Non-self mutation: double-stranded RNA elicits antiviral pathogenic response in a Drosophila model of expanded CAG repeat neurodegenerative diseases

Inflammation is activated prior to symptoms in neurodegenerative diseases, providing a plausible pathogenic mechanism. Indeed genetic and pharmacological ablation studies in animal models of several neurodegenerative diseases demonstrate that inflammation is required for pathology. However, while there is growing evidence that inflammation-mediated pathology may be the common mechanism underlying neurodegenerative diseases, including those due to dominantly inherited expanded repeats, the proximal causal agent is unknown. Expanded CAG.CUG repeat double stranded RNA causes inflammation-mediated pathology when expressed in Drosophila. Repeat dsRNA is recognized by Dicer2 as a foreign or 'non-self' molecule triggering both antiviral RNA and RNAi pathways. Neither of the RNAi pathway cofactors R2D2 nor loquacious are necessary, indicating antiviral RNA activation. RNA modification enables avoidance of recognition as 'non-self' by the innate inflammatory surveillance system. Human ADAR1 edits RNA conferring 'self' status and when co-expressed with expanded CAG.CUG dsRNA in Drosophila the pathology is lost. Cricket Paralysis Virus protein CrPV-1A is a known antagonist of Argonaute2 in Drosophila antiviral defense. CrPV-1A co-expression also rescues pathogenesis, confirming anti-viral-RNA response. Repeat expansion mutation therefore confers 'non-self' recognition of endogenous RNA, thereby providing a proximal, autoinflammatory trigger for expanded repeat neurodegenerative diseases.Clare L. van Eyk, Saumya E. Samaraweera, Andrew Scott, Dani L. Webber, David P. Harvey, Olivia Mecinger, Louise V. O’Keefe, Jennifer E. Cropley, Paul Young, Joshua Ho, Catherine Suter, and Robert I. Richard

A Situated Model of Creative Learning

This article puts forward a situated model of creative learning. Most educational studies on creativity tend to concentrate on explaining the relation between teaching and creativity while keeping learning as a secondary concept. However, it has been stated that it is likely that teaching creatively leads to creative learning, suggesting that there is a need to describe the concept of creative learning and to analyse its possible constituents. Accordingly, this presentation introduces an empirically based and theoretically informed model of a creative learning community. The model is based on three key concepts or learning principles which can take different forms in particular settings and social practices. These are respectively: (1) Immersion in the topic of interest, in traditions and in the subject matter, (2) Experimentation and inquiry learning and (3) Resistance from the material of interest. As a theoretical point of departure, this presentation will outline a situated model of creativity and learning, and following this, will introduce a model of creative learning. This presentation will include several empirical examples. In the final part, the model will be discussed in relation to the concept of creative teaching

Assessing job candidates’ creativity: Propositions and future research directions

Identifying and selecting creative employees is of key importance in today's high-pace business environment. Yet, little is known about how assessors in organizational settings evaluate the creative potential of job candidates. In this paper we review the extant literature on individual and team creativity in order to identify criteria (cues) against which job candidates' creativity could be assessed. We argue that the creative potential of job candidates could be evaluated against four key dimensions (the creative individual, the creative product, the creative process and the creative environment) and call for empirical research to further explore and test our propositions in practice