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Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) is an established qualitative methodology widely adopted within health-based research. However, one gap in the literature is that little has been written about IPA's employability within educationally situated research. Our paper aims to demonstrate that IPA is a suitable methodology for education research. This paper has two parts. In the first part, the authors utilise the method of exegesis and theoretical analysis to explicate and provide clarity concerning the often-misunderstood philosophical and theoretical background of IPA. In the second part, we advocate for IPA as a suitable option for qualitative research in educational contexts. To execute this advocacy, the authors present a specific example of qualitative research that successfully employed IPA as its methodological approach and system for analysis. We present the details of a research project that utilised IPA to explore spirituality in early childhood education contexts, and in doing so the authors illustrate how the theories and methods of IPA can be actualised, thus introducing IPA into education contexts in a coherent fashion. The overall aim of the paper is to affirm IPA as a viable qualitative approach for education researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Western Australia (WA), Religious Education (RE) is a mandated learning area within the compulsory years of the Catholic school sector. RE is advocated as a curriculum subject, timetabled for and assessed alongside other subjects and focussed on developing religious knowledge and understanding. In addition to the RE lesson, faith development, or catechesis occurs through the intersection of RE and other faith-based activities in the Catholic school. In the early learning centre that caters for children prior to compulsory schooling, there is no formalised RE curriculum and educators are tasked with raising the religious awareness of children as opportunities arise. This paper presents findings from research that explored educators' understandings of, and practices in, promoting children's spirituality specifically in connection to RE. As a result, the paper advocates for spirituality as the starting point for developing young children's religious beliefs. In addition, it become evident through this investigation that understandings of spirituality, religiosity and RE continue to be complex and educators require assistance to disentangle these if they are to intentionally promote children's spirituality, and subsequently, their religious beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings emanating from a larger investigation. In essence, this qualitative project sought to uncover the ways in which early childhood Religious Education (RE) teachers' experience of a formation-based program, known as The T.I.T.U.S Project (Testament In Teachers Using Scripture), transformed their own religious literacy and subsequently, their teaching of RE; it is these findings that form the focus of this paper. Religious literacy is explained as consisting of more than content, to include the complex relationship of content with both context and learner. It is in this nexus between content, context and learner that The T.I.T.U.S Project resided. With existing literature clearly identifying teachers' lack of confidence in teaching scripture within RE, that is, in engaging with context and context as Cullen explains it, this research is significant. The findings from the qualitative survey, interview data and reflective journals suggest that teachers' own personal formational experiences and growth in religious literacy transformed their teaching of classroom Religious Education, including their confidence in teaching scripture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global Researchers Advancing Catholic Education (G.R.A.C.E) is a unique Community of Practice (CoP). The CoP methodology was applied within G.R.A.C.E for its capacity to connect multi-disciplinary and international academics and practitioners within Catholic Education. This paper presents key insights gathered from the G.R.A.C.E steering committee regarding their perspectives on the journey of initiating this unique CoP. A small qualitative research project framed within a phenomenological interpretivist theoretical perspective was employed to ascertain the participants' hopes, experiences, impact as well as challenges and opportunities. A Qualtrics questionnaire was the selected data collection method. Findings suggest that the experience of G.R.A.C.E has been a positive one, affirming the CoP methodology adopted was effective in ensuring the hopes that members held for the CoP were actualised. Challenges and opportunities identified in the findings provide insight into the future direction of this truly global initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty can rely on curriculum developers, instructional designers, and assessment professionals' expertise to incorporate program theory and implementation fidelity into the work of learning improvement. In the late 2010s, assessment professionals began to turn their attention to how assessment practices in higher education may unintentionally contribute to achievement gaps among groups - particularly, those among students with different racial identities and those between first-generation and non-first-generation students. It also requires that (a) faculty be integral to and collaborate on learning improvement efforts because they design curricula and assessment tasks and (b) students be included in assessment and change processes. [Extracted from the article]

