On Embedding Indigenous Musics in Schools: Examining the Applicability of Possible Models to One School District's Approach.

Recent curriculum policy changes in British Columbia (BC) require that educators in all subject areas-including music-embed local Indigenous knowledge, pedagogies, and worldviews in their classes. Yet facilitating such decolonizing cross-cultural music education activities requires knowledge that music educators may not currently possess. We use four models created by an Indigenous Arts scholar to examine the interface of Indigenous and Western art musics in performing arts settings: (a) integration, (b) nation-to-nation music trading and reciprocal presentation, (c) a combination of the first two models, and (d) non-integrative encounters that are in relationship but have irreconcilable elements. We consider the applicability of these models in music education settings, using them to analyze our findings from a study in which we explored the ways teachers have embedded local First Nations songs and drumming in classes in a single metropolitan school district in BC.

Malaria heat shock proteins: drug targets that chaperone other drug targets.

Ongoing research into the chaperone systems of malaria parasites, and particularly of Plasmodium falciparum, suggests that heat shock proteins (Hsps) could potentially be an excellent class of drug targets. The P. falciparum genome encodes a vast range and large number of chaperones, including 43 Hsp40, six Hsp70, and three Hsp90 proteins (PfHsp40s, PfHsp70s and PfHsp90s), which are involved in a number of fundamental cellular processes including protein folding and assembly, protein translocation, signal transduction and the cellular stress response. Despite the fact that Hsps are relatively conserved across different species, PfHsps do exhibit a considerable number of unique structural and functional features. One PfHsp90 is thought to be sufficiently different to human Hsp90 to allow for selective targeting. PfHsp70s could potentially be used as drug targets in two ways: either by the specific inhibition of Hsp70s by small molecule modulators, as well as disruption of the interactions between Hsp70s and co-chaperones such as the Hsp70/Hsp90 organising protein (Hop) and Hsp40s. Of the many PfHsp40s present on the parasite, there are certain unique or essential members which are considered to have good potential as drug targets. This review critically evaluates the potential of Hsps as malaria drug targets, as well as the use of chaperones as aids in the heterologous expression of other potential malarial drug targets.

A genetic animal model of human neocortical heterotopia associated with seizures.

Malformations of the human neocortex are commonly associated with developmental delays, mental retardation, and epilepsy. This study describes a novel neurologically mutant rat exhibiting a forebrain anomaly resembling the human neuronal migration disorder of double cortex. This mutant displays a telencephalic internal structural heterotopia (tish) that is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. The bilateral heterotopia is prominent below the frontal and parietal neocortices but is rarely observed in temporal neocortex. Neurons in the heterotopia exhibit neocortical-like morphologies and send typical projections to subcortical sites; however, characteristic lamination and radial orientation are disturbed in the heterotopia. The period of neurogenesis during which cells in the heterotopia are generated is the same as in the normotopic neocortex; however, the cells in the heterotopia exhibit a "rim-to-core" neurogenetic pattern rather than the characteristic "inside-out" pattern observed in normotopic neocortex. Similar to the human syndrome of double cortex, some of the animals with the tish phenotype exhibit spontaneous recurrent electrographic and behavioral seizures. The tish rat is a unique neurological mutant that shares several features with a human cortical malformation associated with epilepsy. On the basis of its regional connectivity, histological composition, and period of neurogenesis, the heterotopic region in the tish rat is neocortical in nature. This neurological mutant represents a novel model system for investigating mechanisms of aberrant neocortical development and is likely to provide insights into the cellular and molecular events contributing to seizure development in dysplastic neocortex.

A noninvasive thermoplastic head immobilization system. Technical note.

The authors have developed a noninvasive head immobilization system for use in neuroimaging (magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomography, single photon emission computerized tomography, and projection angiography), neurosurgical planning, and neurosurgery. These diagnostic and surgical procedures require patient immobilization, reproducible patient positioning, and anatomical localization. The thermoplastic system described in this technical note addresses each of these requirements with a high degree of accuracy and with no bone fixation. The reproducibility of positioning and effectiveness of immobilization were evaluated using nine healthy volunteers during repeated sessions of magnetic resonance imaging. The mean axial displacement for repeated positioning was 0.6 mm (variance 0.1 mm); the mean displacement during robust patient motion in the axial direction was 1.8 mm (variance 0.9 mm).

Stereotactic laser-guided approach to distal middle cerebral artery aneurysms.

The Steiner-Lindquist laser intra-operative guidance method is described and its application in the surgical treatment of mycotic aneurysm is presented. Three illustrative cases of distal middle cerebral artery aneurysms are reported. The authors argue that all ruptured mycotic aneurysms should be treated surgically. The laser-guided stereotactic approach is presented as simple, flexible and reliable method to improve safety and accuracy of the operation in these cases. In our experience it compares favorably with previously described stereotactic techniques.

