Differences in the frequency of macrophage and t cell markers between focal and crescentic classes of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated glomerulonephritis

Funding/Support This study was supported by Tenovus Scotland/Tayside grant award to DK (Grant # T13/15).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Processes to condition gas permeable membranes

Glassy-type gas separating membranes are conditioned to a state of enhanced permeability through controlled sorption of a selected conditioning gas such as CO.sub.2. Membranes are swelled to a state of plasticity without being rubberized and maintained in this state to allow their permeabilities to settle to a new, higher steady-state value. Upon depressurization, conditioned membranes exhibit enhanced permeability over untreated membranes, without serious loss of permselectivity. Membranes so conditioned must be maintained with a minimum sorption level of a conditioning or maintaining gas pending use to retain their improved characteristics.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

What if I do? but what if I don't?

Abstract This thesis provides an account of a multi component Action Research study that explored the use of restraint in care homes for people who have Dementia. It draws together the key findings and highlights how the work has added to the wider body of nursing knowledge. Key practice and learning points are distilled for those whose roles encompass the development of policy and practice and who may, in the future, wish to draw on the lessons provided by this study with particular reference to the use of restraint and reducing its use in their organisations. The study entitled ‘What if I do? But what if I don’t?’ examines the use of restraint in residential care environments for older people with mental health problems on the Island of Guernsey, in the Channel Islands. Whilst the topic of restraint was utilized as the area of investigation, the study also illustrates how the process of managing change that was adopted could be applied to other aspects of care in different settings. The study was comprised of three major phases, with a phase being defined here as a ‘distinct stage of development’. Each phase comprised of one or more cycles of activity, with a cycle being described here as a ‘periodically repeated sequence of events’. Each cycle comprised up to five stages, with the stages being those described by Kemmis and McTaggart (1982) as follows: Stage 1. Identification of the problem Stage 2. Problem concepts investigated and the related literature consulted Stage 3. Plan of action to address the problem is designed Stage 4. Implementation of the action plan and monitoring Stage 5. Reflection stage, changes and modifications to the solution continue to be made. Data collection during the above involved the distribution of individual questionnaires, followed by senior staff focus groups, a relatives focus group (in phase one only), a review of client documentation, and finally observations of practice. Later staff also provided case study material to capture the impact of the change process. The initial findings from the study identified a number of ethical and moral dilemmas that staff faced about the use of restraint and suggested that the over-riding reason for its use was the protection of patients and staff. Other challenges involved the emotional aspects of care and the lack of alternative approaches to using restraint. As the study developed it became clear that staff were not as fully engaged as they might have been. This necessitated a re-think of the initial approach to change to ensure greater staff ownership and recognise the influence of organisational culture. Overall the study achieved both an observable reduction in the amount of restraint being used and brought about early changes to the organisational culture around the use of restraint. The key conclusions reached were that whilst staff training and education are important, effective and sustained change requires leadership and commitment. However, whilst leadership is crucial it is also imperative to involve, engage and communicate with all staff at the earliest opportunity. It is clear from the findings that limited staff involvement results in little impact on care practices. Conversely when staff were fully engaged observable changes in practice were seen. Lessons to be drawn from the study that can be applied to other areas of practice are considered and recommendations made

Compliance With a Risk-Factor-Based Guideline for the Prevention of Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Sepsis

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the compliance rate with a maternal risk-factor-based guideline for the prevention of neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) sepsis

RNA-Seq Analysis of Broiler Liver Transcriptome Reveals Novel Responses to High Ambient Temperature

In broilers, high ambient temperature can result in reduced feed consumption, digestive inefficiency, impaired metabolism, and even death. The broiler sector of the U.S. poultry industry incurs approximately $52 million in heat-related losses annually. The objective of this study is to characterize the effects of cyclic high ambient temperature on the transcriptome of a metabolically active organ, the liver. This study provides novel insight into the effects of high ambient temperature on metabolism in broilers, because it is the first reported RNA-seq study to characterize the effect of heat on the transcriptome of a metabolic-related tissue. This information provides a platform for future investigations to further elucidate physiologic responses to high ambient temperature and seek methods to ameliorate the negative impacts of heat. Transcriptome sequencing of the livers of 8 broiler males using Illumina HiSeq 2000 technology resulted in 138 million, 100-base pair single end reads, yielding a total of 13.8 gigabases of sequence. Forty genes were differentially expressed at a significance level of P-value \u3c 0.05 and a fold-change ≥ 2 in response to a week of cyclic high ambient temperature with 27 down-regulated and 13 up-regulated genes. Two gene networks were created from the function-based Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) of the differentially expressed genes: “Cell Signaling” and “Endocrine System Development and Function”. The gene expression differences in the liver transcriptome of the heat-exposed broilers reflected physiological responses to decrease internal temperature, reduce hyperthermia-induced apoptosis, and promote tissue repair. Additionally, the differential gene expression revealed a physiological response to regulate the perturbed cellular calcium levels that can result from high ambient temperature exposure. Exposure to cyclic high ambient temperature results in changes at the metabolic, physiologic, and cellular level that can be characterized through RNA-seq analysis of the liver transcriptome of broilers. The findings highlight specific physiologic mechanisms by which broilers reduce the effects of exposure to high ambient temperature. This information provides a foundation for future investigations into the gene networks involved in the broiler stress response and for development of strategies to ameliorate the negative impacts of heat on animal production and welfare

