Benchmarking of e-Learning at Nottingham Trent University: November 2006 - April 2007

This report outlines the main e-Learning benchmarking activities conducted at Nottingham Trent University during phase 1 of the HE Academy/JISC Benchmarking exercise, and the key findings, emerging issues and lessons learne

Accessibility - a learning imperative

Accessible online learning environments open new opportunities for students with disabilities to access mainstream learning resources and participate fully in learning experiences. This article describes the legislative, educational and social drivers behind the development of accessible eLearning strategies using Nottingham Trent University as a case stud

Elastomeric, bioadhesive and pH-responsive amphiphilic copolymers based on direct crosslinking of poly(glycerol sebacate)-co-polyethylene glycol

Poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), a synthetic biorubber, is characterised by its biocompatibility, high elasticity and tunable mechanical properties; however, its inherent hydrophobicity and insolubility in water make it unsuitable for use in advanced biomaterials like hydrogels fabrication. Here, we developed new hydrophilic PGS-based copolymers that enable hydrogel formation through use of two different types of polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyethylene glycol (PEG2) or glycerol ethoxylate (PEG3), combined at different ratios. A two-step polycondensation reaction was used to produce poly(glycerol sebacate)-co-polyethylene glycol (PGS-co-PEG) copolymers that were then crosslinked thermally without the use of initiators or crosslinkers, resulting in PGS-co-PEG2 and PGS-co-PEG3 amphiphilic polymers. It has been illustrated that the properties of PGS-co-PEG copolymers can be controlled by altering the type and amount of PEG. PGS-co-PEG copolymers containing PEG ≥ 40% showed high swelling, flexibility, stretching, bioadhesion and biocompatibility, and good enzymatic degradation and mechanical properties. Also, the addition of PEG created hydrogels that demonstrated pH-responsive behaviours, which can be used for bioapplications requiring responding to physicochemical dynamics. Interestingly, PGS-co-40PEG2 and PGS-co-60PEG3 had the highest shear strengths, 340.4 ± 49.7 kPa and 336.0 ± 35.1 kPa, and these are within the range of commercially available sealants or bioglues. Due to the versatile multifunctionalities of these new copolymer hydrogels, they can have great potential in soft tissue engineering and biomedicine

The importance of mimicking dermal-epidermal junction for skin tissue engineering : a review

There is a distinct boundary between the dermis and epidermis in the human skin called the basement membrane, a dense collagen network that creates undulations of the dermal–epidermal junction (DEJ). The DEJ plays multiple roles in skin homeostasis and function, namely, enhancing the adhesion and physical interlock of the layers, creating niches for epidermal stem cells, regulating the cellular microenvironment, and providing a physical boundary layer between fibroblasts and keratinocytes. However, the primary role of the DEJ has been determined as skin integrity; there are still aspects of it that are poorly investigated. Tissue engineering (TE) has evolved promising skin regeneration strategies and already developed TE scaffolds for clinical use. However, the currently available skin TE equivalents neglect to replicate the DEJ anatomical structures. The emergent ability to produce increasingly complex scaffolds for skin TE will enable the development of closer physical and physiological mimics to natural skin; it also allows researchers to study the DEJ effect on cell function. Few studies have created patterned substrates that could mimic the human DEJ to explore their significance. Here, we first review the DEJ roles and then critically discuss the TE strategies to create the DEJ undulating structure and their effects. New approaches in this field could be instrumental for improving bioengineered skin substitutes, creating 3D engineered skin, identifying pathological mechanisms, and producing and screening drugs

Aflatoxin M1 contaminations in different types of cheese in Serbia

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is excreted into milk as the main metabolite of aflatoxin B1 and as such it poses a potential risk to human health. Accordingly, the analysis of AFM1 in milk and milk products is of great importance. The aim of this research was to investigate the AFM1 level in different types of cheese (soft cheese, processed cheese, fresh cheese, semi-hard cheese, parmesan, mozzarella, hard cheese) on the Serbian market. A total of 42 samples of cheese of different producers were collected from the domestic market. After extraction with dichlor-methane, cheese samples were prepared and analysed by ELISA test. Among the analysed 42 samples, 17 (40.5 %) were contaminated by AFM1 at levels ranging from 156.0 ng/kg to 810.0 ng/kg. The 15 samples (35.7 % of the samples) were contaminated by AFM1, at levels ranging from 54.0 ng/kg to 83.0 ng/kg and 10 samples (23.8 % of the samples) had undetectable AFM1 levels (<50 ng/kg). Based on these results, it could be concluded that 28.6 % (12/42) cheese samples had AFM1 concentration higher than EU maximum level (250 ng/kg), with concentrations between 263.0 and 810.0 ng/kg. The percentage of cheese samples with AFM1 levels exceeding the EU maximum AFM1 level was relatively high, indicating that the presence of AFM1 is still a big problem for producers in Serbia. The testing of raw milk used for cheese production is important for the protection of public health. Stricter measures should be taken to reach a satisfactory level of concentration. In addition, optimum storage conditions for animal feed should be provided, and animal feeding should be monitored for the presence of AFM1 and other aflatoxins

