Das Internet in der Biologielehrerausbildung - ein Zwischenbericht

Auch in der universitären Lehre nimmt die Bedeutung des Internet ständig zu. Im Beitrag werden verschiedene Möglichkeiten beschrieben, wie das world wide web schon heute in der Biologielehrerausbildung eingesetzt wird. Vorgestellt werden internetunterstützte Lehre und verschiedene Formen der internetgestützten Lehre, wie Teleteaching, Expertensysteme, virtuelle Seminare und WBT

Blended-Learning in der Biologielehrerausbildung

Das hier vorgestellte Projekt(1) beinhaltet die Entwicklung, Implementierung und Evaluation eines länderübergreifenden Blended-Learning-Seminars aus der Biologiedidaktik. Die Untersuchungsgruppe umfasste Lehramtsstudierende der TU Dortmund und der Hacettepe Universität in Ankara. Als Lernumgebung wurde die in der Fachgruppe Biologie der TU Dortmund implementierte Open Source E-Learning Plattform Claroline (www.claroline.net) ausgewählt. Zum Seminarende beurteilten die Teilnehmer und Teilnehmerinnen das Konzept auf Basis ihrer gesammelten Erfahrungen. Präsenzsitzungen, individuelles Lernen sowie Aufgaben und Anwendungen schnitten dabei besser ab als Online-Phasen, Gruppenarbeiten, Diskussionen und Informationsaustausch. Items, die das Gesamtkonzept evaluierten, erzielten relativ hohe Wertungen. Trotz der vorsichtigen Bewertung, die einige Items erhielten, spricht das positive Gesamtbild für den Versuch, solche internationalen Unterrichtskonzepte weiterzuentwickeln

Online-Lernen mit Studierenden : Beispiel am Projekt „Wasser“

Im WS 1999/2000 wird an der Universität Gießen zum ersten Mal im deutschsprachigen Raum ein Seminar für Lehramtsstudierende der Biologie (Thema Wasser) angeboten, das ausschließlich Online im Internet stattfindet. Sowohl zur Wissensaneignung als auch zur Kommunikation zwischen den Teilnehmern wird eine speziell entwickelte Software eingesetzt. Der nachfolgende Beitrag legt einige grundsätzliche Überlegungen zum Online-Lernen dar, die dem Programm zu Grunde liegen. Am Ende der Ausführungen wird kurz der Online- Kurs „Wasser“ vorgestellt

Isoflurane Induces Endothelial Apoptosis of the Post-Hypoxic Blood-Brain Barrier in a Transdifferentiated Human Umbilical Vein Edothelial Cell Model

Isoflurane is a popular volatile anesthetic agent used in humans as well as in experimental animal research. In previous animal studies of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), observations towards an increased permeability after exposure to isoflurane are reported. In this study we investigated the effect of a 2-hour isoflurane exposure on apoptosis of the cerebral endothelium following 24 hours of hypoxia in an in vitro BBB model using astrocyte-conditioned human umbilical vein endothelial cells (AC-HUVECs). Apoptosis of AC-HUVECs was investigated using light microscopy of the native culture for morphological changes, Western blot (WB) analysis of Bax and Bcl-2, and a TUNEL assay. Treatment of AC-HUVECs with isoflurane resulted in severe cellular morphological changes and a significant dose-dependent increase in DNA fragmentation, which was observed during the TUNEL assay analysis. WB analysis confirmed increases in pro-apoptotic Bax levels at 4 hours and 24 hours and decreases in anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in a dose-dependent manner compared with the control group. These negative effects of isoflurane on the BBB after a hypoxic challenge need to be taken into account not only in experimental stroke research, but possibly also in clinical practice

Evaluation of comprehensiveness and reliability of electronic health records concerning resuscitation efforts within academic intensive care units: a retrospective chart analysis

Background According to the literature, the validity and reliability of medical documentation concerning episodes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is suboptimal. However, little is known about documentation quality of CPR efforts during intensive care unit (ICU) stays in electronic patient data management systems (PDMS). This study analyses the reliability of CPR-related medical documentation within the ICU PDMS. Methods In a retrospective chart analysis, PDMS records of three ICUs of a single university hospital were searched over 5 y for CPR check marks. Respective datasets were analyzed concerning data completeness and data consistency by comparing the content of three documentation forms (physicians’ log, nurses’ log, and CPR incident form), as well as physiological and therapeutic information of individual cases, for missing data and plausibility of CPR starting time and duration. To compare data reliability and completeness, a quantitative measure, the Consentaneity Index (CI), is proposed. Results One hundred sixty-five datasets were included into the study. In 9% (n = 15) of cases, there was neither information on the time points of CPR initiation nor on CPR duration available in any data source. Data on CPR starting time and duration were available from at least two data sources in individual cases in 54% (n = 90) and 45% (n = 74), respectively. In these cases, the specifications of CPR starting time did differ by a median ± interquartile range of 10.0 ± 18.5 min, CPR duration by 5.0 ± 17.3 min. The CI as a marker of data reliability revealed a low consistency of CPR documentation in most cases, with more favorable results, if the time interval between the CPR episode and the time of documentation was short. Conclusions This study reveals relevant proportions of missing and inconsistent data in electronic CPR documentation in the ICU setting. The CI is suggested as a tool for documentation quality analysis and monitoring of improvements

Design Parameters to Control Synthetic Gene Expression in Escherichia coli

BACKGROUND:Production of proteins as therapeutic agents, research reagents and molecular tools frequently depends on expression in heterologous hosts. Synthetic genes are increasingly used for protein production because sequence information is easier to obtain than the corresponding physical DNA. Protein-coding sequences are commonly re-designed to enhance expression, but there are no experimentally supported design principles. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:To identify sequence features that affect protein expression we synthesized and expressed in E. coli two sets of 40 genes encoding two commercially valuable proteins, a DNA polymerase and a single chain antibody. Genes differing only in synonymous codon usage expressed protein at levels ranging from undetectable to 30% of cellular protein. Using partial least squares regression we tested the correlation of protein production levels with parameters that have been reported to affect expression. We found that the amount of protein produced in E. coli was strongly dependent on the codons used to encode a subset of amino acids. Favorable codons were predominantly those read by tRNAs that are most highly charged during amino acid starvation, not codons that are most abundant in highly expressed E. coli proteins. Finally we confirmed the validity of our models by designing, synthesizing and testing new genes using codon biases predicted to perform well. CONCLUSION:The systematic analysis of gene design parameters shown in this study has allowed us to identify codon usage within a gene as a critical determinant of achievable protein expression levels in E. coli. We propose a biochemical basis for this, as well as design algorithms to ensure high protein production from synthetic genes. Replication of this methodology should allow similar design algorithms to be empirically derived for any expression system

Feedback models for gambling control: the use and efficacy of online responsible gambling tools

Social responsibility in gambling has become a major issue for the gaming industry. This has been coupled with the rise of behavioural tracking technologies that allow companies to track every behavioural decision and action made by gamblers on online gambling sites, slot machines, and/or any type of gambling that utilizes player cards. This chapter has a number of distinct but related aims including: (a) a brief overview of behavioral tracking technologies accompanied by a critique of both advantages and disadvantages of such technologies for both the gaming industry and researchers; and (b) results from a series of studies completed using behavioral tracking data to evaluate the efficacy of online responsible gambling tools (particularly in relation to data concerning the use of social responsibility tools such as limit setting, pop-up messaging, and personalized feedback to gamblers)

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