Blogs, Reflective Practice and Autonomous Learning in Graphic Design Communication

Abstract Since their inception in 2004 Blogs have become a major contributor to the development of the social networking phenomenon. This paper reports on a small qualitative research project utilising case studies of the use of blogs by Level2 BA Graphic Design Communication students. In the project particular emphasis is given to the capacity of the Blog to assist in the development of reflective behaviour. Reflection is consistently emphasised as a desirable graduate capability, and is an expectation in programmes in the general field of Art and Design. Whilst students in Graphic Design are used to handling sophisticated hardware and software in the fulfilment of design briefs, it is less common for them to draw on the power of ICT to support metacognitive activity such as reflection. The report discusses the tool in comparison to sketchbooks and reflective journals in terms of collating and organising information and reflecting on action and questions how this implementation can further foster an autonomous approach to learning. The increasingly fragmented and often remote nature of current university education experience means there is a necessity for a re-introduction of community through a blended learning approach. To what extent can Blogs not only satisfy this need to engender community and promote peer learning but also offer new paradigms for the pedagogic practice of the teacher? The present study has particular value in that it bridges a number of aspects of level 2 student learning such as placements, student exchanges and electives. The presentation will exemplify student practices and will demonstrate the flexibility of the tool in a range of learning and teaching activities. It will seek to situate this research project in the wider application of blended learning technology and discuss issues surrounding the use of third party software applications within learning and teaching practices at this level

Film as database: a visual analysis of 2001: A Space Odyssey

This paper reports on research that explores new possibilities for experiencing film as a digital database. The way we access, interact with and experience film is changed with new digital tools and initial visual experiments towards the design of a graphical user interface respond to this change. The film 2001:A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick is the focus for the research. It is essentially a visual film with an expanded context of critical writing and archived material. Two visual outcomes that map the use of red within scenes of the film will be demonstrated in order to critique and review the film in its new context

Discovering communities of social e-learning practice

Teaching and Professional Development Fellowship Report 201

Strain localization and anisotropic correlations in a mesoscopic model of amorphous plasticity

A mesoscopic model for shear plasticity of amorphous materials in two dimensions is introduced, and studied through numerical simulations in order to elucidate the macroscopic (large scale) mechanical behavior. Plastic deformation is assumed to occur through a series of local reorganizations. Using a discretization of the mechanical fields on a discrete lattice, local reorganizations are modeled as local slip events. Local yield stresses are randomly distributed in space and invariant in time. Each plastic slip event induces a long-ranged elastic stress redistribution. Rate and thermal effects are not discussed in the present study. Extremal dynamics allows for recovering many of the complex features of amorphous plasticity observed experimentally and in numerical atomistic simulations in the quasi-static regime. In particular, a quantitative picture of localization, and of the anisotropic strain correlation both in the initial transient regime, and in the steady state are provided. In addition, the preparation of the amorphous sample is shown to have a crucial effect of on the localization behavior

Abnormal microglia and enhanced inflammation-related gene transcription in mice with conditional deletion of Ctcf in Camk2a-Cre-expressing neurons

CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is an 11 zinc finger DNA-binding domain protein that regulates gene expression by modifying 3D chromatin structure. Human mutations inCTCFcause intellectual disability and autistic features. Knocking outCtcfin mouse embryonic neurons is lethal by neonatal age, but the effects of CTCF deficiency in postnatal neurons are less well studied. We knocked outCtcfpostnatally in glutamatergic forebrain neurons under the control ofCamk2a-Cre. CtcfloxP/loxP;Camk2a-Cre+(CtcfCKO) mice of both sexes were viable and exhibited profound deficits in spatial learning/memory, impaired motor coordination, and decreased sociability by 4 months of age.CtcfCKO mice also had reduced dendritic spine density in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Microarray analysis of mRNA fromCtcfCKO mouse hippocampus identified increased transcription of inflammation-related genes linked to microglia. Separate microarray analysis of mRNA isolated specifically fromCtcfCKO mouse hippocampal neurons by ribosomal affinity purification identified upregulation of chemokine signaling genes, suggesting crosstalk between neurons and microglia inCtcfCKO hippocampus. Finally, we found that microglia inCtcfCKO mouse hippocampus had abnormal morphology by Sholl analysis and increased immunostaining for CD68, a marker of microglial activation. Our findings confirm thatCtcfKO in postnatal neurons causes a neurobehavioral phenotype in mice and provide novel evidence that CTCF depletion leads to overexpression of inflammation-related genes and microglial dysfunction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTCCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is a DNA-binding protein that organizes nuclear chromatin topology. Mutations inCTCFcause intellectual disability and autistic features in humans. CTCF deficiency in embryonic neurons is lethal in mice, but mice with postnatal CTCF depletion are less well studied. We find that mice lackingCtcfinCamk2a-expressing neurons (CtcfCKO mice) have spatial learning/memory deficits, impaired fine motor skills, subtly altered social interactions, and decreased dendritic spine density. We demonstrate thatCtcfCKO mice overexpress inflammation-related genes in the brain and have microglia with abnormal morphology that label positive for CD68, a marker of microglial activation. Our findings suggest that inflammation and dysfunctional neuron–microglia interactions are factors in the pathology of CTCF deficiency.</jats:p

Clonal kinetics and single-cell transcriptional profiling of CAR-T cells in patients undergoing CD19 CAR-T immunotherapy

