MedWorm: Universities

Organisational travel plans for improving health.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:22:03 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to determine whether organisational travel plans are effective for improving health or changing travel mode. Organisational travel plans should be considered as complex health promotion interventions, with considerable potential to influence community health outcomes depending on the environmental context in which they are introduced. Given the current lack of evidence, organisational travel plans should be implemented in the context of robustly-designed research studies, such as well-designed cluster randomised trials. PMID: 20238341 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews)

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Capacity Building Initiative for Substance Abuse (SA) and HIV Prevention Services for At-Risk Racial/Ethnic Minority Young Adults

AIDS and HIV funding opportunities via the Rural Assistance Center — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:52:47 +0100

This program aims to engage colleges, universities and community-level domestic public and private non-profit entities to prevent and reduce the onset of SA and transmission of HIV/AIDS among at-risk racial/ethnic minority young adults, ages 18-24. Geographic coverage: Nationwide -- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Source: AIDS and HIV funding opportunities via the Rural Assistance Center)

Leeds-Bristol partnership reflects changing times

University of Bristol news — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:23:44 +0100

The Universities of Leeds and Bristol are to collaborate on a project designed to enable higher education institutions to engage with and support their staff so they can perform better during challenging times. (Source: University of Bristol news)

What Makes Us Unique? Not Only Our Genes

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

Once the human genome was sequenced in 2001, the hunt was on for the genes that make each of us unique. But scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, and Yale and Stanford Universities in the USA, have found that we differ from each other mainly because of differences not in our genes, but in how they're regulated turned on or off, for instance... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

What Makes Us Unique? Not Only Our Genes

Genetics News From Medical News Today — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

HEFCE announces funding of £7.3 billion for universities and colleges in England

MEDEV News — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

HEFCE will distribute £7,356 million to 130 universities and higher education colleges, and 123 directly funded further education colleges, for the academic year 2010-11 (see note 1). The main elements of the grant are £4,727 million for teaching, £1,603 million for research and £150 million for the Higher Education Innovation Fund. In addition HEFCE is providing £562 million for earmarked capital grants and £294 million for special funding (see note 2). The changes in allocations to individual universities and colleges vary (see the summary of grant tables) depending on a number of factors. The most significant are the increased concentration of funding to universities with the highest quality research (see note 3), funding for additional student places, reduction in targeted allo...

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Genome of the Fresh Water Polyp Hydra Sequenced

NHGRI-Related News — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:00:00 +0100

: The genome of the fresh water polyp Hydra, which has played a key role as a model organism in modern evolutionary and developmental biology, has been sequenced by an international consortium of American, German, Austrian and Japanese scientists. The genome sequence provides a glimpse into the common evolutionary history of animals and humans. Scientists at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit�t (LMU) in Munich, and universities in Kiel, Heidelberg, Vienna and Innsbruck contributed to the project, which was published online in Nature on March 14, 2010. NHGRI helped fund the research. (Source: NHGRI-Related News)

Universities face cuts as Hefce deals with first funding drop in years

Chemistry World | Latest News — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:14:58 +0100

£7.4 billion distributed for teaching and research at universities in England, but uncertainties and anxiety remain (Source: Chemistry World | Latest News)

Universities stress value of academics

BMA daily feed — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:50:15 +0100

Medical Schools Council emphasises contribution to national economy (Source: BMA daily feed)

Public engagement society awards

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:48:37 +0100

To encourage people of all ages and walks of life to learn about these developments and have an opportunity to consider, question and debate the implications and issues arising from such work. By inspiring, informing and involving whole communities, Society Awards enable people to consider and discuss issues that affect them, those close to them and the world in which they live. Description: Projects should aim to achieve at least one of the following: * stimulate interest, excitement and debate about biomedical science through various methods * examine the social, cultural, historical and ethical impact of biomedical science * encourage new ways of thinking about biomedical science. In October each year they accept pre-proposals only on a selected theme. The theme for the 2009 Wellcome ...

What makes us unique? Not only our genes

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

(European Molecular Biology Laboratory) Scientists at EMBL Heidelberg and Yale and Stanford Universities have found that we differ from each other mainly because of differences not in our genes, but in how they're regulated -- turned on or off, for instance. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

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Elite English universities gain in 2010 funding round

news@nature.com — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

But other institutions left with a smaller slice of the pie. (Source: news@nature.com)

Elite English universities gain in 2010 funding round

news@nature.com — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

But other institutions left with a smaller slice of the pie. (Source: news@nature.com)

Multiple Sclerosis Center Quality of Life Grants

ScanGrants feed — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Since 1996, the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (MSF) has awarded grants and endowments to universities, MS centers, and other nonprofit organizations to actively promote quality of life and create a brighter tomorrow for those living with MS. MS centers and nonprofit organizations, with a physical presence in the United States, in need of expanding their programs and services are also eligible for financial assistance from the MSF. Grants are available for implementing or expanding MS Day Programs, diagnostic services, rehabilitation services, support services, social services, education and outreach, and medical care.Applications are accepted beginning September 1st of each year. Applications must be postmarked between September 1st and November 1st to be eligible for funding. Eligibilit...

Etoricoxib improves pain, function and quality of life: results of a real-world effectiveness trial

APLAR Journal of Rheumatology — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: In OA patients experiencing inadequate relief from a wide variety of analgesics, pain, function, quality of life, and treatment satisfaction significantly improved when switched to etoricoxib. (Source: APLAR Journal of Rheumatology)

Bursaries

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:48:00 +0100

for undergraduate elective or vacation studies 2010. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is offering a number of bursaries to undergraduate students of medicine or dentistry to enable them to work for elective or vacation periods in universities, medical schools, NHS laboratories or research institutes in the United Kingdom. Proposals for work on research projects in any branch of surgery are eligible for consideration. The bursary will be up to £150 per week for a maximum of 8 weeks. Up to £300 is also available for consumables. Comments: The closing date for applications is 31st March 2010. Applications must be submitted on the official Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh application form. An electronic version of Part A must be sent to the Awards and Grants Secretary, ...

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HIV/AIDS Program Implementation Support Through Local Universities in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Under The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

Grants.gov — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:15:27 +0100

Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA-PS10-10114 Opportunity Category: DiscretionaryFunding Instrument Type: Cooperative AgreementCategory of Funding Activity: HealthCFDA Number: 93.067Eligible Applicants State governmentsSpecial district governmentsPublic and State controlled institutions of higher educationNative American tribal governments (Federally recognized)Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher educationNonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher educationPrivate institutions of higher educationFor profit organizations other than small businessesSmall businessesOthers (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)Agency Name HHS-CDC (Source:...

Spa therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a large randomised multicentre trial

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:45:58 +0100

Conclusion For patients with knee osteoarthritis a 3-week course of spa therapy together with home exercises and usual pharmacological treatments offers benefit after 6 months compared with exercises and usual treatment alone, and is well tolerated. Trial registration number NCT00348777. (Source: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases)

UH inks Memorandum of Understanding with prestigious engineering institute in India

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

(University of Houston) The University of Houston and the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will allow the two universities to explore new methods of cooperation in instruction and academic exchange. This new working relationship will include joint education programs at the graduate level, exchange visits of scholars and faculty collaboration in research and technology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Support NSF: Write Your Representative Today

Public Policy Reports — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:42:25 +0100

Congress is now considering appropriations for the federal agencies for fiscal year 2011. It is vital that members of Congress understand why federal investments in the National Science Foundation (NSF) are important to the nation and their district. NSF provides roughly 68 percent of federal funding for competitive, peer-reviewed grants in fundamental and environmental biological research at our nation’s universities and non-profit research centers. Please write to your Representative today to ask him/her to support increased funding for NSF by signing the “Dear Colleague letter” being circulated by Representatives Ehlers (R-MI), Holt (D-NJ), Inglis (R-SC), and Lipinski (D-IL). This bipartisan letter will be sent to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Appro...

New network to be the authoritative voice on family law and policy

University of Bristol news — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:10:15 +0100

Family policy is often under the spotlight in the UK and issues of the importance of marriage and relationship breakdown are likely to be hot topics in the General Election. Experts from the University of Bristol’s School of Law are collaborating with four other leading universities to form a new network to become the authoritative voice on family law and policy. (Source: University of Bristol news)

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Stevens' CSR provides vital maritime information to local, state and national agencies

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

(Stevens Institute of Technology) Stevens Institute of Technology was in 2008 named by the US Department of Homeland Security as one of five national Centers of Excellence and was selected to lead a national research effort to address Port Security. Stevens was one of 11 universities to partner with the DHS in its efforts. The Department's partners serve as important team members for conducting multidisciplinary research and creating innovative learning environments for critical homeland security missions. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Study highlights forest protected areas as a critical strategy for slowing climate change

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

(World Wildlife Fund) A new study involving scientists from 13 different organizations, universities and research institutions states that forest protection offers one of the most effective, practical, and immediate strategies to combat climate change. The study, "Indigenous Lands, Protected Areas, and Slowing Climate Change," was published in PLoS Biology, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, and makes specific recommendations for incorporating protected areas into overall strategies to reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses from deforestation and degradation (nicknamed REDD). (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

THE awards open for entries

MEDEV News — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The 2010 Times Higher Education (THE) awards are now open for entries and JISC is sponsoring the Outstanding ICT Initiative of the Year category. THE Awards look to recognise the talent and achievement of universities and colleges in their pursuit of excellence in teaching and research. Ann Mroz, THE editor, said: THE awards represent a unique and high profile opportunity to celebrate the excellence and amazing achievements of UK higher education institutions, and reaffirm our commitment to the two core pursuits of higher education: teaching and research. There are eighteen categories for 2010. We're looking forward to a wealth of strong contenders again this year, displaying the talent and imagination that make UK higher education the best in the world. For the third year running, JIS...

