Introducing children to archaeology: On site and in the classroom

This paper introduces a case study from Oslo, Norway, where two outreach programmes aimed at local children have been carried out by the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU) as part of development-led archaeological investigations relating to the construction of the new Medieval Park (Middelalderparken). The first programme involved inviting younger children from four local kindergartens to site, whereas the second programme involved archaeologists visiting fourth graders at school. Both programmes had a clear pedagogical element at their core. The programmes are discussed in relation to both previous work we have done with children, and to the broader literature on archaeology, history, and education

Mapping Global Status and Trends in Patent Activity for Biological and Genetic Material

The extension of intellectual property rights into the realm of biology has emerged as an increasing focus of controversy in relation to science,2 biodiversity,3 agriculture,4 health,5 development,6 human rights7 and trade.8 This paper presents the results of a review of international trends in activity for patent protection between 1990-2000 and provisional data to 2004 and 2005 from over 70 national patent offices, four regional patent offices and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) using the European Patent Office esp@cenet worldwide database.9 The review employed patent publication counts as an indicator of activity for traditional medicines, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and biotechnology. The research provides insights into the internationalisation of patent activity in multiple areas of biology. The review emphasises the need to combine the further development of quantitative methods with qualitative analysis of the implications of international patent activity in relation to biological and genetic material for science, society and policy

A Study of Delayed Gas Formation in Cheddar Cheese

During recent years, the dairy industry has been aware of a defect in Cheddar cheese known as late gas . This causes the mechanical openings to enlarge and become shiny. In Cottage cheese the defect exhibits itself in the form of floating curd. Both of these defects result in a general lowering of the grade and quality of the finished product

Noninvasive measurement of tissue blood oxygenation with Cerenkov imaging during therapeutic radiation delivery

Tumor tissue oxygenation significantly affects the outcome of radiotherapy. Real-time monitoring of tumor hypoxia is highly desirable for effective radiotherapy, and is the basis for improved treatment because hypoxic tumor cells are more resistant to radiation damage than fully oxygenated cells. We propose to use Cerenkov imaging to monitor tumor hypoxia by means of tissue blood oxygenation without the need for any exogenous contrast agent. Using a rodent hypoxia model, we demonstrate that Cerenkov imaging can be used as a noninvasive and noncontact method to measure tissue blood oxygenation level during radiation delivery. The data from Cerenkov imaging were validated using near infrared spectrometry methods. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using Cerenkov imaging to monitor tumor hypoxia during therapeutic radiation delivery

A prospective cohort study measuring cost-benefit analysis of the Otago Exercise Programme in Community Dwelling Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Det er en sammenheng mellom bachelorstudentenes karakterpoeng fra videregående skole og resultater til eksamen i anatomi, fysiologi, biokjemi (AFB). Enkelte studenter med lavere opptakskarakterer enn landsgjennomsnittet oppnådde bedre eksamensresultat enn det nasjonale gjennomsnittsresultatet i AFB for 2016. Hensikten med studien var å undersøke hvordan bachelorstudenter i sykepleie med lave opptakspoeng og gode eksamensresultater i AFB lærte og tilegnet seg emnet. Studien har et kvalitativ forskningsdesign og det ble gjennomført semistrukturerte intervju av 12 bachelorstudenter i sykepleie, som ble analysert ved hjelp av innholdsanalyse. Funnene er beskrevet ut fra tre hovedkategorier: A) Relevansen til sykepleieryrket styrker læring, B) tilhørighet har betydning for læring, og C) læring skjer i samarbeid med andre. Vi fant at studentene lærte AFB mer inngående i samhandling med andre studenter. Samlinger på campus er viktig for studenters læring, til tross for at det er stort fokus på fleksible utdanninger og digitale pedagogiske metoder. Selvstendig arbeid kombinert med læring i et sosialt studentfellesskap, oppgis som motivasjonsfaktorer til målrettet arbeid med studiene. Studentene erfarer mestringsforventning, i et miljø som preges av anerkjennelse og samtidig gir opplevelse av tilhørighet. Studentene vektlegger studienes relevans sett i lys av det profesjonsyrket som de utdanner seg til, som en betydningsfull motivasjonsfaktor for læring.publishedVersio

Executive summary of AAPM Report Task Group 113: Guidance for the physics aspects of clinical trials

The charge of AAPM Task Group 113 is to provide guidance for the physics aspects of clinical trials to minimize variability in planning and dose delivery for external beam trials involving photons and electrons. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of protocol compliance on patient outcome. Minimizing variability for treatments at different centers improves the quality and efficiency of clinical trials. Attention is focused on areas where variability can be minimized through standardization of protocols and processes through all aspects of clinical trials. Recommendations are presented for clinical trial designers, physicists supporting clinical trials at their individual clinics, quality assurance centers, and manufacturers.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146453/1/acm212384_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146453/2/acm212384.pd

Single-Agent Versus Combination Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and a Performance Status of 2: Prognostic Factors and Treatment Selection Based on Two Large Randomized Clinical Trials

