Supporting the Biomedical Science UG Project Research Journey Through Staff-Student Partnerships.

Introduction: Developing research skills enhances graduate attributes and student employability. The UG research project is coined the pedagogy of the 21st century but the diversity of supervisory styles is a source of student perceived inequality of experience. The goal of this study was to provide structure and support to undergraduate (UG) biomedical science research students and supervisors by co-creating research informed resources that are accessible, engaging and student centred. We asked 1) How do UG students experience research supervision? 2) What approaches do supervisors use to support UG project students? 3) How do students as partners benefit from being involved in pedagogical research? Materials and Methods: In Stage One, 3 UG student research partners co-developed questionnaires and followed these up with semi-structured interviews. Fifty two UG project students took part in an interactive poll and 14 supervisors answered a questionnaire. Seven students and 4 supervisors were interviewed. These were analysed by thematic analysis. In Stage Two, the questions were asked of UG project students (n = 79) via an interactive poll and the resource developed in Stage One was trialled with students (n = 68) and supervisors (n = 37). Results: The global theme identified was that students feel strongly that the student-supervisor relationship influences their experience, satisfaction and success. In all polls, >90% of students but <60% of supervisors agree that a good student/supervisor partnership has an effect on the success of the final project. A smaller percentage of students felt strongly that they were able to develop a successful partnership with their supervisor. We co-created a visual model and a list of discussion points of how the student-supervisor partnership can be developed, aimed at making supervision more effective whilst being non-prescriptive. Discussion: The resource can be easily adapted. Students believe it helped them to develop a staff-student partnership and supervisors commented that it helps to clarify roles and manage student expectations. This scalable project will support the practice of future UG biomedical science project research students and supervisors. Working with students as partners enabled the development of richer ideas whilst supporting their employability.

Target Mediated Drug Disposition Model of CPHPC in Patients with Systemic Amyloidosis.

The amyloid deposits that cause disease in systemic amyloidosis always contain the normal plasma protein, serum amyloid P (SAP) component. SAP is the target of a novel immunotherapy approach now being developed to eliminate amyloid deposits. The treatment is enabled by, and critically depends on, the use of the drug (R)-1-[6-[(R)-2-carboxy-pyrrolidin-1-yl]-6-oxo-hexanoyl]pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid (CPHPC, GSK2315698, Ro 63-8695), which depletes circulating SAP almost completely but leaves some SAP in amyloid deposits for specific recognition by subsequently administered therapeutic anti-SAP antibodies. Herein, we report a mechanistic model that predicts, with clinically acceptable precision, the exposure-response relationship for CPHPC, both in healthy individuals and in patients with systemic amyloidosis. The model covariates are gender, renal function, total amyloid load, and presence of hepatic amyloid, all of which are known at baseline. The model is being used to predict individualized dosing regimens in an ongoing, first-in-human study with anti-SAP antibodies.

Reliability of poly B-411, a polymeric anthraquinone-based dye, in determining the rot type caused by wood-inhabiting fungi.

In both Basidiomycotina and Ascomycotina, Poly B-411 decolorization was an excellent indicator of the ability to cause white rot: 109 of the 110 isolates of brown rot fungi tested definitely did not decolorize Poly B-411, and 392 of the 401 mainly active isolates of white rot fungi decolorized Poly B-411. The Bavendamm (tannic acid) reaction was a less reliable test: of 74 white rot isolates examined that could not decay wood, 6 decolorized Poly B-411, but 19 gave positive Bavendamm reactions. Of 80 isolates of Ascomycotina and Deuteromycotina that do not cause white rot, only 4 decolorized Poly B-411, but 17 gave a positive Bavendamm test.

Recurrent lymphocytic meningitis associated with hereditary isolated IgG subclass 3 deficiency.

We report the case of an otherwise healthy young adult woman who has suffered three episodes of lymphocytic meningitis of possible enteroviral aetiology during a 5 year period. Analysis of immunoglobulin subclasses has revealed a sustained reduction of IgG3 to below the fifth percentile. In addition, the patient's father and brother have a similar degree of IgG3 deficiency. Isolated IgG3 deficiency has previously been described in association with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, asthma, obstructive lung disease and enteral infections. However, our patient did not have any of these and there was no other identifiable immune defect to account for the recurrent meningitis. Although a mere chance association is possible, the case is interesting as antibody responses involving IgG3 tend to be triggered by protein antigens such as viral envelopes, while humoral immunity is known to be important in the clearance of enteroviral infection.