Middle Grades Democratic Education in Neoliberal Times: Examining Youth Social Action Projects as a Path Forward

Although democratic education has long been considered a cornerstone of the developmentally responsive middle school model, current neoliberal priorities in education pose a particular threat to the democratic purpose of education. Due to their emphasis on student voice and civic engagement, youth social action projects present one opportunity to preserve democratic education as a focal point of the middle school concept. In this article, I offer a case description of a middle grades youth social action project. Incorporating student perspectives, I then critically examine the extent to which the project was successful in its goal of promoting student voice and present themes in the lessons students reported learning as a result of their engagement with the social action project. The findings indicate that although middle school students faced significant challenges, the social action project was nonetheless largely successful in incorporating student voice. The majority of middle school participants reported feeling that they had a voice in their school through the social action project. Middle school students also reported learning valuable lessons connected to three themes: 1) hard work and determination, 2) teamwork and leadership skills, and 3) empowerment. In closing, I offer implications for key stakeholders in middle level education concerning the path forward for democratic education in neoliberal times

Barriers to Acccessing Pyschological Support Following Early Miscarriage. Perspectives of the IAPT Perinatal Champion.

Early miscarriage has been linked to a wide variety of subsequent psychological difficulties. Despite this, challenges in accessing appropriate psychological support following early miscarriage are emphasised throughout the literature. Few studies have explored barriers to accessing support following early miscarriage from the perspective of healthcare professionals providing support, and none of these have focused solely on NHS primary mental healthcare settings. This study therefore sought to address the gap in the literature through a qualitative exploration of the perspectives of Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) perinatal champions, deemed to be in a position most likely to be providing support for people following early miscarriage. The aim of this study was to elicit a fuller, critical understanding of the potential barriers to accessing psychological support following early miscarriage, with the hope of eliciting suggestions for how to improve it. 12 participants, who had all at some point held the role of IAPT perinatal champion, took part in semi-structured interviews exploring their experiences of providing psychological support for people following early miscarriage. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts yielded four key themes: unclear guidance, service-centred care, journey to role, and societal stigma. The findings revealed a variety of potential barriers to accessing support following early miscarriage. Unclear guidance was thought to influence referrals and create uncertainty regarding perinatal labelling and the remit of IAPT in providing post-miscarriage support. Services were reported to be built around prioritising commissioning and financial objectives over client need, resulting in structural constraints and a diagnosis-focused system that was not set-up for providing the individualised support required following early miscarriage. Participants described their journeys to the role of perinatal champions as often lacking the autonomy, training, support and resources required. The role of services in perpetuating societal stigma around early miscarriage, including shame, blame, silence and invalidation was also highlighted. This study has implications in terms of informing service structure, roles and training within IAPT to improve pathways to support, following early miscarriage

BMP Signaling Goes Posttranscriptional in a microRNA Sort of Way

Aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression correlates with human diseases such as cardiac disorders and cancer. Treatment of such disorders using miRNA-targeted therapeutics requires a thorough understanding of miRNA regulation in vivo. A recent paper in Nature by Davis et al. expands our understanding of miRNA biogenesis and maturation, elucidating a mechanism by which extracellular signaling directs cell differentiation via posttranscriptional regulation of miRNA expression

Characterising LINC complex roles in 3D epithelial migration and breast cancer metastasis

Cell migration is essential for the development of multicellular organisms; with disruptions in this process contributing to diseases such as cancer, neurological disorders and musculoskeletal diseases. The LINC (Linker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton) complex is an evolutionary conserved proteinaceous structure, critical for maintaining proper cellular migration. This multifunctional complex provides a physical connection between the nuclear interior and the cytoskeleton, with disruptions stimulating loss of directed cell migration, compromised nuclear structure and abnormal cellular signalling. As it is also noted that the nucleus in many cells is the stiffest cellular component, it is suggested that LINC complex disruptions may be key in increasing the migration potential of cells through both in vivo and in vitro 3D environments. This project aimed to investigate the roles of LINC complex disruptions on keratinocyte morphological and migratory behaviours in 2D, and both non-restrictive and space-restrictive 3D culture environments, through the application of dominant negative SUN1 mutants. Through extensive analysis, it was identified that these mutants exhibited altered cell-cell and cell-substratum attachment phenotypes, alongside increased nuclear heights. It was also demonstrated that the LINC disrupted mutants displayed a migration advantage in space-restricted 3D environments, which was attributed to a decrease in nuclear stiffness. Through fibroblast incorporation to the 3D scaffolds used, it was further shown that LINC disrupted keratinocytes displayed increased levels of differentiation markers, alongside increased cellular stacking phenotypes across scaffolds surface regions, potentially attributed to alterations in Hippo pathway signalling. The migratory phenotypes observed in DN mutants closely resemble that of high-grade cancer cells, able to migrate through space-restrictive environments during metastasis. Comprehensive protein expression and localisation analysis across a range of breast cancer cell lines and tissues suggested that several LINC complex components display altered expression levels closely linked to cancer progression, most significantly a down-regulation of lower nesprin-1/-2 isoforms was identified. As following investigations later suggested Nup88 as an upstream regulator of nesprin-2, able to bind C-terminal regions, it’s suggested that these phenotypes link closely to that observed in high-grade cancers. Together, the data presented suggests that LINC complex disruptions increase migration potential of cells through restrictive 3D environments due to a decrease in nuclear stiffness, comparable to that observed across high-grade breast cancer cell lines

