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Elementary music specialists teach all students in all grades at their schools, which requires the preparation of a variety of lessons simultaneously. As a result of seeing 100% of the student population, elementary music teachers host more students with disabilities than a general classroom teacher would in their class. Depending on the severity of students' disabilities, some students require alterations to general music lessons. In this study, we surveyed regional elementary music teachers (N = 15) to discover what disabilities were prevalent in their classes and if activities were adjusted. By examining the characteristics of the disabilities listed in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, we split disabilities into three groups: physical, cognitive, and emotional and behavioral disabilities. We surveyed elementary music educators on the prevalence of disabilities in their classrooms, to what degree educators adjusted their instruction for those students, and whether growth was seen in those students through musical instruction. Results revealed that all educators tailored their instruction in some way to serve students with disabilities. Educators mostly adjusted in the planning beforehand and while teaching their students. The most overall growth (musical, academic, and social) was seen in students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. Further research is needed in elementary music curriculum adaptation and modification, including pre-service and in-service music teacher training in working with students with disabilities.

High temperature (200-260°C) military composite engine components made of carbon fiber thermoset materials are susceptible to erosion damage. Evidenced by wear seen during operation, erosion protection remains a challenge for composites in the engine air flow path. In this paper, we investigate polyetheretherketone (PEEK), thermoplastic polyimide (TPI), and ceramic fabric (Nextel™) as potential high temperature erosion coatings for thermoset polyimide composite engine components. We evaluate the erosion protection materials for two qualities: (1) co-moldability with thermoset polyimide composite panels, and (2) erosion resistance to a sandblasting test. Autoclave and compression molding were used to test co-moldability with different manufacturing methods. The compression molding process was optimized to reduce surface defects using a pre-imidization step before the erosion protection layer was applied and final cure was completed. Comolded test panels were cut into small coupons for sandblasting. After 60 s of alumina sandblasting PEEK had negligible mass loss, whereas the TPI and ceramic fabric had roughly the same erosion rate as the uncoated polyimide laminate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness for individuals age 50 and above in the developed world. Abnormal growth of choroidal blood vessels, or choroidal neovascularization (CNV), is a hallmark of the neovascular (wet) form of advanced AMD and leads to significant vision loss. A growing body of evidence supports a strong link between neovascular disease and inflammation. Metabolites of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from the cytochrome P450 (CYP) monooxygenase pathway serve as vital second messengers that regulate a number of hormones and growth factors involved in inflammation and vascular function. Using transgenic mice with altered CYP lipid biosynthetic pathways in a mouse model of laser-induced CNV, we characterized the role of these lipid metabolites in regulating neovascular disease. We discovered that the CYP-derived lipid metabolites epoxydocosapentaenoic acids (EDPs) and epoxyeicosatetraenoic acids (EEQs) are vital in dampening CNV severity. Specifically, overexpression of the monooxygenase CYP2C8 or genetic ablation or inhibition of the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) enzyme led to increased levels of EDP and EEQ with attenuated CNV development. In contrast, when we promoted the degradation of these CYP-derived metabolites by transgenic overexpression of sEH, the protective effect against CNV was lost. We found that these molecules work in part through their ability to regulate the expression of key leukocyte adhesion molecules, on both leukocytes and endothelial cells, thereby mediating leukocyte recruitment. These results suggest that CYP lipid signaling molecules and their regulators are potential therapeutic targets in neovascular diseases.

Many engineering courses rely on in-person lectures and textbooks for content delivery, with homework sets and exams for evaluating and reinforcing student progress. Yet some research studies have shown that exams--high-pressure, time-limited assessments--are detrimental to the learning process and unnecessarily increase students' stress. We describe a new student-centered teaching approach based on four pedagogical domains: scaffolded, universally-designed, mastery-based, and gameful learning. The approach was implemented in an engineering course by first chunking the content into small, easily digestible topics. Next, multiple modalities were used to deliver this content, including textbook references, virtual lectures, condensed presentation slides, summary sheets, and two-minute videos. Finally, the typical grading system was replaced by a point system using multiple 10- and 20-point quizzes, all of which could be attempted multiple times through unique versions for each student. Several findings emerged from our examination of this overall instructional strategy. The flexibility in learning and assessment enhanced students' mastery of content and maximized their sense of ownership in the learning process. The multiple attempts on quizzes provided the students with more freedom to fail and resulted in a more supportive learning environment. Last, the multimodal delivery and self-controlled assessment process promoted inclusive and equitable learning. This course structure can be translated to many other engineering courses, with spreadsheets and a web-based quiz making program developed to assist in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness for individuals age 50 and above in the developed world. Abnormal growth of choroidal blood vessels, or choroidal neovascularization (CNV), is a hallmark of the neovascular (wet) form of advanced AMD and leads to significant vision loss. A growing body of evidence supports a strong link between neovascular disease and inflammation. Metabolites of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from the cytochrome P450 (CYP) monooxygenase pathway serve as vital second messengers that regulate a number of hormones and growth factors involved in inflammation and vascular function. Using transgenic mice with altered CYP lipid biosynthetic pathways in a mouse model of laser-induced CNV, we characterized the role of these lipid metabolites in regulating neovascular disease. We discovered that the CYP-derived lipid metabolites epoxydocosapentaenoic acids (EDPs) and epoxyeicosatetraenoic acids (EEQs) are vital in dampening CNV severity. Specifically, overexpression of the monooxygenase CYP2C8 or genetic ablation or inhibition of the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) enzyme led to increased levels of EDP and EEQ with attenuated CNV development. In contrast, when we promoted the degradation of these CYP-derived metabolites by transgenic overexpression of sEH, the protective effect against CNV was lost. We found that these molecules work in part through their ability to regulate the expression of key leukocyte adhesion molecules, on both leukocytes and endothelial cells, thereby mediating leukocyte recruitment. These results suggest that CYP lipid signaling molecules and their regulators are potential therapeutic targets in neovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proliferative retinopathic diseases often progress in 2 phases: initial regression of retinal vasculature (phase 1) followed by subsequent neovascularization (NV) (phase 2). The immune system has been shown to aid in vascular pruning in such retinopathies; however, little is known about the role of the alternative complement pathway in the initial vascular regression phase. Using a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), we observed that alternative complement pathway-deficient mice (Fb-/-) exhibited a mild decrease in vascular loss at postnatal day (P)8 compared with age- and strain-matched controls (P = 0.035). Laser capture microdissection was used to isolate the retinal blood vessels. Expression of the complement inhibitors Cd55 and Cd59 was significantly decreased in blood vessels isolated from hyperoxic retinas compared with those from normoxic control mice. Vegf expression was measured at P8 and found to be significantly lower in OIR mice than in normoxic control mice (P = 0.0048). Further examination of specific Vegf isoform expression revealed a significant decrease in Vegf120 (P = 0.00032) and Vegf188 (P = 0.0092). In conjunction with the major modulating effects of Vegf during early retinal vascular development, our data suggest a modest involvement of the alternative complement pathway in targeting vessels for regression in the initial vaso-obliteration stage of OIR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]