Fostering integration among students with different backgrounds using an orthotic community service program.

BACKGROUND: In this globalization era, institutions are developing strategies including international service-learning pedagogies to integrate global perspectives and dimensions into the learning and teaching processes to develop students' capacity in intercultural competence. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the students' intercultural learning outcome through provision of orthotic community service to the less-privileged children. METHODS: A Hong Kong-based university collaborated with 2 American universities to conduct an orthotic community service program for the children with cerebral palsy in mainland China. In the process of service delivery, the students with different backgrounds worked closely and students' professional knowledge, intercultural understanding, and communication skills were evaluated. A mixed-method approach was adopted to investigate on how this international program could facilitate meaningful interactions in clinical practices. Preprogram and postprogram surveys and focus group interviews were conducted. Statistical analyses were performed on the quantitative data, while interview data were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: A comparison of preprogram and postprogram surveys showed that the students perceived this community service program important for enhancement of their capabilities to communicate with people from other cultures (n = 39, p < 0.05). It also showed an increase in local students' willingness to work with people from other cultures. Some themes related to intercultural competences were identified from the interview: "intercultural awareness, understanding, and communication" as well as openness to work/socialize with people from other cultures." CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that an international community service program could initiate positive changes in students' intercultural communication capability and interest to work with culturally different people.

Functional characterization of two CITED3 homologs (gcCITED3a and gcCITED3b) in the hypoxia-tolerant grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idellus.

BACKGROUND: CITED proteins belong to a family of non-DNA-binding transcriptional co-regulators that are characterized by a conserved ED-rich domain at the C-terminus. This family of genes is involved in the regulation of a variety of transcriptional responses through interactions with the CBP/p300 integrators and various transcription factors. In fish, very little is known about the expression and functions of CITEDs. RESULTS: We have characterized two closely related but distinct CITED3 genes, gcCited3a and gcCited3b, from the hypoxia-tolerant grass carp. The deduced gcCITED3a and gcCITED3b proteins share 72% amino acid identity, and are highly similar to the CITED3 proteins of both chicken and Xenopus. Northern blot analysis indicates that the mRNA expression of gcCited3a and gcCited3b is strongly induced by hypoxia in the kidney and liver, respectively. Luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that both gene promoters are activated by gcHIF-1. Further, ChIP assays comparing normal and hypoxic conditions reveal differential in vivo binding of gcHIF-1 to both gene promoters in kidney and liver tissues. HRE-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that both gcCITED3a and gcCITED3b proteins inhibit gcHIF-1 transcriptional activity, and GST pull-down assays confirmed that both proteins bind specifically to the CH1 domain of the grass carp p300 protein. CONCLUSION: The grass carp gcCITED3a and gcCITED3b genes are differentially expressed and regulated in different fish organs in response to hypoxic stress. This is the first report demonstrating in vivo regulation of two closely-related CITED3 isogenes by HIF-1, as well as CITED3 regulation of HIF-1 transcriptional activity in fish. Overall, our findings suggest that unique molecular mechanisms operate through these two gcCITED3 isoforms that likely play an important regulatory role in the hypoxic response in the grass carp.

Learning on mobile augmented reality trails of integrity and ethics.

At the heart of university education, there must be an emphasis on students developing academic integrity and ethics (AIE), which is essential for their personal development and future professional careers. This paper reports on a project which employs an augmented reality (AR) interface accessed on mobile devices to bring AIE scenarios alive for students in everyday campus contexts. Mobile learning paths called 'Trails of Integrity and Ethics' (TIEs) have been created on Hong Kong university campuses, with students walking through study locations where ethical dilemmas might arise, and using an AR app to learn about, consider and respond to a range of problematic scenarios. In addition, subject-specific TIEs have been developed in which students face ethical dilemmas specific to their disciplines, and are tasked with responding according to professional norms and standards. After the first 2 years of this 4-year funded project, more than 1000 students have participated in the TIEs. Analysis of data from their mobile device clickstreams, pre- and post-trail reflective texts and user experience surveys has led to encouraging initial findings. There is some early evidence suggesting that the mobile AR trails have helped students to become more active and engaged in their learning of abstract conceptual knowledge about AIE, and that their perspectives on AIE have changed as they have begun to link ethical dilemmas on the TIEs with their everyday realities.

Novel antifouling and antimicrobial compound from a marine-derived fungus Ampelomyces sp.

In this study, using a bioassay-guided isolation and purification procedure, we obtained 3-chloro-2,5-dihydroxybenzyl alcohol from a marine-derived Ampelomyces species that effectively inhibited larval settlement of the tubeworm Hydroides elegans and of cyprids of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite. The inhibitive effect on larval settlement was nontoxic and the EC50 of 3-chloro-2,5-dihydroxybenzyl alcohol ranged from 3.19 microg ml-1 to 3.81 microg ml-1 while the LC50 was 266.68 microg ml-1 for B. amphitrite cyprids; EC50 ranged from 0.67 microg ml-1 to 0.78 microg ml-1, and LC50 was 2.64 microg ml-1 for competent larvae of H. elegans, indicating that inhibitive effect of this compound was nontoxic. At a concentration of 50 mug per disc, this compound showed strong inhibitive effects on the growth of 13 out of 15 marine bacterial species tested in disc diffusion bioassay. Overall, the high inhibitory activities against bacteria and larval settlement as well as the non- or low-toxic nature of this compound to the barnacle and polychaete larvae suggest this compound could be a potent antifoulant and/or antibiotic.

