Preparedness for eHealth: Health sciences students' knowledge, skills, and confidence

There is increasing recognition of the role eHealth will play in the effective and efficient delivery of healthcare. This research challenges the assumption that students enter university as digital natives, able to confidently and competently adapt their use of information and communication technology (ICT) to new contexts. This study explored health sciences students' preparedness for working, and leading change, in eHealth-enabled environments. Using a cross-sectional study design, 420 undergraduate and postgraduate students participated in an online survey investigating their understanding of and attitude towards eHealth, frequency of online activities and software usage, confidence learning and using ICTs, and perceived learning needs. Although students reported that they regularly engaged with a wide range of online activities and software and were confident learning new ICT skills especially where they have sufficient time or support, their understanding of eHealth was uncertain or limited. Poor understanding of and difficulty translating skills learned in personal contexts to the professional context may impair graduates ability to confidently engage in the eHealth-enabled workplace. These results suggest educators need to scaf-fold the learning experience to ensure students build on their ICT knowledge to transfer this to their future workplaces

Comparative Analysis of Gene Expression in Virulent and Attenuated Strains of Infectious Bronchitis Virus at Subcodon Resolution.

Like all coronaviruses, avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) possesses a long, single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome (∼27 kb) and has a complex replication strategy that includes the production of a nested set of subgenomic mRNAs (sgmRNAs). Here, we used whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNASeq) and ribosome profiling (RiboSeq) to delineate gene expression in the IBV M41-CK and Beau-R strains at subcodon resolution. RNASeq facilitated a comparative analysis of viral RNA synthesis and revealed two novel transcription junction sites in the attenuated Beau-R strain, one of which would generate a sgmRNA encoding a ribosomally occupied open reading frame (dORF) located downstream of the nucleocapsid coding region. RiboSeq permitted quantification of the translational efficiency of virus gene expression and identified, for the first time, sites of ribosomal pausing on the genome. Quantification of reads flanking the programmed ribosomal frameshifting (PRF) signal at the genomic RNA ORF1a/ORF1b junction revealed that PRF in IBV is highly efficient (33 to 40%). Triplet phasing of RiboSeq data allowed precise determination of reading frames and revealed the translation of two ORFs (ORF4b and ORF4c on sgmRNA IR), which are widely conserved across IBV isolates. Analysis of differential gene expression in infected primary chick kidney cells indicated that the host cell response to IBV occurs primarily at the level of transcription, with global upregulation of immune-related mRNA transcripts following infection and comparatively modest changes in the translation efficiencies of host genes. Cellular genes and gene networks differentially expressed during virus infection were also identified, giving insights into the host cell response to IBV infection.IMPORTANCE IBV is a major avian pathogen and presents a substantial economic burden to the poultry industry. Improved vaccination strategies are urgently needed to curb the global spread of this virus, and the development of suitable vaccine candidates will be aided by an improved understanding of IBV molecular biology. Our high-resolution data have enabled a precise study of transcription and translation in cells infected with both pathogenic and attenuated forms of IBV and expand our understanding of gammacoronaviral gene expression. We demonstrate that gene expression shows considerable intraspecies variation, with single nucleotide polymorphisms being associated with altered production of sgmRNA transcripts, and our RiboSeq data sets enabled us to uncover novel ribosomally occupied ORFs in both strains. The numerous cellular genes and gene networks found to be differentially expressed during virus infection provide insights into the host cell response to IBV infection.Wellcome Trust European Research Counci

A Conceptual Measurement Model for eHealth Readiness: a Team Based Perspective.

