Motivations to deposit:two approaches to Open Educational Resources (OER) within Languages and Social Sciences (LSS) at Aston University

In Spring 2009, the School of Languages and Social Sciences (LSS) at Aston University responded to a JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) and Higher Education Academy (HEA) call for partners in Open Educational Resources (OER) projects. This led to participation in not one, but two different OER projects from within one small School of the University. This paper will share, from this unusual position, the experience of our English tutors, who participated in the HumBox Project, led by Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies (LLAS) and will compare the approach taken with the Sociology partnership in the C-SAP OER Project , led by the Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics (C-SAP). These two HEA Subject Centre-led projects have taken different approaches to the challenges of encouraging tutors to deposit teaching resources, as on ongoing process, for others to openly access, download and re-purpose. As the projects draw to a close, findings will be discussed, in relation to the JISC OER call, with an emphasis on examining the language and discourses from the two collaborations to see where there are shared issues and outcomes, or different subject specific concerns to consider

Computed Tomography of the Coronary Arteries

MSCT Coronary Angiography is a fast developing non-invasive diagnostic technique that can detect a coronary stenosis. The detection of a coronary stenosis is hampered by limited image quality and by motion artefacts and extensive calcifications. However, MSCT-coronary angiography is highly reliable to rule out coronary stenosis. The role of MSCT-coronary angiography in the diagnostic work-up of coronary artery disease needs further research

Multi-omics bioactivity profile-based chemical grouping and read-across:a case study with Daphnia magna and azo dyes

Grouping/read-across is widely used for predicting the toxicity of data-poor target substance(s) using data-rich source substance(s). While the chemical industry and the regulators recognise its benefits, registration dossiers are often rejected due to weak analogue/category justifications based largely on the structural similarity of source and target substances. Here we demonstrate how multi-omics measurements can improve confidence in grouping via a statistical assessment of the similarity of molecular effects. Six azo dyes provided a pool of potential source substances to predict long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates (Daphnia magna) for the dye Disperse Yellow 3 (DY3) as the target substance. First, we assessed the structural similarities of the dyes, generating a grouping hypothesis with DY3 and two Sudan dyes within one group. Daphnia magna were exposed acutely to equi-effective doses of all seven dyes (each at 3 doses and 3 time points), transcriptomics and metabolomics data were generated from 760 samples. Multi-omics bioactivity profile-based grouping uniquely revealed that Sudan 1 (S1) is the most suitable analogue for read-across to DY3. Mapping ToxPrint structural fingerprints of the dyes onto the bioactivity profile-based grouping indicated an aromatic alcohol moiety could be responsible for this bioactivity similarity. The long-term reproductive toxicity to aquatic invertebrates of DY3 was predicted from S1 (21-day NOEC, 40 µg/L). This prediction was confirmed experimentally by measuring the toxicity of DY3 in D. magna. While limitations of this ‘omics approach are identified, the study illustrates an effective statistical approach for building chemical groups

STIM2 regulates PKA-dependent phosphorylation and trafficking of AMPARs

STIMs (STIM1 and STIM2 in mammals) are transmembrane proteins that reside in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and regulate store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). The function of STIMs in the brain is only beginning to be explored, and the relevance of SOCE in nerve cells is being debated. Here we identify STIM2 as a central organizer of excitatory synapses. STIM2, but not its paralogue STIM1, influences the formation of dendritic spines and shapes basal synaptic transmission in excitatory neurons. We further demonstrate that STIM2 is essential for cAMP/PKA-dependent phosphorylation of the AMPA receptor (AMPAR) subunit GluA1. cAMP triggers rapid migration of STIM2 to ER–plasma membrane (PM) contact sites, enhances recruitment of GluA1 to these ER-PM junctions, and promotes localization of STIM2 in dendritic spines. Both biochemical and imaging data suggest that STIM2 regulates GluA1 phosphorylation by coupling PKA to the AMPAR in a SOCE-independent manner. Consistent with a central role of STIM2 in regulating AMPAR phosphorylation, STIM2 promotes cAMP-dependent surface delivery of GluA1 through combined effects on exocytosis and endocytosis. Collectively our results point to a unique mechanism of synaptic plasticity driven by dynamic assembly of a STIM2 signaling complex at ER-PM contact sites

