The VPS ReplaySuite: development and evaluation of a novel, Internet based telepathology tool

The ReplaySuite is a web-based telepathology tool that replicates the doubleheaded microscope environment online, enabling a reviewing pathologist to ‘replay’ an archived virtual slide examination. Examination-tracking data obtained by the Virtual Pathology Slide (VPS) virtual slide viewer is exploited, allowing a remote pathologist to review an examination conducted at a different time and location. This removes temporal and spatial issues associated with double-headed microscopy. In order to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the technology, 9 pathologists used the ReplaySuite to review examination replays and diagnostic data from archived examinations of 10 needlecore breast biopsies. Diagnostically difficult cases were most frequently evaluated, either via diagnostic concordance graphs or examination replays, and all 3 participants who replayed more than 10 examinations stated the ReplaySuite to be of some or great benefit in pathology training and quality assurance. Of those who replayed an examination by another pathologist, 83% (5/6) agreed that replays provided an insight into the examining pathologists diagnosis, and 33% (2/6) reconsidered their own diagnosis for at least one case. Of those who reconsidered their original diagnosis, all reclassified either concordant with group consensus or original glass slide diagnosis. This study demonstrated that the ReplaySuite was of potential benefit in pathology education, however the technology required evaluation in a setting that would facilitate its impact on diagnostic performance. Accordingly, a redeveloped VPS and ReplaySuite were incorporated into the EQUALIS External Quality Assurance (EQA) study in chronic hepatitis staging and grading. During the study, 9 Swedish pathology departments examined and scored digital representations of liver needlecore biopsies during two sessions, with 10 cases per session and two digital slides per case. Between scoring sessions, participants were provided with access to two supplementary electronic resources: the ReplaySuite, and a library of pre-selected reference images. Comparison of concordance with gold standard (KVAST group) scoring before and after electronic resource use facilitated the elucidation of impact on diagnostic performance. Between scoring sessions, participant concordance with KVAST staging increased by 18% (49%-67%), while concordance with KVAST grading increased by 20% (34%-54%). Mean staging un-weighted kappa improved from 0.347 to 0.554 (+0.207), or from ‘fair’ to ‘moderate’ exact agreement with KVAST staging. Linear weighted staging kappa improved from 0.603 to 0.688 (+0.085), indicating close agreement in both sessions. Mean grading unweighted kappa increased from 0.132 to 0.412 (+0.280), or from a ‘poor’ to ‘moderate’ level o f exact agreement with KVAST, while linear weighted kappa improved from 0.328 to 0.624 (+0.295), or from ‘fair’ to ‘good’ level of approximate agreement with KVAST. Subsequent to the EQA scheme, an expert liver pathologist used the ReplaySuite to evaluate study examinations, assessing examination technique and identifying sources of error. Examinations scoring concordant with KVAST were observed to exhibit acceptable examination technique more frequently than discordantly scoring examinations. When grading, 28% (46% - 18%) more concordant than discordant examinations were considered to have viewed sufficient tissue, and at the appropriate magnification. A similar disparity of 24% (59% - 35%) was observed in staging, suggesting that examination technique was important both when determining the degree of necroinflammation within a biopsy, and when ascertaining the extent of fibrosis. In assessing sources of error, the expert pathologist identified a potential source in 50% of grading examinations, with misinterpretation of observed pathology cited in 19%, and missed pathology (oversight) cited in 31% of grading examinations. Of the 41% of staging examinations in which a source was identified, misinterpretation of observed pathology was cited in 20% of examinations, and missed pathology (oversight) in 21% of examinations. This study demonstrated that the use of supplementary electronic resources could result in improvements in diagnostic performance. It also illustrated the significant ‘add on’ value that could be provided by the ReplaySuite in EQA, by providing means to assess not only diagnostic concordance, but also diagnostic technique and identify sources of error. In order to assess Irish trainee pathologist’s perceptions of computer-assisted learning (CAL), a number of commercial systems were utilised to incorporate digital slides into a postgraduate seminar series, and provide subsequent access to seminar digital slides, diagnoses and expert annotations online. All surveyed trainees considered the use of digital slides and expert annotations of benefit in pathology training, and considered the potential implementation of expert examination replays, online self-assessment and the capability to search online for material by organ, diagnosis or pathological feature of benefit. The work described herein illustrates that both expert and trainee pathologists alike consider the use of supplementary electronic resources of benefit in pathology education, and demonstrates that their use can improve diagnostic performance. The ability to evaluate participation in EQA studies via the ReplaySuite provides significant additional value to education schemes, providing a depth of assessment not possible with conventional microscopy

Digital Video Curation: Adding to a User-Centered Understanding

Different concepts of added value and digital video curation are examined from a user-centered approach. Findings contribute toward a user-centered understanding and construct of digital video curation and different functions of added value which can be used as a baseline for future work

Contending cultures of counterterrorism: transatlantic divergence or convergence?

