892 research outputs found
Staying in the science stream: patterns of participation in A-level science subjects in the UK.
This paper describes patterns of participation and attainment in A-level physics, chemistry and biology from 1961 to 2009. The A-level has long been seen as an important gateway qualification for higher level study, particularly in the sciences. This long term overview examines how recruitment to these three subjects has changed in the context of numerous policies and initiatives that seek to retain more young people in the sciences. The results show that recruitment to the pure sciences has stagnated, general trends have hardly varied and the track record of government policy in influencing change is not strong. There is no evidence for increasing achievement gaps between the sexes at A-level and even national policy requiring that all young people study science up to the age of 16 appears to have had little impact on recruitment at this leve
Single Nucleotide PolymorphismâBased Validation of Exonic Splicing Enhancers
Because deleterious alleles arising from mutation are filtered by natural selection, mutations that create such alleles will be underrepresented in the set of common genetic variation existing in a population at any given time. Here, we describe an approach based on this idea called VERIFY (variant elimination reinforces functionality), which can be used to assess the extent of natural selection acting on an oligonucleotide motif or set of motifs predicted to have biological activity. As an application of this approach, we analyzed a set of 238 hexanucleotides previously predicted to have exonic splicing enhancer (ESE) activity in human exons using the relative enhancer and silencer classification by unanimous enrichment (RESCUE)-ESE method. Aligning the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the public human SNP database to the chimpanzee genome allowed inference of the direction of the mutations that created present-day SNPs. Analyzing the set of SNPs that overlap RESCUE-ESE hexamers, we conclude that nearly one-fifth of the mutations that disrupt predicted ESEs have been eliminated by natural selection (odds ratio = 0.82 ± 0.05). This selection is strongest for the predicted ESEs that are located near splice sites. Our results demonstrate a novel approach for quantifying the extent of natural selection acting on candidate functional motifs and also suggest certain features of mutations/SNPs, such as proximity to the splice site and disruption or alteration of predicted ESEs, that should be useful in identifying variants that might cause a biological phenotype
Impact of mash feeding versus pellets on propionic/butyric acid levels and on total Escherichia coli load in the gastrointestinal tract of growing pigs
Feed characteristics may influence
the bacterial community composition and metabolic
activities in the pig gastrointestinal tract, known to be
associated with positive effects on the gut. Use of mash
feed is associated with reduced Salmonella excretion,
but little is known of its effect on the Escherichia coli
population or of the mechanism of action. Our objectives
were to assess the effect of feed texture combined
with feed particle size on VFA profiles and levels,
total E. coli count, and the presence of genes encoding
virulence factors of pathogenic E. coli strains in the
digestive tract along with their impact on pig performance
of fattening pigs. Pigs (n = 840) on a commercial
farm received mash or pellet diets of different particle
sizes during the fattening period. Caecal and colon contents
from 164 pigs were sampled at the slaughterhouse
for enumeration of E. coli by quantitative PCR (qPCR)
and for VFA quantification by capillary gas chromatography.
The yccT gene was used to enumerate total E.
coli. Improved pig performances associated with pellet
texture and a 500-ÎŒm size were observed. Caecal (P =
0.02) and colon (P < 0.01) propionic acid concentrations
were lower for pigs receiving pellet rather than
mash feed. Similarly, caecal (P = 0.01) and colon (P <
0.001) butyric acid concentrations were also lower for
pigs receiving pellet rather than mash feed, as determined
by capillary gas chromatography. Moreover,
caecal (P = 0.03) and colon (P < 0.001) butyric acid
concentrations were higher for pigs receiving a feed
with a 1,250-ÎŒm particle size rather than a 500-ÎŒm
particle size. On the other hand, total caecal and colon
E. coli levels were higher for pigs receiving pellet feed
than for those receiving mash feed. For total E. coli
enumeration, caecal (P < 0.01) and colon (P < 0.01)
yccT gene copies were higher for pigs receiving pellet
rather than mash feed. No effect of particle size on
fatty acid concentrations or on E. coli numbers was
observed. Virulence gene quantification revealed no
trend. Taken together, results showed that mash feed
is associated with lower growth performance but with
favorable intestinal changes linked to VFA levels and E.
coli reduction in the intestine
Childrenâs learning from a Smokefree sports programme: implications for health education
Objective:
This article reports on a qualitative evaluation of the Love Life, Smokefree Sports primary school pilot intervention. This 8-week programme used sports and physical activity sessions to convey Smokefree messages to 120 children aged 10 and 11 in two primary schools in Sheffield in 2018. The study aimed to understand childrenâs experiences of participating in the programme. Its objectives were to explore childrenâs recall of the health promotion messages associated with each of the learning sessions; explore childrenâs perceptions of the meaningfulness of those messages in the context of their everyday lives; and identify and understand any contextual factors that might impact upon childrenâs recall and/or the meaningfulness of the Smokefree messages.
