Search

This study investigated the experiences of people with disabilities during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Four semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted individually with 13 participants between May 2020 and February 2021. The data were thematically analyzed. Three themes were identified: (1) “Being an active agent in changing how things are done in the face of COVID restrictions”, revealed changes that participants made to their daily routines resulting from government-imposed and self-imposed restrictions; (2) “Pandemic restrictions wreak havoc”, explained participants challenges with adapting to the restrictions; and (3) “Trying to be resilient in the face of pandemic changes” described participants’ efforts to cope with life during the pandemic. The findings illustrate how life changed for people with disabilities during the pandemic. Participants reported specific types of challenges at each time point. As the vaccine rollout became more imminent, participants expressed more hope for the future and getting back to normal.

The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have been associated with increased social isolation and reduced participation in older adults. This longitudinal qualitative study drew on life course theory to analyse data from a series of four sequential semi-structured interviews conducted between May 2020–February 2021 with adults aged 65+ ( n = 12) to explore older adults’ experiences adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic. We identified three themes: (1) Struggling ‘You realize how much you lost’ describes how older adults lost freedoms, social connections and activities; (2) Adapting ‘whatever happens, happens, I’ll do my best’, revealing how older adults tried to maintain well-being, participation and connection; and (3) Appreciating ‘enjoy what you have’, exploring how older adults found pleasure and contentment. Engagement in meaningful activities and high-quality social interactions supported well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic for older adults. This finding highlights the need for policies and services to promote engagement during longstanding global crises.

Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching (CPRT) is a community-partnered adaptation of a naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention identified as an evidence-based practice for autistic children. The current study evaluated student outcomes in a randomized, wait-list controlled implementation trial across classrooms. Participants included teachers ( n = 126) and students with autism ( n = 308). Teachers participated in 12 hours of didactic, interactive training and additional in-classroom coaching. Generalized Estimating Equations accounted for clustering. Adjusted models evaluated the relative effects of training group, CPRT fidelity, and classroom quality on student outcomes. Results indicate higher CPRT fidelity was associated with greater increases in student learning. Having received CPRT training predicted increased student engagement and greater decreases in reported approach/withdrawal problems. These differences may be linked to the theoretical foundations of CPRT of increasing student motivation and engagement and collaborative adaptation to increase feasibility in schools. Overall, results suggest CPRT may be a beneficial approach for supporting autistic students.

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has led to wide-scale changes in societal organization. This has dramatically altered people’s daily activities, especially among families with young children, those living with disabilities such as spinal cord injury (SCI), those who have experienced a stroke, and older adults. OBJECTIVE We aim to (1) investigate how COVID-19 restrictions influence daily activities, (2) track the psychosocial effects of these restrictions over time, and (3) identify strategies to mitigate the potential negative effects of these restrictions. METHODS This is a longitudinal, concurrent, mixed methods study being conducted in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Data collection occurred at four time points, between April 2020 and February 2021. The first three data collection time points occurred within phases 1 to 3 of the Province of BC’s Restart Plan. The final data collection coincided with the initial distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines. At each time point, data regarding participants’ sociodemographics, depressive and anxiety symptoms, resilience, boredom, social support, instrumental activities of daily living, and social media and technology use were collected in an online survey. These data supplemented qualitative videoconference interviews exploring participants’ COVID-19–related experiences. Participants were also asked to upload photos representing their experience during the restriction period, which facilitated discussion during the final interview. Five groups of participants were recruited: (1) families with children under the age of 18 years, (2) adults with an SCI, (3) adults who experienced a stroke, (4) adults with other types of disabilities, and (5) older adults (>64 years of age) with no self-reported disability. The number of participants we could recruit from each group was limited, which may impact the validity of some subgroup analyses. RESULTS This study was approved by the University of British Columbia Behavioural Research Ethics Board (Approval No. H20-01109) on April 17, 2020. A total of 81 participants were enrolled in this study and data are being analyzed. Data analyses are expected to be completed in fall 2021; submission of multiple papers for publication is expected by winter 2021. CONCLUSIONS Findings from our study will inform the development and recommendations of a new resource guide for the post–COVID-19 period and for future public health emergencies. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/28337

