To read or not to read: the usefulness of informed consent

Informed consent is an important ethical factor for medicine, psychology, and other needed disciplines. It is necessary for participants to understand an intended research project or procedure in which they plan to take part. This study examined the usefulness of informed consent by administering such a form prior to an irrelevant questionnaire. A simple task was inserted into the reading, which allowed assessment of whether participants actually read the form. Results obtained through the experiment supported the hypothesis that the majority of the participants would not read the consent form. While less than half of each sex actually read the form, more women tended to read it than their male counterparts. Theoretical implications for these findings are discussed

Curriculum Mapping as a Tool for Continuous Improvement of IS Curriculum

Employers, accreditation and governmental agencies increasingly call for Information Systems (IS) programs to ensure, document, and demonstrate that their curricula embody coherent courses of study that systematically integrate statements of intended learning outcomes. This paper presents a comprehensive and structured curriculum mapping framework that is applied to examine an IS baccalaureate program. The framework assists curriculum as well as accreditation self-study committees to evaluate how intentionally IS curricula advance expected program learning outcomes and ensure that students receive appropriate instruction and assignments in the desired order, so that learning outcomes are effectively achieved in a field marked by technology-driven change. As part of a continuous improvement cycle, the curriculum map, evolving IS model curriculum guidelines, and the outcome assessment data from an IS baccalaureate program are used to revise the existing program. Recommendations are made for use of curriculum mapping in evaluating intended program learning outcomes, program design, course design, course implementation, assessment design, and assessment implementation

The potential for haptic-enabled interaction to support collaborative learning in school biology

This paper discusses the rationales and design considerations for developing the use of haptics (virtual touch) for learning aspects of cell biology in secondary schools. The paper considers issues in understanding concepts in cell biology and how a 3-D environment enabled by haptics could support learning of difficult concepts. In this endeavour, a number of educational and design challenges need to be addressed. First we need to identify the level of detail and realism that will support learning and visualisation rather than confuse through its overcomplexity or create misconceptions through oversimplification. Secondly we need to integrate the use of the 3-D environment into classroom teaching by identifying relevant curriculum and pedagogical challenges and solutions. Significant design challenges include navigating the content and scale changes involved in moving between the visible, microscopic and nanoscale in an intuitive and realistic way and enabling collaborative learning

Influence of translation efficiency of homologous viral proteins on the endogenous presentation of CD8+ T cell epitopes

A significant proportion of endogenously processed CD8+ T cell epitopes are derived from newly synthesized proteins and rapidly degrading polypeptides (RDPs). It has been hypothesized that the generation of rapidly degrading polypeptides and CD8+ T cell epitopes from these RDP precursors may be influenced by the efficiency of protein translation. Here we address this hypothesis by using the Epstein-Barr virus–encoded nuclear antigen 1 protein (EBNA1), with or without its internal glycine-alanine repeat sequence (EBNA1 and EBNA1ΔGA, respectively), which display distinct differences in translation efficiency. We demonstrate that RDPs constitute a significant proportion of newly synthesized EBNA1 and EBNA1ΔGA and that the levels of RDPs produced by each of these proteins directly correlate with the translation efficiency of either EBNA1 or EBNA1ΔGA. As a consequence, a higher number of major histocompatibility complex–peptide complexes can be detected on the surface of cells expressing EBNA1ΔGA, and these cells are more efficiently recognized by virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes compared to the full-length EBNA1. More importantly, we also demonstrate that the endogenous processing of these CD8+ T cell epitopes is predominantly determined by the rate at which the RDPs are generated rather than the intracellular turnover of these proteins

Haptic-enabled collaborative learning in virtual reality for schools

This paper reports on a study which designed and developed a multi-fingered haptic interface in conjunction with a three-dimensional (3D) virtual model of a section of the cell membrane in order to enable students to work collaboratively to learn cell biology. Furthermore, the study investigated whether the addition of haptic feedback to the 3D virtual reality (VR) simulation affected learning of key concepts in nanoscale cell biology for students aged 12 to 13. The haptic interface was designed so that the haptic feedback could be turned on or switched off. Students (N = 64), in two secondary schools, worked in pairs, on activities designed to support learning of specific difficult concepts. Findings from observation of the activities and interviews revealed that students believed that being immersed in the 3D VR environment and being able to feel structures and movements within the model and work collaboratively assisted their learning. More specifically, the pilot/co-pilot model that we developed was successful for enabling collaborative learning and reducing the isolating effects of immersion with a 3D headset. Results of pre and post-tests of conceptual knowledge showed significant knowledge gains but addition of haptic feedback did not affect the knowledge gains significantly. The study enabled identification of important issues to consider when designing and using haptic-enabled 3D VR environments for collaborative learning

Bis-pyrene probes of foldamer conformation in solution and in phospholipid bilayers

