315 research outputs found
The English question, or academic freedoms
No full textTo be or not to be free, that is the question, the English question, the question of what is academic English at the beginning of the 21st century. So argues Thomas Docherty in this new and important new study, a study that begins with the claim that the fundamental idea governing the institution of the University is a will to freedom. Tracing a history of the modern European University from Vico onwards and including Hume, Rousseau, Schiller, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Newman, Alain, Benda and Jaspers, the author argues the academy's will to freedom is grounded in study of the 'eloquence' that has shaped literate and humane values. He goes on to explore the current condition of English as a literary discipline, arguing that literary studies is (or should be) a search for the unknown; and that in only that search can the academy establish the real meaning - or meanings - of social, political and ethical freedom
Aesthetic democracy
No full textAesthetic Democracy argues that art and the aesthetic in general are the founding condition of the possibility of establishing social and political democracy. The book examines contemporary criticism and finds that it is historically shaped by colonialism, and that it sets up an opposition of east and west that shapes all contemporary cultural politics. The author argues for a way of outwitting this potentially dangerous struggle of east and west grounded in an aestheticism and a validation of sensory experience. Docherty proposes a new model of cultural critique, based on a revitalized and positively valorized notion of "hypocrisy," whose roots lie in Machiavelli, but whose contemporary strength lies in its potential for an ethical encounter with alterity as such
Targeted methylation testing of a patient cohort broadens the epigenetic and clinical description of imprinting disorders
No full textImprinting disorders are associated with mutations and epimutations affecting imprinted genes, that is those whose expression is restricted by parent of origin. Their diagnosis is challenging for two reasons: firstly, their clinical features, particularly prenatal and postnatal growth disturbance, are heterogeneous and partially overlapping; secondly, their underlying molecular defects include mutation, epimutation, copy number variation, and chromosomal errors, and can be further complicated by somatic mosaicism and multi-locus methylation defects. It is currently unclear to what extent the observed phenotypic heterogeneity reflects the underlying molecular pathophysiology; in particular, the molecular and clinical diversity of multilocus methylation defects remains uncertain. To address these issues we performed comprehensive methylation analysis of imprinted genes in a research cohort of 285 patients with clinical features of imprinting disorders, with or without a positive molecular diagnosis. 20 of 91 patients (22%) with diagnosed epimutations had methylation defects of additional imprinted loci, and the frequency of developmental delay and congenital anomalies was higher among these patients than those with isolated epimutations, indicating that hypomethylation of multiple imprinted loci is associated with increased diversity of clinical presentation. Among 194 patients with clinical features of an imprinting disorder but no molecular diagnosis, we found 15 (8%) with methylation anomalies, including missed and unexpected molecular diagnoses. These observations broaden the phenotypic and epigenetic definitions of imprinting disorders, and show the importance of comprehensive molecular testing for patient diagnosis and management
An atypical case of hypomethylation at multiple imprinted loci
No full textAngelman syndrome (AS) and Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) are caused by genetic and epigenetic mutations of the imprinted gene cluster on chromosome 15q13. Although the imprinting mutations causing PWS and AS are essentially opposite in nature, remarkably, a small number of patients have been reported with clinical features of PWS but epigenetic mutations consistent with AS. We report here a patient who presented with clinical features partially consistent with both PWS and Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (BWS). Epimutations were found at both the AS/PWS and BWS loci, and additionally at the H19, PEG3, NESPAS and GNAS loci. This patient is therefore the first described case with a primary epimutation consistent with AS accompanied by hypomethylation of other imprinted loci.<br/
Is trucking along enough? An exploration of mid-career nurses’ satisfaction
No full textIs trucking along enough? An exploration of mid-career nurses’ satisfaction
Heather Docherty RN, BSN, BA, MA, CMRSN
Background: The topic of nursing retention and satisfaction has been the focus of much research; many studies have focused on the experience of novice nurses. This project focuses on exploring the factors that influence the job satisfaction of nurses who are “mid-career” in a sample of hospital’s medical surgical units. The approach to this work is informed by the theoretical work of Benner’s model of novice to expert as well Maslow’s work on hierarchy of needs.
Literature Review: A literature search was conducted in the spring of 2017 using keywords such as “nursing career satisfaction”, “job satisfaction”, mid-career nurses” and “nurse residency program”. Six articles were found that informed the topic; they were summarized in tabular format. A valid and reliable measure of nurse career overall satisfaction was also as included as a part of this review.
Purpose: PICOT What are the characteristics of nursing career satisfaction in mid-career nurses who work in a 3 medical surgical settings in a large teaching hospital in the northeastern United States?.
Methods/Discussion: This study used a quantitative approach using a survey which did not contain respondent identifiers. Permission to utilize the survey tool was obtained from the author. The survey, along with a letter of introduction, was distributed among three medical surgical units to mid-career nurses (had worked between 10-30 years); 28 were returned. Data analysis is pending.
