Keeping students engaged throughout a lecture: how to avoid premature packing away behaviours

This collaborative workshop critically examined a phenomenon that can occur at the end of university lectures. We were interested in cases where students begin to pack up their belongings before the lecturer has finished talking, which we labelled ‘premature packing away behaviour’ (PPAB). Such behaviour can impact student engagement in the lecture experience and can lead to frustration for lecturers and students alike. We shared our exploratory research into this phenomenon, which adopted the perspective of Conversation Analysis. In this view, certain actions of the lecturer can cue an upcoming closing of the encounter and consequently cue reciprocal pre-closing behavior from students in the form of PPAB. Further cues discussed included time cues, AV cues and individual differences. The workshop provided opportunities for participants to share their own views and reflections on the phenomenon and concluded with a clear outline for effective teaching practice into PPAB management

miR-786 Regulation of a Fatty-Acid Elongase Contributes to Rhythmic Calcium-Wave Initiation in \u3cem\u3eC. elegans\u3c/em\u3e

Background: Rhythmic behaviors are ubiquitous phenomena in animals. In C. elegans, defecation is an ultradian rhythmic behavior: every ∼50 s a calcium wave initiating in the posterior intestinal cells triggers the defecation motor program that comprises three sequential muscle contractions. Oscillatory calcium signaling is central to the periodicity of defecation. The posteriormost intestinal cells function as the pacemaker for this rhythmic behavior, although it is unclear how the supremacy of these cells for calcium-wave initiation is controlled. Results: We describe how the loss of the mir-240/786 microRNA cluster, which results in arrhythmic defecation, causes ectopic intestinal calcium-wave initiation. mir-240/786 expression in the intestine is restricted to the posterior cells that function as the defecation pacemaker. Genetic data indicate that mir-240/786 functions upstream of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor. Through rescue analysis, it was determined that miR-786 functions to regulate defecation. Furthermore, we identified elo-2, a fatty-acid elongase with a known role in defecation cycling, as a direct target for miR-786. We propose that the regulation of palmitate levels through repression of elo-2 activity is the likely mechanistic link to defecation. Conclusions: Together, these data indicate that miR-786 confers pacemaker status on posterior intestinal cells for the control of calcium-wave initiation through the regulation of elo-2 and, subsequently, palmitate levels. We propose that a difference in fatty-acid composition in the posterior intestinal cells may alter the activities of membrane proteins, such as IP3-receptor or TRPM channels, that control pacemaker activity in the C. elegans intestine

Save the Turtles! Examining Motivators for Pro-Environmental Behaviors

In response to multiple vivid images about plastic straw pollution, multiple major corporations have started to reduce their straw waste or completely ban straw use. These images are assumed to lead to increased guilt, environmental identity, and environmental concern that is thought to then motivate additional pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs). In the first part of the study (Time 1), participants were randomly assigned to either watch a saddening video of a turtle struggling with a plastic straw stuck in its nose (the environmental appeal), or to not watch the video (controls). They were then surveyed on their levels of guilt, pro-environmental identity, and concern for the environment. The participants who watched the video were then asked to reduce their use of single-use plastic straws and to track their use for one week, while control participants were only asked to track their straw use for one week. After a week (Time 2), the participants were surveyed on their straw use, environmental policy support, levels of guilt, pro-environmental identity, and concern. This study supports the idea of guilt being a powerful motivator, but that eco-guilt can be reduced over time. On the other hand, other motivators, such as pro-environmental identity and concern, may not be affected by this particular environmental appeal. Overall, an individual’s straw use seems to be unaffected by the chosen environmental appeal, as well as an individual’s support for policies against single-use plastics

Using design-thinking to investigate and improve patient experience

Understanding and enhancing the patient experience can lead to improved healthcare outcomes. The purpose of this study was to capture a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the patient experience on an inpatient medical teaching unit in order to identify key deficiencies and unmet needs. We then aim to implement a design-thinking methodology to find innovative ways to solve these deficiencies. Here we present the first two phases of this four-phased study. We retrospectively and prospectively collected quantitative data about patient experience with the Canadian Patient Experiences Survey-Inpatient Care. We then used this data to guide patient interviews. We identified several key deficiencies including call bell response times, noise levels at night, pain control, education about medication side effects, communication between healthcare team members, and how well healthcare team members remain up to date about patient care. In the final two phases of our study, we will select one or more of these deficiencies and collaborate with patients and other stakeholders to rapidly create, employ, and assess the impact of prototypes through an iterative action cycle until effective and sustainable solutions are found. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Innovation & Technology lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework (https://www.theberylinstitute.org/ExperienceFramework). Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this len

Autobed: A Web-Controlled Robotic Bed

We (the Healthcare Robotics Lab at Georgia Tech) have developed an additional module for an Invacare fully electric hospital bed (Model 5410IVC) so that the bed can be controlled from a web-based interface. This module can be easily plugged between the hand control and the Invacare bed, without having to modify any existing hardware on the bed. We call a bed so modified an 'Autobed.' With this feature, users who are unable to operate the standard bed controls, but can access a web browser, are able to position the bed by themselves without having to rely on a caregiver (for example, patients with quadriplegia). This page describes how to make the Autobed module using relatively inexpensive, commercially available hardware. This document is a representation of the content provided at http://hsi.gatech.edu/hrl/project_autobed_v2.shtml as of February 15th, 2016, and is intended to create a lasting, citable, and archival copy of this material, which details the design and instructions for building the 'Autobed' device