Terrorist attacks on the United States, Spain and the United Kingdom have underlined the differing responses of Europe and the United States to the 'new terrorism'. This article analyses these responses through the prism of historically determined strategic cultures. For the last four years the United States has directed the full resources of a 'national security' approach towards this threat and has emphasized unilateralism. Europe, based on its own past experience of terrorism, has adopted a regulatory approach pursued through multilateralism. These divergences in transatlantic approaches, with potentially major implications for the future of the relationship, have appeared to be mitigated by a revised American strategy of counterterrorism that has emerged during 2005. However, this article contends that while strategic doctrines may change, the more immutable nature of strategic culture will make convergence difficult. This problem will be compounded by the fact that neither Europe nor America have yet addressed the deeper connections between terrorism and the process of globalization

Connecting with Educators: Science Teachers and Interactive Video Retrieval

Given the prevalence of digital resource use in education, it is critical to understand teachers’ interactions and perceptions when retrieving digital video for instructional purposes. The overarching objective of the present study was to examine how user-centric measures varied between different groups of science teachers, formed on certain user characteristics. An experimental methodology, including a set of interactive search experiments with actual users, was employed to explore these research objectives. Findings showed influences in interactive video retrieval tied to user characteristics, such as gender, age, and educational context. Examining teachers’ use and perceptions of digital video provides system designers and information professionals understanding that can contribute to more effective resources.ye

Exploring the Common Mechanisms of Motion-Based Visual Prediction

Human vision supports prediction for moving stimuli. Here we take an individual differences approach to investigate whether there could be a common processing rate for motion-based visual prediction across diverse motion phenomena. Motion Induced Spatial Conflict (MISC) refers to an incongruity arising from two edges of a combined stimulus, moving rigidly, but with different apparent speeds. This discrepancy induces an illusory jitter that has been attributed to conflict within a motion prediction mechanism. Its apparent frequency has been shown to correlate with the frequency of alpha oscillations in the brain. We asked what other psychophysical measures might correlate positively with MISC frequency. We measured the correlation between MISC jitter frequency and another three measures that might be linked to motion-based spatial prediction. We demonstrate that the illusory jitter frequency in MISC correlates significantly with the accrual rate of the Motion Induced Position Shift (MIPS) effect - the well-established observation that a carrier movement in a static envelope of a Gabor target leads to an apparent position shift of the envelope in the direction of motion. We did not observe significant correlations with the other two measures – the Adaptation Induced Spatial Shift accrual rate (AISS) and the Smooth Motion Threshold (SMT). These results suggest a shared perceptual rate between MISC and MIPS, implying a common periodic mechanism for motion-based visual prediction

An integrative review exploring the impact of Electronic Health Records (EHR) on the quality of nurse–patient interactions and communication

Aim. To explore how nurses' use of electronic health records impacts on the quality of nurse–patient interactions and communication. Design. An integrative review. Data sources. MEDLINE®, CINAHL®, PscyINFO, PubMed, BNI and Cochrane Library databases were searched for papers published between January 2005 and April 2022. Review methods. Following a comprehensive search, the studies were appraised using a tool appropriate to the study design. Data were extracted from the studies that met the inclusion criteria relating to sample characteristics, methods and the strength of evidence. Included empirical studies had to examine interactions or communication between a nurse and patient while electronic health records were being used in any healthcare setting. Findings were synthesized using a thematic approach. Results. One thousand nine hundred and twenty articles were initially identified but only eight met the inclusion criteria of this review. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes, indicating that EHR: impedes on face-to-face communication, promotes task-orientated and formulaic communication and impacts on types of communication patterns. Conclusion. Research examining nurse–patient interactions and communication when nurses' use electronic health records is limited but evidence suggests that closed nurse–patient communications, reflecting a task-driven approach, were predominantly used when nurses used electronic health records, although some nurses were able to overcome logistical barriers and communicate more openly. Nurses' use of electronic health records impacts on the flow, nature and quality of communication between a nurse and patient. Impact. The move to electronic health records has taken place largely without consideration of the impact that this might have on nurse–patient interaction and communication. There is evidence of impact but also evidence of how this might be mitigated. Nurses must focus future research on examining the impact that these systems have, and to develop strategies and practice that continue to promote the importance of nurse–patient interactions and communication. Patient or Public contribution. Studies examined within this review included patient participants that informed the analysis and interpretation of data

