Constructivist Approaches in Museum Tour and Workshop School Programs

This research investigated how constructivist approaches are conceptualized and implemented in “gallery tour and studio workshop” programs at three art museums, and the relationship that exists between the gallery and studio learning. To address these questions, I examined how administrators from each museum designed programs and supported educators, how educators facilitated teaching, and how students responded to the gallery and studio learning. I employed a basic qualitative multi-case study. This method suited my research—an investigation of three cases (three iterations of a program at each museum)—because I aimed to understand the uniqueness of each case while examining a range of similar and contrasting cases. Data collection methods included observations of program sessions, interviews with museum administrators and museum educators, casual conversations with participating students, photos of students’ artworks, and museum documents. The cases offer examples of educators’ teaching approaches, which reflect—or do not reflect—constructivist tenets, as well as factors that influence the connection—or lack of connection—across gallery and studio learning. Specifically, the findings indicate that a smaller students-educator ratio and knowing students’ information in advance helped ensure a conducive learning environment. Another relevant factor was the educators’ facilitation of dialogue. Students became more involved in interpreting artworks when educators were most responsive to their ideas, and less involved when educators asked leading or less open-ended questions. Program themes, reflections on the tour prior to the studio session, and motivating questions for studio activities helped ensure connections between gallery and studio. Additionally, exploratory studio activities and small group discussions in the studio helped students make unique choices within their art projects, whereas step-by-step demonstrations led to prescriptive artworks. Further, students’ responses reflected the sequencing of the program: ways of discussing artworks travelled from the galleries to the studio, and student artworks referenced visual elements from artworks displayed in the galleries. While the findings of this research are not generalizable, they provide insight into methods and approaches that might be adopted by museum administrators, museum educators, and art educators who aim to provide school students meaningful and well-connected museum “gallery tour and studio workshop” educational programs

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p<0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (<1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (<1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline

Phase Formation and Stabilization Behavior of Ca-PSZ by Post-Heat Treatment

The phase formation and stabilization behaviors of calcia partially stabilized zirconia (Ca-PSZ) were investigated with regard to the CaO content and post-heat treatment. Sintered specimens were prepared by adding 2, 3, 4, and 5 mol% to CaO to ZrO2, and post-heat treatment were conducted. In the X-ray diffraction pattern, the monoclinic peak decreased, the tetragonal peak increased upon CaO doping, and no CaZrO3 peak was observed. Transmission electron microscopy images of the Ca-PSZ showed that the d-spacing of 4CSZ (200)m extended from 0.260 nm to 0.266 nm subsequent to post-heat treatment. The coefficient of thermal expansion gradually increased in accordance with the dopant concentration, in addition, it increased even after the post-heat treatment. These results are related to the increase in tetragonal phase, which has a relatively higher coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the monoclinc phase. According to the Vickers hardness measurement, the hardness of all specimens increased gradually as the concentration of CaO increased, and the hardness of the 5CSZ was improved from 676 to 774 Hv by the post-heat treatment

Solution Combustion Synthesis of Ni-Based Nanocatalyst Using Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid and Nickel-Carbon Nanotube Growth Behavior

We studied the influence of the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) content used as combustion fuel when fabricating nickel oxide (NiO) nanocatalysts via solution combustion synthesis, as well as the growth behavior of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using this catalyst. Nickel nitrate hexahydrate (Ni(NO3)2∙6H2O) was used as the metal precursor (an oxidizer), and the catalysts were synthesized by adjusting the molar ratio of fuel (EDTA) to oxidizer in the range of 1:0.25 to 2.0. The results of the crystal structure analysis showed that as the EDTA content increased beyond the chemical stoichiometric balance with Ni(NO3)2∙6H2O (F/O = 0.25), the proportion of Ni metal within the catalyst particles decreased, and only single-phase NiO was observed. Among the synthesized catalysts, the smallest crystallite size was observed with a 1:1 ratio of Ni ions to EDTA. However, an increase in the amount of EDTA resulted in excessive fuel supply, leading to an increase in crystallite size. Microstructure analysis revealed porous NiO agglomerates due to the use of EDTA, and differences in particle growth based on the fuel ratio were observed. We analyzed the growth behavior of CNTs grown using NiO nanocatalysts through catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD). As the F/O ratio increased, it was observed that the catalyst particles grew excessively beyond hundreds of nanometers, preventing further CNT growth and leading to a rapid termination of CNT growth. Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze the structural characteristics of CNTs, and it was found that the ID/IG ratio indicated the highest CNT crystallinity near an F/O ratio of 1:1

Temporal Variations Rather than Long-Term Warming Control Extracellular Enzyme Activities and Microbial Community Structures in the High Arctic Soil

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Comparison of the Clinical Implications among Five Different Nutritional Indices in Patients with Lupus Nephritis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized with aberrant responses in the immune systems and lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most serious complications of SLE. This study evaluated the clinical significance of different nutritional indices in 207 renal biopsy-proven LN patients. The clinical and laboratory data were reviewed, and five different nutritional indices were calculated: (i) Controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score; (ii) prognostic nutritional index (PNI); (iii) nutritional risk index; (iv) neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; and (v) body mass index. The factors associated with end-stage renal failure (ESRF) were assessed using a Cox-proportional hazard analysis. The patients with ESRF had significantly lower median PNI (31.1 vs. 34.7, p = 0.012) than those without ESRF at baseline. The CONUT score and PNI had the highest correlation between the SLE disease activity index-2000 (r = 0.467 and p = −0.356, all p < 0.001) and was significantly associated with SLE activity-related measures. In the Cox-proportional hazard analysis, PNI (odds ratio 0.925, 95% confidence interval 0.865–0.989, p = 0.022) was independently associated with ESRF along with creatinine and chronicity index, and the renal survival rate was significantly lower in patients with PNI ≤35.41 than in those with PNI >35.41 (p = 0.003). Among nutritional indices, the CONUT score and PNI better correlated with disease activity and PNI was associated with ESRF