Postsecondary Pathways and Persistence for STEM Versus Non-STEM Majors: Among College Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

Little is known about postsecondary pathways and persistence among college students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, 2001–2009, a nationally representative sample of students in special education with an ASD who progressed from high school to postsecondary education. Findings suggest that most college students with an ASD enrolled in a 2-year community college at some point in the postsecondary careers (81 %). Those in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields were more likely to persist in a 2-year community college and were twice as likely to transfer from a 2-year community college to a 4-year university than their peers in the non-STEM fields. College persistence rates varied by gender, race, parent education level, and college pathway and major. Educational policy implications are discussed.     

The ABC’s of Teaching Social Skills to Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Classroom: The UCLA PEERS ® Program

Social skills training is a common treatment method for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet very few evidence-based interventions exist to improve social skills for high-functioning adolescents on the spectrum, and even fewer studies have examined the effectiveness of teaching social skills in the classroom. This study examines change in social functioning for adolescents with high-functioning ASD following the implementation of a school-based, teacher-facilitated social skills intervention known as Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS ^® ). Seventy-three middle school students with ASD along with their parents and teachers participated in the study. Participants were assigned to the PEERS ^® treatment condition or an alternative social skills curriculum. Instruction was provided daily by classroom teachers and teacher aides for 14-weeks. Results reveal that in comparison to an active treatment control group, participants in the PEERS ^® treatment group significantly improved in social functioning in the areas of teacher-reported social responsiveness, social communication, social motivation, social awareness, and decreased autistic mannerisms, with a trend toward improved social cognition on the Social Responsiveness Scale. Adolescent self-reports indicate significant improvement in social skills knowledge and frequency of hosted and invited get-togethers with friends, and parent-reports suggest a decrease in teen social anxiety on the Social Anxiety Scale at a trend level. This research represents one of the few teacher-facilitated treatment intervention studies demonstrating effectiveness in improving the social skills of adolescents with ASD in the classroom: arguably the most natural social setting of all.     

Care of the critically ill patient in a military unique environment: a program of research

The goal of the Air Force Nursing Research Program at WHMC is to conduct research on topics unique to Air Force and military nursing. The nine stressors of flight and the military environment of care have been used as a conceptual model to guide the development of research studies. The studies conducted to date describe how the environment affects practice and when the environment directly affects the patient. The studies conducted are examples of the numerous military nursing research projects supported by funding from the TSNRP. The research funded by TSNRP contributes to the body of nursing knowledge by supporting scientific research, particularly knowledge that is unique to the military. As our nation faces the threat of chemical and biologic attacks, terrorism, and increased deployment of soldiers to battlefields in remote locations throughout the world, it is more important than ever that we ensure the advancement of military nursing research. Supporting research that advances healthcare in peace and in war is critical to the care of our military members and their families. This will require that research funds continue to be available to support military nursing research, that a strong infrastructure to provide resources in support of nursing research programs continues to exist, and that the military nursing corps continues to attract, train, and retain PhD prepared nurse researchers. Given the results of the research completed to date, the following evidence-based practice can be applied to the care of the patient described at the beginning of this article: The nurse positions the patient in the center of the cargo compartment, away from the bulkhead, toward the front of the aircraft, the warmest location during flight. While enroute, the patient will need to be positioned on an aerovac mattress, repositioned frequently, and have his/her heels elevated at all times. Additional padding may be needed for areas adjacent to the litter cross members to reduce pressure on the skin in areas prone to pressure ulcer formation. Should the patient need endotracheal suctioning, the nurse knows that hyperoxygenation-hyperinflation is effective in preventing suctioning-induced hypoxemia. In addition, the suction pressure will need to be increased to account for the effects of altitude without exceeding the pressure limits on the transport ventilator and causing catastrophic ventilator failure. Because there is not enough room on the litter for the chest tube drainage tubing to lay straight, it will be coiled and should dependent loops develop, they should be drained every 15 minutes. This is Air Force nursing research in practice.     

Pediatric Healthcare Professionals’ Views on Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening at 12–18 Months

This study explored North Carolina pediatric healthcare professional’s (PHP) perceptions of screening 12–18 month old infants for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Eight focus groups (66 PHPs) were conducted across practice settings. The purpose was to explore PHP’s perspectives to: inform development of ASD screening tools and ultimately impact their use in PHP settings. PHPs reported concerns, barriers, and the need for research to support early ASD screening. Additionally, they expressed the need for: (a) clear “red flags” of ASD for 12–18 month olds; (b) socioculturally sensitive and effective screening tools; (c) effective early interventions; (d) systems to handle potential increases in referrals; and (e) continuing education. PHPs also demonstrated preferences about screening tool characteristics and processes for enhancing screening efforts.     

Perioperative Breast MRI Is Not Associated with Lower Locoregional Recurrence Rates in DCIS Patients Treated With or Without Radiation

Introduction

For women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) undergoing breast-conserving surgery (BCS), the benefit of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains unknown. Here we examine the relationship of MRI and locoregional recurrence (LRR) and contralateral breast cancer (CBC) for DCIS treated with BCS, with and without radiotherapy (RT).

Methods

A total of 2,321 women underwent BCS for DCIS from 1997 to 2010. All underwent mammography, and 596 (26 %) also underwent perioperative MRI; 904 women (39 %) did not receive RT, and 1,391 (61 %) did. Median follow-up was 59 months, and 548 women were followed for ≥8 years. The relationship between MRI and LRR was examined using multivariable analysis.

