Impact Of The Placement And Quality Of Face-To-Face Meetings In A Hybrid Distance Learning Course

As online and hybrid courses are becoming a wide-spread option for higher education, researchers are exploring various delivery methods.  Hybrid courses involve blending two modes of interaction –both face-to-face as well as online.  The exact distribution and timing of face-to-face meetings verse online delivery is a question that instructors have been struggling with since the inception of hybrid courses.  This paper reports findings from a study evaluating course outcomes in an undergraduate business computer applications course based on the quality and quantity of face to face meetings at the beginning of the course.&nbsp

O Conhecimento Morfológico da Criança na Escrita do Português Brasileiro

Brazilian 3rd to 5th grade children´s use of morphological knowledge in spelling word endings which arepronounced the same (morphemes), but spelled differently, was analyzed. Four groups were formed: (a) spelling patterns used indiscriminately, suggesting children knew the morphemes had different representations, but were unable to decide between alternative spellings; (b) higher average score on one spelling form; c) higher average score on the alternative spelling form; (d) appropriately spelling of the word endings, indicating the use of written morphology. Although spelling improved with schooling, the use of morphological knowledge to disambiguate alternative spellings of similar sounding word endings is a late acquisition, which is not even completed by the end of primary school.Examina-se o emprego do conhecimento morfológico por crianças do 3º. ao 5º. ano do ensino fundamental, analisando a grafa de terminações (morfemas) pronunciadas da mesma maneira, mas escritas diferentemente. Quatro grupos foram formados: (a) uso indiscriminado das formas de grafar as respectivas terminações, sugerindo o reconhecimento das diversas formas de escrevê-las, sem decidir convenientemente entre as mesmas; (b) preferência por uma das formas de grafar a terminação; (c) uso preferencial de outra forma de grafar a terminação; d) grafa convencional dos morfemas e o uso de informação morfológica. Embora progrida com a escolaridade, o uso da informação morfológica para a escrita de morfemas homófonos mostrou-se tardio, não estando concluído ao término da escola primária

GDNF Selectively Induces Microglial Activation and Neuronal Survival in CA1/CA3 Hippocampal Regions Exposed to NMDA Insult through Ret/ERK Signalling

The glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a potent survival factor for several neuronal populations in different brain regions, including the hippocampus. However, no information is available on the: (1) hippocampal subregions involved in the GDNF-neuroprotective actions upon excitotoxicity, (2) identity of GDNF-responsive hippocampal cells, (3) transduction pathways involved in the GDNF-mediated neuroprotection in the hippocampus. We addressed these questions in organotypic hippocampal slices exposed to GDNF in presence of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) by immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, and confocal analysis. In hippocampal slices GDNF acts through the activation of the tyrosine kinase receptor, Ret, without involving the NCAM-mediated pathway. Both Ret and ERK phosphorylation mainly occurred in the CA3 region where the two activated proteins co-localized. GDNF protected in a greater extent CA3 rather than CA1 following NMDA exposure. This neuroprotective effect targeted preferentially neurons, as assessed by NeuN staining. GDNF neuroprotection was associated with a significant increase of Ret phosphorylation in both CA3 and CA1. Interestingly, confocal images revealed that upon NMDA exposure, Ret activation occurred in microglial cells in the CA3 and CA1 following GDNF exposure. Collectively, this study shows that CA3 and CA1 hippocampal regions are highly responsive to GDNF-induced Ret activation and neuroprotection, and suggest that, upon excitotoxicity, such neuroprotection involves a GDNF modulation of microglial cell activity

Extensive innate immune gene activation accompanies brain aging, increasing vulnerability to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration: a microarray study