North Saint Paul Request For Proposals: Engagement in Public Art Planning

Report completed by students enrolled in PA 5253: Planning Participation Processes, taught by Dr. Carissa Schively Slotterback in fall 2013.This project was completed as part of the 2013-2014 Resilient Communities Project (rcp.umn.edu) partnership with the City of North St. Paul. The City of North St. Paul once had an active arts council. Looking to revitalize arts in the community, the City hoped to develop more resident interest and input in a public art program. Project lead Jon Fure worked with students in Dr. Carissa Schively Slotterback’s PA 5253: Planning Participation Processes course to outline a public art engagement plan. The students outlined an engagement timeline and developed an engagement programs “cookbook” for the City. This is one of two projects completed on this topic in this course. The final report is available.This project was supported by the Resilient Communities Project (RCP), a program at the University of Minnesota whose mission is to connect communities in Minnesota with U of MN faculty and students to advance community resilience through collaborative, course-based projects. RCP is a program of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA). More information at http://www.rcp.umn.edu

Brian: The Typographical Error that Brought Early Career Neuroscientists and Artists Together

In the project “Do You Mind?” early career neuroscientists and artists collaborated to produce artworks for exhibition

Profiling of human acquired immunity against the salivary proteins of Phlebotomus papatasi reveals clusters of differential immunoreactivity

Citation: Geraci, Nicholas S., Rami M. Mukbel, Michael T. Kemp, Mariha N. Wadsworth, Emil Lesho, Gwen M. Stayback, Matthew M. Champion, et al. 2014. “Profiling of Human Acquired Immunity Against the Salivary Proteins of Phlebotomus Papatasi Reveals Clusters of Differential Immunoreactivity.” The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 90 (5): 923–38. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.13-0130.Phlebotomus papatasi sand flies are among the primary vectors of Leishmania major parasites from Morocco to the Indian subcontinent and from southern Europe to central and eastern Africa. Antibody-based immunity to sand fly salivary gland proteins in human populations remains a complex contextual problem that is not yet fully understood. We profiled the immunoreactivities of plasma antibodies to sand fly salivary gland sonicates (SGSs) from 229 human blood donors residing in different regions of sand fly endemicity throughout Jordan and Egypt as well as 69 US military personnel, who were differentially exposed to P. papatasi bites and L. major infections in Iraq. Compared with plasma from control region donors, antibodies were significantly immunoreactive to five salivary proteins (12, 26, 30, 38, and 44 kDa) among Jordanian and Egyptian donors, with immunoglobulin G4 being the dominant anti-SGS isotype. US personnel were significantly immunoreactive to only two salivary proteins (38 and 14 kDa). Using k-means clustering, donors were segregated into four clusters distinguished by unique immunoreactivity profiles to varying combinations of the significantly immunogenic salivary proteins. SGS-induced cellular proliferation was diminished among donors residing in sand fly-endemic regions. These data provide a clearer picture of human immune responses to sand fly vector salivary constituents

Quality Over Quantity: Advantages of Using Alpha-Synuclein Preformed Fibril Triggered Synucleinopathy to Model Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease

Animal models have significantly advanced our understanding of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) has taken center stage due to its genetic connection to familial PD and localization to Lewy bodies, one pathological hallmark of PD. Animal models developed on the premise of elevated alpha-synuclein via germline manipulation or viral vector-mediated overexpression are used to investigate PD pathophysiology and vet novel therapeutics. While these models represented a step forward compared to their neurotoxicant model predecessors, they rely on overexpression of supraphysiological levels of α-syn to trigger toxicity. However, whereas SNCA-linked familial PD is associated with elevated α-syn, elevated α-syn is not associated with idiopathic PD. Therefore, the defining feature of the α-syn overexpression models may fail to appropriately model idiopathic PD. In the last several years a new model has been developed in which α-syn preformed fibrils are injected intrastriatally and trigger normal endogenous levels of α-syn to misfold and accumulate into Lewy body-like inclusions. Following a defined period of inclusion accumulation, distinct phases of neuroinflammation and progressive degeneration can be detected in the nigrostriatal system. In this perspective, we highlight the fact that levels of α-syn achieved in overexpression models generally exceed those observed in idiopathic and even SNCA multiplication-linked PD. This raises the possibility that supraphysiological α-syn expression may drive pathophysiological mechanisms not relevant to idiopathic PD. We argue in this perspective that synucleinopathy triggered to form within the context of normal α-syn expression represents a more faithful animal model of idiopathic PD when examining the role of neuroinflammation or the relationship between a-syn aggregation and toxicity

Ultrafast Laser-Based Spectroscopy and Sensing: Applications in LIBS, CARS, and THz Spectroscopy

Ultrafast pulsed lasers find application in a range of spectroscopy and sensing techniques including laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), coherent Raman spectroscopy, and terahertz (THz) spectroscopy. Whether based on absorption or emission processes, the characteristics of these techniques are heavily influenced by the use of ultrafast pulses in the signal generation process. Depending on the energy of the pulses used, the essential laser interaction process can primarily involve lattice vibrations, molecular rotations, or a combination of excited states produced by laser heating. While some of these techniques are currently confined to sensing at close ranges, others can be implemented for remote spectroscopic sensing owing principally to the laser pulse duration. We present a review of ultrafast laser-based spectroscopy techniques and discuss the use of these techniques to current and potential chemical and environmental sensing applications