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Introduction: Through routine respiratory samples surveillance among COVID-19 patients in the intensive care, three patients with aspergillus were identified in a newly opened general intensive care unit during the second wave of the pandemic. Methodology: As no previous cases of aspergillus had occurred since the unit had opened. An urgent multidisciplinary outbreak meeting was held. The possible sources of aspergillus infection were explored. The multidisciplinary approach enabled stakeholders from different skills to discuss possible sources and management strategies. Environmental precipitants like air handling units were considered and the overall clinical practice was reviewed. Settle plates were placed around the unit to identify the source. Reports of recent water leaks were also investigated. Results: Growth of aspergillus on a settle plate was identified the potential source above a nurse's station. This was the site of a historic water leak from the ceiling above, that resolved promptly and was not investigated further. Subsequent investigation above the ceiling tiles found pooling of water and mould due to a slow water leak from a pipe. Conclusion: Water leaks in patient areas should be promptly notified to infection prevention. Detailed investigation to ascertain the actual cause of the leak and ensure any remedial work could be carried out swiftly. Outbreak meetings that include diverse people with various expertises (clinical and non-clinical) can enable prompt identification and resolution of contaminated areas to minimise risk to patients and staff. During challenging pandemic periods hospitals must not lose focus on other clusters and outbreaks occurring simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article follows the academic literacy learning trajectory of Farah, an undergraduate anthropology major at the American University in Cairo. In charting her path from the Egyptian public schooling system to a Western-based transnational university, this study offers a perspective in which a writer created and navigated a challenging trajectory and adapted Western-based literacies to aid in the development of an academic and professional agenda based in personal and national interests. This article draws on frameworks in composition studies and transnational literacy studies to suggest that theorizing such trajectories may require new concepts that can account for literacy learning trajectories for writers like Farah. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pretrial risk assessment instruments are used in many jurisdictions to inform decisions regarding pretrial release and conditions. Many are concerned that the use of pretrial risk assessment instruments may be contributing to worsened, not improved, pretrial outcomes, including increased rates of pretrial detention and exacerbated racial disparities in pretrial decisions. These concerns have led prominent organizations to reverse their position on the role of pretrial risk assessment instruments in pretrial system change. Reforms that centered on their use have been rolled back or have failed to be implemented in the first place. However, the scientific evidence behind these concerns is lacking. Instead, the findings of rigorous research show that the results of pretrial risk assessment instruments demonstrate good accuracy in predicting new criminal activity, including violent crime, during the pretrial period, even when there are differences between groups defined by race and ethnicity. Furthermore, the scientific evidence suggests they can be an effective strategy to help achieve pretrial system change, including reducing pretrial detention for people of color and white people, alike, when their results are actually used to inform decision-making. In this article, we review the scientific evidence in relation to three primary critiques of pretrial risk assessment instruments, namely, that their results have poor accuracy and are racially biased and that their use increases pretrial detention rates. We also provide recommendations for addressing these critiques to ensure that their use supports, rather than detracts from, the goals of pretrial reform and articulates an agenda for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

My hope is that music teacher education remains vital because the work of music teacher educators is seen as being both responsive to calls for change and respectful of established practices where appropriate. During these past months, I also have realized just how dependent the music teacher education enterprise is on partnerships with K-12 music educators and higher education leaders who value teacher preparation as part of their mission. The responses of music teachers and music teacher education faculty to various policy shifts reflected divergent philosophies and conceptions of music learning. [Extracted from the article]

Are the negative trends related to teacher education program enrollment and completion also evident for I music i teacher education programs? Pondering Recent Enrollment and Completion Trends for Teacher Education Programs Moreover, during the past decade, there has been a 35% decline in the number of people completing traditional teacher preparation programs - programs that still supply the vast majority of teachers for American schools. [Extracted from the article]

In the late 1990s, one of my University of Colorado music education colleagues and I began conversing about the lack of racial/ethnic diversity within our student body and the music education profession writ large. Depending on the nature of their school music program and personal economic circumstances, our outreach program attendees may not have experienced music education in a way that motivated them to consider a music career. The situation appears no better within music teacher education, with an estimated 80% of prospective music education majors ([12]) and 86% of music teacher licensure candidates identifying as White ([6]). [Extracted from the article]