BACKGROUND: This study undertakes a systematic and comprehensive analysis of brain gene expression profiles of immune/inflammation-related genes in aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). METHODS: In a well-powered microarray study of young (20 to 59 years), aged (60 to 99 years), and AD (74 to 95 years) cases, gene responses were assessed in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, superior frontal gyrus, and post-central gyrus. RESULTS: Several novel concepts emerge. First, immune/inflammation-related genes showed major changes in gene expression over the course of cognitively normal aging, with the extent of gene response far greater in aging than in AD. Of the 759 immune-related probesets interrogated on the microarray, approximately 40% were significantly altered in the SFG, PCG and HC with increasing age, with the majority upregulated (64 to 86%). In contrast, far fewer immune/inflammation genes were significantly changed in the transition to AD (approximately 6% of immune-related probesets), with gene responses primarily restricted to the SFG and HC. Second, relatively few significant changes in immune/inflammation genes were detected in the EC either in aging or AD, although many genes in the EC showed similar trends in responses as in the other brain regions. Third, immune/inflammation genes undergo gender-specific patterns of response in aging and AD, with the most pronounced differences emerging in aging. Finally, there was widespread upregulation of genes reflecting activation of microglia and perivascular macrophages in the aging brain, coupled with a downregulation of select factors (TOLLIP, fractalkine) that when present curtail microglial/macrophage activation. Notably, essentially all pathways of the innate immune system were upregulated in aging, including numerous complement components, genes involved in toll-like receptor signaling and inflammasome signaling, as well as genes coding for immunoglobulin (Fc) receptors and human leukocyte antigens I and II. CONCLUSIONS: Unexpectedly, the extent of innate immune gene upregulation in AD was modest relative to the robust response apparent in the aged brain, consistent with the emerging idea of a critical involvement of inflammation in the earliest stages, perhaps even in the preclinical stage, of AD. Ultimately, our data suggest that an important strategy to maintain cognitive health and resilience involves reducing chronic innate immune activation that should be initiated in late midlife

O Conhecimento Morfológico da Criança na Escrita do Português Brasileiro

RESUMO Examina-se o emprego do conhecimento morfológico por crianças do 3º. ao 5º. ano do ensino fundamental, analisando a grafia de terminações (morfemas) pronunciadas da mesma maneira, mas escritas diferentemente. Quatro grupos foram formados: (a) uso indiscriminado das formas de grafar as respectivas terminações, sugerindo o reconhecimento das diversas formas de escrevê-las, sem decidir convenientemente entre as mesmas; (b) preferência por uma das formas de grafar a terminação; (c) uso preferencial de outra forma de grafar a terminação; d) grafia convencional dos morfemas e o uso de informação morfológica. Embora progrida com a escolaridade, o uso da informação morfológica para a escrita de morfemas homófonos mostrou-se tardio, não estando concluído ao término da escola primária

The G-Protein-Coupled Receptor GCR1 Regulates DNA Synthesis through Activation of Phosphatidylinositol-Specific Phospholipase C

Different lines of evidence suggest that specific events during the cell cycle may be mediated by a heterotrimeric G-protein activated by a cognate G-protein coupled receptor. However, coupling between the only known Gα-subunit of the heterotrimeric G-protein (GPA1) and the only putative G-protein coupled receptor (GCR1) of plants has never been shown. Using a variety of approaches, we show here that GCR1-enhanced thymidine incorporation into DNA depends on an increase in phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C activity and an elevation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate levels in the cells. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cells that overexpress either Arabidopsis GCR1 or GPA1 display this phenomenon. We suggest on the basis of these results that GCR1-controlled events during the cell cycle involve phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C as an effector of GCR1 and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate as a second messenger, and that GCR1 and GPA1 are both involved in this particular signaling pathway

Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease in White-Tailed Deer, Canada

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease affects wild and domestic ruminants and has recently spread northward within the United States. In September 2017, we detected epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus in wild white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, in east-central Canada. Culicoides spp. midges of the subgenus Avaritia were the most common potential vectors identified on site

Effects of sevoflurane and clonidine on acid base status and long-term emotional and cognitive outcomes in spontaneously breathing rat pups - Fig 1

<p><b>(A): Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) at adolescence and adulthood.</b> Percentage of entries in the open arms (OE). Results are expressed as mean ± standard error of mean (SEM). There was no difference among groups (n = 10 per group; p > 0.05). (<b>B): Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) at adolescence and adulthood</b> Percentage of time spent in the open arms (TO). Results are expressed as mean ± standard error of mean (SEM). There was no difference among groups (n = 10 per group; p > 0.05).</p

Inhibitory avoidance test (IA) at adolescence and adulthood.

<p>Inhibitory avoidance test (IA) at adolescence and adulthood.</p

Demographic data.

<p>Demographic data.</p