Communicating 'Success' with Research Students: Institutional Responsibilities in Encouraging a Culture of Research Higher Degree Completions

The modern university is driven by an outcomes-based approach that stresses quality, impact and efficiency among its researchers. For newcomers still adapting to the alien lifestyle and rigorous demands of academia, such as Research Higher Degree (RHD) students, it is important that institutions are able to guide them adequately through the research journey, and to communicate not only what “research success” looks like, but also how to achieve it through information, partnerships and shared experiences. This chapter explores the important role of “communication as empowerment” in encouraging positive outcomes by enabling research students to complete their degrees with minimal problems and maximum satisfaction

Effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy with nelfinavir in vertically HIV-1 infected children: 3 years of follow-up. Long-term response to nelfinavir in children

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral treatment (ART) in children has special features and consequently, results obtained from clinical trials with antiretroviral drugs in adults may not be representative of children. Nelfinavir (NFV) is an HIV-1 Protease Inhibitor (PI) which has become as one of the first choices of PI for ART in children. We studied during a 3-year follow-up period the effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy with nelfinavir in vertically HIV-1 infected children. METHODS: Forty-two vertically HIV-infected children on HAART with NFV were involved in a multicentre prospective study. The children were monitored at least every 3 months with physical examinations, and blood sample collection to measure viral load (VL) and CD4+ cell count. We performed a logistic regression analysis to determinate the odds ratio of baseline characteristics on therapeutic failure. RESULTS: Very important increase in CD4+ was observed and VL decreased quickly and it remained low during the follow-up study. Children with CD4+ <25% at baseline achieved CD4+ >25% at 9 months of follow-up. HIV-infected children who achieved undetectable viral load (uVL) were less than 40% in each visit during follow-up. Nevertheless, HIV-infected children with VL >5000 copies/ml were less than 50% during the follow-up study. Only baseline VL was an important factor to predict VL control during follow-up. Virological failure at defined end-point was confirmed in 30/42 patients. Along the whole of follow-up, 16/42 children stopped HAART with NFV. Baseline characteristics were not associated with therapeutic change. CONCLUSION: NFV is a safe drug with a good profile and able to achieve an adequate response in children

Lipopolysaccharide Renders Transgenic Mice Expressing Human Serum Amyloid P Component Sensitive to Shiga Toxin 2

Transgenic C57BL/6 mice expressing human serum amyloid P component (HuSAP) are resistant to Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2) at dosages that are lethal in HuSAP-negative wild-type mice. However, it is well established that Stx2 initiates extra-intestinal complications such as the haemolytic-uremic syndrome despite the presence of HuSAP in human sera. We now demonstrate that co-administering purified Escherichia coli O55 lipopolysaccharide (LPS), at a dosage of 300 ng/g body weight, to HuSAP-transgenic mice increases their susceptibility to the lethal effects of Stx2. The enhanced susceptibility to Stx2 correlated with an increased expression of genes encoding the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα and chemokines of the CXC and CC families in the kidneys of LPS-treated mice, 48 hours after the Stx2/LPS challenge. Co-administering the glucocorticoid dexamethasone, but not the LPS neutralizing cationic peptide LL-37, protected LPS-sensitized HuSAP-transgenic mice from lethal doses of Stx2. Dexamethasone protection was specifically associated with decreased expression of the same inflammatory mediators (CXC and CC-type chemokines and TNFα) linked to enhanced susceptibility caused by LPS. The studies reveal further details about the complex cascade of host-related events that are initiated by Stx2 as well as establish a new animal model system in which to investigate strategies for diminishing serious Stx2-mediated complications in humans infected with enterohemorrhagic E. coli strains

Examiner comment les organismes subventionnaires canadiens ont répondu au COVID-19 : possibilités, tensions, et implications à long terme

This article explores how Canadian philanthropic foundations with social justice mandates responded to the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by loosening restrictions for grantees; collaborating on new initiatives; elevating grassroots knowledge; and balancing short- and long-term priorities. This response, however, revealed a series of tensions in the dominant pre-COVID-19 philanthropic model—specifically, as a mechanism to address the social, econ- omic, and ecological crises that predate COVID-19. The early pandemic response of grantmaking foundations can there- fore serve as a model for what a more democratic, agile, collaborative, and justice-oriented philanthropic sector can look like. RÉSUMÉ Cet article examine la réponse de fondations philanthropiques canadiennes aux enjeux de justice sociale pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. Elles l’ont fait en assouplissant les exigences exigées aux donataires; en collaborant autour de nouvelles initiatives; en priorisant l’expertise des communautés; et en équilibrant les priorités à long et à court terme. Cette réponse révèle les tensions inhérentes au modèle classique de l’action philanthropique, particulièrement dans les façons de répondre aux crises sociales, économiques et écologiques. La réponse actuelle fournit des bases solides pour repenser le modèle d’action du secteur philanthropique subventionnaire afin qu’il soit plus démocratique, plus collaboratif et plus axé sur la justice.Cet article examine comment les fondations philanthropiques canadiennes ont changé leurs politiques, pratiques, et programmes en réponse aux impacts sociaux et économiques de la pandémie du COVID-19. Nous regroupons ces changements en quatre thèmes généraux&nbsp;: (1) l’assouplissement des règles, des modalités de régulations et des contraintes aux bénéficiaires; (2) des collaborations pour de nouveaux programmes et nouvelles initiatives; (3) l’augmentation des connaissances et de l’expertise de base; et (4) l’équilibre entre les priorités et les objectifs à court et à long terme. Nous soutenons que, pendant le processus d’organisation de la réponse philanthropique à la crise sanitaire, le secteur philanthropique a été confronté à des tensions inhérentes au modèle dominant de l’action philanthropique subventionnaire pré-COVID-19. Ces tensions relevaient particulièrement des carences observées et toujours observables dans les façons de répondre aux crises sociales, économiques et écologiques. En fonction des constats que nous avons posés, nous suggérons que la réponse actuelle des fondations à la pandémie fournit des assises solides pour repenser ou refonder le modèle d’action du secteur philanthropique subventionnaire afin qu’il soit le plus démocratique, agile, collaboratif et efficace possible