On‐line student feedback: A pilot study

This paper reports on the outcomes of two experimental trials of the use of on‐line questionnaires to assess student satisfaction with courses at the London School of Economics and Political Science. In the first year, eighteen course modules were selected from three departments, surveying a total of 1,100 student places. Students on ten of the courses were invited to complete the ‘experimental’ on‐line survey and the remainder were invited to complete the paper‐based questionnaires which have been in use for several years. In the second year, the scale of the experiment was increased, to include forty‐six courses across seven departments. Response rates were compared and possible barriers to completion of the on‐line questionnaire were considered Whilst electronic monitoring indicated that 95 per cent (first trial) and 80 per cent (second trial) of those contacted for the on‐line survey opened the introductory email, only 23 per cent (first trial) and 27 per cent (second trial) completed the on‐line survey, compared with a 60 per cent response rate on the paper‐based survey. The on‐line response is also slightly lower than that achieved by postal surveys of LSE students (30–50 per cent response rates). Whilst some technical difficulties could have acted as a barrier, motivation appeared to be the main barrier. Initial results from the second trial, which included two reminder emails and some small incentives, show that it is possible to increase the response rate, but this may still be unacceptably low for staff whose promotion prospects may be affected by results. A third trial has been proposed, looking at ways in which the process as a whole could be amended, to overcome the problem of ‘survey fatigue’ that the current system faces

NK cells as effectors of acquired immune responses: effector CD4+ T cell-dependent activation of NK cells following vaccination.

We characterized vaccine-induced cellular responses to rabies virus in naive adult volunteers. Contrary to current paradigms, we observed potent and prolonged in vitro NK cell cytokine production and degranulation responses after restimulation of PBMCs with inactivated rabies virus in vaccinated, but not in unvaccinated, individuals. This "recall" NK cell response was absolutely dependent on Ag-specific IL-2 from CD45RO(+) CD4(+) T cells as well as IL-12 and IL-18 from accessory cells. Importantly, NK cells represented over 70% of all IFN-gamma-secreting and degranulating cells in the first 12-18 h after virus rechallenge indicating they may be required for rapid control of infection after vaccination. Activation of NK cells may be a critical function of IL-2-secreting effector memory T cells. Although IL-2-dependent postvaccination NK cell activation has been reported previously, this is the first time the magnitude of this effect and its contribution to the overall vaccine-induced response has been appreciated and the mechanisms of NK activation postvaccination have been elucidated. Our data will allow standard protocols for evaluating vaccine-induced immunity to be adapted to assess NK cell effector responses

The Effects of Patellofemoral Taping on Patellofemoral Joint Alignment and Contact Area

Purpose/Hypothesis: It is widely accepted that patellofemoral pain (PFP) is the result of excessive stress between the retro-patellar surface and the femoral trochlea. Elevated patellofemoral joint (PFJ) stress may be associated with a reduction in PFJ contact area resulting from patellar malalignment (e.g., lateral displacement, lateral tilt, or patellar alta and/or quadriceps imbalance). McConnell and Kinesio taping techniques are commonly used to address PFP and improve PFJ alignment. It has been theorized that PFJ taping can alter the PFJ alignment which may increase the patella’s contact area within the femoral trochlea, thereby resulting in a reduction in PFP. To date, the effects of these 2 taping approaches on PFJ contact area and PFJ alignment have not yet been studied thoroughly. The primary purpose of this study was to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the effects of patellofemoral taping techniques on PFJ alignment and contact area in persons with PFP at 3 knee joint angles (0°, 20°, and 40°). Number of Subjects: Fourteen female subjects with retropatellar pain and PFJ malalignment participated (age: 27.86 ± 5.95 years; weight: 72.15 ± 19.27 kg; height: 1.67 ± .08 m). Methods: Each subject underwent a pre-taping magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan session and 2 MRI scan sessions after the application of the 2 taping techniques aiming to correct lateral patellar displacement. Subjects were asked to report their pain using an 11- point numeric rating scale (NRS) while stepping down from a 23-cm step, before and after tape was administered. During each scan session, subjects were loaded with 25% of body weight on their involved/more symptomatic leg at 0°, 20°, and 40° of knee flexion. The outcome measures included patellar lateral displacement (bisect-offset (BSO) index), patellar mediolateral tilt (patellar tilt angle (PTA)), patellar position (Insall-Salvati ratio (ISR)), PFJ contact area, and NRS. PFJ alignment/contact area was compared among the 3 conditions (No tape, Kinesio, and McConnell) at 3 knee angles using a two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Pain NRS was compared among the 3 conditions using Friedman test and post-hoc Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: The results of the two-way ANOVAs revealed that neither McConnell nor Kinesio taping had significant effects on BSO index (p = 0.488), PTA (p = 0.558), ISR (p = 0.778), and contact area (p = 0.358) across the 3 knee flexion angles. Knee flexion angle had a significant effect on BSO index (p = 0.001) and contact area (p \u3c 0.001). The Friedman test revealed a significant difference in pain level among the 3 conditions. The post-hoc Wilcoxon signed-rank tests further demonstrated that there was a reduction in NRS during step-down test after the application of the Kinesio Taping technique (p=.007). Conclusions: In a weight-bearing condition, our results did not support the premise that applications of PFJ taping using a medial correction technique can alter the PFJ contact area or alignment of the patella. The reduction in pain, following the application of the Kinesio Taping technique performed in this study supports the previous literature on the use of Kinesio Taping techniques for pain management, although the underlying mechanism for the reduction of pain is unclear