In the former, scientists/researchers serve science or the advancement of knowledge, while in the latter they serve other individuals or other ends. Is it possible for researcher reflection to echo through time and place vis-à-vis published articles in ways that motivate other researchers to be reflective and demonstrate both awe and responsibility?. [Extracted from the article]

In this article, the editor discusses that Society for Music Teacher Education (SMTE) and how many graduate students and younger faculty planning to be in Greensboro are aware of the interwoven history underlying SMTE. It mentions need to discuss the formation of a new society, operating under the umbrella of the MENC but devoted to music teacher education. It also mentions society devoted to music teacher education that could enjoin music teacher educators of all specializations.

The article offers information on the importance of research in music education. Topics discussed include reflecting on teaching or supervisory experiences to stimulate thinking about research projects by music teacher educators; reflective narratives, diagrams, and doodles as sources or representations of research ideas; and grant funding to conduct research with large data sets.

There are many parallels between the current saga of COVID-19 and the history surrounding the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic which, despite the name, is believed to have originated on a Kansas army base. A second lesson applicable to the current pandemic is that quality research of any kind takes time. I have read that one of the best ways to put the scourge and angst of COVID-19 behind you is to express gratitude to those who have affected your life, prepandemic, in positive ways. [Extracted from the article]

In the article, the author discusses the need to promote research collaboration between music teachers and music education researchers to effectively resolve issues in the U.S. music education ecosystem. Also cited are the need to enhance the systematic methods for improving music education policy and practice, the recommendations of the Committee on Graduate Study in Music Education, and various suggestions on teacher development.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including the formal mentoring systems, apprenticeship models and communities of practice.

The article offers the author's view regarding the All of Us research program of sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute. It mentions that the program aims to build a national cohort of U.S. participants for a very large-scale study of biological, genetic and environmental factors that may influence disease acquisition, treatment and prevention.

Background: Renal trauma is less common but often occurs in polytrauma. Most trauma is blunt and the severity of the injury varies in different circumstances. Assessment: There is a series of features that should prompt investigation but none are reliably seen in all trauma cases and a low threshold for suspecting renal injury should be taken. A urine dip is essential. Investigation: Computerised tomography is the main modality. Follow-up imaging may be used if complications arise and ultrasound may be used in some cases. Management: Approaches include surgical, radiological and conservative. The latter has been achieved in all grades but intervention will be required in haemodynamic instability. Complications: Haemorrhage, infection and urine extravasation are common and require intervention. There are many long-term complications and hypertension can occur by a variety of mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the essence of research focusing on its quality and impact. He informs on the important research methods which includes quantitative research based on the emphasis of reliability and research designs, and case analysis. The collective understanding in the music teacher education is possible through trustworthiness and improving the quality of the research.

The article presents the author's views on the increased focus on research career in higher education. Various topics discussed include productivity of the research, how creativity is used by researchers for conceptualization of theory, dystopian narrative of the researches and self-actualization of researchers.

The difference between the I almost right i word and the I right i word is really a large matter - 'tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning. But, assuming that an author has exhibited due diligence in crafting their manuscript before submission, the peer review process can shine light on the best of what has been written and point the author toward minor changes that may make a huge difference. During this preliminary review, manuscripts are checked for blinding, length, relevance to music teacher education, and compliance with American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines. [Extracted from the article]

The author discusses the state of the music education profession and teacher education community in the U.S. He mentions the uncertainty of the nation's political environment which stirred fleeting hope among teachers, the need for education leaders to shift the tone and tenor of rhetoric surrounding teachers and schools, and the avenues for research on turnaround schools, roles of music teachers, teacher effectiveness as purveyors of hope.

