Exploring 360°-videos as Realistic Game-based Learning Environments for Work Placement Preparation

Serious games in immersive virtual reality (VR) environments promise enhanced experiences and engagement, supporting training and learning. While realistically replicating the visuals of real environments can be both difficult and time-consuming, there are many potential advantages from doing so. In real work placements, students enter facilities with variations in types of equipment, rules for navigation, and workflows, adding cognitive load to a usually stressful situation. Allowing them to train and learn in more realistic environments corresponding to their future work placements, with high-fidelity representations, can be time-saving, support core task focus, and help students become more isolated from distractions. This paper presents the VR game 360Phlebotomy, which combines virtual tasks with 360° images and -videos of real laboratories in immersive VR. The game is aimed at helping students become familiar with real workplaces while also learning their work tasks. Current scenarios are tailored to biomedical laboratory science (BLS) education, with a focus on the phlebotomy process, which also serves as the main case in this paper. New environments can be added through a modular scene creation system, with the goal of allowing students to prepare for different work placements. Insights are provided by presenting the design and development process for a prototype tested by five BLS teachers and six BLS students. The results contribute to an increased understanding of the role of context in training and learning and provide a foundation for future work.publishedVersio

Pre-apoptotic response to therapeutic DNA damage involves protein modulation of Mcl-1, Hdm2 and Flt3 in acute myeloid leukemia cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells are characterized by non-mutated <it>TP53</it>, high levels of Hdm2, and frequent mutation of the Flt3 receptor tyrosine kinase. The juxtamembrane mutation of <it>FLT3 </it>is the strongest independent marker for disease relapse and is associated with elevated Bcl-2 protein and p53 hyper-phosphorylation in AML. DNA damage forms the basic mechanism of cancer cell eradication in current therapy of AML.</p> <p>Hdm2 and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 members are among the most intensely induced genes immediately after chemotherapy and Hdm2 is proposed a role in receptor tyrosine kinase regulation. Thus we examined the DNA damage related modulation of these proteins in relation to <it>FLT3 </it>mutational status and induction of apoptosis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Within one hour after exposure to ionizing radiation (IR), the AML cells (NB4, MV4-11, HL-60, primary AML cells) showed an increase in Flt3 protein independent of mRNA levels, while the Hdm2 protein decreased. The <it>FLT3 </it>mutant MV4-11 cells were resistant to IR accompanied by presence of both Mcl-1 and Hdm2 protein three hours after IR. In contrast, the <it>FLT3 </it>wild type NB4 cells responded to IR with apoptosis and pre-apoptotic Mcl-1 down regulation. Daunorubicin (DNR) induced continuing down regulation of Hdm2 and Mcl-1 in both cell lines followed by apoptosis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Both IR and DNR treatment resulted in concerted protein modulations of Mcl-1, Hdm2 and Flt3. Cell death induction was associated with persistent attenuation of Mcl-1 and Hdm2. These observations suggest that defining the pathway(s) modulating Flt3, Hdm2 and Mcl-1 may propose new strategies to optimize therapy for the relapse prone <it>FLT3 </it>mutated AML patients.</p

Digital Game-Based Support for Learning the Phlebotomy Procedure in the Biomedical Laboratory Scientist Education

Practice-based training in education is important, expensive, and resource-demanding. Digital games can provide complementary training opportunities for practicing procedural skills and increase the value of the limited laboratory training time in biomedical laboratory science (BLS) education. This paper presents how a serious game can be integrated in a BLS course and supplement traditional learning and teaching with accessible learning material for phlebotomy. To gather information on challenges relevant to integrating Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL), a case was carried out using mixed methods. Through a semester-long study, following a longitudinal, interventional cohort study, data and information were obtained from teachers and students about the learning impact of the current application. The game motivated students to train more, and teachers were positive towards using it in education. The results provide increased insights into how DGBL can be integrated into education and give rise to a discussion of the current challenges of DGBL for practice-based learning.Digital Game-Based Support for Learning the Phlebotomy Procedure in the Biomedical Laboratory Scientist EducationpublishedVersio