This paper presents findings from a qualitative investigation that sought to ascertain educators' personal understanding of spirituality, their awareness of children's spirituality and the pedagogical practices they used to attend to children's spirituality. One of the key findings that emerged from this investigation was educators' acknowledgement of wonder as a component of spirituality. However, in practice, wonder was actualised as an opportunity for pondering – for considering alternatives and thinking deeply on curriculum. Wonder is recognised in the literature as a characteristic of spirituality; it draws a person into a sense of mystery and to imagine possibilities. To 'wonder' is so much more than the skill of 'pondering'. The potential of wonder in promoting young children's spirituality needs to be more fully realised if educators are to attend to children's needs holistically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singer-Freeman and Robinson (2020a; 2020b) conducted a national survey that identified four compelling challenges assessment professionals deem important, solvable, and impactful. Some assessment professionals are working with faculty and college administrators to use real-time assessment information to guide immediate interventions using adaptive learning, just-in-time material, and campus-wide crisis intervention teams. Singer-Freeman, Robinson, and Bastone (2021) discuss ways that assessment professionals can take a more active role in encouraging equity by supporting the development of a culture of inquiry among faculty. [Extracted from the article]

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) is a four-year public research-intensive institution. Academic planning, student learning outcomes assessment, and institutional accreditation efforts at the institution are led by a centralized five-person Office of Assessment and Accreditation (OAA), with additional assessment directors embedded within individual colleges. The first, "Achieving the Essentials for Assessing Student Learning" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAL9%5flG0sJs&feature=youtu.be), helped faculty determine which of their initial student learning outcomes were the most important for students' success in future courses and suggested a range of ways to assess learning outcomes remotely. [Extracted from the article]

This investigation focussed on educators' own personal understandings and experiences in spirituality as well as their understandings of, and practices in, promoting children's spirituality. The context was faith-based early learning centres in Western Australia (WA) that cater for 3 and 4 year old children. The educators in these faith-based centres were the focus of the research presented in this paper. Early learning centres require their educators to implement the mandated document Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework which outlines pedagogical principles, practices and learning outcomes to assist educators in attending to children's holistic development, including their spirituality. Interviews, observations and planning documents were analysed through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and Qualitative Content Analysis, respectively. Findings demonstrate a clear need for educators to experience personal spiritual formation as well as information on pedagogical practices to promote children's spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mandated early childhood framework in Australia requires educators working in early childhood services to attend to children's spirituality. Also, one of the five outcomes in this framework tasks educators with promoting children's connectedness with and contribution to the world, including natural environments. In this paper I present findings from a qualitative investigation to determine educators' understandings and practices around promoting young children's spirituality in the context of religious childcare centres in Western Australia aligned with a focus on nature engagement. A social constructivist theoretical perspective with a phenomenological and interpretivist paradigm framed the research. Interview and observational data were collected and analysed through interpretative phenomenological analysis revealing that educators were able to articulate the connection between spirituality and engagement with nature in childhood. However, in practice, educators rarely offered opportunities for children to experience nature. Recommendations include the provision of professional development in the area of children's spirituality and its connection with nature along with the creation of guidelines on pedagogical practices that afford children opportunities to engage with their spirituality through nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Pathogen detection in pediatric patients with musculoskeletal infections relies on conventional bacterial culture, which is slow and can delay antimicrobial optimization. The ability to rapidly identify causative agents and antimicrobial resistance genes in these infections may improve clinical care. Methods Convenience specimens from bone and joint samples submitted for culture to Children's Hospital Colorado (CHCO) from June 2012 to October 2016 were evaluated using a "Musculoskeletal Diagnostic Panel" (MDP) consisting of the Xpert MRSA/SA SSTI real-time PCR (qPCR, Cepheid) and laboratory-developed qPCRs for Kingella kingae detection and erm genes A, B, and C which confer clindamycin resistance. Results from the MDP were compared to culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) results. Results A total of 184 source specimens from 125 patients were tested. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the Xpert MRSA/SA SSTI compared to culture and AST results were 85%, 98%, 93%, and 95% respectively for MSSA and 82%, 100%, 100%, and 99% for MRSA. Compared to phenotypic clindamycin resistance in S. aureus isolates, the erm A, B, and C gene PCRs collectively demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 80%, 96%, 67%, and 98%. In comparison to clinical truth, Kingella PCR had a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 100%, 99.5%, 100%, and 100%. Conclusions This novel MDP offers a rapid, sensitive, and specific option for pathogen detection in pediatric patients with musculoskeletal infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This paper reviews all current literature for vulvar postoperative care, and forms a summary of evidence based practice. Data sources Scopus, Cochrane Library, CINHAL, Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, clinicaltrials.gov and Medline databases were searched. Methods of study selection Various combinations of key-terms were used to identify relevant articles. All identified primary research articles and review articles were then examined with their references in order to identify further