Design studies in Canada?

Dans ce bref article, nous traçons l’histoire de l’enseignement du design au Canada pendant les quarante dernières années et la comparons avec celle au Royaume-Uni, où l’on a assisté à une croissance significative des études du design et des programmes d’histoire du design. Nous soutenons qu’il est impératif de créer de nouveaux programmes d’études du design au Canada afin, d’une part, de renforcer l’éducation pratique en design et, de l’autre, de retenir les jeunes chercheurs et chercheures

Transforming Growth Factor Beta Receptor Partitioning: Molecular Mechanisms and Functional Consequences

The transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) pathway has been conserved throughout evolution and plays important roles in tissue homeostasis. Dysregulation of the TGFbeta pathway has been implicated in a number of disorders, including cancer, fibrosis, and vascular conditions. The signalling potential of the TGFbeta pathway is regulated by the route of internalization of its cell-surface receptors: Receptors internalized by clathrin-mediated endocytosis propagate signal transduction while those internalized by membrane rafts are targeted for degradation. Given the importance of trafficking of the TGFbeta receptors to signal propagation, this thesis focuses on evaluating proteins which direct TGFb receptor internalization and trafficking. Initial work in this thesis shows that the extracellular domain of the type II TGFbeta receptor (TbRII) and the glycosylation state of the cell are important factors in permitting membrane-raft localization of TbRII. Using this information I assessed the ability of TbRIII, a glycosylated cell surface protein, to direct TbRII internalization. I found that TbRIII increases membrane-raft independent internalization of TbRII, increases TbRII/TbRI complex half-life, and basal TGFbeta signalling. I next assessed the role of beta arrestin2, a protein which interacts with TbRIII, in regulating TbRII trafficking and signalling. I show that beta arrestin2 interacts with TbRII and traffics with TbRII to the early endosome to increase Smad-dependent signalling. Also, I show that depletion of beta arrestin2 increases Smad-independent signal transduction. In the last data chapter of this thesis, I evaluate the role of TGFbeta1 and TGFbeta3, to direct TGFbeta trafficking and signalling. I found that TGFbeta3 is less potent than TGFbeta1 at propagating TGFbeta signalling. I also show that TGFbeta3 induces a different binding ratio of TbRII/TbRI cell-surface complexes, which could explain its decreased potency. Overall my studies highlight the role of receptor-interacting proteins in directing TGFbeta receptor trafficking and signal transduction. Since this pathway is dysregulated in a number of pathologies, my studies suggest that TGFbeta receptor trafficking is an important avenue to modifying TGFbeta signal transduction

Active learning spaces foster development of communication skills in senior undergraduate science students

 The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of  an active learning space (ALS) in supporting student development of effective communication as a transferable skill. A fourth-year medical science course was taught in two different settings, an ALS and a fixed-row classroom, by the same instructor.  Participants preferred the ALS for supporting communication skill development, despite it having no quantifiable effect on their communication apprehension. The ALS had a significantly higher impact than the fixed-row classroom on groupwork/collaboration and student-student interactions. This study highlights the importance of the physical classroom space for fostering students’ development of communication and collaborative skills

Mirage of Police Reform

In the United States, the exercise of police authority—and the public’s trust that police authority is used properly—is a recurring concern. Contemporary prescriptions for police reform hold that the public would trust the police more and feel a greater obligation to comply and cooperate if police-citizen interactions were marked by higher levels of procedural justice by police. In this book, Robert E. Worden and Sarah J. McLean argue that the procedural justice model of reform is a mirage. From a distance, procedural justice seems to offer relief from strained police-community relations. But a closer look at police organizations and police-citizen interactions shows that the relief offered by such reform is, in fact, illusory. A procedural justice model of policing is likely to be only loosely coupled with police practice, despite the best intentions, and improvements in procedural justice on the part of police are unlikely to result in corresponding improvements in citizens’ perceptions of procedural justice

The Effects of Heading on Neurocognitive Function in Female Collegiate Soccer Players During an Entire Soccer Season

