Search

Mucin-5AC (MUC5AC) is a major secreted mucin in pathogenic airways. To determine its role in mucus-related airway disorders, Muc5ac-deficient ( Muc5ac−/−) and wild-type ( Muc5ac+/+) mice were compared in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease, and ozone toxicity. Significantly greater inflammation and fibrosis by bleomycin were developed in Muc5ac−/−lungs compared to Muc5ac+/+lungs. More severe mucous cell metaplasia in fibrotic Muc5ac−/−lungs coincided with bronchial Muc2, Muc4, and Muc5b overexpression. Airway RSV replication was higher in Muc5ac−/−than in Muc5ac+/+during early infection. RSV-caused pulmonary epithelial death, bronchial smooth muscle thickening, and syncytia formation were more severe in Muc5ac−/−compared to Muc5ac+/+. Nasal septal damage and subepithelial mucoserous gland enrichment by RSV were greater in Muc5ac−/−than in Muc5ac+/+. Ozone exposure developed more severe nasal airway injury accompanying submucosal gland hyperplasia and pulmonary proliferation in Muc5ac−/−than in Muc5ac+/+. Ozone caused periodic acid-Schiff-positive secretion only in Muc5ac−/−nasal airways. Lung E-cadherin level was relatively lower in Muc5ac−/−than in Muc5ac+/+basally and after bleomycin, RSV, and ozone exposure. Results indicate that MUC5AC is an essential mucosal component in acute phase airway injury protection. Subepithelial gland hyperplasia and adaptive increase of other epithelial mucins may compensate airway defense in Muc5ac−/−mice.

Supplemental Material, sj-docx-1-tpx-10.1177_01926233211004433 for Role for Mucin-5AC in Upper and Lower Airway Pathogenesis in Mice by Hye-Youn Cho, Soojung Park, Laura Miller, Huei-Chen Lee, Robert Langenbach and Steven R. Kleeberger in Toxicologic Pathology

The active use of modern technology has affected the relationship between people and place. The “digital environment” and the “digital community” are becoming an increasingly important factor in people’s daily life, leading to a loss of belonging to a place, an entire neighbourhood, and a community. In the long run, this poses risks to the unification of values and the loss of identity. In this context, the involvement of the local community in the identification and preservation of historical heritage and defining the specific values of each site is particularly important. Thus, both the attraction of the local community to specific places and the revealed potential of local tourism are promoted. Digital placemaking enters urban regeneration as a logical approach to mixing digital and physical environments and involving the local community. Several GIS-based platforms and other tools are used to identify heritage values, both tangible and intangible. Although digital placemaking is emerging worldwide, its manifestations are closely related to specific local circumstances. The article focuses on the key characteristics and configurations of the digital placemaking tools within particular communities. The study tests digital placemaking practice in the historical districts of three cities: Taipei (Taiwan), Riga (Latvia), and Kaunas (Lithuania).

This quantitative study examined factors underlying middle and high school teachers’ choices about whether to use problem-based learning (PBL). Survey items measured respondents’ perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness, and the value and costs they placed on implementing PBL. Teachers who have taught with PBL (n = 126) had significantly more formal PBL professional development, higher levels of perceived competence and value for this pedagogy, perceived more support from peers, and perceived lower costs than did the non–PBL use teachers (n = 30). Findings highlight the importance of formal PBL professional development in increasing teachers’ intention to implement PBL and recommend the inclusion of experienced PBL teachers to share how the “costs” of implementing this pedagogy can also add “value” for teachers and their students.

Aims and Objectives. The aim of this study was to understand the factors related to intention to leave their job among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in eastern Taiwan and to make between-group comparisons between an intention to leave and an intention to stay as well as to predict the influencing factors that affect ICU staff nurses’ intention to leave. Background. Nurses’ intention to leave their job may have an important impact on the actual turnover of nurses. The issue has always been of concern to nursing executives. Only limited empirical studies in the area have been investigated in an Asian culture context and particularly the eastern Taiwan region. Methods. A cross-sectional predictive study was performed during 2005 with 130 nurses recruited from two ICUs at a medical centre. A researcher-designed questionnaire based on the Cooper's model with structured interviews was used to determine each nurse's characteristics and their intention to leave their job. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to investigate the various factors associated with this. Results. The overall response rate was 100%; 63 (48·9%) revealed that they intended to leave their jobs. The findings were that their self-rated health status, the number of diseases, the level of happiness, the presence of depression, job satisfaction, sleep quality, type of license and their unit were significantly associated with an intention to leave (p = 0·05–0·001). Depression and sleep quality proved to be the most significant predictors of ICU staff nurses’ intention to leave their job. Conclusions. The findings suggest that there is a need to take steps to improve nurses’ health-related quality of life and to develop effective strategies to improve nurse retention. Relevance to clinical practice. A succinct validated instrument would help identify the important factors that predict ICU nurses’ intention to leave their job, which may result in job disengagement. Predictors found in this study may be used as outcome variables for developing such an effective method of improving nurse retention in ICUs.