Results

There were 184 LRR events; 5- and 8-year LRR rates were 8.5 and 14.6 % (MRI), respectively, and 7.2 and 10.2 % (no-MRI), respectively (p = 0.52). LRR was significantly associated with age, menopausal status, margin status, RT, and endocrine therapy. After controlling for these variables and family history, presentation, number of excisions, and time period of surgery, there remained no trend toward association of MRI and lower LRR [hazard ratio (HR) 1.18, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.79–1.78, p = 0.42]. Restriction of analysis to the no-RT subgroup showed no association of MRI with lower LRR rates (HR 1.36, 95 % CI 0.78–2.39, p = 0.28). No difference in 5- or 8-year rates of CBC was seen between the MRI (3.5 and 3.5 %) and no-MRI (3.5 and 5.1 %) groups (p = 0.86).

Conclusions

We observed no association between perioperative MRI and lower LRR or CBC rates in patients with DCIS, with or without RT. In the absence of evidence that MRI improves outcomes, the routine perioperative use of MRI for DCIS should be questioned.     

Midwives' attitudes to and knowledge about a newly introduced foetal screening method

A number of screening procedures are offered by midwives during pregnancy and the number is increasing rapidly. The measurement of nuchal translucency is a fairly new ultrasound method for antenatal screening, primarily for Down syndrome. The results give a better risk calculation than maternal age alone and can mean a decrease in the number of invasive procedures needed to identify this syndrome prenatally. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the midwives' point of view concerning the introduction of the method in two different hospitals. In one hospital it had been introduced as part of a research project while in the other it had been integrated as an offer in the antenatal care programme. A questionnaire was sent to the 80 midwives working in the antenatal clinics serving these two hospitals. A total of 79% of the questionnaires were answered. The results indicate that in both districts, the similarities are greater than the differences with regard to the midwives' education, knowledge and their own opinions of their ability to inform pregnant women about the method. Although most of the respondents were positive to it, a number of midwives felt that, in general, information about foetal diagnosis was a difficult part of their work, mentioning both ethical and practical aspects. This highlights the need for continuing education, standardized policy and an ongoing ethical debate.     

Predictors of outcome for children requiring respiratory extra-corporeal life support: implications for inclusion and exclusion criteria

Objectives  A range of children receive extra-corporeal life support (ECLS) for respiratory failure, but there is little published data on this group. Our aims were: (1) to analyse predictors of outcome and (2) comment on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Design  Retrospective review. Setting  Tertiary ECLS centre. Patients  A total of 124 children categorised as ‘paediatric respiratory ECLS’ from July 1992 to December 2005. Results  Fifty-three percent of children had one or more co-morbid conditions; the median age was 10.1 (IQR 3–34) months; the median ECLS duration was 9 (IQR 5–17) days; survival to discharge was 62% and at 1 year was 59%. Although survival varied according to primary reason for ECLS (range 36–100%), after adjustment for this, the presence of a co-morbid condition was unrelated to mortality (OR = 1.49, 95% CI 0.65, 3.42, P = 0.34) Predictors of mortality were increased pre-ECLS oxygenation index (OR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.00, 1.18, P = 0.05) and shock (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.21, 5.28, P = 0.01). The relationship between mortality and end organ dysfunction (OR 2.12, 95% CI 0.89, 5.02, P = 0.09) and greater number of pre-ECLS ventilator days (OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.99, 1.22, P = 0.08) was less conclusive. Conclusions  Pre-existing co-morbid conditions may predispose children to develop severe respiratory failure but with careful case selection, do not appear to reduce the chance of survival. Severity of pulmonary dysfunction determined by OI and shock were key predictors of outcome and should remain important determinants of referral for ECLS.     

A novel immune competent murine hypertrophic scar contracture model: A tool to elucidate disease mechanism and develop new therapies

Hypertrophic scar (HSc) contraction following burn injury causes contractures. Contractures are painful and disfiguring. Current therapies are marginally effective. To study pathogenesis and develop new therapies, a murine model is needed. We have created a validated immune‐competent murine HSc model. A third‐degree burn was created on dorsum of C57BL/6 mice. Three days postburn, tissue was excised and grafted with ear skin. Graft contraction was analyzed and tissue harvested on different time points. Outcomes were compared with human condition to validate the model. To confirm graft survival, green fluorescent protein (GFP) mice were used, and histologic analysis was performed to differentiate between ear and back skin. Role of panniculus carnosus in contraction was analyzed. Cellularity was assessed with 4′,6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole. Collagen maturation was assessed with Picro‐sirius red. Mast cells were stained with Toluidine blue. Macrophages were detected with F4/80 immune. Vascularity was assessed with CD31 immune. RNA for contractile proteins was detected by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Elastic moduli of skin and scar tissue were analyzed using a microstrain analyzer. Grafts contracted to ～45% of their original size by day 14 and maintained their size. Grafting of GFP mouse skin onto wild‐type mice, and analysis of dermal thickness and hair follicle density, confirmed graft survival. Interestingly, hair follicles disappeared after grafting and regenerated in ear skin configuration by day 30. Radiological analysis revealed that panniculus carnosus doesn't contribute to contraction. Microscopic analyses showed that grafts show increase in cellularity. Granulation tissue formed after day 3. Collagen analysis revealed increases in collagen maturation over time. CD31 stain revealed increased vascularity. Macrophages and mast cells were increased. qRT‐PCR showed up‐regulation of transforming growth factor beta, alpha smooth muscle actin, and rho‐associated protein kinase 2 in HSc. Tensile testing revealed that human skin and scar tissues are tougher than mouse skin and scar tissues.