2010 Mantle Cell Lymphoma Project Planning Grant

ScanGrants feed — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

$25K for up to 2 years: The Lymphoma Research Foundation's Mantle Cell Lymphoma Consortium is seeking applications for project planning grants geared toward obtaining larger-scale research support from NIH/NCI (or another major funder). The purpose of these grants is to provide funds for MCL Consortium members and other MCL researchers to develop larger, longer-term proposals that are likely to become successfully funded from other sources, including Program Project Grants such as the POI. Multi-invenstigator, multi-site and/or mulit-disciplinary proposals are particularly encouraged. ELIGIBILITY:All principal investigators holding an academic faculty appointment, at non-profit organizations, or public or private institutions such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories, m...

The Effects of Salsalate on Glycemic Control in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Trial.

Annals of Internal Medicine — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Salsalate lowers HbA(1c) levels and improves other markers of glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes and may therefore provide a new avenue for treatment. Renal and cardiac safety of the drug require further evaluation. Primary Funding Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. PMID: 20231565 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Annals of Internal Medicine)

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Finalists selected for Alabama Launchpad

bizjournals.com Health Care:Health Insurance headlines — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:56:29 +0100

Nine teams of researchers from universities across Alabama have been selected as finalists to compete for seed money in the 2010 Alabama Launchpad contest. (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Health Insurance headlines)

Animal rights activist uses FOI laws to target universities

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:00:07 +0100

Luke Steele, spokesman for Stop Animal Experiments at Bradford is forcing institutions to reveal vivisection detailsA convicted animal rights activist is using freedom of information laws to force universities to reveal details of their animal experiments, raising fears that scientists involved could suffer renewed intimidation.The requests for information, which have been sent to every university in Britain, ask for details of facilities and laboratories licensed for such experiments, as well as breeding centres and a list of different animals used, by species.The requests were sent by Luke Steele, an animal rights activist based in Yorkshire. He was last year convicted of conspiracy to interfere with a contractual relationship, so as to harm an animal research organisation, after being a...

Animal rights activist uses FOI to target universities

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:00:07 +0100

Setting, elaborating, and reflecting on personal goals improves academic performance.

Journal of Applied Psychology — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Of students who enroll in 4-year universities, 25% never finish. Precipitating causes of early departure include poor academic progress and lack of clear goals and motivation. In the present study, we investigated whether an intensive, online, written, goal-setting program for struggling students would have positive effects on academic achievement. Students (N = 85) experiencing academic difficulty were recruited to participate in a randomized, controlled intervention. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 intervention groups: Half completed the goal-setting program, and half completed a control task with intervention-quality face validity. After a 4-month period, students who completed the goal-setting intervention displayed significant improvements in academic performance compare...

In a democracy, science has to speak up

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:06:05 +0100

Britain must celebrate its scientists, because if the voters do, then so will the politiciansNational Science and Engineering Week – running now with 2,000-plus exhibitions, lectures, open days and debates for an expected audience of 1.5 million – began as a whistle in the dark. Back in 1994, the science minister, William Waldegrave, secured a derisory £100,000 for the first one, and it seemed like a gimmick.The charge of cynicism was unfair: Waldegrave was that rare thing, a minister with a prior and genuine interest in science. But the gesture came near the end of a long period of devastation of an intellectual tradition that had delivered Newton, Faraday, Darwin, James Clerk Maxwell, Rutherford and one of the unsung giants of the 20th century, Paul Dirac. In 15 years of Conservativ...

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University life and pandemic influenza: Attitudes and intended behaviour of staff and students towards pandemic (H1N1) 2009

BMC Public Health - Latest articles — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Background: In a pandemic young adults are more likely to be infected, increasing the potential for Universities to be explosive disease outbreak centres. Outbreak management is essential to reduce the impact in both the institution and the surrounding community. Through the use of an online survey, we aimed to measure the perceptions and responses of staff and students towards pandemic (H1N1) 2009 at a major university in Sydney, Australia. Methods: The survey was available online from 29 June to 30 September 2009. The sample included academic staff, general staff and students of the University. Results: A total of 2882 surveys were completed. Nearly all respondents (99.6%, 2870/2882) were aware of the Australian pandemic situation and 64.2% (1851/2882) reported either "no anxiety" or "di...

Tackling Childhood Obesity With Get Up, Get Out And Go!

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

Getting children involved in finding ways to become more physically active can not only make them more aware of local recreational opportunities, but can even help increase their own physical activity. That's the result of a study examining the role of seven national parks in contributing to the health of today's youth. The study was conducted by researchers from a variety of disciplines at North Carolina State University and other U.S. universities and funded by the National Park Service... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Forgotten achievements of Polish retinal research in international ophthalmology

Acta Ophthalmologica — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The development of ophthalmology was greatly restricted in Poland in the 19th century, because it was partitioned and occupied by its three dominant neighbours. Polish medical universities were closed, and in Polish hospitals, only clinical work was possible. Those who wanted to study medicine and become ophthalmologists were forced to live and work in exile. Nevertheless, there were some Polish ophthalmologists at that time who had some international influence on retinal research. They contributed to colour vision physiology and pathology, ophthalmoscopy, retinal detachment and gyrate chorioretinal atrophy and congenital choroidal coloboma. The most prominent were Wiktor Szokalski, Ksawery Gałęzowski, Bolesław Wicherkiewicz, Kaziemierz Noiszewski and Michał Bor...

Promoting positive body image among university students: A collaborative pilot study.

Body Image — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: McVey GL, Kirsh G, Maker D, Walker KS, Mullane J, Laliberte M, Ellis-Claypool J, Vorderbrugge J, Burnett A, Cheung L, Banks L The purpose of the present study was to pilot a prevention program designed to promote positive body image among university students. Thirty-seven undergraduate students from three Canadian universities were recruited to participate in the study. They were selected from a pool of students enrolled in a peer health education program facilitated by the university-based health promotion staff. Borrowing from the tenets of the non-specific vulnerability stressor model and the disease-specific social cognitive theory, the intervention focused on media literacy, self-esteem enhancement strategies, stress management skills and ways to recognize healthy versus ...

Tackling plagiarism through policy and practice

MEDEV Events — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:06:31 +0100

The Higher Education Academy and Universities Scotland are planning a one-day workshop on 'Tackling plagiarism through policy and practice' to be held on 19 March 2010 in Edinburgh. The aims of this event will be to help enhance understanding of the issues relating to plagiarism; stimulate debate in this area; share good practice and policies; and facilitate change in practice. The workshop will be relevant to lecturers, staff developers and policy-makers in higher education. The event will include presentations on disciplinary perspectives by George Macdonald-Ross and Dr Paul Kleiman from the Higher Education Academy Network; issues relating to supporting international students by Dr Charles Juwah (The Robert Gordon University); and Plagiarismadvice.org who provide advice and guidance to...

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Republicans back measure that would require stem cell research reporting from universities

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:18:00 +0100

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's public universities doing embryonic stem cell research would face reporting requirements under a bill that's advancing in the state Senate. A Republican-sponsored amendment to the Senate version of a higher... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

Get up, get out and go: NC State research tackles childhood obesity

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(North Carolina State University) Getting children involved in finding ways to become more physically active can not only make them more aware of local recreational opportunities, but can even help increase their own physical activity. That's the result of a study examining the role of seven national parks in contributing to the health of today's youth. The study was conducted by researchers from a variety of disciplines at North Carolina State University and other US universities and funded by the National Park Service. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

IBM to Collaborate With Universities to Make Mobile Devices More Accessible

Disabled World — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:31:02 +0100

Could Help Make eGovernment Services and Economic Opportunity Available to More Populations (Source: Disabled World)

University hails £500,000 anaesthesia research institute

Scotsman.com News - Health — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

ONE of Scotland's leading universities yesterday announced the creation of a new Institute of Academic Anaesthesia to raise the profile of research into a key area of medi (Source: Scotsman.com News - Health)

OCRF Welcomes New CEO, Audra Moran

OCRF News — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund is pleased to announce the selection of Ms. Audra Moran as its new Chief Executive Officer. She will assume her new position on March 15, 2010.The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund is pleased to announce the selection of Ms. Audra Moran as its new Chief Executive Officer. She will assume her new position on March 15, 2010.Audra brings over 15 years of non-profit leadership and development experience to OCRF. For the past ten years, Audra served as Vice President for Development and Scientific Affairs at NARSAD, the world's largest charity dedicated to mental health research. She oversaw all programmatic, fundraising, and administrative aspects of an annual $20 million international research grant program. She also served as Program Advisor to the Schiz...

