Creating a Positive Climate and Promoting Academic Achievement Through Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports

Creating a positive school climate and promoting academic achievement through Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports is no easy task. Clements Middle School embraced PBIS and worked hard to maintain both. Find out how this Title I middle school took on the task of creating a positive climate and a safe environment that led to academic success through PBIS. K-12 educators may benefit from this presentation and participants will learn how to effectively implement the 10 key areas of PBIS to promote school safety and increase academic achievement

Simultaneos detection and quantitation of morphine, 6-acetylmorphine, and cocaine in toenails: comparison with hair analysis

This study describes the results of the simultaneous detection and quantitation of morphine, 6-acetylmorphine, and cocaine in toenail and hair samples obtained from 18 forensic autopsies of drug abusers who had died in various manners. After external decontamination, each specimen was submitted to hot acid hydrolysis (1 mL of HCl 37%) in the presence of internal standards, followed by liquid-liquid and solid-phase extraction techniques. The extracts were then derivatized with propionic anhydride and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, operating in the selected ion monitoring mode. The limit of quantitation for all analytes was 0.5 ng on column. Results showed that both cocaine and morphine are more concentrated in toenails than in hair. Mean concentrations were 0.99 ng/mg (toenails) versus 0.48 ng/mg (hair) for cocaine and 1.27 ng/mg (toenails) versus 0.79 ng/mg (hair) for morphine. Distribution of 6-acetylmorphine showed no significant variations between the two (mean concentrations 0.46 ng/mg vs. 0.50 ng/mg in hair)

INTRAVITREAL BEVACIZUMAB FOR TREATMENT OF MYOPIC CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION: THE SECOND YEAR OF A PROSPECTIVE STUDY.

Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal bevacizumab for the treatment of myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV). DESIGN: Prospective, non-randomized, interventional clinical study. METHODS: Twenty eyes from 20 patients with CNV secondary to pathologic myopia participated in this study. These patients had already completed 12 months of follow-up. All patients were scheduled for 3 monthly intravitreal bevacizumab 1.25 mg injections. ETDRS best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), foveal center thickness (FCT) on OCT and CNV size as assessed by fluorescein angiography were examined before and after treatment. Patients were followed up for 24 months. RESULTS: Mean BCVA (+/- SD) at baseline was 24.8 (+/- 11.86) letters (Snellen equivalent: 20/80). At 24 months after treatment the mean BCVA (+/- SD) improved significantly (p less than 0.05) to 44 (+/- 13.99) letters (Snellen equivalent: 20/33). At 24 month follow-up, BCVA improved of 10 letters or more in 17 (85%) out of 20 treated eyes and improved of 15 letters or more in 15 (75%) eyes. No treated eyes experienced a worsening of BCVA from baseline. Mean foveal center thickness (FCT) (+/- SD) at baseline was 223 (+/- 47,43) microns. By month 24, mean FCT (+/-SD) reduced to 190 (+/- 29.01) microns (p less than 0.05). Mean area of the CNVs at baseline was 0.77 (+/- 0.78) mm2, which decreased to 0.31 +/- (0.51) mm2 and 0.30 (+/- 0.50) mm2 at 12 (p less than 0.05) and 24 months (p less than 0.05), respectively. At 24 months follow-up absence of fluoresce in leakage from the CNV was demonstrated in 18 (90%) out of 20 treated eyes. No ocular or systemic adverse effects from treatment were encountered. CONCLUSION: Eyes with myopic CNV treated with intravitreal bevacizumab over 2 years had significant anatomic and functional improvement. Further studies will be needed to confirm the long-term efficacy and safety of this treatment

Ophthalmic alterations in the Sturge-Weber Syndrome, Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome, and the Phakomatosis Pigmentovascularis. an independent group of conditions?

The phakomatoses have been traditionally defined as a group of hereditary diseases with variable expressivity characterized by multisystem tumors with possible malignant transformation. The Sturge-Weber syndrome, Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, and the phakomatosis pigmentovascularis have the facial port-wine stain in common. Numerous pathophysiogenetic mechanisms have been suggested such as venous dysplasia of the emissary veins in the intracranial circulation, neural crest alterations leading to alterations of autonomic perivascular nerves, mutation of the GNAO gene in the Sturge-Weber syndrome, PIK3CA mutation in malformative/overgrowth syndromes such as the Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, and the twin-spotting phenomenon in phakomatosis pigmentovascularis. Other features linked to the port-wine stain and typical to all of the three conditions are glaucoma and choroidal alterations. Glaucoma can be due to malformations of the anterior chamber or high episcleral venous pressure and in phakomatosis pigmentovascularis it can also be associated with angle hyperpigmentation. The choroid can be thickened in all diseases. Furthermore, choroidal melanocytosis in the phakomatosis pigmentovascularis can lead to malignant transformation. Although the multiple pathophysiological mechanisms still require clarification, similarities in ophthalmic manifestations make it reasonable to classify these diseases in an independent group