Active Learning Strategies for Higher Education: the Practical Handbook

The manual itself is based on a sound method that the Educator can easily deploy. This is made up of easy stages for each activity which they and their students can embrace. This student-centred pedagogical approach allows learners to build their understanding while also taking responsibility for their own learning where the educator acts in a facilitator or enabler role. This active, enquiry-based approach is at the heart of what Durham College, UOIT and TU Dublin endeavour to provide to students as it can be applied to diverse problems and contexts within their educational journey and across disciplines. It also provides learners with a framework to use when working on problems that they will encounter within the

Clinical factors associated with relapse in depression in a sample of UK primary care patients who have been on long-term antidepressant treatment

BACKGROUND: This paper investigates whether age of onset of depression, duration of the last episode, number of episodes, and residual symptoms of depression and anxiety are associated with depression relapse in primary care patients who have been on long-term maintenance antidepressant treatment and no longer meet ICD10 criteria for depression. METHODS: An observational cohort using data from ANTLER (N = 478), a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. The primary outcome was time to relapse using the retrospective CIS-R. Participants were followed for 12 months. RESULTS: Primary outcome was available for 468 participants. Time to relapse in those with more than five previous episodes of depression was shorter, hazard ratio (HR) 1.84 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23-2.75) compared to people with two episodes; HR 1.57 (95% CI 1.01-2.43) after adjustment. The residual symptoms of depression at baseline were also associated with increased relapse: HR 1.05 (95% CI 1.01-1.09) and HR 1.06 (95% CI 1.01-1.12) in the adjusted model. There was evidence of reduced rate of relapse in older age of onset group: HR 0.86 (95% CI 0.78-0.95); HR attenuated after adjustment HR 0.91 (95% CI 0.81-1.02). There was no evidence of an association between duration of the current episode and residual anxiety symptoms with relapse. CONCLUSIONS: The number of previous episodes and residual symptoms of depression were associated with increased likelihood of relapse. These factors could inform joint decision making when patients are considering tapering off maintenance antidepressant treatment or considering other treatments to prevent relapse

Neuropsychological markers of antidepressant action: a secondary analysis of the ANTLER randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Antidepressants have been proposed to act via their influence on emotional processing. We investigated the effect of discontinuing maintenance antidepressant treatment on positive and negative self-referential recall and the association between self-referential recall and risk of relapse. METHODS: The ANTLER trial was a large (N = 478) pragmatic double-blind trial investigating the clinical effectiveness of long-term antidepressant treatment for preventing relapse in primary care patients. Participants were randomised to continue their maintenance antidepressants or discontinue via a taper to placebo. We analysed memory for positive and negative personality descriptors, assessed at baseline, 12- and 52-week follow-up. RESULTS: The recall task was completed by 437 participants. There was no evidence of an effect of discontinuation on self-referential recall at 12 [positive recall ratio 1.00, 95% CI (0.90-1.11), p = 0.93; negative recall ratio 1.00 (0.87-1.14), p = 0.87] or 52 weeks [positive recall ratio 1.03 (0.91-1.17), p = 0.62; negative recall ratio 1.00 (0.86-1.15), p = 0.96; ratios larger than one indicate higher recall in the discontinuation group], and no evidence of an association between recall at baseline or 12 weeks and later relapse [baseline, positive hazard ratio (HR) 1.02 (0.93-1.12), p = 0.74; negative HR 1.01 (0.90-1.13), p = 0.87; 12 weeks, positive HR 0.99 (0.89-1.09), p = 0.81; negative HR 0.98 (0.84-1.14), p = 0.78; ratios larger than one indicate a higher frequency of relapse in those with higher recall]. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence that discontinuing long-term antidepressants altered self-referential recall or that self-referential recall was associated with risk of relapse. These findings suggest that self-referential recall is not a neuropsychological marker of antidepressant action

The development and initial validation of the Health and Reproductive Survey (HeRS).

Due to the diversity in profiles associated with the female reproductive cycle and their potential physiological and psychological effects, monitoring the reproductive status of exercising females is important from a practical and research perspective. Moreover, as physical activity can influence menstrual function, the effects of physical activity energy expenditure on reproductive function should also be considered. The aim of this study was to develop and establish initial face and content validity of the Health and Reproductive Survey (HeRS) for physically active females, which is a retrospective assessment of menstrual function from menarche (first menstruation) to menopause (cessation of menstruation). Face validity was evaluated qualitatively, and the initial content validity was established through a principal component analysis. The face validity process was completed by 26 females aged 19-67 years and the content validity was established through a survey sent to a convenience sample of 392 females, of which 230 females (57.9% and aged 18-49 years) completed the survey. The revisions made following the face validation improved the understanding, flow, and coherence of the survey. The principal component analysis indicated that, at a minimum, the survey measures these constructs: menstrual cessation and associated moderators, athletic participation and performance levels (as associated with menstruation change and the menstrual cycle), age and menstrual cessation, hormonal contraception ("birth control"), and menarche and associated moderators. The Health and Reproductive Survey (HeRS) is a partially validated tool that can be used by researchers to characterize the menstrual status of physically active females relative to their physical activity status