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has produced remarkable anti-tumor responses in patients with B-cell malignancies. However, clonal kinetics and transcriptional programs that regulate the fate of CAR-T cells after infusion remain poorly understood. Here we perform TCRB sequencing, integration site analysis, and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to profile CD8+ CAR-T cells from infusion products (IPs) and blood of patients undergoing CD19 CAR-T immunotherapy. TCRB sequencing shows that clonal diversity of CAR-T cells is highest in the IPs and declines following infusion. We observe clones that display distinct patterns of clonal kinetics, making variable contributions to the CAR-T cell pool after infusion. Although integration site does not appear to be a key driver of clonal kinetics, scRNA-seq demonstrates that clones that expand after infusion mainly originate from infused clusters with higher expression of cytotoxicity and proliferation genes. Thus, we uncover transcriptional programs associated with CAR-T cell behavior after infusion.Published versio

Anemia and brain oxygen after severe traumatic brain injury

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between hemoglobin (Hgb) and brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO2) after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to examine its impact on outcome. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort of severe TBI patients whose PbtO2 was monitored. The relationship between Hgb—categorized into four quartiles (≤9; 9-10; 10.1-11; >11g/dl)—and PbtO2 was analyzed using mixed-effects models. Anemia with compromised PbtO2 was defined as episodes of Hgb≤9g/dl with simultaneous PbtO211g/dl as the reference level, and controlling for important physiologic covariates (CPP, PaO2, PaCO2), Hgb≤9g/dl was the only Hgb level that was associated with lower PbtO2 (coefficient −6.53 (95% CI −9.13; −3.94), p<0.001). Anemia with simultaneous PbtO2<20mmHg, but not anemia alone, increased the risk of unfavorable outcome (odds ratio 6.24 (95% CI 1.61; 24.22), p=0.008), controlling for age, GCS, Marshall CT grade, and APACHE II score. Conclusions: In this cohort of severe TBI patients whose PbtO2 was monitored, a Hgb level no greater than 9g/dl was associated with compromised PbtO2. Anemia with simultaneous compromised PbtO2, but not anemia alone, was a risk factor for unfavorable outcome, irrespective of injury severit

A cost-effectiveness analysis of online versus face-to-face delivery of evidence-based medicine to medical students

BACKGROUND: Blended learning describes a combination of teaching methods, often utilizing digital technologies. Research suggests that learner outcomes can be improved through some blended learning formats. However, the cost-effectiveness of delivering blended learning is unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of a face-to-face learning and blended learning approach for evidence-based medicine training within a medical program. METHODS: The economic evaluation was conducted as part of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing the evidence-based medicine (EBM) competency of medical students who participated in two different modes of education delivery. In the traditional face-to-face method, students received ten 2-hour classes. In the blended learning approach, students received the same total face-to-face hours but with different activities and additional online and mobile learning. Online activities utilized YouTube and a library guide indexing electronic databases, guides, and books. Mobile learning involved self-directed interactions with patients in their regular clinical placements. The attribution and differentiation of costs between the interventions within the RCT was measured in conjunction with measured outcomes of effectiveness. An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated comparing the ongoing operation costs of each method with the level of EBM proficiency achieved. Present value analysis was used to calculate the break-even point considering the transition cost and the difference in ongoing operation cost. RESULTS: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio indicated that it costs 24% less to educate a student to the same level of EBM competency via the blended learning approach used in the study, when excluding transition costs. The sunk cost of approximately AUD $40,000 to transition to the blended model exceeds any savings from using the approach within the first year of its implementation; however, a break-even point is achieved within its third iteration and relative savings in the subsequent years. The sensitivity analysis indicates that approaches with higher transition costs, or staffing requirements over that of a traditional method, are likely to result in negative value propositions. CONCLUSIONS: Under the study conditions, a blended learning approach was more cost-effective to operate and resulted in improved value for the institution after the third year iteration, when compared to the traditional face-to-face model. The wider applicability of the findings are dependent on the type of blended learning utilized, staffing expertise, and educational contex

Seismic analysis of the Niger Delta gravitational detachment system

Ductile deformation of overpressured, fine-grained, argillaceous sediments (“mobile shale”) is commonly invoked to explain the deformation style at the base of thin-skinned, gravitational detachment systems. The usage of “mobile shale” arose as a consequence of poor imaging on seismic reflection data, where low-resolution seismic intervals appeared ductile on a seismic scale (a thickening and thinning of the seismic interval). Acquisition of high-quality seismic reflection data from the Niger Delta provides an opportunity to investigate the internal structures within a basal detachment succession that is commonly referred to as the “mobile shale.” Deformation within the basal detachment succession in down-dip compressional settings is characterised by brittle deformation. Thickening of the basal detachment succession occurs through contractional duplexes and stacked imbricates that have formed within the cores of detachment folds. In up-dip extensional settings, the formation of stacked master detachment faults and detachments, which splay off the pre-existing master detachment fault, incorporates structures that formed in the hanging wall of older, structurally lower detachment faults into the basal detachment succession. Plastic deformation that involves a complete loss of shear strength within the deforming sediment probably does occur. Such processes are invoked to explain the lateral redistribution of strata leading to the formation of a “shale weld” in down-dip compressional settings. The recognition of fault-related folding within detachment fold cores and the deformation imaged beneath a major listric fault system highlights the fact that end-member structural models do not always adequately capture the structural complexity at the base of gravitational detachment systems. Despite the overpressured signature of basal detachment successions composed of argillaceous sediments, overpressure is not synonymous with a wide-spread ductile deformation style. Therefore, the term “mobile shale” – although widely used – inaccurately represents the styles and types of the deformational processes that occur within basal detachment successions composed of overpressured, argillaceous sediments