What academics value: a comparative analysis of research into continuing professional development in four English universities

This conference presentation explored findings from four research projects, undertaken in different institutions. The projects highlighted the influence of the changing character of academic identities and the complexity of CPD in higher education (HE). Within this, the paper considered how institutions can respond to this knowledge, with particular regard to contemporary influences such as the UK Professional Standards Framework (HEA 2006). Comparing four different evaluative approaches, the paper demonstrated how multi-faceted research approaches can bring different dimensions to a research area. Thus, for example, in one institution interviews, focus groups, and a survey to examine the attitudes, engagement and perceived priorities in relation to CPD were administered. A second institution developed case study methodology with action research, collating data at different levels. Another institution has undertaken evaluative analysis of existing provision, with the fourth institution carrying out qualitative, narrative research engaging academics across faculties and disciplinary areas. Following exploration of these distinctive methodological approaches, the paper compared the respective findings, which provided evidence of contrasting perspectives and values related to CPD. Each of the studies emphasised that very different cultures and practices exist across the spectrum of subject, discipline and institutional cultures within HE. The concept of ‘trust’ emerges as a significant underpinning value-set that drives engagement in professional development. Furthermore, whilst academics value CPD, there are different approaches to what CPD actually means. Given the complexities of context and meaning, the relationship between valuing professional development and perceived engagement in activities (Rothwell and Arnold, 2005) is also considered. This affects strategic approaches, including implementation of the Professional Standards Framework (HEA 2006) and the value placed on it by both individual and institution. A ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is inappropriate if we are to respond to what academics value across the diversity of HE; flexibility to apply to subjects and individuals at local levels, is needed. Finally, the paper concluded that professional development in HE should rightly be subjected to analysis and debate across academic cultures and institutional contexts

Rheumatoid arthritis - clinical aspects: 134. Predictors of Joint Damage in South Africans with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes progressive joint damage and functional disability. Studies on factors affecting joint damage as clinical outcome are lacking in Africa. The aim of the present study was to identify predictors of joint damage in adult South Africans with established RA. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 100 black patients with RA of >5 years were assessed for joint damage using a validated clinical method, the RA articular damage (RAAD) score. Potential predictors of joint damage that were documented included socio-demographics, smoking, body mass index (BMI), disease duration, delay in disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) initiation, global disease activity as measured by the disease activity score (DAS28), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), and autoantibody status. The predictive value of variables was assessed by univariate and stepwise multivariate regression analyses. A p value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean (SD) age was 56 (9.8) years, disease duration 17.5 (8.5) years, educational level 7.5 (3.5) years and DMARD lag was 9 (8.8) years. Female to male ratio was 10:1. The mean (SD) DAS28 was 4.9 (1.5) and total RAAD score was 28.3 (12.8). The mean (SD) BMI was 27.2 kg/m2 (6.2) and 93% of patients were rheumatoid factor (RF) positive. More than 90% of patients received between 2 to 3 DMARDs. Significant univariate predictors of a poor RAAD score were increasing age (p = 0.001), lower education level (p = 0.019), longer disease duration (p < 0.001), longer DMARD lag (p = 0.014), lower BMI (p = 0.025), high RF titre (p < 0.001) and high ESR (p = 0.008). The multivariate regression analysis showed that the only independent significant predictors of a higher mean RAAD score were older age at disease onset (p = 0.04), disease duration (p < 0.001) and RF titre (p < 0.001). There was also a negative association between BMI and the mean total RAAD score (p = 0.049). Conclusions: Patients with longstanding established RA have more severe irreversible joint damage as measured by the clinical RAAD score, contrary to other studies in Africa. This is largely reflected by a delay in the initiation of early effective treatment. Independent of disease duration, older age at disease onset and a higher RF titre are strongly associated with more joint damage. The inverse association between BMI and articular damage in RA has been observed in several studies using radiographic damage scores. The mechanisms underlying this paradoxical association are still widely unknown but adipokines have recently been suggested to play a role. Disclosure statement: C.I. has received a research grant from the Connective Tissue Diseases Research Fund, University of the Witwatersrand. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interes

Oral literature in South Africa: 20 years on

I offer a retrospective on the field of orality and performance studies in South Africa from the perspective of 2016, assessing what has been achieved, what may have happened inadvertently or worryingly, what some of the significant implications have been, what remain challenges, and how we may think of, or rethink, orality and performance studies in a present and future that are changing at almost inconceivable pace.DHE

Retrospective evaluation of whole exome and genome mutation calls in 746 cancer samples

