Teaching strategies to elicit excellence in higher education

Pedagogy for gifted and talented students in higher education is the main topic of this study. Teachers of educational programmes designed for talented or highly motivated students in higher education (here called honours programmes) are challenged to stimulate students to increase the quality of their academic achievements. However, systematically acquired knowledge on effective teaching strategies for motivated and talented students above the age of 18 is limited (Heller, Mßnks, Sternberg & Subotnik, 2000). The aim of this study is to augment the existing body of knowledge. Firstly to reflect on this knowledge from different perspectives, secondly by a mix-method research, analysing multi-institutional data collected in the United States and the Netherlands about teachers perception on teaching strategies for gifted and motivated students in higher education. The theoretical perspectives behind this study focus on (1) theories about giftedness, (2) motivational theories and (3) on studies on honours programmes

Intellectual disability, hate crime and other social constructions : A view from South Yorkshire

The category of hate crime is a recent legislative response to the increasing levels of anti-social, criminal and discriminatory behaviours and practices that target a wide spectrum of individuals on the basis of their identification within certain minority sociological subcultures. People with intellectual disability are often targeted for this kind of behaviour. Here we report on an evaluation of one English city's efforts to instigate a street-based scheme to offer some security and protection to its intellectually disabled citizens. The physical location of the premises and the engagement of the staff employed therein has some bearing on their potential to be effective in offering shelter and support to distressed individuals. But even where premises are well situated with positive staffing the absence of local records to list the uptake of the scheme leaves room for doubt about its overall effectiveness. We make some recommendations for practice and suggest directions for further research key words: hate crime intellectual disability safe places social inclusio

Pflegerische Fallführung in der ambulanten psychiatrischen Versorgung – ein Zukunftsmodell? Erfahrungen und Erkenntnisse aus Praxis und Forschung im Diskurs/Nurse lead case management in ambulant mental health care - a model of the future? Experiences and findings of research and practice on discourse

Nurses in the position of "case leading / case responsible" carers in ambulant mental health care settings are still fairly uncommon in German speaking countries due to legal and other reasons. However, in Switzerland there are more and more mental health institutions that accept this new and extended role of nurses. The presentation provides insights into experiences as well as results of a study that focused on the topic

Granularzelltumor des Larynx

Zusammenfassung: Granularzelltumoren (GZT) sind subkutan oder submukös gelegene, gutartige Tumoren neurogenen Ursprungs. Sie treten häufig im Kopf-Hals-Bereich auf, insbesondere in der Zunge. Bisher wurden etwa 200 laryngeale GZT beschrieben. Meist sind dabei die Stimmlippen und die posteriore Glottis betroffen. Eine Unterscheidung von einer chronischen Entzündung oder einem Malignom ist nur mittels Biopsie möglich. Als Therapie der Wahl wird die vollständige Exzision empfohlen, wobei Tumorausdehnung und zu erwartende Morbidität die Radikalität des Vorgehens bestimmen. Bei vollständiger Entfernung sind Rezidive selte

Aortic stent-grafting: successful introduction into the combined procedure for coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic aneurysm repair

Objectives: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and combined stent-grafting (SG) were evaluated to reduce morbidity and mortality of patients with descending or infrarenal aortic aneurysm. Methods: CABG and SG (thoracic n=6, infrarenal n=36) were performed during the same hospitalization in 42 patients (mean age of 73±14 years). In 29 patients (mean Euroscore: 9), SG was performed under local anesthesia 9±3 days after coronary surgery (simultaneous) and in 13 patients (mean Euroscore: 7) during the same anesthesia (synchronous). In the latter group, 11 out of 13 patients underwent off-pump CABG. All aneurysms were treated by implantation of commercially available self-expanding grafts. Results: CABG was successful in all, but one patient with left internal mammary artery hypoperfusion syndrome, requiring an additional distal saphenous graft to the left anterior descending coronary artery. SG was uneventful in 98% (41/42 patients). Postoperative computerized tomography showed incomplete sealing in seven patients (17%), but only the two attachment endoleaks had to be treated by one proximal and one distal SG extension. Overall hospital stay for the synchronous repair was 12.5±6 days and that of the simultaneous group 17.5±7 days. Thirty-day mortality was 5% (2/42) as one patient of the simultaneous group experienced a lethal cerebral embolism during SG and one patient of the synchronous group developed an untreatable infection. In the follow-up of 4 years, there were two vascular reinterventions but no additional procedure-related morbidity or mortality. Conclusions: This experience shows that combined CABG and SG of thoracic or infrarenal aortic aneurysm is a safe and less-invasive alternative to the open graft repair, especially in the older patients or patients with severe comorbiditie