relevant studies. The literature was examined within gynecology, gynecologic oncology, surgical oncology, urology, plastic surgery and dermatology. Tabulation, integration and results A total of 199 studies were reviewed and 80 were included in this paper. All relevant studies pertaining to the subject were included. Studies were excluded if there was no relevance to the review as deemed by both authors. Conclusion There remains much room for improvement to minimize postoperative stay, decrease the chances of morbidity and improve patient outcome and satisfaction, while establishing standardized care pathways. Further research and clinical trials are needed in this area to help us to provide evidence-based care to our postoperative vulvar patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This article describes the Hard-to-Reach (HtR) Project that was developed to capture health and lifestyle data from groups who are HtR by postal surveys within the larger EURO-URHIS 2 project. By collaborating with partner organizations, data were collected using standard survey tools, allowing for comparison with the wider population. Methods: Following a scoping exercise to determine which groups were HtR in Greater Manchester, black and minority ethnic (BME) groups and students were selected. BME groups were surveyed through partnership with Community and Voluntary Sector Organizations (CVSOs). Language barriers were addressed through the recruitment of volunteer interpreters. Students were surveyed by accessing university premises. Results: Fifteen survey visits took place at nine CVSOs and five visits to University facilities. In total, 144 eligible surveys were collected. There were significant differences for both HtR groups, compared with Greater Manchester and the EURO-URHIS 2 mean. Both HtR groups had worse outcomes than both Greater Manchester and EURO-URHIS 2 for psychological problems. In addition, students had worse outcomes for passive smoking, binge drinking, use of cannabis, lack of access to green spaces, less sense of belonging and social cohesion and damp or mildewed homes, and better outcomes for self-perceived health and overweight and obesity. BME had in addition worse outcomes than both Greater Manchester and EURO-URHIS 2 for long-standing restrictive illness. Conclusion: Despite the limitations of this study, the development of this methodology allowed for the collection of comparable data, showing up statistically significant differences between the HtR populations and the wider population which merits further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Decision-making processes used by experts when undertaking occupational exposure assessment are relatively unknown, but it is often assumed that there is a common underlying method that experts employ. However, differences in training and experience of assessors make it unlikely that one general method for expert assessment would exist. Therefore, there are concerns about formalizing, validating, and comparing expert estimates within and between studies that are difficult, if not impossible, to characterize. Heuristics on the other hand (the processes involved in decision making) have been extensively studied. Heuristics are deployed by everyone as short-cuts to make the often complex process of decision-making simpler, quicker, and less burdensome. Experts' assessments are often subject to various simplifying heuristics as a way to reach a decision in the absence of sufficient data. Therefore, investigating the underlying heuristics or decision-making processes involved may help to shed light on the 'black box' of exposure assessment. Methods: A mixed method study was conducted utilizing both a web-based exposure assessment exercise incorporating quantitative and semiqualitative elements of data collection, and qualitative semi-structured interviews with exposure assessors. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-five experts completed the web-based exposure assessment exercise and 8 of these 25 were randomly selected to participate in the follow-up interview. Familiar key themes relating to the exposure assessment exercise emerged; 'intensity'; 'probability'; 'agent'; 'process'; and 'duration' of exposure. However, an important aspect of the detailed follow-up interviews revealed a lack of structure and order with which participants described their decision making. Participants mostly described some form of an iterative process, heavily relying on the anchoring and adjustment heuristic, which differed between experts. Conclusion: In spite of having undertaken comparable training (in occupational hygiene or exposure assessment), experts use different methods to assess exposure. Decision making appears to be an iterative process with heavy reliance on the key heuristic of anchoring and adjustment. Using multiple experts to assess exposure while providing some form of anchoring scenario to build from, and additional training in understanding the impact of simple heuristics on the process of decision making, is likely to produce amore methodical approach to assessment; thereby improving consistency and transparency in expert exposure assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the absence of personal exposure measurements, expert assessment, generally on a case-by-case basis, is often used to estimate exposures. However, the decision processes of individual experts when making assessments are unknown, making it difficult to assess the quality of these assessments or to compare different assessments to each other. We conducted a study in primarily the textile and cotton industries, but also in baking, metal work, and agriculture industries in which we assessed agreement between experts assessing intensity and probability of exposure in the absence of exposure measurements to compare how well their performance compares to agreement of non-desktop-based exercises reported in literature. In addition, agreement was compared with that of non-experts undertaking the same exercise, and results were further stratified to assess the impact of factors expected of affected assessments. Intraclass correlation coefficients of absolute agreement (ICC1) and consistency (ICC3) between raters were calculated. Sensitivity and specificity were estimated using a probabilistic