Electrophysiological Investigation of Auditory Mismatch Negativity: A Brain-Based Biomarker of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Signalling

Inconsistent reports on the therapeutic efficacy of increasing synaptic glycine concentration have raised doubt as to the benefit of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAr) mediated treatments for schizophrenia. Categorising individuals based on broad diagnostic criteria does not appear to adequately identify individuals who will benefit from such treatments. Mismatch negativity (MMN) may be a suitable biomarker of NMDAr function, to help clarify the neurobiological relationship between pharmacological intervention and clinical treatment efficacy. MMN is an auditory event-related potential elicited following the presentation of a deviant stimulus, when it violates an established sequence stored in echoic memory. MMN is a robust deficit in schizophrenia and is categorised as a physiological element in the Cognitive Systems domain of the Research Domain Criteria framework. However, few studies have examined direct pharmacological modulation of MMN in schizophrenia patients. The aim of this thesis was to determine the nature of the relationship between MMN and NMDAr function, to inform the relative utility of MMN as a biomarker of NMDAr-mediated improvements in clinical symptoms in schizophrenia. To achieve this aim, three separate empirical studies were performed..

The Role of the Environmental Manager in Advancing Environmental Sustainability and Social Responsibility in the Organization

A changing business climate has led many organizations to embrace environmental sustainability and social responsibility; however, organizational roles and responsibilities in sustainability initiatives have not been clearly defined. This paper specifically examines the role of environmental managers in advancing environmental sustainability and social responsibility. It is part of a broader study to identify the extent to which various departments or functional units within an organization are prepared to play a role in these initiatives based on a survey of various professionals in relation to activities and action items derived from the ISO 26000 standard on social responsibility. As expected, the findings indicate that environmental managers are positioned to play a critical role in advancing environmental sustainability and social responsibility in their organizations. However, there appears to be disparity between the role that environmental managers indicated they are prepared to play and the perceptions of their role held by others in the organization. While environmental managers indicated that they would support or play a major role in 18 of the 35 action items on which they were surveyed, professionals from other functional units indicated that environmental managers would be involved in only a few key areas focused on traditional environmental issues associated with pollution prevention and waste management. This suggests that environmental managers are prepared to play a much broader role in the organization’s sustainability and social responsibility efforts but may not be fully utilized in this capacity

Sustainable Building without Certification: An Exploration of Implications and Trends

Background: Sustainable buildings play a pivotal role in meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). However, the criteria and process for certification associated with sustainable building rating systems have been seen by many as either cumbersome or too expensive. As a result, some buildings are constructed following sustainable building guidelines without necessarily pursuing external certification. This paper takes a critical look at sustainable building without certification in the US and addresses 3 questions: (1) What is the rationale behind not pursuing certification? (2) When certification is not part of the objective, how are particular sustainability criteria selected? (3) To what extent do sustainable building projects that undergo certification differ from those that do not, and what are the potential implications for building performance? Methods: The study is based on a survey of thirty-two professionals in the building, engineering, and construction industries, followed by semistructured interviews with nine participants about their experience with sustainable building certification. Results: The main rationale for not pursuing certification was associated with cost. The results also suggest that while buildings that have been formally certified may have higher capital costs, they are perceived more favorably with regard to brand reputation, marketability, credibility, meeting sustainability goals, building performance, and value to occupants than buildings without certification. Conclusions: This study provides insights into the implications of assessment-related decisions in building design and construction as we look to transform our societies into more sustainable, healthier, and livable places, and support global goals for sustainable development

Problem-Based Learning: A Tale of Three Courses

Courses in engineering and science are typically taught deductively, through transmission of information from instructor to student, followed by practice problems to reinforce what was covered in readings and lectures. Yet in our personal and professional lives, we learn experientially – by facing a real situation and attempting to address it, and from our related successes and failures. Experiential education emphasizes a mixture of content and experiences, connection of learning to meaning and to the world outside of the classroom, and reflection on this for higher order learning and development of new skills and capabilities. Problem-based Learning (PBL) is an inductive, active learning approach that connects learning to real world problems, and provides a context in which students can tether their knowledge and internalize course concepts. Students are thus motivated to seek out a deeper understanding of the concepts they need to address the problems presented in a course. This research focuses on going beyond the technical lecture to enhance the student experience through PBL and experiential education techniques, based on implementation in the Rochester Institute of Technology’s (RIT) College of Engineering Technology, in courses in telecommunications engineering and environmental sustainability. PBL content was developed and implemented with a goal of motivating and exciting students, and enabling them to internalize the knowledge for deeper understanding. This included enhancing students’ ability to think critically about real-world challenges in engineering and sustainability, as well as their ability to address these challenges through an inductive, experiential approach that mirrors the way they will need to approach problem solving in professional practice. Assessments suggest initial challenges for students in self-directed research and working outside of their comfort zone, but ultimately there is evidence of tangible value for student learning, skill development, and ability to succeed and thrive in the field

