Charge breeding ions for nuclear astrophysics experiments at ISOLDE

International audienceAt ISOLDE, a PHOENIX ECR charge breeder is being tested for the investigation of the $1^{+} \to n^+$ scenario for the next generation ISOL-type facilities. As a side objective, the possible physics experiments with intense multicharged radioactive ion beams are being investigated. Especially the use of the ECR charge breeder in combination with a high voltage platform would permit an acceleration of the radioactive ions produced at ISOLDE to total energies up to a few MeV. This opens up possibilities for astrophysics experiments such as different studies of low energy radiative capture reactions. Here, the current developments of the ECR charge breeder at ISOLDE are presented, in view of its future possible use for these particular physics experiments

Educational drama in the teaching of education for sustainability

In this paper, I describe part of my research project that examines the use of Educational Drama in Education for Sustainability in the upper stages of the primary school (10- and 11-year-olds). Central to the research is a small-scale qualitative research study. Here, I describe the educational focus of the study and outline the methodology. Central to the study was a series of drama lessons (taught by me) based on environmental themes. The lessons link with some of the key aims in Education for Sustainability - to help young people to develop awareness, knowledge and concepts, to encourage positive attitudes and personal lifestyle decisions and to help them to acquire action skills in and for the environment. The locus is within the Scottish education system. A number of key data were generated during the teaching and evaluation of the lessons. These take the form of field notes, children's evaluations of their work and learning, observation schedules, taped interviews with participants and observers and videotapes of the lessons. The analysis of the data is ongoing, but already there is substantial evidence to suggest that the drama was instrumental in helping the children to achieve the learning outcomes set for the lessons. Some of that evidence is presented here. I suggest that the active, participative learning central to drama is particularly useful for allowing children to develop skills in communication, collaboration and expressing ideas and opinions. Also, the immersion in the imagined context and narrative, integral to the 'stories' in the drama, allows the children to feel sympathy for and empathy with people who are affected by environmental issues and problems. In giving the children a context for research and in helping them to plan solutions and to suggest alternatives, the drama allows the participants opportunities to rehearse active citizenship and facilitates learning in Education for Sustainability

Acute Liver Failure Secondary to Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis during Pregnancy.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a syndrome of excessive immune activation that mimics and occurs with other systemic diseases. A 35-year-old female presented with signs of viral illness at 13 weeks of pregnancy and progressed to acute liver failure (ALF). We discuss the diagnosis of HLH and Kikuchi-Fujimoto (KF) lymphadenitis in the context of pregnancy and ALF. HLH may respond to comorbid disease-specific therapy, and more toxic treatment can be avoided

Occupational Therapy Assistant Students’ Perspectives About the Development of Clinical Reasoning

A mandatory component of the training of occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students is the development of their clinical reasoning skills. As the demand for OTAs continues to increase in response to the growing need for occupational therapy services, the number of academic programs to prepare these future therapists has expanded. Unfortunately, there is no empirical literature addressing the preparation of OTA students, specifically the development of their clinical reasoning skills. Artifact analysis, focus groups, and questionnaires were used to explore OTA students’ perceptions of what Level II fieldwork learning experiences facilitated the development of their clinical reasoning skills. The results suggest OTA students develop clinical reasoning skills during Level II fieldwork by engaging in a variety of learning experiences with support from fieldwork educators who are welcoming and approachable. Learning experiences that students perceived as most helpful to the development of clinical reasoning included hands-on learning, opportunities to witness best practice, receipt of clear expectations and regular feedback, gradual responsibility for caseload management, and opportunities for collaboration. This study adds to the profession’s body of knowledge and has implications for OTA educators, fieldwork educators, OTA students, and future consumers of occupational therapy services