Despite the shift towards collaborative healthcare and the increase in the use of eHealth technologies, there does not currently exist a model for the measurement of eHealth readiness in interdisciplinary healthcare teams. This research aims to address this gap in the literature through the development of a three phase methodology incorporating qualitative and quantitative methods. We propose a conceptual measurement model consisting of operationalized themes affecting readiness across four factors: (i) Organizational Capabilities, (ii) Team Capabilities, (iii) Patient Capabilities, and (iv) Technology Capabilities. The creation of this model will allow for the measurement of the readiness of interdisciplinary healthcare teams to use eHealth technologies to improve patient outcomes

Peptide transporter 2 (PEPT2) expression in brain protects against 5-aminolevulinic acid neurotoxicity

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65903/1/j.1471-4159.2007.04905.x.pd

An eHealth capabilities framework for graduates and health professionals: Mixed-methods study

© Melissa Brunner, Deborah McGregor, Melanie Keep, Anna Janssen, Heiko Spallek, Deleana Quinn, Aaron Jones, Emma Tseris, Wilson Yeung, Leanne Togher, Annette Solman, Tim Shaw. Background: The demand for an eHealth-ready and adaptable workforce is placing increasing pressure on universities to deliver eHealth education. At present, eHealth education is largely focused on components of eHealth rather than considering a curriculum-wide approach. Objective: This study aimed to develop a framework that could be used to guide health curriculum design based on current evidence, and stakeholder perceptions of eHealth capabilities expected of tertiary health graduates. Methods: A 3-phase, mixed-methods approach incorporated the results of a literature review, focus groups, and a Delphi process to develop a framework of eHealth capability statements. Results: Participants (N=39) with expertise or experience in eHealth education, practice, or policy provided feedback on the proposed framework, and following the fourth iteration of this process, consensus was achieved. The final framework consisted of 4 higher-level capability statements that describe the learning outcomes expected of university graduates across the domains of (1) digital health technologies, systems, and policies; (2) clinical practice; (3) data analysis and knowledge creation; and (4) technology implementation and codesign. Across the capability statements are 40 performance cues that provide examples of how these capabilities might be demonstrated. Conclusions: The results of this study inform a cross-faculty eHealth curriculum that aligns with workforce expectations. There is a need for educational curriculum to reinforce existing eHealth capabilities, adapt existing capabilities to make them transferable to novel eHealth contexts, and introduce new learning opportunities for interactions with technologies within education and practice encounters. As such, the capability framework developed may assist in the application of eHealth by emerging and existing health care professionals. Future research needs to explore the potential for integration of findings into workforce development programs

Glycyl- l -Glutamine Disposition in Rat Choroid Plexus Epithelial Cells in Primary Culture: Role of PEPT2

The purpose of this research was to determine the polarity and directionality of the PEPT2-mediated uptake and transepithelial transport of the neuropeptide glycyl- l -glutamine (GlyGln) in choroid plexus.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41508/1/11095_2005_Article_5261.pd

Giving Miss Marple a makeover : graduate recruitment, systems failure and the Scottish voluntary sector

The voluntary sector in Scotland, as across the globe, is becoming increasingly business like. Resultantly, there is an increasing demand for graduates to work in business and support functions. In Scotland, however, despite an oversupply of graduates in the labor market, the voluntary sector reports skills shortages for graduate-level positions; a leadership deficit was also reported in countries such as the United States. Through exploratory, mainly qualitative, case study and stakeholder research, this article proposes that one reason for this mismatch between the supply of and demand for graduates is a systems failure within the sector. Many graduates and university students remain unaware of potentially suitable paid job opportunities, in part because of the sector's voluntary label. To rectify this systems failure, thought needs to be given to the sector's nomenclature and the manner in which voluntary sector organizations attract graduate recruits, for example, through levering value congruence in potential recruits

Role of PEPT2 in the Choroid Plexus Uptake of Glycylsarcosine and 5-Aminolevulinic Acid: Studies in Wild-Type and Null Mice

Purpose . To determine the importance of PEPT2 in the uptake of glycylsarcosine (GlySar) and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) in mouse choroid plexus whole tissue.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41506/1/11095_2004_Article_492483.pd

Preliminary Investigation into the Expression of Proton-Coupled Oligopeptide Transporters in Neural Retina and Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE): Lack of Functional Activity in RPE Plasma Membranes

Purpose . To determine the expression and functional activity of proton-coupled oligopeptide transporters (POT) in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41501/1/11095_2004_Article_471009.pd