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has led to wide-scale changes in societal organization. This has dramatically altered people’s daily activities, especially among families with young children, those living with disabilities such as spinal cord injury (SCI), those who have experienced a stroke, and older adults. Objective We aim to (1) investigate how COVID-19 restrictions influence daily activities, (2) track the psychosocial effects of these restrictions over time, and (3) identify strategies to mitigate the potential negative effects of these restrictions. Methods This is a longitudinal, concurrent, mixed methods study being conducted in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Data collection occurred at four time points, between April 2020 and February 2021. The first three data collection time points occurred within phases 1 to 3 of the Province of BC’s Restart Plan. The final data collection coincided with the initial distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines. At each time point, data regarding participants’ sociodemographics, depressive and anxiety symptoms, resilience, boredom, social support, instrumental activities of daily living, and social media and technology use were collected in an online survey. These data supplemented qualitative videoconference interviews exploring participants’ COVID-19–related experiences. Participants were also asked to upload photos representing their experience during the restriction period, which facilitated discussion during the final interview. Five groups of participants were recruited: (1) families with children under the age of 18 years, (2) adults with an SCI, (3) adults who experienced a stroke, (4) adults with other types of disabilities, and (5) older adults (>64 years of age) with no self-reported disability. The number of participants we could recruit from each group was limited, which may impact the validity of some subgroup analyses. Results This study was approved by the University of British Columbia Behavioural Research Ethics Board (Approval No. H20-01109) on April 17, 2020. A total of 81 participants were enrolled in this study and data are being analyzed. Data analyses are expected to be completed in fall 2021; submission of multiple papers for publication is expected by winter 2021. Conclusions Findings from our study will inform the development and recommendations of a new resource guide for the post–COVID-19 period and for future public health emergencies. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/28337

Background Nitenpyram is a member of the economically important neonicotinoid class of insecticides. The in vivo metabolism of nitenpyram is not well characterised, but cytochrome P450 activity is the major mechanism of resistance to neonicotinoids identified in insect pests, and P450s metabolise other neonicotinoids including imidacloprid. Results Here, we used the GAL4-UAS targeted expression system to direct RNA interference (RNAi) against the cytochrome P450 redox partners to interrupt P450 functions in specific tissues in Drosophila melanogaster. RNAi of the mitochondrial redox partner defective in the avoidance of repellents (dare) in the digestive tissues reduced nitenpyram mortality, suggesting an activation step in the metabolism of nitenpyram carried out by a mitochondrial P450. RNAi of the mitochondrial cytochrome P450 Cyp12a5, which is expressed in the digestive tissues, resulted in the same phenotype, and transgenic overexpression of Cyp12a5 increased nitenpyram sensitivity. Conclusion These results suggest that in vivo metabolism of nitenpyram by the mitochondrial P450 CYP12A5 results in the formation of a product with higher toxicity than the parent compound. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Research Objectives To understand how pandemic related restrictions and regulations have affected older adults and people with disabilities we drew on Sen's Capabilities Approach (Sen, 1985; Venkatapuram, 2011) to explore their pandemic-related experiences. Design This qualitative description study (Sandelowski, 2000;2010) used interview data that were collected as part of a larger mixed-methods study. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductive analysis was informed by Sen's Capabilities Approach. Setting Teleconference. Participants We recruited community dwelling participants from four groups: people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) (n = 22), people who have experienced a stroke (n = 26), people with other disabilities (n = 13), and older adults (over the age of 65) without reported disabilities (n = 10). Interventions N/A. Main Outcome Measures N/A. Results Our analysis identified one overarching theme: “navigating the new normal” described the challenges and successes participants experienced in the face of pandemic-related recommendations, restrictions and regulations. The overarching theme encapsulated three sub-themes. 1) “Trying to stay connected” explored feelings of social isolation and strategies used to reduce feelings of loneliness. 2) “Worrying about the future” described the personal and societal uncertainties participants grappled with. 3) “Exerting control” emphasized how participants tried to deal with pandemic related restrictions that affected their daily activities and health management. Conclusions As has been found in previous survey research, pandemic restrictions appear to have exacerbated previously existing inequities experienced by some older adults and people with disabilities, as those who were disadvantaged prior to the pandemic, bore the brunt of restrictions (Drum et al., 2020). Greater consultation is needed to reduce detrimental effects of pandemic restrictions on these populations and promote strengths-based approaches to deal with the current situation and potential future pandemics. Author(s) Disclosures The authors have no disclosures.

