Ο ΣΧΟΛΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΠΟΣ ΩΣ ΕΡΓΑΛΕΙΟ ΜΕΤΑΣΧΗΜΑΤΙΣΜΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΑΠΛΑΙΣΙΩΣΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΣΧΟΛΙΚΗΣ ΓΝΩΣΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΧΗΜΕΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΤΕΞΕΛΙΞΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟΥ ΣΕ ΑΕΙΦΟΡΟ

Η αναπλαισίωση της σχολικής γνώσης με εργαλείο τον σχολικό κήπο μπορεί να αποτελέσει μία εναλλακτική προσέγγιση της διδασκαλίας της Χημείας και των Φυσικών Επιστημών γενικότερα, επιδιώκοντας τη διασύνδεση με την Εκπαίδευση για την Αειφόρο Ανάπτυξη και την καθημερινή ζωή των μαθητών και των μαθητριών της Δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης. Σε αυτήν τη διπλωματική εργασία, αξιοποιήθηκε ο σχολικός κήπος ως το κατάλληλο εργαλείο μετασχηματισμού και αναπλαισίωσης της σχολικής γνώσης της Χημείας, όπως για παράδειγμα των βασικών εννοιών της οξύτητας και της εξουδετέρωσης αλλά και ως εργαλείο δραστηριοποίησης και ευαισθητοποίησης τόσο της εκπαιδευτικής όσο και της τοπικής κοινότητας για θέματα που αφορούν στο Περιβάλλον και στην Αειφόρο Ανάπτυξη. Λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τα παραπάνω, σχεδιάστηκε διδακτική παρέμβαση και αναπτύχθηκε διδακτικό υλικό, το οποίο εφαρμόσθηκε σε είκοσι τρεις (23) μαθητές και μαθήτριες της Α΄ τάξης του 1ου Γενικού Λυκείου Καισαριανής «Μάριος Χάκκας». Η διδακτική παρέμβαση διήρκεσε ένα τετράμηνο και πραγματοποιήθηκε από τον ερευνητή στο πλαίσιο της υποχρεωτικής Δημιουργικής Εργασίας στο μάθημα της Χημείας. Ο αντίκτυπος της διδακτικής παρέμβασης αξιολογήθηκε μέσω ημιδομημένης συνέντευξης στο σύνολο των μαθητών/-τριών που συμμετείχαν στην υλοποίηση της Δημιουργικής Εργασίας. Τα ευρήματα της έρευνας υπέδειξαν θετικό αντίκτυπο της παρέμβασης στις γνώσεις και στις στάσεις των μαθητών/-τριών. Επίσης, το ενδιαφέρον που επέδειξαν οι μαθητές και οι μαθήτριες κατά την ενασχόλησή τους σε δραστηριότητες στον σχολικό κήπο, τα θετικά σχόλια των εκπαιδευτικών του σχολείου και οι κοινωνικές δράσεις που αναπτύχθηκαν καταδεικνύουν ότι o σχολικός κήπος ως «όχημα» για τον μετασχηματισμό και αναπλαισίωση της σχολικής γνώσης της Χημείας και την εισαγωγή ζητημάτων σχετικά με την Αειφόρο Ανάπτυξη, σε επίπεδο Δευτεροβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης, ήταν σε γενικές γραμμές επιτυχής. ΘΕΜΑΤΙΚΗ ΠΕΡΙΟΧΗ: Βιωματική μάθηση, Διδακτική της Χημείας ΛΕΞΕΙΣ ΚΛΕΙ∆ΙΑ: Χημεία, Εκπαίδευση για την Αειφόρο ανάπτυξη (Ε.Α.Α), Σχολικός κήπος, Οξύτητα, Εξουδετέρωση, Διδακτικό υλικό, Ποιοτική έρευναABSTRACT The reframing of school knowledge using the school garden as a tool may constitute an alternative approach to the teaching of Chemistry and generally to the teaching of Science, aiming at the interconnection between the Education for Sustainable Development and the daily lives of students in Secondary Education. In the present dissertation the school garden was utilized as the appropriate tool for the transformation and reframing of the school knowledge of Chemistry, for example, of the basic concepts of acidity and neutralization, as well as a tool for the mobilization and the sensitization of both the education and local communities to issues concerning the Environment and Sustainable Development (SD).In view of all the above, a teaching intervention was designed and educational material was developed, which were applied to twenty-three (23) first year students of the 1st General Lyceum of Kesariani ‘Marios Chakkas’. The teaching intervention lasted one term and was conducted as part of the obligatory Creative Project in the subject of Chemistry. The impact of the teaching intervention was assessed by means of a semi-structured interview of all the students that participated in the Creative Project. The results of the survey demonstrated a positive impact of the intervention on both the knowledge and attitudes of the students. In addition, the interest shown by students during their participation in the school garden activities, the positive comments of the school educators as well as the social activities that developed demonstrate that the school garden as a vehicle for the transformation of Chemical Knowledge and for the introduction of issues concerning Sustainable Development, on a Secondary Education level, was in general successful. SUBJECT AREA: Experiential Learning, Teaching of Chemistry KEY WORDS: Chemistry, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), School Garden, Acidity, Neutralization, School Curriculum, Qualitative Survey.