Recently, much debate has occurred regarding the effects of repeated heading by soccer players on their neurocognitive function. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of heading on neurocognitive function in female collegiate soccer players during an entire soccer season. METHODS: Twenty-four members of the 2012 Southwestern University Women’s Soccer team completed the ImPACT test during preseason and postseason, and self-reported the number of headers for the week immediately prior to each testing session. Amount of playing time for each player was determined from records obtained from the Southwestern University Athletics Department. The six composite scores and the cognitive efficiency index from the ImPACT test were measured in each session. Paired t tests were used to evaluate neurocognitive performance at each of the testing periods. Multiple regressions were run to compare the independent variables of playing time and number of headers to the seven ImPACT test composite scores from the preseason and postseason testing periods. RESULTS: There was an increase in visual motor speed, a decrease in reaction time, and an increase in cognitive efficiency from preseason to postseason (t(23) = -4.63, p \u3c 0.001), (t(23) = 2.17, p = 0.041), and (t(23) = -2.45, p = 0.022), respectively. During preseason, number of headers performed significantly predicted reaction time (F(1,22) = 5.37, p = 0.03), and explained approximately 20% of the variance in reaction time (r2 = 0.196). Number of headers performed significantly predicted cognitive efficiency (F(1,22) = 5.56, p = 0.03), and explained approximately 20% of the variance in cognitive efficiency (r2 = 0.202). During postseason, number of minutes played significantly predicted visual memory (F(1,22) = 4.71, p = 0.04), and explained approximately 18% of the variance in visual memory (r2 = 0.176). CONCLUSION: The changes in these neurocognitive variables from preseason to postseason indicated that athletes performed better postseason. The number of headers and the total playing time across one season appear to have had no negative effects on neurocognitive function in these soccer players

An Analysis of Elementary Interventions on Academic and Behavioral Performance

The Communities In Schools (CIS) model promotes individualized one-on-one interventions for at-risk students assessed for needs in the areas of academics, behavior, and/or attendance. While previous research has linked the CIS program to higher graduation rates and lower dropout rates in secondary grades, little research has been done to examine the impact of the CIS program on elementary students. Using data from student records of at-risk elementary students receiving CIS services and those at-risk elementary students on a campus without the CIS program, this study examined the effect of the CIS services on student absences, behavior incidents, citizenship, and academic achievement as measured through grades and standardized testing. Results indicated that at-risk students within the CIS program exhibited significantly fewer absences and behavior incidents per school year and higher yearly averages in core subject areas than at-risk students on a campus without the CIS program. However, students within the program demonstrated a greater decline in core performance averages over the course of the year, had a higher rate of failure on standardized tests, and exhibited no difference in citizenship scores as compared to students on the campus without the CIS program. Though there are mixed results on the academic target, the discussion section identifies factors contributing to those findings. The results of this study do support the conclusion that the CIS program has an effect on the three targeted areas for students—attendance, behavior, and academic performance (in the form of overall student grade averages)—starting in elementary school. Implications for practice and further research are discussed

Risk assessment and predicting outcomes in patients with depressive symptoms: a review of potential role of peripheral blood based biomarkers

Depression is one of the major global health challenges and a leading contributor of health related disability and costs. Depression is a heterogeneous disorder and current methods for assessing its severity in clinical practice rely on symptom count, however this approach is unreliable and inconsistent. The clinical evaluation of depressive symptoms is particularly challenging in primary care, where the majority of patients with depression are managed, due to the presence of co-morbidities. Current methods for risk assessment of depression do not accurately predict treatment response or clinical outcomes. Several biological pathways have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression; however, accurate and predictive biomarkers remain elusive. We conducted a systematic review of the published evidence supporting the use of peripheral biomarkers to predict outcomes in depression, using Medline and Embase. Peripheral biomarkers in depression were found to be statistically significant predictors of mental health outcomes such as treatment response, poor outcome and symptom remission; and physical health outcomes such as increased incidence of cardiovascular events and deaths, and all-cause mortality. However, the available evidence has multiple methodological limitations which must be overcome to make any real clinical progress. Despite extensive research on the relationship of depression with peripheral biomarkers, its translational application in practice remains uncertain. In future, peripheral biomarkers identified with novel techniques and combining multiple biomarkers may have a potential role in depression risk assessment but further research is needed in this area

An exploration of complementary feeding practices, information needs and sources

Following complementary feeding (CF) guidelines might be challenging for mothers lacking time, resources and/or information. We aimed to explore CF practices, information needs and channels used to obtain information in parents living in areas of socioeconomic deprivation. Sixty-four parents of infants aged 4–12 months completed a short questionnaire and 21 were interviewed. Mean (SD) weaning age was 5 ± 2.5 months, foods given >7 times/week included commercial baby foods (33%) and fruits (39%) while 86% gave formula daily. The main sources of CF information were friends and family (91%), the internet (89%) and health visitors (77%). Online forums (20%), e.g., Facebook and Netmums, were used to talk to other parents because they felt that “not enough” information was given to them by health professionals. Parents felt access to practical information was limited and identified weaning classes or online video tutorials could help meet their needs. Themes identified in qualitative findings were (1) weaning practices (i.e., concerns with child’s eating; and (2) information sources and needs (i.e., trust in the National Health Service (NHS) as a reliable source, need for practical advice). In conclusion, parents are accessing information from a number of non-evidence-based sources and they express the need for more practical advice