Identification of CNS Injury-Related microRNAs as Novel Toll-Like Receptor 7/8 Signaling Activators by Small RNA Sequencing

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) belong to pattern recognition receptors, which respond to danger signals such as pathogen-associated molecular patterns or damage-associated molecular patterns. Upon TLR activation in microglia, the major immune cells in the brain, distinct signaling cascades trigger the production of inflammatory molecules, being a critical feature in neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative processes. Recently, individual microRNAs (miRNAs) were shown to act as endogenous TLR ligands. Here, we conducted systematic screening for miRNAs as potential TLR7/8 ligands by small RNA sequencing of apoptotic neurons and their corresponding supernatants. Several miRNA species were identified in both supernatants and injured neurons, and 83.3% of the media-enriched miRNAs activated murine and/or human TLR7/8 expressed in HEK293-derived TLR reporter cells. Among the detected extracellular miRNAs, distinct miRNAs such as miR-340-3p and miR-132-5p induced cytokine and chemokine release from microglia and triggered neurotoxicity in vitro. Taken together, our systematic study establishes miRNAs released from injured neurons as new TLR7/8 activators, which contribute to inflammatory and neurodegenerative responses in the central nervous system (CNS)

The IUSM Scholarly Concentrations Program: Strategic Collaborative Education Across Schools and Departments

Presented as a poster at 2020 IUSM Education Day.A changing healthcare landscape calls for innovation and expansion of expertise in medical education. How does a medical school better prepare medical students to thrive in a changing profession? Through its Scholarly Concentrations Program, Indiana University School of Medicine is collaborating with non-physician experts from schools with expertise in topics that are medically relevant and of interest to medical students. Scholarly Concentrations are longitudinal experiences that enhance the medical education program through coursework and scholarly work. In addition to enhancing students’ education, it offers the opportunity to enhance campus reputation and develop research focus for students and faculty. Partnerships were created in both directions. IU School of Medicine sought out schools and departments with unique expertise on different medical campuses. Schools and departments also approached IU School of Medicine about its Scholarly Concentrations program as momentum built. These partnerships are creating mutual benefits for IUSM, partners, faculty and students. Benefits for partner organizations include mentoring opportunities, reputational enhancement, having an impact on healthcare system, and pathways to certificates and advanced degrees. For IUSM and its students, the partnerships enhance professional development through Scholarly Concentrations in areas of clinical, teaching, research, advocacy and administration

Partnership Between Academic and Public Health to Train Public Health Nurses New Chronic Diseases Protocols

Background: According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Georgia (29% in 2013). Diabetes (DM) and hypertension (HTN) are known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In 2013, the prevalence of diabetes was 11% and of hypertension was 35% of the state’s adult population. There are not sufficient healthcare providers to manage these patients. To address this concern, the DPH Chronic Disease Prevention Section contracted with the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) at Augusta University to design and implement an innovative training program for Georgia public health nurses on diabetes and hypertension protocols. Methods: The two days’ training consisted of lectures, workshops, case discussions, simulation, physical examination practice, and both written and clinical skills testing developed and presented by MCG faculty members in accordance with DPH DM and HTN protocols. The epidemiology, risk factors, disease process, and appropriate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management protocols were covered during the training sessions. Results: A post-training evaluation survey was conducted to evaluate accomplishment of the 10 learning objectives, the effectiveness of teaching approaches, appropriateness of training facilities, and whether personal learning goals were met. Participants rated “meeting program objectives” highly with 96% of responses “met”, 3.5% “somewhat met”, and 0.5% “not met”. Participants were asked to rate personal knowledge of HTN and DM before and after the training (5-1 Likert scale with 5 = most knowledgeable and 1 = least knowledgeable). Average for pre-training was 3.0, and after the training 4.2. Conclusions: A partnership between the DPH and a public medical school resulted in a successful training of public health nurses. Participants agreed that the training effectively improved knowledge and ability to provide care with diabetic and hypertensive patients. Evaluation of the training on public health nurses’ actual practice is desired, with the hope of disseminating better services to and improved healthcare for the population of Georgia

The Elephant (Head) in the Room: A Critical Look at Trophy Hunting

Trophy hunting has occupied a prominent position in recent scholarly literature and popular media. In the scientific conservation literature, researchers are generally supportive of or sympathetic to its usage as a source of monetary support for conservation. Although authors at times acknowledge that trophy hunting faces strong opposition from many members of the public, often for unspecified reasons associated with ethics, neither the nature nor the implications of these ethical concerns have been substantively addressed. We identify the central act of wildlife “trophy” taking as a potential source of ethical discomfort and public opposition. We highlight that trophy hunting entails a hunter paying a fee to kill an animal and claim its body or body parts as a trophy of conquest. Situating this practice in a Western cultural narrative of chauvinism, colonialism, and anthropocentrism, we argue trophy hunting is morally inappropriate. We suggest alternative strategies for conservation and community development should be explored and decisively ruled out as viable sources of support before the conservation community endorses trophy hunting. If wildlife conservation is broadly and inescapably dependent on the institution of trophy hunting, conservationists should accept the practice only with a due appreciation of tragedy, and proper remorse