Funder: NCI U24CA211006Abstract: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) curated consensus somatic mutation calls using whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), respectively. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium, which aggregated whole genome sequencing data from 2,658 cancers across 38 tumour types, we compare WES and WGS side-by-side from 746 TCGA samples, finding that ~80% of mutations overlap in covered exonic regions. We estimate that low variant allele fraction (VAF < 15%) and clonal heterogeneity contribute up to 68% of private WGS mutations and 71% of private WES mutations. We observe that ~30% of private WGS mutations trace to mutations identified by a single variant caller in WES consensus efforts. WGS captures both ~50% more variation in exonic regions and un-observed mutations in loci with variable GC-content. Together, our analysis highlights technological divergences between two reproducible somatic variant detection efforts

Passionate Collaborations: Learning to Live with Gertrude Stein

Writing in the form of a dialogue, Cope discusses Hemingway’s emotionally complicated relationship with Stein. Draws on Hemingway’s letters and A Moveable Feast in her examination of the author’s initial attraction to Stein, which eventually grew into disdain. Touches on their professional relationship as well as their views on sexuality. Speculates at length on the causes behind the collapse of their friendship

COVID-19 in Pregnancy and Early Childhood (COPE) : study protocol for a prospective, multicentre biobank, survey and database cohort study

Introduction There is limited knowledge on how the SARS-CoV-2 affects pregnancy outcomes. Studies investigating the impact of COVID-19 in early pregnancy are scarce and information on long-term follow-up is lacking. The purpose of this project is to study the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy outcomes and long-term maternal and child health by: (1) establishing a database and biobank from pregnant women with COVID-19 and presumably non-infected women and their infants and (2) examining how women and their partners experience pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood in the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods and analysis This is a national, multicentre, prospective cohort study involving 27 Swedish maternity units accounting for over 86 000 deliveries/year. Pregnant women are included when they: (1) test positive for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 group) or (2) are non-infected and seek healthcare at one of their routine antenatal visits (screening group). Blood, as well as other biological samples, are collected at different time points during and after pregnancy. Child health up to 4 years of age and parent experience of pregnancy, delivery, early parenthood, healthcare and society in general will be examined using web-based questionnaires based on validated instruments. Short- and long-term health outcomes will be collected from Swedish health registers and the parents' experiences will be studied by performing qualitative interviews. Ethics and dissemination Confidentiality aspects such as data encryption and storage comply with the General Data Protection Regulation and with ethical committee requirements. This study has been granted national ethical approval by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (dnr 2020-02189 and amendments 2020-02848, 2020-05016, 2020-06696 and 2021-00870) and national biobank approval by the Biobank Vast (dnr B2000526:970). Results from the project will be published in peer-reviewed journals

CSN controls NF-κB by deubiquitinylation of IκBα

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is a conserved protein complex that regulates assembly and activity of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases (CRLs). Ubiquitin-dependent degradation of the NF-κB inhibitor IκBα preceeds nuclear translocation of NF-κB. For the first time, we show here an inducible interaction of the CSN with IκBα and that the CSN controls IκBα and NF-κB activity. Strikingly, disruption of the CSN by a small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of single CSN subunits results in a reduced re-accumulation of IκBα and prolonged nuclear translocation of NF-κB in TNFα-stimulated cells. The control of IκBα by the CSN is regulated by deubiquitinylation of IκBα conferred by the CSN-associated deubiquitinylase USP15. Protein expression levels of cullin1 and the CRL substrate adapter β-TrCP are reduced in nonstimulated cells with a disrupted function of the CSN, which might account for an impaired basal turnover of IκBα. We propose that the CSN controls both CRL activity and stability of the CRL substrate IκBα. In consequence, basal and signal-induced CRL-dependent turnover of IκBα is precisely adapted to specific cellular needs

The Human COP9 Signalosome Protects Ubiquitin-conjugating Enzyme 3 (UBC3/Cdc34) from β-Transducin Repeat-containing Protein (βTrCP)-mediated Degradation*

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is an essential multisubunit complex that regulates the activity of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases by removing the ubiquitin-like peptide NEDD8 from cullins. Here, we demonstrate that the CSN can affect other components of the ubiquitination cascade. Down-regulation of human CSN4 or CSN5 induced proteasome-mediated degradation of the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBC3/Cdc34. UBC3 was targeted for ubiquitination by the cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase SCFβTrCP. This interaction required the acidic C-terminal extension of UBC3, which is absent in ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes of the UBCH5 family. Conversely, the UBC3 acidic domain was sufficient to impart sensitivity to SCFβTrCP-mediated ubiquitination to UBCH5 enzymes. Our work indicates that the CSN is necessary to ensure the stability of selected ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes and uncovers a novel pathway of regulation of ubiquitination processes