The Relationship Between Superintendent Servant Leadership Behavior and Principal Job Satisfaction in Iowa

Data from recent studies indicate that school principal turnover is high and that some principals suggest low job satisfaction levels. Superintendent leadership can influence the job satisfaction level of principals. This study examined the extent to which superintendent servant leadership behaviors correlate with principal job satisfaction. The population included all public school principals in the state. The final sample size consisted of 312 principals. The study utilized two survey instruments to explore superintendent servant leadership characteristics and job satisfaction data. The servant leadership characteristics included accountability, authenticity, courage, empowerment, forgiveness, humility, standing back, and stewardship. Questions investigating principal job satisfaction were broken into intrinsic and extrinsic subcategories. Results indicated a statistically significant relationship between superintendent servant leadership behavior and overall principal job satisfaction. Data also showed statistically significant relationships between each of the eight servant leadership characteristics and overall principal job satisfaction

Evidence of Natural Selection Footprints Among Some African Chicken Breeds and Village Ecotypes

In Africa, where general breeding and vaccination programs for chickensare absent, natural selection is a major factorin shaping genetic variation for adaptation to abiotic and biotic environmental stressors, e.g. heat, highaltitude and disease.In this study two groups of chicken populations adapted to two different environments (North-African, and West-African), in addition to a synthetic commercial breed (Kuroiler),were genomicallycompared. Genomic comparison using SNPs between suchunselected populations and the selected and genetically improved commercial one willlikely result in detection of natural selection footprints and genes responsible for adaptation traits. Thisinformation may assistimproving commercial linesto be more tolerant/resistant under expected climate change. Knowledge ofgenes involved inimmunity and diseaseresistance could be utilized for genome selection and lessen the utilization of antibioticswhich will increase chicken meat/egg quality for American consumers

The Ursinus Weekly, November 1, 1965

Founders\u27 Day ceremony honors four outstanding women • Homecoming weekend: Parties, pageantry, parades • Alumni initiate 1 year fund drive • Young Democrats help with campaign in Collegeville • Curtain Club presents theater-in-the-round • Senate announces senior women get 1:00 permissions • Editorial: Where have all the writers gone • Students join TV production staff • Letters to the editor • Student concert season opens at the Academy • Coed writes dear grandfather • Intramural corner • UC hockey over Wilson • JV\u27s undefeated • Alfred swamps Bears • Soccer team edged 1-0 • Greek machines promote The candidates • A protest! It\u27s purpose?https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1208/thumbnail.jp

Progress Monitoring in Inclusive Preschools: Using Children's School Success+ Curriculum Framework

Progress monitoring in inclusive preschool classrooms should describe all children's progress towards general curriculum outcomes and individual children's unique outcomes or IEP goals. This research study used the Children's School Success+ Curriculum Framework (CSS+ Curriculum Framework) and progress monitoring process to assess the outcomes of 73 children on these dimensions. Children's progress monitoring data were analyzed within groupings based on instructional need level (i.e., low, medium, or high) in academic content and social domains. Progress monitoring findings for both the academic and social support level of need groups showed significant progress pre- to posttest on most academic outcomes, but some variation with less consistent gains within the social emotional domain. Goal attainment scaling data demonstrated children's gains toward achieving their social goals (individualized education program [IEP] or specific learning goals) were at the expected level between 50% and 71% of the time. Academic-focused goal attainment was at or above the expected level of between 54% and 76% of the time, based on the learning grouping. Teacher implementation of CSS+ Curriculum Framework appeared to impact change in classroom and instructional practices pre-post intervention