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The Advanced Placement Teacher Investment Program in Indiana (AP-TIP IN) program trains teachers to prepare students for college with rigorous math, science, and English coursework using the College Board Advanced Placement Program®. The program's goals are to increase enrollment in math, science, and English Advanced Placement® courses, and increase the number of qualifying scores on AP® exams; subsequently, improved performance in these exams should lead to better postsecondary outcomes. We use comparative interrupted time series models to compare program schools and matched comparison schools and find that AP-TIP IN schools increased the proportion of students taking and passing AP exams, while post-secondary outcomes were similar to matched comparison schools.

Abstract: Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is the most morbid form of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Progressive airway fibrosis leads to a 5-year survival of 40%. Treatment options for BOS are limited. A single arm, 52-week, Phase I study of pirfenidone was conducted. The primary outcome was tolerability defined as maintaining the recommended dose of pirfenidone (2403 mg/day) without a dose reduction totaling more than 21 days, due to adverse events (AEs) or severe AEs (SAEs). Secondary outcomes included pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and patient reported outcomes (PROs). Among 22 participants treated for 1 year, 13 (59%) tolerated the recommended dose, with an average daily tolerated dose of 2325.6 mg/day. Twenty-two SAEs were observed, with 90.9% related to infections, none were attributed to pirfenidone. There was an increase in the average percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%) of 7 percentage points annually and improvements in PROs related to symptoms of cGVHD. In this Phase I study, treatment with pirfenidone was safe. The stabilization in PFTs and improvements in PROs suggest the potential of pirfenidone for BOS treatment and support the value of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of pirfenidone in BOS after HCT. The study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03315741).

Background

ABSTRACTOccupational science is of importance to multiple disciplines due to its potential to contribute to understandings of complex social issues. “Occupation”, as a key concept of occupational science, is recognised as being highly complex, making it challenging for students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the concept. Terminology of occupational science literature has been noted at times as using the terms occupation, purposeful activity and activity interchangeably, which further adds to the challenge of teaching the concept. This paper explores evolving definitions of occupation, challenges this evolution has created within education, and the potential use of occupation as a threshold concept. Consideration of a selection of pedagogic methods used in teaching the concept of occupation is briefly explored. The paper concludes with identification of a newly developed occupation-focused teaching tool as a proposed alternative approach to teaching the concept of occupation. The teaching tool was originally developed to teach occupation as a discrete concept, rather than the therapeutic use of occupation as taught in occupational therapy education. The tool is an analogy for occupation, and has utility in supporting the transformation of students’ understanding of the concept of occupation, commensurate to understandings of occupational science.

ABSTRACT“Occupational engagement” is a term often used within occupational science and occupational therapy literature. However, it has yet to be clearly and consistently described, resulting in a lack of clarity in the use and definition of this term. This paper is derived from a larger piece of research, which used social constructionism to explore occupational engagement for five men living in a secure mental health unit from an occupational perspective. This research required the development of a clear description of occupational engagement. Following an exploration and critical review of the literature, the process of developing a new description of occupational engagement is outlined. Occupational engagement cannot be considered in isolation, so within this paper it is positioned within a descriptive framework of values and consequences. The development of the framework returned to the etymology of relevant terms, considering both the value and consequences of occupational experiences. This is the first published holistic description of this term, as the framework fully acknowledges the negative as well as positive dimensions of occupation. The paper concludes with consideration of how this new framework could be useful to occupational science.

