Connecting the Dots Among Science, Education, and STEM

Makerspaces, Innovation and Science Education: How, Why, and What For? is an attempt to interrogate questions about the history, philosophy, and sociology of science and schooling that have long troubled science educators. In crafting the book, the author, Michael Tan, uses the microcosm of makerspaces to move back and forth to interrogate questions about the nature of knowledge, nature of science, nature of pedagogy, and nature of schooling best suited for the times we live in. In the seven chapters that comprise the book, the author has worked out a consistent framework to answer these questions. This framework represents a strong academic opinion that is thought provoking.

Curriculum Integration and the Semicentennial of Basil Bernstein's Classification and Framing of Educational Knowledge

In 1971, Basil Bernstein presented his thesis on the packaging and distribution of educational knowledge, a curricular arrangement in which its classification and framing into disciplinary categories benefited those within the hierarchical structures. In the 50 years since Bernstein's proposition, there has been a growing awareness and rejection of such disciplinary approaches in favour of integrating curricular knowledge across disciplines, not only through areas of science, math, and technology, but also across all school subjects, whereas Bernstein, and a certain strand of literature building on Bernstein's thesis, asked why and who benefits from curriculum framing, a parallel strand in the curriculum integration literature. In the following article, we re-visit Bernstein's hypothesis by examining selected interests involved in curriculum framing, but here, we specifically investigate who stands to gain when curriculum is integrated. From an extensive and persistent literature review, analysis, and collegial discussion, we cluster support of curriculum integration into six broad categories, scrutinizing each according to their major premise, aims of education, main curriculum interest(s), understanding of knowledge, and key supporters for each. We then extend this analysis by examining what interests are most salient, where and how these interests overlap, and where support for particular forms of curricular packaging is conspicuously silent. In our synthesis, we highlight a "Worldly Perspective" to curriculum delivery, an approach with potential to both deepen and broaden student learning, and which, unlike a singular disciplinary or integrated approach, is not similarly beholden to narrow interests.

Role of water chemistry and stabilizers on the Vero-cells-based infectivity of Newcastle disease virus live vaccine

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) live vaccines are supplied in lyophilized form and usually administered through conventional routes (drinking water, spray, or eye drop) following reconstitution in a diluent. Virus inactivation due to physico-chemical properties of the diluent at the time of administration may lead to vaccine failure. The present study aimed to evaluate the survival of NDV live vaccine strain immersed in 5 pH-amended water samples (pH 5.00, pH 6.00, pH 7.00, pH 8.00, and pH 9.00) by sequential determination of virus infectivity on Vero cells for 3 hours. Minimum reduction in virus infectivity was recorded in the water with neutral or slightly alkaline pH, while the virus was relatively less stable at extreme pH conditions. Maximum reduction of infectivity was observed in the water with pH 9.00 in which the virus was completely inactivated within 3 hours. Addition of stabilizers (Cevamune^® or skimmed milk) slightly altered the pH and total dissolved solids (TDS) values of the virus-charged water samples. In the stabilizer-added water samples, minimum reduction in infectivity was observed in the water with neutral pH, followed by the ones with a pH of 8.00, 6.00, 5.00, and 9.00. In all types of water samples, T-90 values (time required for 90% reduction in virus infectivity) were highest (485 minutes) at neutral pH (pH 7.00) and lowest (102 to 134 min) at an extreme alkaline condition (pH 9.00). Results of the present study indicate that water with a pH range of 7.00 to 8.00 is suitable for administration of NDV live vaccines. However, the addition of Cevamune^® or skimmed milk may have beneficial effects on preserving the infectivity of the virus, even at extreme pH conditions.