simulation methodology developed previously. Fourteen occupational hygienists and exposure assessors with complete data for all 48 job descriptions and 8 non-experts participated. Although confidence intervals about correlation-coefficient differences are not reported, the individual limits were found to be so broad as to suggest that no statistically significant comparisons can be made. Nevertheless, preliminary observations are presented here as suggested by the computed means. Absolute agreement between expert raters was fair-good, but was somewhat better for intensity (ICC1 = 0.61) than for probability (ICC1 = 0.44) of exposure and was better for experts than non-experts. Estimated sensitivity was 0.95 and specificity 0.82 for intensity, and 0.91 and 0.78 for probability of exposure, respectively. Stratification for factors hypothesized to affect agreement did not show statistically significant differences, but consistent patterns of point estimates indicated that agreement between raters (both expert on non-experts) dropped for medium levels of information compared with little or extensive information. Inclusion of a photo or video generally improved agreement between experts but not between non-experts, whereas the year of the job description had no influence on the assessments. These data indicate that the desktop exposure assessment exercise was of similar quality to previously reported levels of agreement. Agreements between experts’ assessments were independent of the time period of the job and can be improved by inclusion of visual material. Agreement between experts as well as the non-experts does not increase with the detail of provided job information. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background The largest, most widespread outbreak of enterovirus D68 respiratory disease occurred from August to December of 2014 in the United States with 1153 confirmed infections in 49 states. The epidemiology of enterovirus D68 following the 2014 outbreak is unknown. Objectives This study seeks to describe the epidemiology of enterovirus D68 circulation amongst Colorado children from 2014 to 2016. Study design This is a prospective observational surveillance study of enterovirus D68 infection amongst children tested for respiratory pathogens from July-October 2014–2016 at Children’s Hospital Colorado (CHCO), a quaternary care children’s hospital in Aurora, CO. Results Amongst rhinovirus/enterovirus positive respiratory specimens from intensive care unit patients, ninety-eight of 314 (31.2%) in 2014, none of 307 (0%) specimens in 2015, and 19 of 240 (7.9%) specimens in 2016 were identified as enterovirus D68. Amongst respiratory specimens from all patients during the prospective active surveillance period, none of 1469 (0%) in 2015 and 46 of 1403 (3.3%) were positive for enterovirus D68. Conclusions Surveillance for enterovirus D68 amongst respiratory specimens at a quaternary care children’s hospital revealed a seasonal pattern of circulation in the late summer to early fall of 2014 and 2016. Continued surveillance of respiratory specimens is necessary to define the circulation pattern and understand the epidemiology of this emerging pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) are among the most common causes of respiratory tract infections in children. Little is known about the epidemiology and clinical presentation of HPIV type 4.Methods: A retrospective chart review and comparison of patients positive for HPIV types 1-4 by multiplex polymerase chain reaction between 2009 and 2012 at Children's Hospital Colorado was performed. Patients who had only direct fluorescent antibody testing performed or concurrent viral infections were excluded.Results: Of 11,533 samples, 752 (6.5%) were positive for HPIV. After exclusion criteria, 316 samples were included in the study. HPIV-4 had year-round prevalence with biennial peaks in odd-numbered years. HPIV-4 and HPIV-3 had similar clinical presentations. 50.8% and 51.5% of patients with HPIV-3-4 had hypoxia compared to 20.3% and 33.3% of patients with HPIV-1-2 (P < .01). HPIV-1 (23.6%) and HPIV-2 (24.2%) were more associated with stridor than HPIV-3 (6.6%) and HPIV-4 (0%) (P < .01). No patients with HPIV-4 had croup. Patients with HPIV-4 had similar lengths of stay and mortality as those with HPIV-1-3.Conclusions: This is the first large-scale analysis of HPIV-4 clinical and epidemiologic features. HPIV-4 was most similar to HPIV-3 in clinical presentation. HPIV-4 had year-round prevalence with peaks in the autumn of odd-numbered years. HPIV-4 is a common respiratory pathogen capable of causing significant morbidity in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) are among the most common causes of respiratory tract infections in children. Little is known about the epidemiology and clinical presentation of HPIV type 4.Methods. A retrospective chart review and comparison of patients positive for HPIV types 1–4 by multiplex polymerase chain reaction between 2009 and 2012 at Children's Hospital Colorado was performed. Patients who had only direct fluorescent antibody testing performed or concurrent viral infections were excluded.Results. Of 11 533 samples, 752 (6.5%) were positive for HPIV. After exclusion criteria, 316 samples were included in the study. HPIV-4 had year-round prevalence with biennial peaks in odd-numbered years. HPIV-4 and HPIV-3 had similar clinical presentations. 