Improving Student Skills Through Video-Guided Assessments in the Dance Classroom

The purpose of this study was to improve novice dance students’ technique and skill level through the use of video-guided summative assessments in the public high school classroom. The assessments and associated classroom activities examine how the use of video cameras can enhance movement instruction and promote the advancement of student skills if implemented in a meaningful way. The research was conducted in one semester with an introductory level dance class where nineteen student participants filmed themselves performing ballet exercises at the beginning and end of the semester. Participants and researcher assessed these videos using specific movement-based rubrics that measured skills such as movement quality, body placement and alignment, and feet and arm articulation. The scores from these rubrics serve as a numeric measure of growth in students’ technical skill level. Student participants also engaged in inquiry-guided reflective journal writing that serve as the feedback and point of view of the participants involved and help determine if the video filming contributed to any growth and enhancement of skills. Quantitative in its use of numeric scores from the assessment rubrics and qualitative in its examination of student reflective writing, this research helps provide dance teachers with effective assessment and evaluation strategies that motivate student learning and support the improvement of movement skills in the classroom

Evaluation of an Online Platform for Multiple Sclerosis Research: Patient Description, Validation of Severity Scale, and Exploration of BMI Effects on Disease Course

Objectives: To assess the potential of an online platform, PatientsLikeMe.com (PLM), for research in multiple sclerosis (MS). An investigation of the role of body mass index (BMI) on MS disease course was conducted to illustrate the utility of the platform. Methods: First, we compared the demographic characteristics of subjects from PLM and from a regional MS center. Second, we validated PLM’s patient-reported outcome measure (MS Rating Scale, MSRS) against standard physician-rated tools. Finally, we analyzed the relation of BMI to the MSRS measure. Results: Compared with 4,039 MS Center patients, the 10,255 PLM members were younger, more educated, and less often male and white. Disease course was more often relapsing remitting, with younger symptom onset and shorter disease duration. Differences were significant because of large sample sizes but small in absolute terms. MSRS scores for 121 MS Center patients revealed acceptable agreement between patient-derived and physician-derived composite scores (weighted kappa = 0.46). The Walking domain showed the highest weighted kappa (0.73) and correlation (rs = 0.86) between patient and physician scores. Additionally, there were good correlations between the patient-reported MSRS composite and walking scores and physician-derived measures: Expanded Disability Status Scale (composite rs = 0.61, walking rs = 0.74), Timed 25 Foot Walk (composite rs = 0.70, walking rs = 0.69), and Ambulation Index (composite rs = 0.81, walking rs = 0.84). Finally, using PLM data, we found a modest correlation between BMI and cross-sectional MSRS (rho = 0.17) and no association between BMI and disease course. Conclusions: The PLM population is comparable to a clinic population, and its patient-reported MSRS is correlated with existing clinical instruments. Thus, this online platform may provide a venue for MS investigations with unique strengths (frequent data collection, large sample sizes). To illustrate its applicability, we assessed the role of BMI in MS disease course but did not find a clinically meaningful role for BMI in this setting

The Iowa Homemaker vol.4, no.8

Table of Contents Put the Home Into Homemaking by Ruth M. Lindquist, page 3 The Thanksgiving Table by Elizabeth Peterson, page 4 Sunshine for Babies by Edna Armstrong, page 5 Conference of Extension Specialists by Viola Jammer, page 5 Something Old for Which to Be Thankful by Marian Bigelow, page 6 A Course for Homemakers by Pearl Harris, page 6 Only 39 More Days Until Christmas by Rhea Ferne Schultz, page 7 The Evolution of Home Economics by Ruth Elaine WIlson, page 8 College Girls Earn Their Way in the Rockies by Marvel Secor, page 8 News From the State Association by Margaret M. Baker, page 9 Campus News, page 10 Who’s There and Where, page 11 Editorial, page 12 The Eternal Question, page 13 Homemaker as Citizen, page 14 The Possibilities of Batik, page 1

The Iowa Homemaker vol.4, no.9

Table of Contents Creamy Candles for Christmas by Beth Bailey McLean, page 3 The Home Guide by Dorothy G. Miller, page 4 Christmas Desserts by Adele Herbst, page 5 A Project in Homemaking by Elizabeth Storms Ferguson, page 6 Let’s Have a Christmas Party by Ann Leichleiter and Marvel Secor, page 6 Home Economics in New Zealand by Lillian B. Storms, page 7 The Christmas Bird by Grace Heidbreder, page 8 Helps from Our Extension Office by Viola Jammer, page 8 Who’s There and Where by Pearl Harris, page 9 Editorial, page 10 The Work of the Juvenile Court, page 11 The Eternal Question, page 1

Schistosoma mansoni Enhances Host Susceptibility to Mucosal but Not Intravenous Challenge by R5 Clade C SHIV

Parasitic infections have been postulated to increase host susceptibility to HIV-1. We previously demonstrated that rhesus monkeys with active schistosomiasis were significantly more likely to become systemically infected after intrarectal exposure to an R5-tropic clade C simian-human immunodeficiency virus then were parasite-free control animals. However, we could not address whether parasites exert their effect at the mucosal level or systemically. To address the latter possibility, we measured the virus doses needed to achieve systemic infection after intravenous exposure of parasite-free or parasite-positive monkeys using the identical virus stock. None of the viral parameters tested in these two groups of monkeys were statistically significantly different. These results suggest that schistosomiasis modulates susceptibility to immunodeficiency virus acquisition predominantly at the mucosal level. Treatment for parasitic infections in populations at higher risk for HIV-1 acquisition could represent a cost-effective approach to slow the spread of HIV-1, which is predominantly transmitted through mucosal routes

