Peer observation and review of teaching in College Higher Education

This is the authors' PDF version of an article published in Peer observation and review of teaching in College Higher Education published by SEDA© 2014.This book chapter discusses how peer observation of teaching (POT) has become established practice in higher education (HE). It focuses on data generated from a small scale study of the nature and use of POT within an HE in FE context and argues that using a developmental, peer approach (as opposed to one focussed upon Ofsted grading criteria) is a cornerstone of higher education and needs to be embedded into HE in FE in order to develop an genuine and collegial HE culture within a further education college

SNW1 Is a Critical Regulator of Spatial BMP Activity, Neural Plate Border Formation, and Neural Crest Specification in Vertebrate Embryos

In frog and fish embryos, SNW1 is a protein required for the spatio-temporal activity of BMP signaling necessary for neural plate border formation and specification of neural crest tissue

Artificial intelligence (AI): multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research and practice

As far back as the industrial revolution, great leaps in technical innovation succeeded in transforming numerous manual tasks and processes that had been in existence for decades where humans had reached the limits of physical capacity. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers this same transformative potential for the augmentation and potential replacement of human tasks and activities within a wide range of industrial, intellectual and social applications. The pace of change for this new AI technological age is staggering, with new breakthroughs in algorithmic machine learning and autonomous decision making engendering new opportunities for continued innovation. The impact of AI is significant, with industries ranging from: finance, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, supply chain and logistics all set to be disrupted by the onset of AI technologies. The study brings together the collective insight from a number of leading expert contributors to highlight the significant opportunities, challenges and potential research agenda posed by the rapid emergence of AI within a number of domains: technological, business and management, science and technology, government and public sector. The research offers significant and timely insight to AI technology and its impact on the future of industry and society in general

Perceptions and use of peer observation of teaching in a 'HE in FE' context

This paper is not available through ChesterRep. It can be accessed at http://www.seda.ac.uk/resources/files/7_Dutton.pdfPeer observation of teaching is a generally accepted and valued method used for developing teaching and learning in universities. This research aims to understand the value of the use of peer observation in a HE in FE context. Initial analysis has found that FE colleges now appear to recognise the need for and value in utilising different approaches for HE teaching observations in comparison to those used for FE

TRIM68 negatively regulates IFN-β production by degrading TRK fused gene, a novel driver of IFN-β downstream of anti-viral detection systems.

In recent years members of the tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) family of E3 ubiquitin ligases have been shown to both positively and negatively regulate viral defence and as such are emerging as compelling targets for modulating the anti-viral immune response. In this study we identify TRIM68, a close homologue of TRIM21, as a novel regulator of Toll-like receptor (TLR)- and RIG-I-like receptor (RLR)-driven type I IFN production. Proteomic analysis of TRIM68-containing complexes identified TRK-fused gene (TFG) as a potential TRIM68 target. Overexpression of TRIM68 and TFG confirmed their ability to associate, with TLR3 stimulation appearing to enhance the interaction. TFG is a known activator of NF-κB via its ability to interact with inhibitor of NF-κB kinase subunit gamma (IKK-γ) and TRAF family member-associated NF-κB activator (TANK). Our data identifies a novel role for TFG as a positive regulator of type I IFN production and suggests that TRIM68 targets TFG for lysosomal degradation, thus turning off TFG-mediated IFN-β production. Knockdown of TRIM68 in primary human monocytes resulted in enhanced levels of type I IFN and TFG following poly(I:C) treatment. Thus TRIM68 targets TFG, a novel regulator of IFN production, and in doing so turns off and limits type I IFN production in response to anti-viral detection systems

Characterization of a new, nonpathogenic mutant of Botrytis cinerea with impaired plant colonization capacity

International audienceBotrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic pathogen that attacks more than 200 plant species.Here, the nonpathogenic mutant A336, obtained via insertional mutagenesis, was characterized.Mutant A336 was nonpathogenic on leaves and fruits, on intact and wounded tissue, while still able to penetrate the host plant. It grew normally in vitro on rich media but its conidiation pattern was altered. The mutant did not produce oxalic acid and exhibited a modified regulation of the production of some secreted proteins (acid protease 1 and endopolygalacturonase 1). Culture filtrates of the mutant triggered an important oxidative burst in grapevine ( Vitis vinifera ) suspension cells, and the mutant–plant interaction resulted in the formation of hypersensitive response-like necrosis. Genetic segregation analyses revealed that the pathogenicity phenotype was linked to a single locus, but showed that the mutated gene was not tagged by the plasmid pAN7-1.Mutant A336 is the first oxalate-deficient mutant to be described in B. cinerea and it differs from all the nonpathogenic B. cinerea mutants described to date

Effects on kidney disease, fertility and development in mice inheriting a protein-truncating Denys-Drash syndrome allele (Wt1(tmT396))

Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS) is caused by heterozygous mutations of the Wilms' tumour suppressor gene, WT1, characterised by early-onset diffuse mesangial sclerosis often associated with male pseudohermaphroditism and/or Wilms' tumourigenesis. Previously, we reported that the Wt1tmT396 allele induces DDS kidney disease in mice. In the present study heterozygotes (Wt1tmT396/+) were generated on inbred (129/Ola), crossbred (B6/129) and MF1 second backcross (MF1-N2) backgrounds. Whereas male heterozygotes on each background were fertile, inbred heterozygous females were infertile. Kidney disease (proteinuria and sclerosis) was not congenital and developed significantly earlier in inbred mice, although with variable onset. Disease onset in MF1-N2 stocks occurred later in Wt1tmT396/+ mice than reported previously for Wt1R394W/+ mice, and while no kidney disease has been reported in B6/129 Wt1+/- mice, B6/129 Wt1tmT396/+ mice were affected. Offspring of both male and female B6/129 and MF1-N2 Wt1tmT396/+ mice developed kidney disease, but its incidence was significantly higher in offspring of female heterozygotes. Wt1tmT396/tmT396 embryos exhibited identical developmental abnormalities to those reported for Wt1-/- embryos. The results indicate that the Wt1 (tmT396) allele does not predispose to Wilms' tumourigenesis or male pseudohermaphroditism, its effect on kidney disease and female fertility depends on genetic background, stochastic factors may affect disease onset, and disease transmission is subject to a partial parent-of-origin effect. Since the Wt1tmT396 allele has no detectable intrinsic functional activity in vivo, and kidney disease progression is affected by the type of Wt1 mutation, the data support the view that DDS nephropathy results from a dominant-negative action rather than WT1 haploinsufficiency or gain-of-function