scholarly journals Rapid antigen testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a university setting in Ireland: learning from a 6-week pilot study.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald Barry ◽  
Catherine McCarney ◽  
Marc Farrelly ◽  
Carmel Mooney ◽  
Rory Breathnach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survey Methods ◽  
Trial Period ◽  
Testing Programme ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Antigen Tests ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The University ◽  
Antigen Testing ◽  
University Setting

Objectives With the ongoing circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in countries across the world it is essential to identify effective ways to reduce the risk of infection while allowing society to function as close to normal as possible. Serial testing using rapid lateral flow antigen tests is a possible way to do this by screening populations in a targeted way, identifying infectious (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) people and removing them from circulation while infectious. To make rapid antigen testing effective, high levels of participation are important. This study was designed to evaluate the establishment of a testing programme in a university setting and assess some of the factors that impact participation in such a study among both staff and students. Study Design Observational, survey Methods A trial period of SARS-CoV-2 rapid testing using the Abbott Panbio rapid antigen test was set up and staff and students based in the University College Dublin Veterinary Hospital were asked to take part voluntarily for 6 weeks. Following the trial period, we used a questionnaire to evaluate satisfaction and to understand some reasons behind participation or lack thereof. Results Overall, almost all respondents to the survey stated that they were happy with having a testing programme present in the workplace and it helped to reduce anxiety associated with COVID-19. Findings indicated that staff and students did not participate equally in the voluntary testing programme. The findings also highlighted that intrinsic motivations and extrinsic motivations for participation differ. For example, participation among staff was much higher than among students, motivational messaging focused on protecting others did not resonate with students as much as staff, convenience was a key factor driving participation in both cohorts and the pressure of being forced to miss class (if positive) close to exam time provided motivation to students to avoid testing. Conclusions Introducing antigen testing into a workplace helped to reduce overall anxiety associated with the potential impact of COVID-19, but achieving good participation was challenging. Participation is key to a successful, campus wide antigen testing programme but reaching high levels of participation is not straightforward and can not be taken for granted. Different motivations drive participation in different cohorts and different messaging/incentivisation is needed to encourage participation in those different cohorts. The findings reported here should inform any SARS-CoV-2 testing programme that will run in these types of settings in the future.

Formation and Development of the Pre-Professional Training System of Foreign Medical Applicants in Ukraine (Historical and Educational Aspect)

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 95-98
Author(s):  
Iana Proskurkina
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Students ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Training System ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Effective System ◽  
History Of ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The University ◽  
History Of Formation ◽  
Educational Aspect

Abstract The growing number of foreign applicants looking forward to getting education in Ukrainian medical universities makes us find the ways how to improve and make effective the pre-professional training system of foreign medical applicants for further education. The article deals with the issues of the history of formation and development of the preprofessional training system of foreign medical applicants in Ukraine. On the ground of the electronic databases of the official websites of higher educational establishments, the data on years of opening first offices of the dean, departments and preparatory faculties for foreign medical applicants in Ukrainian medical universities are analyzed and systematized. Also the data on the setting up preparatory faculties at other universities who carry out licensed training of foreign students of the medical profile are presented. The data on the operating and management of such institutions in the system of the University administration are generalized. It’s revealed that during the years of its functioning the pre-professional training has changed, in particular the system was commercialized and the institutions involved in training foreign applicants have been reorganized. The modern trends in teaching foreign medical students at the preparatory faculties of the Ukrainian medical universities are displayed. Based on the analysis of the data it is concluded that the system of the pre-professional training of foreign medical applicants was set up in the 50s-60s years of the twentieth century. During this time, some positive experience in the preparation of future international medical specialists has been gained. The system of the pre-professional training of foreign medical applicants has been comprehensively improved and an effective system of managing foreign medical applicants has been created.

Set up and management of a Data Science faculty at Shiga University

Impact ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (10) ◽  
pp. 18-20
Author(s):  
Akimichi Takemura
Keyword(s):  
Data Science ◽  
Science Faculty ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
International Trends ◽  
Leading Position ◽  
Global Understanding ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The University ◽  
Do So ◽  
Undergraduate Class

Shiga University opened the first data science faculty in Japan in April 2017. Beginning with an undergraduate class of 100 students, the Department has since established a Master's degree programme with 20 students in each annual intake. This is the first data science faculty in Japan and the University intends to retain this leading position, the Department is well-placed to do so. The faculty closely monitors international trends concerning data science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and adapt its education and research accordingly. The genesis of this department marks a change in Japan's attitudes towards dealing with information and reflects a wider, global understanding of the need for further research in this area. Shiga University's Data Science department seeks to produce well-trained data scientists who demonstrate a good balance of knowledge and skills in each of the three key areas of data science.