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The end of science pork?

The Scientist — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The US House of Representatives moved to ban earmarks for private companies, but should they also nix earmarks to universities and non-profits? (Source: The Scientist)

Universities Need Funds for Research Infrastructure

Public Policy Reports — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:47:46 +0100

A growing backlog of renovation projects at U.S. universities could be hampering American innovation and international competiveness, according to witnesses at a recent House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Science Education hearing. On 23 February 2010, Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) addressed the need for federal support for renovation and maintenance of academic research facilities. “Successful R&D [research and development] takes more than intellectual freedom and grant funding. You also need state-of-the-art lab space, networks, instruments, and computing facilities. Public institutions especially are suffering as the recession has eroded state support. I am worried that unless we actively modernize our R&D facilities, we could not only...

Supporting Patient Autonomy: The Importance of Clinician-patient Relationships

Journal of General Internal Medicine — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:58:08 +0100

Abstract Personal autonomy is widely valued. Recognition of its vulnerability in health care contexts led to the inclusion of respect for autonomy as a key concern in biomedical ethics. The principle of respect for autonomy is usually associated with allowing or enabling patients to make their own decisions about which health care interventions they will or will not receive. In this paper, we suggest that a strong focus on decision situations is problematic, especially when combined with a tendency to stress the importance of patients’ independence in choosing. It distracts attention from other important aspects of and challenges to autonomy in health care. Relational understandings of autonomy attempt to explain both the positive and negative implications of social rela...

Hasok Chang: "When Water Does Not Boil at the Boiling Point"

Nature Network London - Upcoming Events — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:04:16 +0100

We all learn at school that pure water always boils at 100°C (212°F), under normal atmospheric pressure. Like surprisingly many things that "everybody knows", this is a myth. We ought to stop perpetuating this myth in schools and universities and in everyday life: not only is it incorrect, but it also conveys misleading ideas about the nature of scientific knowledge. And unlike some other myths, it does not serve sufficiently useful functions. There are actually all sorts of variations in the boiling temperature of water. For example, there are differences of several degrees depending on the material of the container in which the boiling takes place. And removing dissolved air from water can easily raise its boiling temperature by about 10 degrees centigrade. The fickleness of ...

Assessment and remediation for physicians with suspected performance problems: An international survey

Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Discussion: This field of activity is characterized by the use of sophisticated methods for measuring performance/competence, but provision of remediation is more patchy and variable. The small scale of these programs raises questions about the relationship between scale of provision and potential need for remediation. Gaps in information about impact and outcomes mean that the overall impact and value of this type of assessment and remediation is hard to determine. (Source: Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions)

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Addiction research centres and the nurturing of creativity: University of Michigan Addiction Research Center (UMARC) - development, evolution, and direction

Addiction — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A historical summary is provided of the evolution of the University of Michigan Addiction Research Center (UMARC) since its origins in 1988. Begun as an National Institutes of Health (NIH) research center within a Department of Psychiatry and focused solely upon alcohol and aging, early work emphasized treatment efficacy, differential outcome studies and characterization of the neurophysiological and behavioral manifestations of chronic alcoholism. Over the last 15 years, UMARC has extended its research focus along a number of dimensions: its developmental reach has been extended etiologically by studies of risk early in the life span, and by way of work on earlier screening and the development of early, brief treatment interventions. The addiction focus has expanded to include other drugs...

Haemophilia in the developing countries: the Iranian experience

Articles of Archives of Medical Science - TERMEDIA publishing house — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:12:04 +0100

Conclusions: A national formulary based on facilities of the country should be considered and followed by collaboration among the Ministry Of Health, universities and non-governmental organizations. (Source: Articles of Archives of Medical Science - TERMEDIA publishing house)

Socialized for Good: When You are Taught that Expressing Anger is Bad

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:42:04 +0100

This Passive Aggressive Diaries blog posting is Part Three of the four-part series on why individuals behave passive aggressively. In The Angry Smile: The Psychology of Passive Aggressive Behavior in Families, Schools and Workplaces, 2nd edition, we identify these primary triggers of passive aggression: 1. Situational response to adult demands2. Developmental stage3. Characteristic of a cultural norm or ethnic group4. A way of life In the previous Passive Aggressive Diaries blog posts, I described passive aggression as a situational response to everyday requests and as a predictable part of child and adolescent development. Here, I will describe passive aggressive behavior as a characteristic of a cultural norm or ethnic group.As a reminder, in this series of blog postings about the four r...

BC Psychologist Named 2010 Sloan Research Fellow

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0100

Sara Cordes, an assistant professor of psychology at Boston College, is among 118 outstanding early career scientists, mathematicians, and economists to be named Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellows for 2010, the Sloan Foundation has announced. The Sloan fellowship is a highly competitive award, with winners at 56 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada who are conducting research at the frontiers of physics, chemistry, computational and evolutionary molecular biology, computer science, economics, mathematics and neuroscience... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Laptop revolution: New class design saves schools money, space

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(North Carolina State University) Universities around the country are struggling with shrinking budgets, even as they need to cater to the needs of an increasing number of students. New research from North Carolina State University shows that one way to cut down on costs, and simultaneously improve the learning experience, is to have students use the technology they already bring into the classroom. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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Female teachers ask for work/family reconciliation to be able to access management posts

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology) A research team made up of various Andalusian universities and coordinated by the University of Huelva has concluded that the main barrier that these professionals encounter when accessing management roles is the lack of policies for reconciling work and family life. Only 38.6 percent of management positions in Andalusian centers for pre-school and Primary education are occupied by women, compared with 61.4 percent by men. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Laptop revolution: New class design saves schools money, space

ScienceDaily Headlines — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Universities around the country are struggling with shrinking budgets, even as they need to cater to the needs of an increasing number of students. New research shows that one way to cut down on costs, and simultaneously improve the learning experience, is to have students use the technology they already bring into the classroom. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

NEW: American College Health Association (ACHA) Influenza Vaccination Letter

CDC Swine Flu Updates — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:00:00 +0100

This is a letter developed jointly by the American College Health Association (ACHA) and CDC intended for distribution to colleges and universities across the country prior to Spring Break. The message to students is: Don't let influenza spoil your plans for Spring Break. Take the opportunity to get vaccinated before leaving for Spring Break and protect yourself, friends and family against 2009 H1N1 flu. (Source: CDC Swine Flu Updates)

American Society for Cell Biology Minorities Affairs Committee Visiting Professorship Awards Program

ScanGrants feed — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The American Society for Cell Biology Minorities Affairs Committee (ASCB MAC) announces the ASCB MAC Visiting Professorship Awards Program. The purpose of the awards program, provided through a grant from the Minorities Access to Research Careers (MARC) program of the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of General Medical Sciences, is to support research at primarily teaching institutions that serve minority students and scientists. This program will provide research support (stipend) for professors at minority-serving institutions to work in the laboratories of members of the ASCB for an eight- to ten-week period during the summer of 2010. The goals of the program are as follows: • To give professors in primarily teaching institutions a research experience in cell bio...

American Society for Microbiology Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship

ScanGrants feed — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The goal of the fellowship is to increase the number of underrepresented groups completing doctoral degrees in the microbiological sciences. The ASM Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship is aimed at highly competitive graduate students who are enrolled in a Ph.D. program and who have completed their graduate course work in the microbiological sciences. The fellowship encourages students to continue and complete their research project in the microbiological sciences. Students will be: Required to submit an abstract each year to ASM for presentation at the annual ASM General Meeting Required to attend the ASM Kadner Institute or the ASM Scientific Writing and Publishing Institute one time during the three-year tenure of the fellowship Eligibility Eligible candidates must be from g...

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Videos for Teaching and Studying Physics

About.com Physics — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:53:29 +0100

Though I spend a decent chunk of my time trying to trnaslate physics discoveries clearly into words, the fact is that many physics concepts are best understood if students can visually witness what is happening as well. Numerous studies have shown that when information is presented in various ways - visually, textually, and orally, for example - it is retained better. (The best way to retain information is to write it, though, so take notes!) This list of 100 Amazing Videos for Teaching and Studying Physics can help educators (or self-educators) to delve deeply into scientific concepts, often in engaging and innovative ways. (Can anyone say Large Hadron Rap?) Explore these videos and find ways to incorporate them, together with features on this site and elsewhere, into your educational pl...

What Does Your Work Space Say About You?

