Developing a cross-cultural and cross-content foreign language curriculum

This thesis seeks to clarify the implementation of the cross-cultural and interdisciplinary French curriculum described in the associated work, Defining a Cross-Cultural and Cross-Content Foreign Language Curriculum (Seage). Using Social Studies as the primary source of cross-content exchange, the proposed curriculum is composed of three units of entry level French instruction that position the learner to acquire a second language through the broader process of acquiring an understanding of a second culture. By connecting the underlying philosophy outlined in the accompanying work to the recently implemented Common Core State Standards and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages\u27 Standards for Language Learning, this thesis seeks to provide explicit recommendations for instruction and implementation of the three units. Though the proposed curriculum has not yet been implemented in an instructional setting, this thesis speculates the benefits of the emphasis on second culture acquisition and the parallel model and additionally offers a range of adaptations to meet the needs of a variety of educational settings

Defining a cross content, cross cultural curriculum for foreign language

This thesis posits a 4th grade foreign language curriculum emphasizing cultural content in a parallel structure to social studies content as a means of addressing the interdisciplinary literacy stressed in the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Both the cultural content element and the parallel curriculum structure are compared to viable alternative emphases or structures prevalent in contemporary pedagogical material and practice. Standards of comparison for content foci are derived from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) World Readiness Standards for Learning Languages aligned with the CCSS and standards of comparison for curriculum structure are derived from various integrated curriculum theories. Conclusions drawn from these comparisons indicate that a language curriculum with equal value on cultural and linguistic content designed in a parallel structure satisfies literacy outcomes of the CCSS, but a different emphasis in foreign language content may benefit from a different level of integration in curriculum structure

Receiving a diagnosis of Pernicious Anaemia: exploring experiences of relationships with health professionals

Objectives: Pernicious Anaemia (PA) is a chronic condition caused by vitamin B12 deficiency. This is a qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA); which aimed to explore the patients lived experience of diagnosis and treatment. Methods: Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with PA patients, these covered participants’ diagnostic and treatment journeys, the responses of others to their diagnosis and the role health professionals have played in their medical care. Interviews were analysed for recurrent themes using IPA. Results: Three superordinate themes were identified: ‘The struggle to achieve a diagnosis’, ‘The significance of a diagnosis’ and ‘Battling for sufficient treatment’. Participants were dissatisfied with their medical care due to diagnostic delay, insufficient treatment and poor relationships with their health professionals. Many experienced, anticipated, and internalized stigma, which led to a reduced quality of life and withdrawal from the medical profession. Discussion: Participants’ interactions with their health professionals hindered their adaptation to their condition this affected their psychological and physical wellbeing. Increased clinician awareness of stigma in the PA population symptoms and effective patient-centred communication is required

Medical Care of AIDS in New England: Costs and Implications

This article presents an overview of cost issues related to AIDS. Data from the Massachusetts Cost of AIDS Study are combined with epidemiological projections to estimate the cost of treating people diagnosed with AIDS in New England. Aggregate inpatient, ambulatory, and home care costs are estimated to be $96.9 million and$524.8 million through 1987 and 1991, respectively. These estimates represent a relatively small percentage of total health care costs for all illnesses over the same time period. The authors find that the cost of treating AIDS does not affect all health care providers uniformly and therefore argue that appropriate measures must be developed to assist those impacted disproportionately. Reduction of inpatient hospital days through the creation of subacute care centers, subsidy programs for medical care providers serving large numbers of uninsured or underinsured AIDS patients and education to prevent new cases are recommended to continue the availability of medical care for people with AIDS

Individual-Based Simulation Models of HIV Transmission: Reporting Quality and Recommendations

Background: Individual-based modeling is a growing technique in the HIV transmission and prevention literature, but insufficient attention has been paid to formally evaluate the quality of reporting in this field. We present reporting recommendations for individual-based models for HIV treatment and prevention, assess the quality of reporting in the existing literature, and comment on the contribution of this model type to HIV policy and prediction. Methods: We developed reporting recommendations for individual-based HIV transmission mathematical models, and through a systematic search, used them to evaluate the reporting in the existing literature. We identified papers that employed individual-based simulation models and were published in English prior to December 31, 2012. Articles were included if the models they employed simulated and tracked individuals, simulated HIV transmission between individuals in a particular population, and considered a particular treatment or prevention intervention. The papers were assessed with the reporting recommendations. Findings: Of 214 full text articles examined, 32 were included in the evaluation, representing 20 independent individual-based HIV treatment and prevention mathematical models. Manuscripts universally reported the objectives, context, and modeling conclusions in the context of the modeling assumptions and the model’s predictive capabilities, but the reporting of individual-based modeling methods, parameterization and calibration was variable. Six papers discussed the time step used and one discussed efforts to maintain internal validity in coding. Conclusion: Individual-based models represent detailed HIV transmission processes with the potential to contribute to inference and policy making for many different regions and populations. The rigor in reporting of assumptions, methods, and calibration of individual-based models focused on HIV transmission and prevention varies greatly. Higher standards for reporting of statistically rigorous calibration and model assumption testing need to be implemented to increase confidence in existing and future modeling results