50.8% and 51.5% of patients with HPIV-3–4 had hypoxia compared to 20.3% and 33.3% of patients with HPIV-1–2 (P < .01). HPIV-1 (23.6%) and HPIV-2 (24.2%) were more associated with stridor than HPIV-3 (6.6%) and HPIV-4 (0%) (P < .01). No patients with HPIV-4 had croup. Patients with HPIV-4 had similar lengths of stay and mortality as those with HPIV-1–3.Conclusions. This is the first large-scale analysis of HPIV-4 clinical and epidemiologic features. HPIV-4 was most similar to HPIV-3 in clinical presentation. HPIV-4 had year-round prevalence with peaks in the autumn of odd-numbered years. HPIV-4 is a common respiratory pathogen capable of causing significant morbidity in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A large body of evidence indicates that socioeconomic status (SES) is a strong predictor of school achievement, college graduation and child outcomes in general. Better developmental and health outcomes are strongly associated with family assets, income and education. We introduce a model incorporating a range of theoretical and empirical literature about the relationships between a household''s socio-economic position, household interactions, and child educational outcomes. The intention is to illustrate how these frequently cited factors are exacerbated and aligned by stress or difficult environments which cause long-term challenges for children in high-risk circumstances. Finally, we modify the model to illustrate the dynamic nature of these relationships, highlighting how the developmental trajectory of a child who lives with toxic stress might differ from a comparable child with social supports in a situation of low or tolerable stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: The relative impact of human rhino/enteroviruses (HRV/EV) compared to influenza viruses on hospitalized children is unknown. Objectives: This retrospective study compared the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with HRV/EV to patients hospitalized with influenza virus. Study design: Respiratory specimens from hospitalized children submitted between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009 to Children''s Hospital Colorado Virology Laboratory in Aurora, CO were tested by a commercial multiplex PCR for 16 respiratory viruses and subtypes. Patients with specimens positive for HRV/EV or influenza virus without bacterial or viral co-infection were selected for retrospective chart review. Results: Of the 2299 patients with specimens tested during the study period, 427 (18.6%) were singly positive for HRV/EV and 202 (8.8%) for influenza virus (p <0.01). Children with HRV/EV were more likely to present with increased work of breathing (67.9% vs. 52.5%, p <0.01) with crackles (36.3% vs. 23.3%, p <0.01) and wheezing (41.7% vs. 22.8%, p <0.01) noted on exam. Children hospitalized with HRV/EV had a shorter median length of stay (2 days vs. 3 days, p <0.01), duration of fever (1 days vs. 3 days, p <0.01), and duration of hypoxemia (2 days vs. 3 days, p <0.01) than children with influenza virus. Similar percentages of children with HRV/EV and influenza virus were admitted to the PICU and required positive pressure ventilation. There were no deaths in children hospitalized with HRV/EV, whereas 6 children with influenza virus expired. Conclusions: HRV/EVs are common pathogens in hospitalized children associated with serious lower respiratory tract disease and significant morbidity, similar to influenza viruses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cattle may act as hosts for the transmission of the cestode parasite Echinococcus granulosus and play a role in transmission of the parasite leading to human cystic echinococcosis (CE). The recombinant EG95 vaccine has been shown to be able to protect cattle and other intermediate host species against CE. Ideally the immunisation of bovines against E. granulosus, using EG95 vaccine, should occur early in life so as to provide maximum protection against the establishment of hydatid cysts. Maternally derived antibody from vaccinated cows may provide some protection for the neonate, but may also interfere with the active response to vaccination. Experiments were undertaken to determine the optimal regime for protection of young cattle against CE. One group of pregnant cattle received 2 vaccinations of EG95 antigen+Quil A adjuvant two months and one month prior to calving. The control group of pregnant cattle were not vaccinated. Calves were either challenged with E. granulosus eggs at 4, 9, 13 or 17 weeks post-birth or were given their first vaccination at 8, 12 or 16 weeks post-birth. Sera obtained at regular intervals were tested by ELISA to assess the immunological response. All calves were experimentally challenged with E. granulosus eggs and subsequent necropsy confirmed the levels of protection. Maternal antibody was shown to protect calves to some extent for at least 17 weeks. Calves from vaccinated cows responded well serologically if the first vaccination was given at 8 or 12 weeks, but full protection against a challenge infection was achieved only if the first vaccination was delayed until 16 weeks after birth. Calves from non-vaccinated cattle also were not fully protected if the first vaccination was at 8 or 12 weeks, but were fully protected if the first vaccination was given when they were 16 weeks old. This suggests that immunological maturity is not acquired in calves until 4 or 5 months of age. No safety problems were observed following two vaccinations of 40 pregnant cows or 30 suckling calves. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hydatid disease is an important human zoonosis. Humans become infected from carnivores that are infected with the Echinococcus granulosus tapeworm. Carnivores become infected after consuming hydatid cysts from grazing animals, which are generally sheep, goats and cattle. A vaccine, known as EG95, can protect sheep and goats against cystic echinococcosis. This paper describes the adaptation of the EG95 vaccine for use in cattle. The monitoring of results used serology and also infection with E. granulosus eggs, followed by necropsy. Immunisation with living E. granulosus oncospheres showed that cattle could be immunised against E. granulosus. Immunisation of cattle with EG95 plus QuilA was also successful. A dose–response and adjuvant trial showed best results were achieved with 250μg of antigen and 5mg of the adjuvant QuilA, which was 5 times the recommended sheep dose. After two vaccinations given one month apart, 90% protection was maintained for 12 months. At 12 months a third vaccination boosted protection to 99% which was maintained for a further 11 months. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study investigates language change in the New Town of Livingston in Scotland, comparing the speech of original inhabitants of one of the villages swallowed up by the New Town with that of children brought up in the modem conurbation. The study focuses on three variables, two consonants characteristic of Scottish speech, the voiceless velar fricative and the labiovelar voiceless fricative, plus the innovation of TH-fronting. The situation is shown to be one of rapid and ongoing change in which there is a progressive loss of the Scots and Standard Scottish English pronunciation, with intermediate stages being observed in many of the young speakers. In comparison with girls, boys appear to be both innovators of change and conservers of local informal variants at the expense of standard variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have shown an association between vaccination with the rotavirus vaccine and the development of intussusception. We evaluated the plausibility of a causal association between natural rotavirus infection and intussusception. Results. Thirteen pairs of patients with rotavirus infection and control subjects were enrolled. The mean distal ileum wall thickness at the first examination was 3.0 mm in patients with rotavirus infection and 2.0 mm in control subjects (P=.037). The maximum lymph node size in patients with rotavirus infection was 11.6 mm at the first examination and 7.4 mm at the second examination (P=.017). Nodal aggregates and free fluid were also observed more commonly among patients with rotavirus infection (54% vs. 9%; P = .033 for both). Conclusion. Rotavirus infection was associated with increased distal ileum wall thickness and lymphadenopathy during the illness period. These changes suggest a plausible mechanism by which rotavirus infection could cause intussusception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recounts the author's experiences as a minority graduate student at the Peabody College of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Discussion on the benefits of mentoring to minority students; Evolution of changes in the graduate program of the college; Need to confront major issues to develop support structures for minority students in higher education.

This paper reflects on the relationship between musicians and their instruments. It suggests that the early mother/infant relationship influences the relational dynamics between musician and instrument. In particular, early separation difficulties may contribute to difficulties in making the transition from playing for oneself to playing for others as a professional musician. The nature of different orchestral instruments and their relationship to each other is considered in terms of how they can express aspects of the internal world of the player. Brief mention is made of somatization of anxiety in the form of performance injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifies environmental characteristics associated with residential burglaries of apartment complexes predominantly occupied by university students in Tallahassee, Florida. Location of apartment units with most frequent burglaries; Presence of foliage or structure around the apartment units.

Examines the teaching of writing skills to first year engineering students at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Difficulties presented by large class sizes and the low standard of writing skills at entry to the course; Writer-centered, gender-centered and reader-centered approaches to teaching of composition skills; Merits of lectures, handouts, surgery hours and feedback.

This research investigates a neglected topic within both transgender studies and religious studies by analyzing ex-gay movement discourses of "transgenderism" from the 1970s to the present, focusing primarily on the US-American context. The oppression of transgender people in the US and globally is fed and fueled by the religious, scientific, and political discourses of the transnational "ex-gay" movement, which provides the ideological and material foundation of Christian Right politics. Using critical discourse analysis of ex-gay texts, we analyze the implications of these discourses in the individual, interactional, and institutional dimensions of society's gender structure. This movement is one of the most insidious—and overlooked—sources of cisgenderism and transmisogyny today, constructing gender variance as sin, mental illness, and danger—with catastrophic consequences for transgender people, and those along the transfemale/feminine spectrum in particular. Finally, we discuss the public policy implications of these discourses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimation of epidemic onset timing is an important component of controlling the spread of seasonal infectious diseases within community healthcare sites. The Above Local Elevated Respiratory Illness Threshold (ALERT) algorithm uses a threshold-based approach to suggest incidence levels that historically have indicated the transition from endemic to epidemic activity. In this paper, we present the first detailed overview of the computational approach underlying the algorithm. In the motivating example section, we evaluate the performance of ALERT in determining the onset of increased respiratory virus incidence using laboratory testing data from the Children's Hospital of Colorado. At a threshold of 10 cases per week, ALERT-selected intervention periods performed better than the observed hospital site periods (2004/2005-2012/2013) and a CUSUM method. Additional simulation studies show how data properties may effect ALERT performance on novel data. We found that the conditions under which ALERT showed ideal performance generally included high seasonality and low off-season incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online distance-learning (ODL) programmes in higher education enable students to remain in their domicile country to study with institutions based in other countries. ODL students can find themselves studying with others from many different countries, adding greater heterogeneity of personal, environmental and cultural perspectives compared with on-campus education. This is likely to impact the learners' experience in different ways. The current research examined the experience of students living outside of the European Union, who were registered with an ODL programme with a higher education institution based in the European Union. The research identified a number of important factors that influenced the students' experience in different ways. The results emphasise the need for ODL programmes to fully consider individual students' contexts, regardless of where they are in the world, and for these needing to be embedded in a pedagogical framework that gives