Leading entrepreneurial e-learning development in legal education: a longitudinal case study of ‘universities as learning organisations'

Purpose The study aims to review the entrepreneurial and educational innovations in technology-enabled distance education in practical legal education (PLE) accomplished by a unit “on the periphery” of a strong research-led university. It also aims to examine the learning organisation (LO) attributes associated with this initiative. Design/methodology/approach This is a longitudinal case study based on interviews and reflective analysis, and reviewed using three “models” drawn from the literature: breaking the “iron triangle” (containing costs; widening access; enhancing quality); a tailored version of distance education appropriate for research-intensive universities; a strategy for successful adoption of disruptive technologies in higher education. Findings Entrepreneurialism yielded growth (PLE student numbers went from 150 to 2,000 in 15 years) and diversification (two new programmes established). The PLE programme advanced in two “waves”: the first centred on widening access and the second, on enhancing quality. Costs were contained. Both the presence and absence of LO attributes are identified at three different organisational levels. Research limitations/implications Challenges to academic identity may act to inhibit educational change, especially in research-strong settings. Practical/implications Business logic, and the creation and institutionalisation of educational development support – an “internal networking” group, were keys to success. “Organisational learning” in complex institutional environments such as universities involves understandably lengthy timescales (e.g. decades or more). Practical/implications Technology-enabled disruption in higher education appears relentless. While institutional and individual performance metrics favour research, proven cases of “how to do things differently” in education may well not get exploited, thus opening the market to alternative providers. Originality/value This is the only empirical example of a tailored version of distance education appropriate for research-intensive universities that we know about

Rectifiers

"There are at present four common methods of con verting the alternating current into direct current. These are in order of use, the motor generator set, the rotary converter, mercury vapor rectifier and the Murphy rectifier. A short description of these and connections for the last two will be given."--p.

Use of multi-sources 10-years quantitative precipitation estimation re-analyses in a lumped rainfall-runoff model

International audienceL'objectif principal de ce projet est de produire une base de donnée de référence couvrant une période de 10 ans pour l'estimation quantitative de lames d'eaux précipitées (LEP). L'objectif est d'utiliser de façon optimale l'ensemble des informations disponibles (radars, pluviomètres horaires et journaliers, données atellite....) afin d'obtenir la meilleure estimation possible de la pluie précipitée. La base de données résultante sera une série de LPE horaire, de 1km2, associée a une estimation des incertitudes sur l'ensemble du territoire français. Cela sera une référence commune pour les hydrologues, permettant des applications telles que le calage des paramètres de modèles, l'evaluation de la valeur ajoutée d'une entrée spatio-temporelle haute résolution pour les modèles hydrologiques ect... / This project main objective is to produce a 10-year reference database of Quantitative Precipitation Estimations (QPE). The objective is to make use optimally at any time of all the available information (radars, hourly and daily rain gauges, satellite data, etc) to obtain the best possible surface precipitation estimation. The resulting data base, will consist of hourly, 1km² gridded QPE and associated estimation uncertainties over the entire French territory. This will represent a common reference for hydrologists useful for various applications such as the calibration of the hydrological model parameters, the assessment of the the added value of high space-time resolution input for hydrological models, etc

Cerebral Arterial Stenoses and Stroke: Novel Features of Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome Caused by the Arg164X Mutation in SAMHD1 Are Associated with Altered Cytokine Expression

Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) is a rare inborn multisystemic disease, resembling intrauterine viral infection and resulting in psychomotor retardation, spasticity and chilblain-like skin lesions. Diagnostic criteria include intracerebral calcifications and elevated interferon-alpha and pterin levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We report on four adult siblings with unknown neurodegenerative disease presenting with cerebrovascular stenoses, stroke and glaucoma in childhood, two of whom died at the age of 40 and 29 years. Genome-wide homozygosity mapping identified 170 candidate genes embedded in a common haplotype of 8Mb on chromosome 20q11-13. Next generation sequencing of the entire region identified the c.490C>T (p.Arg164X) mutation in SAMHD1, a gene most recently described in AGS, on both alleles in all affected siblings. Clinical diagnosis of AGS was then confirmed by demonstrating intracerebral calcifications on cranial computed tomography in all siblings and elevated pterin levels in CSF in three of them. In patient fibroblasts, lack of SAMHD1 protein expression was associated with increased basal expression of IL8, while stimulated expression of IFNB1 was reduced. We conclude that cerebrovascular stenoses and stroke associated with the Arg164X mutation in SAMHD1 extend the phenotypic spectrum of AGS. The observed vascular changes most likely reflect a vasculitis caused by dysregulated inflammatory stress response. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc

A summary of molecular genetic findings in fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase deficiency with a focus on a common long-range deletion and the role of MLPA analysis

Background: Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase deficiency is a rare inborn error of metabolism affecting gluconeogenesis with only sporadic reports on its molecular genetic basis. Results: We report our experience with mutation analysis in 14 patients (13 families) with fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase deficiency using conventional Sanger sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis, and we provide a mutation update for the fructose bisphosphatase-1 gene (FBP1). Mutations were found on both chromosomes in all of our 14 patients including 5 novel mutations. Among the novel mutations is a 5412-bp deletion (c.-24-26_170 + 5192del) including the entire coding sequence of exon 2 of FBP1 that was repeatedly found in patients from Turkey and Armenia which may explain earlier poorly defined findings in patients from this area. This deletion can be detected with specific primers by generation of a junction fragment and by MLPA and SNP array assays. MLPA analysis was able to detect copy number variations in two further patients, one heterozygous for a deletion within exon 8, another heterozygous for a novel deletion of the entire FBP1 gene. Conclusions: Based on our update for the FBP1 gene, currently listing 35 mutations worldwide, and knowledge of PCR conditions that allow simple detection of a common FBP1 deletion in the Armenian and Turkish population, molecular genetic diagnosis has become easier in FBP1 deficiency. Furthermore, MLPA analysis may plays a useful role in patients with this disorder

Prediction of Nucleoitide Binding Peptides Using Star Graph Topological Índices

[Abstract] The nucleotide binding proteins are involved in many important cellular processes, such as transmission of genetic information or energy transfer and storage. Therefore, the screening of new peptides for this biological function is an important research topic. The current study proposes a mixed methodology to obtain the first classification model that is able to predict new nucleotide binding peptides, using only the amino acid sequence. Thus, the methodology uses a Star graph molecular descriptor of the peptide sequences and the Machine Learning technique for the best classifier. The best model represents a Random Forest classifier based on two features of the embedded and non-embedded graphs. The performance of the model is excellent, considering similar models in the field, with an Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC) value of 0.938 and true positive rate (TPR) of 0.886 (test subset). The prediction of new nucleotide binding peptides with this model could be useful for drug target studies in drug development.Red Gallega de Investigación sobre Cáncer Colorrectal; Ref. R2014/039Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI13/0028

Chryseobacterium indologenes infection in a newborn: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p><it>Chryseobacterium indologenes </it>is an uncommon human pathogen. Most infections have been detected in hospitalized patients with severe underlying diseases who had indwelling devices implanted. Infection caused by <it>C. indologenes </it>in a newborn has not been previously reported.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present a case of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by <it>C. indologenes </it>in a full-term Caucasian newborn baby boy with congenital heart disease who was successfully treated with piperacillin-tazobactam.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>C. indologenes </it>should be considered as a potential pathogen in newborns in the presence of invasive equipment or treatment with long-term broad-spectrum antibiotics. Appropriate choice of effective antimicrobial agents for treatment is difficult because of the unpredictability and breadth of antimicrobial resistance of these organisms, which often involves resistance to many of the antibiotics chosen empirically for serious Gram-negative infections.</p

Zicht op Evenwicht Landelijke implementatie van een cursus gericht op het verminderen van angst om te vallen bij zelfstandig wonende ouderen