Pliocene Diatom Biomarkers in Sabrina Coast. EAIS Continental Marginal Dynamics

PNRA Tytan project, supported by the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), focused on the advances and retreats dynamics of the ice sheet and on variations in the glacial regime. Unit 2 focused on Diatom biomarkers and assemblages analysis on sediments of core PC03, collected during the IN2017-V01 cruise on the eastern flank of the Minang-a (or Whale) submarine Canyon. The project aims at reconstructing the depositional environment of the continental margin off the Totten Glacier and diatom data remained a key tools to constrain past ice-sheet dynamics and to forecasting future behaviour in a warming world. Preliminary dataset from diatom biostratigraphic tools allows to refer the base of the core to Pliocene while the upper part of the core records more modern EAIS dynamics, indicative of minor sedimentary evolution steps of the continental margin. Diatom assemblage analyses highlight Eocene-Oligocene reworked material and freshwater diatom inputs in Pliocene sequence, strengthening the debate about ice-sheet and paleoceanographic models, WAIS cyclic collapse and suspected Pliocene EAIS retreat into major subglacial Antarctic basins

How much change is enough?:Evidence from a longitudinal study on depression in UK primary care

BACKGROUND: The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) are widely used in the evaluation of interventions for depression and anxiety. The smallest reduction in depressive symptoms that matter to patients is known as the Minimum Clinically Important Difference (MCID). Little empirical study of the MCID for these scales exists. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 400 patients in UK primary care were interviewed on four occasions, 2 weeks apart. At each time point, participants completed all three questionnaires and a ‘global rating of change’ scale (GRS). MCID estimation relied on estimated changes in symptoms according to reported improvement on the GRS scale, stratified by baseline severity on the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R). RESULTS: For moderate baseline severity, those who reported improvement on the GRS had a reduction of 21% (95% confidence interval (CI) −26.7 to −14.9) on the PHQ-9; 23% (95% CI −27.8 to −18.0) on the BDI-II and 26.8% (95% CI −33.5 to −20.1) on the GAD-7. The corresponding threshold scores below which participants were more likely to report improvement were −1.7, −3.5 and −1.5 points on the PHQ-9, BDI-II and GAD-7, respectively. Patients with milder symptoms require much larger reductions as percentage of their baseline to endorse improvement. CONCLUSIONS: An MCID representing 20% reduction of scores in these scales, is a useful guide for patients with moderately severe symptoms. If treatment had the same effect on patients irrespective of baseline severity, those with low symptoms are unlikely to notice a benefit. FUNDING: Funding. National Institute for Health Research

Clinical development of placental malaria vaccines and immunoassays harmonization:a workshop report

International audiencePlacental malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum infection constitutes a major health problem manifesting as severe disease and anaemia in the mother, impaired fetal development, low birth weight or spontaneous abortion. Prevention of placental malaria currently relies on two key strategies that are losing efficacy due to spread of resistance: long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy. A placental malaria vaccine would be an attractive, cost-effective complement to the existing control tools. Two placental malaria vaccine candidates are currently in Phase Ia/b clinical trials. During two workshops hosted by the European Vaccine Initiative, one in Paris in April 2014 and the other in Brussels in November 2014, the main actors in placental malaria vaccine research discussed the harmonization of clinical development plans and of the immunoassays with a goal to define standards that will allow comparative assessment of different placental malaria vaccine candidates. The recommendations of these workshops should guide researchers and clinicians in the further development of placental malaria vaccines

Sabrina Coast (East Antarctica) depositional processes highlightedthrough stratigraphic and paleoenvironmental diatom analysis

