Re-envisioning Course Readings

The content students read, view, engage with, and reflect upon within the context of a course helps them to make meaning and create long-term memories. Course content comes in many forms - textbooks, videos, articles, books, book chapters – and the list goes on. To make sure course content is both accessible and affordable for students in online learning environments, this workshop will address the current publishing context and ULS services supporting students’ access to course content

False memory guided eye movements::insights from a DRM-Saccade paradigm

The Deese-Roediger and McDermott (DRM) paradigm and visually guided saccade tasks are both prominent research tools in their own right. This study introduces a novel DRM-Saccade paradigm, merging both methodologies. We used rule-based saccadic eye movements whereby participants were presented with items at test and were asked to make a saccade to the left or right of the item to denote a recognition or non-recognition decision. We measured old/new recognition decisions and saccadic latencies. Experiment 1 used a pro/anti saccade task to a single target. We found slower saccadic latencies for correct rejection of critical lures, but no latency difference between correct recognition of studied items and false recognition of critical lures. Experiment 2 used a two-target saccade task and also measured corrective saccades. Findings corroborated those from Experiment 1. Participants adjusted their initial decisions to increase accurate recognition of studied items and rejection of unrelated lures but there were no such corrections for critical lures. We argue that rapid saccades indicate cognitive processing driven by familiarity thresholds. These occur before slower source-monitoring is able to process any conflict. The DRM-saccade task could effectively track real-time cognitive resource use during recognition decisions

False memory-guided eye movements: insights from a DRM-Saccade paradigm

The Deese-Roediger and McDermott (DRM) paradigm and visually guided saccade tasks are both prominent research tools in their own right. This study introduces a novel DRM-Saccade paradigm, merging both methodologies. We used rule-based saccadic eye movements whereby participants were presented with items at test and were asked to make a saccade to the left or right of the item to denote a recognition or non-recognition decision. We measured old/new recognition decisions and saccadic latencies. Experiment 1 used a pro/anti saccade task to a single target. We found slower saccadic latencies for correct rejection of critical lures, but no latency difference between correct recognition of studied items and false recognition of critical lures. Experiment 2 used a two-target saccade task and also measured corrective saccades. Findings corroborated those from Experiment 1. Participants adjusted their initial decisions to increase accurate recognition of studied items and rejection of unrelated lures but there were no such corrections for critical lures. We argue that rapid saccades indicate cognitive processing driven by familiarity thresholds. These occur before slower source-monitoring is able to process any conflict. The DRM-Saccade task could effectively track real-time cognitive resource use during recognition decisions

Utility of gait biofeedback training to improve walking biomechanics in patients with chronic ankle instability : a critically appraised topic

Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a condition that involves feelings of the ankle "giving way," pain, and decreased self-reported function. Individuals with CAI often demonstrate persistent biomechanical impairments during gait that are associated with repetitive lateral ankle sprains (LAS) and the development of early onset ankle posttraumatic osteoarthritis (OA). Traditional rehabilitation strategies have not successfully improved these reported aberrant gait biomechanics; thus, traditional rehabilitation may not effectively reduce the risk of recurrent LAS and ankle OA among individuals with CAI. Conversely, targeted gait training with biofeedback may be effective at decreasing the risk of recurring LAS and ankle OA if these rehabilitation strategies can promote individuals with CAI to develop a gait strategy that protects against subsequent LAS and ankle OA. Can targeted gait biofeedback interventions cause individuals with CAI to implement a walking gait pattern that is not associated with recurrent LAS and ankle OA? Five studies assessed gait biofeedback interventions targeting plantar pressure and/or ankle kinematics involving visual biofeedback (n = 3), auditory biofeedback (n = 1), and haptic biofeedback (n = 1). Plantar pressure was medially shifted during a single session while receiving biofeedback (n = 2), immediately after biofeedback (n = 1), and 5 minutes after receiving biofeedback (n = 1) in 3 studies. One study demonstrated reduced ankle inversion after 8 sessions of biofeedback training. One study did not substantially improve plantar pressure while receiving visual feedback. Targeted gait training strategies appear effective in acutely altering gait biomechanics in individuals with CAI while receiving, and immediately after, biofeedback has been removed. Long-term outcomes are not currently established for gait training strategies in those with CAI. Limited evidence (grade B) suggests that targeted gait biofeedback strategies can alter specific CAI gait biomechanics to a strategy not associated with recurrent LAS, and ankle OA immediately, and after, multiple sessions of gait training

