Academic and clinical preparation in speech-language pathology and audiology: a global training consortium

ABSTRACT: Purpose: To describe a research-based global curriculum in speech-language pathology and audiology that is part of a funded cross-linguistic consortium among 2 U.S. and 2 Brazilian universities. Method: The need for a global curriculum in speechlanguage pathology and audiology is outlined, and different funding sources are identified to support development of a global curriculum. The U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE), in conjunction with the Brazilian Ministry of Education (Fundacao Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior; CAPES), funded the establishment of a shared research curriculum project, “Consortium for Promoting Cross-Linguistic Understanding of Communication Disabilities in Children” for East Tennessee State University and the University of Northern Iowa and 2 Brazilian universities (Universidade Federal de Santa Maria and Universidade de São Paulo-Baurú). Results: The goals and objectives of the research-based global curriculum are summarized, and a description of an Internet-based course, “Different Languages, One World,” is provided Conclusion: Partnerships such as the FIPSE–CAPES consortium provide a foundation for training future generations of globally and research-prepared practitioners in speechlanguage pathology and audiology.

Project Financing nelle Infrastrutture del Trasporto

L’elaborato ha avuto ad oggetto l’analisi delle sofisticate soluzioni normative proposte dall’ordinamento nazionale in relazione all’evoluzione della finanza di progetto. In particolare, è stata condotto un dettagliato studio delle fasi che compongono il project financing, nonché dei soggetti che, a diverso titolo e ragione, vi partecipano. L’elaborato contiene, poi, recenti esempi concreti di project financing nelle infrastrutture primarie (autostrade) tra cui il progetto di costruzione e la successiva gestione dell’autostrada regionale Medio Padana veneta, dell’autostrada regionale Cispadana, e dell’autostrada “Nogara-mare”. L’ultimo parte della tesi è stata infine incentrata sull’analisi delle più recenti pronunce giurisprudenziali in materia di project financing. In particolare, si ha avuto modo di analizzare il fenomeno dello jus poenitendi dell’amministrazione aggiudicatrice, nonché, più in generale gli eventi che possono negativamente incidere sulla finanza di progetto (mancata aggiudicazione, risoluzione del contratto di gestione, ecc.).

Reporting Experiments in Homeopathic Basic Research—Description of the Checklist Development

The objective of this study was to develop a criteria catalogue serving as a guideline for authors to improve quality of reporting experiments in basic research in homeopathy. A Delphi Process was initiated including three rounds of adjusting and phrasing plus two consensus conferences. European researchers who published experimental work within the last 5 years were involved. A checklist for authors provide a catalogue with 23 criteria. The “Introduction” should focus on underlying hypotheses, the homeopathic principle investigated and state if experiments are exploratory or confirmatory. “Materials and methods” should comprise information on object of investigation, experimental setup, parameters, intervention and statistical methods. A more detailed description on the homeopathic substances, for example, manufacture, dilution method, starting point of dilution is required. A further result of the Delphi process is to raise scientists' awareness of reporting blinding, allocation, replication, quality control and system performance controls. The part “Results” should provide the exact number of treated units per setting which were included in each analysis and state missing samples and drop outs. Results presented in tables and figures are as important as appropriate measures of effect size, uncertainty and probability. “Discussion” in a report should depict more than a general interpretation of results in the context of current evidence but also limitations and an appraisal of aptitude for the chosen experimental model. Authors of homeopathic basic research publications are encouraged to apply our checklist when preparing their manuscripts. Feedback is encouraged on applicability, strength and limitations of the list to enable future revisions.

The Institutional Framework around Successful Art Forms in Communist Czechoslovakia

Mr. Michl posed the question of how the institutional framework that the former communist regime set up around art production contributed to the success of Czech applied arts. In his theoretical review of the question he discussed the reasons for the lack of success of socialist industrial design as opposed to what he terms pre-industrial arts (such as art glass), and also for the current lack of interest into art institutions of the past regime. His findings in the second, historical section of his work were based largely on interviews with artists and other insiders, as an initial attempt to use questionnaires was unsuccessful. His original assumption that the institutional framework was imposed on artists against their will in fact proved mistaken, as it turned out to have been proposed by the artists themselves. The basic blueprint for communist art institutions was the Memorandum document published on behalf of Czechoslovak visual artists in March 1947, i.e. before the communist coup of February 1948. Thus, while the communist state provided a beneficial institutional framework for artists' work, it was the artists themselves who designed this framework. Mr. Michl concludes that the text of the memorandum appealed to the general left-wing and anti-market sentiments of the immediate post-war period and by this and by later working through the administrative channels of the new state, the artists succeeded in gaining all of their demands over the next 15 years. The one exception was artistic freedom, although this they came to enjoy, if only by default and for a short time, during the ideological thaw of the 1960s. Mr. Michl also examined the art-related legislative framework in detail and looked at the main features of key art institutions in the field, such as the Czech Fund for Visual Arts and the 1960s art export enterprise Art Centrum, which opened the doors into foreign markets for artists.

