Is the Loop Really Closed?: The Assessment and Reassessment of Communications 101 Learning Outcomes

Conclusion: The students received good grades from Phase I library instruction, however did they really learn what we targeted? We could not really say for sure. This case study reveals that an appropriate method and instruments are imperative for retrieving valid data. This case also displays the importance of collaboration and teamwork. Communication was always open between all members of the team as well as with the library instruction department. We were able to forge a great relationship with the Communication Studies Director– the libraries’ liaison and the Communication Studies Director authored a textbook chapter together about the library for all COM 101 classes. Last but not least, collaboration in an open communicative environment took the fear out of assessment: everyone understood we were assessing the PROCESS not the person, for the success of our students; the focus was learning outcomes and supporting our students for academic success and lifelong learning

Why would they try? Motivation and motivating in low-stakes information skills testing

In 2008 the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) University Libraries piloted the Educational Testing Service’s standardised test of information, communication, and technology (ICT) skills (iSkills) in spring and autumn 2008. In the course of administering the test we explored motivational strategies, a critical component in low-stakes, low-personal-consequences testing. Motivational strategies included providing feedback on test performance, highlighting the value of the test for the individual student, and appealing to the student’s willingness to improve the overall performance of the institution. We addressed ways to motivate students in order to enhance their level of participation in and performance on the test. As the use of standardised testing to benchmark student information skills is increasing within the information literacy community, it is vital to address these motivational aspects to ensure the generation of reliable data. This article describes the strategies and language the University Libraries used to convey value and stimulate interest; it also provides feedback from test-takers on why they tried to do their best on the test

Tracheal cryopreservation: caspase-3 immunoreactivity in tracheal epithelium and in mixed glands

Cryopreservation has an immunomodulating effect on tracheal tissue as a result of class II antigen depletion due to epithelium exfoliation. However, not all epithelium is detached. We evaluated the role of apoptosis in the remaining epithelium of 30 cryopreserved tracheal grafts. Caspase-3 immunoreactivity of tracheal epithelium was studied in canine tracheal segments cryopreserved with F12K medium, with or without subsequent storage in liquid nitrogen at -196°C for 15 days. Loss of structural integrity of tracheal mixed glands was observed in all cryopreserved tracheal segments. Caspase-3 immunoreactivity in tracheal mucosa and in mixed glands was significantly decreased, in contrast to the control group and to cryopreserved tracheal segments in which it remained high, due to the effect of storage in liquid nitrogen (P < 0.05, ANOVA and Tukey test). We conclude that apoptosis can be triggered in epithelial cells during tracheal graft harvesting even prior to cryopreservation, and although the epithelial caspase-3 immunoreactivity is reduced in tracheal cryopreservation, this could be explained by increased cell death. Apoptosis cannot be stopped during tracheal cryopreservation

Microscopic Evaluation of Necrotic Cell Death in the Cartilage Destined for Experimental Tracheal Allografts: Lyophilization vs Cryopreservation

Tracheal replacement remains an important unmet need for patients with extensive lesions. Tracheal allografts treated by cryopreservation and lyophilization have been used as experimental methods for replacing long segments of the trachea. We compare the effect of lyophilization and cryopreservation on the canine tracheal cartilage by microscopic evaluation of necrotic cell death. Canine tracheal segments were rinsed and randomly divided into a control group (G1) and two biopreservation groups: lyophilization (G2) [−70–55°C/10 mmBar] and cryopreservation (G3) [RPMI-1640 + 10%DMSO + 10%SBF, −70°C/−196°C]. After tracheal segments were rehydrated (G2) or thawed (G3), the central ring was obtained from each tracheal segment and processed for histological evaluation with hematoxylin and eosin and for caspase-3 expression by immunohistochemistry. Compared with the control group, chondrocytes without apparent abnormalities, nucleus with karyorrhexis, and caspase-3 expression decreased significantly with the effect of lyophilization and cryopreservation (p < 0.001, ANOVA + Tukey, chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis), while a significant decrease in pyknotic nuclei was observed only with the effect of the lyophilization as well as an increase in the nucleus with karyolysis and empty lacunae (p < 0.001, ANOVA + Tukey). The mean percentages of normal chondrocytes and empty lacunae were significantly affected by lyophilization compared with cryopreservation (p < 0.01, ANOVA + Tukey). Our results strongly suggest that lyophilization has a deleterious impact on the tracheal cartilage

Study of the Functional Brain Connectivity and Lower-Limb Motor Imagery Performance After Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

The use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been related to the improvement of motor and learning tasks. The current research studies the effects of an asymmetric tDCS setup over brain connectivity, when the subject is performing a motor imagery (MI) task during five consecutive days. A brain–computer interface (BCI) based on electroencephalography is simulated in offline analysis to study the effect that tDCS has over different electrode configurations for the BCI. This way, the BCI performance is used as a validation index of the effect of the tDCS setup by the analysis of the classifier accuracy of the experimental sessions. In addition, the relationship between the brain connectivity and the BCI accuracy performance is analyzed. Results indicate that tDCS group, in comparison to the placebo sham group, shows a higher significant number of connectivity interactions in the motor electrodes during MI tasks and an increasing BCI accuracy over the days. However, the asymmetric tDCS setup does not improve the BCI performance of the electrodes in the intended hemisphereThis research has been carried out in the framework of the project Walk — Controlling lower-limb exoskeletons by means of BMIs to assist people with walking disabilities (RTI2018-096677-B-I00Funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, the Spanish State Agency of Research and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund;by the Consellería de Innovación, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital (Generalitat Valenciana) and the European Social Fund in the framework of the project ‘Desarrollo de nuevas interfaces cerebro-m´aquina para la rehabilitaci`on de miembro inferior’ (GV/2019/009).Also, the Mexican Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT) provided J. A. Gaxiola-Tirado his scholarshi

Post-traumatic stress disorder associated with natural and human-made disasters in the World Mental Health Surveys

Background: Research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following natural and human-made disasters has been undertaken for more than three decades. Although PTSD prevalence estimates vary widely, most are in the 20–40% range in disaster-focused studies but considerably lower (3–5%) in the few general population epidemiological surveys that evaluated disaster-related PTSD as part of a broader clinical assessment. The World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys provide an opportunity to examine disaster-related PTSD in representative general population surveys across a much wider range of sites than in previous studies. Method: Although disaster-related PTSD was evaluated in 18 WMH surveys, only six in high-income countries had enough respondents for a risk factor analysis. Predictors considered were socio-demographics, disaster characteristics, and pre-disaster vulnerability factors (childhood family adversities, prior traumatic experiences, and prior mental disorders). Results: Disaster-related PTSD prevalence was 0.0–3.8% among adult (ages 18+) WMH respondents and was significantly related to high education, serious injury or death of someone close, forced displacement from home, and pre-existing vulnerabilities (prior childhood family adversities, other traumas, and mental disorders). Of PTSD cases 44.5% were among the 5% of respondents classified by the model as having highest PTSD risk. Conclusion: Disaster-related PTSD is uncommon in high-income WMH countries. Risk factors are consistent with prior research: severity of exposure, history of prior stress exposure, and pre-existing mental disorders. The high concentration of PTSD among respondents with high predicted risk in our model supports the focus of screening assessments that identify disaster survivors most in need of preventive interventions