Using hippocampal microRNA expression differences between mouse inbred strains to characterise miRNA function

Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are short, single-stranded, noncoding RNAs that are involved in the regulation of protein-coding genes at the level of messenger RNA (mRNA). They are involved in the regulation of numerous traits, including developmental timing, apoptosis, immune function, and neuronal development. To better understand how the expression of the miRNAs themselves is regulated, we looked for miRNA expression differences among four mouse inbred strains, A/J, BALB/cJ, C57BL/6J, and DBA/2J, in one tissue, the hippocampus. A total of 166 miRNA RT-PCR assays were used to screen RNA pools for each strain. Twenty miRNA species that were markedly different between strains were further investigated using eight individual samples per strain, and 11 miRNAs showed significant differences across strains (p < 0.05). This is the first observation of miRNA expression differences across inbred mice strains. We conducted an in silico correlation analysis of the expression of these differentially expressed miRNAs with phenotype data and mRNA expression to better characterise the effects of these miRNAs on both phenotype and the regulation of mRNA expression. This approach has allowed us to nominate miRNAs that have potential roles in anxiety, exploration, and learning and memory

‘We have to flap our wings or fall to the ground’: The experiences of medical students on a longitudinal integrated clinical model

Background: In 2011, Stellenbosch University introduced a district hospital-based longitudinal integrated model for final-year students as part of its rural clinical school. The present study is an analysis of students’ experiences during the first 3 years of the programme.Methods: All 13 students who started the programme between 2011 and 2013 were interviewed. Thematic networks linking recurrent issues were developed and transcripts were analysed against this framework using ATLAS.ti.Results: Two major themes emerged. These were ‘preparation for being a doctor’ and ‘academic/exam preparation’. Students were overwhelmingly positive about the working atmosphere and their preparation for clinical practice and felt that their learning had been facilitated by the flexibility of the programme and the requirement to take responsibility. This contrasted with their academic (‘book’) learning, which was characterised by uncertainty about expectations, particularly regarding exams and parity with learning at the central teaching hospital. The flexibility of the integrated approach was seen as a problematic lack of structure when it came to academic learning. Negative academic emotions were compounded by some frustration about administrative issues early in the programme.Conclusions: The district hospital-based longitudinal integrated model has great potential as a teaching platform for final-year students; however, students remain concerned about academic learning. Potential strategies to reduce student anxiety include more opportunities for dialogue between rural students and specialist teaching platforms, clearly communicated expectations – both about what the students can expect from the programme and about what is expected from them – and administrative excellence

Open Government Data Systems : Learning from a Public Utility Perspective

Previous research on Open Government Data (OGD) struggleswith synthesising a holistic perspective of OGD systems. A perspectivethat has dealt with vast, complex systems is public utility. Publicutilities are, for example, water supply networks and electric power grids.This study explores what we can learn from a public utility perspectivewhen perceiving and organising OGD systems. We used a hermeneuticliterature review combined with a snowballing approach, resulting in aselection of 39 studies. We compare public utilities and OGD systems toderive ve lessons: (1) an OGD system can be perceived from a node- owview, (2) the foundational data ow of an OGD system starts at datacollection and ends at data used by the public in an everyday context, (3)the organisation of OGD systems needs to consider the combinability, interpretability,and boundless reusability of data, (4) OGD systems needgovernance organisations that cover the whole system, and (5) OGD systemscould replace existing data provision systems and be made a publicutility if certain characteristic problems are overcome

Motivations and experiences of women who accessed “see and treat” cervical cancer prevention services in Zambia

BACKGROUND: In Zambia, a country with a generalized HIV epidemic, age-adjusted cervical cancer incidence is among the highest worldwide. In 2006, the UAB-Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia and the Zambian Ministry of Health launched a visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA)-based “see and treat” cervical cancer prevention program in Lusaka. All services were integrated within existing government-operated primary health care facilities. OBJECTIVE: Study aims were to: 1) identify women's motivations for cervical screening; 2) document women's experiences with screening; and 3) describe the potentially reciprocal influences between women undergoing cervical screening and their social networks. DESIGN & METHODS: Focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews (IDI) were conducted with women who accepted screening and with care providers. Low-level content analysis was performed to identify themes evoked by participants. Between September, 2009 and July, 2010, 60 women and 21 care providers participated in 8 FGD and 10 IDI. RESULTS: Women presented for screening with varying needs and expectations. A majority discussed their screening decisions and experiences with members of their social networks. Key reinforcing factors and obstacles to VIA screening were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions are needed to gain support for the screening process from influential family members and peers