Modeling Disease Severity in Multiple Sclerosis Using Electronic Health Records

Objective: To optimally leverage the scalability and unique features of the electronic health records (EHR) for research that would ultimately improve patient care, we need to accurately identify patients and extract clinically meaningful measures. Using multiple sclerosis (MS) as a proof of principle, we showcased how to leverage routinely collected EHR data to identify patients with a complex neurological disorder and derive an important surrogate measure of disease severity heretofore only available in research settings. Methods: In a cross-sectional observational study, 5,495 MS patients were identified from the EHR systems of two major referral hospitals using an algorithm that includes codified and narrative information extracted using natural language processing. In the subset of patients who receive neurological care at a MS Center where disease measures have been collected, we used routinely collected EHR data to extract two aggregate indicators of MS severity of clinical relevance multiple sclerosis severity score (MSSS) and brain parenchymal fraction (BPF, a measure of whole brain volume). Results: The EHR algorithm that identifies MS patients has an area under the curve of 0.958, 83% sensitivity, 92% positive predictive value, and 89% negative predictive value when a 95% specificity threshold is used. The correlation between EHR-derived and true MSSS has a mean R[superscript 2] = 0.38±0.05, and that between EHR-derived and true BPF has a mean R[superscript 2] = 0.22±0.08. To illustrate its clinical relevance, derived MSSS captures the expected difference in disease severity between relapsing-remitting and progressive MS patients after adjusting for sex, age of symptom onset and disease duration (p = 1.56×10[superscript −12]). Conclusion: Incorporation of sophisticated codified and narrative EHR data accurately identifies MS patients and provides estimation of a well-accepted indicator of MS severity that is widely used in research settings but not part of the routine medical records. Similar approaches could be applied to other complex neurological disorders.National Institute of General Medical Sciences (U.S.) (NIH U54-LM008748

IL-9 as a mediator of Th17-driven inflammatory disease

We report that like other T cells cultured in the presence of transforming growth factor (TGF) β, Th17 cells also produce interleukin (IL) 9. Th17 cells generated in vitro with IL-6 and TGF-β as well as purified ex vivo Th17 cells both produced IL-9. To determine if IL-9 has functional consequences in Th17-mediated inflammatory disease, we evaluated the role of IL-9 in the development and progression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. The data show that IL-9 neutralization and IL-9 receptor deficiency attenuates disease, and this correlates with decreases in Th17 cells and IL-6–producing macrophages in the central nervous system, as well as mast cell numbers in the regional lymph nodes. Collectively, these data implicate IL-9 as a Th17-derived cytokine that can contribute to inflammatory disease

Risk Factors for Ebola Virus Persistence in Semen of Survivors in Liberia

BACKGROUND: Long-term persistence of Ebola virus (EBOV) in immunologically privileged sites has been implicated in recent outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This study was designed to understand how the acute course of EVD, convalescence, and host immune and genetic factors may play a role in prolonged viral persistence in semen. METHODS: A cohort of 131 male EVD survivors in Liberia were enrolled in a case-case study. Early clearers were defined as those with 2 consecutive negative EBOV semen test results by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) ≥2 weeks apart within 1 year after discharge from the Ebola treatment unit or acute EVD. Late clearers had detectable EBOV RNA by rRT-PCR \u3e1 year after discharge from the Ebola treatment unit or acute EVD. Retrospective histories of their EVD clinical course were collected by questionnaire, followed by complete physical examinations and blood work. RESULTS: Compared with early clearers, late clearers were older (median, 42.5 years; P \u3c .001) and experienced fewer severe clinical symptoms (median 2, P = .006). Late clearers had more lens opacifications (odds ratio, 3.9 [95% confidence interval, 1.1-13.3]; P = .03), after accounting for age, higher total serum immunoglobulin G3 (IgG3) titers (P = .005), and increased expression of the HLA-C*03:04 allele (0.14 [.02-.70]; P = .007). CONCLUSIONS: Older age, decreased illness severity, elevated total serum IgG3 and HLA-C*03:04 allele expression may be risk factors for the persistence of EBOV in the semen of EVD survivors. EBOV persistence in semen may also be associated with its persistence in other immunologically protected sites, such as the eye

The Iowa Homemaker vol.4, no.8

Table of Contents Put the Home Into Homemaking by Ruth M. Lindquist, page 3 The Thanksgiving Table by Elizabeth Peterson, page 4 Sunshine for Babies by Edna Armstrong, page 5 Conference of Extension Specialists by Viola Jammer, page 5 Something Old for Which to Be Thankful by Marian Bigelow, page 6 A Course for Homemakers by Pearl Harris, page 6 Only 39 More Days Until Christmas by Rhea Ferne Schultz, page 7 The Evolution of Home Economics by Ruth Elaine WIlson, page 8 College Girls Earn Their Way in the Rockies by Marvel Secor, page 8 News From the State Association by Margaret M. Baker, page 9 Campus News, page 10 Who’s There and Where, page 11 Editorial, page 12 The Eternal Question, page 13 Homemaker as Citizen, page 14 The Possibilities of Batik, page 15</p

The Iowa Homemaker vol.4, no.9

Table of Contents Creamy Candles for Christmas by Beth Bailey McLean, page 3 The Home Guide by Dorothy G. Miller, page 4 Christmas Desserts by Adele Herbst, page 5 A Project in Homemaking by Elizabeth Storms Ferguson, page 6 Let’s Have a Christmas Party by Ann Leichleiter and Marvel Secor, page 6 Home Economics in New Zealand by Lillian B. Storms, page 7 The Christmas Bird by Grace Heidbreder, page 8 Helps from Our Extension Office by Viola Jammer, page 8 Who’s There and Where by Pearl Harris, page 9 Editorial, page 10 The Work of the Juvenile Court, page 11 The Eternal Question, page 12</p