Testicular Involvement is a Hallmark of Apo A-I Leu75Pro Mutation Amyloidosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (12) ◽  
pp. e4758-e4766
Author(s):  
Andrea Delbarba ◽  
Paolo Facondo ◽  
Simona Fisogni ◽  
Claudia Izzi ◽  
Filippo Maffezzoni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Follicle Stimulating Hormone ◽  
Organ Damage ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Reproductive Hormone ◽  
Testicular Dysfunction ◽  
Amyloid Deposits ◽  
Scrotal Ultrasound ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The University ◽  
Male Subjects

Abstract Context Apo A-I Leu75Pro is a rare hereditary form of amyloidosis that mainly involves the kidney, the liver, and the testis. Objective To define the characteristics of organ damage and testis impairment in the largest cohort collected to date of men with Apo A-I Leu75Pro amyloidosis. Design, Setting, and Patients Retrospective study from a prospectively collected database of 129 male subjects >18 years with Apo A-I Leu75Pro amyloidosis from a reference center at the University Hospital of Brescia, Italy. Main outcome measures We evaluated liver and renal function, scrotal ultrasound, reproductive hormone levels, testis biopsy, hypogonadal symptoms, and fertility. Results Progressive involvement of testis, kidney, and liver was observed in 96/129 (74.4%) cases. Testis impairment was found in 88/129 patients (68.2%), liver in 59 (45.7%) and renal in 50 (38.8%). Testis damage was often the first manifestation of the disease and the only dysfunction in 30% of younger patients (<38 years). Testicular involvement was characterized mainly by primary (73/88 patients, 83.0%) and subclinical (8/88, 9.1%) hypogonadism. Almost all (85/88, 96.6%) also had high follicle-stimulating hormone, suggesting a primary global damage of endocrine and spermatogenic functions, and 30% of them did not conceive. Macroorchidism was found in 53/88 (60.2%) patients, especially in men <54 years (30/33, 90.9%). Apo A-I amyloid deposits were found in Sertoli cells, germinal epithelium, and vessel walls. Conclusion In men with Apo A-I Leu75Pro amyloidosis, testicular involvement is the hallmark of the disease, characterized by global primary testicular dysfunction and macroorchidism due to amyloid deposits.

scholarly journals Patients’ Perceived Satisfaction Through Telephone-Assisted Tele-Consultation During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Period: Observational Single-Centre Study at a Tertiary-Referral Colorectal Surgery Department

2021 ◽  
pp. 155335062110080
Author(s):  
Lara Blanco Terés ◽  
Carlos Cerdán Santacruz ◽  
Javier García Septiem ◽  
Rocío Maqueda González ◽  
José María Lopesino González ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Job Status ◽  
Perceived Satisfaction ◽  
The Future ◽  
Chi Squared ◽  
Single Centre Study ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Surgery Department

Introduction: The pandemic produced by SARS-CoV-2 has obliged us to set up the tele-assistance to offer a continuity of care. This implies an innovation, being the degree of satisfaction of patients unknown. Methods: A telephonic survey was conducted with the validated in the Spanish tool Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (Telehealth Usability Questionnaire; rating from 1-7) of all candidate patients assisted consecutively in the Coloproctology Unit. We included demographic variables, education level, job status, diagnosis and consultation type. A descriptive study was done. The relationship between the willingness of consultation model in the future (telemedicine vs traditional) and the categorical variables was analysed through the chi-squared test. Results: A total of 115 patients were included. The average age was 59.9 years, being 60% women. The average score in each of the survey items was higher than 6 in all the questions but 1. 26.1% of the surveyed patients confessed being advocated to tele-assistance in the future. The only factors related to greater willingness to tele-assistance were male gender (37% vs 18.8%; P = .03) and a higher academic preparation level in favour of higher technical studies (35.9%) and university studies (32.4%) opposite to the rest ( P = .043). The rest of variables studied, job status, labour regimen, diagnostic group and consultation type did not show any relationship. Conclusions: A vast majority of patients answered favourably to almost all the items of the survey. However, only 26.1% of them would choose a model of tele-assistance without restrictions.

scholarly journals Influence of the Number of Queens on Nest Establishment: Native and Invasive Ant Species

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 591
Author(s):  
Irene Castañeda ◽  
Elsa Bonnaud ◽  
Franck Courchamp ◽  
Gloria Luque
Keyword(s):  
Species Differences ◽  
Argentine Ants ◽  
Invasive Ant ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Ant Colonies ◽  
Worker Behavior ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Nest Maintenance ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Tapinoma Nigerrimum

As a critical stage in the life cycle of ant colonies, nest establishment depends on external and internal factors. This study investigates the effect of the number of queens on queen and worker behavior during nest establishment in invasive Argentine ants (Linepitema humile) and native Mediterranean Tapinoma nigerrimum. We set up experimental colonies with the same number of workers but with one or six queens. At different time points, we recorded the positions of queens and workers inside and outside the nest. Our results highlight the influence of the number of queens on the position of queens and workers with between-species differences. Queens of both species entered the nests more quickly when there were six queens. During nest establishment, more workers were inside nests with six queens for both species, with this effect being greater for T. nigerrimum. Once nests were established, fewer workers of both species were engaged in nest maintenance and feeding in nests with six queens; T. nigerrimum had fewer workers engaged in patrolling. These results suggest that the number of queens is a key factor driving queen and worker behavior during and after nest establishment with different species responses.