Method:
Qualitative data were generated with 25 children through focus groups after the programme concluded. Data were analysed thematically using cross-sectional, categorical indexing.
Results:
Learning from the programme was particularly likely to be described as meaningful by children when they could interact with material and visual representations of complex ideas and when sessions involved strongly embodied experiences. However, children did not always find it easy to relate learning to their everyday lives and sometimes struggled to reconcile pre-existing, contextualised understandings with intervention messages. We mobilise the concept of critical health literacy as a theoretical lens through which to interpret these findings.
Conclusion:
Health education should be meaningful in the context of childrenâs everyday lives. Starting from the premise that children are active critical health literacy practitioners and working with them to design and evaluate health education initiatives can promote this
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Ecological risk assessment benefits environmental management
The ecological risk assessment process in its ideal form is an unbiased approach for assessing the probability of harm to the environment as a consequence of a given action. This information can then be combined with other societal values and biases in the management of such risks. However, as the process currently is understood, decision makers often are accused of manipulating information in order to generate decisions or achieve buy in from the public in support of a particular political agenda. A clear understanding of the nature of the risk management process can help define areas where information should be free from social or personal bias, and areas where values and judgments are critical. The authors do not propose to discuss the individual`s decision-making process, but rather to address the social process of risk communication and environmentally-related decision-making, identifying which parts of that process require bias-free, scientifically generated information about the consequences of various actions and which parts need an understanding of the social values which underlie the informed choices among those possible actions
Innovations in Active Education Techniques: Team Based Learning, Flipping the Classroom, and Think-Pair-Share
Team-based learning, flipped classroom, and think-pair-share are active learning pedagogies used commonly in undergraduate medical education today. They are based on constructivist learning theory and are effective to use to actively teach foundational knowledge to medical students. They also help students work on team dynamics, critical thinking, and clinical knowledge application. These techniques can be employed without expensive technology or special training. Medical education was grossly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the inability to assemble in person. These educational techniques all allow for enhanced and active remote learning. With the amplification of remote education delivery during the pandemic, it is easy to see how we can use these techniques to spread foundational medical education more equitably across the globe
The state of workplace union reps organisation in Britain today
This article provides a brief evaluation of the state of workplace union repsâ organization in Britain as we approach the second decade of the 2000s. It documents the severe weakening of workplace union organization over the last 25 years, which is reflected in the declining number of reps, reduced bargaining power and the problem of bureaucratization. But it also provides evidence of the continuing resilience, and even combativity in certain areas of employment, of workplace union reps organization, and considers the future potential for a revival of fortunes
The effects of multiple features of alternatively spliced exons on the K(A)/K(S )ratio test
BACKGROUND: The evolution of alternatively spliced exons (ASEs) is of primary interest because these exons are suggested to be a major source of functional diversity of proteins. Many exon features have been suggested to affect the evolution of ASEs. However, previous studies have relied on the K(A)/K(S )ratio test without taking into consideration information sufficiency (i.e., exon length > 75 bp, cross-species divergence > 5%) of the studied exons, leading to potentially biased interpretations. Furthermore, which exon feature dominates the results of the K(A)/K(S )ratio test and whether multiple exon features have additive effects have remained unexplored. RESULTS: In this study, we collect two different datasets for analysis â the ASE dataset (which includes lineage-specific ASEs and conserved ASEs) and the ACE dataset (which includes only conserved ASEs). We first show that information sufficiency can significantly affect the interpretation of relationship between exons features and the K(A)/K(S )ratio test results. After discarding exons with insufficient information, we use a Boolean method to analyze the relationship between test results and four exon features (namely length, protein domain overlapping, inclusion level, and exonic splicing enhancer (ESE) frequency) for the ASE dataset. We demonstrate that length and protein domain overlapping are dominant factors, and