The Journey of a Beginning Researcher

As I embarked on the first major research project of my career as a researcher, I sought a clearly written article that would help me through some common obstacles in qualitative research. This article outlines those problems and offers some solutions from one researcher\u27s perspective. Some of the problems described and discussed include how to use theory and integrate it with data, the issues that arise from being a simultaneous researcher and participant, and how to represent participants with integrity and authenticity. This methodological piece offers suggestions for novice researchers as they embark on their own journeys as qualitative scientists

E-Portfolios, ‹a chance to learn for themselves› – The use of E-Portfolios as a reflection tool illustrated by the Viadrina PeerTutoring training programme

Das Reflektieren und Verstehen des eigenen Lernprozesses gehört zu den studienrelevanten Fertigkeiten, die erlernt und während eines erfolgreichen Studiums vertieft werden sollten. Seit 2012 wird im Rahmen der Viadrina PeerTutoring-Ausbildung an der Europa-Universität Viadrina auf den Ausbau und die Weiterentwicklung der Reflexionskompetenzen sehr viel Wert gelegt. Im Folgenden werden die theoretischen Grundlagen zusammengefasst und erläutert, wie gutes Reflektieren angeleitet wird. Die Studierenden reflektieren ihre Lernprozesse in E-Portfolios. Um das komplexe Zusammenspiel einer guten Anleitung zum Reflektieren, den tatsächlichen Ergebnissen in den E-Portfolios und den Eindrücken der Mitarbeiter/innen am Zentrum für Schlüsselkompetenzen und Forschendes Lernen nachvollziehen zu können, werden am Ende einzelne Auszüge aus den E-Portfolios vorgestellt und für den Einsatz von E-Portfolio als Reflexionsinstrument plädiert.Reflection and understanding of the own learning process belongs to the study related skills which are learnt during a motivated study and should be strengthened while studying. Within the framework of the Viadrina PeerTutoring training programme at the European University Viadrina on the development and advancement of the reflection competence is emphasized. Therefore, the theoretical framework of reflection and an instruction of how to reflect will be highlighted, with the central focus on reflection within the E-Portfolio of each of the training programme modules. The practical experience and its demonstration by the staff of the Center for Key Competences and Research-oriented Learning will herein play an important role. Excerpts of the E-Portfolio will demonstrate the complex interplay between a good instruction of reflection, the actual learning experience by the students and the staff's impression. Concluding, an advocacy for the use of E-Portfolios as a reflection tool will be stated

Preliminary results on intersexual differences in gene expression of chemokine K203 in mononuclear cells of chicken

Sex steroid levels increase during sexual maturation and cause alterations in many physiological and morphological traits. Some of these changes may be connected with age-dependent and intersexual differences in the immune system. This topic is still insufficiently understood, especially in avian species, partially due to methodological limitations. In this study we measured the gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18) and chemokines [K60 (IL-8-like chicken chemokine — CXCLi1), CAF (IL-8-like chicken chemokine — CXCLi2), and K203] in mononuclear cells isolated from blood and spleen after in vitro stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Samples were collected from chickens at two ages (from pullets before sexual maturity and from sexually mature egglaying hens). After LPS stimulation, a substantial increase was recorded in the gene expression of IL-6 and K203. All other measured genes were expressed at low levels in mononuclear cells irrespective of cell sources. We found a trend toward intersexual differences in K203 expression, but the expression of other cytokines and chemokines did not differ between the two sexes. The effect of stimulation was more pronounced in monocytes than in spleen macrophages, mainly in IL-6, IL-1β and K203 gene expression. Our findings represent a basis for further studies on the effects exerted by sexual hormones on the immune phenotype of birds

Soluble Intracellular Adhesion Molecule-1 in Patients with Unipolar or Bipolar Affective Disorders

Background: Immunological and vascular markers may play a role in the pathophysiology of mood disorders and mood changes. Aim: To test whether the cell adhesion molecule soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) may serve as a biomarker for patients with unipolar or bipolar affective disorders when compared to a healthy control group, and whether sICAM-1 blood levels change during different mood states. Methods: sICAM-1 serum concentrations were compared between 20 healthy controls and 48 patients with affective disorders (unipolar, bipolar II and bipolar I disorder) during different mood states (euthymic mood state, depression or mania). Results: When compared to healthy controls, patients with affective disorders had significantly higher sICAM-1 levels during the euthymic state (p = 0.015). Differences became more pronounced during depression (p = 0.013). When unipolar and bipolar patients were analyzed separately, unipolar patients significantly differed from controls during the euthymic and depressive mood state, while bipolar II patients showed a trend towards higher sICAM-1 levels during depression. Patients with bipolar I disorders had significantly higher sICAM-1 levels during manic states when compared to controls (p = 0.007). Conclusions: sICAM-1 elevation in unipolar and bipolar patients, independent of mood changes, might support the hypothesis of chronic immune activation and endothelial dysfunction in patients with affective disorders. (C) 2016 S. Karger AG, Base