Psychology Today Work Center — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:48:40 +0100

A reader asked me to describe my office.I don't think she expected to hear what I'm going to say.Here goes: My office looks like the inside of a piñata, complete with candy. It's located in the basement of a 1960s building, standard-issue red brick and flat roofed, with lots of perpetually grimy plate glass windows wrapped around its four floors. My office is pretty big, and sits right next to the vending machines. It's pretty close to the ladies' room. (My grad assistant Karen says "It's situated like the worst table in a restaurant.")There are three desks, with three working computers (or four if you count Karen's laptop). There's an old Mac on the floor; I'm afraid to give it or throw it away because I wrote three books on it and I fear that tossing it would bring me bad luck. It squat...

Vlatko Vedral: "I'd like to explain the origin of God"

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:07:21 +0100

Quantum physicist Vlatko Vedral thinks he has found what the universe is made of: information. Interview by Aleks KrotoskiProfessor Vlatko Vedral is a quantum physicist at the universities of Oxford and Singapore who grapples with the behaviour of energy and matter at subatomic scales, and this has led him to ask some bigger questions including why are we here? And what does it all mean? The 39-year-old, originally from Belgrade, passionately believes units of information – not particles – are the building blocks of humanity and everything that surrounds us. Information, he maintains, is what came before everything else. It is akin to God.Vedral has set out his argument in a new book, Decoding Reality: The Universe as Quantum Information (OUP), in which he explains faith, love and tele...

Vlatko Vedral: 'I'd like to explain the origin of God'

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:07:21 +0100

Researchers in Chile Hit Hard by Quake

ScienceNOW — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:48:26 +0100

Scientists at research universities in several Chilean cities are reeling from last week's earthquake,... [Read more] (Source: ScienceNOW)

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Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program

Grants.gov — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:15:49 +0100

Funding Opportunity Number: 09-512 Opportunity Category: DiscretionaryFunding Instrument Type: GrantCategory of Funding Activity: Science and Technology and other Research and DevelopmentCFDA Number: 47.076Eligible Applicants Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)Agency Name NSF (Source: Grants.gov)

Tribal Colleges and Universities Program

Grants.gov — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:15:49 +0100

Funding Opportunity Number: 09-509 Opportunity Category: DiscretionaryFunding Instrument Type: Cooperative AgreementCategory of Funding Activity: Science and Technology and other Research and DevelopmentCFDA Number: 47.076Eligible Applicants Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)Agency Name NSF (Source: Grants.gov)

The anatomy of anatomy: A review for its modernization

Anatomical Sciences Education — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Anatomy has historically been a cornerstone in medical education regardless of nation or specialty. Until recently, dissection and didactic lectures were its sole pedagogy. Teaching methodology has been revolutionized with more reliance on models, imaging, simulation, and the Internet to further consolidate and enhance the learning experience. Moreover, modern medical curricula are giving less importance to anatomy education and to the acknowledged value of dissection. Universities have even abandoned dissection completely in favor of user-friendly multimedia, alternative teaching approaches, and newly defined priorities in clinical practice. Anatomy curriculum is undergoing international reformation but the current framework lacks uniformity among institutions. Optimal learning content ca...

Contemporary issues in dental education in Australia

Australian Dental Journal — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Australia has witnessed a proliferation of dental workforce training opportunities over the last 15 years, including dentists, dental therapists, dental hygienists and prosthetists. The reasons for this have not been examined critically. Universities have welcomed the opportunities to increase the student base but do not seem to have examined the advisability of continued expansion or its impact on the delivery and costs of health services. Nor have they enquired expressly whether they have any responsibility in these matters. Public health benefits should constitute a significant element of curriculum design. There seems to have been a general acceptance of the premise that more is necessarily better. Ironically, these developments have occurred in the face of significant recurrent cost i...

The genomics education partnership: successful integration of research into laboratory classes at a diverse group of undergraduate institutions.

CBE Life Sciences Education — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:56:04 +0100

Authors: Shaffer CD, Alvarez C, Bailey C, Barnard D, Bhalla S, Chandrasekaran C, Chandrasekaran V, Chung HM, Dorer DR, Du C, Eckdahl TT, Poet JL, Frohlich D, Goodman AL, Gosser Y, Hauser C, Hoopes LL, Johnson D, Jones CJ, Kaehler M, Kokan N, Kopp OR, Kuleck GA, McNeil G, Moss R, Myka JL, Nagengast A, Morris R, Overvoorde PJ, Shoop E, Parrish S, Reed K, Regisford EG, Revie D, Rosenwald AG, Saville K, Schroeder S, Shaw M, Skuse G, Smith C, Smith M, Spana EP, Spratt M, Stamm J, Thompson JS, Wawersik M, Wilson BA, Youngblom J, Leung W, Buhler J, Mardis ER, Lopatto D, Elgin SC Genomics is not only essential for students to understand biology but also provides unprecedented opportunities for undergraduate research. The goal of the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP), a collaboration between...

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Professional Doctorate Programmes in Social Work: The Current State of Provision in the UK

British Journal of Social Work — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:39:41 +0100

The paper presents the findings of a survey of UK professional doctorate programmes that have a social work element. The aim was to provide an initial description of the extent and nature of current provision. The survey was conducted via academic community e-mail lists and followed up with telephone interviews. Findings are presented about the universities offering programmes, longevity of programmes, numbers of students, students' employment and employer support, degree nomenclature, programme structure, successful aspects of programmes and their approach to handling the relationship between research and practice. Some tentative conclusions are presented about the possible ways forward for social work professional doctorates and avenues for further research about these degrees. (Source: ...

Scientists must be ruthlessly honest about their data

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:53:55 +0100

If we want the public to continue to trust us as scientists, we must be absolutely open and never resort to spin or PRI'm not a climate scientist, but I am concerned about the reputation of science and scientists. One motive for going into science for me was that it is one of the few jobs where you get rewarded for telling the truth.So it was painful to watch the trust of the public in science, already dented, taking another crushing blow when the emails stolen from the University of East Anglia were revealed. We'll probably never know exactly what the emails meant, but we can say that the matter was handled very badly indeed. Phil Jones, head of the Climatic Research Unit, should have been immediately on every TV station, explaining what he meant. By going to ground, and by denying Freedo...

Climate scientists must be absolutely honest about data | David Colquhoun

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:53:55 +0100

Universities should invest in neglected tropical diseases

SciDev.Net — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Sandeep P. Kishore and colleagues call on universities to focus on research for neglected tropical diseases. (Source: SciDev.Net)

1994 Group Chair Launches Advice For An Incoming Government And Calls On Sector To Make The Case For Investment

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

Speaking at the Houses of Parliament Professor Paul Wellings, Chair of the 1994 Group and Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University said: "The social, economic and political case for investing in our universities is compelling. As members of the Higher Education community we all have a responsibility make the case for investment - loud, clear and now." "2010 will be a crucial year for higher education. Our universities now face a number of critical challenges... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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1994 Group Chair Launches Advice For An Incoming Government And Calls On Sector To Make The Case For Investment

Public Health News From Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

Speaking at the Houses of Parliament Professor Paul Wellings, Chair of the 1994 Group and Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University said: "The social, economic and political case for investing in our universities is compelling. As members of the Higher Education community we all have a responsibility make the case for investment - loud, clear and now... (Source: Public Health News From Medical News Today)

Mouse work: New insights on a fundamental DNA repair mechanism

EurekAlert! - Biology — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) A team of researchers from NIST and several universities has demonstrated for the first time the specific activity of the protein NEIL3, one of a group responsible for maintaining the integrity of DNA in humans and other mammals. Their work sheds new light on a potentially important source of harmful DNA mutations. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development Center Grant

ScanGrants feed — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Wallace HUFED Center will provide grants to eligible entities (a) to carry out feasibility studies to establish businesses to increase access to healthy, affordable foods, including locally produced agricultural products, to underserved communities; and (b) to establish and otherwise assist enterprises that process, distribute, aggregate, store, and market healthy affordable foods to underserved communities. Grants will be made at levels between $10,000 to $100,000 total with smaller grants ($10,000-$25,000) being one year in length and larger grants (greater than $25,000) being up to three years in length. Length of project depends on the proposed activity.Grant Type DescriptionSmall enterprise grants $10,000 to $25,000 (one-year awards) These typically will provide funding for equip...

Professional recognition scheme workshop

MEDEV Events — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:50:41 +0100

As part of the Academy's Professional Recognition Process, we are currently running a series of workshops aimed at medical educators working at all levels in universities and clinical practice who are interested in joining the Academy of Medical Educators. The workshop is also an ideal opportunity to reflect on your achievements to date, to consider your own future career development as a medical educator and to network with colleagues. The next workshop is being held on Wednesday 10 February 2010, 09:30 - 12:30 at our offices in London and I am pleased to confirm that there are places still available. Should you wish to attend, please complete the registration form from the website and return to me by fax on 01752 517842, by email at info@medicaleducators.org or by post to the address...

