Knowledge ‘Translation’ as Social Learning: Negotiating the Uptake of Research-Based Knowledge in Practice

BACKGROUND: Knowledge translation and evidence-based practice have relied on research derived from clinical trials, which are considered to be methodologically rigorous. The result is practice recommendations based on a narrow view of evidence. We discuss how, within a practice environment, in fact individuals adopt and apply new evidence derived from multiple sources through ongoing, iterative learning cycles. DISCUSSION: The discussion is presented in four sections. After elaborating on the multiple forms of evidence used in practice, in section 2 we argue that the practitioner derives contextualized knowledge through reflective practice. Then, in section 3, the focus shifts from the individual to the team with consideration of social learning and theories of practice. In section 4 we discuss the implications of integrative and negotiated knowledge exchange and generation within the practice environment. Namely, how can we promote the use of research within a team-based, contextualized knowledge environment? We suggest support for: 1) collaborative learning environments for active learning and reflection, 2) engaged scholarship approaches so that practice can inform research in a collaborative manner and 3) leveraging authoritative opinion leaders for their clinical expertise during the shared negotiation of knowledge and research. Our approach also points to implications for studying evidence-informed practice: the identification of practice change (as an outcome) ought to be supplemented with understandings of how and when social negotiation processes occur to achieve integrated knowledge. SUMMARY: This article discusses practice knowledge as dependent on the practice context and on social learning processes, and suggests how research knowledge uptake might be supported from this vantage point

Towards a real-time, label-free, diamond-based DNA sensorle

Most challenging in the development of DNA sensors is the ability to distinguish between fully complementary target ssDNA (single-strand DNA) and 1-mismatch ssDNA. To deal with this problem, we performed impedance spectroscopy on DNA-functionalized nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) layers during hybridization and denaturation. In both reactions, a difference in behavior was observed for 1-mismatch target DNA and complementary target DNA in real-time. During real-time hybridization, a decrease of the impedance was observed at lower frequencies when the complementary target DNA was added, while the addition of 1-mismatch target ssDNA caused no significant change. Fitting these results to an electrical circuit demonstrates that this is correlated with a decrease of the depletion zone in the space charge region of the diamond. During real-time denaturation, differentiation between 1-mismatch and complementary target DNA was possible at higher frequencies. Denaturation of complementary DNA showed the longest exponential decay time of the impedance, while the decay time during 1-mismatch denaturation was the shortest. The real-time hybridization and denaturation experiments were carried out on different NCD samples in various buffer solutions at temperatures between 20 and 80 °C. It was revealed that the best results were obtained using a Microhyb hybridization buffer at 80 °C and 10× PCR buffer at 30 °C for hybridization and 0.1 M NaOH at temperatures above 40 °C for denaturation. We demonstrate that the combination of real-time hybridization spectra and real-time denaturation spectra yield important information on the type of target. This approach may allow a reliable identification of the mismatch sequence, which is the most biologically relevant

Dopamine-mediated striatal activity and function is enhanced in GlyRα2 knockout animals

Summary: The glycine receptor alpha 2 (GlyRα2) is a ligand-gated ion channel which upon activation induces a chloride conductance. Here, we investigated the role of GlyRα2 in dopamine-stimulated striatal cell activity and behavior. We show that depletion of GlyRα2 enhances dopamine-induced increases in the activity of putative dopamine D1 receptor-expressing striatal projection neurons, but does not alter midbrain dopamine neuron activity. We next show that the locomotor response to d-amphetamine is enhanced in GlyRα2 knockout animals, and that this increase correlates with c-fos expression in the dorsal striatum. 3-D modeling revealed an increase in the neuronal ensemble size in the striatum in response to D-amphetamine in GlyRα2 KO mice. Finally, we show enhanced appetitive conditioning in GlyRα2 KO animals that is likely due to increased motivation, but not changes in associative learning or hedonic response. Taken together, we show that GlyRα2 is an important regulator of dopamine-stimulated striatal activity and function