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Circulating Retinol-Binding Protein 4 Is Inversely Associated With Pancreatic {beta}-Cell Function Across the Spectrum of Glycemia

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the association of circulating retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) levels with β-cell function across the spectrum of glucose tolerance from normal to overt type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 291 subjects aged 35–60 years with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), newly diagnosed impaired fasting glucose or glucose tolerance (IFG/IGT), or type 2 diabetes were screened by a standard 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with the use of traditional measures to evaluate β-cell function. From these participants, 74 subjects were recruited for an oral minimal model test, and β-cell function was assessed with model-derived indices. Circulating RBP4 levels were measured by a commercially available ELISA kit.

RESULTS

Circulating RBP4 levels were significantly and inversely correlated with β-cell function indicated by the Stumvoll first-phase and second-phase insulin secretion indices, but not with HOMA of β-cell function, calculated from the 2-h OGTT in 291 subjects across the spectrum of glycemia. The inverse association was also observed in subjects involved in the oral minimal model test with β-cell function assessed by both direct measures and model-derived measures, after adjustment for potential confounders. Moreover, RBP4 emerged as an independent factor of the disposition index-total insulin secretion.

CONCLUSIONS

Circulating RBP4 levels are inversely and independently correlated with β-cell function across the spectrum of glycemia, providing another possible explanation of the linkage between RBP4 and the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.




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Instability of Insulin Aspart Diluted in Dextrose




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Angela's Tips for Handling Your Child's Special Education Needs

This guest post is written by Angela Peterson who writes on the topic of Online Psychology Degrees and can be emailed at angela_peterson@rediffmail.com

It’s not easy raising a child, and when he or she is affected by a severe disorder or disease, you have a greater challenge ahead of you. You have to put in extra effort, energy and thought into your child’s development and progress, one aspect of which includes their education. Some parents of children with special needs may be tempted to overprotect by keeping them in cloistered environments and limiting their interaction with the outside world. This usually only hampers the child instead of helping them. If you’re a parent with a child who has special needs, here’s some strategies:

* Understand your child: Some children may be able to express themselves while others are limited because of their disability. Whatever the case, understand your child and know that they have a mind of their own even if they are unable to speak it. Instead of forcing your will on them, get to know what they wish to do and cater to their needs as much as possible as long as it does not cause them any harm.

* Be patient: It’s a tough task, but you need to have an enormous amount of patience with your child. You need to condition yourself to be patient through practice and experience, otherwise you and your child will be subject to a great deal of stress.

* Decide on their education: There are many options for providing education to your special needs child, so look for what is available in your area. If you plan to homeschool, you will need to do some research before you’re up to the task. Many feel that it’s better to let the professionals handle this task who are trained and more experienced. Also, your child gets to mingle with other children and interact with them on a regular basis, which is very important to his or her social development.

*Think about inclusive classrooms: Parents often want their special needs children to attend regular schools. Learn about inclusive classrooms and determine if it is a good fit for your child. Consider if your child is up to the task of being educated with general education children and if he/she can cope with the curriculum in such classrooms. Although teachers in inclusive classrooms are trained to deal with children with special needs, there may be times when your child could be bullied or teased by the other kids for not being like them. Take all these facts into consideration before you decide on an inclusive classroom for your child.


Children with special needs need all the help and support they can get from parents and teachers, and it’s up to you to decide on the best form of education for them.




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New Poll: How Do You Feel About the Level Of Education The School Provides Your Child

I will be starting a monthly poll to engage the readers of this blog and start some discussion. Feel free to comment on this topic. I'm sure many of you have a lot to say. At the end of the month, I'll share and discuss results in a blog post. I'm curious to see how the readers of this blog feel about your own schools. You can find the poll in the sidebar. Thanks for participating!




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How Much of Your Child's Special Education Meeting Did You Understand?