Glaxo Birth Defect Litigation Reveals Paxil Promoters on Speed Dial

NaturalNews.com — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) In the first Paxil birth defect trial against GlaxoSmithKline, much of evidence focused on the doctors on Glaxo's payroll involved in the corruption of the medical literature and seminars given to promote the off label use of Paxil with pregnant and nursing mothers.On October 13, 2009, the trial of Kilker v Glaxo ended with a Philadelphia jury awarding $2.5 million in compensatory damages to the family of Lyam Kilker, after finding that Glaxo "negligently failed to warn" the doctor treating Lyam's mother about the risks of Paxil and the drug was a "factual cause" of the child's heart defects.Glaxo's lead attorney at trial was King and Spalding partner Chilton Varner, and the family's lead attorney was Sean Tracey from Houston.During his opening statement on September 15, 2009...

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Notes and queries: Why is Doctor Who always a Time Lord and not a Lady?

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:05:17 +0100

Why is Doctor Who always a Time Lord and not a Lady? Journeys to the centre of the Earth; The meaning of a hiding to nothingWhy is Doctor Who always regenerated as a Time Lord, not a Time Lady? In Doctor Who the process of regeneration is the renewing of every cell in a Time Lord's dying, damaged or unwanted body. Since Time Lords (and Time Ladies, and perhaps even Time Tots, as the children of Gallifrey are known) can change species when they regenerate, there is presumably no reason why they can't also swap sex. There's certainly nothing in the TV series' history to contradict this theory and indeed no way of telling whether the Master, the Doctor's sworn enemy, spent one or more of his 13 wasted lives as a femme fatale called the Mistress. Kieran Grant, London N22Time Lords can be ...

Diabetes UK Supports New Students And Fellows

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Diabetes UK has dedicated Â£828,000 to eight new research projects looking to understand the causes of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and protect against their complications. The new projects include six PhD Studentships and two Allied Health Professional (AHP) Fellowships, which have been awarded to universities across the UK, from Southampton to Glasgow. New fellowship The AHP Fellowship is a newly launched scheme to support research-minded allied health professionals, such as podiatrists and dietitians, in gaining a PhD in diabetes research... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Diabetes UK Supports New Students And Fellows

Diabetes News From Medical News Today — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Universities Need Funds for Research Infrastructure

Public Policy Reports — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:27:42 +0100

NIH Gets New Legislative Director

ScienceNOW — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:57:13 +0100

Veteran science policy lobbyist Patrick White, now with the Association of American Universities (AAU),... [Read more] (Source: ScienceNOW)

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Juice 'tested for toxin'

NHS News Feed — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:23:00 +0100

Conclusion This study has found that some juice drinks tested (most coming from one brand) had levels above the threshold set by the EU for drinking water. There are several important points to note: The EC, US EPA, and the WHO are reported to have set differing guidelines for what level of antimony is permissible in drinking water, ranging from 5 microgrammes per litre to 20 microgrammes per litre. Reportedly, no threshold levels have been set for antimony in foodstuffs. Only eight out of the 42 juice drinks tested (19%) had levels greater than the EC threshold for drinking water of 5 microgrammes per litre. Of these eight drinks only two appeared to have concentrations above the US EPA threshold limits for drinking water (6 microgrammes per litre) based on a graph of guideline leve...

Florida Atlantic University's lab mice study necessary

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I write this letter in response to the front page article, "Of Mice & Money," (Feb. 16) in the Sun Sentinel that described stimulus-funded projects at Florida universities. I believe it is important to point out that panels of scientists, selected by... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

Forensic science education programs: A new paradigm

Science and Justice — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Forensic science programs in higher education in the United States, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels have traditionally been located in departments and colleges of universities offering degrees in the natural and physical sciences, although some programs can be found in social science departments such as criminal justice. Many of these programs are isolated within a specific academic department and this isolation can limit the depth and breadth of knowledge and skills obtained by students. Forensic science is truly an interdisciplinary field of study including specialities in pathology, engineering, odontology, toxicology, entomology, anthropology, psychiatry, psychology, biology, chemistry, computer science, and criminal justice. Isolating forensic science programs within one...

Workforce development for forensic practitioners — The challenges and benefits of collaborative partnerships between universities and employers

Science and Justice — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This paper will discuss the opportunities for collaborative partnerships between universities and employers in delivering education and training to raise the knowledge, skills, and competencies of forensic practitioners. In 2006 the Leitch Review identified the need to embed a culture of learning in order to create a world-class skills base. A recent report from the Department for Innovation, Universities, and Skills focused on raising the skills and capacity of those already in the workforce. Employer engagement and workforce development is therefore seen as a priority, providing an opportunity for universities to become part of the cycle of knowledge creation, transfer, and application. The paper presents the case for why a university should become involved in knowledge exchange between ...

My bright idea: Robert Winston

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:26:18 +0100

The scientist and TV presenter tells us why it's important to check out the dark side of inventions firstRobert Winston, Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College, London, is one of the best-known popularisers of science in this country and has a reputation for taking a provocative stance on many issues. His latest book, Bad Ideas? (Bantam Press) deals with the dark side of the inventions that have shaped human history, and when he arrives at the Observer offices, this 69-year old doctor, sometime TV presenter and Labour peer is on characteristically punchy form.Your new book is described as "tracing the fascinating history of our attempts at self-improvement… but also questioning their value". In other words: not every invention is ...

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Biogerontology in Austria.

Biogerontology — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This article describes the work of selected research groups involved in biogerontology in a geographic arrangement. PMID: 20195756 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Biogerontology)

Med Sci Monit 2010; 16(3):RA58-72 "History of primary vasculitis in Latin America"

Medical Science Monitor — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:37:00 +0100

A literature review utilizing Fepafem, Bireme, LiLacs, Scielo Colombia, Scielo Internacional, former MedLine, Pubmed, and BVS Colombia as well as manual searches in the libraries of major Latin American universities was performed to study vasculitis in Latin America. Since 1945, a total of 752 articles have been published by Latin American authors. However, only a minority are devoted to primary vasculitides, and even fewer have been published in indexed journals. Approximately 126 are in OLD, Medline, Pubmed, Bireme, and Scielo. Most publications are from Mexico, followed by Brazil and Colombia. Systematic studies of the epidemiology of primary idiopathic vasculitis are available for a few countries, i.e. Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Peru. Takayasu arteritis and ANCA-associated va...

International student recruitment: Understanding and working with the points based immigration system

MEDEV Events — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:50:22 +0100

The most radical shake-up of Britain's immigration laws for over 35 years has now come into force. The complex and often confusing legislation dating back to the 1971 Immigration Act has been be superseded by a single, consistent and coherent framework for dealing with potential immigrants. One of the key elements of the new framework is the introduction of an 'Australian-style' points-based system which ministers believe will lead to a clear and simple legal system for fast, but fair decisions. As part of the PBS implementation process, Tier 4 category regulations covering non-EU/EEA students came into force at the end of March 2009. With many colleges having already lost their sponsor's license during this first year of the new framework, the impact on education providers of all types a...

Pleasure and suffering in the work process of the faculty nursing

Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:57:14 +0100

Trata-se de um estudo exploratório e descritivo com abordagem qualitativa, que compreende sentimentos que perpassam o processo de trabalho do enfermeiro em três universidades privadas do Município de São Paulo, revelando-se experiências enriquecedoras de significados do saber-fazer na prática docente. Assim, a presente investigação tem como objetivo identificar os aspectos geradores de prazer e de sofrimento no processo de trabalho do enfermeiro docente, analisados segundo o referencial teórico de Christophe Dejours, pontuando-se a importância de fatores psicossociais em relação ao objeto estudado. Os resultados da investigação apontam para as relações ambíguas presentes no processo de trabalho dos docentes, expressando sentimentos de prazer e sofrimento decorrentes dessa ...

Does Promiscuity Prevent Extinction?

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:00:00 +0100

This study suggests that polyandry reduces the risk of populations becoming extinct because of all-female broods being born... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Does Promiscuity Prevent Extinction?

Genetics News From Medical News Today — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:00:00 +0100

Promiscuous females may be the key to a species' survival, according to new research by the Universities of Exeter and Liverpool. Published 25 February in Current Biology, the study could solve the mystery of why females of most species have multiple mates, despite this being more risky for the individual... (Source: Genetics News From Medical News Today)

Environment for nursing scholarship and journal impact factors in Taiwan

Nursing and Health Sciences — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The objective of this study was to explore the conditions that have been created within Taiwan as a result of such national and institutional policies. A case study design was used. Information was sought from five senior faculty members, who responded to a questionnaire with items derived from the literature. A key participant provided context within the country. The data were summarized and described. The respondents confirmed the presence of governmental and university policies for publication in high-impact factor journals; they saw some positive aspects, yet described the obstacles faced by many scholars, felt that the policies led to competition rather than cooperation, and viewed national, compared to international, publications in opposing terms. The findings are discussed within t...

What Is the Status Quo of Breast Cancer Research at Germanys Universities?