Contractile Reserve in Segments With Nontransmural Infarction in Chronic Dysfunctional Myocardium Using Low-Dose Dobutamine CMR

OBJECTIVES This study sought to quantify contractile reserve of chronic dysfunctional myocardium, in particular in segments with intermediate transmural extent of infarction (TEI), using low-dose dobutamine cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with a chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO). BACKGROUND Recovery of dysfunctional segments with intermediate TEI after percutaneous coronary intervention is variable and difficult to predict, and may be related to contractility of the unenhanced rim. METHODS Fifty-one patients (mean age 60 +/- 9 years, 76% male) with a CTO underwent CMR at baseline and 35 patients underwent CMR at follow-up to quantify segmental wall thickening (SWT) at rest during 5 and 10 mu g/kg/min dobutamine, and at follow-up. Delayed-enhancement CMR was performed to quantify TEI. Dysfunctional segments were stratified according to TEI, end-diastolic wall thickness (EDWT), or unenhanced rim thickness, and SWT was quantified. Segments with an intermediate TEI (25% to 75%) were further stratified according to baseline SWT of the unenhanced rim (SWTUR) (45%), and SWT was quantified. For each parameter, odds ratio (OR) and diagnostic performance for the prediction of contractile reserve were calculated. RESULTS Significant contractile reserve was present in dysfunctional segments with EDWT >6 mm, unenhanced rim thickness >3 mm, or TEI of 45% were unchanged. SWTUR had a significant relation with contractile reserve (OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97 to 0.99; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS CMR quantification of transmurality of infarcted myocardium allows the assessment of the potential of dysfunctional segments to improve in function during dobutamine of most segments. However, in segments with intermediate TEI, measurement of baseline contractility of the epicardial rim better identifies which segments maintain contractile reserve. (J Am Coll Cardiol Img 2010; 3: 614-22) (C) 2010 by the American College of Cardiology Foundatio

Wybrane zagadnienia dotyczące eutanazji zwierząt: Część I – Niwelowanie cierpienia

Renesansowa myśl Francisa Bacona na temat łagodzenia cierpienia u pacjentów przyczyniła się do powstania pojęcia eutanazji i jego ewolucji na przestrzeni wieków wraz z podążającą za nią zmianą postaw moralnych i etycznych w medycynie ludzkiej i weterynaryjnej. W XXI wieku trwa spór na temat legalizacji eutanazji u ludzi terminalnie chorych. Z drugiej strony – poprawie ulega jakość i ilość środków nakładanych na opiekę paliatywną. Różne grupy społeczne próbują uzasadnić celowość eutanazji lub nie dopuścić do jej zalegalizowania (Gielen et al. 2009; Łużyński 2011). W świecie zwierząt eutanazję cechuje chęć zniwelowania cierpienia u osobników wyniszczonych bądź w skrajnych przypadkach zagrażających życiu ludzi i innych zwierząt. W obu sytuacjach motywy eutanazji mają uzasadnienie znajdujące się w polskim prawie w tym w Konstytucji RP.Francis Bacon’s renaissance idea of alleviating the suffering of patients contributed to the creation of the concept of euthanasia and its evolution over the ages with the following change of moral and ethical attitudes in human and veterinary medicine. In the 21’st century there is an ongoing controversy around the legalisation of euthanasia in people terminally ill. On the other hand the quality and quantity of measures imposed on palliative care are improving. Various social groups are trying to justify purposefulness of euthanasia or not to allow to its legalization (Gielen et al. 2009; Łużyński 2011). In world of animals euthanasia is characterized by the willingness of alleviating suffering in devastated animals or in extreme cases threatening the life of people and other animals. In both cases motives of euthanasia can be justified by Polish law including the Constitution of the Republic of Poland