As a School Psychologist- I attend numerous Special Education Meetings weekly. There are Child Study Meetings, where we discuss interventions and may decide to complete an evaluation. There are eligibility meetings, where we determine if a student is eligible for special education services. There are IEP meetings where we develop a plan for a student who is eligible for special education. Additionally, there are Manifestation Determination meetings, Functional Behavioral Assessments, Behavior Intervention Plans, and 504 Meetings.


I may attend around 5-10 meetings a week and I only work part time. Special education teachers, administrators, and a few others will attend these meetings as well. We are VERY used to the process and the terminology. That being said, we constantly have to remind ourselves that parents are often not used to any of it. We went to school for years to learn this, and we've been living it out in our careers. It's second nature to many of us. Parents often come in understanding very little. I try to be conscious of explaining what we are doing to the parents. However, it's a lot of information that gets thrown out very quickly.

I want to know how many of the readers feel that you understood what transpired in the meetings you attended? Did you feel rushed? Did you feel supported? Share your comments and please vote in the poll. I'll leave it open through January and then discuss the results.




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What Parents Need to Know About the Special Education Evaluation


I spend most days of my life working with various students who are at different parts in the sped referral process. I attend Child Study Meetings where we decide if we are going to evaluate a student. I observe and screen children and talk with parents and teachers to help the committee make a good decision about whether we should do a special education evaluation.   I evaluate those students (this includes Psychological testing, observations, talking with student/teacher/parent, doing rating scales, etc.). I attend eligibility meetings where we determine if the student is eligible for for special education services. All of this is second nature to me and sometimes I need to stop and remember when a parent comes in, that this is NEW.

When I talk to parents, I find that many parents do not fully understand the special education referral process, even when they nod and act like they do. We as school staff need to do a better job of helping the parents understand the process. Parents also need to speak up and ask questions when there is not understanding.

This is a guide for parents to understand the process of special education testing, the testing components, and some of the test data. It is important to note that schools systems and states will vary to some degree. If you have any questions about the process in your school system, ask your school psychologist, teacher, or principal. Parents have every right to ask questions and usually school personnel are happy to help make this process less anxiety-provoking for you. It is important for parents to understand their rights during the special education process.


Special Education Process

After data shows that interventions have been attempted and if a student is suspected of having a disability, a referral is made to evaluate him or her for special education testing. Once the parents sign the Permission for Testing Forms, timelines begin and the schools have 65 business days to complete the assessments and hold the eligibility meeting. Some states may have a different timeline.

During these 65 days, several testing components will be completed with you and your child. The evaluators will write reports and a copy will be given to parents at the eligibility meeting. However, schools are required to have a copy available for parents to pick up two days before the eligibility meeting. It is advised, that parents take advantage of this and read reports before the meeting to help get familiar with the information and to formulate questions. The reports hold a lot of information that can be overwhelming if you are not familiar with this type of testing. Read Understanding Test Scores to understand the types of tests used and what the scores mean.

Additionally, the meeting is likely to bring forth strong emotions as your child’s difficulties are discussed openly. It can be overwhelming for parents, especially when not prepared. When parents do not read the reports prior to the eligibility meeting, they are the only people at the table who come to the meeting not knowing what to expect.


What if My Child is Found ELIGIBLE for Special Education Services?

Once a child is eligible for special education services, the schools have 30 days to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the student. This will consist of accommodations, goals, and describe the services offered. Parents are part of a committee to help create this document. Once it is signed, schools are legally required to follow it. It is reviewed once a year, unless parents or teachers feel that changes are necessary. Every three years, the committee will determine if the student should be reevaluated. This is called a triennial evaluation. Sometimes another full evaluation will be conducted, other times a review of records and updated teacher information is used.


What if My Child is Found INELIGIBLE for Special Education Services?

If your child was found ineligible for special education services and you agree with the eligibility findings, then your child will not receive special education. He or she was evaluated because of a problem that still needs to be addressed within regular education. Ask for a separate meeting with your teacher or a team to determine what accommodations or strategies can be used to help.

