The Story Of A Foster Youths Journey Through The Maze Of Higher Education; Implications For Faculty And Staff Throughout The Campus

As educators and higher education administrators, it is important that we connect to our students. It serves us well to learn the stories behind those beautiful eyes looking back at us, as we support their navigation through the journey of higher education. This thesis, written in a Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) style, will use former foster youth students, as well as at-risk youth, as the population of focus. I will relay my own personal experiences, as a former youth-in-care. I will also explore this kind of alternative upbringing, to draw closer to the conclusions and insights of the struggles and triumphs of this population\u27s journey through higher education. I will show how the successful connections with supportive administrators, friends, and family lead to a successful student and improved human being upon graduation. When we label our marginalized students as at-risk we are imposing a story upon them, that is not theirs. This stereotypes where they came from dismisses their stories, and triumphs, and places them in a box that labels them. We need to provide them the same opportunities and supports that other students get to help make their way into and through college. We must remove the label of at-risk but this is only part of the journey in supporting these young people while they progress toward a degree. It is our job to increase success through weaving together opportunities to connect with different departments, different leaders on campus, and different groups of their peers. From the classroom, to our offices and hallways, this will help these students to create a stronger view of themselves and the world. As a former youth in foster care, I am not at-risk. I am at-promise. All the vulnerable young adults that I talk about in this thesis are not at-risk. Instead, they are \u27at-promise.\u2

The effect of glutathione on type 1 fimbriation in Escherichia coli

A wide range of molecular studies are carried out on model organisms such as Escherichia coli. While most E. coli strains are commensal, some have evolved to produce toxins and other virulence factors and are pathogenic. Such a virulence factor are type 1 fimbriae, filamentous structures that are anchored in the outer membrane of the bacterial cell and enable the attachment of bacteria to host cells, as well as facilitating their invasion The production of type 1 fimbriae is regulated by phase variation. Inversion of fimS, a short DNA element that carries the promoter sequence for the fim gene operon, determines-" phase switching and requires the recombinases FimB and FimE. FimB catalyses OFF-to- ON switching, and levels of fimB expression regulate fimbrial production. The expression of fimB itself is regulated by many factors. This study demonstrates that the tripeptide glutathione is an activator offimB expression. Glutathione is likely to have a periplasmic site of action and is suggested to target and inactivate the periplasmic enzyme SReA. Since SpeA is the first enzyme in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway, levels of glutathione would determine levels of polyamines. It is proposed that polyamines inhibit fimB expression at both the transcriptional and post- transcriptional level, an optimal level of polyamines allowing maximum fimB expression. The regulation of fimB expression at the transcriptional level is potentially mediated via elevated levels of the regulatory protein H-NS, a known inhibitor of fimB expression. However, the polyamines may have a direct effect on fimB translation as well. Type 1 fimbriae are proinflammatory and a virulence factor in pathogenic E. coli. The level of reduced GSH in the periplasm may thus provide the bacterium with a key indicator of host defence activation. Moreover, the fact that both GSH and the polyamines protect against oxidative stress suggests a raison d'etre for their mutual regulation

From data to difference – considering the application of a large-scale database of human behaviour in accidental dwelling fires

This paper outlines six newly developed insight themes designed as a tool to engage the United Kingdom Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) in a discussion about the importance of human behaviour in accidental dwelling fires (ADFs), a subject that has received limited attention compared to the study of human behaviour in other environments. Central to a wider research programme focussing on the public's perspective of an ADF is an important project, named LIFEBID (Lessons in Fire & Evacuation Behaviour in Dwellings). LIFEBID will create the world's first large-scale database of human behaviour in ADFs. The LIFEBID database will generate new data comprising hundreds (and potentially) thousands of survey responses from members of the public who have directly experienced an ADF. The insight themes provide a means to engage with FRS stakeholders about the relevance of the work for them. Within this paper the insight themes consider the importance of this subject for the UK FRS, which is a key stakeholder, both in the research development and the application of its findings. The insight themes allow logical presentation of emerging and potential applications in a format that is easily understood

Recollection of flame height and smoke volume in domestic fires

When a domestic fire occurs, how well do people perceive and recall the fire hazards they encounter? Although much research has been conducted on threat or risk perception and memory for threatening stimuli, to the authors' knowledge no studies have systematically tested how well people perceive and recall the threat stimulus in a fire context. This is an important topic given that domestic fires are usually the main source of fire-related injuries and deaths, and human behaviour is believed to play a significant role in such outcomes. Moreover, eyewitness testimonies play a significant role in subsequent fire, insurance and coroner investigations. The current study – part of wider research on human behaviour in domestic fires, called LIFEBID – sought to address the gap in knowledge by conducting an online experiment testing participants' (a) memories for the size of the flames and smoke witnessed in a mock kitchen fire, and (b) reported willingness to engage with the fire hazards. Participants' behaviours and attitudes in relation to other risky activities and control over events were also measured. The results revealed that accurate recollections of flame height and smoke volume can be obtained from members of the public, in certain cases. Accuracy was negatively impacted when the flames and smoke witnessed were larger in size. The size of the fire hazards also had an impact on participants' willingness to engage with the hazards, moderating the number who stated that they could have successfully extinguished the flames or would have entered the room with the smoke. Although there were signs that many participants recognised the risks posed by the larger hazards, a not inconsiderable number were still willing to engage with them. Being someone who takes greater risks in a health/safety domain and believing in one's ability to control what happens to oneself did not explain this finding. There is a clear need for a deeper investigation into people’s perceptions of fire hazards in a domestic fire context and their associated behaviours and fire outcomes