A microRNA Imparts Robustness against Environmental Fluctuation during Development

The microRNA miR-7 is perfectly conserved from annelids to humans, and yet some of the genes that it regulates in Drosophila are not regulated in mammals. We have explored the role of lineage restricted targets, using Drosophila , in order to better understand the evolutionary significance of microRNA-target relationships. From studies of two well characterized developmental regulatory networks, we find that miR-7 functions in several interlocking feedback and feedforward loops, and propose that its role in these networks is to buffer them against perturbation. To directly demonstrate this function for miR-7, we subjected the networks to temperature fluctuation and found that miR-7 is essential for the maintenance of regulatory stability under conditions of environmental flux. We suggest that some conserved microRNAs like miR-7 may enter into novel genetic relationships to buffer developmental programs against variation and impart robustness to diverse regulatory networks

Alleviating unprecedented pressures faced by the General Practice workforce: a conceptual framework based on the extent to which Wessex GPs think that patients presenting with one condition could have been seen and appropriately managed by another healthcare professional [HCP]

1. Outline of the problem/contextThe number of patients who are finding it difficult to make a GP appointment has increased due to a lack of sufficient resourcing for general practice (i.e. shortage in workforce: GPs and nurses, decreased funding and increased costs) in a context of rapidly growing demand, brought about by the rising demographics, especially, but not exclusively, ageing population with long-term and complex conditions (RCGP 2015; Goodwin et al, 2011; Rosen and Parker, 2013; Deloitte, 2014; Baird et al, 2016).2. Assessment of problem and analysis of its cause/ literature reviewVarious solutions have been proposed to decrease the GP workload while also increasing the accessibility of primary care: promoting NHS Choice website (Nelson et al, 2010); improving health and self-management (Goodwin et al, 2011); collaboration between GP practices (Naylor et al, 2013); multi-specialty or multi-disciplinary new integrated models of care (Smith et al, 2013; NHS England 2015; Snow-Miller, 2015; Roland et al, 2015; Matheson, 2016b, 2016c); telephone consultations (Longman, 2012); emails (Atherton et al, 2012) and e-consultations (Adamson and Bachman, 2010; Madan 2014; Longman and Diggines, 2014).NHS Choice website was deemed in need of more marketing (Nelson et al, 2010). Multi-specialty or multi-disciplinary new integrated models of care have proven to be successful (Langridge, 2015; NHS England 2015; Liles, 2016a, 2016b; Matheson, 2016b, 2016c). Improving health initiatives (Goodwin et al, 2011; HSIC, 2015) and collaboration between GP practices (Naylor et al, 2013) have been slower to show progress. Although deemed convenient and useful, physicians have been slow to adopt secure patient messaging (Wallwiener et al, 2009). Limited evidence, variable results and shortcomings in data in relation to email has been such that it could not be adequately assessed (Atherton et al, 2012). Telephone-based consultation have shown conflicting evidence: from popular and successful (NHS England, 2015, p38) to ineffective and leading to increased workload (Campbell et al, 2014). Despite various claims (Adamson and Bachman 2010; Madan et al 2014; Longman and Diggines, 2015) of increased access for patient and decreased GP workload, evidence for online consultations has demonstrated a lack of significant benefit and low uptake (NHS England, 2015; Matheson, 2016d).3. Strategy for change/aims and objectivesTo try and identify ways of closing this gap between demand and supply by investigating, from the perspective of GPs, the extent to which HCPs could replace GPs re face-to-face consultations with patients who presented with one condition. 4. Measurement of improvement/methods/outcome measuresA survey questionnaire one side of A4 would be sent via a Wessex LMCs mailing to be completed discretely by hand by GPs ‘live’ during a consultation using 5-bar gate tallies to count the number patients presenting with one condition who could have been seen and appropriately managed by another Healthcare Professional [HCP] and to indicate which HCP (out of a choice of 4) could best do this with free text too for choice of HCP.5. Effects of changes/resultsA total of 212 questionnaires were received from a total of 23 practices spanning 9 Wessex CCGs that recorded 4,303 patient visits with 35% assessed as could have been seen and appropriately managed by another HCP: 18.5% could have been seen by an advanced nurse practitioner; 5.4% by an extended scope physiotherapist; 3.6% by a practice nurse; 3.1% by a MH nurse; 2.6% by a clinical pharmacist; and 1.7% by other HCPs or elsewhere. Of the 35% of consultations that could have been undertaken by an HCP: just over half (52.5%) could have been managed by advanced nurse practitioners; 15.5% by extended scope physiotherapists, 10.4% by practice nurses, 8.9% by MH nurses; 7.4% by clinical pharmacists and 5% by others/elsewhere. 6. Lessons learnt/discussion/strengths and limitations6.1. Strengths-First time that GPs have actually been asked to audit their practice ‘live’ to determine how many patients could have been seen and managed by another HCP and to identify which HCP could actually have done this-The sample represented 13.7% of GP practices in West Hampshire and 15% of GP practices in North Hampshire.-The survey enabled a dashboard to be built based on the results of the survey that can be populated by individual GP practices so visualise expanding the role of HCPs 6.2. Limitations-No respondents from Portsmouth CCG and Isle of Wight CCG.-The results entirely based on the conceptualisation by GPs of the ability of other HCPs to see patients presenting with one problem and to manage them appropriately for one -Does not take into account patients presenting with more than one problem -A very brief snapshot lacking in depth and does not take into account the interplay of complex factors. 7. Message for others/recommendations-The project could be replicated on a larger scale and supplemented by focus group with GPs or an additional electronic survey.-Involve patients and other HCPs in the design of interventions.<br/