Transcriptional regulation and functional implication of the grass carp CITED1 (gcCITED1) in the negative regulation of HIF-1.

Hypoxia triggers a broad range of gene responses that are primarily mediated by the transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) that complexes with the transcriptional coactivator CREB-binding protein/p300 (CBP/p300). In mammals, members of the CBP/p300-interacting transactivators with ED-rich tail (CITED) family, such as CITED2 and CITED4, bind CBP/p300 with high affinity and thereby negatively regulate HIF-1 transactivation. In fish, we have previously shown that two CITED3 homologues from the hypoxia-tolerant grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) are induced by hypoxia/HIF-1 and able to inhibit HIF-1 transactivation. Here we report the identification and functional characterization of the grass carp CITED1 (gcCITED1) protein as a new repressor of HIF-1-mediated transcriptional activity. Expression of gcCITED1 mRNA was increased in heart, kidney and liver in vivo after exposure to hypoxia. Luciferase reporter and ChIP assays, respectively, indicated the inducibility of the gcCITED1 promoter by gcHIF-1 and the in vivo binding of gcHIF-1 to the gcCITED1 promoter. Ectopic overexpression of gcCITED1 significantly attenuated HIF-1-dependent transactivation of a HRE-luciferase reporter gene. Furthermore, GST pull-down confirmed that gcCITED1 specifically binds via its CR2 domain to the CH1 region of the grass carp p300 coactivator. Overall, our findings suggest that the hypoxia/gcHIF-1-inducible gcCITED1 may function in a negative feedback loop to regulate gcHIF-1 activity in response to hypoxia stress.

Effect of culture conditions on mycelial growth, antibacterial activity, and metabolite profiles of the marine-derived fungus Arthrinium c.f. saccharicola.

The effects of culture conditions and competitive cultivation with bacteria on mycelial growth, metabolite profile, and antibacterial activity of the marine-derived fungus Arthrinium c.f. saccharicola were investigated. The fungus grew faster at 30 degrees C, at pH 6.5 and in freshwater medium, while exhibited higher antibacterial activity at 25 degrees C, at pH 4.5, 5.5, and 7.5, and in 34 ppt seawater medium. The fungus grew faster in a high-nitrogen medium that contained 0.5% peptone and/or 0.5% yeast extract, while exhibiting higher bioactivity in a high-carbon medium that contained 2% glucose. The fungal growth was inhibited when it was co-cultured with six bacterial species, particularly the bacterium Pseudoalteromonas piscida. The addition of a cell free culture broth of this bacterium significantly increased the bioactivity of the fungus. Metabolite profiles of the fungus revealed by gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry showed clear difference among different treatments, and the change of relative area of three peaks in GC profile followed a similar trend with the bioactivity variation of fungal extracts. Our results showed clear differences in the optimal conditions for achieving maximal mycelial growth and bioactivity of the fungus, which is important for the further study on the mass cultivation and bioactive compounds isolation from this fungus.

Conditional over-expression of estrogen receptor alpha in a transgenic mouse model.

Attempts to delineate the mechanisms of estrogen action have promoted the creation of several estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) mouse models in the past decade. These traditional models are limited by the fact that the receptors are either absent or present throughout all stages of development. The purpose of this work was to develop a conditional transgenic model that would provide an in vivo method of controlling the spatial and temporal regulation of ERalpha expression. The tetracycline responsive system was utilized. Three lines of transgenic mice carrying a transgene composed of the coding sequence for murine ERalpha placed under the regulatory control of a tet operator promoter (tet-op) were generated. These three lines of tet-op-mERa mice were each mated to an established line of transgenic mice expressing a tetracycline-dependent transactivator protein (tTA) from the mouse mammary tumor virus-long terminal repeat (MMTV-LTR). Double transgenic MMTV-tTA/tet-op-mERalpha mice were produced. All three lines demonstrated dominant gain of ERalpha shown by RT-PCR, immunoprecipitation, and immunohistochemistry. Transgene-specific ERalpha was expressed in numerous tissues including the mammary gland, salivary gland, testis, seminal vesicle, and epididymis. Expression was silenced by administration of doxycycline in the drinking water. This model can be utilized to evaluate the consequences of ERalpha dominant gain in targeted tissues at specific times during development. In this study dominant gain of ERalpha was associated with a reduction in epididymal/vas deferens and seminal vesicle weights consistent with the proposed action of ERalpha on fluid transport in the male reproductive tract. Combining this model with other dominant gain and gene knockout mouse models will be useful for testing effects of ERalpha action in combination with specific gene products and to evaluate if developmental and stage-specific expression of ERalpha can rescue identified phenotypes in gene knockout mice.