In most patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC)—a metastatic, aggressive disease—the condition is initially chemosensitive but then relapses with acquired chemoresistance. In a minority of patients, however, relapse occurs within 3 months of initial treatment; in these cases, disease is defined as chemorefractory. The molecular mechanisms that differentiate chemosensitive from chemorefractory disease are currently unknown. To identify genetic features that distinguish chemosensitive from chemorefractory disease, we examined copy-number aberrations (CNAs) in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from pretreatment SCLC blood samples. After analysis of 88 CTCs isolated from 13 patients (training set), we generated a CNA-based classifier that we validated in 18 additional patients (testing set, 112 CTC samples) and in six SCLC patient-derived CTC explant tumors. The classifier correctly assigned 83.3% of the cases as chemorefractory or chemosensitive. Furthermore, a significant difference was observed in progression-free survival (PFS) (Kaplan–Meier P value = 0.0166) between patients designated as chemorefractory or chemosensitive by using the baseline CNA classifier. Notably, CTC CNA profiles obtained at relapse from five patients with initially chemosensitive disease did not switch to a chemorefractory CNA profile, which suggests that the genetic basis for initial chemoresistance differs from that underlying acquired chemoresistance.

CD276/B7-H3 represents a promising target for cancer therapy based on widespread overexpression in both cancer cells and tumor-associated stroma. In previous preclinical studies, CD276 antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) exploiting a talirine-type pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) payload showed potent activity against various solid tumors but with a narrow therapeutic index and dosing regimen higher than that tolerated in clinical trials using other antibody-talirine conjugates. Here, we describe the development of a modified talirine PBD-based fully human CD276 ADC, called m276-SL-PBD, that is cross-species (human/mouse) reactive and can eradicate large 500–1,000-mm3triple-negative breast cancer xenografts at doses 10- to 40-fold lower than the maximum tolerated dose. By combining CD276 targeting with judicious genetic and chemical ADC engineering, improved ADC purification, and payload sensitivity screening, these studies demonstrate that the therapeutic index of ADCs can be substantially increased, providing an advanced ADC development platform for potent and selective targeting of multiple solid tumor types.

Tumor recurrence after surgical resection of NSCLC obstructs long-term disease-free survival in approximately 50% of cases. Our data suggest that combining circulating tumor cell enumeration (as single cells or clusters) in tumor-draining pulmonary vein and peripheral blood (assessed by CellSearch) at the time of NSCLC surgery better identifies those patients at higher risk for lung cancer recurrence than does peripheral circulating tumor cell number alone.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a neuroendocrine lung cancer characterized by fast growth, early dissemination, and rapid resistance to chemotherapy. We identified a population of long-term tumor-propagating cells (TPCs) in a mouse model of SCLC. This population, marked by high levels of EpCAM and CD24, is also prevalent in human primary SCLC tumors. Murine SCLC TPCs are numerous and highly proliferative but not intrinsically chemoresistant, indicating that not all clinical features of SCLC are linked to TPCs. SCLC TPCs possess a distinct transcriptional profile compared to non-TPCs, including elevated MYC activity. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of MYC in SCLC cells to non-TPC levels inhibits long-term propagation but not short-term growth. These studies identify a highly tumorigenic population of SCLC cells in mouse models, cell lines, and patient tumors and a means to target them in this most fatal form of lung cancer.

The health of the majority of South Africa’s population is seriously threatened by hunger and micronutrient deficiency, with impaired immune response a real threat, which the current SARSCoV-2 virus pandemic has highlighted. Traditional household food-processing techniques can, amongst other advantages, increase nutrient bioavailability in affordable staple foods and hence provide a way, in part, to alleviate malnutrition for food-insecure communities. In this way, immune defence and pathogen resilience of the food insecure could be enhanced so that they can better survive both COVID-19 and future threats.