Application of standards for risk management systems in the sector for emergency situations

Predmet ovog rada je analiza primera standarda za sistem menadžmenta rizika u sektoru za vanredne situacije.The subject of master\u27s thesis research is to analyze examples of standard usage for risk management in emergency situation

Comparative analysis of the cell wall of clinical isolates Acinetobacter baumannii

Зета потенцијал је дефинисан наелектрисањем површинских молекула и индиректна је метода за одређивање површинског потенцијала бактерија. Ова физичка карактеристика је кључна за одржавање оптималне функције бактеријских ћелија. Поред тога, има кључну улогу у адхезији бактерија за различите супстрате и интеракцији са факторима окружења.Zeta potential is defined by the charge of surface molecules and is an indirect method for determining the surface potential of bacteria. This physical characteristic is crucial for maintaining optimal bacterial cell function. In addition, it plays a key role in bacterial adhesion to various substrates and interaction with environmental factors

Investigation of zebrafish tetraspanin cd63

Tetraspanin CD63 is highly conserved, found in a diverse range of species and has been implicated in a multitude of biological phenomena. Although its precise function is unknown, evidence suggests it has a role in intracellular trafficking. A homolog of CD63 is present in zebrafish of which little is known. The aim of this work was to investigate zebrafish cd63. This thesis first describes validation of zebrafish as a model for the study of CD63, and second investigates cd63 function in this system. Zebrafish cd63 was found to be 45% identical to human CD63 with conserved lysosomal targeting motif and glycosylation sites. To further investigate the characteristics of the cd63 protein a CD63-GFP fusion protein was made and introduced into tissue culture lines as well as live embryos. As predicted from its sequence the construct had an intracellular localisation and appears to be glycosylated. Using In Situ Hybridisation (ISH) and RT-PCR first zygotic expression was identified in pre-polster, later to be found in the notochord and the hatching gland. After validation morpholinos were used to knock down cd63 causing morphological disruption and defective hatching. Assay for release of hatching enzymes revealed that morphant embryos had reduced ability to cleave substrate leading to the working hypothesis that enzyme production was faulty, release defective or a combination of these factors. 'ISH revealed that cd63 was absent in one-eyed pinhead mutants revealing that cd63 is Nodaliy regulated. Study of established markers in morphant embryos provided evidence that cd63 was not involved in specification of the hatching gland, but is required for correct function. A bioinformatic approach was used to identify potential partners of cd63 andúan . experimental methodology proposed for the investigation of these molecules. This was tested for tetraspanin cd82 showing that it has similar spatial and temporal expression to cd63.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Priručnik za diversifikaciju programa predškolskog vaspitanja i obrazovanja

