Monitoring the Performance of Educational Programmes in Developing Countries

Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Synergistic Communication between CD4+ T Cells and Monocytes Impacts the Cytokine Environment

Physiological cytokine environments arise from factors produced by diverse cell types in coordinated concert. Understanding the contributions of each cell type in the context of cell-cell communication is important for effectively designing disease modifying interventions. Here, we present multi-plexed measurement of 48 cytokines from a coculture system of primary human CD4+ T cells and monocytes across a spectrum of stimuli and for a range of relative T cell/monocyte compositions, coupled with corresponding measurements from PBMCs and plasma from the same donors. Computational analysis of the resulting data-sets elucidated communication-independent and communication-dependent contributions, including both positive and negative synergies. We find that cytokines in cell supernatants were uncorrelated to those found in plasma. Additionally, as an example of positive synergy, production levels of CXCR3 cytokines IP-10 and MIG, depend non-linearly on both IFNγ and TNFα levels in cross-talk between T cells and monocytes. Overall, this work demonstrates that communication between cell types can significantly impact the consequent cytokine environment, emphasizing the value of mixed cell population studies.United States. National Institutes of Health (DP3 DK097681)Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies (W911NF-09-0001)David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MITNational Science Foundation (U.S.

Achieving optimal cancer outcomes in East Africa through multidisciplinary partnership: a case study of the Kenyan National Retinoblastoma Strategy group.

BACKGROUND: Strategic, interdisciplinary partnerships are essential to addressing the complex drivers of health inequities that result in survival disparities worldwide. Take for example the aggressive early childhood eye cancer retinoblastoma, where survival reaches 97 % in resource-rich countries, but is as low 30 % in some resource-limited nations, where 92 % of the burden lies. This suggests a need for a multifaceted approach to achieve a tangible and sustainable increase in survival. METHODS: We assembled the history the Kenyan National Retinoblastoma Strategy (KNRbS), using information documented in NGO reports, grant applications, news articles, meeting agendas and summaries. We evaluated the KNRbS using the principles found in the guide for transboundary research partnerships developed by the Swiss Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries. RESULTS: A nationally co-ordinated approach drawing input and expertise from multiple disciplines and sectors presented opportunities to optimise cure of children with retinoblastoma. Annual meetings were key to achieving the over 40 major outputs of the group's efforts, related to Awareness, Medical Care, Family Support and Resource Mobilization. Three features were found to be critical to the KNRbS success: multidisciplinarity, consistency and flexibility. CONCLUSION: The KNRbS has achieved a number of key outputs with limited financial investment. As a partnership, the KNRbS meets most of the criteria identified for success. Challenges remain in securing the long-term sustainability of its achievements. Elements of the Kenyan National Retinoblastoma Strategy may be useful to other developing countries struggling with limited survival of retinoblastoma and other cancers or rare diseases

Best Practices to Diversify Chemistry Faculty

Many academic institutions have looked at various ways to make their faculty a more diverse and inclusive group of people that better reflect the demographic swath of their current and future student bodies. This is even more so important in chemistry departments, where there has long been a discussion on the “leaky pipeline” for women and underrepresented groups. The work presented here examines programs and policies at various departments aimed at increasing the diversity of their faculty applicant pool, and compares them against the reception of the general scientific community by way of applicant demographics and the use of a survey instrument designed to ascertain the advertisement language that lends to a more diverse applicant pool. The combination of these results is then used to generate a list of best practices that administrations and academic search committees can use to improve their ability to attract diverse talent

Nanowell-Based Immunoassays for Measuring Single-Cell Secretion: Characterization of Transport and Surface Binding

Arrays of subnanoliter wells (nanowells) provide a useful system to isolate single cells and analyze their secreted proteins. Two general approaches have emerged: one that uses open arrays and local capture of secreted proteins, and a second (called microengraving) that relies on closed arrays to capture secreted proteins on a solid substrate, which is subsequently removed from the array. However, the design and operating parameters for efficient capture from these two approaches to analyze single-cell secretion have not been extensively considered. Using numerical simulations, we analyzed the operational envelope for both open and closed formats, as a function of the spatial distribution of capture ligands, their affinities for the protein, and the rates of single-cell secretion. Based on these analyses, we present a modified approach to capture secreted proteins in-well for highly active secreting cells. This simple method for in-well detection should facilitate rapid identification of cell lines with high specific productivities.National Institutes of Health (U.S.)/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (U.S.) (5P01AI045757)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (Koch Institute Support (Core) Grant P30-CA14051

Monthly hemostatic factor variability in women and men

Hormonal status influences hemostatic factors including fibrinogen, factor VII and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), and concentrations differ among men, premenopausal and postmenopausal women. This study examines how phases of the menstrual cycle influence variability of fibrinogen, factor VII and PAI-1

Evaluation of lifestyle interventions to treat elevated cardiometabolic risk in primary care (E-LITE): a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Efficacy research has shown that intensive individual lifestyle intervention lowers the risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and the metabolic syndrome. Translational research is needed to test real-world models of lifestyle interventions in primary care settings.</p> <p>Design</p> <p>E-LITE is a three-arm randomized controlled clinical trial aimed at testing the feasibility and potential effectiveness of two lifestyle interventions: information technology-assisted self-management, either alone or in combination with care management by a dietitian and exercise counselor, in comparison to usual care. Overweight or obese adults with pre-diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome (n = 240) recruited from a community-based primary care clinic are randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions. Treatment will last 15 months and involves a three-month intensive treatment phase followed by a 12-month maintenance phase. Follow-up assessment occurs at three, six, and 15 months. The primary outcome is change in body mass index. The target sample size will provide 80% power for detecting a net difference of half a standard deviation in body mass index at 15 months between either of the self-management or care management interventions and usual care at a two-sided α level of 0.05, assuming up to a 20% rate of loss to 15-month follow-up.</p> <p>Secondary outcomes include glycemic control, additional cardiovascular risk factors, and health-related quality of life. Potential mediators (e.g., treatment adherence, caloric intake, physical activity level) and moderators (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity, baseline mental status) of the intervention's effect on weight change also will be examined.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This study will provide objective evidence on the extent of reductions in body mass index and related cardiometabolic risk factors from two lifestyle intervention programs of varying intensity that could be implemented as part of routine health care.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>NCT00842426</p