Introduction The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of cross-dressing, to raise awareness of cross-dressing and investigate any possible implications for occupational therapy.Method A single design case study utilizing an unstructured interview was used with a male cross-dresser known to the first author. Following transcription, flexible and ongoing analysis was undertaken following an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach and emergent themes resulted in an ongoing literature review.Findings The themes that developed were ‘identity’, ‘dressing’ and ‘conflict’. A complexity of meanings related to cross-dressing also emerged: uncontrollable urge; erotic expression; sexual orientation; and a sense of completeness.Conclusion The findings suggest that cross-dressing is a meaningful occupation and as such influences identity formation and occupational choices. Occupational therapists have a duty of care to this vulnerable and alienated group within society.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the epidemiology and epizootiology of moose—motor vehicle collisions (MMVC) and outcomes in severely injured patients to identify variables that might be modified to reduce the impact of this mutually deleterious interspecies interaction. DESIGN: Wildlife and Traffic Safety databases permitted retrospective, population-based assessment of MMVC epidemiology. A case series compiled from hospital trauma registries characterized morbidity and mortality from MMVC. SETTING: New Hampshire and Maine area. PATIENTS: All victims of MMVC (1980 through 1991) were included in population-based analyses. Twenty-three patients hospitalized at three rural trauma centers (January 1990 through June 1994) were included in the case series. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Location, time of day and seasonal occurrence of MMVC were determined. Injury patterns and Injury Severity Scores were analyzed in 23 representative patients. Maine's 1991 traffic and medical data were linked, and factors predictive of injury from MMVC were identified using multivariate logistics. RESULTS: Most MMVC occur from April through October after dark. Of 23 subjects, 70% sustained head and/or face injuries and 26%, cervical spine injuries. Mortality was 9%. Mean Injury Severity Score was 15.7 (SD=9.0). Safety belt use, rear seat location, and light truck occupancy were associated with reduced injury (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Moose—motor vehicle collisions are increasing in rural regions. Prevention programs should emphasize defensive driving and seat belt use, especially during high-risk periods. Injury patterns in MMVC suggest a need for automobile design modifications that better protect the passenger compartment from direct impact.(Arch Surg. 1996;131:377-381)

• Some studies suggest that home use of wood-burning stoves is an independent risk factor for lower respiratory tract infection in young children. To test this hypothesis in a population with a high prevalence of wood-burning stove use, we studied Navajo children with diagnosed pneumonia or bronchiolitis. We matched each case (≤24 months of age) with a child of identical sex and age who was seen for well-child care or a minor health problem, and we interviewed an adult caretaker about family history and environmental exposures. Analyzing 58 case-control pairs, we found that home wood-burning stove use, recent respiratory illness exposure, family history of asthma, dirt floors, and lack of running water in the home increased the risk of lower respiratory tract infection. On multiple logistic regression analysis, however, only wood-burning stove use and respiratory illness exposure were independently associated with higher risk.(AJDC. 1990;144:105-108)

Abstract: COURSEWARE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED to facilitate the transfer of knowledge between lecture and laboratory for General Chemistry at the University of Notre Dame. Two courseware projects are described, the first project relying on a tutorial strategy, and the second utilizing tool-based courseware which emphasized modeling and manipulation of simulated representations of chemical systems. Worksheets were also developed during the second project to guide student use of the courseware tools and to emphasize the relation of content presented in the lecture and experiments completed in the accompanying laboratory. Design and implementation of the courseware is discussed as well as a rationale for the development of the worksheet.

1. The sensitivity and specificity of four sets of electrocardiographic criteria for detection of left ventricular hypertrophy were evaluated in an echocardiographic study of 100 hypertensive patients. 2. All criteria gave reasonable specificity (87–94%) but poor sensitivity (39–52%). 3. When non-obese and obese patients were studied separately, criteria based on chest lead voltages were more sensitive than limb lead criteria for detection of left ventricular hypertrophy in non-obese subjects; however, the reverse was true in obese hypertensive patients, where criteria based on limb lead voltages were more sensitive than chest lead voltage criteria. 4. These data suggest that stratification of subjects by body build might improve the diagnostic performance of the electrocardiogram for detection of left ventricular hypertrophy.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Having a ball," in the November 2009 issue, use of discarded cookware to grow plants and the backyard ecosystem.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Beating the Drought," by Peter Cundall in the December 2006 issue, the willie wagtail artwork in the December 2006 issue, and a reader's letter about gardening and recycling.

Discusses the growth trend in Tampa, Florida-based electric company Southern Power & Controls. Success of company's recruitment strategy; Record sales posted in 1994; Reasons behind business growth; Business philosophy as enunciated by executives Bill Barry and Kenny Aycock.