If you believe that your child requires special education services and has a disability, but was found ineligible for services, make an appointment to meet with the special education director. If an agreement cannot be reached, you may be able to have an Independent Evaluation at the expense of the school. The results of that testing will be brought back to an eligibility meeting. A child MUST have 2 things before they can receive special education services: They must have a disability and there must be a documented educational impact that the student requires special education services to be successful.






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Check out this Awesome Special Education Infographic by USC Rossier





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"Merit-Based" Immigration: Designing Successful Selection Systems

With the U.S. administration calling for the United States to adopt a more “merit-based” immigrant selection system, this conversation focused on what policymakers should consider in designing—and managing—immigrant selection systems in a time of intense labor-market and demographic change.




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Protecting the DREAM: The Potential Impact of Different Legislative Scenarios for Unauthorized Youth

With the Trump administration having announced the end of the DACA program, Congress is facing growing calls to protect unauthorized immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. This fact sheet examines DREAM Act bills introduced in Congress as of mid-2017, offering estimates of who might earn conditional legal status—and ultimately legal permanent residence—based on educational, professional, and other requirements in the legislation.




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Differing DREAMs: Estimating the Unauthorized Populations That Could Benefit under Different Legalization Bills

2017 saw the introduction of several bills—two of them by Senate Republicans in the weeks following the Trump administration’s announcement that it would terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program—that would provide a pathway to conditional and then legal permanent residence to unauthorized immigrants brought to the United States as children, if they meet a range of educational, professional, and other criteria.




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A Profile of Current DACA Recipients by Education, Industry, and Occupation

An average of 915 DACA recipients every day will lose their work authorization and protection from deportation once the phaseout of the program moves into full force in spring 2018, MPI estimates. This fact sheet also offers U.S. and state estimates of the school enrollment and educational attainment, workforce participation, and industries and occupations of employment for the nearly 690,000 current DACA holders.




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Mainstreaming 2.0: How Europe’s Education Systems Can Boost Migrant Inclusion

Rising numbers of young immigrants and refugees entering European schools following the 2015–16 migration crisis strained system capacity and injected new urgency into debates about how to support diverse learners and their families. This report examines the challenges facing European education systems and identifies key lessons to improve migrant inclusion in schools and integration more broadly.




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International Students in the United States

The United States has long been the top choice for international students from around the world, hosting about 1.1 million foreign students in higher education institutions in 2016-17. However, U.S. enrollment has slowed in recent years due to several factors. This article offers a data snapshot of the population of international students in the United States.




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Settling In: A Profile of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population in the United States

This fact sheet and accompanying interactive data tools provide characteristics of the estimated 11.3 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States, using a unique MPI methodology that assigns legal status to U.S. Census Bureau data. The fact sheet and tools offer statistics on these immigrants’ origins, U.S. destinations, educational attainment, English proficiency, employment, income, home ownership, and more.




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Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States

Immigrant arrivals to the United States and the makeup of the foreign-born population have been changing in significant ways: Recent immigrants are more likely to be from Asia than from Mexico and the overall immigrant population is growing at a slower rate than before the 2008-09 recession. This useful article collects in one place some of the most sought-after statistics on immigrants in the United States.




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Federal judge declines to block COVID-19 abortion ban in Arkansas

A federal court on Thursday denied a motion to block an Arkansas directive preventing patients from receiving abortion care.




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Fourth person charged in shooting death of Michigan security guard

Authorities have charged a fourth person connected to the shooting death of a Flint, Mich., security guard who was killed after confronting a customer who entered a store without a state-mandated facemask.




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House probe: Trump admin failed to adequately screen travelers from South Korea, Italy for COVID-19

The Trump administration failed to conduct effective screening of passengers from South Korea and Italy for the coronavirus when those countries were experiencing rapid expansion in COVID-19 cases.