due consideration to globally diverse cohorts of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The FilmArray Meningitis Encephalitis Panel, a multiplex PCR for testing of cerebrospinal fluid, was compared to conventional diagnostic methods in children with suspected central nervous system infections. The panel had comparable diagnostic yield (96% agreement) and improved time-to-diagnosis by 10.3 hours with potential for more judicious antimicrobial use, particularly acyclovir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought increased attention to the critical mathematical literacy of citizens in the United States and around the world. A statistically and mathematically literate society is crucial for ensuring that citizens are able to sift through political rhetoric to maintain life-saving procedures such as social distancing and other infection dampening efforts. Additionally, recent civil unrest due to the disproportionate killings of Black men by police provokes investigation into the public's mathematical literacy. In this paper, we investigate adolescent students' critical mathematics consciousness and mathematics literacy as they reason through two interview tasks on the coronavirus and police shooting data. Drawing on Frankenstein's program of Critical Mathematics Education, we introduce an analytic framework for documenting the critical mathematics consciousness of adolescent students. We interviewed fifteen 14- to 16-year-old students as they solved five tasks designed to elicit their critical and ethical mathematical awareness. Our findings indicate that students exhibit very little critical mathematics consciousness in the context of the police problem but show awareness that data can be presented in ways that manipulate the public's emotions in the coronavirus problem. We conclude the paper with a discussion of implications for designing future instruction to support students' growth in critical mathematics consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: WU and KI polyomaviruses (PyV) were discovered in 2007 in respiratory tract samples in adults and children. Other polyomaviruses (BKPyV and JCPyV) have been associated with illness in immunocompromised patients, and some studies suggest a higher prevalence of WUPyV and KIPyV in this population. Objective: To determine whether a higher prevalence or viral load for WUPyV and KIPyV exists in immunocompromised children compared with immunocompetent children. Study design: We measured the prevalence and viral load of WU and KI PyV by quantitative real-time PCR of viral DNA in respiratory tract specimens from pediatric hematology/oncology patients and immunocompetent controls with acute respiratory illnesses. Results: The prevalence of WUPyV in the immunocompromised population was 5/161 (3%) versus 14/295 (5%) in the control population (P =0.5), and 9/161 (5.6%) versus 7/295 (2.3%) respectively for KIPyV (P =0.13). The mean viral load (in copies per cell or mL of sample) for KIPyV, was higher in the immunocompromised group compared to the control group (P =0.019), but was not statistically different for WUPyV. A higher prevalence was seen in the hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients compared with other immunocompromised patients (6/26 versus 3/43, P =0.054). Viral persistence was demonstrated only in 1/25 (4%) of sequential samples for KIPyV, and no persistence was seen for WUPyV. Conclusions: A higher prevalence of WUPyV or KIPyV in the immunocompromised population compared with the immunocompetent group was not demonstrated. Higher viral loads for KIPyV in the immunocompromised group may suggest an increased pathogenic potential in this population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background. Similar to poliovirus, enterovirus type 71 (EV71) causes severe disease, including aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, acute flaccid paralysis, and acute cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Large epidemics of EV71 infection have been reported worldwide. Methods. After recognition of a cluster of cases of EV71 disease, we reviewed records of patients with EV71 disease who required hospitalization at The Children's Hospital in Denver, Colorado, from 2003 through 2005. The presence of enterovirus was detected by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or viral culture of specimens from multiple sources, and the virus was typed as EV71 using genetic sequencing. Results. Eight cases of EV71 disease were identified in both 2003 and 2005. Fifty-six percent of patients with EV71 disease were ⩽6 months of age (range, 4 weeks to 9 years). All 16 patients had EV71 central nervous system infection. Enterovirus PCR (EV-PCR) of cerebrospinal fluid specimens yielded positive results for only 5 (31.2%) of the 16 patients; all of these patients were !4 months of age and had less severe disease. However, EV-PCR of upper respiratory tract specimens yielded positive results for 8 (100%) of 8 patients, and EV-PCR of lower gastrointestinal tract specimens yielded positive results for 7 (87.5%) of 8 patients. Conclusions. An outbreak of neurologic EV71 disease occurred in Denver, Colorado, during 2003 and 2005. Likely, EV71 disease remains unrecognized in other parts of the United States, because EV-PCR of cerebrospinal fluid frequently yields negative results. EV-PCR of specimens from the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts had higher diagnostic yields than did EV-PCR of cerebrospinal fluid. EV71 infection should be considered in young children presenting with aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, acute flaccid paralysis, or acute cardiopulmonary collapse. EV71 infection may be an underrecognized emerging disease in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem cells isolated from various sources have been shown to vary in their differentiation capacity or pluripotentiality. Two groups of stem cells, embryonic and adult stem cells, may be capable of differentiating into any desired tissue or cell type, which offers hope for the development of therapeutic applications for a large number of disorders. However, major limitations with the use of embryonic stem cells for human disease have led researchers to focus on adult stem cells as therapeutic agents. Investigators have begun to examine postnatal sources of pluripotent stem cells, such as bone marrow stroma or adipose tissue, as sources of mesenchymal stem cells. The following review focuses on recent research on the use of stem cells for the treatment of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases and the future application of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of a variety of cardiovascular disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of assessment in higher education is to improve student learning. " Implementing a student assessment scholars program: Students engaging in continuous improvement." Although students are not present in large enough numbers to control committee decisions, including students as committee members can influence institutional culture by providing a formal role for the student voice in the assessment process. [Extracted from the article]

