Field Experience as the Centerpiece of an Integrated Model for STEM Teacher Preparation

The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive account of one pathway for preparing high-quality STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teachers for work in high-need urban schools. In this account, we discuss the supports that STEM majors need in learning how to think about the content that they know well, through an educational perspective that focuses on teaching and learning. We also describe the approach that we use that integrates content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and three extensive teaching co-op experiences to facilitate the transition from successful STEM undergraduate students to effective teachers of STEM content. We suggest that by using the teaching co-op experiences to both filter and reflect on content and pedagogical content knowledge, the STEM undergraduates develop a particularly strong foundation of knowledge for teaching

Smart Emission - Building a Spatial Data Infrastructure for an Environmental Citizen Sensor Network

Item does not contain fulltextSmart Emission is a citizen sensor network using low-cost sensors that enables citizens to gather data about environmental quality, like air quality, noise load, vibrations, light intensities and heat stress. This paper introduces the design and development of the data infrastructure for the Smart Emission initiative and discusses challenges for the future. The Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is open and accessible on the Internet using open geospatial standards and (Web-) client applications. Smart Emission as a citizen sensor network offers several possibilities for heterogonous applications, from health determination to spatial planning purposes, environmental monitoring for sustainable traffic management, climate adaptation in cities and city planning.Geospatial Sensor Webs Conference 2016 (GSW 2016), 29 augustus 201

Subtalar versus triple arthrodesis after intra-articular calcaneal fractures

Depending upon initial treatment, between 2 and 30% of patients with a displaced intra-articular calcaneal fracture require a secondary arthrodesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of subtalar versus triple arthrodesis on functional outcome. A total of 33 patients with 37 secondary arthrodeses (17 subtalar and 20 triple) with a median follow-up of 116 months were asked to complete questionnaires regarding disease-specific functional outcome (Maryland Foot Score, MFS), quality of life (SF-36) and overall satisfaction with the treatment (Visual Analogue Scale, VAS). Patient groups were comparable considering median age at fracture, initial treatment (conservative or operative), time to arthrodesis, median follow-up, and post-arthrodesis radiographic angles. The MFS score was similar after subtalar versus triple arthrodesis (59 vs. 56 points; P = 0.79). No statistically significant difference was found for the SF-36 (84 vs. 83 points; P = 0.67) and the VAS (5 vs. 6; P = 0.21). Smoking was statistically significantly associated with a non-union (χ2 = 6.60, P = 0.017). The current study suggests that there is no significant difference in functional outcome between an in situ subtalar or triple arthrodesis as a salvage technique for symptomatic arthrosis after an intra-articular calcaneal fracture. Smoking is a risk factor for non-union

The trajectory of caregiver burden and risk factors in dementia progression:A systematic review

Background: Caring for patients with dementia at home is often a long-term process, in which the independence of the patient declines, and more responsibility and supervision time is required from the informal caregiver. Objective: In order to minimize and reduce caregiver burden, it is important to explore its trajectory and the accompanying risk factors as dementia progresses; the objective of this systematic review. Methods: PRISMA guidelines were followed in this systematic review. Three databases, PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMbase, were systematically searched in November 2019 using specific keywords. Results: 1,506 hits emerged during the systematic search but only eleven articles actually met the inclusion criteria for this review. The trajectory of caregiver burden is highly variable and depends on multiple factors. Important risk factors included: patients’ behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms, and their decline in functioning in (I)ADL; the caregiver’s age, gender, and physical and mental health; and, within the dyads (patient/caregiver), cohabitation and kinship. Conclusion: There is no one-size-fits-all for predicting how caregiver burden will change over time, but specific factors (like being a spouse and increased behavioral impairment and decline in functional status in the patient) may heighten the risk. Other factors, not yet comprehensively included in the published studies, might also prove to be important risk factors. Future research in the field of reducing caregiver burden is recommended to integrate the patient, caregiver, and context characteristics in the trajectory of caregiver burden, and to assess more clearly the phase of the dementia progression and use of external resources

Outcome and risk factors for recurrence of early onset fracture-related infections treated with debridement, antibiotics and implant retention:Results of a large retrospective multicentre cohort study

