The State of Environmental Education in Minnesota

Minnesota has an excellent reputation for its environmentally aware citizenry. It is also nationally known for its environmental education facilities and school programs. Which one is the result of the other is debatable; but the fact remains that Minnesotans and their legislators value environmental education. Yet environmental education in Minnesota is not without difficult issues and challenges. This paper seeks to clarify the goals of environmental education in Minnesota and to explain who participates in it, where it is done, and how it has mushroomed in the twenty years since the first Earth Day

Decades of Delay: EPA Leadership Still Lacking in Protecting America's Great River

This report demonstrates the continuing failure of EPA's voluntary approach and the continuing and growing threats of unregulated nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. EPA has the power and the duty to act to require reasonable, common-sense regulations to address the growing scourge of nutrient pollution, and it should do so. Once again, MRC calls upon EPA to remedy this state of affairs, specifically recommending that EPA:Develop numeric phosphorus criteria for each of the eight states that have yet to adopt them, and numeric nitrogen criteria for all 10 states.Require states to assess their waters for nitrogen and phosphorus pollution and to prioritize TMDL development and implementation planning accordingly.Increase oversight of the state NPDES programs to ensure that both narrative and numeric nutrient criteria are implemented through limits in permits, including the use of Water Quality Based Effluent Limits (WQBELs) where appropriate.Disapprove TMDLs that lacking reasonable assurance that nonpoint source reductions are likely to occur and lack monitoring and timelines to ensure that planned reductions actually take place. Further, EPA needs to provide oversight to ensure consistency among EPA Regions in TMDL review and approval (especially in Regions 4 and 6.)Ensure that states' Nutrient Reduction Strategies contain implementation plans detailing point and nonpoint source reductions needed, responsible parties, funding mechanisms, milestones, measurement metrics, and reasonable timelines.Require states under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act to identify programs and practices for controlling nonpoint sources of pollution to the maximum extent possible

A Dutch guideline for the treatment of scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Children with neuromuscular disorders with a progressive muscle weakness such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Spinal Muscular Atrophy frequently develop a progressive scoliosis. A severe scoliosis compromises respiratory function and makes sitting more difficult. Spinal surgery is considered the primary treatment option for correcting severe scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders. Surgery in this population requires a multidisciplinary approach, careful planning, dedicated surgical procedures, and specialized after care.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The guideline is based on scientific evidence and expert opinions. A multidisciplinary working group representing experts from all relevant specialties performed the research. A literature search was conducted to collect scientific evidence in answer to specific questions posed by the working group. Literature was classified according to the level of evidence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For most aspects of the treatment scientific evidence is scarce and only low level cohort studies were found. Nevertheless, a high degree of consensus was reached about the management of patients with scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders. This was translated into a set of recommendations, which are now officially accepted as a general guideline in the Netherlands.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In order to optimize the treatment for scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders a Dutch guideline has been composed. This evidence-based, multidisciplinary guideline addresses conservative treatment, the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative care of scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders.</p

Northland science discovery. Final report, February 15, 1995--February 14, 1997

This is a final report on the US Department of Energy`s grant of $39,900 to the PLUS Center at The College of St. Scholastica for a PREP program called Northland Science Discovery (NSD). This report includes an overview of the past year`s progress toward achieving the goals established for the project, a description of the results of these efforts and their relationship to the project goals, and appendices documenting program activities, accomplishments, and expenditures. The goal of Northland Science Discovery is to provide science and math enrichment activities for students traditionally underrepresented in science (girls, minorities, low-income, and rural children). The program works toward this goal by providing a four-week residential, research-based, science and math youth camp which serves approximately 25 students per year. NSD has been held each summer since 1992. This program also has an academic-year component consisting of reunions

Northland science discovery. Final report, February 15, 1995--February 14, 1997

This is a final report on the US Department of Energy`s grant of $39,900 to the PLUS Center at The College of St. Scholastica for a PREP program called Northland Science Discovery (NSD). This report includes an overview of the past year`s progress toward achieving the goals established for the project, a description of the results of these efforts and their relationship to the project goals, and appendices documenting program activities, accomplishments, and expenditures. The goal of Northland Science Discovery is to provide science and math enrichment activities for students traditionally underrepresented in science (girls, minorities, low-income, and rural children). The program works toward this goal by providing a four-week residential, research-based, science and math youth camp which serves approximately 25 students per year. NSD has been held each summer since 1992. This program also has an academic-year component consisting of reunions

Global reported endophthalmitis risk following intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF: a literature review and analysis

Douglas K Sigford,1 Shivani Reddy,1 Christine Mollineaux,2 Shlomit Schaal1 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of&nbsp;Louisville, Louisville, 2Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY,&nbsp;USA Purpose: To report on endophthalmitis occurrence and associated risk factors following the intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents based on a review of published literature.Materials and methods: A Medline search was performed using the terms &ldquo;bevacizumab&rdquo; and &ldquo;ranibizumab&rdquo;. A total of 534 English-language articles of varying design and published from 2006 to November 2013 were analyzed for endophthalmitis occurrence and contributing perioperative factors.Results: A total of 445,503 injections were counted. There were 103 cases of postinjection endophthalmitis in 176,124 injections (0.058%) with bevacizumab (Avastin) versus 79 cases in 269,379 injections (0.029%) with ranibizumab (Lucentis). This difference was due to a significantly higher occurrence of culture-negative endophthalmitis associated with bevacizumab injections. Culture-positive risk was not statistically different between the two drugs. The reported use of postinjection topical antibiotics increased the risk of culture-positive endophthalmitis. No association was found with the use of povidone iodine, a lid speculum, a mask, or an operating room. Streptococcus spp. were the most prevalent causative organism, accounting for nine of 54 (17%) of all culture-positive cases.Conclusion: Reported postinjection endophthalmitis occurred significantly more in patients treated with bevacizumab than those treated with ranibizumab. However, culture-positive occurrence was similar. Despite the potential for contamination at the time of drug compounding, bevacizumab does not appear to confer a higher risk of culture-positive endophthalmitis than ranibizumab. This study also suggests antibiotic use may increase endophthalmitis occurrence. Keywords: endophthalmitis, eye infections, intravitreal injections, panophthalmiti