Priručnik koji se nalazi pred vama plod je saradnje dva velika projekta od izuzetnog značaja za predškolsko vaspitanje i obrazovanje u Srbiji – IMPRES projekat (Unapređivanje predškolskog vaspitanja i obrazovanja u Srbiji – projekat MPNTR-a, fnansiran sredstvima EU) i projekat Vrtići bez granica: više mogućnosti za učenje i razvoj dece ranog uzrasta (koji podržavaju UNICEF i kompanija IKEA). U okviru ova dva projekta, deca, roditelji, vaspitači, stručni saradnici, direktori, mentori, predstavnici lokalnih samouprava, međunarodni i nacionalni stručnjaci su radili zajedno u 25 opština i gradova na razvijanju diversifkovanih predškolskih programa. Poslednjih godina interesovanje kreatora politike i donosioca odluka kada je predškolsko vaspitanje i obrazovanje u pitanja je porastao – predškolsko vaspitanje i obrazovanje je našlo svoje mesto u svim strateškim opredeljenjima i ciljevima Srbije. Rastući uvidi na nacionalnom (nizak obuhvat – posebno dece iz najosetljivijih grupa; usluge vrtića ne koriste oni kojima su te usluge najpotrebnije; mreža predškolskih ustanova nije adekvatna u smislu geografske pokrivenosti i prostornih kapaciteta; nemogućnost lokalnih samouprava da podnesu 80 % trenutnih troškova predškolskog vaspitanja i obrazovanja itd), i evropskom nivou o značaju ranog detinjstva, kao i vaspitanja i obrazovanja na ranom uzrastu, doprineli su donošenju značajnih dokumenata (Nacionalni milenijumski ciljevi razvoja; Zakon o osnovama sistema obrazovanja i vaspitanja i Zakon o predškolskom vaspitanju i obrazovanju; Strategija razvoja obrazovanja u Srbiji do 2020; pravilnici koji podržavaju diversifkaciju predškolskih programa; podrška unapređivanju kvaliteta vaspitno obrazovnog rada kao i pravilnici koji regulišu sistem za samovrednovanje i spoljašnje vrednovanje; itd.) na osnovu kojih se mogu stvoriti uslovi da sve veći broj dece ima pristup kvalitetnim i raznovrsnim predškolskim programima. Polazeći od ovih preduslova i podržavajuće atmosfere oba projekta usmerila su se na kreiranje uslova za povećanje obuhvata dece uzrasta od 3 do 5,5 godina, u manje razvijenim oblastima u Srbiji, visokokvalitetnim predškolskim programima različitog sadržaja i trajanja. Kako bi se to postiglo, od vitalnog značaja je bilo osloboditi se postojećih uverenja da se to jedino može postići izgradnjom novih i skupih vrtića i organizovanjem celodnevnih predškolskih programa, i konstruisati novo razumevanje načina povećanja obuhvata dece i kvaliteta rada kroz razvoj diversifkovanih programa prilagođenih potrebama dece, roditelja i zajednica, kao i kapacitetima lokalnih samouprava. Takođe je bilo važno promeniti preovlađujuće shvatanje da je osnovna funkcija predškolskog vaspitanja i obrazovanja ekonomska (predškolsko vaspitanje i obrazovanje i predškolske ustanove služe za pružanje podrške zaposlenim roditeljima), a da su socijalna i obrazovna funkcija manje važne, kao i da jedan model celodnevnih programa može da odgovara svoj deci i svim roditeljima. Ovaj Priručnik je deo kompleta materijala razvijenih radi pružanja podrške diversifkaciji predškolskih programa i usluga. Ostali materijali su: Priručnik za obuku mentora za razvijanje posebnih i specijalizovanih programa i Zbirka primera dobre prakse.Priručni

Elastomeric, bioadhesive and pH-responsive amphiphilic copolymers based on direct crosslinking of poly(glycerol sebacate)-co-polyethylene glycol

Poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), a synthetic biorubber, is characterised by its biocompatibility, high elasticity and tunable mechanical properties; however, its inherent hydrophobicity and insolubility in water make it unsuitable for use in advanced biomaterials like hydrogels fabrication. Here, we developed new hydrophilic PGS-based copolymers that enable hydrogel formation through use of two different types of polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyethylene glycol (PEG2) or glycerol ethoxylate (PEG3), combined at different ratios. A two-step polycondensation reaction was used to produce poly(glycerol sebacate)-co-polyethylene glycol (PGS-co-PEG) copolymers that were then crosslinked thermally without the use of initiators or crosslinkers, resulting in PGS-co-PEG2 and PGS-co-PEG3 amphiphilic polymers. It has been illustrated that the properties of PGS-co-PEG copolymers can be controlled by altering the type and amount of PEG. PGS-co-PEG copolymers containing PEG ≥ 40% showed high swelling, flexibility, stretching, bioadhesion and biocompatibility, and good enzymatic degradation and mechanical properties. Also, the addition of PEG created hydrogels that demonstrated pH-responsive behaviours, which can be used for bioapplications requiring responding to physicochemical dynamics. Interestingly, PGS-co-40PEG2 and PGS-co-60PEG3 had the highest shear strengths, 340.4 ± 49.7 kPa and 336.0 ± 35.1 kPa, and these are within the range of commercially available sealants or bioglues. Due to the versatile multifunctionalities of these new copolymer hydrogels, they can have great potential in soft tissue engineering and biomedicine