Results: Information from this literature review and survey is expected to inform an intervention that will address mid-career nursing satisfaction
Somatic cell gene therapy for diabetes mellitus: engineering a surrogate B-cell
No full textImproved methods of insulin delivery are required for the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) to achieve a more physiological profile of glucose homeostasis. Somatic cell gene therapy offers the prospect that insulin could be delivered by an autologous cell implant, engineered to secrete insulin in response to glucose. This study explores the feasibility of manipulating somatic cells to behave as a surrogate insulin-secreting β-cells. Initial studies were conducted using mouse pituitary AtT20 cells as a model, since these cells possess an endogenous complement of enzymes capable of processing proinsulin to mature insulin. Glucose sensitive insulin secretion was conferred to these cells by transfection with plasmids containing the human preproinsulin gene (hppI-1) and the GLUT2 gene for the glucose transporter isoform 2. Insulin secretion was responsive to changes in the glucose concentration up to about 50μM. Further studies to up-rate this glucose sensitivity into the mM range will require manipulation of the hexokinase and glucokinase enzymes. Intraperitoneal implantation of the manipulated AtT20 cells into athymic nude mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes resulted in decreased plasma glucose concentrations. The cells formed vascularised tumours in vivo which were shown to contain insulin-secreting cells. To achieve proinsulin processing in non-endocrine cells, co-transfection with a suitable enzyme, or mutagenesis of the proinsulin itself are necessary. The mutation of the human preproinsulin gene to the consensus sequence for cleavage by the subtilisin-like serine protease, furin, was carried out. Co-transfection of human fibroblasts with wild-type proinsulin and furin resulted in 58% conversion to mature insulin by these cells. Intraperitoneal implantation of the mature-insulin secreting human fibroblasts into the diabetic nude mouse animal model gave less encouraging results than the AtT20 cells, apparently due to poor vascularisation. Cell aggregations removed from the mice at autopsy were shown to contain insulin secreting cells only at the periphery. This thesis provides evidence that it is possible to construct, by cellular engineering, a glucose-sensitive insulin-secreting surrogate β-cell. Therefore, somatic cell gene therapy offers a feasible alternative for insulin delivery in IDDM patients
Quality delivery of mobile video: In-depth understanding of user requirements
No full textThe increase of powerful mobile devices has accelerated the demand for mobile videos. Previous studies in mobile video have focused on understanding of mobile video usage, improvement of video quality, and user interface design in video browsing. However, research focusing on a deep understanding of users ’ needs for a pleasing quality delivery of mobile video is lacking. In particular, what quality-delivery mode users prefer and what information relevant to video quality they need requires attention. This paper presents a qualitative interview study with 38 participants to gain an insight into three aspects: influencing factors of user-desired video quality, user-preferred quality-delivery modes, and user-required interaction information of mobile video. The results show that user requirements for video quality are related to personal preference, technology background and video viewing experience, and the preferred quality-delivery mode and interactive mode are diverse. These complex user requirements call for flexible and personalised quality delivery and interaction of mobile video. Author Keywords Mobile video, quality-delivery mode, user requirements
Scoping Review of Environmental and Sustainability Education in Teacher Education: Historical Context of Research and Preliminary Results
No full textThe paper is a collection of data preserved from original research on a scoping review for ESE-TE. The original research in tables and figures have been preserved for a historical context. The original paper was presented at two conferences: World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) and Environmental Education SIG of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) by the two leading authors (Douglas D Karrow and Susan Maureen Docherty-Skippen). The third Author (Rob Blom) summarised the document and added relevant details such as a preface and a preamble. Rob and Doug will be published in the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education (IJSHE) in the special issue Making an Impact – UN Sustainable Development Goals and university performance.To identify the international trends in environmental and sustainability education in teacher education (ESE-TE) research, we (Doug and Susan) report research from a scoping literature review. Different from international literature reviews in ESE that have examined policy issues, sustainability pedagogies, and how ESE is embedded in TE curriculum, our study focuses on all aspects of ESE relevant to TE. We screened 2,142 research articles spanning over five decades and 81 countries. Of the 788 articles deemed eligible (i.e., English-language, peer-reviewed, pre-service/in-service teacher education that explicitly mentioned ESE-TE research), data from 637 studies have been included in this study. Our research analysis included quantifying the geographic, temporal, and methodological trends, and a qualitative exploration of the research problems/context themes. While 82% of the research articles we examined were empirical, the most prevalent problems investigated across all of the studies centred on the themes of TE commonplaces (34%), competencies and literacy (20%), and awareness (16%). While no definite conclusions may be drawn until the complete data set has been analysed (a forthcoming paper), preliminary findings suggest a disparity of ESE-TE research in Asia, South and Central America, and Africa. Preliminary results also suggest that more research in the context of TE praxis is needed
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