Improvement of the Usability of Online Mentoring Website

The purpose of this study is to improve the usability of the current online mentoring website by deriving what should be improved through assessment and reflecting it to system improvement. The related data such as search log and Think Aloud were collected from user groups (9 users in total), and usability was tested according to the predefined test procedures. The collected data were analyzed, using quantitative methods. In terms of search log, the related items including effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction and error were quantified according to usability testing standards. Then, descriptive statistics was performed. According to usability comparison before and after system improvement, it has mostly improved such as improved effectiveness (increase by 15 points), better efficiency (reduction by 41 seconds), increase in satisfaction (by 8 points) and decrease in error frequency (decrease by 1.2 times). Usability testing should be viewed as a process, not outcome itself. Therefore, it could be used during system prototype in addition to the current system and useful in system improvement

A genome-wide Asian genetic map and ethnic comparison: The GENDISCAN study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genetic maps provide specific positions of genetic markers, which are required for performing genetic studies. Linkage analyses of Asian families have been performed with Caucasian genetic maps, since appropriate genetic maps of Asians were not available. Different ethnic groups may have different recombination rates as a result of genomic variations, which would generate misspecification of the genetic map and reduce the power of linkage analyses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We constructed the genetic map of a Mongolian population in Asia with CRIMAP software. This new map, called the GENDISCAN map, is based on genotype data collected from 1026 individuals of 73 large Mongolian families, and includes 1790 total and 1500 observable meioses. The GENDISCAN map provides sex-averaged and sex-specific genetic positions of 1039 microsatellite markers in Kosambi centimorgans (cM) with physical positions. We also determined 95% confidence intervals of genetic distances of the adjacent marker intervals.</p> <p>Genetic lengths of the whole genome, chromosomes and adjacent marker intervals are compared with those of Rutgers Map v.2, which was constructed based on Caucasian populations (Centre d'Etudes du Polymorphisme Humain (CEPH) and Icelandic families) by mapping methods identical to those of the GENDISCAN map, CRIMAP software and the Kosambi map function. Mongolians showed approximately 1.9 fewer recombinations per meiosis than Caucasians. As a result, genetic lengths of the whole genome and chromosomes of the GENDISCAN map are shorter than those of Rutgers Map v.2. Thirty-eight marker intervals differed significantly between the Mongolian and Caucasian genetic maps.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The new GENDISCAN map is applicable to the genetic study of Asian populations. Differences in the genetic distances between the GENDISCAN and Caucasian maps could facilitate elucidation of genomic variations between different ethnic groups.</p

Inactivated vaccine with glycyrrhizic acid adjuvant elicits potent innate and adaptive immune responses against foot-and-mouth disease

BackgroundFoot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an extremely contagious viral disease that is fatal to young animals and is a major threat to the agricultural economy by reducing production and limiting the movement of livestock. The currently commercially-available FMD vaccine is prepared using an inactivated viral antigen in an oil emulsion, with aluminum hydroxide [Al(OH)3] as an adjuvant. However, oil emulsion-based options possess limitations including slow increases in antibody titers (up to levels adequate for defense against viral infection) and risks of local reactions at the vaccination site. Further, Al(OH)3 only induces a T helper 2 (Th2) cell response. Therefore, novel adjuvants that can address these limitations are urgently needed. Glycyrrhizic acid (extracted from licorice roots) is a triterpenoid saponin and has great advantages in terms of price and availability.MethodsTo address the limitations of the currently used commercial FMD vaccine, we added glycyrrhizic acid as an adjuvant (immunostimulant) to the FMD bivalent (O PA2 + A YC) vaccine. We then evaluated its efficacy in promoting both innate and adaptive (cellular and humoral) immune reactions in vitro [using murine peritoneal exudate cells (PECs) and porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)] and in vivo (using mice and pigs).ResultsGlycyrrhizic acid has been revealed to induce an innate immune response and enhance early, mid-, and long-term immunity. The studied bivalent vaccine with glycyrrhizic acid increased the expression of immunoregulatory genes such as pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), cytokines, transcription factors, and co-stimulatory molecules.ConclusionCollectively, glycyrrhizic acid could have utility as a novel vaccine adjuvant that can address the limitations of commercialized FMD vaccines by inducing potent innate and adaptive immune responses

Could Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test be Useful in Predicting Inhaled Corticosteroid Responsiveness in Chronic Cough? A Systematic Review

© 2016 Background Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a safe and convenient test for assessing T H 2 airway inflammation, which is potentially useful in the management of patients with chronic cough. Objective To summarize the current evidence on the diagnostic usefulness of FENO for predicting inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) responsiveness in patients with chronic cough. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to identify articles published in peer-reviewed journals up to February 2015, without language restriction. We included studies that reported the usefulness of FENO (index test) for predicting ICS responsiveness (reference standard) in patients with chronic cough (target condition). The data were extracted to construct a 2 × 2 accuracy table. Study quality was assessed with Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2. Results We identified 5 original studies (2 prospective and 3 retrospective studies). We identified considerable heterogeneities in study design and outcome definitions, and thus were unable to perform a meta-analysis. The proportion of ICS responders ranged from 44% to 59%. Sensitivity and specificity ranged from 53% to 90%, and from 63% to 97%, respectively. The reported area under the curve ranged from abou t 0.60 to 0.87; however, studies with a prospective design and a lower prevalence of asthma had lower area under the curve values. None measured placebo effects or objective cough frequency. Conclusions We did not find strong evidence to support the use of FENO tests for predicting ICS responsiveness in chronic cough. Further studies need to have a randomized, placebo-controlled design, and should use validated measurement tools for cough. Standardization would facilitate the development of clinical evidence

Citrus aurantium flavonoids inhibit adipogenesis through the Akt signaling pathway in 3T3-L1 cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obesity is a health hazard that is associated with a number of diseases and metabolic abnormalities, such as type-2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and coronary heart disease. In the current study, we investigated the effects of <it>Citrus aurantium </it>flavonoids (CAF) on the inhibition of adipogenesis and adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>During adipocyte differentiation, 3T3-L1 cells were treated with 0, 10, and 50 μg/ml CAF, and then the mRNA and protein expression of adipogenesis-related genes was assayed. We examined the effect of CAF on level of phosphorylated Akt in 3T3-L1 cells treated with CAF at various concentrations during adipocyte differentiation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The insulin-induced expression of C/EBPβ and PPARγ mRNA and protein were significantly down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner following CAF treatment. CAF also dramatically decreased the expression of C/EBPα, which is essential for the acquisition of insulin sensitivity by adipocytes. Moreover, the expression of the aP2 and FAS genes, which are involved in lipid metabolism, decreased dramatically upon treatment with CAF. Interestingly, CAF diminished the insulin-stimulated serine phosphorylation of Akt (Ser473) and GSK3β (Ser9), which may reduce glucose uptake in response to insulin and lipid accumulation. Furthermore, CAF not only inhibited triglyceride accumulation during adipogenesis but also contributed to the lipolysis of adipocytes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In the present study, we demonstrate that CAF suppressed adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our results indicated that CAF down-regulates the expression of C/EBPβ and subsequently inhibits the activation of PPARγ and C/EBPα. The anti-adipogenic activity of CAF was mediated by the inhibition of Akt activation and GSK3β phosphorylation, which induced the down-regulation of lipid accumulation and lipid metabolizing genes, ultimately inhibiting adipocyte differentiation.</p