Introduction: Early Fracture-Related Infections (FRIs) are a common entity in hospitals treating trauma patients and are often treated with a Debridement, Antibiotics and Implant Retention (DAIR) procedure. Aims of this study were to 1) evaluate the recurrence rate after DAIR procedures for early onset FRI, 2) establish the number of surgical procedures to gain control of the initial infection and 3) identify independent predictors for recurrence in this cohort. Methods: A retrospective multicentre cohort study was conducted in two level 1 trauma centres. Consecutive patients who underwent a DAIR procedure between January 1st 2015 and July 1st 2020 for confirmed FRI with an onset of <6 weeks after the latest osseous operation were included. Recorded data included patient demographics, treatment characteristics and follow-up. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess predictors for recurrent FRI. Results: A total of 141 patients with early FRI were included in this study with a median age of 54.0 years (interquartile range (IQR) 34.5–64.0). The recurrence rate of FRI was 13% (n = 19) at one year follow-up and 18% (n = 25) at 23.1 months (IQR 15.3–36.4) follow-up. Infection control was achieved in 94% (n = 127/135) of cases. In total, 73 patients (52%) underwent at least two surgical procedures to treat the ongoing initial episode of FRI, of whom 54 patients (74%) required two to three procedures and 17 patients (23%) four to five procedures. Predictors for recurrent FRI were use of an intramedullary nail during index operation (odds ratio (OR) 4.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–13.8)), need for additional surgical procedures to treat ongoing infection during the treatment period following the first presentation of early FRI (OR 1.9 (95% CI 1.1–3.5)) and a decreased Injury Severity Score (ISS) (inverted OR 1.1 (95% CI 1.0–1.1)). Conclusion: The recurrence rate after treatment of early onset FRI in patients treated with a DAIR procedure was 18% at 23.1 months follow-up. At least two surgical procedures to gain control of the initial infection were needed in 52% of patients. Independent predictors for recurrent FRI were the use of an intramedullary nail during index operation, need for additional surgical procedures and a decreased ISS

Pedobarographic analysis and quality of life after lisfranc fracture dislocation

Background: Few studies on tarsometatarsal fracture dislocations report on plantar pressure analysis and quality of life. The primary aim of this study was to determine the added value of plantar pressure analysis. The secondary aim was to determine quality of life and functional outcome. Materials and Methods: With a median followup of 76 months, 26 patients with an isolated Lisfranc injury participated. The Short Form 36 (SF-36) was used to determine the health related

The impact of climate change on groundwater recharge: National-scale assessment for the British mainland

Groundwater systems provide an important source of water supply as well as contributing baseflow to rivers, lakes and dependent ecosystems and so the impact of climate change on these systems needs to be understood. Calculating recharge to groundwater systems is, therefore, necessary to quantify what is typically one of the largest components of the groundwater balance. This study uses the national-scale recharge model developed for the British mainland and the 11 ensemble members from the Hadley Centre for rainfall and potential evaporation created by the Future Flows and Groundwater Levels (FFGWL) project to investigate the impact of future climate on groundwater resources. Changes to seasonal and monthly recharge for the 2050s and 2080s time slices have been produced for the whole modelled area and for river basin districts for England and Wales. Areal summaries and monthly time series of recharge values show a generally consistent trend of increased recharge in winter, decreased recharge in summer, and mixed pattern in autumn and spring. The work shows that increased winter rainfall is the main factor in increasing recharge. Water balance calculations reveal that over the 2050s and 2080s, the climate change “signal” predominates over the annual variability, which results in a clearer pattern of more recharge being concentrated in fewer months. This finding should prove useful for water resources planners to assess the resilience of groundwater resources to climate change. Further work is recommended to understand the sequencing of flooding and drought events and to the effects of soil health and land cover changes in the future analysis

Non-conservative Evolution of Cataclysmic Variables

We suggest a new mechanism to account for the loss of angular momentum in binaries with non-conservative mass exchange. It is shown that in some cases the loss of matter can result in increase of the orbital angular momentum of a binary. If included into consideration in evolutionary calculations, this mechanism appreciably extends the range of mass ratios of components for which mass exchange in binaries is stable. It becomes possible to explain the existence of some observed cataclysmic binaries with high donor/accretor mass ratio, which was prohibited in conservative evolution models.Comment: LaTeX, 32 pages, to be published in Astron. Z

Outcome after resuscitation beyond 30 minutes in drowned children with cardiac arrest and hypothermia:Dutch nationwide retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the outcome of drowned children with cardiac arrest and hypothermia, and to determine distinct criteria for termination of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in drowned children with hypothermia and absence of spontaneous circulation. DESIGN Nationwide retrospective cohort study. SETTING Emergency departments and paediatric intensive care units of the eight university medical centres in the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS Children aged up to 16 with cardiac arrest and hypothermia after drowning, who presented at emergency departments and/or were admitted to intensive care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Survival and neurological outcome one year after the drowning incident. Poor outcome was defined as death or survival in a vegetative state or with severe neurological disability (paediatric cerebral performance category (PCPC) >= 4). RESULTS From 1993 to 2012, 160 children presented with cardiac arrest and hypothermia after drowning. In 98 (61%) of these children resuscitation was performed for more than 30 minutes (98/160, median duration 60 minutes), of whom 87 (89%) died (95% confidence interval 83% to 95%; 87/98). Eleven of the 98 children survived (11%, 5% to 17%), but all had a PCPC score >= 4. In the 62 (39%) children who did not require prolonged resuscitation, 17 (27%, 16% to 38%) survived with a PCPC score CONCLUSIONS Drowned children in whom return of spontaneous circulation is not achieved within 30 minutes of advanced life support have an extremely poor outcome. Good neurological outcome is more likely when spontaneous circulation returns within 30 minutes of advanced life support, especially when the drowning incident occurs in winter. These findings question the therapeutic value of resuscitation beyond 30 minutes in drowned children with cardiac arrest and hypothermia