changes in service provided.https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/maine-ifw/1000/thumbnail.jp

Early detection of biochemically occult autonomous thyroid nodules

Objective: Autonomously functioning thyroid areas may be associated with subclinical or overt hyperthyroidism, but may exist even in the presence of normal TSH. This study was aimed at comparing the rate of autonomously functioning areas and their cardiac sequelae in patients with nodular goitre studied with the usual and a novel approach. Design and methods: In total 490 adult outpatients with thyroid nodular goitre, living in a mild iodine-deficient area, were selected in our referral centre for thyroid diseases from 2009 to 2014 on the basis of a suspicion of thyroid functional autonomy. They were divided in three groups according to a non-conventional approach (excessive response to thyroxine treatment: group 1) or conventional approach (low/normal TSH with clinical suspicion or low TSH: groups 2 and 3). All patients of the study with the suspicion of thyroid functional autonomy underwent thyroid scan with radioactive iodine (I131) uptake (RAIU). Results: The percentage of confirmed thyroid functional autonomy was 319/490, being significantly higher in group 3 than in groups 1 and 2 (81.5 vs 64.7 vs 52.6%; chi-square P < 0.0001). However, the diagnosis with non-conventional approach was made at a significant earlier age (P < 0.0001). Cardiac arrhythmias as well as atrial fibrillation were similarly detected by conventional and non-conventional approaches (chi-square test: P = 0.2537; P = 0.8425). Conclusions: The hyper-responsiveness to thyroxine treatment should induce the suspicion of thyroid functional autonomy at an early stage, allowing to detect autonomous functioning areas in apparently euthyroid patients

Serum thyroid hormone antibodies are frequent in patients with polyglandular autoimmune syndrome type 3, particularly in those who require thyroxine treatment

Polyglandular autoimmune syndrome (PAS) type 3 consists of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) coexisting with ≥1 non-thyroidal autoimmune disease (NTAID) other than Addison’s disease and hypoparathyroidism. We evaluated the prevalence and repertoire of thyroid hormones antibodies (THAb) in PAS-3 patients. Using a radioimmunoprecipation technique, we measured THAb (T3IgM, T3IgG, T4IgM, and T4IgG) in 107 PAS-3 patients and 88 controls (patients with AITD without any NTAID). Based on the selective coexistence of AITD with one NTAID (chronic autoimmune gastritis, non-segmental vitiligo or celiac disease), patients were divided into group 1 (chronic autoimmune gastritis positive, n = 64), group 2 (non-segmental vitiligo positive, n = 24), and group 3 (celiac disease positive, n = 15). At least one of the four THAb was detected in 45 PAS-3 patients (42.1%) and 28 controls (31.8%, P = 0.14), with similar rates in the three PAS-3 groups. The rates of T3Ab, T4Ab, and T3 + T4Ab were similar in groups 1 and 2, while in group 3, T3Ab was undetected (P = 0.02). In PAS-3 patients, the rate of levothyroxine treatment was greater in THAb-positive patients compared to THAb-negative patients (76.7 vs. 56.1%, P = 0.03, RR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.03–1.81). Not unexpectedly, levothyroxine daily dose was significantly higher in group 1 and group 3, namely in patients with gastrointestinal disorders, compared to group 2 (1.9 ± 0.4 and 1.8 ± 0.3 vs. 1.5 ± 0.2 μg/kg body weight, P = 0.0005 and P = 0.004). Almost half of PAS-3 patients have THAb, whose repertoire is similar if chronic autoimmune gastritis or celiac disease is present. A prospective study would confirm whether THAb positivity predicts greater likelihood of requiring levothyroxine treatment

CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins are key regulators of human type two deiodinase expression in a placenta cell line

An appropriate concentration of intracellular T(3) is a critical determinant of placenta development and function and is mainly controlled by the activity of type II deiodinase (D2). The levels of this enzyme are finely regulated in different tissues by coordinated transcriptional mechanisms, which rely on dedicated promoter sequences (e.g. cAMP response element and TATA elements) that impart inducibility and tissue specificity to Dio2 mRNA expression. Here we show that CCAAT enhancer-binding proteins α and β (C/EBPα and C/EBPβ) promote Dio2 expression in the trophoblastic cell line JEG3 through a conserved CCAAT element, which is a novel key component of the Dio2 promoter code that confers tissue-specific expression of D2 in these cells. Increased C/EBPs levels potently induce Dio2 transcription, whereas their ablation results in loss of Dio2 mRNA. By measuring the activity of several deletion and point mutant promoter constructs, we have identified the functional CCAAT element responsible for this effect, which is located in close proximity to the most 5' TATA box. Notably, this newly identified sequence is highly conserved throughout the species and binds in vivo and in vitro C/EBP, indicating the relevance of this regulatory mechanism. Together, our results unveil a novel mechanism of regulation of D2 expression in a trophoblastic cell line, which may play a relevant role during placenta development