Purpose:Data from two randomized phase III trials were analyzed to evaluate prognostic factors and treatment selection in the first-line management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with performance status (PS) 2.Patients and Methods:Patients randomized to combination chemotherapy (carboplatin and paclitaxel) in one trial and single-agent therapy (gemcitabine or vinorelbine) in the second were included in these analyses. Both studies had identical eligibility criteria and were conducted simultaneously. Comparison of efficacy and safety was performed between the two cohorts. A regression analysis identified prognostic factors and subgroups of patients that may benefit from combination or single-agent therapy.Results:Two hundred one patients were treated with combination and 190 with single-agent therapy. Objective responses were 37 and 15%, respectively. Median time to progression was 4.6 months in the combination arm and 3.5 months in the single-agent arm (p < 0.001). Median survival times were 8.0 and 6.6 months, and 1-year survival rates were 31 and 26%, respectively. Albumin <3.5 g, extrathoracic metastases, lactate dehydrogenase ≥200 IU, and 2 comorbid conditions predicted outcome. Patients with 0–2 risk factors had similar outcomes independent of treatment, whereas patients with 3–4 factors had a nonsignificant improvement in median survival with combination chemotherapy.Conclusion:Our results show that PS2 non-small cell lung cancer patients are a heterogeneous group who have significantly different outcomes. Patients treated with first-line combination chemotherapy had a higher response and longer time to progression, whereas overall survival did not appear significantly different. A prognostic model may be helpful in selecting PS 2 patients for either treatment strategy

Fear-of-falling and associated risk factors in persons with rheumatoid arthritis: a 1 year prospective study

Abstract: Background: Falls, associated injuries and fear-of-falling are common in adults with RA. Fear-of-falling can be a major consequence of, and as debilitating as falling, resulting in a cycle of activity restriction, reduced quality of life, institutionalisation and potentially increase risk of falls. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between fear-of-falling and risk factors associated with fear-of-falling in adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over a 1 year period. Methods: Five hundred fifty-nine patients with RA were recruited from four outpatient clinics in this prospective cohort study. Baseline assessments included socio-demographic, medical and lifestyle related risk factors. Fall incidence was prospectively obtained monthly using postal cards over a 1 year period. Fear-of-falling was assessed at baseline and 1 year using the Short Falls Efficacy Scale-International (Short FES-I). Logistic regression was used to determine the association between high fear-of-falling (Short FES-I > 11) at baseline (outcome) and a range of putative predictor variables including previous falls, and also baseline factors associated with a high fear-of-falling at follow-up. Results: Five hundred thirty-five (ninety-six percent) participants (mean age 62.1 yrs.; 18–88 yrs) completed 1 year follow-up and of these, 254 (47%) completed the Short FES-I questionnaire at 1 year. In a multivariate model, a history of multiple falls (OR = 6.08) higher HAQ score (OR = 4.87) and increased time to complete the Chair Stand Test (OR = 1.11) were found to be independent predictors of high fear-of-falling and had an overall classification rate of 87.7%. There were no significant differences found in fear-of-falling at 1 year follow-up in those who reported falls during the study, participant’s baseline fear appeared to predict future fear, regardless of further falls. Conclusions: Fear-of-falling is significantly associated with previous falls and predictive of future falls and fear. RA patients would benefit from fall prevention measures whether or not they have previously fallen

Discovery of a mammalian splice variant of myostatin that stimulates myogenesis

Myostatin plays a fundamental role in regulating the size of skeletal muscles. To date, only a single myostatin gene and no splice variants have been identified in mammals. Here we describe the splicing of a cryptic intron that removes the coding sequence for the receptor binding moiety of sheep myostatin. The deduced polypeptide sequence of the myostatin splice variant (MSV) contains a 256 amino acid N-terminal domain, which is common to myostatin, and a unique C-terminus of 65 amino acids. Western immunoblotting demonstrated that MSV mRNA is translated into protein, which is present in skeletal muscles. To determine the biological role of MSV, we developed an MSV over-expressing C2C12 myoblast line and showed that it proliferated faster than that of the control line in association with an increased abundance of the CDK2/Cyclin E complex in the nucleus. Recombinant protein made for the novel C-terminus of MSV also stimulated myoblast proliferation and bound to myostatin with high affinity as determined by surface plasmon resonance assay. Therefore, we postulated that MSV functions as a binding protein and antagonist of myostatin. Consistent with our postulate, myostatin protein was co-immunoprecipitated from skeletal muscle extracts with an MSV-specific antibody. MSV over-expression in C2C12 myoblasts blocked myostatin-induced Smad2/3-dependent signaling, thereby confirming that MSV antagonizes the canonical myostatin pathway. Furthermore, MSV over expression increased the abundance of MyoD, Myogenin and MRF4 proteins (P,0.05), which indicates that MSV stimulates myogenesis through the induction of myogenic regulatory factors. To help elucidate a possible role in vivo, we observed that MSV protein was more abundant during early post-natal muscle development, while myostatin remained unchanged, which suggests that MSV may promote the growth of skeletal muscles. We conclude that MSV represents a unique example of intra-genic regulation in which a splice variant directly antagonizes the biological activity of the canonical gene product