Ultraviolet relaxation dynamics in uracil: Time-resolved photoion yield studies using a laser-based thermal desorption source

Wavelength-dependent measurements of the RNA base uracil, undertaken with nanosecond ultraviolet laser pulses, have previously identified a fragment at m/z = 84 (corresponding to the C3H4N2O+ ion) at excitation wavelengths ≤232 nm. This has been interpreted as a possible signature of a theoretically predicted ultrafast ring-opening occurring on a neutral excited state potential energy surface. To further investigate the dynamics of this mechanism, and also the non-adiabatic dynamics operating more generally in uracil, we have used a newly built ultra-high vacuum spectrometer incorporating a laser-based thermal desorption source to perform time-resolved ion-yield measurements at pump wavelengths of 267 nm, 220 nm, and 200 nm. We also report complementary data obtained for the related species 2-thiouracil following 267 nm excitation. Where direct comparisons can be made (267 nm), our findings are in good agreement with the previously reported measurements conducted on these systems using cold molecular beams, demonstrating that the role of initial internal energy on the excited state dynamics is negligible. Our 220 nm and 200 nm data also represent the first reported ultrafast study of uracil at pump wavelengths 3(1ππ*) state. These measurements do not, however, provide any evidence for the appearance of the m/z = 84 fragment within the first few hundred picoseconds following excitation. This key finding indicates that the detection of this specific species in previous nanosecond work is not directly related to an ultrafast ring-opening process. An alternative excited state process, operating on a more extended time scale, remains an open possibility

Ethnic differences in dietary intake at age 12 and 18 months: the Born in Bradford 1000 Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the intake of key indicator foods at age 12 months and 18 months between infants of Pakistani and White British origin. DESIGN: Logistic regression was used to model associations between ethnicity and consumption of key indicator foods defined by high or low energy density using an FFQ at age 12 and 18 months. SETTING: Born in Bradford 1000 study, Bradford, UK. SUBJECTS: Infants (n 1259; 38 % White British, 49 % Pakistani), mean age 12·7 (sd 1·0) months and toddlers (n 1257; 37 % White British, 49 % Pakistani), mean age 18·7 (sd1·0) months. RESULTS: At 12 months, Pakistani infants consumed more commercial sweet baby meals than White British infants, with greater odds for being above average consumers (adjusted OR (AOR)=1·90; 95 % CI 1·40, 2·56), more chips/roast potatoes (AOR=2·75; 95 % CI 2·09, 3·62), less processed meat products (AOR=0·11; 95 % CI 0·08, 0·15), more fruit (AOR=2·20; 95 % CI 1·70, 2·85) and more sugar-sweetened drinks (AOR=1·68; 95 % CI 1·29, 2·18). At 18 months these differences persisted, with Pakistani infants consuming more commercial sweet baby meals (AOR=4·57; 95 % CI 2·49, 8·39), more chips/roast potato shapes (AOR=2·26; 95 % CI 1·50, 3·43), more fruit (AOR=1·40; 95 % CI 1·08, 1·81), more sugar-sweetened drinks (AOR=2·03; 95 % CI 1·53, 2·70), more pure fruit juice (AOR=1·82; 95 % CI 1·40, 2·35), more water (AOR=3·24; 95 % CI 2·46, 4·25) and less processed meat (AOR=0·10; 95 % CI 0·06, 0·15) than White British infants. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary intake during infancy and the early toddlerhood period is associated with ethnicity, suggesting the importance of early and culturally adapted interventions aimed at establishing healthy eating behaviours

Familial analysis of MMN in cannabis users: A case study

Abstract presented at the 23rd Australasian Society for Psychophysiology Conference, 20-22 Nov 2013, Wollongong, Australi

The student enrichment programme: An inter-professional collaboration

This presentation discusses how Learning Support Unit, Learning Information Services, Careers and Employability work together with academic lecturers to deliver skills sessions to nursing students

An investigation of mismatch negativity in current and ex-cannabis users using a feature controlled method

Abstract presented at the 23rd Australasian Society for Psychophysiology Conference, 20-22 Nov 2013, Wollongong, Australi