Rearrangement of Retinogeniculate Projection Patterns after Eye-Specific Segregation in Mice

It has been of interest whether and when the rearrangement of neuronal circuits can be induced after projection patterns are formed during development. Earlier studies using cats reported that the rearrangement of retinogeniculate projections could be induced even after eye-specific segregation has occurred, but detailed and quantitative characterization of this rearrangement has been lacking. Here we delineate the structural changes of retinogeniculate projections in the C57BL/6 mouse in response to monocular enucleation (ME) after eye-specific segregation. When ME was performed after eye-specific segregation, rearrangement of retinogeniculate axons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) was observed within 5 days. Although this rearrangement was observed both along the dorsomedial-ventrolateral and outer-inner axes in the dLGN, it occurred more rapidly along the outer-inner axis. We also examined the critical period for this rearrangement and found that the rearrangement became almost absent by the beginning of the critical period for ocular dominance plasticity in the primary visual cortex. Taken together, our findings serve as a framework for the assessment of phenotypes of genetically altered mouse strains as well as provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the rearrangement of retinogeniculate projections

Informed Consent Prior to Coronary Angiography in a Real World Scenario: What Do Patients Remember?

Background: Patients' informed consent is legally essential before elective invasive cardiac angiography (CA) and successive intervention can be done. It is unknown to what extent patients can remember previous detailed information given by a specially trained doctor in an optimal scenario as compared to standard care. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this prospective cohort study 150 consecutive in-patients and 50 out-patients were included before elective CA was initiated. The informed consent was provided and documented in in-patients by trained and instructed physicians the day before CA. In contrast, out-patients received standard information by different not trained physicians, who did not know about this investigation. All patients had to sign a form stating that enough information had been given and all questions had been answered sufficiently. One hour before CA an assessment of the patients' knowledge about CA was performed using a standard point-by-point questionnaire by another independent physician. The supplied information was composed of 12 potential complications, 3 general, 4 periprocedural and 4 procedural aspects. 95% of the patients felt that they had been well and sufficiently informed. Less than half of the potential complications could be remembered by the patients and more patients could remember less serious than life-threatening complications (27.9 +/- 8.8% vs. 47.1 +/- 11.0%; p<0.001). Even obvious complications like local bleeding could not be remembered by 35% of in-patients and 36% of out-patients (p = 0.87). Surprisingly, there were only a few knowledge differences between in-and out-patients. Conclusions: The knowledge about CA of patients is vague when they give their informed consent. Even structured information given by a specially trained physician did not increase this knowledge

Role modelling and its impact on the self-development of academics

Academics in higher education are expected by their institutions to enhance their self-development. Role modelling is a means by which academics may achieve pertinent self-development goals. The focus of this chapter is to explore how role modelling can be used in this regard. Through a comprehensive literature review, the dynamics of role modelling in the context of higher education is explored. The author discusses the intricate processes involved in how role modelling can positively influence the personal and professional development of academics. Theoretical perspectives of professional identity construction through role modelling are examined. The author presents the position that academics will utilise role models for personal and professional development throughout their careers. In this context, the processes of role model selection are examined, and the theoretical underpinnings guiding the achievement of self-developmental goals are discussed. The author concludes that role modelling can be applied as an avenue to personal and professional development for academics. The author also proposes practical recommendations to facilitate role modelling interventions within the context of higher education and suggests avenues for future research