Endemism patterns of forest birds in Madagascar Highlands

Les quelques reliquats de forêts naturelles des Hautes Terres centrales de Madagascar ont été négligés par les biologistes de terrain en raison des difficultés de leur accès. Durant les deux dernières décennies les inventaires biologiques de l'île se sont intensifiés et ont donné lieu à de nouveaux aperçus de la biogéographie des vertébrés terrestres, dont les oiseaux. La présente étude compile les données d'inventaire des oiseaux forestiers de 43 localités réparties à travers l'île, la plupart dans les Hautes Terres centrales. Ces données ont été soumises à une Analyse de Parcimonie de l'Endémicité (PAE). Les arborescences qui en résultent montrent une continuité dans la distribution par couche d'altitude le long d'un gradient latitudinal. Deux regroupements majeurs sont observables au sein des reliquats forestiers relativement grands: (1) les zones entre 800 et 1 500 m et (2) les forêts à mousses au-dessus de 1 500 m d'altitude. Les plus petits fragments forestiers et le massif d'Andringitra à 2 000 m se branchent à part. Les patterns qui en résultent pour les oiseaux sont comparés par des tests de concordance à une proposition de classification phytogéographique. Des différences majeures apparaissent dans les relations biogéographiques de certaines portions des Hautes Terres centrales entre les oiseaux et les plantes. Les résultats obtenus par cette étude de cas suggèrent que quelques zones forestières fragmentées sont hautement prioritaires pour une action de conservation.The Central Highland forests of Madagascar have been neglected by field biologists because of difficult access to the few remaining natural forest habitats. During the last two decades biological inventories on the island have intensified and resulted in new insights into the biogeography of land vertebrates, including birds. In this study we have compiled recent inventory data on forest-dwelling bird species from 43 localities across the island, most are from the Central Highlands and applied these distributional data to a Parsimony Analysis of Endemism (PAE). Results show a distributional continuity within an elevational band along a latitudinal gradient. Two major clusters are observed within the relatively large remaining forested areas: 1) zones between 800-1 500 m and 2) the mossy forests above 1 500 m elevation. The smaller fragmented forest blocks and the Andringitra Massif at 2 000 m form independent branches. The resulting patterns for birds have been compared to a proposed phytogeographic classification to test for concordance. There are major differences in biogeographic relations of certain portions of the Central Highlands between birds and plants. Results obtained from this case study suggest that some fragmented forest zones are high priorities for conservation action

Intracellular FGF14 (iFGF14) is required for spontaneous and evoked firing in cerebellar Purkinje neurons and for motor coordination and balance

Mutations in FGF14, which encodes intracellular fibroblast growth factor 14 (iFGF14), have been linked to spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA27). In addition, mice lacking Fgf14 (Fgf14(−/−)) exhibit an ataxia phenotype resembling SCA27, accompanied by marked changes in the excitability of cerebellar granule and Purkinje neurons. It is not known, however, whether these phenotypes result from defects in neuronal development or if they reflect a physiological requirement for iFGF14 in the adult cerebellum. Here, we demonstrate that the acute and selective Fgf14-targeted short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated in vivo “knock-down” of iFGF14 in adult Purkinje neurons attenuates spontaneous and evoked action potential firing without measurably affecting the expression or localization of voltage-gated Na(+) (Nav) channels at Purkinje neuron axon initial segments. The selective shRNA-mediated in vivo “knock-down” of iFGF14 in adult Purkinje neurons also impairs motor coordination and balance. Repetitive firing can be restored in Fgf14-targeted shRNA-expressing Purkinje neurons, as well as in Fgf14(−/−) Purkinje neurons, by prior membrane hyperpolarization, suggesting that the iFGF14-mediated regulation of the excitability of mature Purkinje neurons depends on membrane potential. Further experiments revealed that the loss of iFGF14 results in a marked hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of steady-state inactivation of the Nav currents in adult Purkinje neurons. We also show here that expressing iFGF14 selectively in adult Fgf14(−/−) Purkinje neurons rescues spontaneous firing and improves motor performance. Together, these results demonstrate that iFGF14 is required for spontaneous and evoked action potential firing in adult Purkinje neurons, thereby controlling the output of these cells and the regulation of motor coordination and balance

Learning the Futility of the Thought Suppression Enterprise in Normal Experience and in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

The belief that we can control our thoughts is not inevitably adaptive, particularly when it fuels mental control activities that have ironic unintended consequences. The conviction that the mind can and should be controlled can prompt people to suppress unwanted thoughts, and so can set the stage for the intrusive return of those very thoughts. An important question is whether or not these beliefs about the control of thoughts can be reduced experimentally. One possibility is that behavioral experiments aimed at revealing the ironic return of suppressed thoughts might create a lesson that could reduce unrealistic beliefs about the control of thoughts. Aims: The present research assessed the influence of the thought suppression demonstration on beliefs about the control of thoughts in a non-clinical sample, and among individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Method: In Study 1, we assessed the effect of the thought suppression demonstration on beliefs about the control of thoughts among low and high obsessive individuals in the non-clinical population (N = 62). In Study 2, we conducted a similar study with individuals with OCD (N = 29). Results: Results suggest that high obsessive individuals in the non-clinical population are able to learn the futility of suppression through the thought suppression demonstration and to alter their faulty beliefs about the control of thoughts; however, for individuals with OCD, the demonstration may be insufficient for altering underlying beliefs. Conclusions: For individuals with OCD, the connection between suppressing a neutral thought in the suppression demonstration and suppressing a personally relevant obsession may need to be stated explicitly in order to affect their obsessive beliefs.Psycholog