While many scholars and social commentators bemoan the rise of “mass incarceration” in the United States, few states have succeeded in significantly reducing prison populations. Fueled by systemic changes in penal codes, sentencing practices, and federal funding all designed to increase the use of imprisonment, most states have been unable to reverse the massive increase that has transpired over the past four decades. More alarming, there are few indications that mass incarceration will be reduced any time soon. There are a few exceptions, with California being one. Since 2007, California’s prison population has dropped by over 43,000 prisoners. Reductions have also been achieved in the state parole (82,000) and probation (15,000) populations. Today there are 146,000 fewer Californians in prison, jail, parole, or probation. Initially driven largely by a period of lengthy litigation, a rare federal court order to depopulate, several other reforms, reflecting a sticks and carrots approach, were introduced beginning in 2007 to lower imprisonment rates. Among them was “Realignment,” which relocated approximately 27,000 state prisoners to the counties. However, it required another stick in the form of a ballot initiative (Proposition 47) to further reduce the prison population and meet compliance with the federal court order. In the end, it was the externally imposed dual “sticks” of litigation and a ballot initiative that proved to be the driving forces in reducing California’s use of mass incarceration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the importance of trust in researchers and research, discussing the researchers fulfillment of social desirability and while conducting multilevel research. It states that research process includes the challenges of inherent approach, researcher ethics, and comparable risks. It gives an example of food science researcher Brian Wansick and his lesson on the subject of research misconduct, researcher carelessness, and keypunching errors of research and its prevention.

In this second of a two-part focused review of the nonprofit business and corporate social responsibility (CSR) literature, the authors present the third and fourth components of the collaborative value creation (CVC) framework: the partnering processes that unpack the value creation dynamics and the collaboration outcomes that examine the benefits and costs on multiple levels. The authors suggest that greater value is created at all levels of analysis, micro, meso, and macro, as collaboration moves from sole creation to co-creation of value. The CVC framework assigns equal importance to all forms of value (economic, social, and environmental), types of actors (individuals, organizations, and societies), and time scales (short/long term), providing the analytical paths for assessing value creation holistically. Examining systematically the processes and the outcomes of value co-creation allows for greater specificity, dimensionality, and inclusivity. The article concludes by delineating the contribution of the CVC framework and offering recommendations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This focused review of the nonprofitbusiness collaboration and related corporate social responsibility literature identifies problematic aspects of the treatment of value creation and, therefore, develops a conceptual and analytical framework to address them and the following research question: How can collaboration between nonprofits and businesses most effectively co-create significant economic, social, and environmental value for society, organizations, and individuals? The first two components of the Collaborative Value Creation framework are presented in this first of two articles The Value Creation Spectrum provides new reference terms for defining and analyzing value creation, and Collaboration Stages reveals how value creation varies across different types of collaborative relationships. The framework’s next two components, which are elaborated in the sequential article, are Partnering Processes, which reveals the value creation dynamics in the formation and implementation stages, and Collaboration Outcomes, which examines impact at the micro, meso, and macro levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study regarding the effects of a precollegiate music teacher recruitment program, which emphasizes authentic mentoring and context learning. The study used a questionnaire which addressed the psychological facets of teacher development. It mentions the increase of social motivation for teaching and classroom management efficacy.