Digital forensic osteology--possibilities in cooperation with the Virtopsy project

The present study was carried out to check whether classic osteometric parameters can be determined from the 3D reconstructions of MSCT (multislice computed tomography) scans acquired in the context of the Virtopsy project. To this end, four isolated and macerated skulls were examined by six examiners. First the skulls were conventionally (manually) measured using 32 internationally accepted linear measurements. Then the skulls were scanned by the use of MSCT with slice thicknesses of 1.25 mm and 0.63 mm, and the 33 measurements were virtually determined on the digital 3D reconstructions of the skulls. The results of the traditional and the digital measurements were compared for each examiner to figure out variations. Furthermore, several parameters were measured on the cranium and postcranium during an autopsy and compared to the values that had been measured on a 3D reconstruction from a previously acquired postmortem MSCT scan. The results indicate that equivalent osteometric values can be obtained from digital 3D reconstructions from MSCT scans using a slice thickness of 1.25 mm, and from conventional manual examinations. The measurements taken from a corpse during an autopsy could also be validated with the methods used for the digital 3D reconstructions in the context of the Virtopsy project. Future aims are the assessment and biostatistical evaluation in respect to sex, age and stature of all data sets stored in the Virtopsy project so far, as well as of future data sets. Furthermore, a definition of new parameters, only measurable with the aid of MSCT data would be conceivable.

Competencies in arts therapies: A rating of importance, training and performance by practitioners and referring professionals in Switzerland

This survey was conducted in developing a final specialized examination for all arts therapists in Switzerland by the Council of Swiss Arts Therapy Associations (CSATA). Forty-eight generic key competencies (GKC) were sent to all 1235 arts therapists in five different disciplines in Switzerland (response 47.5%) and to 384 referring professionals and employers (RPE) listed by therapists (response 42%). The mean importance of GKC was rated high (4 points of 5) by practitioners and RPE. Different opinions on importance of GKC in disciplines included artistic ability and psychotherapeutic relative to medical orientation. The training of competencies was rated lower by practitioners (3.48 points) and different in the eight competence categories and five disciplines. Areas of weak training were identified. The performance of GKC was rated by referring professionals equally to its importance (mean +0.3 points) and showed a good understanding of competencies by RPE. Judging of performance was difficult for RPE in more than 20% of items. The results provide criteria for detailed outcome assessments and the advancement of a final examination for arts therapists in Switzerland.

CHANGE FOR GOOD? AN ASSESSMENT OF THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN PERCEIVED BENEFITS BY ENGOS AND USER SATISFACTION OF SOLAR BOTTLE LIGHTS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS OF DHAKA CITY, BANGLADESH

A major challenge for a developing country such as Bangladesh is to supply basic services to its most marginalized populations, which includes both rural and urban dwellers. The government struggles to provide basic necessities such as water and electricity. In marginalized urban communities in Bangladesh, in particular informal settlements, meeting basic needs is even direr. Most informal settlements are built to respond to a rapid immigration to urban centers, and are thought of as ‘temporary structures’, though many structures have been there for decades. In addition, as the settlements are often squatting on private land, access to formalized services such as electricity or water is largely absent. In some cases, electricity and water connections are brought in - but through informal and non-government sanctioned ways -- these hookups are deemed ‘illegal’ by the state. My research will focus on recent efforts to help ameliorate issues associated with lack of basic services in informal settlements in Bangladesh – in this case lack of light. When the government fails to meet the needs of the general population, different non-government organizations tend to step in to intervene. A new emphasis on solar bottle systems in informal urban settlement areas to help address some energy needs (specifically day-time lighting). One such example is the solar bottle light in Bangladesh, a project introduced by the organization ‘Change’. There has been mixed reactions on this technology among the users. This is where my research intervenes. I have used quantitative method to investigate user satisfactions for the solar bottle lights among the residents of the informal settlements to address the overarching question, is there a disconnect between the perceived benefits of the ENGO and the user satisfaction of the residents of the informal settlements of Dhaka City? This paper uses survey responses to investigate level of user satisfaction and the contributing factors.