scholarly journals Optimization of a WGA-Free Molecular Tagging-Based NGS Protocol for CTCs Mutational Profiling

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 4364
Author(s):  
Giuseppa De Luca ◽  
Barbara Cardinali ◽  
Lucia Del Mastro ◽  
Sonia Lastraioli ◽  
Franca Carli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Dna Templates ◽  
Molecular Tagging ◽  
Mutational Profiling ◽  
Optimized Protocol ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Detection Of Mutations ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Next Generation Sequencing Ngs

Molecular characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) is still challenging, despite attempts to minimize the drawbacks of Whole Genome Amplification (WGA). In this paper, we propose a Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) optimized protocol based on molecular tagging technology, in order to detect CTCs mutations while skipping the WGA step. MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines, as well as leukocytes, were sorted into pools (2–5 cells) using a DEPArray™ system and were employed to set up the overall NGS procedure. A substantial reduction of reagent volume for the preparation of libraries was performed, in order to fit the limited DNA templates directly derived from cell lysates. Known variants in TP53, KRAS, and PIK3CA genes were detected in almost all the cell line pools (35/37 pools, 94.6%). No additional alterations, other than those which were expected, were found in all tested pools and no mutations were detected in leukocytes. The translational value of the optimized NGS workflow is confirmed by sequencing CTCs pools isolated from eight breast cancer patients and through the successful detection of variants. In conclusion, this study shows that the proposed NGS molecular tagging approach is technically feasible and, compared to traditional NGS approaches, has the advantage of filtering out the artifacts generated during library amplification, allowing for the reliable detection of mutations and, thus, making it highly promising for clinical use.

The Unfinished Sexual Revolution

1971 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Revolution ◽  
Editorial Note ◽  
Memorial Lecture ◽  
Human Welfare ◽  
The World ◽  
Control Clinic ◽  
History Of ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

Editorial note. March 17th, 1971 was the fiftieth anniversary of the opening by Marie Stopes of her birth control clinic in Holloway, London, the first of its kind in the UK and possibly in the world. In recognition of this notable event, the Board of the Marie Stopes Memorial Foundation, in conjunction with the University of York, has established a Marie Stopes Memorial Lecture to be given annually for a term of years. The first of the series was delivered on 12th March in the Department of Sociology, University of York, by Mr Laurie Taylor of that department. In introducing the speaker, Dr G. C. L. Bertram, the Chairman, emphasized the great contribution made by Marie Stopes to human welfare and gave a brief history of the clinic, which was soon moved to Whitfield Street. On Marie Stopes' death in 1958 the Memorial Foundation was set up to manage the clinic, still in Whitfield Street, and as a working monument to a great women.Mr Taylor's script is printed below as delivered and it will be seen that the lecture was a notable one. Not only that, but it was delivered with the verve of a Shakespearean actor and the members of the large and appreciative audience will not readily forget the occasion.

scholarly journals The University of Iowa Libraries’ Undergraduate User Needs Assessment

1998 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 571-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Clougherty ◽  
John Forys ◽  
Toby Lyles ◽  
Dorothy Persson ◽  
Christine Walters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
User Needs ◽  
Service Needs ◽  
University Of Iowa ◽  
Resource Needs ◽  
The University ◽  
University Setting ◽  
Library User ◽  
Satisfaction With Services

The university community is not a static environment but, rather, one fraught with change and adjustment to change. How do academic libraries within a university setting effectively address the evolving service and resource needs of a diverse patron community? One method that has received increasing attention is the development and implementation of internal instruments specifically designed to assess user satisfaction with services and resources. This study assesses undergraduate resource and service needs, identifies librarywide unmet needs, and gives both library user and librarian an opportunity to engage in proactive dialogue.

Communicating value through strategic engagement

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 154-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Walter
Keyword(s):  
Academic Library ◽  
First Century ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Campus Engagement ◽  
Library Assessment ◽  
Culture Of Assessment ◽  
The University ◽  
Library Value ◽  
University Setting

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore ways in which “library value” may be communicated in a university setting through more effective engagement with strategic planning and a broader array of campus partners. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a case study of an academic library in which alignment with the university mission and strategic plan and alignment of library assessment efforts with the broader culture of assessment at the university have resulted in positive gains for the library in terms of campus engagement and recognition of library value. Findings This paper provides insights into successful strategies for improved communication of library value to senior leadership, new investment in library facilities, and enhanced opportunities for collaboration across the university on strategic initiatives including student success, innovation in teaching and scholarship, and community engagement. Originality/value This paper provides library leaders with new approaches to engagement with campus partners and senior academic leadership in promoting the library as a strategic resource worthy of investment in the twenty-first century.

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