Collaborative learning: a connected community approach

Collaborative Learning in group settings currently occurs across a substantial portion of the UK Higher Education curriculum. This style of learning has many roots including: Enterprise in Higher Education, Action Learning and Action Research, Problem Based Learning, and Practice Based Learning. As such our focus on Collaborative Learning development can be viewed as an evolutionary. This collaborative and active group learning provides the foundation for what can be collectively called connectivist ‘Learning Communities’. In this setting a primary feature of a ‘Learning Community’ is one that carries a responsibility to promote one another’s learning. This paper will outline a developmental collaborative learning approach and describe a supporting software environment, known as the Salford Personal Development Environment (SPDE), that has been developed and implemented to assist in delivering collaborative learning for post graduate and other provision. This is done against a background of much research evidence that group based activity can enhance learning. These findings cover many approaches to group based learning and over a significant period of time. This paper reports on work-in-progress and the features of the environment that are designed to help promote individual and group or community learning that have been influenced by the broad base of research findings in this area

Facial aesthetics: babies prefer attractiveness to symmetry

The visual preferences of human infants for faces that varied in their attractiveness and in their symmetry about the midline were explored. The aim was to establish whether infants' visual preference for attractive faces may be mediated by the vertical symmetry of the face. Chimeric faces, made from photographs of attractive and unattractive female faces, were produced by computer graphics. Babies looked longer at normal and at chimeric attractive faces than at normal and at chimeric unattractive faces. There were no developmental differences between the younger and older infants: all preferred to look at the attractive faces. Infants as young as 4 months showed similarity with adults in the 'aesthetic perception' of attractiveness and this preference was not based on the vertical symmetry of the face

Differences in prefrontal blood oxygenation during an acute multitasking stressor in ecstasy polydrug users

Background: Cognitive deficits are well documented in ecstasy (MDMA) users with such deficits being taken as evidence of dysregulation of the 5HT system. More recently neuroimaging has been used to corroborate these deficits. The present study aimed to assess multitasking performance in ecstasy polydrug users, polydrug users and drug naïve individuals. It was predicted that ecstasy polydrug users would perform worse than nonusers on the behavioural measure and this would be supported by difference in cortical blood oxygenation. Methods: Twenty ecstasy-polydrug users, 17 polydrug users and 19 drug naïve individuals took part. On day 1 drug use history was taken and questionnaire measures were completed. On day 2, participants completed a 20 minute multitasking stressor while brain blood oxygenation was measured using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Results: There were no significant differences between the 3 groups on the subscales of the multitasking stressor. In addition, there were no significant differences on self-report measures of perceived workload (NASA – TLX). In terms of mood, ecstasy users were significantly less calm and less relaxed compared to drug-naïve controls. There were also significant differences at 3 voxels on the fNIRS indicating decreased blood oxygenation in ecstasy users compared to drug naïve controls at V2 (left DLPFC), V14 and V16 (right DLPFC), and compared to polydrug controls at V14. Conclusions: The results of the present study provide support for changes in brain activation during performance of demanding tasks in ecstasy polydrug users, which could be related to cerebral vasoconstriction

Graft-versus-host disease: a case report of a rare but reversible cause of constrictive pericarditis

BACKGROUND: Constrictive pericarditis (CP), although an uncommon cause of heart failure, requires specialist multidisciplinary input and multi-modality imaging to identify the underlying aetiology and treat potentially reversible causes. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 74-year-old gentleman referred for assessment of progressive exertional dyspnoea and peripheral oedema, 30 months following treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia with high-dose chemotherapy and allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Clinical examination and cardiac imaging revealed a small pericardial effusion and pericardial thickening with constrictive physiology; however, no aetiology was identified despite diagnostic pericardiocentesis. The patient required recurrent hospital admissions for intravenous diuresis, therefore, following multidisciplinary discussions, surgical partial pericardectomy was performed. Histology suggested graft-vs.-host disease (GvHD) and post-operatively, the patient improved clinically. Following immunomodulatory therapy with ruxolitinib for both pericardial and pulmonary GvHD, his functional status improved further with no subsequent hospital admissions. DISCUSSION: Although pericardial disease in cancer patients is common, CP is unusual. Determining the underlying aetiology is important for subsequent management, and here, we describe the use of multi-modality imaging to diagnose a rare cause, GvHD, which responded to surgical treatment and immunomodulatory therapy

Electrophysiological Evidence of Atypical Processing Underlying Mental Set Shifting in Ecstasy Polydrug and Polydrug Users

Executive functioning deficits are reported in ecstasy users. However research into mental set switching has been equivocal, with behavioural studies suggesting the function is preserved. The current study sought to address the issue of switching deficits in ecstasy users by combining behavioural performance with electrophysiological correlates (EEG). Twenty ecstasy polydrug users, 20 non-ecstasy polydrug users and 20 drug naive controls were recruited. Participants completed questionnaires about their drug use, sleep quality, fluid intelligence and current mood state. Each participant completed a mental set switching task (the number-letter task) whilst EEG measures were recorded. ANOVA revealed no between group differences on performance of the task, however a regression suggested that ecstasy use was a significant predictor for performance, after controlling for cannabis use. Mixed ANOVA revealed a significant effect of group on the P3, with significant differences between both drug groups and naives. There was also an interaction between electrode and group on the P2 component, with ecstasy users differing from both other groups. On the P3 component the results suggest a reduction in positivity at parieto-occipital electrodes for drug users compared to controls. Furthermore a significant increase in negativity in ecstasy users compared to control groups could be observed in several occipito-parietal electrodes at an N2 component as well as observable atypicalities in early processing (P2) displayed by ecstasy users and polydrug controls. The present study provides evidence of atypical processing of attentional shifting in ecstasy and polydrug users. Deficits in this executive function could reflect cognitive inflexibility and paucity of rapid behavioural adjustment, which may be problematic in real world situations. Keywords: Ecstasy; cannabis; executive function; stimulants; cannabis

NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF ECSTASY/MDMA USE ON EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

The purpose of this thesis was to assess the integrity of the serotonin system, by measuring the neurophysiological response to tasks that measure executive functions, and neuroendocrine function in ecstasy users and non-users. Each of the proposed executive functions outlined in Miyake et al.’s (2000) conceptual framework (inhibition, switching and updating) as well as the addition of access to semantic/long term memory made by Fisk and Sharp (2004), was assessed using behavioural tasks in combination with EEG and fNIRS. Behavioural performance between ecstasy users and various controls (polydrug and drug naive) was equivalent throughout the thesis. However ERP analysis revealed ecstasy-related atypicalities in cognitive processing during inhibitory control, switching and access. Ecstasy users displayed increases in P2 and N2 components during these tasks that reflect recruitment of additional resources. A diminished P3 response during the switching task was evident for ecstasy users and polydrug users relative to controls. Regression analyses suggest that lifetime cannabis use may be an important factor for this function. Results from fNIRS suggest that ecstasy users show an increased haemodynamic response during all four executive functions relative to non-users, which suggests that ecstasy users are engaged in more effortful cognition than controls. Increases in neuronal activation whilst performing at a similar level behaviourally are understood as recruitment of additional resources. Again during switching cannabis use may have been an important factor. Another aim of this thesis was to assess neuroendocrine function. Ecstasy users displayed elevated basal cortisol levels relative to polydrug controls and drug naive controls. The results suggest that ecstasy is detrimental to the integrity of the HPA-axis. This thesis provides support for ecstasy-related damage to the serotonergic system and should be used in educating prospective ecstasy users of relative harms

Adolescent mothers affected by HIV and their children: A scoping review of evidence and experiences from sub-Saharan Africa

While adolescents have received increasing attention in the global HIV response and international strategies and commitments, adolescent mothers and their children remain largely overlooked in research, funding and, programming for health-related outcomes. We conducted an extensive scoping review of current evidence on the experiences of adolescent mothers affected by HIV and their children in this region. We included published literature and conference abstracts, complemented by consultations with key stakeholders, and a review of documents through grey literature searching. First, we summarise the experiences of adolescent mothers and their children related to HIV and key health and development indicators. The syndemic of early motherhood and HIV in sub-Saharan Africa increases the vulnerability of adolescent mothers and their children. We then highlight lessons from a series of promising programmes focused on supporting adolescent mothers through novel approaches. In sub-Saharan Africa, supporting adolescent mothers living in high HIV-risk communities is critical not only to eliminate HIV/AIDS, but also to attain the Sustainable Development Goals. While research on and programming for adolescent mothers and their children is growing, the complex needs for this vulnerable group remain unmet. We conclude with evidence gaps and programming priorities for adolescent mothers affected by HIV and their children

Mechanisms of weight regain

Weight regain following weight loss is frequent problem that people with obesity face. This weight recidivism is often attributed to the lack of compliance with appropriate food habits and exercise. On the contrary, it is known that body weight and fat mass are regulated by numerous physiological mechanisms, far beyond voluntary food intake and physical exercise. Thus, the aim of this paper is to review the main peripheral and central mechanisms involved in weight regain. Gut hormone secretion profiles impact upon predisposition to weight regain according to an individual variability, although it is recognised a usual pattern of compensatory changes: a reduction in anorectic hormones secretion and an increase in orexigenic hormone. These changes lead to both increased appetite and reward value of food leading to increased energye intake. In addition, resting energy expenditure after weight loss is lower than expected according to body composition changes. This gap between observed and predicted energy expenditure following weight loss is named metabolic adaptation, which has been suggested to explain partly weight regain. This complicated scenario, beyond patient motivation, makes weight regain a challenge in long-term management interventions in patients with obesity

The Effect of Forest Management Options on Forest Resilience to Pathogens

Invasive pathogens threaten the ability of forests globally to produce a range of valuable ecosystem services over time. However, the ability to detect such pathogen invasions—and thus to produce appropriate and timely management responses—is relatively low. We argue that a promising approach is to plan and manage forests in a way that increases their resilience to invasive pathogens not yet present or ubiquitous in the forest. This paper is based on a systematic search and critical review of empirical evidence of the effect of a wide range of forest management options on the primary and secondary infection rates of forest pathogens, and on subsequent forest recovery. Our goals are to inform forest management decision making to increase forest resilience, and to identify the most important evidence gaps for future research. The management options for which there is the strongest evidence that they increase forest resilience to pathogens are: reduced forest connectivity, removal or treatment of inoculum sources such as cut stumps, reduced tree density, removal of diseased trees and increased tree species diversity. In all cases the effect of these options on infection dynamics differs greatly amongst tree and pathogen species and between forest environments. However, the lack of consistent effects of silvicultural systems or of thinning, pruning or coppicing treatments is notable. There is also a lack of evidence of how the effects of treatments are influenced by the scale at which they are applied, e.g., the mixture of tree species. An overall conclusion is that forest managers often need to trade-off increased resilience to tree pathogens against other benefits obtained from forests