Identity, Philosophy, and the Problem of Armenian History in the Sixth Century

History and Identity in the Late Antique Near East gathers together the work of distinguished historians and early career scholars with a broad range of expertise to investigate the significance of newly emerged, or recently resurrected, ethnic identities on the borders of the eastern Mediterranean world. It focuses on the "long late antiquity" from the eve of the Arab conquest of the Roman East to the formation of the Abbasid caliphate. The first half of the book offers papers on the Christian Orient on the cusp of the Islamic invasions. These papers discuss how Christians negotiated the end of Roman power, whether in the selective use of the patristic past to create confessional divisions or the emphasis of the shared philosophical legacy of the Greco-Roman world. The second half of the book considers Muslim attempts to negotiate the pasts of the conquered lands of the Near East, where the Christian histories of Hira or Egypt were used to create distinctive regional identities for Arab settlers. Like the first half, this section investigates the redeployment of a shared history, this time the historical imagination of the Qu'ran and the era of the first caliphs. All the papers in the volume bring together studies of the invention of the past across traditional divides between disciplines, placing the re-assessment of the past as a central feature of the long late antiquity. As a whole, History and Identity in the Late Antique Near East represents a distinctive contribution to recent writing on late antiquity, due to its cultural breadth, its interdisciplinary focus, and its novel definition of late antiquity itself.

Learner preferences regarding integrating, sequencing and aligning virtual patients with other activities in the undergraduate medical curriculum: A focus group study

CONTEXT: E-learning resources, such as virtual patients (VPs), can be more effective when they are integrated in the curriculum. To gain insights that can inform guidelines for the curricular integration of VPs, we explored students' perceptions of scenarios with integrated and non-integrated VPs aimed at promoting clinical reasoning skills. METHODS: During their paediatric clerkship, 116 fifth-year medical students were given at least ten VPs embedded in eight integrated scenarios and as non-integrated add-ons. The scenarios differed in the sequencing and alignment of VPs and related educational activities, tutor involvement, number of VPs, relevance to assessment and involvement of real patients. We sought students' perceptions on the VP scenarios in focus group interviews with eight groups of 4-7 randomly selected students (n = 39). The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed qualitatively. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in six themes reflecting students' perceptions of important features for effective curricular integration of VPs: (i) continuous and stable online access, (ii) increasing complexity, adapted to students' knowledge, (iii) VP-related workload offset by elimination of other activities, (iv) optimal sequencing (e.g.: lecture--1 to 2 VP(s)--tutor-led small group discussion--real patient) and (V) optimal alignment of VPs and educational activities, (vi) inclusion of VP topics in assessment. CONCLUSIONS: The themes appear to offer starting points for the development of a framework to guide the curricular integration of VPs. Their impact needs to be confirmed by studies using quantitative controlled designs.

Inventory of veterinary syndromic surveillance initiatives in Europe (Triple-S project): current situation and perspectives.

Within the current context that favours the emergence of new diseases, syndromic surveillance (SyS) appears increasingly more relevant tool for the early detection of unexpected health events. The Triple-S project (Syndromic Surveillance Systems in Europe), co-financed by the European Commission, was launched in September 2010 for a three year period to promote both human and animal health SyS in European countries. Objectives of the project included performing an inventory of current and planned European animal health SyS systems and promoting knowledge transfer between SyS experts. This study presents and discusses the results of the Triple-S inventory of European veterinary SyS initiatives. European SyS systems were identified through an active process based on a questionnaire sent to animal health experts involved in SyS in Europe. Results were analyzed through a descriptive analysis and a multiple factor analysis (MFA) in order to establish a typology of the European SyS initiatives. Twenty seven European SyS systems were identified from twelve countries, at different levels of development, from project phase to active systems. Results of this inventory showed a real interest of European countries for SyS but also highlighted the novelty of this field. This survey highlighted the diversity of SyS systems in Europe in terms of objectives, population targeted, data providers, indicators monitored. For most SyS initiatives, statistical analysis of surveillance results was identified as a limitation in using the data. MFA results distinguished two types of systems. The first one belonged to the private sector, focused on companion animals and had reached a higher degree of achievement. The second one was based on mandatory collected data, targeted livestock species and is still in an early project phase. The exchange of knowledge between human and animal health sectors was considered useful to enhance SyS. In the same way that SyS is complementary to traditional surveillance, synergies between human and animal health SyS could be an added value, most notably to enhance timeliness, sensitivity and help interpreting non-specific signals.

