SimTutor Module: Antibodies

Antibody simulation module developed for use in MLS 226: Introduction to Clinical Immunology and Molecular Diagnostics. The module was designed to reinforce lecture material and was developed utilizing SimTutor software. Learning outcomes: Define antibody. Differentiate between innate and adaptive immunity. Differentiate between cellular and humoral immunity. Describe the four pathways of antibody acquisition. Identify the three functions of an antibody. Identify and describe the structure of an antibody including the following components and regions: light chain, heavy chain, constant region, variable region, Fc Fragment, Fab Fragment, and hinge region. List the antibody classes and their key features. Differentiate between the primary and secondary immune response. Course Level: Intermediate Undergraduates Public Link to SimTutor module her

Laying the Foundation: Digital Humanities in Academic Libraries

Laying the Foundation: Digital Humanities in Academic Libraries examines the library’s role in the development, implementation, and instruction of successful digital humanities projects. It pays special attention to the critical role of librarians in building sustainable programs. It also examines how libraries can support the use of digital scholarship tools and techniques in undergraduate education. Academic libraries are nexuses of research and technology; as such, they provide fertile ground for cultivating and curating digital scholarship. However, adding digital humanities to library service models requires a clear understanding of the resources and skills required. Integrating digital scholarship into existing models calls for a reimagining of the roles of libraries and librarians. In many cases, these reimagined roles call for expanded responsibilities, often in the areas of collaborative instruction and digital asset management, and in turn these expanded responsibilities can strain already stretched resources. Laying the Foundation provides practical solutions to the challenges of successfully incorporating digital humanities programs into existing library services. Collectively, its authors argue that librarians are critical resources for teaching digital humanities to undergraduate students and that libraries are essential for publishing, preserving, and making accessible digital scholarship.https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/purduepress_ebooks/1032/thumbnail.jp

The South Carolina Digital Library (SCDL): What is it and where is it going?

Kate Boyd, Heather Gilbert, and Chris Vinson give updates and information on the South Carolina Digital Library project (SCDL)

Less efficient pattern separation may contribute to age-related spatial memory deficits

Spatial memory deficits have been well-documented in older adults and may serve as an early indicator of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's disease (AD) in some individuals. Pattern separation is a critical mechanism for reducing potential interference among similar memory representations to enhance memory accuracy. A small but growing literature indicates that spatial pattern separation may become less efficient as a result of normal aging, possibly due to age-related changes in subregions of the hippocampus. This decreased efficiency in spatial pattern separation may be a critical processing deficit that could be a contributing factor to spatial memory deficits and episodic memory impairment associated with aging. The present paper will review recently published studies in humans, non-human primates, and rodents that have examined age-related changes in spatial pattern separation. The potential basic science, translational, and clinical implications from these studies are discussed to illustrate the need for future research to further examine the relationship between spatial pattern separation and brain changes associated with aging and neurodegenerative disease

Determinants of non-vaccination and incomplete vaccination in Canadian toddlers

Vaccination coverage remains suboptimal in Canada and sporadic outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and pertussis continue to occur. This study was undertaken to identify sociodemographic determinants of total non-vaccination (having never received any vaccine), non-vaccination for measles (0 doses) and incomplete vaccination for pertussis (< 4 doses) among 2-year-old Canadian children. Data from the 2013 Childhood National Immunization Coverage Survey (CNICS) were used. Associations between sociodemographic factors and outcomes were measured by multiple logistic regressions and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated. A total of 5,477 children were included in the analyses of total non-vaccination, and 3,899 children were included in the analysis of non-vaccination for measles and incomplete vaccination for pertussis. Overall, 2.7% of children (95% CI 2.0-3.3) had received no vaccine at all. Lower parental education, i.e., the responding parent having a high school diploma, trade certificate or less (compared with university graduation) was associated with total non-vaccination (aOR 1.99, 95% CI 1.02-3.91). Non-vaccination for measles was more frequent among children of single parent families (aOR 1.63, 95% CI 1.01-2.61) and those of parents with lower education (aOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.26-2.76). The odds of incomplete vaccination for pertussis was greater among children born outside Canada (aOR 3.10, 95% CI 1.73-5.58), of parents with lower education (aOR 1.92, 95% CI 1.41-2.62), and those whose household income was between $40,000 and$59,999 (aOR 1.47; 95% CI 1.04-2.07) or lower than $40,000 (aOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.13-2.22). Significant regional variation was also found for all outcomes. In conclusion, despite universal access to free childhood vaccines in Canada, regional variation and socioeconomic inequalities in vaccine uptake were still observed. Further analyses are warranted to identify barriers contributing to these variations

Embracing Change: Adapting and Evolving Your Distance Learning Library Services to Embrace the New ACRL Distance Learning Library Services Standards

Distance learning continues to grow by leaps and bounds and almost all academic libraries are struggling to evolve and adapt to offer quality equivalent services and resources to their distance students. This interactive presentation will offer participants an in-depth analysis of the new ACRL Distance Learning Library Services Standards, offer forecasts regarding the future of distance learning, and will draw distinctions between the previous 2008 Standards for Distance Learning Library Services and the new standards. Practical advice on how to update distance learning library services to meet the new standards will be offered, and participants are encouraged to bring their own experiences and questions to the discussion