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Gujarat university, second MBBS examination, forensic medicine question papers, January 2015

Gujarat university, second MBBS examination, forensic medicine question papers, January 2015




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Resources for Medical Students and Professionals

The mission of Medip Academy Resources site is to provide teaching and learning materials to medical students (UG and PG) and medical professionals. Medip Academy Resources is a platform for sharing University Examination Papers, Medical Educational Materials, Practical Guides, MCQs, Problem solving etc. The resources available on this site are easily searchable and free to download. URL: http://www.medipacademy.com/resources Email: resources@medipacademy.com How to add a resource? Please share your useful resource by email to resources@medipacademy.com Happy Sharing! Dr. Bhaven Kataria Department of Pharmacology, GMERS Medical College, Sola Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India




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NASA lengthens SpaceX's first crewed mission to International Space Station

The duration of SpaceX's first mission with astronauts on board -- planned for launch at 4:32 p.m. EDT on May 27 from Florida -- has been extended from a few days to potentially weeks aboard the space station.




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Mars' magnetic field emerged earlier and lasted longer than previously thought

Mars' ancient magnetic field emerged earlier and persisted for longer than scientists previously thought, according to a new study.




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Astronauts anticipate first crewed launch from U.S. soil in nine years

The two astronauts who are to begin a new era of human spaceflight from U.S. soil this month said Friday they hope to inspire generations of Americans.




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Climate change is influencing where tropical cyclones are formed

Over the last 40 years, climate change has been influencing where tropical cyclones form, according to a new study.




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Wetter climate to trigger global warming feedback loop in the tropics

As the tropics get wetter, soils are likely experience greater rates of respiration and decomposition, limiting the carbon storage abilities of tropical soils and intensifying global warming.




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Unlike 'Jurassic Park,' real raptors may not have hunted in packs

While the coordinated attacks of Velociraptor dinosaurs depicted in the 1993 blockbuster made for compelling movie viewing, a study published this week claims raptors most likely hunted solo, not in packs.




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Early marine reptiles used pebble-like teeth to crush shellfish

Some early ichthyosaurs used rounded, pebble-like teeth to crush the shells of snails and clam-like bivalves, according to new research.




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Neanderthals preferred bovine bones for leather-making tools

When it came to selecting bones for leather-making tools, Neanderthals were surprisingly choosy. New archaeological analysis shows Neanderthals preferentially selected bovine rib bones to make a tool called a lissoir.




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Disabled flies sleep more as they learn to adapt

New research suggests flies that are unable to fly sleep more as they learn to adapt to their disability.




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Migration & Coronavirus: A Complicated Nexus Between Migration Management and Public Health

This webinar, organized by MPI and the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at The New School, discussed the state of play around the globe surrounding COVID-19 and examined where migration management and enforcement tools may be useful and where they may be ill-suited to advancing public health goals. 




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Crisis within a Crisis: Immigration in the United States in a Time of COVID-19

The global COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the intersection of U.S. immigration and public health policy, and the unique challenges that immigrants face. This article analyzes the Trump administration’s introduction of some of the most stringent immigration restrictions in modern times, the often disparate fallout of the outbreak on immigrant communities, the status of federal immigration agency operations, and more.




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Immigration Enforcement in the United States: The Rise of a Formidable Machinery

MPI has released a major study that describes and analyzes today’s immigration enforcement programs, as they have developed and grown in the 25 years since IRCA launched the current enforcement era.




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Immigration Enforcement in the United States: The Rise of a Formidable Machinery

Release of a major report that describes and analyzes the immigration enforcement system in the United States as it has developed and grown in the quarter century since the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 launched the current era of enforcement.




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A House Divided: Divergent Views in Congress Over Immigration Reform - A Video Chat

MPI experts participate in a video chat shortly after the Migration Policy Institute released an analysis comparing the major provisions of the Senate bill to those of the individual House bills considered to date in House committees. 




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Will Immigration Reform Ever Succeed Again? The Legacy of IRCA & Its Enduring Lessons

This provocative discussion showcases Charles Kamasaki's book, Immigration Reform: The Corpse That Will Not Die, and explores the lessons that can be learned from the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, its intended and unintended consequences, and how the law’s legacy has shaped contemporary politics surrounding immigration.




