Purpose:
The purpose of this article was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on teaching or increasing the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) by students with ...significant intellectual disabilities and complex communication needs (CCNs) within inclusive school settings.
Method:
A systematic review of research literature from 1998 to 2022 was completed using multiple electronic databases, as well as citation chaining and cited author reference searches. Three hundred two articles were located with 17 meeting criteria for inclusion in this systematic review. Articles were initially screened by one author for potential inclusion; the remaining 83 were coded by one author and reviewed for consensus by three authors for inclusion in this review. Articles were analyzed and rated regarding both level of research design and quality of methodology.
Results:
All studies reported positive outcomes, with students with significant intellectual disabilities and CCN, of AAC intervention implemented in an inclusive setting. Fourteen over 17 studies were single-case designs with an average rating of 76% on the Single-Case Experimental Design measure of methodological quality. Less than half of the studies assessed generalization of subject learning. Review of interventions used in the studies, however, revealed the majority of studies utilized packages of interventions, making it difficult to determine the effectiveness of individual approaches.
Conclusions:
This systematic review indicates there are promising interventions within inclusive settings for improved use of AAC by students with significant intellectual disabilities and CCN. Further research is needed, however, to obtain more data on generalization of student gains as well as to determine which specific interventions might be the most successful for this population of students in inclusive settings.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) offer significant potential as a cell source in tissue-engineering applications because of their multipotent ability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ...behaviour of MSCs during the seeding phase, using four different seeding techniques (spinner flask, custom vacuum system combined with a perfused bioreactor or with an orbital shaker, and orbital shaker) with four different scaffold materials polyglycolic acid, poly(lactic acid), calcium phosphate and chitosan-hyaluronic acid. Scaffolds were selected for their structural and/or chemical similarity with bone or cartilage, and characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and measurement of fluid retention. Cell attachment was compared between seeding techniques and scaffolds via cell-binding kinetics, cell viability and DNA quantification. SEM was used to evaluate cell distribution throughout the constructs. We discovered from cell suspension kinetics and DNA data that the type of loading (i.e. direct or indirect) mainly influences the delivery of cells to their respective scaffolds, and that dynamic seeding in a spinner flask tended to improve the cellularity of polymer constructs, especially mesh. Regardless of the seeding method, bone marrow-derived MSCs displayed a superior affinity for calcium phosphate scaffolds, which may be related to their hydrophobicity. MSCs tended to aggregate into flat sheets, occluding the external pores of matrices and affecting cell distribution, regardless of seeding technique or scaffold. Taken together, these results provide insight into the design of future experiments using MSCs to engineer functional tissue.
Aims
Cardiovascular (CV) hospitalization is a predictor of CV mortality and has a negative impact on patients' quality of life. The primary endpoint of A placebo-controlled, double-blind, ...parallel-arm Trial to assess the efficacy of dronedarone 400 mg bid for the prevention of cardiovascular Hospitalization or death from any cause in patiENTs with Atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (ATHENA), a composite of first CV hospitalization or death from any cause, was significantly reduced by dronedarone. This post hoc analysis evaluated the secondary endpoint of CV hospitalization and the clinical benefit of dronedarone on the number and duration of CV hospitalizations in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).
Methods and results
ATHENA was a double-blind, parallel group study in 4628 patients with a history of paroxysmal/persistent AF and additional risk factors, treated with placebo or dronedarone. Dronedarone treatment significantly reduced the risk of first CV hospitalization (P < 0.0001 vs. placebo), while the risk of first non-CV hospitalization was similar in both groups (P = 0.77). About half of the CV hospitalizations were AF-related, with a median duration of hospital stay of four nights. The risk of any hospitalization for AF hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) 0.626 (0.546−0.719) and duration of hospital stay were significantly reduced by dronedarone (P < 0.0001 vs. placebo). Dronedarone treatment reduced total hospitalizations for acute coronary syndrome (P = 0.0105) and the time between the first AF/atrial flutter recurrence and CV hospitalization/death (P = 0.0048). Hospitalization burden was significantly reduced across all levels of care (P < 0.05). Cumulative incidence data indicated that the effects of dronedarone persisted for at least 24 months.
Conclusion
Dronedarone reduced the risk for CV hospitalization and the total hospitalization burden in this patient group.
The trial is registered under ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT 00174785.
The phase of supersoft source (SSS) emission of the sixth recorded outburst of the recurrent nova RS Oph was observed on days 39.7 and 66.9 after outburst with Chandra and on day 54.0 with ...XMM-Newton. A similar to 35 s period on day 54.0 originates from the SSS emission and not from the shock. We discuss the bound-free absorption by neutral elements in the line of sight, resonance absorption lines plus self-absorbed emission-line components, collisionally excited emission lines from the shock, He-like intersystem lines, and spectral changes during an episode of high-amplitude variability. We find a decrease of the oxygen K-shell absorption edge that can be explained by photoionization of oxygen. The absorption component has average velocities of -1286 plus or minus 267 km s super(-1) on day 39.7 and of -771 plus or minus 65 km s super(-1) on day 66.9. The wavelengths of the emission-line components are at rest wavelengths, as confirmed by measurements of non-self-absorbed He-like intersystem lines. We found collisionally excited emission lines from the radiatively cooling shock at wavelengths shorter than 15 AA that are systematically blueshifted by -526 plus or minus 114 km s super(-1) on day 39.7 and are fading. We found anomalous He-like unk ratios, which indicates either high densities or significant UV radiation near the plasma where the emission lines are formed. During the phase of strong variability the spectral hardness light curve overlies the total light curve when shifted by 1000 s. This can be explained by photoionization of neutral oxygen in the line of sight if the densities are of order 10 super(10)-10 super(11) cm super(-3).