they have similar impacts on test results of ASEs. In addition, despite the weak impacts of inclusion level and ESE motif frequency when considered individually, combination of these two factors still have minor additive effects on test results. However, the ACE dataset shows a slightly different result in that inclusion level has a marginally significant effect on test results. Lineage-specific ASEs may have contributed to the difference. Overall, in both ASEs and ACEs, protein domain overlapping is the most dominant exon feature while ESE frequency is the weakest one in affecting test results. CONCLUSION: The proposed method can easily find additive effects of individual or multiple factors on the K(A)/K(S )ratio test results of exons. Therefore, the system can analyze complex conditions in evolution where multiple features are involved. More factors can also be added into the system to extend the scope of evolutionary analysis of exons. In addition, our method may be useful when orthologous exons can not be found for the K(A)/K(S )ratio test
Rehabilitation Exercise and psycholoGical support After covid-19 InfectioN' (REGAIN):a structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
OBJECTIVES
The primary objective is to determine which of two interventions: 1) an eight week, online, home-based, supervised, group rehabilitation programme (REGAIN); or 2) a single online session of advice (best-practice usual care); is the most clinically and cost-effective treatment for people with ongoing COVID-19 sequelae more than three months after hospital discharge.
TRIAL DESIGN
Multi-centre, 2-arm (1:1 ratio) parallel group, randomised controlled trial with embedded process evaluation and health economic evaluation.
PARTICIPANTS
Adults with ongoing COVID-19 sequelae more than three months after hospital discharge Inclusion criteria: 1) Adults â„18 years; 2) â„ 3 months after any hospital discharge related to COVID-19 infection, regardless of need for critical care or ventilatory support; 3) substantial (as defined by the participant) COVID-19 related physical and/or mental health problems; 4) access to, and able/supported to use email and internet audio/video; 4) able to provide informed consent; 5) able to understand spoken and written English, Bengali, Gujarati, Urdu, Punjabi or Mandarin, themselves or supported by family/friends.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA
1) exercise contraindicated; 2) severe mental health problems preventing engagement; 3) previous randomisation in the present study; 4) already engaged in, or planning to engage in an alternative NHS rehabilitation programme in the next 12 weeks; 5) a member of the same household previously randomised in the present study.
INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR
Intervention 1: The Rehabilitation Exercise and psycholoGical support After covid-19 InfectioN (REGAIN) programme: an eight week, online, home-based, supervised, group rehabilitation programme. Intervention 2: A thirty-minute, on-line, one-to-one consultation with a REGAIN practitioner (best-practice usual care).
MAIN OUTCOMES
The primary outcome is health-related quality of life (HRQoL) - PROMISÂź 29+2 Profile v2.1 (PROPr) - measured at three months post-randomisation. Secondary outcomes include dyspnoea, cognitive function, health utility, physical activity participation, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, depressive and anxiety symptoms, work status, health and social care resource use, death - measured at three, six and 12 months post-randomisation.
RANDOMISATION
Participants will be randomised to best practice usual care or the REGAIN programme on a 1:1.03 basis using a computer-generated randomisation sequence, performed by minimisation and stratified by age, level of hospital care, and case level mental health symptomatology. Once consent and baseline questionnaires have been completed by the participant online at home, randomisation will be performed automatically by a bespoke web-based system.
BLINDING (MASKING)
To ensure allocation concealment from both participant and REGAIN practitioner at baseline, randomisation will be performed only after the baseline questionnaires have been completed online at home by the participant. After randomisation has been performed, participants and REGAIN practitioners cannot be blind to group allocation. Follow-up outcome assessments will be completed by participants online at home.
NUMBERS TO BE RANDOMISED (SAMPLE SIZE)
A total of 535 participants will be randomised: 263 to the best-practice usual care arm, and 272 participants to the REGAIN programme arm.
TRIAL STATUS
Current protocol: Version 3.0 (27th October 2020) Recruitment will begin in December 2020 and is anticipated to complete by September 2021.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ISRCTN:11466448 , 23rd November 2020 FULL PROTOCOL: The full protocol Version 3.0 (27th October 2020) is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials website (Additional file 1). In the interests of expediting dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol. The study protocol has been reported in accordance with the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Clinical Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) guidelines
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