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Ask Ariely: On Doing Dishes, Curbing Consumerism, and Reducing Regret

Here’s my Q&A column from the WSJ this week — and if you have any questions for me, you can tweet them to @danariely with the hashtag #askariely, post a comment on my Ask Ariely Facebook page, or email them to AskAriely@wsj.com. ___________________________________________________ Dear Dan, When I host friends for dinner,...




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Ask Ariely: On Soiled Sinks, Busy Bathrooms, and Dainty Donations

Here’s my Q&A column from the WSJ this week — and if you have any questions for me, you can tweet them to @danariely with the hashtag #askariely, post a comment on my Ask Ariely Facebook page, or email them to AskAriely@wsj.com. ___________________________________________________ Dear Dan, People in my office drink a...




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Ask Ariely: On Team Tragedy, Airport Anxiety, and Grumpy Gift-wrapping

Here’s my Q&A column from the WSJ this week — and if you have any questions for me, you can tweet them to @danariely with the hashtag #askariely, post a comment on my Ask Ariely Facebook page, or email them to AskAriely@wsj.com. ___________________________________________________ Hi Dan, I have a hard time watching...




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Ask Ariely: On Simple Savings, Better Bonuses, and Revised Resolutions

Here’s my Q&A column from the WSJ this week — and if you have any questions for me, you can tweet them to @danariely with the hashtag #askariely, post a comment on my Ask Ariely Facebook page, or email them to AskAriely@wsj.com. ___________________________________________________ Dear Dan, My partner and I are students,...




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Hundreds honor Ahmaud Arbery after two murder suspects are arrested

Hundreds attended a rally Friday in support of Ahmaud Arbery, and officials said they will investigate the man who recorded a video of his shooting.




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Navy adapts maintenance procedures, strategies for containing COVID-19

The Navy has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic and is working to adapt its strategies for maintenance as well as containing outbreaks on ships.




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AccuWeather increases number of hurricanes predicted for 'very active' 2020 Atlantic season

Based on the newest forecasting models, AccuWeather forecasters have extended the upper range of hurricanes predicted for the Atlantic hurricane season.




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New Jersey nursing home with overwhelmed morgue fined for violations

Federal health officials fined a New Jersey nursing home where last month authorities discovered 17 bodies piled in a small morgue.




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Watch: Tinsley Mortimer, Scott Kluth planning 'small' wedding

"Real Housewives of New York" star Tinsley Mortimer gave an update on her wedding plans amid the coronavirus pandemic.




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Watch: Pete Davidson says Bill Hader recommended him for 'SNL'

Pete Davidson discussed on "The Tonight Show" how Bill Hader helped him land a spot on "Saturday Night Live."




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Michael Buble shares rescheduled dates for 'An Evening with' tour

Michael Bublé postponed his "An Evening With" tour to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.




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In photos: Celebrity moms -- with their kids -- on the red carpet

In honor of Mother's Day, May 10, 2020, here's a look at some celebrity moms who brought the kids along for a walk on the red carpet over the past few years.




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Sarah Silverman, Seth Rogen animated series coming to HBO Max

HBO Max announced Friday that it has ordered "Santa Inc.," an adult-oriented animated series featuring the voices of Sarah Silverman and Seth Rogen.




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Entertainer Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy dies of COVID-19 complications at 75

German-born entertainer Roy Uwe Ludwig Horn, one half of the stage duo Siegfried & Roy, has died of complications from the coronavirus. He was 75.




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Can Return Migration Revitalize the Baltics? Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania Engage Their Diasporas, with Mixed Results

Faced with high emigration rates and shrinking, aging populations, the Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—are exploring different ways to lure back nationals who have emigrated and establish or solidify ties with members of the diaspora. Of the three countries, Estonia is proving the most successful, while Latvia appears to be ignoring the looming demographic crisis and lacks an immigration plan.