Although insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGFBP)-3 and IGFBP-5 are known to modulate cell growth by reversibly sequestering extracellular insulin-like growth factors, several reports have ...suggested that IGFBP-3, and possibly also IGFBP-5, have important insulin-like growth factor-independent effects on cell growth. These effects may be related to the putative nuclear actions of IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5, which we have recently shown are transported to the nuclei of T47D breast cancer cells. We now describe the mechanism for nuclear import of IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5. In digitonin-permeabilized cells, where the nuclear envelope remained intact, nuclear translocation of wild-type IGFBP-3 appears to occur by a nuclear localization sequence (NLS)-dependent pathway mediated principally by the importin β nuclear transport factor and requiring both ATP and GTP hydrolysis. Under identical conditions, an NLS mutant form of IGFBP-3, IGFBP-3228KGRKR → MDGEA, was unable to translocate to the nucleus. In cells where both the plasma membrane and nuclear envelope were permeabilized, wild-type IGFBP-3, but not the mutant form, accumulated in the nucleus, implying that the NLS was also involved in mediating binding to nuclear components. By fusing wild-type and mutant forms of NLS sequences (IGFBP-3 215–232 and IGFBP-5 201–218) to the green fluorescent protein, we identified the critical residues of the NLS necessary and sufficient for nuclear accumulation. Using a Western ligand binding assay, wild-type IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5, but not an NLS mutant form of IGFBP-3, were shown to be recognized by importin β and the α/β heterodimer but only poorly by importin α. Together these results suggest that the NLSs within the C-terminal domain of IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 are required for importin-β-dependent nuclear uptake and probably also accumulation through mediating binding to nuclear components.
Broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds have recently been identified in the epidermal mucus of fishes and probably serve as a first line of defence against microbial pathogens. Because of the ...ubiquitous nature of fungi and bacteria in aquatic systems, defence against these pathogens should be required throughout the lifespan of fishes, including the egg stage. We conducted experiments on Etheostoma crossopterum (Percidae: Catonotus), the fringed darter, to determine if the presence of a guarding male inhibits microbial colonization of eggs. Based on results from a combination of in-stream experiments, in vitro microbial assays, and morphological characteristics and behaviour of breeding males, we propose that antimicrobial egg cleaning by the guarding male is an effective component of parental care in these fish. Although innate antimicrobial compounds have been identified in a variety of organisms ranging from insects to vertebrates, integration of these compounds into a species's reproductive life history has been identified only in a small number of insect species. The results from this study not only indicate that E. crossopterum males provide a novel form of vertebrate parental care, but also have implications regarding the evolution of parental care in fishes and transitional evolutionary stages from no parental care to male parental care.
To provide an integrated review of the literature of potential explanations for better than expected pregnancy outcomes in Mexican immigrants, focusing on socioeconomics, social support, desirability ...of pregnancy, nutrition, substance use, religion, acculturation, and prenatal care.
Computerized searches of MEDLINE and CINAHL databases, as well as reference lists from published articles on low birth weight and prematurity in immigrants and acculturation in immigrants from January 1989 to December 2002. Search terms were Mexican immigrant women, childbearing, and pregnancy outcome, and only English‐language articles were reviewed.
Literature was selected from refereed publications in the areas of nursing, medicine, public health, family, and sociology.
Data were extracted using keywords pertinent to pregnancy outcome in Mexican immigrants.
Despite having many of the risk factors for poor pregnancy outcomes, Mexican immigrants have superior birth outcomes when compared to U.S.‐born women. Social support, familism, healthy diet, limited use of cigarettes and alcohol, and religion may play a role in improved outcomes. The superior outcomes diminish with the process of acculturation as the individual adapts to her new culture.
Low birth weight and prematurity are public health concerns in the United States. Through further study of the factors that lead to superior birth outcomes among Mexican immigrant women, rates of low birth weight and prematurity in the United States may be reduced.
The study aimed to determine the relative contributions of bitewing radiography and clinical examination to caries estimates for a New Zealand child population with high caries experience. An ...epidemiological survey was conducted of 171 12- and 13-year-old children attending schools in five communities. Examinations were conducted in dental clinics. Bitewing radiographs were taken at the time of the clinical examination. These were developed and read later, and the data from those were used at the analysis stage to adjust the caries diagnosis for the mesial, occlusal and distal surfaces of the posterior teeth. For almost all parameters, the use of radiographs resulted in higher estimates, although at the whole-mouth prevalence level the difference was not great. The percent difference between the estimates ranged from –0.1 to 166.7%. There were moderate differences between the clinical-only and radiographically adjusted whole-mouth estimates for mean DMFT, DT, DMFS and DS, but only a minor difference in caries prevalence. With the mesial and distal surfaces only, the prevalence and severity estimates were significantly greater, with a one-surface difference (on average) in mean DS being the largest difference observed, at 166.7%. The diagnostic discrepancy was much greater for approximal than occlusal surfaces. These findings support but also build upon earlier findings and again underline the need for bitewing radiographs to be a routine part of oral epidemiological surveys wherever logistics and funding permit.
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