Although evidence-based practices for autism spectrum disorders exist, they are often not effectively incorporated into school-based programs, indicating a need for enhanced training strategies for educators. This study examined the effects of immediate video feedback during coaching for teachers and paraprofessionals learning Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching (CPRT). Special education teachers, along with their classroom paraprofessionals, were randomly assigned to a coaching as usual (CAU) or a coaching with video enhancement (VE) condition. Both groups received both verbal and written feedback regarding strengths and weaknesses of their CPRT implementation. Additionally, the VE condition received video feedback during their coaching sessions. Overall, teachers demonstrated higher fidelity of implementation than paraprofessionals, t(44) = −2.73, p < .01, but no significant group differences were identified between VE and CAU conditions. Univariate analysis of variance models were conducted to examine the relationship between participant satisfaction regarding overall quality of the training and highest percentage of CPRT components passed, F(2, 37) = 3.93, p = .03. Results indicate use of the iPad may impact training outcomes and participant satisfaction with training procedures and add to the very limited literature on how technology may be used to enhance in-service training for teachers.

Ligand-gated chloride channels have established roles in inhibitory neurotransmission in the nervous systems of vertebrates and invertebrates. Paradoxically, expression databases in Drosophila melanogaster have revealed that three uncharacterized ligand-gated chloride channel subunits, CG7589, CG6927, and CG11340, are highly expressed in nonneuronal tissues. Furthermore, subunit copy number varies between insects, with some orders containing one ortholog, whereas other lineages exhibit copy number increases. Here, we show that the Dipteran lineage has undergone two gene duplications followed by expression-based functional differentiation. We used promoter-GFP expression analysis, RNA-sequencing, and in situ hybridization to examine cell type and tissue-specific localization of the three D. melanogaster subunits. CG6927 is expressed in the nurse cells of the ovaries. CG7589 is expressed in multiple tissues including the salivary gland, ejaculatory duct, malpighian tubules, and early midgut. CG11340 is found in malpighian tubules and the copper cell region of the midgut. Overexpression of CG11340 increased sensitivity to dietary copper, and RNAi and ends-out knockout of CG11340 resulted in copper tolerance, providing evidence for a specific nonneuronal role for this subunit in D. melanogaster. Ligand-gated chloride channels are important insecticide targets and here we highlight copy number and functional divergence in insect lineages, raising the potential that order-specific receptors could be isolated within an effective class of insecticide targets.

Learning disabilities (LDs) describe a number of disorders that affect the way information is acquired, retained, organized, and understood. This article aims to address the critical issue of improving the career well-being of LD youth. It first examines several critical issues that affect LD high school students/youth in their career development. Then, some major career development and counselling theories are integrated into conceptualizing and analyzing the career issues and needs of this target group. Following these key theoretical insights, some career guidance and counselling intervention strategies are considered to help and enhance the vocational well-being of this target population.

Human-induced land use changes are causing extensive habitat fragmentation. As a result, many species are not able to shift their ranges in response to climate change and will likely need to adapt in situ to changing climate conditions. Consequently, a prudent strategy to maintain the ability of populations to adapt is to focus conservation efforts on areas where levels of intraspecific variation are high. By doing so, the potential for an evolutionary response to environmental change is maximized. Here, we use modeling approaches in conjunction with environmental variables to model species distributions and patterns of genetic and morphological variation in seven Ecuadorian amphibian, bird, and mammal species. We then used reserve selection software to prioritize areas for conservation based on intraspecific variation or species-level diversity. Reserves selected using species richness and complementarity showed little overlap with those based on genetic and morphological variation. Priority areas for intraspecific variation were mainly located along the slopes of the Andes and were largely concordant among species, but were not well represented in existing reserves. Our results imply that in order to maximize representation of intraspecific variation in reserves, genetic and morphological variation should be included in conservation prioritization.