Selection, characterisation and evaluation of potential probiotic Lactobacillus spp. isolated from poultry droppings

Aim of the present study was to characterise and evaluate probiotic potential of lactobacilli isolated from indigenous poultry. Lactobacilli were isolated from poultry droppings and identified by genus specific polymerase chain reaction and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Isolates were characterised in vitro by their ability to tolerate low pH and bile salts, phytase activity, antimicrobial activity, antibiotic susceptibility profile, and autoaggregation and coaggregation with poultry gut pathogens. In vivo evaluation of selected isolates was done by their effect on the body weight gain and immune response of broiler chicks. Total of 90, one-day old chicks, were randomly divided in 9 groups and given selected lactobacilli alone and in combinations (10⁸ cfu/bird, daily) from day 7 to day 35. Body weight gain and humoral immune response to New Castle Disease Virus (NDV) vaccine were determined weekly. Three lactobacilli isolates (SMP52, SMP64 and SMP70) were selected as potentially probiotic bacteria on the basis of in vitro characterisation and identified as Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus casei and L. crispatus, respectively. Chicks supplemented with 'SMP52', 'SMP64', 'SMP70' and 'SMP64+SMP70' and a commercial probiotic product (Protexin) showed significantly higher mean weight gain per bird (1,584±35.2, 1,629±30.6, 1,668±34.7, 1,619±29.5 and 1,576±31.7 g/bird, respectively) as compared to negative control group (1,394±26.7 g/bird), on day 35. SMP 70 also showed significantly higher geometric mean titre against NDV vaccine at day 21 as compared to negative control. It is concluded that L. crispatus SMP52, L. casei SMP64 and L. crispatus SMP70 are potential probiotic candidates which alone or in different combinations may increase body weight of broilers.

The cost-effectiveness of solifenacin vs. trospium in the treatment of patients with overactive bladder in the German National Health Service

OBJECTIVE

To carry out a cost-utility analysis comparing initial treatment of patients with overactive bladder (OAB) with solifenacin 5 mg/day versus either trospium 20 mg twice a day or trospium 60 mg/day from the perspective of the German National Health Service.

METHODS

A decision analytic model with a 3 month cycle was developed to follow a cohort of OAB patients treated with either solifenacin or trospium during a 1 year period. Costs and utilities were accumulated as patients transitioned through the four cycles in the model. Some of the solifenacin patients were titrated from 5 mg to 10 mg/day at 3 months. Utility values were obtained from the published literature and pad use was based on a US resource utilization study. Adherence rates for individual treatments were derived from a United Kingdom general practitioner database review. The change in the mean number of urgency urinary incontinence episodes/day from after 12 weeks was the main outcome measure. Baseline effectiveness values for solifenacin and trospium were calculated using the Poisson distribution. Patients who failed second-line therapy were referred to a specialist visit. Results were expressed in terms of incremental cost-utility ratios.

RESULTS

Total annual costs for solifenacin, trospium 20 mg and trospium 60 mg were €970.01, €860.05 and €875.05 respectively. Drug use represented 43%, 28% and 29% of total costs and pad use varied between 45% and 57%. Differences between cumulative utilities were small but favored solifenacin (0.6857 vs. 0.6802 to 0.6800). The baseline incremental cost-effectiveness ratio ranged from €16,657 to €19,893 per QALY.

LIMITATIONS

The difference in cumulative utility favoring solifenacin was small (0.0055-0.0057 QALYs). A small absolute change in the cumulative utilities can have a marked impact on the overall incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and care should be taken when interpreting the results.

CONCLUSION

Solifenacin would appear to be cost-effective with an ICER of no more than €20,000/QALY. However, small differences in utility between the alternatives means that the results are sensitive to adjustments in the values of the assigned utilities, effectiveness and discontinuation rates.

An incidence model of the cost of advanced prostate cancer in Spain

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cancer diagnosed among men. In Spain the incidence of PCa was 70.75 cases per 100,000 males. Advanced PCa has spread outside of the prostate capsule and may involve other parts of the body. The aim of this study was to estimate the lifetime costs of a cohort of advanced PCa patients diagnosed in Spain in 2012.

METHODS

A partitioned economic model was developed in EXCEL incorporating Spanish incidence, mortality, and cost data supplemented with data from the international literature. Progression from Stage III to Stage IV was permitted. Costs were discounted at the standard rate of 3%. Lifetime costs were presented on an individual basis and for the entire cohort of newly diagnosed Stage III and Stage IV PCa patients.