YesExploring the detailed structural features of synthetic molecules in the membrane phase requires sensitive probes of conformation. Here we describe the design, synthesis and characterization of bis(pyrene) probes that report conformational changes in membrane-active dynamic foldamers. The probes were designed to distinguish between left-handed (M) and right-handed (P) screw-sense conformers of 310-helical α-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) peptide foldamers, both in solution and in bilayer membranes. Several different bis(pyrene) probes were synthesized and ligated to the C-terminus of Aib tetramers that had different chiral residues at the N-terminus, residues that favored either an M or a P screw-sense in the 310-helix. The readily synthesized and conveniently incorporated N-acetyl-1,2-bis(pyren-1′-yl)ethylenediamine probe proved to have the best properties. In solution, changes in foldamer screw-sense induced substantial changes in the ratio of excimer/monomer fluorescence emission (E/M) for this reporter of conformation, with X-ray crystallography revealing that opposite screw-senses produce very different interpyrene distances in the reporter. In bilayers, this convenient and sensitive fluorescent reporter allowed, for the first time, an investigation of how the chirality of natural phospholipids affects foldamer conformation.European Research Council (Advanced Grant ROCOCO), the BBSRC (DTP studentship and grant BB/I007962) and the EPRSC (grants EP/N009134/1 and EP/ K039547)

Epstein-Barr Virus Associated Modulation of Wnt Pathway Is Not Dependent on Latent Membrane Protein-1

Previous studies have indicated that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can modulate the Wnt pathway in virus-infected cells and this effect is mediated by EBV-encoded oncogene latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1). Here we have reassessed the role of LMP1 in regulating the expression of various mediators of the canonical Wnt cascade. Contradicting the previous finding, we found that the levels of E-cadherin, β-catenin, Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3ß (GSK3β), axin and α-catenin were not affected by the expression of LMP1 sequences from normal B cells or nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Moreover, we also show that LMP1 expression had no detectable effect on the E-cadherin and β-catenin interaction and did not induce transcriptional activation of β-catenin. Taken together these studies demonstrate that EBV-mediated activation of Wnt pathway is not dependent on the expression of LMP1

Early cranial ultrasound findings among infants with neonatal encephalopathy in Uganda: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, the timing and nature of brain injury and their relation to mortality in neonatal encephalopathy (NE) are unknown. We evaluated cranial ultrasound (cUS) scans from term Ugandan infants with and without NE for evidence of brain injury. METHODS: Infants were recruited from a national referral hospital in Kampala. Cases (184) had NE and controls (100) were systematically selected unaffected term infants. All had cUS scans <36 h reported blind to NE status. RESULTS: Scans were performed at median age 11.5 (interquartile range (IQR): 5.2-20.2) and 8.4 (IQR: 3.6-13.5) hours, in cases and controls respectively. None had established antepartum injury. Major evolving injury was reported in 21.2% of the cases vs. 1.0% controls (P < 0.001). White matter injury was not significantly associated with bacteremia in encephalopathic infants (odds ratios (OR): 3.06 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98-9.60). Major cUS abnormality significantly increased the risk of neonatal death (case fatality 53.9% with brain injury vs. 25.9% without; OR: 3.34 (95% CI: 1.61-6.95)). CONCLUSION: In this low-resource setting, there was no evidence of established antepartum insult, but a high proportion of encephalopathic infants had evidence of major recent and evolving brain injury on early cUS imaging, suggesting prolonged or severe acute exposure to hypoxia-ischemia (HI). Early abnormalities were a significant predictor of death

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Sequential Isotopic Signature Along Gladius Highlights Contrasted Individual Foraging Strategies of Jumbo Squid (Dosidicus gigas)

International audienceBackground: Cephalopods play a major role in marine ecosystems, but knowledge of their feeding ecology is limited. In particular, intra- and inter-individual variations in their use of resources has not been adequatly explored, although there is growing evidence that individual organisms can vary considerably in the way they use their habitats and resources. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using d13C and d15N values of serially sampled gladius (an archival tissue), we examined high resolution variations in the trophic niche of five large (.60 cm mantle length) jumbo squids (Dosidicus gigas) that were collected off the coast of Peru. We report the first evidence of large inter-individual differences in jumbo squid foraging strategies with no systematic increase of trophic level with size. Overall, gladius d13C values indicated one or several migrations through the squid's lifetime (,8-9 months), during which d15N values also fluctuated (range: 1 to 5%). One individual showed an unexpected terminal 4.6% d15N decrease (more than one trophic level), thus indicating a shift from higher- to lower-trophic level prey at that time. The data illustrate the high diversity of prey types and foraging histories of this species at the individual level. Conclusions/Significance: The isotopic signature of gladii proved to be a powerful tool to depict high resolution and ontogenic variations in individual foraging strategies of squids, thus complementing traditional information offered by stomach content analysis and stable isotopes on metabolically active tissues. The observed differences in life history strategies highlight the high degree of plasticity of the jumbo squid and its high potential to adapt to environmental changes