Serious suicidal behaviors: socio-demographic and clinical features in a multinational, multicenter sample

BACKGROUND: Declared suicidal intent and physical danger are both considered important components in defining suicidal behaviors (SB). AIMS: 1) To investigate characteristics of serious suicidal behaviors (SSB), defined by either suicidal intent or lethality; 2) To determine any difference in terms of socio-demographic, clinical and/or service usage variables between SSB and non-serious suicidal behaviors (NSSB). METHODS: A total of 2631 contacts for SB were registered in the context of the MONSUE (Monitoring Suicidal Behavior in Europe) study project. Demographic and clinical information were registered. ICD-10 was used for classifying data about psychiatric diagnoses, methods used for SB and injuries reported. Clear intentionality, high-case fatality methods and serious injuries all defined SSB (n = 1169; 44.4%) RESULTS: SSB were more often preceded by a contact with an inpatient (either psychiatric or somatic) rather than an outpatient service. Among those having a previous history of SB, SSB subjects had fewer contacts with health services before the previous attempt. The strongest predictors for SSB appeared to be older age and not professing a religion. CONCLUSION: Many of the known factors contributing to the risk of completed suicide were also present for SSB. Our findings on service usage by suicide attempters show which aspects of mental health services should be strengthened in order to improve suicide prevention.

Anatomic pathways of peripancreatic fluid draining to mediastinum in recurrent acute pancreatitis: visible human project and CT study

BACKGROUND In past reports, researchers have seldom attached importance to achievements in transforming digital anatomy to radiological diagnosis. However, investigators have been able to illustrate communication relationships in the retroperitoneal space by drawing potential routes in computerized tomography (CT) images or a virtual anatomical atlas. We established a new imaging anatomy research method for comparisons of the communication relationships of the retroperitoneal space in combination with the Visible Human Project and CT images. Specifically, the anatomic pathways of peripancreatic fluid extension to the mediastinum that may potentially transform into fistulas were studied. METHODS We explored potential pathways to the mediastinum based on American and Chinese Visible Human Project datasets. These drainage pathways to the mediastinum were confirmed or corrected in CT images of 51 patients with recurrent acute pancreatitis in 2011. We also investigated whether additional routes to the mediastinum were displayed in CT images that were not in Visible Human Project images. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS All hypothesized routes to the mediastinum displayed in Visible Human Project images, except for routes from the retromesenteric plane to the bilateral retrorenal plane across the bilateral fascial trifurcation and further to the retrocrural space via the aortic hiatus, were confirmed in CT images. In addition, route 13 via the narrow space between the left costal and crural diaphragm into the retrocrural space was demonstrated for the first time in CT images. CONCLUSION This type of exploration model related to imaging anatomy may be used to support research on the communication relationships of abdominal spaces, mediastinal spaces, cervical fascial spaces and other areas of the body.

Digital multitext editions from scratch to electronic performance. Transcription and collation routines transformed in a flexible database system

The poster demonstrates the preparatory steps of a digital multi-text edition that are abstracted from the experiences made in the Parzival Project, based at the University of Bern, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and the University of Erlangen. This edition of Wolfram von Eschenbach’s German Grail novel, written shortly after 1200 and transmitted during several centuries in ca. hundred witnesses, has now been completed by more than a half of the textual corpus. As the text is transmitted in medieval manuscripts the witnesses have to be transcribed according to specific encoding rules. The transcriptions then are collated following certain ideas and concepts of how the transmission process could have developed. The transcriptions and collations finally have to be transferred to a digital edition that allows the users to explore the characteristics of single witnesses as well as the history of a text, which is delivered in variants and in different versions. A dynamically organized database offering various components and adapted to the needs of diverse user-profiles is nowadays the right tool for this purpose.