RESULTS

Lifetime costs for advanced PCa were ∼€19,961 per patient (mean survival of 8.4 years). Using the projected incident cases for 2012 (3047), the total cost for the incident cohort of patients in 2012 would amount to €61 million. These results were more sensitive to changes in the ongoing costs (post-initial 12 months) of Stage III PCa, the rate of progression from Stage III to Stage IV, and the discount rate applied to costs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides an estimate of the lifetime costs of advanced PCa in Spain and a framework for further research. The study is limited by the availability of long-term Spanish data and the need to make inferences from international studies. However, until long-term prospective or observational data do become available in Spain, based on the assumptions, the current results indicate that the burden of advanced PCa in Spain is substantial. Any treatments that could potentially reduce the economic burden of the disease should be of interest to healthcare decision makers.

Understanding the effects on HR-QoL of treatment for overactive bladder: a detailed analysis of EQ-5D clinical trial data for mirabegron

BACKGROUND

Analysis of EQ-5D data often focuses on changes in utility, ignoring valuable information from other parts of the instrument. The objective was to explore how the utility index, EQ-5D profile, and EQ-VAS captured change in clinical trials of mirabegron, a new treatment for overactive bladder (OAB).

DATA

Data were pooled from three phase III clinical trials that investigated the efficacy and safety of mirabegron vs placebo. Tolterodine ER 4 mg was included as an active control in one study: (1) placebo, mirabegron 50 mg and 100 mg, and tolterodine 4 mg ER; (2) placebo, mirabegron 50 mg and 100 mg; (3) placebo, and mirabegron 25 mg and 50 mg. Data were collected at baseline, week 4, 8, and 12.

METHODS

Analyses were performed on full analysis and modified intention to treat (ITT) data sets using UK utilities. Analysis controlled for relevant patient characteristics. Analysis of Covariance identified changes from baseline at each time point in utilities and EQ-VAS. Areas Under the Curve were estimated to summarize inter-temporal differences in effect. EQ-5D profile data were analysed using the Paretian Classification of Health Change.

RESULTS

In modified ITT analyses, mirabegron 50 mg was superior to tolterodine 4 mg in changes from baseline utilities after 12 weeks (p < 0.05); similarly, AUC results showed mirabegron 50 mg to be superior to tolterodine (p < 0.05) and placebo (p < 0.05) with the benefit already apparent at 4 weeks (p < 0.05). EQ-VAS more consistently indicated superior outcomes: all three mirabegron doses showed statistically significant greater effectiveness compared to tolterodine at 12 weeks. Individual EQ-5D dimensions and the overall profile showed no significant differences between study arms.

CONCLUSION

Mirabegron showed quicker and superior improvement in HR-QoL compared to tolterodine 4 mg ER. A limitation of the study is that EQ-5D was a secondary outcome in the pivotal trials, which were not powered to measure differences on EQ-5D.

Environmental persistence of amphibian and reptilian ranaviruses

Ranaviruses infect fish, amphibians, and reptiles. The present study was conducted to compare the persistence of amphibian and reptilian ranaviruses in a pond habitat. The 4 viruses used in this study included 2 amphibian ranaviruses, Frog virus 3 (FV3, the type species of the genus Ranavirus) and an isolate from a frog, and 2 ranaviruses of reptilian origin (from a tortoise and from a gecko). A sandwich germ-carrier technique was used to study the persistence of these viruses in sterile and unsterile pond water (PW) and soil obtained from the bank of a pond. For each virus, virus-loaded carriers were placed in each of the 3 substrates, incubated at 4 and 20°C, and titrated at regular intervals. Serial data were analyzed using a linear regression model to calculate T-90 values (time required for 90% reduction in the virus titer). Resistance of the viruses to drying was also studied. All 4 viruses were resistant to drying. At 20°C, T-90 values of the viruses were 22 to 31 d in sterile PW and 22 to 34 d in unsterile PW. Inactivation of all 4 viruses in soil at this temperature appeared to be non-linear. T-90 values at 4°C were 102 to 182 d in sterile PW, 58 to 72 d in unsterile PW, and 30 to 48 d in soil. Viral persistence was highest in the sterile PW, followed by the unsterile PW, and was lowest in soil. There were no significant differences in the survival times between the amphibian and reptilian viruses. The results of the present study suggest that ranaviruses can survive for long periods of time in pond habitats at low temperatures.