Withstand Tests: More Than Meets the Eye

Presented at the Insulated Conductors Committee, San Antonio, Texas, October 26-29, 2008.This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award No DE-FC02-04CH1237 and CDFI

Influenza Vaccination Generates Cytokine-Induced Memory-like NK Cells:Impact of Human Cytomegalovirus Infection

Human NK cells are activated by cytokines, immune complexes, and signals transduced via activating ligands on other host cells. After vaccination, or during secondary infection, adaptive immune responses can enhance both cytokine-driven and Ab-dependent NK cell responses. However, induction of NK cells for enhanced function after in vitro exposure to innate inflammatory cytokines has also been reported and may synergize with adaptive signals to potentiate NK cell activity during infection or vaccination. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effect of seasonal influenza vaccination on NK cell function and phenotype in 52 previously unvaccinated individuals. Enhanced, IL-2-dependent, NK cell IFN-γ responses to Influenza A/California/7/2009 virus were detected up to 4 wk postvaccination and higher in human CMV (HCMV)-seronegative (HCMV(-)) individuals than in HCMV-seropositive (HCMV(+)) individuals. By comparison, robust NK cell degranulation responses were observed both before and after vaccination, due to high titers of naturally occurring anti-influenza Abs in human plasma, and did not differ between HCMV(+) and HCMV(-) subjects. In addition to these IL-2-dependent and Ab-dependent responses, NK cell responses to innate cytokines were also enhanced after influenza vaccination; this was associated with proliferation of CD57(-) NK cells and was most evident in HCMV(+) subjects. Similar enhancement of cytokine responsiveness was observed when NK cells were cocultured in vitro with Influenza A/California/7/2009 virus, and this was at least partially dependent upon IFN-αβR2. In summary, our data indicate that attenuated or live viral vaccines promote cytokine-induced memory-like NK cells and that this process is influenced by HCMV infection

The impact of next and back buttons on time to complete and measurement reliability in computer-based surveys

To assess the impact of including next and back buttons on response burden and measurement reliability of computer-based surveys. A sample of 807 participants (mean age of 53; 64% women, 83% non-Hispanic white; 81% some college or college graduates) from the YouGov Polimetrix panel was administered 56 items assessing performance of social/role activities and 56 items measuring satisfaction with social/role activities. Participants were randomly assigned to either (1) automatic advance to the next question with no opportunity to go back (auto/no back); (2) automatic advance to the next questions with an opportunity to go back (auto/back); (3) next button to go to the next question with no opportunity to go back (next/no back); or (4) next button to go to the next question with an opportunity to go back (next/back). We found no difference in missing data, internal consistency reliability, and domain scores by group. Time to complete the survey was about 50% longer when respondents were required to use a next button to go on. Given the similarity in missing data, reliability and mean scale scores with or without use of the next button, we recommend automatic advancement to the next item with the option to go back to the previous item

Antilymphoid antibody preconditioning and tacrolimus monotherapy for pediatric kidney transplantation

