Education for all- Inclusive education

Education for all is the slogan of UNESCO. During the last decades a worldwide movement towards inclusive education is taken place. The idea is to make the school accessible to all children, whatever their differences or background. Not only accessible but also to give every child, together with its peers, a good education. Inclusive education also means that children with special needs and/or disability are integrated into regular education settings. Article 24 of the 2006 United Nations Convention on the rights of people with disability states that children with a disability have the right to be educated in regular school settings together with non-disabled peers, and that governments should take measures to grant them that right. A number of countries have adapted their laws to make education more inclusive. But practice is lagging behind policies: teachers hardly know how to deal with the diversity of student´s needs and performance levels and there are many organizational gaps

The use of the international classification of functioning, disability and health in primary care: Findings of exploratory implementation throughout life

__Purpose:__ The International Classification of Functioning (ICF) has found widespread acceptance since it was launched in 2001. Yet, little is known about its use in Primary Care. This paper aims to contribute to the dialogue about the practical use of the ICF by exploring how this framework constitutes a supplementary source to inform disability-related decision making in integrated Primary Care. __Method:__ The implementation process of the ICF in a Latin American Primary Care and Community-Based Rehabilitation setting is described and the ICF diagram is applied to a life story as an example of its current use. Participant observation, in-depth study of reports of team meetings and the review of clinical files are the main data collection methods. Data analysis is enabled by the combination of single-case study with theory testing, which facilitates the generation of hypotheses in this exploratory study. __Results:__ A valuable time component of the ICF may support continuity in Primary Care and the universal application of the ICF framework can promote comprehensiveness by integrating individual rehabilitation and collective disability prevention. A way to mitigate the perceived dominance of biomedical disease and deficiency thinking is proposed in order to encourage the biopsychosocial focus of Primary Care. Finally, the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) in the health condition domain of the ICF highlights the importance of social responsibility towards disability. __Conclusion:__ This study suggests that a creative implementation of the ICF during life course to everyone who uses universally accessible healthcare may strengthen the integrative functions of Primary Care, and may be at the heart of the information system of this essential part of the healthcare system. Further research on the complementary use of ICF and ICD-10 is suggested in order to support community-based multisectoral intervention which may be coordinated by Primary Care

A network-based approach to identify substrate classes of bacterial glycosyltransferases

Background: Bacterial interactions with the environment-and/or host largely depend on the bacterial glycome. The specificities of a bacterial glycome are largely determined by glycosyltransferases (GTs), the enzymes involved in transferring sugar moieties from an activated donor to a specific substrate. Of these GTs their coding regions, but mainly also their substrate specificity are still largely unannotated as most sequence-based annotation flows suffer from the lack of characterized sequence motifs that can aid in the prediction of the substrate specificity. Results: In this work, we developed an analysis flow that uses sequence-based strategies to predict novel GTs, but also exploits a network-based approach to infer the putative substrate classes of these predicted GTs. Our analysis flow was benchmarked with the well-documented GT-repertoire of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 and applied to the probiotic model Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG to expand our insights in the glycosylation potential of this bacterium. In L. rhamnosus GG we could predict 48 GTs of which eight were not previously reported. For at least 20 of these GTs a substrate relation was inferred. Conclusions: We confirmed through experimental validation our prediction of WelI acting upstream of WelE in the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides. We further hypothesize to have identified in L. rhamnosus GG the yet undiscovered genes involved in the biosynthesis of glucose-rich glycans and novel GTs involved in the glycosylation of proteins. Interestingly, we also predict GTs with well-known functions in peptidoglycan synthesis to also play a role in protein glycosylation

Enabling+ Quality Assurance Plan

This document, the Quality Assurance Plan (QAP), is the instrument that the project’ team develop to ensure that quality is managed effectively during the project, and that the final products are of proven quality and the objectives of the project are achieved (and how). As written in the main document of the project, “the quality assurance plan describes criteria for evaluation, follow-up, activities to be organised (focus groups, questionnaires, etc)”. This QAP is committed to the informed (scientifically, technically) approach underlying the project and an internal assessment attitude that will guide the implementation of the project’s work packages and inform the final report. In addition, it closely considers the external evaluation to happen at the end of the project. The theoretical background of this plan is based in the proposal that internal and external evaluation (EI/E) are ‘different sides of the same coin’, they form part of the same quality assurance plan, and they are interactive and mutual interconnected. With the assessment we intend to reflect on the day-to-day practice, and to be able to do the internal evaluation (self-assessment report and self-assessment of the activities and products), and this will be done in connection with external evaluation process. Next, we briefly expose (1) some conceptual inspirations to the QAP; (2) quality assurance strategies already considered in the project; and (3) an internal evaluation proposal.Enablin+ project. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission, Life Long Learning Programme. (1/1/2014-30/6/2017). Contract n° 541981-LLP-1-2013-1-BE-LEONARDO-LMP . This document reflects the views of the authors only, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein

Food supplements to mitigate detrimental effects of pelvic radiotherapy

Pelvic radiotherapy has been frequently reported to cause acute and late onset gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although the underlying mechanisms of pelvic radiation-induced GI toxicity are poorly understood, they are known to involve a complex interplay between all cell types comprising the intestinal wall. Furthermore, increasing evidence states that the human gut microbiome plays a role in the development of radiation-induced health damaging effects. Gut microbial dysbiosis leads to diarrhea and fatigue in half of the patients. As a result, reinforcement of the microbiome has become a hot topic in various medical disciplines. To counteract GI radiotoxicities, apart from traditional pharmacological compounds, adjuvant therapies are being developed including food supplements like vitamins, prebiotics, and probiotics. Despite the easy, cheap, safe, and feasible approach to protect patients against acute radiation-induced toxicity, clinical trials have yielded contradictory results. In this review, a detailed overview is given of the various clinical, intestinal manifestations after pelvic irradiation as well as the role of the gut microbiome herein. Furthermore, whilst discussing possible strategies to prevent these symptoms, food supplements are presented as auspicious, prophylactic, and therapeutic options to mitigate acute pelvic radiation-induced GI injury by exploring their molecular mechanisms of action

Lactobacillus reuteri inhibition of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli adherence to human intestinal epithelium

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a major cause of diarrheal infant death in developing countries, and probiotic bacteria have been shown to provide health benefits in gastrointestinal infections. In this study, we have investigated the influence of the gut symbiont Lactobacillus reuteri on EPEC adherence to the human intestinal epithelium. Different host cell model systems including non-mucus-producing HT-29 and mucus-producing LS174T intestinal epithelial cell lines as well as human small intestinal biopsies were used. Adherence of L. reuteri to HT-29 cells was strain-specific, and the mucus-binding proteins CmbA and MUB increased binding to both HT-29 and LS174T cells. L. reuteri ATCC PTA 6475 and ATCC 53608 significantly inhibited EPEC binding to HT-29 but not LS174T cells. While pre-incubation of LS174T cells with ATCC PTA 6475 did not affect EPEC attaching/effacing (A/E) lesion formation, it increased the size of EPEC microcolonies. ATCC PTA 6475 and ATCC 53608 binding to the mucus layer resulted in decreased EPEC adherence to small intestinal biopsy epithelium. Our findings show that L. reuteri reduction of EPEC adhesion is strain-specific and has the potential to target either the epithelium or the mucus layer, providing further rationale for the selection of probiotic strains

High mannose-specific lectin Msl mediates key interactions of the vaginal Lactobacillus plantarum isolate CMPG5300

To characterize the interaction potential of the human vaginal isolate Lactobacillus plantarum CMPG5300, its genome was mined for genes encoding lectin-like proteins. cmpg5300.05_29 was identified as the gene encoding a putative mannose-binding lectin. Phenotypic analysis of a gene knock-out mutant of cmpg5300.05_29 showed that expression of this gene is important for auto-aggregation, adhesion to the vaginal epithelial cells, biofilm formation and binding to mannosylated glycans. Purification of the predicted lectin domain of Cmpg5300.05_29 and characterization of its sugar binding capacity confirmed the specificity of the lectin for high-mannose glycans. Therefore, we renamed Cmpg5300.05_29 as a mannose-specific lectin (Msl). The purified lectin domain of Msl could efficiently bind to HIV-1 glycoprotein gp120 and Candida albicans, and showed an inhibitory activity against biofilm formation of uropathogenic Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium. Thus, using a combination of molecular lectin characterization and functional assays, we could show that lectin-sugar interactions play a key role in host and pathogen interactions of a prototype isolate of the vaginal Lactobacillus microbiota

The need for a more dynamic and ecological assessment of children experiencing barriers to learning to move towards inclusive education: a summary of results of the Daffodil project.