The purpose of this study was to survey assessment and grading practices employed by secondary music teachers throughout the southwestern region of the United States. Three main research questions guided the study: (1) What types of school district frameworks and classroom contexts are secondary music teachers operating within? (2) Which specific assessment and grading practices are employed most commonly by secondary music teachers? (3) Do any contextual or individual difference variables influence secondary music teachers’ assessment and grading practices? Two mailings yielded 352 total usable questionnaires (36%) with a sampling error of +/—5%. Participants reported that their school districts emphasized letter grades and that music course grades were equally weighted with other course grades in calculating student grade point averages and generating credit toward graduation. Yet, music teachers seldom received administrative guidance or altered assessment approaches due to standards-based curriculum adoption. Participants based grades on a combination of achievement and non-achievement criteria, with non-achievement criteria receiving greater weight in determining grades. Although instructional time, number of students taught, and number of concert performances prepared/ given had no substantive relationship with assessment decisions, grading practices were influenced by teaching level and teaching specialization. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Litigation in Mississippi required the Department of Corrections to ameliorate substandard conditions at the supermaximum Unit 32 of Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, remove prisoners with serious mental illness from administrative segregation and provide them with adequate treatment, and reexamine the entire classification system. Pursuant to two federal consent decrees, the Department of Corrections greatly reduced the population in administrative segregation and established a step-down mental health treatment unit for the prisoners excluded from administrative segregation. This article describes and discusses not only the process of enacting the changes but also the outcomes, including the large reductions in rates of misconduct, violence, and use of force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article cites a study which explores the functions of secondary instrument classes within music schools in the United States. Secondary instrument classes have been considered an important component of preservice music teacher education. In undergraduate programs, secondary instrument classes constitute a substantial portion of the credits required in music education. Research on secondary instrument found that experienced music educators view secondary instrument classes as an important component of preservice music teacher education. But they also rate their training in these classes as moderately effective at best.

Entrepreneurship has been the engine propelling much of the growth of the business sector as well as a driving force behind the rapid expansion of the social sector. This article offers a comparative analysis of commercial and social entrepreneurship using a prevailing analytical model from commercial entrepreneurship. The analysis highlights key similarities and differences between these two forms of entrepreneurship and presents a framework on how to approach the social entrepreneurial process more systematically and effectively. We explore the implications of this analysis of social entrepreneurship for both practitioners and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addresses the purported Americanization of French cinema, or the Gallicization of an American cinema by suggesting that at stake in the process is the historically rooted identity of Frenchness itself. Cinema as one of the preeminent cultural activities of the French; Cinema as a privileged space in which to study the evolution of French culture and identity.

The underlying attribution process for cynicism about organizational change is examined with six samples from four different organizations. The samples include hourly (n = 777) and salaried employees (n = 155) from a manufacturing plant, faculty (n = 293) and staff (n = 302) from a large university, managers from a utility company (n= 97), and young managers (n = 65) from various organizations who were attending an evening MBA program. This form of cynicism is defined as the combination of Pessimism (about future change efforts) and a Dispositional attribution (why past efforts to change failed). Three analyses support this definition. First, an exploratory factor analysis (from the largest sample) produced two factors, one composed of Pessimism and the Dispositional attribution items and the second of the Situational attribution items. Second, the average correlation (across several samples) between Pessimism and Dispositional attribution is much higher (.5 9) than the average correlation between Pessimism and Situational attribution (.17). Third, scores on two different trait-based measures of cynicism correlate highest with the Dispositional attribution component of cynicism. A practical implication is that organizational leaders may minimize cynicism by managing both employees' pessimism about organizational change and employees' attributions about it. Specific suggestions for how this might be done are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As many as one in three persons living with HIV-AIDS continue to practise unprotected sexual intercourse and these practices often occur with HIV-negative or unknown HIV serostatus (serodiscordant) partners. The current study examined the rates of HIV transmission risk behaviours in non-regular (e.g. casual) and regular (e.g. steady) serodiscordant relationships. HIV positive men (n = 269) and women (n = 114) responded to measures of demographic characteristics, health and mental health status, and sexual behaviours assessed in partner-by-partner interviews. 257 (67%) participants were sexually active in the preceding three months and 182 (71%) of the sexually active persons had engaged in vaginal or anal intercourse with serodiscordant partners. Comparisons of persons with non-regular (n = 97) and regular (n = 85) serodiscordant partners showed that overall rates of unprotected and protected intercourse were greater with regular partners than non-regular partners. Disclosure of HIV status to regular and non-regular serodiscordant partners did not appear to influence the pattern of results. Mathematical modelling showed that HIV transmission estimates over a one-year horizon were significantly greater for male regular partners of HIV-positive men than non-regular partners and there was a trend toward greater HIV transmission rates from HIV-positive men to their regular serodiscordant female partners compared to non-regular partners. Results suggest an urgent need for HIV transmission risk reduction interventions for HIV serodiscordant couples, particularly for couples in established, regular relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews current literature on the role of micronutrients in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Deficiencies of micronutrients are common in HIV-infected persons. They occur due to malabsorption, altered metabolism, gut infection, and altered gut barrier function. There is a compelling association of deficiencies of micronutrients in HIV-infection with immune deficiency, rapid disease progression, and mortality. Also, there is increased risk of vertical HIV transmission from mother to child with deficiency of vitamin A, and of neurological impairment with vitamin B12. The last five years have been exciting in micronutrient research, and there is promise that some micronutrients may be key factors in maintaining health in HIV immunodeficiency, and in reducing mortality. Selenium appears important in reducing virulence of HIV and slowing disease progression. Vitamin A supplementation in pregnant women with HIV may reduce maternal mortality and improve birth outcomes. Supplementation in children with HIV may accelerate growth. Carotenoid supplementation is being evaluated. Vitamin B12 may slow HIV immune deficiency disease progression, and reverse neurological compromise. Clinical benefit of supplementation with some micronutrients may be measurable in the presence of pre-existing deficiency. Apart from improved general nutrition, the impact of micronutrient supplements on health and their optimal use in HIV infection is controversial because there are so few controlled clinical trials. Further research is needed to elucidate the role of micronutrient deficiencies on the course of HIV infection, and the preventive and therapeutic role of supplementation in its clinical management. Nevertheless, current knowledge supports the use of routine multivitamin and trace element supplementation as adjuvant to conventional antiretroviral drug treatment as a relatively low-cost intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