Breast Care : Last 20 articles — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Breast Care 2010;5:5-6 (DOI:10.1159/000284400) (Source: Breast Care : Last 20 articles)

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and licensing in the creation and curation of digital content

MEDEV Events — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:47:31 +0100

A blueprint for success through a practical workshop. Venue: JISC Meeting Rooms Brettenham House (South Entrance - Ground floor) 5, Lancaster Place London, WC2E 7EN Meeting rooms 1 & 2 http://www.jisc.ac.uk/contactus/findus/london.aspx Who should attend? The workshops are primarily aimed at delegates from colleges and universities, archives, libraries, museums, the health service, public service broadcasting and schools who have a professional involvement in the creation and curation of digital content. No particular technical knowledge is required. The Key Issues: Why are Intellectual Property Rights so important in the creation and curation of digital content? For public bodies, a good understanding of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and licensing of digital content is essen...

U.S. Commerce Secretary Discusses ‘Innovation Clusters’

News from the National Academies — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:14:18 +0100

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke addressed a National Research Council forum today on the role of regional innovation clusters -- research parks that enable universities, government, and industry to collaborate -- in spurring innovation and creating jobs. (Source: News from the National Academies)

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U.S. Commerce Secretary Discusses ‘Innovation Clusters’

News from the National Academies — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:14:18 +0100

Letters: Show some gratitude for science funding

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:05:05 +0100

John Dainton, Chadwick professor of physics at Liverpool University (Letters, 24 February), is the latest academic to add his voice to those decrying the cuts in funding of academic research in the UK. He is right to warn of the possible consequences, but his tone of "give us the money or else" is depressingly familiar and will not aid his cause. I worked for 34 years in the research councils (SRC, SERC and EPSRC) and experienced many ups and downs of funding. My final 10 years before retirement coincided with a decade of unprecedented investment in research by the current administration.Regrettably, throughout that period there was almost no public acknowledgement of that funding by its recipients, which I know was a source of frustration to those engaged in securing and delivering the fu...

HEFCE opens debate on future of higher education workforce

MEDEV News — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This report enabled us to reflect on the changing characteristics of the English higher education workforce and highlight major challenges of the next few years.' Commenting on the report, Sir Alan Langlands, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said: 'Universities and colleges employ high-quality staff, which are their greatest asset. Staff need to be supported and enabled to maintain the highest standards in teaching, scholarship and research. In addition, human resources practices and processes need to be agile and flexible so that universities and colleges can respond to the changing needs of students and employers. This report is intended to stimulate senior management teams to think about the major issues facing the higher education workforce, ensuring that we can maintain standards and momen...

Provocative Ideas from Science Commons Symposium – Pacific Northwest

Dragonfly — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:23:05 +0100

What’s the best way to spend a warm, sunny, February Saturday in western Washington? If you answered “by sitting indoors and watching presentations about data” you may be… correct! This past Saturday, about sixty scientists and librarians gathered on the Microsoft campus for Science Commons Symposium – Pacific Northwest. We had the privilege of hearing from some of the world’s most prominent thought leaders in the areas of open data, open access, and what web technology means for the future of scientific communication. Here are a few eyebrow-raising ideas from the symposium. Practicing science is a privilege, not a right. Cameron Neylon, a biophysicist at ISIS in the United Kingdom, kicked off the day by describing a day in the life of a research scient...

Provocative Ideas from Science Commons Symposium Pacific Northwest

Dragonfly — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:23:05 +0100

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Randomized, Blinded, Sham-Controlled Trial of Acupuncture for the Management of Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Joint Symptoms in Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer [Breast Cancer]

Journal of Clinical Oncology — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:01:02 +0100

Conclusion Women with AI-induced arthralgias treated with TA had significant improvement of joint pain and stiffness, which was not seen with SA. Acupuncture is an effective and well-tolerated strategy for managing this common treatment-related side effect. (Source: Journal of Clinical Oncology)

QAA issues updated Code of Practice on support of disabled students

Society for Endocrinology — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:00:00 +0100

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has published an updated issue of its Code of Practice which covers how UK universities and colleges make their courses and premises accessible to disabled students. It has also strengthened its guidance on how UK universities and colleges can produce graduates equipped to meet the demands of the changing employment market. A copy of the new Code of Practice can be accessed at the following link. QAA Code of Practice (Source: Society for Endocrinology)

National survey of colleges reveals importance of branding, creating community

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(Oregon State University) A national survey of large and small colleges and universities aimed at identifying brand connection and affinity among alumni shows that while size may matter, large public universities can compete on the same playing field as a small, private college. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Careers in Aging Week Grants from the Gerontological Society of America

ScanGrants feed — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Gerontological Society of America is now gearing up for Careers in Aging Week 2010, which will take place from April 4 to 10. Universities and colleges around the world participate by sponsoring events at their schools or in their communities. Participants sponsor events such as networking receptions, panel discussions, job fairs, exhibits, and aging-related film screenings. Educational institutions are invited to apply for one of ten $200 grants for their planned activities. The deadline for grant application submissions is March 1, 2010. For more information, visit www.careersinaging.com or send an e-mail to ciaw@geron.org. (Source: ScanGrants feed)

No dates for the timid?

Psychology Today Personality Center — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:48:18 +0100

Suppose Nora is romantically attracted to Nick but does not know how he feels about her. Most people would agree that Nora faces a risky situation--one with a definite potential for rejection. A recent advice column in a Toronto newspaper encouraged women in such situations to ask men out, but warned: "Is it risky? Yup. Is there a possibility of crushing humiliation if your friendly tone is met by a frosty one? Absolutely." (Russell Smith, The Globe and Mail, May 23, 2009, p. L4). Risky, indeed. Jessica Cameron and Danu Stinson (now at the Universities of Manitoba and Victoria, respectively), and John Holmes and I (at the University of Waterloo) found that single undergrads labelled almost two-thirds of their attempts to initiate romantic re...

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'Grounded' mozzies may halt dengue

NHS News Feed — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:21:00 +0100

Conclusion This research has shown that it is possible to genetically engineer the Aedes aegypti mosquito to produce females that cannot fly, and therefore cannot feed or mate, but leave males unaffected. The logic is that if these male genetically engineered mosquitoes are introduced into the wild and breed with normal females, the female offspring will not be able to reproduce, and this should reduce the wild mosquito population. The researchers acknowledge that further tests will be needed to determine how well the genetically engineered male mosquitoes compete with normal male mosquitoes in mating, and how well they suppress wild mosquito populations. In addition, further studies are needed to look at whether these techniques could be applied to other mosquito species. The fact that ma...

SAMHSA And Ad Council To Launch Mental Health Campaign For The African American Community

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0100

Officials from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Ad Council and the Stay Strong Foundation will unveil a national public service campaign designed to raise awareness of mental health problems among young adults in the African American community. The event is part of Black History Month and it is being held to coincide with the first annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) National Mental Health Awareness Day. The launch will be telecast to colleges and universities nationwide... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Predicting the Unpredictable: A Comment on Recent Shooting Tragedies

Psychology Today Personality Center — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:45:54 +0100

On February 12th 2010, Amy Bishop reportedly killed three university colleagues, while seriously wounding three others. She was an Assistant Professor of Biology at University of Alabama at Huntsville, and it is widely believed that her actions were motivated by anger caused due to being denied tenure at the university (AP, 2/13/2010). This tragic incident re-opened wounds inflicted by recent shooting tragedies at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois Universities.For most, the shock experienced after these events is palpable. For some, it is life-long. One of the first reactions to such extreme events is a search for an explanation. Why did the person do this? What about their personality or life history lead them to such extreme actions? How could have this been prevented? Such questions a...

Calls for expressions of interest: Sustainability and 21st century (NI)

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:05:01 +0100

Description C-SAP funds are available to all staff in universities and colleges in Northern Ireland delivering HE programmes in Sociology, Anthropology and Politics and in cognate interdisciplinary areas. C-SAP project funding is intended to foster a pro-active approach to change in learning and teaching. Education For Sustainable Development There is a growing sense of expectation that the higher education sector should respond to the challenges posed by the need to develop sustainable ways of living in the 21st century. The social sciences are vital in understanding the human dimensions of both problems and solutions and we recognise the importance of increasing 'sustainability literacy' among students and the growing demand for sustainability skills among employers. To that end, C-SA...

Funding cuts will lead to brain drain from UK, warns senior US scientist

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:56:44 +0100

Cuts in budgets will force talented scientists to find jobs in countries that invest in science during the global recession, says the president of US National Academy of SciencesBritain faces a severe brain drain as young scientists leave for positions in countries where research is better funded, one of the most senior scientists in the US warns.Swingeing cuts in university and research budgets will force the most talented British scientists to find jobs in the US, Singapore and other countries that are continuing to invest in science throughout the global recession, said Ralph Cicerone, president of the US National Academy of Sciences at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego yesterday.In December the UK government announced cuts worth ...