Evolving trends in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 waves. The ACIE appy II study

Background: In 2020, ACIE Appy study showed that COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA) worldwide, with an increased rate of non-operative management (NOM) strategies and a trend toward open surgery due to concern of virus transmission by laparoscopy and controversial recommendations on this issue. The aim of this study was to survey again the same group of surgeons to assess if any difference in management attitudes of AA had occurred in the later stages of the outbreak. Methods: From August 15 to September 30, 2021, an online questionnaire was sent to all 709 participants of the ACIE Appy study. The questionnaire included questions on personal protective equipment (PPE), local policies and screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection, NOM, surgical approach and disease presentations in 2021. The results were compared with the results from the previous study. Results: A total of 476 answers were collected (response rate 67.1%). Screening policies were significatively improved with most patients screened regardless of symptoms (89.5% vs. 37.4%) with PCR and antigenic test as the preferred test (74.1% vs. 26.3%). More patients tested positive before surgery and commercial systems were the preferred ones to filter smoke plumes during laparoscopy. Laparoscopic appendicectomy was the first option in the treatment of AA, with a declined use of NOM. Conclusion: Management of AA has improved in the last waves of pandemic. Increased evidence regarding SARS-COV-2 infection along with a timely healthcare systems response has been translated into tailored attitudes and a better care for patients with AA worldwide

Linezolid: a Promising Agent for the Treatment of Multiple and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a severe, infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The aim of this review was to present the efficacy of linezolid as an agent against multidrug and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis as gathered from many recent research studies. Linezolid seems to have strongly the potential of being used as an anti-tuberculosis agent because it blocks bacterial ribosomal protein synthesis. Nevertheless caution is required because of the adverse effects it causes, especially when the linezolid daily dosage exceeds 600 mg. The most severe adverse effects include anemia, peripheral neuropathy, optic neuropathy and thrombocytopenia. Still, more trials and research need to be done in order to gather more information and value the cost-benefit dosage of the treatment.

Evolving trends in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 waves. The ACIE appy II study (vol 46, pg 2021, 2022)

N/

Global attitudes in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 pandemic: ACIE Appy Study

Background: Surgical strategies are being adapted to face the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations on the management of acute appendicitis have been based on expert opinion, but very little evidence is available. This study addressed that dearth with a snapshot of worldwide approaches to appendicitis. Methods: The Association of Italian Surgeons in Europe designed an online survey to assess the current attitude of surgeons globally regarding the management of patients with acute appendicitis during the pandemic. Questions were divided into baseline information, hospital organization and screening, personal protective equipment, management and surgical approach, and patient presentation before versus during the pandemic. Results: Of 744 answers, 709 (from 66 countries) were complete and were included in the analysis. Most hospitals were treating both patients with and those without COVID. There was variation in screening indications and modality used, with chest X-ray plus molecular testing (PCR) being the commonest (19\ub78 per cent). Conservative management of complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis was used by 6\ub76 and 2\ub74 per cent respectively before, but 23\ub77 and 5\ub73 per cent, during the pandemic (both P < 0\ub7001). One-third changed their approach from laparoscopic to open surgery owing to the popular (but evidence-lacking) advice from expert groups during the initial phase of the pandemic. No agreement on how to filter surgical smoke plume during laparoscopy was identified. There was an overall reduction in the number of patients admitted with appendicitis and one-third felt that patients who did present had more severe appendicitis than they usually observe. Conclusion: Conservative management of mild appendicitis has been possible during the pandemic. The fact that some surgeons switched to open appendicectomy may reflect the poor guidelines that emanated in the early phase of SARS-CoV-2