After three decades of passing laws and implementing policies designed to dramatically increase the nation's prison population and harden the conditions of confinement, there is a newfound interest among policy makers and criminologists on prisoner release. Using national data and a survey of eight states, this article examines the current "state of the art" of prisoner reentry. Not surprisingly, most state prison systems are ill equipped to ease the transition of inmates from prison to the community. A significant portion of released inmates pose minimal risk to public safety. Parole supervision increasingly results in ex-convicts' being reincarcerated for noncriminal behavior or misdemeanor crimes. For most inmates, reentry should be curtailed by either eliminating supervision or greatly shortening the period of supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new construct called Cynicism About Organizational Change (CAOC) was proposed and distinguished from related concepts The measure of CAOC was supported by confirmatory factor analysis and has acceptable internal consistency reliability. Potential antecedents (measured 21 months before the measurement of CAOC) were examined. Little support was found for CAOC having dispositional roots in one's general negative affectivity. More support was found for CAOC being learned as a result of little previous change, ineffective leadership practices, and lack of participation in decisions. CAOC was negatively correlated with a concurrent measure of organizational change and with the motivation to keep on trying to support change efforts. In addition, CAOC was negatively correlated with factors outside the realm of change: organizational commitment and the number of labor grievances. Finally, CAOC weakened the instrumentality perception of the relationship between performing well and earning more money, while holding the actual pay system constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, over 24 states and Congress have passed legislation under the slogan of 'three strikes and you're out'. As part of the general political thrust to mandate increasingly tougher prison terms for repeat offenders, this form of legislation seeks to ensure that habitual offenders receive the toughest sentence available to the state absent the death penalty — life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. In this article, a review of what has been the impact of these laws is made. Surprisingly, with the noted exception of California, there has been virtually no impact on the courts, local jails or state prisons. Nor does there appear to be any impact on crime rates. Even in California, where the law was expected to have a major impact, it appears that all of the projections were in error. The article concludes that this form of legislation was carefully crafted to be largely symbolic. However, the gross errors in predicting the impact of these and other laws by some of the most prestigious researchers underscore how little we know about change within the criminal justice system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Criminal justice reformers often speak of their concern with the widening net of the criminal justice system, but they demonstrate little understanding of this phenomenon. Despite considerable reform activity during the past two decades, the reach of the justice system has remained unchanged or even has been extended. This paper examines the dialectics of reform movements and their intended or unintended consequences in widening, strengthening, or creating different nets of social control. Six major reform movements (diversion, decarceration, due process, decriminalization, deterrence, and just deserts) are reviewed to illustrate how organizational dynamics function to resist, distort, and frustrate the reform's original purposes. The authors also argue that potential reformers cannot ignore the surrounding social, political, economic, and ideological context. Reformers must recognize that legal, programmatic, and administrative reforms are themselves circumscribed by political and economic forces. Future efforts at change must include detailed analyses of the larger political-economic structure and its interconnections with the social control apparatus if more substantive results are to be realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the role of competition in the school music program in the United States. Views of Frank A. Beach, one of the founders of school music contests, on the purpose of the contests; Information on the reform of music contests; Benefits of competition.

