A Metabolic Challenge on CD-ROM

We have introduced a novel approach to the learning of metabolism by undergraduate students of biochemistry by providing them, on CD-ROM, with an intellectual challenge relating to 'real world' metabolic problems. The CD-ROM Biochemistry - A Metabolic Challenge is an integral component of our course curriculum but has been introduced with different emphasis into the different undergraduate Biochemistry courses. For science students, the programs are an adjunct to formal lectures and part of problem-solving sessions that are a component of the practical classes. For biomedical and medical students, who are high academic achievers, the CD-ROM is also used for selfdirected learning and case studies whereby students are expected to take more responsibility for their own learning. The problem-solving exercises, entitled The Great Metabolic Race and The After Race Banquet, explore the metabolic changes that occur to an athlete during a long distance race, and the subsequent recovery phase. The exercises are question/problem based and interactive, requiring students to analyse the questions, think logically and respond by integrating information drawn from a variety of sources. A set of thirteen self-paced, interactive tutorials covering the fundamentals of metabolism are linked to these exercises to act as one resource. While the answers to the questions do not appear in the tutorials, the information required to formulate the answers does. The CD-ROM is used for self-directed learning to help students visualize pathways and the relationship between them, and to integrate the knowledge they have acquired from various sources. It also contains case studies to teach students how these pathways are affected in specific clinical cases. Surveys have shown that students respond particularly well to the participatory nature of this new resource and find the self-paced learning and testing very valuable. We also have preliminary indications that the use of these programs does translate into improved student comprehension as judged by examination performance

Metabolism with Flexibility

Biochemistry is a very broad and complex discipline, knowledge of which requires the ability to integrate a wide range of concepts. It is a challenge to teach students, especially in large classes, how to acquire this skill. This can be partly overcome using Computer Aided Programs which provide a highly flexible way to deliver difficult material and enable students to learn at their own pace, in their own time. We have therefore developed a CD-ROM entitled Biochemistry – A Metabolic Challenge for teaching the principles of metabolism to a variety of university undergraduates including science, biomedical and medical students. The package forms the basis of a non-traditional and very flexible approach to the acquisition and development of learning skills; it is used as the focus for both Problem-Based Learning exercises and case study related Self-Directed Learning, as well as being a resource for information, revision and self assessment. In a teaching sense, the package is utilised in different ways depending on the background knowledge of the students, the objectives of the particular course and the size of the class

Destructive effects of murine arthritogenic antibodies to type II collagen on cartilage explants in vitro

Certain monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to type II collagen (CII) induce arthritis in vivo after passive transfer and have adverse effects on chondrocyte cultures and inhibit self assembly of collagen fibrils in vitro. We have examined whether such mAbs have detrimental effects on pre-existing cartilage. Bovine cartilage explants were cultured over 21 days in the presence of two arthritogenic mAbs to CII (CIIC1 or M2139), a non-arthritogenic mAb to CII (CIIF4) or a control mAb (GAD6). Penetration of cartilage by mAb was determined by immunofluorescence on frozen sections and correlated with changes to the extracellular matrix and chondrocytes by morphometric analysis of sections stained with toluidine blue. The effects of mAbs on matrix components were examined by Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM). A possible role of Fc-binding was investigated using F(ab)(2 )from CIIC1. All three mAbs to CII penetrated the cartilage explants and CIIC1 and M2139, but not CIIF4, had adverse effects that included proteoglycan loss correlating with mAb penetration, the later development in cultures of an abnormal superficial cellular layer, and an increased proportion of empty chondrons. FTIRM showed depletion and denaturation of CII at the explant surface in the presence of CIIC1 or M2139, which paralleled proteoglycan loss. The effects of F(ab)(2 )were greater than those of intact CIIC1. Our results indicate that mAbs to CII can adversely affect preformed cartilage, and that the specific epitope on CII recognised by the mAb determines both arthritogenicity in vivo and adverse effects in vitro. We conclude that antibodies to CII can have pathogenic effects that are independent of inflammatory mediators or Fc-binding

Projet CHOUCAS : Intégration de données hétérogènes et raisonnement spatial pour l'aide à la localisation des victimes en montagne

National audienceL'objectif de l'article est de présenter le projet ANR CHOUCAS qui ambitionne de proposer des méthodes et des outils pour constituer, enrichir, interroger et visualiser des données spatiales issues de sources hétérogènes, et mener sur ces données un raisonnement spatial flou, avec comme contexte applicatif l'aide à la localisation de victimes en montagne

Increased herpes zoster risk associated with poor HLA-A immediate early 62 protein (IE62) affinity

Transplantation and autoimmunit