Achtergrond: Zicht op Evenwicht is een effectieve cognitief gedragsmatige groepscursus om bezorgdheid om te vallen en gerelateerd vermijdingsgedrag bij zelfstandig wonende ouderen te verminderen. Dit artikel beschrijft de landelijke implementatiestrategie van deze cursus en de resultaten daarvan. De implementatiestrategie had als doel de cursus in 2009 en 2010 bij minimaal 50 % van 64 thuiszorgorganisaties die zijn aangesloten bij het Landelijk Steunpunt Preventie - Thuiszorg (LSP-T) te implementeren. Methoden: De implementatiestrategie is gebaseerd op de vier fasen van het ‘Replicating Effective Interventions’ (REP)model: randvoorwaarden, preimplementatie, implementatie, en borging en doorontwikkeling. Resultaten: Na voorbereidende implementatieactiviteiten zoals identificeren van belemmerende factoren, consulteren van stakeholders, gereedmaken van cursusmaterialen en training van cursusbegeleiders (n053), is Zicht op Evenwicht in de periode 2009–2010 geïmplementeerd bij 16 van thuiszorgorganisaties van het LSP-T (25 %). Nog eens vijf thuiszorgorganisaties hadden plannen om de cursus aan te bieden. De cursus is in deze periode landelijk 26 keer aangeboden, 19 keer uitgevoerd en heeft 178 cursisten bereikt. Het verschil tussen aanbod en uitvoering is een gevolg van moeizame werving van cursisten. Na de implementatiefase zijn nog eens 16 cursusbegeleiders getraind en verloopt de verspreiding van cursusmaterialen voorspoedig. Conclusie: Het implementatietraject is overeenkomstig de opzet van het REP-model verlopen. Het beoogde implementatiedoel is niet volledig bereikt in de periode van twee jaar,maar de cursus geniet zichtbaar de interesse van ouderen, cursusbegeleiders en thuiszorgorganisaties. De continuering van aandacht voor verspreiding en borging van de cursus in de eerstelijnszorg wordt daarom aanbevolen

Epidemiology of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Patients without HIV Infection, New York City

The incidence appears to be increasing

Zicht op Evenwicht. Evaluatie van een landelijk geïmplementeerde cursus gericht op het verminderen van bezorgdheid om te vallen bij zelfstandig wonende ouderen

Inleiding In een gerandomiseerd onderzoek liet een cognitief gedragsmatige cursus, Zicht op Evenwicht, positieve effecten zien op bezorgdheid om te vallen en gerelateerd vermijdingsgedrag bij zelfstandig wonende ouderen. Het huidige onderzoek richt zich op de effecten en uitvoerbaarheid van deze cursus na (landelijke) implementatie in thuiszorgorganisaties. Methode In een pre-experimenteel onderzoek met een voormeting en nametingen na twee en vier maanden is Zicht op Evenwicht geëvalueerd bij 125 zelfstandig wonende ouderen. De effectmaten betroffen bezorgdheid om te vallen, gerelateerd vermijdingsgedrag, valincidenten, medische hulp na een valincident, gevoelens van angst, symptomen van depressie en eenzaamheid. Resultaten Met de Wilcoxon signed-rank test en de gepaarde t-test is een significante verbetering waargenomen tussen de voormeting en de laatste nameting voor bezorgdheid om te vallen, gerelateerd vermijdingsgedrag, aantal valincidenten, gevoelens van angst en symptomen van depressie. De andere uitkomsten verschilden in deze analyses niet significant. Discussie Ook na implementatie in de thuiszorgorganisaties lijkt de cursus Zicht op Evenwicht een positief effect te hebben bij zelfstandig wonende ouderen, op onder andere bezorgdheid om te vallen, gerelateerd vermijdingsgedrag en valincidenten. Gezien de overeenkomsten met de resultaten uit het gerandomiseerde onderzoek kan worden gesteld dat de cursus succesvol te implementeren is in thuiszorgorganisaties