Conidial Morphogenesis and Septin-Mediated Plant Infection Require Smo1, a Ras GTPase-Activating Protein in Magnaporthe oryzae

The pathogenic life cycle of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae involves a series of morphogenetic changes, essential for its ability to cause disease. The smo mutation was identified > 25 years ago, and affects the shape and development of diverse cell types in M. oryzae, including conidia, appressoria, and asci. All attempts to clone the SMO1 gene by map-based cloning or complementation have failed over many years. Here, we report the identification of SMO1 by a combination of bulk segregant analysis and comparative genome analysis. SMO1 encodes a GTPase-activating protein, which regulates Ras signaling during infection-related development. Targeted deletion of SMO1 results in abnormal, nonadherent conidia, impaired in their production of spore tip mucilage. Smo1 mutants also develop smaller appressoria, with a severely reduced capacity to infect rice plants. SMO1 is necessary for the organization of microtubules and for septin-dependent remodeling of the F-actin cytoskeleton at the appressorium pore. Smol physically interacts with components of the Ras2 signaling complex, and a range of other signaling and cytoskeletal components, including the four core septins. SMO1 is therefore necessary for the regulation of RAS activation required for conidial morphogenesis and septin-mediated plant infection

Evaluating a pre-surgical health optimisation programme: a feasibility study

BACKGROUND: Health optimisation programmes are increasingly popular and aim to support patients to lose weight or stop smoking ahead of surgery, yet there is little published evidence about their impact. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of evaluating a programme introduced by a National Health Service (NHS) clinical commissioning group offering support to smokers/obese patients in an extra 3 months prior to the elective hip/knee surgery pathway. METHODS: Feasibility study mapping routinely collected data sources, availability and completeness for 502 patients referred to the hip/knee pathway in February–July 2018. RESULTS: Data collation across seven sources was complex. Data completeness for smoking and ethnicity was poor. While 37% (184) of patients were eligible for health optimisation, only 28% of this comparatively deprived patient group accepted referral to the support offered. Patients who accepted referral to support and completed the programme had a larger median reduction in BMI than those who did not accept referral (− 1.8 BMI points vs. − 0.5). Forty-nine per cent of patients who accepted support were subsequently referred to surgery, compared to 61% who did not accept referral to support. CONCLUSIONS: Use of routinely collected data to evaluate health optimisation programmes is feasible though demanding. Indications of the positive effects of health optimisation interventions from this study and existing literature suggest that the challenge of programme evaluation should be prioritised; longer-term evaluation of costs and outcomes is warranted to inform health optimisation policy development. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13741-022-00255-2

Efficiency and safety of varying the frequency of whole blood donation (INTERVAL): a randomised trial of 45 000 donors