A replication of the 5–7day dream-lag effect with comparison of dreams to future events as control for baseline matching

The dream-lag effect refers to there being, after the frequent incorporation of memory elements from the previous day into dreams (the day-residue), a lower incorporation of memory elements from 2 to 4 days before the dream, but then an increased incorporation of memory elements from 5 to 7 days before the dream. Participants kept a daily diary and a dream diary for 14 days and then rated the level of matching between every dream report and every daily diary record. A significant dream-lag effect for the 5–7 day period, compared to baseline and compared to the 2–4 day period, was found. This may indicate a memory processing function for sleep, which the dream content may reflect. The paper has significant theoretical implications for the time-course of consolidating autobiographical memory

Tecendo resistências: costurar-se, bordar-se, suturar-se: mulheres artistas e a ressignificação do corpo-imagem na arte contemporânea

Este trabalho de conclusão de curso se propõe a instigar reflexão sobre como mulheres artistas contemporâneas ressignificam imagens de mulheres, ao se apropriarem de particularidades das técnicas da costura, do bordado e da sutura como linguagens artísticas. O questionamento crítico da sociedade brasileira é urdido com linha e agulha pelas mãos das artistas Letícia Parente, Anna Teresa Barboza, Rosana Paulino e Roberta Barros. A pesquisa tem como alicerce teórico Rozsika Parker, Ana Paula Simioni, Regilene Sarzi, Teresa Matos Pereira, Talita Trizoli, Luana Saturnino Tvardovskas, entre outras, estudiosas que pensaram as potencialidades discursivas e metafóricas dentro de um viés de gênero, artístico, social e político. Se baseia também nos compêndios das exposições Mulheres Radicais (Pinacoteca-SP) e Histórias das Mulheres, Histórias Feministas (MASP). Entre um ponto e outro, novas narrativas são tecidas, permitindo análises e transversalidades com questões de gênero, relações de poder, construção de memória, imagem e cultura

How do patients receiving prescribed B12 injections for the treatment of PA perceive changes in treatment during the covid-19 pandemic? A UK based survey study

Pernicious Anaemia (PA) is a chronic condition which is usually treated using B12 injections. Due to the pandemic many patients were prescribed an alternative oral B12 treatment. There is limited evidence that this is effective at managing symptoms of PA. The aim of this study was to document treatment changes across the UK and the impact on patient experience. An online survey explored how the treatment of PA has been managed during the early stages of the pandemic; responses were analysed for a sub-sample of participants receiving prescribed B12 injections and where changes in treatment applied (n=329) using content analysis. The most common reported change was suspension of injections, with oral B12 being offered as an alternative treatment. Patients were concerned about the long-term impact that changes would have on their condition management and many stated that they were dissatisfied with the level of care received. Those who were supported by healthcare providers to continue their usual treatment reported experiencing improved health and wellbeing. This study highlights the major impact of treatment changes on patient health outcomes, and the need to further support healthcare professionals with PA management during and beyond the pandemic

Antiretroviral therapy to prevent HIV acquisition in serodiscordant couples in a hyperendemic community in rural South Africa

Background. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) was highly efficacious in preventing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission in stable serodiscordant couples in the HPTN-052 study, a resource-intensive randomized controlled trial with near-perfect ART adherence and mutual HIV status disclosure among all participating couples. However, minimal evidence exists of the effectiveness of ART in preventing HIV acquisition in stable serodiscordant couples in "real-life" population-based settings in hyperendemic communities of sub-Saharan Africa, where health systems are typically resource-poor and overburdened, adherence to ART is often low, and partners commonly do not disclose their HIV status to each other. Methods. Data arose from a population-based open cohort in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A total of 17 016 HIV-uninfected individuals present between January 2005 and December 2013 were included. Interval-censored time-updated proportional hazards regression was used to assess how the ART status affected HIV transmission risk in stable serodiscordant relationships. Results. We observed 1619 HIV seroconversions in 17 016 individuals, over 60 349 person-years follow-up time. During the follow-up period, 1846 individuals had an HIV-uninfected and 196 had an HIV-infected stable partner HIV incidence was 3.8/100 person-years (PY) among individuals with an HIV-infected partner (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3-5.6), 1.4/100 PY (.4-3.5) among those with HIV-infected partners receiving ART, and 5.6/100 PY (3.5-8.4) among those with HIV-infected partners not receiving ART. Use of ART was associated with a 77% decrease in HIV acquisition risk among serodiscordant couples (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.23; 95% CI,. 07-.80). Conclusions. ART initiation was associated with a very large reduction in HIV acquisition in serodiscordant couples in rural KwaZulu-Natal. However, this "real-life" effect was substantially lower than the effect observed in the HPTN-052 trial. To eliminate HIV transmission in serodiscordant couples, additional prevention interventions are probably needed