Review of Engaging Education: Developing Emotional Literacy, Equity and Co-education. Brian Matthews. (Book Review)

The book is only about a fraction of its title Engaging Education. His section on ‘engaging the emotions’ sums this up: whereas the book is largely about engaging the emotions positively, the definition of ‘Engaging’ is more far reaching: “that pupils should be involved in their learning; be active and absorbed and not just passive recipients of a set curriculum. Additionally, they should feel engaged in the processes of education and have some input into creating their own agendas for learning” (p.2). Exploring the full impact of this statement across the curriculum really needs a different book

Patient and Surrogate Views of Community Consultation for Emergency Research

ObjectivePretrial community consultation (CC) is required for emergency research conducted under an exception from informed consent (EFIC) in the United States. CC remains controversial and challenging, and minimal data exist regarding the views of individuals enrolled in EFIC trials on this process. It is important to know whether participants perceive CC to be meaningful and, if so, whom they believe should be consulted.MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis of data from two studies interviewing patients and surrogates of two recent EFIC trials (PEER‐RAMPART and PEER‐ProTECT). These interviews included similar open‐ and closed‐ended questions regarding participants’ views of the importance of CC, the rationale for their responses, and their views regarding which populations should be included in consultation efforts. A template analytic strategy was used for qualitative analysis of textual data, and descriptive statistics were tabulated to characterize demographic data and instances of major themes.ResultsNinety percent of participants perceived CC to be valuable. Participants’ reasons for finding CC valuable clustered in two categories: 1) as a method of informing the public about the trial to be conducted and 2) as a way of obtaining input and feedback from the community. Participants cited the medical community (43%) and individuals with a connection to the study condition (41%) as the most important groups to involve in consultation efforts; only 5% suggested consulting the general public in the area where the research will be conducted.ConclusionParticipants in EFIC trials and their decision makers generally valued CC as a method of informing and seeking input from the community. Participants felt that the most appropriate groups to consult were the medical community and individuals with connections to the condition under study. Consultation efforts focused on these two groups, rather than the general public, may be more efficient and more meaningful to individuals involved in EFIC trials. These findings also reinforce the importance of the distinction between public disclosure and CC.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139974/1/acem13265-sup-0001-DataSupplementS1.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139974/2/acem13265_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139974/3/acem13265.pd

Direct and Indirect Effects of Parent Stress on Child Obesity Risk and Added Sugar Intake in a Sample of Southern California Adolescents

Objective Research indicates that children are at higher risk for obesity if their parents have been exposed to a larger number of stressors, yet little is known about effects of parents’ subjective, perceived experience of stress on children’s eating behaviours and adiposity and whether weight-related parenting practices (i.e. parent rules and positive family meal practices) mediate this relationship. The present study evaluated the direct and mediated relationship between parent perceived stress and child waist circumference and parent stress and child consumption of added sugars one year later. Design Longitudinal panel data. Setting Eleven communities in Southern California, USA. Subjects Data were collected over two waves from parent–child dyads (n 599). Most parents were female (81 %) and Hispanic (51 %); children were 11 years old on average (sd 1·53; range 7–15 years) and 31 % received free school lunch. Results Perceived parent stress was not significantly associated with child waist circumference or consumption of added sugars one year later, and mediating pathways through parenting practices were not significant. However, parent rules were significantly associated with lower child consumption of added sugars (β=−0·14, P\u3c0·001). Conclusions Results suggest that parent rules about the types of foods children can eat, clearly explained to children, may decrease child consumption of added sugars but not necessarily lead to changes in obesity risk. Parent- and family-based interventions that support development of healthy rules about child eating have the potential to improve child dietary nutrient intake

Balancing Ethical Goals in Challenging Individual Participant Scenarios Occurring in a Trial Conducted with Exception from Informed Consent

In 1996, federal regulations were put into effect that allowed enrollment of critically ill or injured patients into Food and Drug Administration (FDA)‐regulated clinical trials using an exception from informed consent (EFIC) under narrowly prescribed research circumstances. Despite the low likelihood that a legally authorized representative (LAR) would be present within the interventional time frame, the EFIC regulations require the availability of an informed consent process, to be applied if an LAR is present and able to provide prospective consent for patient enrollment into the trial. The purpose of this article is to describe a series of unanticipated consent‐related questions arising when a potential surrogate decision‐maker appeared to be available at the time of patient enrollment into a trial proceeding under EFIC.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110828/1/acem12602.pd