ACT3: a high-speed, high-precision electrical impedance tomograph.

This paper presents the design, implementation, and performance of Rensselaer's third-generation Adaptive Current Tomograph, ACT3. This system uses 32 current sources and 32 phase-sensitive voltmeters to make a 32-electrode system that is capable of applying arbitrary spatial patterns of current. The instrumentation provides 16 b precision on both the current values and the real and reactive voltage readings and can collect the data for a single image in 133 ms. Additionally, the instrument is able to automatically calibrate its voltmeters and current sources and adjust the current source output impedance under computer control. The major system components are discussed in detail and performance results are given. Images obtained using stationary agar targets and a moving pendulum in a phantom as well as in vivo resistivity profiles showing human respiration are shown.

An investigation into self, peer and tutor assessments of student psychiatric nurse's written work assignments.

As part of an 84-week experiential psychiatric nurse training course, a group (n = 19) of post registration student nurses (PRSNS) were involved in the process of writing four essays on aspects of psychiatric nursing during their first 16 weeks of school based study days. The marking criteria for each essay was determined in the classroom by the PRSNS together with their tutor, and the essays were subsequently written in the student's own time. Assessment and grading of each essay was carried out by the student, a peer, and a tutor, using the agreed marking criteria. Analysis of the independently awarded grades for all of the essays reveals that students consistently award themselves lower grades than either their peers or their tutors, with tutors awarding the highest grades in 3 of the 4 essays. Further analysis reveals that peers and tutors, and peers and students grades correlated significantly in 2 out of the 4 essays.

Didactic psychodrama and sociodrama.

The terms psychodrama, sociodrama, and didactic psychodrama are defined. These three action techniques are compared with respect to their differing goals and methodologies. The application of the use of didactic psychodrama and sociodrama with student nurses undergoing Psychiatric Nurse Training is outlined, together with verbal reports elicited from the students following, a) a 20-week study day programme where didactic psychodrama was used on an regular basis, and b) a sociodrama workshop. It is concluded that sociodrama and didactic psychodrama are powerful action learning methods that can be successfully employed with junior student psychiatric nurses. It is also acknowledged that the underlying rationale, and procedural details of these two methods differ from, those associated with more conventional social skills based training approaches, and these differences have implications for trainers.

NOSER: An Algorithm for Solving the Inverse Conductivity Problem.

The inverse conductivity problem is the mathematical problem that must be solved in order for electrical impedance tomography systems to be able to make images. Here we show how this inverse conductivity problem is related to a number of other inverse problems. We then explain the workings of an algorithm that we have used to make images from electrical impedance data measured on the boundary of a circle in two dimensions. This algorithm is based on the method of least squares. It takes one step of a Newton's method, using a constant conductivity as an initial guess. Most of the calculations can therefore be done analytically. The resulting code is named NOSER, for Newton's One-Step Error Reconstructor. It provides a reconstruction with 496 degrees of freedom. The code does not reproduce the conductivity accurately (unless it differs very little from a constant), but it yields useful images. This is illustrated by images reconstructed from numerical and experimental data, including data from a human chest.

Measurement of blood-brain barrier permeability with positron emission tomography and [68Ga]EDTA.

Positron emission tomography (PET) was employed to examine time-dependent changes in blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability to [68Ga]ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) in the rhesus monkey, following reversible barrier opening by intracarotid infusion of a hypertonic mannitol solution. The PET technique, when combined with measurements of plasma radioactivity, provided a quantitative measure of the cerebrovascular permeability-area product (PA) at different times following mannitol infusion. Hypertonic mannitol treatment reversibly increased PA to [68Ga]EDTA more than 10-fold; much of the barrier effect was over by 10 min after mannitol treatment. The results show that PET can be used to measure transient changes in BBB integrity in specific brain regions, under in vivo, noninvasive conditions.

Metabolism of guanido-labeled (C-14)arginine in rats, mice, and man.

[6-14C]arginine, injected intraperitoneally into normal rats, was cleared from the plasma with biphasic decay kinetics. Urinary excretion was efficient (32% of the 25-muCi dose within the first 24 hr) with no preferential tissue retention. In mice, the effective duration of the radiotracer's availability for protein biosynthesis was less than 30 min. When the tracer was administered i.v. to patients with multiple myeloma, it was similarly cleared from the plasma with biphasic kinetics, and was excreted rapidly in the urine (22% of the dose within the first 24 hr). In patients, the guanido-tagged arginine labeled only tumor M component, and the labeling was most intense in patients who had far advanced disease. Estimated radiation dose to humans from a 100-muCi injection was 10 mrads. These studies demonstrate the fesibility of in vivo labeling with [16 -14C]arginine, with minimal radiation hazard, thus providing a simple, sensitive, and specific method for monitoring the synthesis of the plasmacytoma M component in patients with multiple myeloma.