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US scientist warns of brain drain from UK

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:56:44 +0100

Panel Challenges Colleges And Universities To Improve Science Education For Future Doctors

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:00:00 +0100

Colleges and universities should seize the opportunity to make premedical and medical education more interactive and interdisciplinary, says Peter J. Bruns, vice president for grants and special programs at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). That challenge is part of a bold new approach to premedical and medical education proposed by Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and HHMI in the report "Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians," which was published in June 2009... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Panel Challenges Colleges And Universities To Improve Science Education For Future Doctors

Medical Students News From Medical News Today — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:00:00 +0100

Fostering warmth after the supercold: Nobel Laureate Wolfgang Ketterle talks up U.S.-German collaborations for innovation

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:00:00 +0100

More than a decade ago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Wolfgang Ketterle was honored with University of Colorado researchers Eric Cornell and Carl Wieman for work that led to the discovery of a new state of matter called the Bose-Einstein condensate. Together, they won the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics . Citing his success, Ketterle called for even greater scientific collaboration between disciplines, universities and countries during a brief lecture he gave Friday to mark the opening of the German Center for Research and Innovation (GCRI) in New York City. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Fostering warmth after the supercold: Nobel laureate Wolfgang Ketterle talks up U.S.-German collaboration for innovation

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:00:00 +0100

More than a decade ago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Wolfgang Ketterle was honored with University of Colorado researchers Eric Cornell and Carl Wieman for work that led to the discovery of a new state of matter called the Bose–Einstein condensate. Together, they won the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics . Citing his success, Ketterle called for even greater scientific collaboration between disciplines, universities and countries during a brief lecture he gave Friday to mark the opening of the German Center for Research and Innovation (GCRI) in New York City. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

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Ultrasonographic assessment of patients referred with chronic anal pain to a tertiary referral centre

Techniques in Coloproctology — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 06:52:07 +0100

Conclusion Occult intersphincteric sepsis is not uncommon and is diagnosed using routine ultrasonography at the time of clinical presentation. Endoanal and transperineal ultrasound is recommended as part of the investigative armamentarium to exclude categorization as functional anorectal pain. This is currently not part of the Rome III coding for such a diagnosis suggesting a revision of these diagnostic criteria for the ultimate diagnosis of functional proctalgia. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticleDOI 10.1007/s10151-010-0566-3Authors M. Beer-Gabel, Tel Aviv University Department of Gastroenterology Sackler School of Medicine, Chaim Sheba Medical Center Tel Aviv IsraelD. Carter, Tel Aviv University Department of Gastroenterology Sackler School of...

Faith makes regulating herbal medicine difficult

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:00:01 +0100

A judge this week called for traditional medicine to be regulated, but it's not easy when practitioners make claims based on faithYou may have read about Ying Wu this week: a traditional Chinese medicine doctor operating out of a shop in Chelmsford, Essex, who for several years prescribed pills with high doses of a dangerous substance to treat the acne of senior civil servant Patricia Booth, 58. Following this, her patient lost both kidneys, developed urinary tract cancer, had a heart attack, and is on dialysis three times a week. Judge Jeremy Roberts gave Ying a two-year conditional discharge, saying she could not be blamed, because she did not know the pills were harmful and the practice of traditional Chinese medicine is unregulated in Britain, a situation that he suggests should be rem...

Faith clouds herbal medicine regulation

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:00:01 +0100

Postgraduate supervision

MEDEV Events — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:39:06 +0100

Postgraduate students are the greatest growth area for HE currently. Post Dearing, the Metcalfe report and the interest of the Quality Assurance Agency in postgraduates, universities have generally developed research development programmes to support students in their research methods and accompanying skills. Another of the developments is in the expectation that supervisors have initial 'training' and some are also focusing on updating. This online supervisory development course is for those who are new to supervision, or who would like to consider the range of issues and practices which have emerged in the supervisory role over the past few years. Expected outcomes Participants will be able to develop and share experience-informed good practice in effective postgraduate supervision. By ...

Validity, reliability, and comparison of the WOMAC osteoarthritis index and Lequesne algofunctional index in Turkish patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis

Clinical Rheumatology — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:42:52 +0100

Abstract To assess validity and reliability of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis (OA) index and Lequesne algofunctional index in Turkish patients with hip or knee OA and to compare the results of the instruments for these two particular sites of involvement. Two disease-specific instruments: WOMAC LK 3.1 and Lequesne indices were administered to 117 outpatients with OA (44 hip and 73 knee) living in Turkey. These indices were administered twice 7–10 days apart to ensure the test–retest reliability. All patients were asked to reply a generic health-related quality-of-life instrument (Short Form-36, SF-36) and a structured interview assessing demographic and other characteristics. Internal consistency and reliability was evaluated ...

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Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center Summer Opportunities Program

ScanGrants feed — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine provides opportunities for undergraduate, pre-med and medical students enrolled at Washington University or other accredited universities to work on cancer research projects during the summer. Opportunities range from basic laboratory research to clinical research to prevention/control and population research.Applicants selected for the program will receive a $3,500 stipend for a 10-week summer research period from June 1 through Aug. 6, 2010, though some flexibility is available. Approximately 12 students will be selected. Please apply online at:http://www2.siteman.wustl.edu/studentsubmission/Home.aspxApplication process:1) an online application form, which requires: * a personal st...

Request for Proposals: Novel Approaches to Drug Discovery for Alzheimer’s Disease

ScanGrants feed — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Request for Proposals: Novel Approaches to Drug Discovery for Alzheimer’s DiseaseADDF funds drug discovery research programs from domestic and international investigators in academia and biotechnology companies. In addition, ADDF initiates, sponsors, and co-sponsors conferences to stimulate new ideas and approaches in areas of interest to the Foundation, bringing together physicians, scientists, and policy makers worldwide.As a biomedical venture philanthropy, ADDF seeks to fill the critical translational funding gap between basic research and later stage drug development. We fund high risk, early stage drug discovery and development projects and catalyze scientists to enter the drug discovery field. We have adapted the operating model and principles of venture capital investing to o...

Accidents in the context of study among university students-A multicentre cross-sectional study in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Accident; Analysis and Prevention. — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:19:42 +0100

Authors: Faller G, Mikolajczyk RT, Akmatov MK, Meier S, Krämer A Knowledge about prevalence and patterns of accidents among university students is scarce. The aims of the present health survey were to assess the general prevalence of accidents among university students, to describe the specific kinds of accidents, and to analyse associated factors. A multicentre cross-sectional health survey was conducted at 12 universities and 4 universities of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany. The response rate was 88%. The self-administered questionnaire covered multiple areas of health, behaviours and a specific module for accidents. In total, 252 (8.8%) out of 2855 students (aged 17-26 years) had experienced an accident in the context of their studies. Contusions, com...

Healthy universities--time for action: a qualitative research study exploring the potential for a national programme

Health Promotion International — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:31:43 +0100

This article introduces Healthy Universities; reports on a qualitative study exploring the potential for a national programme contributing to health, well-being and sustainable development; and concludes with reflections and recommendations. The study used questionnaires and interviews with key informants from English higher education institutions and national stakeholder organizations. The findings confirmed that higher education offers significant potential to impact positively on the health and well-being of students, staff and wider communities through education, research, knowledge exchange and institutional practice. There was strong support for extending the healthy settings approach beyond schools and further education, through a National Healthy Higher Education Programme that pro...

Organ[ization] Donors and Conflicts of Interest: Investigations Broaden

Psychiatric Times — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:30:02 +0100

While Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) broadens his conflict of interest (COI) investigations to include mental health leaders and associations, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), teaching hospitals, universities, and mental health organizations are intensifying their vigilance and taking corrective actions. (Source: Psychiatric Times)

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Willingness of University Nursing Students to Volunteer During a Pandemic

Public Health Nursing — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This study examined stakeholder's knowledge, risk-perception, and willingness to volunteer. The design of this study is a cross-sectional survey. Questionnaires were sent to 1,512 nursing students and were returned by 484, yielding a response rate of 32% for this subgroup. Nursing students may be a much-needed human resource in the event of an influenza pandemic. The measurement tool was a Web-based questionnaire regarding pandemic influenza designed by a subgroup of researchers on the Public Health Response Committee. Most nursing students (67.9%) said they were likely to volunteer in the event of a pandemic if they were able to do so. An even higher number (77.4%) said they would volunteer if provided protective garments. Overall, 70.7% of students supported the proposition that nursing ...

Explore Dietitian and Nutritionist Careers

About.com Health Careers — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Dietitians and nutritionists develop and implement healthy, balanced meal plans for hospitals, long term care homes, or universities. If you are passionate about nutrition, especially as it relates to disease prevention and its effects such as weight management or heart health, a career as a dietitian or nutritionist may be for you. There are many different types of dietitians working in a variety of settings, such as clinical dietitians, consultant dietitians, corporations, food services, and more. To learn more about health careers in the field of dietetics and nutrition, as well as the educational requirements, salaries, and career paths, check out the new dietitian career profile. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this career field is growing due to increased aw...

Breaking the mold: The impact of working in a gender-congruent versus gender-incongruent role on self-reported sources of stress, organizational commitment, and health in U.K. universities.

International Journal of Stress Management — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:23:38 +0100

We present an analysis of archive data collected using the ASSET (Cartwright & Cooper, 2002) from a stratified sample of employees (N = 2,005) working in higher education institutions in the United Kingdom in 2003. We hypothesized that employees working in gender-incongruent roles would report higher levels of work-related stress, poorer health, and lower organizational commitment compared with those working in gender-congruent roles. Interpreted in accordance with the role strain hypotheses, we found that women working in gender-incongruent roles reported significantly higher (p > .01) levels of stress, higher levels of minor ill-health problems, and lower levels of perceived commitment from their organizations compared with all other employees. Conversely, men who worked in gender-incong...