Although governments have recognized the need to make education more accessible to children with developmental disabilities and/or learning difficulties, many children remain excluded from participation in regular school settings, let alone receive adequate education. Though every country which ratified the United Nations (UN) 2006 Convention on the Rights of People with Disability has committed itself to inclusive education, there are many obstacles. One of them is the currently preferred way of assessing children with standardized, psychometric diagnostic tests, with a comparative and classifying purpose. This type of assessment, based on a medical impairment model and a static model of intelligence, results in reports which are sometimes not very useful for educational advice. This paper reports an overview of the results of the DAFFODIL project (Dynamic Assessment of Functioning and Oriented at Development and Inclusive Learning), created by a consortium of eight European partners in order to research more inclusive alternatives and suggest reforms to assessment and coaching procedures. It starts with a critical review of current assessment practices; then it presents criteria for good practices for assessing children with additional educational needs in a more dynamic, inclusion-oriented and contextual way. A Delphi procedure was used by 150 professionals and parents to develop a consensus for guidelines for assessment procedures oriented at mapping functional difficulties, context, interaction and possibilities for learning, with the objective to understanding learning processes, to develop more inclusive, challenging and suitable educational programmes and more useful recommendations for teachers, parents and rehabilitation staff

Perché Feuerstein nel 21 secolo è ancora importante: per migliorare le abilità di pensiero e l’educazione inclusiva – Riflessioni in occasione del centenario dalla nascita

Although Feuerstein’s theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability and Mediated Learning Experience and its applied systems Learning Propensity Assessment and Instrumental Enrichment are already 70 years old, and do not have modern 21st century looks, Feuerstein’s approach remains highly relevant for the needs of teachers and learners in our times: inclusive education, the need to attend to a diversity of pupils at school, increasing numbers of children with learning or behaviour difficulties, ADHD or otherwise, the increasing digitalisation of society, the loss of social cohesion. These are hard challenges for teachers. This article starts making a critical cultural-historical reflection on the so-called “21st century cognitive challenges” and of characteristics of the Feuerstein programme. Then three case studies are presented were LPAD followed by a cognitive-mediational intervention made a turning point in their educational trajectory: a child and an adolescent with Down syndrome, and a recent African immigrant. The case studies underpin a further reflection why the Feuerstein approach offers a suitable answer to the discussed challenges.Benché le teorie di Feuerstein (la Modificabilità Cognitiva Strutturale e l’Esperienza di Apprendimento Mediato) e i relativi sistemi applicativi (la valutazione della propensione all’apprendimento LPAD e il Programma di Arricchimento Strumentale) abbiano già 70 anni, e non abbiano un’apparenza “moderna” in linea coi dettami del XXI secolo, essi sono ancora importanti per indirizzare i bisogni di insegnanti e studenti. Da un lato essi rispondono alle necessità di un’educazione inclusiva, sapendo accompagnare gli studenti nella loro diversità, in contesti educativi che vedono numeri crescenti di discenti con difficoltà di apprendimento o comportamentali, a volte affetti da iperattività o altre patologie. Dall’altro lato essi rispondono ai bisogni delle nostre società sempre più digitalizzate, e alla mancanza di coesione sociale. Il contributo intende indirizzare queste sfide appena evidenziate; si inizia con una riflessione critica e storico-culturale sulle “sfide cognitive del 21 secolo” e sul metodo Feuerstein. Successivamente si illustrano tre casi di studio dove la valutazione LPAD e il successivo intervento di mediazione cognitiva hanno rappresentato un punto di svolta nella traiettoria educativa dei discenti (un bambino e un adolescente con sindrome di Down, e un adolescente immigrato recentemente dall’Africa). Questi tre casi di studio offrono una base ulteriore per una riflessione su come il Feuerstein si proponga come risposta alle sfide mostrate sopra

Assessment van Kinderen en jongeren: noodzaak om de blik te verruimen

Het onderwijs wordt geconfrnteerd met het dilemma om deprstaties en rendement van leerlingen te verhogen en anderzids ook iets te doen voor een groelend aantal uitvallers of onderpresteerders. Het Daffodil.project is een Europees Comenius- project is een Europees Comenius_multilateral samenwerkingsproject met partners uit 7 landen (Belgie, Hongarije, Zweden,Portugal, Noorwegen, Roemenie en de Britse Maagdeneilanden)met als doel een model te ontwikkelen dat bruikbaar is om het functioneren van kinderen met een probleem beter in kaart te brege