Molecular cloning of KS, a novel rat gene expressed exclusively in the kidney

Molecular cloning of xKSx, a novel rat gene expressed exclusively in the kidney.BackgroundWe aimed to identify genes with kidney specific, developmentally regulated expression. Here we report the cDNA sequence and expression pattern of KS, a novel kidney-specific rat gene.MethodsA partial cDNA was identified by differential display polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of a renal cell fraction enriched for proximal tubular and renin-expressing cells. Using the partial cDNA as a probe, a rat kidney cDNA library was screened. The full-length KS sequence was obtained by PCR amplification of cDNA ends. The expression pattern of KS was investigated by Northern blot. RNA was extracted from several organs of newborn and adult rats, as well as from the kidneys of rats with altered tubular function, that is, rats that had undergone unilateral nephrectomy, unilateral ureteral obstruction, neonatal losartan treatment, and the appropriate control animals. The expression of KS was also investigated in the kidneys of rats with spontaneous or renovascular hypertension.ResultsThe KS cDNA (2426bp) contained one open reading frame encoding a predicted 572 amino acid protein. The derived peptide sequence displayed approximately 70% similarity to the hypertension-related SA gene product and approximately 50% similarity to prokaryotic and eukaryotic acetyl-CoA synthases (EC 6.2.1.1). KS was expressed in the kidney and not in any other organ assayed. KS RNA was not detected in fetal and newborn rat kidney but became apparent after one week of postnatal life. Gene expression was downregulated in rat models of altered tubular function. KS expression was decreased in spontaneously hypertensive rats but not in renovascular hypertension.ConclusionKS, a novel rat gene, exhibits a unique tissue-specific expression exclusively in mature kidneys. The data suggest KS may encode an adenosine monophosphate binding enzyme

Retrospective case-series analysis of haematological malignancies in goldmining areas of South Africa

Background. South Africa (SA)’s high levels of environmental contamination of mine tailings from uranium and its decay products, coupled with remarkably short distances between mine tailings and residential areas, raise concern about whether there is an association between environmental uranium exposure and risk of cancer, including haematological malignancies.Objectives. We reviewed information on cases from the central hospital offering cancer diagnostics and treatment in a major mining area of SA to describe their basic clinical and demographic characteristics, as part of assessing whether a cancer epidemiological study in this area would be feasible.Methods. Basic clinical, demographic and residential information on patients with haematological malignancy diagnosed between 2004 and 2013 was collected retrospectively from the patient files at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg.Results. In total, 1 880 patients aged 18 - 94 years were identified. Referral from distant provinces was not uncommon, but >80% lived within 50 km of the hospital. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma accounted for 44% of the haematological malignancies, followed by leukaemia with 26%. HIV status was known for 93% of the patients, of whom 47% were HIV-positive.Conclusions. Caution is required when interpreting spatial distributions of patients, given inaccuracies in residential addresses and referral patterns to the hospital, and with HIV and other infections probable important confounders. Our study therefore shows that active case recruitment is required for accurate assessment of residential information. However, some findings on spatial distributions in the study warrant the continuation of efforts to develop a study protocol to investigate the possible link between uranium exposure in mining areas and haematological malignancies in residents. Disproportionately high incidence rates of haematological malignancies observed in specific districts would be relevant for further investigation.

Consulting Communities When Patients Cannot Consent: A Multi-Center Study of Community Consultation for Research in Emergency Settings

OBJECTIVE: To assess the range of responses to community consultation efforts conducted within a large network and the impact of different consultation methods on acceptance of exception from informed consent (EFIC) research and understanding of the proposed study. DESIGN: A cognitively pre-tested survey instrument was administered to 2,612 community consultation participants at 12 US centers participating in a multi-center trial of treatment for acute traumatic brain injury (TBI). SETTING: Survey nested within community consultation for a Phase III, randomized controlled trial of treatment for acute TBI conducted within a multi-center trial network and using EFIC. SUBJECTS: Adult participants in community consultation events. INTERVENTIONS: Community consultation efforts at participating sites. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Acceptance of EFIC in general, attitude toward personal EFIC enrollment, and understanding of the study content were assessed. 54% of participants agreed EFIC was acceptable in the proposed study; 71% were accepting of personal EFIC enrollment. Participants in interactive versus non-interactive community consultation events were more accepting of EFIC in general (63% vs. 49%) and personal EFIC inclusion (77% vs. 67%). Interactive community consultation participants had high-level recall of study content significantly more often than non-interactive consultation participants (77% vs. 67%). Participants of interactive consultation were more likely to recall possible study benefits (61% vs. 45%) but less likely to recall potential risks (56% vs. 69%). CONCLUSIONS: Interactive community consultation methods were associated with increased acceptance of EFIC and greater overall recall of study information but lower recall of risks. There was also significant variability in EFIC acceptance among different interactive consultation events. These findings have important implications for IRBs and investigators conducting EFIC research and for community engagement efforts in research more generally