Clinical proteomics of myeloid leukemia

Myeloid leukemias are a heterogeneous group of diseases originating from bone marrow myeloid progenitor cells. Patients with myeloid leukemias can achieve long-term survival through targeted therapy, cure after intensive chemotherapy or short-term survival because of highly chemoresistant disease. Therefore, despite the development of advanced molecular diagnostics, there is an unmet need for efficient therapy that reflects the advanced diagnostics. Although the molecular design of therapeutic agents is aimed at interacting with specific proteins identified through molecular diagnostics, the majority of therapeutic agents act on multiple protein targets. Ongoing studies on the leukemic cell proteome will probably identify a large number of new biomarkers, and the prediction of response to therapy through these markers is an interesting avenue for future personalized medicine. Mass spectrometric protein detection is a fundamental technique in clinical proteomics, and selected tools are presented, including stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture (SILAC), isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), as well as single cell determination. We suggest that protein analysis will play not only a supplementary, but also a prominent role in future molecular diagnostics, and we outline how accurate knowledge of the molecular therapeutic targets can be used to monitor therapy response

Praksisstudienes omfang og organisering i bioingeniørutdanningen

Source at https://www.bioingenioren.no/arkiv/.Siden 2005 har omfang og innhold i bioingeniørutdanningen vært definert av en nasjonal rammeplan for å sikre likeverdig sluttkompetanse for alle kandidater. Fra 2019 ble en ny forskrift om nasjonale retningslinjer fastsatt. Både tidligere rammeplan og nye retningslinjer har regulert læringsutbyttene og omfang av praksis i utdanningen. I denne studien kartlegges omfang og organisering av praksisstudiene ved de ulike studieprogrammene, dette for å undersøke forskjeller og likheter og tilrettelegge for at studiestedene kan lære av hverandre. Det er innhentet data fra hvert studieprogram for omfang og organisering av veiledet intern praksis, ekstern praksis samt bacheloroppgaven. Dette ble kartlagt for alle studiestedene før og etter innføring av nye retningslinjer. Resultatene viser ulikheter i omfang og organisering av praksisstudiene og bacheloroppgaven mellom studieprogrammene i Norge og da særlig i organisering av intern praksis. De nye retningslinjene åpner samtidig opp for en videre fortolkning av praksisbegrepet og av krav til omfang og organisering av praksis. For å sikre likeverdig sluttkompetanse for ferdigutdannede, uavhengig av studiested, er det behov for i større grad enes om hva som gir tilstrekkelig omfang og god kvalitet i praksis i bioingeniørutdanningen. Denne deskriptive studien viser behov for videre forskningssamarbeid mellom studiestedene, for å utvikle en bioingeniørutdanning av best mulig kvalitet for fremtiden

Praksisstudienes omfang og organisering i bioingeniørutdanningen

Siden 2005 har omfang og innhold i bioingeniørutdanningen vært definert av en nasjonal rammeplan for å sikre likeverdig sluttkompetanse for alle kandidater. Fra 2019 ble en ny forskrift om nasjonale retningslinjer fastsatt. Både tidligere rammeplan og nye retningslinjer har regulert læringsutbyttene og omfang av praksis i utdanningen. I denne studien kartlegges omfang og organisering av praksisstudiene ved de ulike studieprogrammene, dette for å undersøke forskjeller og likheter og tilrettelegge for at studiestedene kan lære av hverandre. Det er innhentet data fra hvert studieprogram for omfang og organisering av veiledet intern praksis, ekstern praksis samt bacheloroppgaven. Dette ble kartlagt for alle studiestedene før og etter innføring av nye retningslinjer. Resultatene viser ulikheter i omfang og organisering av praksisstudiene og bacheloroppgaven mellom studieprogrammene i Norge og da særlig i organisering av intern praksis. De nye retningslinjene åpner samtidig opp for en videre fortolkning av praksisbegrepet og av krav til omfang og organisering av praksis. For å sikre likeverdig sluttkompetanse for ferdigutdannede, uavhengig av studiested, er det behov for i større grad enes om hva som gir tilstrekkelig omfang og god kvalitet i praksis i bioingeniørutdanningen. Denne deskriptive studien viser behov for videre forskningssamarbeid mellom studiestedene, for å utvikle en bioingeniørutdanning av best mulig kvalitet for fremtiden.publishedVersio