Shows how several researchers have contributed to the national climate of fear and punitiveness in the United States. Politics of America's imprisonment binge; Approach by researchers for the justification of the `prison pays' ideology; Conclusions.

Explores the current state of the art in correctional policy impact analysis and more directly, the use of innovative projection models for evaluating the short- and long-term consequences of proposed criminal justice policies on the entire correctional system. Predictions, forecasts and projections; Modeling correctional systems; Categorizing projection models; Examples; The future of projection models.

Reports on using early release programs to relieve prison crowding in Illinois. Overview of a study on early release programs; Effect of early release on crime; Costs of early release.

Focuses on the use of the process analysis approach in evaluating objective prison classification systems in California. Importance of classification database; Factors to be considered in the scoring process; Implications to policy-making.

Presents a study which used an experimental design with random assignment in three cities in the United States to test whether defendants denied initial pretrial release can be screened and released under close supervision without adversely affecting arrest and failure to appear rates. Defendant flow and experimental design for supervised pretrial release (SPR) program; Impact of SPR on court appearance rates; Costs of SPR to crime victims.

Presents a study which assessed the effects of a number of prison classification models in the U.S. using computer simulations. Result of the adoption of the models; Types of objective models; Overview of Nevada's traditional classification system.

Examines some of the alternatives to imprisonment in the United States. Discussion on the context of alternatives to incarceration; Assessment of the effectiveness of community service and restitution to reduce imprisonment and recidivism; Case analysis on the community-based correction legislation in California and Minnesota; Future research needs.

The purpose of this article is to summarize and interpret the most current data on imprisonment in the United States. These data will be examined in light of other criminal justice and national trends affecting prison population growth. Of special importance will be analysis of historical and projected trends in the use of American prisons. This will include an examination of the methods used to forecast future incarceration rates in light of changing criminal justice policies and other factors believed to influence prison population growth. The authors conclude that despite a projected national trend of a leveling off of prison admissions, prison populations will continue to rise, reflecting the effects of sentencing reforms aimed at increasing prison terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of two music contest formats on the music achievement, self-concept, achievement motivation, performance achievement, and attitude of elementary band students. The author randomly assigned 44 fifth-and sixth-grade instrumentalists to one of two treatment groups: (a) students receiving written comments and ratings or (b) students receiving written comments only. Pretest and posttest data were obtained on dependent measures of the Music Achievement Test (MAT) and the Self-Concept in Music (SCIM) scale; data on achievement motivation and attitude were gathered on a posttest basis only. After 1 month of preparation, all students performed unaccompanied solos for an adjudicator. The results showed significant gains (p < .05) in musical self-concept for both groups, but only the rated group made a significant gain in music achievement. In addition, there was no significant difference in achievement motivation scores for rated versus nonrated students. Of the students, 76% said they would choose to participate in a rated contest format in the future. Pretest scores on the MAT were the single best predictor of performance achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Statistical conclusion validity is concerned with an integrated evaluation of statistical power significance testing, and effect size. A lack of attention to the integrated argument occurs because of an emphasis on significance testing, a lack of knowledge, and a lack of motivation. This article has three objectives. First, the central logic of the statistical conclusion validity argument is explained. Following this explanation, issues relating to the three components are reviewed. These issues include computations, multivariate extensions, and recommendations for practice. Increasing use of model-testing procedures in which the goal of the analysis is not to reject the null hypothesis is noted. Finally, conclusions are offered and research needs are discussed.