Revitalization of the School Library Media Specialist Certification Program at the University of Kentucky: Preparing 21st Century School Library Technology Leaders

In 2010 due to decreased enrollment and university-wide budget cuts, the University of Kentucky School of Library and Information Science made the decision to suspend admission to the School Library Media Certification program. The Kentucky librarian community responded with a campaign to request that this program be reinstated since the University of Kentucky is the only university in Kentucky offering a school library media preparation program within an American Library Association-accredited master\u27s program. As a result, a committee of experts was formed to examine the status of the school library media profession in the state of Kentucky, collect and analyze data of perceptions of differing stakeholders, and make a decision in regards to the future of the School Library Media certification program. This paper presents the study conducted by this committee, the findings, and the implications for the future of the School Library Media certification program at the University of Kentucky

Identification of proteins binding coding and non-coding human RNAs using protein microarrays

Background: The regulation and function of mammalian RNAs has been increasingly appreciated to operate via RNA-protein interactions. With the recent discovery of thousands of novel human RNA molecules by high-throughput RNA sequencing, efficient methods to uncover RNA-protein interactions are urgently required. Existing methods to study proteins associated with a given RNA are laborious and require substantial amounts of cell-derived starting material. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a rapid and large-scale approach to characterize binding of in vitro transcribed labeled RNA to ~9,400 human recombinant proteins spotted on protein microarrays. Results: We have optimized methodology to probe human protein microarrays with full-length RNA molecules and have identified 137 RNA-protein interactions specific for 10 coding and non-coding RNAs. Those proteins showed strong enrichment for common human RNA binding domains such as RRM, RBD, as well as K homology and CCCH type zinc finger motifs. Previously unknown RNA-protein interactions were discovered using this technique, and these interactions were biochemically verified between TP53 mRNA and Staufen1 protein as well as between HRAS mRNA and CNBP protein. Functional characterization of the interaction between Staufen 1 protein and TP53 mRNA revealed a novel role for Staufen 1 in preserving TP53 RNA stability. Conclusions: Our approach demonstrates a scalable methodology, allowing rapid and efficient identification of novel human RNA-protein interactions using RNA hybridization to human protein microarrays. Biochemical validation of newly identified interactions between TP53-Stau1 and HRAS-CNBP using reciprocal pull-down experiments, both in vitro and in vivo, demonstrates the utility of this approach to study uncharacterized RNA-protein interactions.Stem Cell and Regenerative Biolog

The role of integrins in Drosophila egg chamber morphogenesis

A Drosophila egg chamber is comprised of a germline cyst surrounded by a tightly-organised epithelial monolayer, the follicular epithelium (FE). Loss of integrin function from the FE disrupts epithelial organisation at egg chamber termini, but the cause of this phenotype remains unclear. Here we show that the -integrin Myospheroid (Mys) is only required during early oogenesis when the pre-follicle cells form the FE. mys mutants disrupt both the formation of a monolayered epithelium at egg chamber termini and the morphogenesis of the stalk between adjacent egg chambers, which develops through the intercalation of two rows of cells into a single-cell wide stalk. Secondary epithelia, like the FE, have been proposed to require adhesion to the basement membrane to polarise. However, Mys is not required for pre-follicle cell polarisation, as both follicle and stalk cells localise polarity factors correctly, despite being mispositioned. Instead, loss of integrins causes pre-follicle cells to basally constrict, detach from the basement membrane and become internalised. Thus, integrin function is dispensable for pre-follicle cell polarity but is required to maintain cellular organisation and cell shape during morphogenesis.This work was supported by a Wellcome Trust Principal Fellowship to D.St J. (080007, 207496) and by centre grant support from the Wellcome Trust (092096, 203144) and Cancer Research UK (A14492, A24823). H.E.L. was supported by a Herchel Smith Studentship, University of Cambridge. D.T.B. was supported by a Marie Curie Fellowship (funded by the European Commission) and the Wellcome Trust