Aedes aegypti, Aedes notoscriptus, and Aedes albopictus are important vectors of many arboviruses implicated in human disease such as dengue fever. Genetic markers applied across vector species can provide important information on population structure, gene flow, insecticide resistance, and taxonomy, however, robust microsatellite markers have proven difficult to develop in these species and mosquitoes generally. Here we consider the utility and transferability of 15 Ribosome protein (Rp) Exon-Primed Intron-Crossing (EPIC) markers for population genetic studies in these 3 Aedes species. Rp EPIC markers designed for Ae. aegypti also successfully amplified populations of the sister species, Ae. albopictus, as well as the distantly related species, Ae. notoscriptus. High SNP and good indel diversity in sequenced alleles plus support for amplification of the same regions across populations and species were additional benefits of these markers. These findings point to the general value of EPIC markers in mosquito population studies.

Many academic libraries are looking at new ways to add value when they deliver services to faculty, and one potential area where the library can provide new services is in partnering with academic staff to support the dissemination of faculty research. Librarians have traditionally helped faculty researchers at the beginning of the research cycle, with the discovery and delivery of information sources. However, they are now playing a role at the end of the research cycle, providing services that support scholarly publishing. This paper examines library participation in faculty-led publishing ventures. In particular, it explores the value that smaller research libraries can provide to faculty editors through journal hosting, which will be analysed through an examination of the successful migration of the Australian Journal of Teacher Education, a faculty-administered journal at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia, to the University’s institutional repository. This transition provided library staff members at Edith Cowan University opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills in journal publishing, while meeting the journal’s need for a better way to manage a growing influx of article submissions. The resultant faculty-library partnership enabled more effective management of the journal and has contributed to its growing success. The evaluative framework developed to enable assessment of the success of this journal’s transition can help other libraries demonstrate the success of their own journal hosting ventures.

PurposeMedication reconciliation is integral to every hospital. Approximately 60 percent of all hospital medication errors occur at admission, intra‐hospital transfer or discharge. Effectively and consistently performing medication reconciliation at care‐interfaces continues to be a challenge. Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) averages 4,700 admissions monthly. Many patients are elderly (>65 years old) at risk from poly‐pharmacy. As part of a medication safety initiative, pharmacy staff started a medication reconciliation service in 2007, which expanded to include all patients in October 2009. This article aims to describe the TTSH medication reconciliation system and to highlight common medication errors occurring following incomplete medication reconciliation.Design/methodology/approachWhere possible, patients admitted into TTSH are seen by pharmacy staff within 24 hours of admission. A form was created to document their medications, which is filed into the case sheets for referencing purposes. Any discrepancies in medicines are brought to doctors' attention. Patients are also counseled about changes to their medications. Errors picked up were captured in an Excel database.FindingsThe most common medication error was prescribers missing out medications. The second commonest was recording different doses and regimens. The reason was mainly due to doctors transcribing medications inaccurately.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a descriptive study and no statistical tests were carried out. Data entry was done by different pharmacy staff, and not a dedicated person; hence, data might be under‐reported.Practical implicationsThe findings demonstrate the importance of medication reconciliation on admission. Accurate medication reconciliation can help to reduce transcription errors and improve service quality.Originality/valueThe article highlights medication reconciliation's importance and has implications for healthcare professionals in all countries.

Aedes notoscriptus (Skuse), a mosquito from the southwest Pacific region including Australia, has been implicated as a vector of arboviruses, but its status as a species is unclear. To investigate the taxonomic situation, we assessed genetic variation and phylogenetic relationships among Ae. notoscriptus from the east coast of Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data from mitochondrial markers indicate that Ae. notoscriptus is a complex of divergent genetic lineages, some of which appear geographically restricted, while others are widespread in eastern Australia. Samples from New Zealand and Western Australia were related to populations from one southern Australian lineage. Nuclear markers show no evidence of genetic isolation by geographic distance in the overall sample of mosquitoes, but strong isolation by distance is obvious within two of the lineages, supporting their status as isolated gene pools. The morphological character of wing centroid size variation is also associated with genetic lineage. These findings point to the possibility that Ae. notoscriptus is a complex of species, highlighting the need to understand physiological and ecological differences that may influence future control strategies.