Teach the bigger story of science

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:00:01 +0100

Children have so much curiosity about the natural world, but the current school curriculum drains away their enthusiasmA gulf seems to exist between our natural curiosity about the world around us and the popularity of science at university level in Britain. Scientists have such heated arguments because we are so passionate about our fields. Yet many school students seem to dislike the subject. Why are so many young people apparently bored by science?Small children frequently develop near obsessions with aspects of science, be they dinosaurs, insects or aeroplanes. So where does this fascination go? No one would deny the need for standards and benchmarks in education, but the process that began with the national curriculum is eroding the preparedness of students to cope with university sci...

Universities highlight benefits of stimulus research funding

EurekAlert! - Biology — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(The Science Coalition) On the first anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- the economic stimulus -- the nation's research universities today provided nearly 100 examples of how a relatively small element of the measure is paying outsize short- and long-term dividends for the nation. Of the $787 billion contained in the ARRA, $21.5 billion is allocated for research and science infrastructure. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

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Few Americans Practice Conservation

Disabled World — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:43:29 +0100

Most Americans like the idea of conservation, but few practice it in their everyday lives, according to the results of a national survey released today by researchers at Yale and George Mason universities. (Source: Disabled World)

University overhaul vital to end Bulgarian science's long decline

Nature — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Nature 463, 877 (2010). doi:10.1038/463877b Author: Oleg I. Yordanov The reforms under way in Bulgaria's research and higher education (Nature463, 283; 2010) are not enough. A full-scale external evaluation of the entire university system is also needed.Among Bulgaria's newly established universities, there is not one department of mathematics, physics, (Source: Nature)

Quality of faculty, students, curriculum and resources for nursing doctoral education in Korea: A focus group study

International Journal of Nursing Studies — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:53:29 +0100

Conclusions: The quality characteristics of faculty, students, curriculum, and resources identified in this first systematic evaluation of the quality of nursing doctoral education can inform nursing schools, universities, and policy-makers about areas for improvement in Korea and possibly in the world. Geographical variations found in these four components of doctoral education warrant attention by policy-makers in Korea. (Source: International Journal of Nursing Studies)

In The Fight Against Malaria, Scientists Transplant Nose Of Mosquito

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Scientists at Vanderbilt and Yale universities have successfully transplanted most of the "nose" of the mosquito that spreads malaria into frog eggs and fruit flies and are employing these surrogates to combat the spread of the deadly and debilitating disease that afflicts 500 million people. The research is described in two complimentary papers, one published this week in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and the other which appeared online Feb. 3 in the journal Nature... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

In The Fight Against Malaria, Scientists Transplant Nose Of Mosquito

Genetics News From Medical News Today — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

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Americans favor conservation, but few practice it

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(Yale University) Most Americans like the idea of conservation, but few practice it in their everyday lives, according to the results of a national survey released today by researchers at Yale and George Mason universities. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Is use of the human papillomavirus vaccine among female college students related to human papillomavirus knowledge and risk perception?

Sexually Transmitted Infections — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:07:27 +0100

Conclusions These findings suggest knowledge deficits and misperceptions about HPV risk as potential themes for educational campaigns encouraging the greater use of the preventive HPV vaccine among this subgroup. (Source: Sexually Transmitted Infections)

Expecting a Surge in U.S. Medical Schools

NYT > Health — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:13:23 +0100

Seeking to address an imbalance in U.S. medicine, nearly two dozen medical schools have opened or are set to open. (Source: NYT > Health)

Scientists transplant nose of mosquito, advance fight against malaria

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(Vanderbilt University) Scientists at Vanderbilt and Yale universities have successfully transplanted most of the "nose" of the mosquito that spreads malaria into frog eggs and fruit flies and are employing these surrogates to combat the spread of the deadly and debilitating disease that afflicts 500 million people. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Imperial launches first International joint PhDs with universities in Singapore and Hong Kong

Imperial College News — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Building on existing international PhD programmes Imperial's first three joint PhDs are launched - News release (Source: Imperial College News)

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Painting the picture: Australasian medical student views on wellbeing teaching and support services.

Med J Aust — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: Medical curricula on wellbeing should include strategies for self-help and giving assistance to others, and aim to decrease stigma. Adequate and well-promoted support services are required to complement this teaching, in particular for international students. PMID: 20170454 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Med J Aust)

Lord Mandelson gives keynote speech at Lord Dearing memorial conference

MEDEV News — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Government is acting out of necessity in cutting funding to the higher education sector, Lord Mandelson told a conference at The University of Nottingham. Giving a keynote speech at the Lord Dearing Memorial Conference, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills said public funding cuts were the regrettable cost to the UK of saving the banking sector and getting the country through the nastiest global recession we have seen in a very long time. He said universities were not being singled out for financial constraint - and that much of the rest of the public sector would be receiving similar constraints in the course of the year or soon after. The conference, entitled 'The Future of Higher Education' and attended by 350 delegates from around the world, featured more t...

Inspector General Finds Fault With Interior's Management of Collections

Public Policy Reports — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:05:55 +0100

The Inspector General (IG) for the United States Department of the Interior (DOI) has “found that DOI is failing to fulfill its stewardship responsibilities over museum collections.” In a December 2009 report, the IG found that DOI has failed to properly accession, catalogue, or inventory museum collections, leaving artifacts “unavailable for research, education, or display and … subject to theft, deterioration, and damage.” The most widespread problem is a failure to properly document museum holdings. The IG reports that as of fiscal year 2007, DOI had not catalogued 53 percent of their collection holdings. Although several bureaus within DOI have backlogs of objects to be catalogued, the National Park Service has the worst backlog, with 60 million uncatalog...

Evaluation: institutional needs versus individual motivations

MEDEV Events — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:30:59 +0100

This seminar is presented by Dr Roni Bamber, the Head of Centre for Academic Practice at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh and is entitled Evaluation: institutional needs versus individual motivations, on Monday 22nd February at 3pm. About the seminar: Modern academics are constantly pressed to evaluate and improve what they do. Universities are likewise constantly pressed to evaluate and improve what they do. Are these two needs compatible? A survey of staff at one university in the summer of 2009 asked how they evaluate their teaching, how they get evaluated, and what can be done to improve evaluation. Some interesting responses were received from 50 staff (around a third of all academic staff). There was clear commitment to evaluation and improvement, but difficulties in making ...

Surge in nursing students opting for degrees

Nursing Times Breaking News — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Student applications for nursing degrees have leapt 73.7 per cent, the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service has announced. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

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Backing grows for African research chairs

SciDev.Net — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 05:40:19 +0100

Leading organisations have expressed support for a scheme to fund 1,000 senior research positions in Africa's universities. (Source: SciDev.Net)

Rolls-Royce chief: industry needs more UK science and engineering graduates

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:39:39 +0100

Sir John Rose says that many overseas students return home, leaving a skills gap in UK manufacturingNot enough British students are studying engineering and science in the UK, hampering efforts to revive industry, according to Rolls-Royce chief executive, Sir John Rose.He said many students acquiring the skills and training relevant to manufacturing are foreign who mostly return home at the end of their degrees to begin their careers: "Very large numbers of graduates which are going through British universities are non-UK nationals. The supply of UK graduates is not as big as we would like. If we are going to grow the manufacturing base we need to grow the [skills] pool."Rolls-Royce hired 700 graduates and apprentices last year, the vast majority in the UK, and the most in its history. Ros...

Turning up the HEAT in Wales

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:39:51 +0100

JISC TechDis is once again inviting bids for HEAT scheme funding from higher education institutions to boost inclusive practice. As the UK's leading advisory service on inclusion and accessibility, JISC TechDis is keen to encourage universities and colleges to develop and promote good inclusive practice in teaching and learning. Round 4 of the Heat scheme (HEAT4Wales) is open to staff working in HE or FE institutions in receipt of HEFCW funding. Projects can be specific to the teaching of a particular discipline, support a specific role or have a more generic applicability right across the sector. The HEAT scheme will provide staff working in higher education in Wales (teaching staff, library staff, careers officers, staff developers, IT specialists and accessibility or support specialist...

Valium link to heroin is unfounded

NHS News Feed — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:29:00 +0100

Conclusion This animal study has been thorough and well conducted. The findings will be of interest to the research community and to those interested in designing drugs that have lower addictive potential. The result of this research may also lead to an improved understanding of the mechanisms behind individuals’ varying susceptibility to addiction, an area that has further research potential. However, despite the researchers finding that BDZ works using a similar pathway to certain illegal drugs, media comparisons to heroin addiction seems to be quite alarmist. This research has concentrated on identifying neurological processes in mice and not the complex factors involved in substance abuse or drug addiction. Based on this research it seems inappropriate to compare the use of oral d...