Praksisstudienes omfang og organisering i bioingeniørutdanningen

Since 2005, scope and content of the biomedical laboratory scientist education have been defined by national guidelines to ensure equal final competence for all candidates. From 2019, a new regulation on national guidelines was approved. Both new and old guidelines have regulated the learning outcomes and scope of practice in education. In this study, the scope and organization of the practical studies at the various study programs are characterized, in order to investigate differences and similarities and to facilitate that the study programs can learn from each other. Data has been obtained from each study program for the scope and organization of supervised internal practice, external practice and the bachelor thesis are reported for all study programs before and after the introduction of new guidelines. This study shows differences in the scope and organization of the practice and the bachelor thesis between the study programs in Norway and especially in the organization of internal practice. At the same time, the new guidelines open up for a further interpretation of the concept of practice and of requirements for the scope and organization of practice. In order to ensure equal final competence for the graduates, regardless of place of study, there is a need to agree to a greater extent on what provides sufficient scope and good quality of clinical practice in the study programs of biomedical laboratory scientists. This descriptive study shows the need for further research collaboration between the educational institutions, in order to develop a biomedical laboratory scientist education of the best possible quality for the future.publishedVersio

Praksisstudienes omfang og organisering i bioingeniørutdanningen

Siden 2005 har omfang og innhold i bioingeniørutdanningen vært definert av en nasjonal rammeplan for å sikre likeverdig sluttkompetanse for alle kandidater. Fra 2019 ble en ny forskrift om nasjonale retningslinjer fastsatt. Både tidligere rammeplan og nye retningslinjer har regulert læringsutbyttene og omfang av praksis i utdanningen. I denne studien kartlegges omfang og organisering av praksisstudiene ved de ulike studieprogrammene, dette for å undersøke forskjeller og likheter og tilrettelegge for at studiestedene kan lære av hverandre. Det er innhentet data fra hvert studieprogram for omfang og organisering av veiledet intern praksis, ekstern praksis samt bacheloroppgaven. Dette ble kartlagt for alle studiestedene før og etter innføring av nye retningslinjer. Resultatene viser ulikheter i omfang og organisering av praksisstudiene og bacheloroppgaven mellom studieprogrammene i Norge og da særlig i organisering av intern praksis. De nye retningslinjene åpner samtidig opp for en videre fortolkning av praksisbegrepet og av krav til omfang og organisering av praksis. For å sikre likeverdig sluttkompetanse for ferdigutdannede, uavhengig av studiested, er det behov for i større grad enes om hva som gir tilstrekkelig omfang og god kvalitet i praksis i bioingeniørutdanningen. Denne deskriptive studien viser behov for videre forskningssamarbeid mellom studiestedene, for å utvikle en bioingeniørutdanning av best mulig kvalitet for fremtiden.publishedVersio

Games on mobiles via web or virtual reality technologies: How to support learning for biomedical laboratory science education

Simulations, serious games, and virtual reality (SSG) applications represent promising support for achieving practical proficiency, but it is difficult to know how to introduce them into a new environment. This paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of introducing new SSGs to a non-computer related educational environment—biomedical laboratory science (BLS) education. By following the choice, construction, and evaluation of a gamified app for practicing phlebotomy (StikkApp), not only the usefulness of the application, but also the general needs and possibilities for supporting SSG applications, are discussed. This paper presents the evaluation of StikkApp through an experimental study examining its use on mobile devices, as a web app and by discussing challenges for a corresponding virtual reality app by BLS students and their teachers. This evaluation focused on questions concerning usage scenarios, technologies, and how the design of the app can be aligned to learning goals necessary for education. By discussing these requirements and possibilities for apps and technology support for using SSG apps for BLS students, this paper contributes to a better understanding of using digital support for sustainable education

Digital Tools for Blood Sampling Training: A Scoping Review (Protocol)

Blood sampling procedures are a central part of medical treatment as blood sample analysis is used for diagnostics and monitoring of medical treatment of numerous disorders and conditions. Most laboratory analysis errors happen in the pre-analytical phase, where incorrect patient identification, mislabeling samples, and incorrect application of sampling tubes are common errors. Time and cost constraints in the education and training for health personnel impose limitations on the number of blood sampling sessions, and different types of scenarios, for instance, blood sampling of bedridden, children, and elderly patients. Digital tools and technologies can supplement the current training and education with additional blood sampling training opportunities. A systematic overview of the digital tools made for and used in blood sampling training can help educators find tools suitable for their teaching and guide future research in the field