Acute traumatic aortic rupture: early stent-graft repair

Objective: Prospective evaluation of early stent-graft repair of acute traumatic aortic rupture. Methods: Twelve patients with acute traumatic aortic rupture of the descending aorta, out of a series of 337 endovascular aortic procedures, were treated by implantation of self-expanding stent-grafts. The procedures were performed within a mean post-injury time-period of 5±7 days (median: 1 day). The feasibility of stent-grafting was assessed by CT scanning and echography. Implantation was performed under local (n=6), or general anesthesia (n=6) if patients were already intubated (n=5) or required a common iliac artery access (n=1). Results: The immediate technical success rate was 100%. There were no post-procedure complications in all but one patient, who died 12 h postoperatively (8% mortality). Complete sealing of the aortic rupture in the remaining 11 patients was confirmed by postoperative CT scans. There were no intervention-related morbidity or mortality during the mean follow-up of 17 months. One patient with peri-graft leakage was successfully repaired with an additional stent-graft 12 months postoperatively. Conclusion: Non-delayed or early stent-grafting in acute traumatic rupture of the descending aorta is feasible. This technique seems to be a valuable option, in particular when associated lesions may interfere with the surgical outcome. Immediate post-procedural CT scanning and/or echography should be performed, in order to rule out residual leakag

Проблеми управління експлуатаційним потенціалом газорозподільчих підприємств міста

У статті узагальнені проблеми управління експлуатаційним потенціалом газорозподільчих підприємств міста, визначено причини їх виникнення та запропоновано шляхи вирішення. Визначено коло завдань держави, які мають бути вирішені, щоб експлуатація газорозподільчих мереж у місті була більш ефективною та економічно доцільною

Clinician and Patient-reported Outcomes Are Associated With Psychological Factors in Patients With Chronic Shoulder Pain.

Validated clinician outcome scores are considered less associated with psychosocial factors than patient-reported outcome measurements (PROMs). This belief may lead to misconceptions if both instruments are related to similar factors. We asked: In patients with chronic shoulder pain, what biopsychosocial factors are associated (1) with PROMs, and (2) with clinician-rated outcome measurements? All new patients between the ages of 18 and 65 with chronic shoulder pain from a unilateral shoulder injury admitted to a Swiss rehabilitation teaching hospital between May 2012 and January 2015 were screened for potential contributing biopsychosocial factors. During the study period, 314 patients were screened, and after applying prespecified criteria, 158 patients were evaluated. The median symptom duration was 9 months (interquartile range, 5.5-15 months), and 72% of the patients (114 patients) had rotator cuff tears, most of which were work injuries (59%, 93 patients) and were followed for a mean of 31.6 days (SD, 7.5 days). Exclusion criteria were concomitant injuries in another location, major or minor upper limb neuropathy, and inability to understand the validated available versions of PROMs. The PROMs were the DASH, the Brief Pain Inventory, and the Patient Global Impression of Change, before and after treatment (physiotherapy, cognitive therapy and vocational training). The Constant-Murley score was used as a clinician-rated outcome measurement. Statistical models were used to estimate associations between biopsychosocial factors and outcomes. Greater disability on the DASH was associated with psychological factors (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale combined coefficient, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.25-1.03; p = 0.002) and social factors (language, professional qualification combined coefficient, -6.15; 95% CI, -11.09 to -1.22; p = 0.015). Greater pain on the Brief Pain Inventory was associated with psychological factors (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale combined coefficient, 0.076; 95% CI, 0.021-0.13; p = 0.006). Poorer impression of change was associated with psychological factors (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia coefficient, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.87-0.99; p = 0.026) and social factors (education, language, and professional qualification coefficient, 6.67; 95% CI, 2.77-16.10; p < 0.001). Worse clinician-rated outcome was associated only with psychological factors (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (depression only), Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia combined coefficient, -0.35; 95% CI, -0.58 to -0.12; p = 0.003). Depressive symptoms and catastrophizing appear to be key factors influencing PROMs and clinician-rated outcomes. This study suggests revisiting the Constant-Murley score. Level III, prognostic study

A problem with inclusion in learning disability research.

People with severe learning disability are particularly difficult to include in the research process. As a result, researchers may be tempted to focus on those with learning disability who can be included. The problem is exacerbated in this field as the political agenda of inclusion and involvement is driven by those people with learning disability who are the higher functioning. To overcome this we should first detach the notion of consent from ideas about autonomy and think instead of it as a way to avoid wronging others; this fits the original historical use of consent in research. This allows us to think in terms of including participants to the best of their abilities rather than in terms of a threshold of autonomy. Researchers could then use imaginative ways to include the least able and to ensure they are not wronged in research or by exclusion from it