Nurses best practices for the management of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

A group of Canadian apheresis nurses developed best practice for in the management of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). The recommendations address issues related to infusion protocols, preventing and managing adverse events, comprehensive patient assessments, treatment procedures, as well as pre- and post- treatment care. The Canadian group encourages institutes to include nurses on committees that examine recommendations for TTP management.

Convergent synthesis of a helical, prehairpin HR1 trimer from HIV gp41.

A helical, prehairpin trimer covering the majority of the HR1 region of human immunodeficiency virus gp41 was achieved by chemically coupling three identical 51 amino acid peptides. A 1,3,5-tris(aminomethyl)-2,4,6-triethylbenzene pinwheel 'cap' was used to trimerize the peptides by taking advantage of the unique property of triacyl fluoride and orthogonal protection and deprotection. The resulting protein is fully helical, highly thermostable and soluble.

Supporting Students from Day 1 of College: The Importance of Relatedness to Inclusivity.

Day 1: Watershed (WS) is a first-year program designed to provide an inclusive environment for students and immerse them in research from day 1 of college. Originally developed to support students from underrepresented groups (URGs) including first-generation students and students of color, WS provides authentic research experiences for all students as they collect and analyze water and microbiological samples from the local watershed. WS also includes a living-learning community with students living in the same dorm and taking common courses during their first year. In the first year of our study, researchers investigated students' anxieties, feelings of belonging or isolation, supports received, and personal habits. In year 2 (the primary year reported), researchers used mixed-methods and self-determination theory to determine how WS students differed from students in other introductory and research-based courses in terms of basic psychological needs satisfaction (including autonomy, competence, and relatedness). Results indicated that although WS students felt less autonomous and, at times, less competent than other students, 90% reported a positive experience. Furthermore, findings suggest that WS students' feelings of connection with classmates and instructors, as well as a sense of belonging in the course, provided the necessary motivational support to facilitate a positive learning experience. These findings indicate that the WS program can be a viable model for supporting students in early science courses and making them feel included.

Multi-Institutional, Multidisciplinary Study of the Impact of Course-Based Research Experiences.

Numerous national reports have called for reforming laboratory courses so that all students experience the research process. In response, many course-based research experiences (CREs) have been developed and implemented. Research on the impact of these CREs suggests that student benefits can be similar to those of traditional apprentice-model research experiences. However, most assessments of CREs have been in individual courses at individual institutions or across institutions using the same CRE model. Furthermore, which structures and components of CREs result in the greatest student gains is unknown. We explored the impact of different CRE models in different contexts on student self-reported gains in understanding, skills, and professional development using the Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) survey. Our analysis included 49 courses developed and taught at seven diverse institutions. Overall, students reported greater gains for all benefits when compared with the reported national means for the Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE). Two aspects of these CREs were associated with greater student gains: 1) CREs that were the focus of the entire course or that more fully integrated modules within a traditional laboratory and 2) CREs that had a higher degree of student input and results that were unknown to both students and faculty.

Principles and Practices Fostering Inclusive Excellence: Lessons from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Capstone Institutions.

Best-practices pedagogy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) aims for inclusive excellence that fosters student persistence. This paper describes principles of inclusivity across 11 primarily undergraduate institutions designated as Capstone Awardees in Howard Hughes Medical Institute's (HHMI) 2012 competition. The Capstones represent a range of institutional missions, student profiles, and geographical locations. Each successfully directed activities toward persistence of STEM students, especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups, through a set of common elements: mentoring programs to build community; research experiences to strengthen scientific skill/identity; attention to quantitative skills; and outreach/bridge programs to broaden the student pool. This paper grounds these program elements in learning theory, emphasizing their essential principles with examples of how they were implemented within institutional contexts. We also describe common assessment approaches that in many cases informed programming and created traction for stakeholder buy-in. The lessons learned from our shared experiences in pursuit of inclusive excellence, including the resources housed on our companion website, can inform others' efforts to increase access to and persistence in STEM in higher education.

Development of HIV fusion inhibitors.

In the past 25 years, the worldwide AIDS epidemic has grown such that roughly 38 million people were estimated to be living with the disease worldwide at the end of 2003. The introduction of antiretroviral-based therapies, beginning in 1987, has enabled many to live with HIV as a chronic, rather than terminal, disease. However, the emergence and spread of drug-resistant strains highlights the continued need for new therapies with novel modes of action. In 2003, the FDA and EMEA approved enfuvirtide (Fuzeon), a 36 amino acid peptide derived from the natural gp41 HR2 sequence, as the first HIV fusion inhibitor. T-1249, a 39 amino acid fusion inhibitor, is active against viruses that develop resistance to enfuvirtide. The development of FIs and the processes to manufacture enfuvirtide and T-1249 on an unprecedented scale for peptide therapeutics are presented. Synthetic routes based on a combination of solid phase peptide synthesis and solution phase fragment condensation as well as the analytical controls necessary to insure a robust process are discussed.