Beyond the Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network: An Instrumental Case Study of Life Sciences Skills Development for Biomedical Science Graduates in Scotland.

Biomedical sciences graduates are employed in a variety of different settings and form a significant part of the Life Sciences sector workforce in Scotland. Their degrees should equip them with the skills and knowledge to not only enter the workplace, but be adaptable in an environment that will inevitably change over the course of their careers. Industry and student feedback continue to identify perceived skills gaps, necessitating regular government-backed upskilling initiatives together with industry concerns about graduate readiness. For more than a decade, this Scottish Modern University has worked in partnership with industry and Scottish Government agencies to provide upskilling courses and incorporate relevant skills into the biomedical sciences curriculum, from problem solving and reflection to more applied, practical skills. Using the recent Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network collaboration as an instrumental case study this paper describes current best practice which has significantly impacted teaching and workplace training, ensuring biomedical sciences graduates have the knowledge and skills required for employment within the Life Science sector. Limits to the current life science skills model in Scotland are also identified (availability of placements, ad-hoc and inefficient collaborative structures, incompatible provider strategies) and recommendations made to ensure that biomedical sciences degrees continue to be part of a more sustainable, scalable solution to the skills gap. Recommendations include: better industry acknowledgement of accreditation, and more coherent, authentic and strategic collaboration which should improve skills advice and training, through a supported alliance between Industry and University Life Science Skills Committees and the establishment of regional training Centres of Excellence that would provide a focus for pooled resources and a simulated industry experience.

Immediate effect of a spinal mobilisation intervention on muscle stiffness, tone and elasticity in subjects with lower back pain - A randomized cross-over trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite the lack of objective evidence, spinal manual therapies have been common practice for many years, particularly for treatment of lower back pain (LBP). This exploratory study measured and analysed the effect of a spinal mobilisation intervention on muscle tissue quality in LBP sufferers. METHODS: 40 people with LBP participated in a within-subject repeated measures cross-over study with intervention and control conditions. A myometer was used to assess the change in para-spinal muscle tissue quality before and after the intervention. Analysis considered the magnitude of muscle response together with individual covariates as potential contributors. RESULTS: A significant post-intervention reduction was observed in muscle stiffness (p = 0.012, η 2 partial = 0.15), tone (p = 0.001, η 2 partial = 0.25) and elasticity (p = 0.001, η 2 partial = 0.24). Significant increases were seen in 2 variables post-control: stiffness (p = 0.004, η 2 partial = 0.19), tone (p = 0.006, η 2 partial = 0.18) and a significant decrease in elasticity (p ˂ 0.000, η 2 partial = 0.3). Significant contributing covariates include baseline stiffness, BMI, waist circumference and sex. Baseline stiffness and tone were significantly correlated to their response levels. CONCLUSIONS: The significant reduction in all muscle tissue qualities following the intervention provide preliminary data for an evidence-based LBP therapeutic. Baseline stiffness, BMI, waist circumference and sex could act as significant contributors to magnitude of response. The results warrant further investigation into spinal mobilisation therapies to further build the objective evidence base.

Increased excitability and altered action potential waveform in cerebellar granule neurons of the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome.

Down syndrome (DS) is characterized by intellectual disability and impaired motor control. Lack of coordinated movement, poor balance, and unclear speech imply dysfunction of the cerebellum, which is known to be reduced in volume in DS. The principal cause of the smaller cerebellum is a diminished number of granule cells (GCs). These neurons form the 'input layer' of the cerebellar cortex, where sensorimotor information carried by incoming mossy fibers is transformed before it is conveyed to Purkinje cells and inhibitory interneurons. However, it is not known how processing of this information is affected in the hypogranular cerebellum that characterizes DS. Here we explore the possibility that the electrical properties of the surviving GCs are changed. We find that in the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS, GCs have a higher input resistance at voltages approaching the threshold for firing, which causes them to be more excitable. In addition, they fire narrower and larger amplitude action potentials. These subtly modified electrical properties may result in atypical transfer of information at the input layer of the cerebellum.