Scholarly Concentrations Program: A PRIME Approach to Addressing Care for the Medically Underserved and Vulnerable Populations

Examine how well the structure of the Scholarly Concentrations Program and content of each concentration relates to the goals of the federal Health Resources and Services Administration grant received to create more interest and prepare more medical school graduates to care for medically underserved and vulnerable populations. The grant funds the Primary Care Reaffirmation for Indiana Medical Education, or PRIME. project. A review of how concentrations align with the grant was conducted by reviewing program, concentration and course learning objectives and mapping to the grant objectives. Numerous concentrations were found to be an excellent fit, creating a PRIME opportunity to enhance the SC Program and move the needle on the grant objectives

Scholarly Concentrations: A Novel Platform for Delivery of Health Systems Science Exposure and Highlight Unique Learning Environments Across the Nine Campuses of Indiana University School of Medicine

Presented as a Poster at 2020 IUSM Education Day.Rapidly evolving challenges in health care mandate changes in the way health care professionals are educated. How do we integrate the need for new and different content into the medical school curriculum? One area of particular focus is called Health Systems Science. Health Systems Science is being called the 3rd leg of modern medical education to complement the foundational and clinical sciences curricula. IU School of Medicine is integrating Health Systems Science content into Scholarly Concentrations. Scholarly Concentrations is a program offering students longitudinal educational enhancement through coursework and scholarly work

Transfer of K-types on local theta lifts of characters and unitary lowest weight modules

In this paper we study representations of the indefinite orthogonal group O(n,m) which are local theta lifts of one dimensional characters or unitary lowest weight modules of the double covers of the symplectic groups. We apply the transfer of K-types on these representations of O(n,m), and we study their effects on the dual pair correspondences. These results provide examples that the theta lifting is compatible with the transfer of K-types. Finally we will use these results to study subquotients of some cohomologically induced modules

Pass/fail grading in medical school and impact on residency placement

Objective: There is a trend toward using pass/fail (P/F) grading in the first 2 years of medical school as it has been noted to improve student well-being and academic performance is not negatively impacted. It is important that medical students are afforded the best medical education possible to prepare them for residency placement. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of P/F grading in medical school on residency placement. Methods: This study compared archival residency match data from two medical school classes. The Class of 2016 had tiered grading and the Class of 2017 had P/F grading in the first year of medical school. Doximity’s Residency Navigator was used to rank the residency programs and an independent samples t-test was calculated to determine if residency rankings differed by class. Results: The findings showed no statistically significant differences in residency placement when comparing a cohort of medical school graduates with tiered grading to a cohort with P/F grading in the first year of medical school. Conclusion: These findings may be useful to medical education leaders when making decisions about grading systems. Medical education leaders should consider implementing P/F grading into the first year of medical school

The impact of luteal phase support on endometrial estrogen and progesterone receptor expression: a randomized control trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To assess the impact of luteal phase support on the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and progesterone receptors B (PR-B) on the endometrium of oocyte donors undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A prospective, randomized study was conducted in women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for oocyte donation. Participants were randomized to receive no luteal support, vaginal progesterone alone, or vaginal progesterone plus orally administered 17 Beta estradiol. Endometrial biopsies were obtained at 4 time points in the luteal phase and evaluated by tissue microarray for expression of ER alpha and PR-B.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>One-hundred and eight endometrial tissue samples were obtained from 12 patients. No differences were found in expression of ER alpha and PR-B among all the specimens with the exception of one sample value.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The administration of progesterone during the luteal phase of COH for oocyte donor cycles, either with or without estrogen, does not significantly affect the endometrial expression of ER alpha and PR.</p

Implementation of Faculty Learning Communities to Support Medical Education Scholarship in a Regional Campus System

Introduction: Medical educators need targeted faculty development programs to give them the skills necessary to produce educational scholarship for promotion and tenure. At the Indiana University School of Medicine, which encompasses a large regional campus system, we implemented Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) to provide a platform for medical educators to engage in a collaborative, year-long educational research project facilitated by a faculty member well-versed in educational research. Methods: 18 faculty participants were assigned to one of 4 FLC groups, which met monthly from 2019 to 2020. The participants also attended a series of one-hour monthly educational seminars designed to build foundational skills in educational research. To assess program effectiveness, participants were surveyed at 6 months and 18 months after the start of the program. Results: 94% of participants completed the 6-month survey and 56% completed the 18-month survey. A majority of respondents at both time-points (88% and 60%, respectively) agreed or strongly agreed that the FLC process met their professional development needs to help move their educational scholarship forward. At the time of the 18-month survey, 50% of respondents had submitted their work for presentation at a regional or national conference or for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, with the remainder intending to do so. Discussion: The inaugural offering of this FLC program has established a successful and sustainable model for developing medical educators. By employing the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle for process improvement, several changes to the program have already been instituted that should further bolster the scholarly productivity of our medical educators