Inhibition of Collagen XVI Expression Reduces Glioma Cell Invasiveness

Background/Aims: The effects of a 10% α-hydroxy acid (AHA) oil/water (O/W) emulsion on the pH of human skin surface (pHss) and stratum corneum (SC; pHsc) were evaluated in vivo. Methods: The AHA O/W emulsion was applied to an area on the volar forearm of male volunteers (n = 12), and then wiped off after 10 min. Prior to application and over the following 3 h, the pHss was measured. We used glass electrode measurements and time domain dual lifetime referencing (tdDLR) with luminescent sensor foils. In another experiment (n = 5), the impact of the AHA O/W emulsion on the pHsc gradient was measured by tape stripping of the SC of the volar forearm after application of the AHA O/W emulsion. Results: Compared with pHss values prior to treatment [5.2 ± 1.7 (tdDLR) or 4.8 ± 0.5 (electrode)], the pHss was significantly reduced 10 min after application [4.0 ± 0.3 (tdDLR) or 4.1 ± 0.1 (electrode)] and the pHss remained significantly reduced over the measurement period of 3 h [after 3 h: 4.4 ± 0.2 (tdDLR) or 4.5 ± 0.3 (electrode)]. The AHA O/W emulsion significantly reduced the pHsc even down to deep layers of the SC. Conclusion: After a 10-min application time, the 10% AHA O/W emulsion reduces the pHss (for at least 3 h) and pHsc in deep layers of the SC

Perception and recollection of fire hazards in dwelling fires

Current understanding of dwelling fire injury outcomes is impacted by data limitations, confounds, and failures to adequately examine occupant behaviour. For instance, research rarely considers: occupant perception of fire hazard properties (e.g. size of flames/smoke when first encountered); resultant engagement (enter smoky room, tackle flames); whether hazard size percepts are accurate when recollected for investigators; and what the best recollection method is. Two experiments (N = 141, 132) presented short videos of kitchen fires where hazard size was either Small, Mid or Large. Immediately after seeing this (Experiment 1), or after a delay (Experiment 2), participants’ performance at recollecting hazard size and their willingness to (hypothetically) engage with the hazards was tested. Recollection performance was compared across three methods. Interestingly, free recall resulted in poor performance but performance improved by 2-3 times when using two types of layperson-friendly descriptors (text, pictures) that allowed hazard size to be referenced to other scene elements. Pictures had a slight advantage over text descriptors. Larger hazards were recollected less accurately than small ones, albeit still somewhat meaningfully; the exception was mid-sized smoke and attentional narrowing effects are discussed. Importantly, while increased hazard size reduced willingness, a concerning percentage of participants nevertheless considered engaging with the largest hazards; such risky behaviours may explain injury outcomes. Prior fire experience and gender affected recollection and willingness, often interacting with hazard size. Delayed recollection and individual differences did not. These findings suggest occupant behaviour, characteristics and hazard size data need capturing to help assess fire injury risks

Miller Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting (MECSH) trial: design, method and sample description

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Home visiting programs comprising intensive and sustained visits by professionals (usually nurses) over the first two years of life show promise in promoting child health and family functioning, and ameliorating disadvantage. Australian evidence of the effectiveness of sustained nurse home visiting in early childhood is limited. This paper describes the method and cohort characteristics of the first Australian study of sustained home visiting commencing antenatally and continuing to child-age two years for at-risk mothers in a disadvantaged community (the Miller Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting trial).</p> <p>Methods and design</p> <p>Mothers reporting risks for poorer parenting outcomes residing in an area of socioeconomic disadvantage were recruited between February 2003 and March 2005. Mothers randomised to the intervention group received a standardised program of nurse home visiting. Interviews and observations covering child, maternal, family and environmental issues were undertaken with mothers antenatally and at 1, 12 and 24 months postpartum. Standardised tests of child development and maternal-child interaction were undertaken at 18 and 30 months postpartum. Information from hospital and community heath records was also obtained.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>A total of 338 women were identified and invited to participate, and 208 were recruited to the study. Rates of active follow-up were 86% at 12 months, 74% at 24 months and 63% at 30 months postpartum. Participation in particular data points ranged from 66% at 1 month to 51% at 24 months postpartum. Rates of active follow-up and data point participation were not significantly different for the intervention or comparison group at any data point. Mothers who presented for antenatal care prior to 20 weeks pregnant, those with household income from full-time employment and those who reported being abused themselves as a child were more likely to be retained in the study. The Miller Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting trial will provide Australian evidence of the effectiveness of sustained nurse home visiting for children at risk of poorer health and developmental outcomes.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ACTRN12608000473369</p

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

The complexities of workplace english programmes: some instructors’ perspectives

The paper describes some aspects of the English in the Workplace Programme for immigrant workers as it developed through the 1970s and 1980s in the state of Victoria, Australia. The description is based upon data provided by experienced instructors in a survey of their work which took place in the late 1980s. Thus the perspectives are those of instructors, rather than those of other stakeholders. The peculiar complexities in language programmes in workplace settings emerge clearly in the instructors descriptions, as do the considerable language-learning challenges faced by immigrant workers In view of the massive migration of workers that is taking place in the nineties, and the increased concern of governments over functional illiteracy in industry, it is timely to consider :he perspectives of experienced workplace language instructors on their work