Vergleichbarkeit von ergebnisorientiertem Pflegeassessment (ePA_AC) und Erweitertem Barthel Index (EBI)

Ziel: In der neurologischen Rehabilitationspflege der Schweiz kommt es, durch die Verwendung des EBI und des ePA_AC zur Erhebung der ATL’s beim Eintritt, zur Verlaufskontrolle und beim Austritt, zu erheblichen Doppelspurigkeiten, welche weder zeitlich noch inhaltlich sinnvoll erscheinen. Daher sollte mit dieser Untersuchung geprüft werden, ob sich der EBI Score aus dem ePA_AC, generieren lässt. Methode: In einer retrospektiven Studie wurden 220 anonymisierte Patientendaten zu ePA_AC und EBI beim Eintritt und beim Austritt untersucht. Zur Vorbereitung der statistischen Analyse wurde eine Itemanalyse und Reduktion der Anzahl Items durchgeführt und es wurden Konstrukte gebildet. Mit einer linearen Regressionsanalyse wurde geprüft, wie gut sich die Werte der Merkmale von ePA_AC durch die Werte der Merkmale von EBI vorhersagen lassen. Ergebnisse: Die Analyse zeigte, dass sich der EBI Score aus dem ePA_AC generieren lässt. In 9 von 10 Modellen, konnte die Varianz gut bis sehr gut erklärt werden. Die erklärte Varianz beim Messpunkt T0 lag zwischen 18,9% und 75,5%, beim Messpunkt T3 zwischen 14,1% und 84,6%. Die Effektstärken lagen zwischen 0,233 und 3,082 (Zeitpunkt T0) und zwischen 0,164 und 5,494 (Zeitpunkt T3). Das Modell mit dem Gesamtscore des ePA_AC (SPI) als abhängige Variable und dem Gesamtscore des EBI (Total EBI) als unabhängige Variable für den Zeitpunkt T0 war signifikant. Das Modell klärt 80,9% der Varianz. Das Modell für den Zeitpunkt T3 konnte nicht befriedigend geschätzt werden. Fazit: In der Praxis kann auf den EBI zugunsten des ePA_AC verzichtet werden. Allerdings kann der Selbstpflegeindex (SPI), generiert vom ePA_AC, nicht mit dem EBI Gesamtscore verglichen werden. Dies erfordert eine Berechnung mittels eines Algorithmus aus den 10 Konstrukten. Dies ist jedoch mit einem kleineren Aufwand verbunden als die Durchführung beider Instrumente bei den gleichen Patienten

IgCAMs redundantly control axon navigation in Caenorhabditis elegans

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cell adhesion molecules of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgCAMs) form one of the largest and most diverse families of adhesion molecules and receptors in the nervous system. Many members of this family mediate contact and communication among neurons during development. The <it>Caenorhabditis elegans </it>genome contains a comparatively small number of IgCAMs, most of which are evolutionarily conserved and found across all animal phyla. Only some of these have been functionally characterized so far.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We systematically analyzed previously uncharacterized IgCAMs in <it>C. elegans</it>. Green fluorescent protein reporter constructs of 12 IgCAMs revealed that expression generally is not confined to a single tissue and that all tissues express at least one of the IgCAMs. Most IgCAMs were expressed in neurons. Within the nervous system significant overlap in expression was found in central components of the motor circuit, in particular the command interneurons, ventral cord motoneurons as well as motoneurons innervating head muscles. Sensory neurons are underrepresented among the cells expressing these IgCAMs. We isolated mutations for eight of the genes showing neuronal expression. Phenotypic analysis of single mutants revealed limited neuronal defects, in particular axon navigation defects in some of the mutants. Systematic genetic interaction studies uncovered two cases of functional overlap among three and four genes, respectively. A strain combining mutations in all eight genes is viable and shows no additional defects in the neurons that were analyzed, suggesting that genetic interactions among those genes are limited.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Genetic interactions involving multiple IgCAMs affecting axon outgrowth demonstrate functional overlap among IgCAMs during nervous system development.</p