Secondary school students’ epistemic insight into the relationships between science and religion – a preliminary enquiry

A number of previous studies have shown that there is a widespread view among young people that science and religion are opposed. In this paper, we suggest that it requires a significant level of what can be termed ‘epistemic insight’ to access the idea that some people see science and religion as compatible while others do not. To explore this further, we draw on previous work to devise a methodology to discover students’ thinking about apparent contradictions between scientific and religious explanations of the origins of the universe. In our discussion of the findings, we highlight that students’ epistemic insight in this context does seem in many cases to be limited and we outline some of the issues emerging from the study that seem to boost or limit students’ progress in this area

CaMKII phosphorylation of neuroligin-1 regulates excitatory synapses

Neuroligins are postsynaptic cell adhesion molecules that are important for synaptic function through their trans-synaptic interaction with neurexins (NRXNs). The localization and synaptic effects of neuroligin-1 (NL-1, also called NLGN1) are specific to excitatory synapses with the capacity to enhance excitatory synapses dependent on synaptic activity or Ca(2+)/calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII). Here we report that CaMKII robustly phosphorylates the intracellular domain of NL-1. We show that T739 is the dominant CaMKII site on NL-1 and is phosphorylated in response to synaptic activity in cultured rodent neurons and sensory experience in vivo. Furthermore, a phosphodeficient mutant (NL-1 T739A) reduces the basal and activity-driven surface expression of NL-1, leading to a reduction in neuroligin-mediated excitatory synaptic potentiation. To the best of our knowledge, our results are the first to demonstrate a direct functional interaction between CaMKII and NL-1, two primary components of excitatory synapses

Anakinra for palmoplantar pustulosis: results from a randomized, double-blind, multicentre, two staged, adaptive placebo controlled trial (APRICOT).

BACKGROUND: Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is a rare, debilitating, chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting the hands and feet. Clinical, immunological and genetic findings suggest a pathogenic role for interleukin (IL)-1. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether anakinra (an IL-1 receptor antagonist) delivers therapeutic benefit for PPP. METHODS: A randomised (1:1), double-blind, two-staged, adaptive, UK multi-centre, placebo-controlled trial. Participants had a diagnosis of PPP (>6 months) requiring systemic therapy. Treatment was eight weeks of anakinra or placebo via daily self-administered subcutaneous injections. The primary outcome was the Palmoplantar Pustulosis Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PPPASI) at 8 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 374 patients were screened and 64 were enrolled (31 anakinra, 33 placebo) with mean baseline PPPASI 17.8 (SD=10.5); PPP investigator's global assessment severe (50%) or moderate (50%). The baseline adjusted mean difference in PPPASI favoured anakinra but did not demonstrate superiority in intention-to-treat analysis, -1.65, 95% CI [-4.77 to 1.47], p=0.300. Secondary objective measures including fresh pustule count (2.94, 95% CI [-26.44 to 32.33] favouring anakinra), total pustule count (-30.08, 95% CI [-83.20 to 23.05] favouring placebo), and patient-reported outcomes, similarly did not show superiority of anakinra. When modelling the impact of adherence, the PPPASI complier average causal effect (CACE) for an individual who receives ≥90% total treatment (48% anakinra group), was -3.80, 95% CI [-10.76 to 3.16], p=0.285. No serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: No evidence for superiority of anakinra was found. IL-1 blockade is not a useful intervention for the treatment of PPP