Retrospective caseseries analysis of haematological malignancies in goldmining areas of South Africa

Background. South Africa (SA)’s high levels of environmental contamination of mine tailings from uranium and its decay products, coupled with remarkably short distances between mine tailings and residential areas, raise concern about whether there is an association between environmental uranium exposure and risk of cancer, including haematological malignancies.Objectives. We reviewed information on cases from the central hospital offering cancer diagnostics and treatment in a major mining area of SA to describe their basic clinical and demographic characteristics, as part of assessing whether a cancer epidemiological study in this area would be feasible.Methods. Basic clinical, demographic and residential information on patients with haematological malignancy diagnosed between 2004 and 2013 was collected retrospectively from the patient files at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg.Results. In total, 1 880 patients aged 18 - 94 years were identified. Referral from distant provinces was not uncommon, but >80% lived within 50 km of the hospital. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma accounted for 44% of the haematological malignancies, followed by leukaemia with 26%. HIV status was known for 93% of the patients, of whom 47% were HIV-positive.Conclusions. Caution is required when interpreting spatial distributions of patients, given inaccuracies in residential addresses and referral patterns to the hospital, and with HIV and other infections probable important confounders. Our study therefore shows that active case recruitment is required for accurate assessment of residential information. However, some findings on spatial distributions in the study warrant the continuation of efforts to develop a study protocol to investigate the possible link between uranium exposure in mining areas and haematological malignancies in residents. Disproportionately high incidence rates of haematological malignancies observed in specific districts would be relevant for further investigation.Â

Nerve growth factor (NGF) pathway biomarkers in Down syndrome prior to and after the onset of clinical Alzheimer's disease : A paired CSF and plasma study

Altres ajuts: This work was also supported by the National Institutes of Health (R21AG056974 and R01AG061566 to JF); Departament de Salut de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Pla Estratègic de Recerca i Innovació en Salut (SLT002/16/00408 to AL); Fundació La Marató de TV3 (20141210 to JF, 044412 to RB). Fundació Catalana Síndrome de Down and Fundació Víctor Grífols i Lucas partially supported this work. This work was also supported by Generalitat de Catalunya (SLT006/17/00119 to JF) and a grant from the Fundació Bancaria La Caixa to RB.The discovery that nerve growth factor (NGF) metabolism is altered in Down syndrome (DS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains offered a framework for the identification of novel biomarkers signalling NGF deregulation in AD pathology. We examined levels of NGF pathway proteins (proNGF, neuroserpin, tissue plasminogen activator [tPA], and metalloproteases [MMP]) in matched cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/plasma samples from AD-symptomatic (DSAD) and AD-asymptomatic (aDS) individuals with DS, as well as controls (HC). ProNGF and MMP-3 were elevated while tPA was decreased in plasma from individuals with DS. CSF from individuals with DS showed elevated proNGF, neuroserpin, MMP-3, and MMP-9. ProNGF and MMP-9 in CSF differentiated DSAD from aDS (area under the curve = 0.86, 0.87). NGF pathway markers associated with CSF amyloid beta and tau and differed by sex. Brain NGF metabolism changes can be monitored in plasma and CSF, supporting relevance in AD pathology. These markers could assist staging, subtyping, or precision medicine for AD in DS

Misuse of "study drugs:" prevalence, consequences, and implications for policy

BACKGROUND: Non-medical/illegal use of prescription stimulants popularly have been referred to as "study drugs". This paper discusses the current prevalence and consequences of misuse of these drugs and implications of this information for drug policy. RESULTS: Study drugs are being misused annually by approximately 4% of older teens and emerging adults. Yet, there are numerous consequences of misuse of prescription stimulants including addiction, negative reactions to high dosages, and medical complications. Policy implications include continuing to limit access to study drugs, finding more safe prescription drug alternatives, interdiction, and public education. CONCLUSION: Much more work is needed on prescription stimulant misuse assessment, identifying the extent of the social and economic costs of misuse, monitoring and reducing access, and developing prevention and cessation education efforts