Objective: Heavy post-transplant immunosuppression may contribute to long-term immunosuppression dependence by subverting tolerogenic mechanisms; thus, we sought to determine if this undesirable consequence could be mitigated by pretransplant lymphoid depletion and minimalistic post-transplant monotherapy. Study design: Lymphoid depletion in 17 unselected pediatric recipients of live (n = 14) or deceased donor kidneys (n = 3) was accomplished with antithymocyte globulin (ATG) (n = 8) or alemtuzumab (n = 9). Tacrolimus was begun post-transplantation with subsequent lengthening of intervals between doses (spaced weaning). Maintenance immunosuppression, morbidity, graft function, and patient/graft survival were collated. Results: Steroids were added temporarily to treat rejection in two patients (both ATG subgroup) or to treat hemolytic anemia in two others. After 16 to 31 months (mean 22), patient and graft survival was 100% and 94%, respectively. The only graft loss was in a nonweaned noncompliant recipient. In the other 16, serum creatinine was 0.85 ± 0.35 mg/dL and creatinine clearance was 90.8 ± 22.1 mL/1.73 m2. All 16 patients are on monotherapy (15 tacrolimus, one sirolimus), and 14 receive every other day or 3 times per week doses. There were no wound or other infections. Two patients developed insulin-dependent diabetes. Conclusion: The strategy of lymphoid depletion and minimum post-transplant immunosuppression appears safe and effective for pediatric kidney recipients. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Creating a Geologic Play Book for Trenton-Black River Appalachian Basin Exploration

Preliminary isopach and facies maps, combined with a literature review, were used to develop a sequence of basin geometry, architecture and facies development during Cambrian and Ordovician time. The main architectural features--basins, sub basins and platforms--were identified and mapped as their positions shifted with time. This is significant because a better understanding of the control of basin geometry and architecture on the distribution of key facies and on subsequent reservoir development in Ordovician carbonates within the Trenton and Black River is essential for future exploration planning. Good exploration potential is thought to exist along the entire platform margin, where clean grainstones were deposited in skeletal shoals from Indiana thorough Ohio and Ontario into Pennsylvania. The best reservoir facies for the development of hydrothermal dolomites appears to be these clean carbonates. This conclusion is supported by observations taken in existing fields in Indiana, Ontario, Ohio and New York. In contrast, Trenton-Black River production in Kentucky and West Virginia has been from fractured, but non-dolomitized, limestone reservoirs. Facies maps indicate that these limestones were deposited under conditions that led to a higher argillaceous content than the cleaner limestones deposited in higher-energy environments along platform margins. However, even in the broad area of argillaceous limestones, clean limestone buildups have been observed in eastern outcrops and, if present and dolomitized in the subsurface, may provide additional exploration targets. Structure and isopach maps developed as part of the structural and seismic study supported the basin architecture and geometry conclusions, and from them some structural control on the location of architectural features may be inferred. This portion of the study eventually will lead to a determination of the timing relative to fracturing, dolomitization and hydrocarbon charging of reservoirs in the Trenton and Black River carbonates. The focus of this effort will shift in the next few months from regional to more detailed structural analyses. This new effort will include topics such as the determination of the source of the hot, dolomitizing fluids that created hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs in the Black River, and the probable migration paths of these fluids. Faults of suitable age, orientation and location to be relevant for hydrothermal dolomite creation in the Trenton-Black River play will be isolated and mapped, and potential fairways delineated. A detailed study of hydrothermal alteration of carbonate reservoirs was completed and is discussed at length in this report. New ideas that were developed from this research were combined with a literature review and existing concepts to develop a model for the development of hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs in the study area. Fault-related hydrothermal alteration is a key component of this model. Hydrothermal alteration produces a spectrum of features in reservoirs, ranging from leached limestone and microporosity to matrix dolomite, saddle dolomite-lined breccias, zebra fabrics and fractures. Mineralization probably occurred during the pressure drop associated with the rise of fluids up the fault system, and is due to the mixing of hydrothermal fluids with cooler, in situ fluids. Once they began to cool themselves, the hydrothermal fluids, which had a lower pH and higher salinity than formation fluids, were capable of leaching the host limestones. Microporosity is common in leached limestones, and it is likely that it was formed, in some cases, during hydrothermal alteration. Dolomite leaching occurs near the end of the paragenetic sequence, and may significantly enhance porosity. However, leaching of dolomite typically is followed by the precipitation of calcite or anhydrite, which reduces porosity. A final conclusion is that hydrothermal alteration may be more common than previously thought, and some features previously attributed to other processes may be in fact be hydrothermal in origin. Production data are being collected from all project partners. These data will be used to predict ultimate production from existing fields for which a complete production history is known, and for remaining reserves in fields for which the complete production history is unavailable. A plan to estimate the gas resource in the entire play area is being developed. Enhancement of the project database, GIS and website was emphasized during the report period. An effort is being made to add all logs - approximately 1800 - that have been scanned in Tiff format, and another 500 logs that have been converted to vector (LAS) format, to the database and website. Tables for production data, log data, core data and cross sections, all linked to the well header information, were created