R3584 --> In the United States, the majority of drug fatal overdoses are attributed to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and its analogs. The opioid receptor antagonist naloxone is the leading treatment for opioid overdose, but it is limited in its ability to reverse overdoses of long‐acting, highly potent opioids, and can only be administered post‐exposure. Vaccines consisting of fentanyl‐based haptens conjugated to immunogenic carrier proteins offer a novel strategy to combat fentanyl use disorder and overdose as they can be administered both prophylactically and therapeutically, and have the potential to offer long‐lasting protection against fentanyl's pharmacological effects and overdose in pre‐clinical models. Anti‐fentanyl vaccines stimulate the immune system to produce fentanyl‐specific antibodies which sequester the drug in serum and prevent fentanyl distribution to the brain. Vaccination selectively reduces fentanyl‐induced bradycardia, respiratory depression, antinociception, and fentanyl self‐administration. To improve the clinical potential of anti‐drug vaccines, adjuvants can be added to stimulate the immune system to increase the quality and quantity of the antibody response against the target drug. In this study, mice (n=6/group) and rats (n=6/group) were vaccinated with a lead anti‐fentanyl vaccine (F‐CRM) formulated in a series of Toll‐like receptor (TLR) agonists. After immunization, mice and rats were challenged with fentanyl (0.05‐0.45 mg/kg). Antinociception, bradycardia, respiratory depression, and distribution of fentanyl in the blood and brain were measured post‐challenge. Selected TLR agonists increased the vaccine's ability to induce fentanyl‐specific antibodies in both mice and rats, and increased its efficacy in reducing fentanyl‐induced effects. Co‐administration of F‐CRM formulated in selected TLR adjuvants also offered greater protection against fentanyl‐induced respiratory arrest induced by overdose. These data support further development of anti‐fentanyl vaccines formulated in novel TLR adjuvants and warrant future studies exploring their applicability to other vaccine formulations against substance use disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neuroimaging markers provide quantitative insight into brain structure and function in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, where we lack mechanistic insights to explain pathophysiology. These mechanisms are often mediated by genes and genetic variations and are often studied through the lens of genome-wide association studies. Linking these two disparate layers (i.e., imaging and genetic variation) through causal relationships between biological entities involved in the disease's etiology would pave the way to large-scale mechanistic reasoning and interpretation.Objective: We explore how genetic variants may lead to functional alterations of intermediate molecular traits, which can further impact neuroimaging hallmarks over a series of biological processes across multiple scales.Methods: We present an approach in which knowledge pertaining to single nucleotide polymorphisms and imaging readouts is extracted from the literature, encoded in Biological Expression Language, and used in a novel workflow to assist in the functional interpretation of SNPs in a clinical context.Results: We demonstrate our approach in a case scenario which proposes KANSL1 as a candidate gene that accounts for the clinically reported correlation between the incidence of the genetic variants and hippocampal atrophy. We find that the workflow prioritizes multiple mechanisms reported in the literature through which KANSL1 may have an impact on hippocampal atrophy such as through the dysregulation of cell proliferation, synaptic plasticity, and metabolic processes.Conclusion: We have presented an approach that enables pinpointing relevant genetic variants as well as investigating their functional role in biological processes spanning across several, diverse biological scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE The administration of hyperosmolar oral products in neonates has been associated with gastrointestinal complications. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a maximum osmolality of 450 mOsm/kg for formulas and enteral nutrition for term infants, and recent studies reported intolerance to enteral nutrition with osmolality above 500 mOsm/kg in low birthweight infants. The osmolality of medications administered to neonates is often not available in the literature or from manufacturers. The purpose of this study was to determine the osmolality of oral medications commonly administered to neonates in the NICU. METHODS Fifty-two oral medications were chosen for this study, including solutions, suspensions, syrups, elixirs, and intravenous solutions administered orally. The osmolality of each medication was measured in triplicate by using freezing point depression. RESULTS Thirty-seven of the 43 medications with measurable values (86.1%) had an osmolality greater than 500 mOsm/kg, and 6 medications (14%) had an osmolality less than 500 mOsm/kg. Nine medications did not result in a value. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides osmolality data on oral medications commonly used in neonates with most oral medications having an osmolality greater than 500 mOsm/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]