The systematic survey of Antarctic margin sedimentary sequences offers, especially in poorly investigated areas,the opportunity to obtain a wide range of information on glacio-eustatic, climatic, and tectonic events. Multi-disciplinary datasets resulting from geophysical surveys and scientific coring and drilling are needed to addressquestions regarding the orbital forcing and the global response of the hydrosphere (oceans and atmosphere),cryosphere, and biosphere. The PNRA Tytan Project, embedded into the Australian project \u201cInteractions of theTotten Glacier with the Southern Ocean through multiple glacial cycles\u201d (Australian National University), aimsto understand how the Totten Glacier behaved during past Holocene and Pleistocene times of warmer climate.Insights for reconstructing the depositional and hydrodynamic environments of the continental margin off theTotten Glacier, a large outlet glacier located on the Sabrina Coast of East Antarctica, are addressed throughmicropaleontological efforts. The micropaleontological research group focused on identification of diatombiostratigraphic markers and assemblage analyses in sediment cores collected from the Sabrina Coast continentalslope during the RV Investigator mission IN2017_V01 in order to reconstruct paleoenvironments and to place ageconstraints on the sedimentary sequences.All but one of the piston cores recovered late Pleistocene sediments, documenting MIS 9 \u2013 MIS 1, withinterglacial intervals characterized by diatomaceous sediments dominated by the open water taxon Fragilariopsiskerguelensis. Glacial intervals have much lower diatom concentrations and a higher proportion of reworked forms.A single piston core, IN2017_V01_PC03, recovered a more complicated sedimentary sequence. This sequence,targeted for an older and more condensed coring location, was selected for coring based on the sub-bottomgeophysical data that indicated thinning of the upper stratigraphic section, and greater access to the underlyingsection. The results suggest a very dynamic sediment delivery system in a context of Pliocene\u2013Recent Antarcticcontinental margin. The basal section of the core is marked by Eocene-Oligocene reworked taxa while the midsection is characterized by almost barren sediments. The silty top section of the PC03 core, had diatom assem-blages similar to the other kasten and piston cores; t his sectionis characterized by modern diatom assemblagesdominated by Circum Antarctic Current and open water taxa with a variable presence of sea ice associated forms.Glacial slumping, perhaps facilitated by the presence of biogenic silica, and reworking may have removed orprevented deposition within this condensed sedimentary sequence.The presence or absence of F. kerguelensis versus F. barronii and also the presence of transitional forms betweenthese two species, confirms the much older nature of the sediments in this core as compared to the other pistoncores. In addition, Denticulopsis simonsenii much more common at the basal part of the core, may reflect ero-sional contributions from Miocene-aged sediment, while the significant contribution of F. barronii, Thalassiosiralentiginosa and Thalassiosira oliverana (var. sparsa?) versus intervals dominated by D. simonsenii may suggestdifferent sources of material

CoCREATE: Collaborative Curriculum Reimagining and Enhancement Aiming to Transform Education

The establishment of TU Dublin in January 2019 provided a unique opportunity to create a bespoke curriculum framework for students, staff and stakeholders of TU Dublin, produced by the students, staff and stakeholders of TU Dublin. A curriculum framework is a set of guiding values that inform the design of teaching and learning activities within TU Dublin. A Teaching Fellowship Team, comprising eighteen teaching academics from across the three TU Dublin campuses and supported extensively by the Learning Teaching and Technology Centre (LTTC), was formed to collaboratively craft, in partnership with all stakeholders, a curriculum framework for TU Dublin. Working collaboratively under the project name CoCREATE (Collaborative Curriculum Reimagining and Enhancement Aiming to Transform Education) the Teaching Fellowship Team developed TU Dublin’s CoCREATED Curriculum Framework over eighteen months. The design and development of the CoCREATED Curriculum Framework was informed by consultation with all key stakeholders across all campuses, examination and synthesis of local, national and international best practice and policy, as well as relevant scholarly literature. The framework is underpinned by the core values and mission of TU Dublin, as well as local and national strategic plans. It provides a distinctive but tangible learning philosophy for all at TU Dublin. The framework is both considered, flexible and progressive so as to adapt to the diversity within TU Dublin, including accredited programmes, and is inclusive of all learners across the university. The four curriculum values of the TU Dublin CoCREATED Curriculum Framework are: Step forward and try new things Use all of our talents; everyone has something to learn and something to teach Make our learning experience active, useful and related to the world Create the space and time to do work that matters This new, dynamic and evolving TU Dublin CoCREATED Curriculum Framework characterises an innovative, responsive and caring learning environment for the diversity of our university’s student population across all programme levels. Simultaneously, it developed a synergy between staff, students, professional bodies, industry and community partners through a collaborative design process. It is as inspiring, distinctive and pioneering as Ireland’s first Technological University. The CoCREATED Curriculum Framework will support staff and students to develop a unique approach to teaching and learning, which will characterise a TU Dublin teaching and learning experience, and ultimately a TU Dublin graduate, in a competitive national and international higher education space. Going forward, the TU Dublin CoCREATED Curriculum Framework will empower the judicious creation of rich and diverse curricula across all disciplines and levels within TU Dublin, from apprenticeship, through undergraduate, to structured PhD