Background: Limits on the frequency of whole blood donation exist primarily to safeguard donor health. However, there is substantial variation across blood services in the maximum frequency of donations allowed. We compared standard practice in the UK with shorter inter-donation intervals used in other countries. Methods: In this parallel group, pragmatic, randomised trial, we recruited whole blood donors aged 18 years or older from 25 centres across England, UK. By use of a computer-based algorithm, men were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to 12-week (standard) versus 10-week versus 8-week inter-donation intervals, and women were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to 16-week (standard) versus 14-week versus 12-week intervals. Participants were not masked to their allocated intervention group. The primary outcome was the number of donations over 2 years. Secondary outcomes related to safety were quality of life, symptoms potentially related to donation, physical activity, cognitive function, haemoglobin and ferritin concentrations, and deferrals because of low haemoglobin. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, number ISRCTN24760606, and is ongoing but no longer recruiting participants. Findings: 45 263 whole blood donors (22 466 men, 22 797 women) were recruited between June 11, 2012, and June 15, 2014. Data were analysed for 45 042 (99·5%) participants. Men were randomly assigned to the 12-week (n=7452) versus 10-week (n=7449) versus 8-week (n=7456) groups; and women to the 16-week (n=7550) versus 14-week (n=7567) versus 12-week (n=7568) groups. In men, compared with the 12-week group, the mean amount of blood collected per donor over 2 years increased by 1·69 units (95% CI 1·59–1·80; approximately 795 mL) in the 8-week group and by 0·79 units (0·69–0·88; approximately 370 mL) in the 10-week group (p<0·0001 for both). In women, compared with the 16-week group, it increased by 0·84 units (95% CI 0·76–0·91; approximately 395 mL) in the 12-week group and by 0·46 units (0·39–0·53; approximately 215 mL) in the 14-week group (p<0·0001 for both). No significant differences were observed in quality of life, physical activity, or cognitive function across randomised groups. However, more frequent donation resulted in more donation-related symptoms (eg, tiredness, breathlessness, feeling faint, dizziness, and restless legs, especially among men [for all listed symptoms]), lower mean haemoglobin and ferritin concentrations, and more deferrals for low haemoglobin (p<0·0001 for each) than those observed in the standard frequency groups. Interpretation: Over 2 years, more frequent donation than is standard practice in the UK collected substantially more blood without having a major effect on donors' quality of life, physical activity, or cognitive function, but resulted in more donation-related symptoms, deferrals, and iron deficiency. Funding: NHS Blood and Transplant, National Institute for Health Research, UK Medical Research Council, and British Heart Foundation

The Help for People with Money, Employment or Housing Problems (HOPE) Intervention:pilot randomised trial with mixed methods feasibility research

Background:Job loss, austerity measures, financial difficulties and house repossession contribute to the risk of self-harm and suicide during recessions. Navigating the benefits system and accessing sources of welfare and debt advice is a difficult experience for vulnerable people, further contributing to their distress. Whilst there is some evidence that advice-type interventions can lead to financial gain, there is mixed evidence for their effectiveness in improving mental health in those experiencing financial difficulties. There have been no interventions targeting those who have self-harmed due to economic hardship. Methods:Our aim was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a brief psychosocial intervention (the 'HOPE' service) for people presenting to hospital emergency departments (ED) following self-harm or in acute distress because of financial, employment or welfare (benefit) difficulties. Nineteen people consented to random allocation to the intervention or control arm on a 2:1 basis. Participants randomised to the intervention arm (n = 13) received up to six sessions of 1:1 support provided by community support staff trained in Motivational Interviewing (MI). Control participants (n = 6) received a one-off session signposting them to relevant support organisations. Fourteen participants were followed up after 3 months. Participants and mental health workers took part in qualitative interviews. The acceptability of outcome measures including the PHQ-9, GAD-7, repeat self-harm, EQ5D-5 L and questions about debt, employment and welfare benefits were explored. Results:Interviews indicated the main benefits of the service as the resolution of specific financial problems and receiving support when participants were feeling most vulnerable. Randomisation was acceptable to most participants although not always fully understood and control participants could be disappointed. Recruitment was slow (1-2 per month). The outcome measures were acceptable and appeared sensitive to change. Discussion:The HOPE intervention is feasible and acceptable. There was evidence of need and it is a relatively inexpensive intervention. Refining aspects of the intervention would be straightforward. A full-scale RCT would be feasible, if broadened eligibility criteria led to increased recruitment and improvements were made to staff training and support. Trial registration:ISRCTN58531248