Cell adhesion and cortex contractility determine cell patterning in the Drosophila retina

Hayashi and Carthew (Nature 431 [2004], 647) have shown that the packing of cone cells in the Drosophila retina resembles soap bubble packing, and that changing E- and N-cadherin expression can change this packing, as well as cell shape. The analogy with bubbles suggests that cell packing is driven by surface minimization. We find that this assumption is insufficient to model the experimentally observed shapes and packing of the cells based on their cadherin expression. We then consider a model in which adhesion leads to a surface increase, balanced by cell cortex contraction. Using the experimentally observed distributions of E- and N-cadherin, we simulate the packing and cell shapes in the wildtype eye. Furthermore, by changing only the corresponding parameters, this model can describe the mutants with different numbers of cells, or changes in cadherin expression.Comment: revised manuscript; 8 pages, 6 figures; supplementary information not include

Photoreceptor Cell Differentiation Requires Regulated Proteolysis of the Transcriptional Repressor Tramtrack

AbstractThe transcription repressor Tramtrack (TTK) is found in cone cells but not photoreceptor cells of the Drosophila eye. We show that down-regulation of TTK expression occurs in photoreceptor cells and is required for their fate determination. Down-regulation requires the presence of Phyllopod (PHYL), which is induced by the RAS pathway, and Seven In Absentia (SINA). Loss of either gene causes accumulation of TTK in photoreceptor cells, and TTK does not accumulate in cone cells if both PHYL and SINA are present. We report that SINA and PHYL promote ubiquitination and rapid degradation of TTK by the proteasome pathway in cell culture, and both SINA and PHYL bind to the N-terminal domain of TTK. These results argue that photoreceptor differentiation is regulated by the RAS pathway through targeted proteolysis of the TTK repressor

Anatomics

Abstract This project is concerned with visual representation of human gross anatomy*. The subject is complex because it derives from an intersection of artistic and scientific disciplines and is an active field of research. The overall aim of the project is to open up new ways of interpretation when engaging with complex visual representations of anatomy. The project involves a consideration of the methods and models in which the communication of visually complex information is achieved by using a combination of artistic and scientific representation. It explores methods and techniques used in the creation of visualisations that are intended to convey scientific knowledge. Literature and visual reviews were undertaken and these examined research material which informed the project's exploration. These reviews included texts that studied the historical development of anatomic representation and also contemporary visual material. Elements of cognition and perception and their relationship to visual communication were reviewed and considered in relation to the project's practical work. Wider socio-cultural contexts that affect pictorial style in anatomic representation were also reviewed and some relevant contexts are discussed within the exegesis. Practical exploration included developing models of anatomy that combined elements from artistic and scientific approaches. For example, in some explorative work, the fine detail of traditional anatomic representation formed one section of a model and this was allied with another section that used a more scientific approach to isolate key structures by illumination. The exegesis concludes with a summary of the project, conclusions arising from the research and an indication of potential areas for further study. * For conciseness, all further references within the exegesis to anatomy and anatomic representation refer to human gross anatomy unless otherwise stated