Effectiveness of integrating case studies in online and face-to-face instruction of pathophysiology: a comparative study.

Due to growing demand from students and facilitated by innovations in educational technology, institutions of higher learning are increasingly offering online courses. Subjects in the hard sciences, such as pathophysiology, have traditionally been taught in the face-to-face format, but growing demand for preclinical science courses has compelled educators to incorporate online components into their classes to promote comprehension. Learning tools such as case studies are being integrated into such courses to aid in student interaction, engagement, and critical thinking skills. Careful assessment of pedagogical techniques is essential; hence, this study aimed to evaluate and compare student perceptions of the use of case studies in face-to-face and fully online pathophysiology classes. A series of case studies was incorporated into the curriculum of a pathophysiology class for both class modes (online and face to face). At the end of the semester, students filled out a survey assessing the effectiveness of the case studies. Both groups offered positive responses about the incorporation of case studies in the curriculum of the pathophysiology class. This study supports the argument that with proper use of innovative teaching tools, such as case studies, online pathophysiology classes can foster a sense of community and interaction that is typically only seen with face-to-face classes, based on student responses. Students also indicated that regardless of class teaching modality, use of case studies facilitates student learning and comprehension as well as prepares them for their future careers in health fields.

Preparing CLS professionals to be consumers and producers of research.

Research proficiency is part of the curriculum in all NAACLS accredited CLS programs. Learning the basic research tools enables students to understand and interpret published research as informed consumers of research. This paper describes an improved and innovative approach to prepare future CLS professionals to be both analytical consumers and active producers of pertinent research.

Antigenic and genetic typing of Whataroa viruses in Australia.

We recently characterized three novel alphaviruses isolated from mosquitoes captured in New South Wales, Australia. Initial cross-neutralization studies revealed antigenic similarity to the Sindbis virus (SINV)-like Whataroa virus (WHAV), heretofore found only in New Zealand. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the WHAV-like viruses shared >99% nucleotide sequence similarity with each other, and 96-97% similarity with prototype WHAV. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reactions of a panel of monoclonal antibodies to SINV showed that the novel WHAV-like viruses displayed identical binding patterns and were antigenically distinct from all SINV isolates examined. Although these viruses displayed a similar binding pattern to prototype WHAV, three monoclonal antibodies discriminated them from the New Zealand virus. Our results suggest that these novel alphaviruses are antigenic variants of WHAV and represent the first reported isolations of this virus from outside New Zealand. The monoclonal antibodies used in this study will be useful for typing new SINV and SINV-like isolates.

Complete genomic sequence of the Australian south-west genotype of Sindbis virus: comparisons with other Sindbis strains and identification of a unique deletion in the 3'-untranslated region.

Our previous studies have shown that two distinct genotypes of Sindbis (SIN) virus occur in Australia. One of these, the Oriental/Australian type, circulates throughout most of the Australian continent, whereas the recently identified south-west (SW) genetic type appears to be restricted to a distinct geographic region located in the temperate south-west of Australia. We have now determined the complete nucleotide and translated amino acid sequences of a SW isolate of SIN virus (SW6562) and performed comparative analyses with other SIN viruses at the genomic level. The genome of SW6562 is 11,569 nucleotides in length, excluding the cap nucleotide and poly (A) tail. Overall this virus differs from the prototype SIN virus (strain AR339) by 23% in nucleotide sequence and 12.5% in amino acid sequence. Partial sequences of four regions of the genome of four SW isolates were determined and compared with the corresponding sequences from a number of SIN isolates from different regions of the World. These regions are the non-structural protein (nsP3), the E2 gene, the capsid gene, and the repeated sequence elements (RSE) of the 3'UTR. These comparisons revealed that the SW SIN viruses were more closely related to South African and European strains than to other Australian isolates of SIN virus. Thus the SW genotype of SIN virus may have been introduced into this region of Australia by viremic humans or migratory birds and subsequently evolved independently in the region. The sequence data also revealed that the SW genotype contains a unique deletion in the RSE of the 3'UTR region of the genome. Previous studies have shown that deletions in this region of the SIN genome can have significant effects on virus replication in mosquito and avian cells, which may explain the restricted distribution of this genotype of SIN virus.

Effect of protein kinase Cgamma on gap junction disassembly in lens epithelial cells and retinal cells in culture.

PURPOSE: To determine the effects of protein kinase Cgamma (PKCgamma) on phosphorylation of Cx43, the gap junction protein of lens epithelial cells, and on cell surface assembly/disassembly of Cx43-gap junction complexes. METHODS: Association and phosphorylation of Cx43 by PKCgamma was determined using co-immunoprecipitation and reaction with phosphoserine antisera. Activation of PKCgamma was with 200 nM phorbol ester for 30 to 60 min. Effects of specific PKC isoforms was determined after overexpression of either PKCalpha or PKCgamma for 24 h in N/N 1003A rabbit lens epithelial cells or in two retinal cell lines, WERI and Y79. Gap junction plaques were counted on the cell surface by immunolabeling of Cx43 using confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Co-immunoprecipitation of Cx43 with PKCgamma was observed only in cells over expressing PKCgamma and in cells activated with phorbol ester. Both overexpression and phorbol ester produced a rapid phosphorylation of Cx43 on serine. Cx43 cell surface gap junction plaques decreased in cells over expressing PKCgamma and in cells treated with phorbol ester. Similar results were observed using the retinal cell lines, WERI and Y79. The effect of PKCgamma overexpression was persistent for 7 days but total cell Cx43 was not decreased. Overexpression of PKCa resulted in an increase in cell surface gap junction plaques. CONCLUSIONS: PKCgamma can be co-immunoprecipitated with Cx43 from lens epithelial cells using phorbol ester activation. PKCgamma phosphorylates Cx43 on serine and this causes disassembly and loss of gap junction Cx43 from the cell surface. Overexpression of PKCgamma confirmed that only this PKC isoform caused the loss of cell surface Cx43. Overexpression of PKCalpha, the other major lens PKC isoform, caused an increase in cell surface Cx43. The presence of PKCgamma and loss of surface Cx43 from two retinal cell lines, WERI and Y79, upon phorbol ester activation further suggests that activation of PKCgamma may be a common mechanism for control of cell surface Cx43.