BCRP/ABCG2 mediates efflux of drugs and xenobiotics. BCRP was expressed in Pichia pastoris, purified to > 90% homogeneity, and subjected to two-dimensional (2D) crystallization. The 2D crystals showed a p12(1) symmetry and projection maps were determined at 5 A resolution by cryo-electron microscopy. Two crystal forms with and without mitoxantrone were observed with unit cell dimensions of a = 55.4 A, b = 81.4 A, gamma = 89.8 degrees , and a = 57.3 A, b = 88.0 A, gamma = 89.7 degrees , respectively. The projection map without mitoxantrone revealed an asymmetric structure with ring-shaped density features probably corresponding to a bundle of transmembrane alpha helices, and appeared more open and less symmetric than the map with mitroxantrone. The open and closed inward-facing forms of BCRP were generated by homology modeling, representing the substrate-free and substrate-bound conformations in the absence of nucleotide, respectively. These models are consistent with the experimentally observed conformational change upon substrate binding.

Ectopic expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in transgenic mice leads to site-specific sympathetic sprouting. Smooth muscle cells in the intestines, urinary bladder, and arteries have been shown to express NGF. To address whether enhanced NGF production among these different organ systems stimulates comparable patterns of sympathetic collateral growth, we generated transgenic mice that express NGF under the control of the smooth muscle alpha-actin promoter. In response to elevated levels of NGF protein in the colon, bladder, and arteries/arterioles, sympathetic axons displayed robust sprouting only in the colon and bladder. These data reveal that, unlike most other peripheral tissues, sympathetic efferents in adult mammalian arteries/arterioles do not undergo collateral growth in response to increased levels of smooth muscle-derived NGF.

Group B coxsackieviral (CVB) infection commonly causes viral myocarditis. Mice are protected from CVB3 myocarditis by gene-targeted knockout of p56(Lck)(Lck), the Src family kinase (Src) essential for T cell activation. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK-1/2) can influence cell function downstream of Lck. Using T cell lines and neonatal cardiac myocytes we investigated the role of ERK-1/2 in CVB3 infection. In Jurkat T cells ERK-1/2 is rapidly activated by CVB3; but, this response is absent in Lck-negative JCaM T cells. Inhibition of ERK-1/2 with UO126 reduced CVB3 titers in Jurkat cells, but not in JCaM cells. In cardiac myocytes CVB3 activation of ERK-1/2 is blocked by the Src inhibitor PP2. In addition, viral production in myocytes is decreased by Src or ERK-1/2 inhibition. In vitro, in both immune and myocardial cells, ERK-1/2 is activated by CVB3 downstream of Lck and other Src's and is necessary for efficient CVB3 replication. In vivo, following CVB3 infection, ERK-1/2 activation is evident in the myocardium. ERK-1/2 activation is intense in the hearts of myocarditis-susceptible A/J mice. In contrast, significantly less ERK-1/2 activation is found in the hearts of myocarditis-resistant C57BL/6 mice. Therefore, the ERK-1/2 response to CVB3 infection may contribute to differential host susceptibility to viral myocarditis.

Predicting where threatened species occur is useful for making informed conservation decisions. However, because they are usually rare, surveying threatened species is often expensive and time intensive. Here, we show how regions where common species exhibit high genetic and morphological divergence among populations can be used to predict the occurrence of species of conservation concern. Intraspecific variation of common species of birds, bats and frogs from Ecuador were found to be a significantly better predictor for the occurrence of threatened species than suites of environmental variables or the occurrence of amphibians and birds. Fully 93 per cent of the threatened species analysed had their range adequately represented by the geographical distribution of the morphological and genetic variation found in seven common species. Both higher numbers of threatened species and greater genetic and morphological variation of common species occurred along elevation gradients. Higher levels of intraspecific divergence may be the result of disruptive selection and/or introgression along gradients. We suggest that collecting data on genetic and morphological variation in common species can be a cost effective tool for conservation planning, and that future biodiversity inventories include surveying genetic and morphological data of common species whenever feasible.