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The thesis presents a case-study through which the linguistic purpose and historical and social context of the University of London Holiday Course in English Language for Foreign Teachers, is analysed and interpreted. The study foregrounds the context, content and development of one of the smallest academic units, a four-week short course, to contribute to our understanding of how international students of English language were taught and assessed in a particular university context in the early 20th century. The period from 1903 to 1952 is examined in order to understand why the course was successful and the impact of the work of Walter Ripman (1869–1947) who directed the course until 1939. Ripman is better known as a teacher of German and a significant figure in the German Reform Movement, which originated in 19th century Germany, but his approach to culture, phonetics and vocabulary acquisition in English language teaching and learning is less well known. The study goes beyond a history of his methodology to investigate and critically assess the formula that Ripman developed for the design of the short, university English language course and compares it with a similar course run at University College London by Daniel Jones. The changes that were made to the content and purpose of the course, following Ripman’s retirement in 1939, are examined as to how far they reflected the effects of war and the continued desire to internationalise the University itself by aligning the content of the courses more closely to the University programmes. The nature and importance of the web of relationships between staff in the success and longevity of the course are analysed and in particular the contribution of women to better understand their role in the learned world at that time., Tiivistelmä Tässä tapaustutkimuksessa analysoidaan ja tulkitaan Lontoon yliopiston ulkomaisille opettajille suunnatun englannin kielen lomakurssin kielellisiä tavoitteita sekä historiallista ja sosiaalista kontekstia. Tutkimus nostaa tarkastelun kohteeksi yhden pienimmistä akateemisista opintokoko-naisuuksista eli neliviikkoisen lyhytkurssin ja sen kontekstin, sisällön ja kehityksen. Tavoitteena on syventää ymmärrystä siitä, kuinka kansainvälisiä englannin kielen opiskelijoita opetettiin ja arvioitiin tässä yliopistokontekstissa 1903–1952. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on selvittää, miksi kurssi oli menestyksekäs ja mikä rooli tässä oli Walter Ripmanilla (1869–1947), joka johti kurssia vuoteen 1939 asti. Ripman tunnetaan saksan kielen opettajana ja tärkeänä hahmona kieltenopetuksen uudistustyössä, joka alkoi 1800-luvulla Saksassa, mutta hänen englannin opetukseen ja oppimiseen liittyvät näkemyksensä kulttuurista, fonetiikasta ja sanaston oppimisesta ovat vähemmän tunnettuja. Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan Ripmanin metodologian historiaa mutta arvioidaan myös kriittisesti yliopistollisen englannin kielen lyhytkurssin toimintamallia, jota hän kehitti. Mallia verrataan vastaavaan kurssiin, jota Daniel Jones johti Lontoon University Collegessa. Työssä tutkitaan niitä muutoksia, joita tehtiin kurssin sisältöön ja tavoitteisiin sodan jälkeen, kun Ripman oli jo siirtynyt eläkkeelle. Muutoksia tarkastellaan suhteessa yliopiston kansainvälistämispyrkimyksiin ja toiveisiin suunnata kurssisisältöä yliopiston tutkinto-ohjelmien mukaisesti. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa kiinnitetään huomiota henkilökunnan keskinäisten verkostojen luonteeseen ja merkitykseen kurssin menestykselle ja pitkäikäisyydelle sekä erityisesti naisten panokseen ajan akateemisessa maailmassa.

A recent innovation to help patients adhere to daily tuberculosis (TB) treatment over many months is video (or virtually) observed therapy (VOT). VOT is becoming increasingly feasible as mobile telephone applications and tablet computers become more widely available. Studies of the effectiveness of VOT in improving TB patient outcomes are being conducted.

A recent innovation to help patients adhere to daily tuberculosis (TB) treatment over many months is video (or virtually) observed therapy (VOT). VOT is becoming increasingly feasible as mobile telephone applications and tablet computers become more widely available. Studies of the effectiveness of VOT in improving TB patient outcomes are being conducted.

Over the past decade, it has become evident that the microbiome is an important environmental factor that affects many physiological processes, such as cell proliferation and differentiation, behaviour, immune function and metabolism. More importantly, it may contribute to a wide variety of diseases, including cancer, inflammatory diseases, metabolic diseases and responses to pathogens. We expect that international, integrative and interdisciplinary translational research teams, along with the emergence of FDA-approved platforms, will set the framework for microbiome-based therapeutics and diagnostics. We recognize that the microbiome ecosystem offers new promise for personalized/precision medicine and targeted treatment for a variety of diseases. The short course was held as a four-session webinar series in April 2015, taught by pioneers and experts in the microbiome ecosystem, covering a broad range of topics from the healthy microbiome to the effects of an altered microbiome from neonates to adults and the long term effects as it is related to disease, from asthma to cancer. We have learned to appreciate how beneficial our microbes are in breaking down our food, fighting off infections and nurturing our immune system, and this information provides us with ideas as to how we can manipulate our microbiome to prevent certain diseases. However, given the variety of applications, there are scientific challenges, though there are very promising areas in reference to the clinical benefits of understanding more about our microbiome, whether in our gut or on our skin: the outlook is bright. A summary of the short course is presented as a meeting dispatch.

Over the past decade, it has become evident that the microbiome is an important environmental factor that affects many physiological processes, such as cell proliferation and differentiation, behaviour, immune function and metabolism. More importantly, it may contribute to a wide variety of diseases, including cancer, inflammatory diseases, metabolic diseases and responses to pathogens. We expect that international, integrative and interdisciplinary translational research teams, along with the emergence of FDA-approved platforms, will set the framework for microbiome-based therapeutics and diagnostics. We recognize that the microbiome ecosystem offers new promise for personalized/precision medicine and targeted treatment for a variety of diseases. The short course was held as a four-session webinar series in April 2015, taught by pioneers and experts in the microbiome ecosystem, covering a broad range of topics from the healthy microbiome to the effects of an altered microbiome from neonates to adults and the long term effects as it is related to disease, from asthma to cancer. We have learned to appreciate how beneficial our microbes are in breaking down our food, fighting off infections and nurturing our immune system, and this information provides us with ideas as to how we can manipulate our microbiome to prevent certain diseases. However, given the variety of applications, there are scientific challenges, though there are very promising areas in reference to the clinical benefits of understanding more about our microbiome, whether in our gut or on our skin: the outlook is bright. A summary of the short course is presented as a meeting dispatch.

Over the past decade, it has become evident that the microbiome is an important environmental factor that affects many physiological processes, such as cell proliferation and differentiation, behaviour, immune function and metabolism. More importantly, it may contribute to a wide variety of diseases, including cancer, inflammatory diseases, metabolic diseases and responses to pathogens. We expect that international, integrative and interdisciplinary translational research teams, along with the emergence of FDA-approved platforms, will set the framework for microbiome-based therapeutics and diagnostics. We recognize that the microbiome ecosystem offers new promise for personalized/precision medicine and targeted treatment for a variety of diseases. The short course was held as a four-session webinar series in April 2015, taught by pioneers and experts in the microbiome ecosystem, covering a broad range of topics from the healthy microbiome to the effects of an altered microbiome from neonates to adults and the long term effects as it is related to disease, from asthma to cancer. We have learned to appreciate how beneficial our microbes are in breaking down our food, fighting off infections and nurturing our immune system, and this information provides us with ideas as to how we can manipulate our microbiome to prevent certain diseases. However, given the variety of applications, there are scientific challenges, though there are very promising areas in reference to the clinical benefits of understanding more about our microbiome, whether in our gut or on our skin: the outlook is bright. A summary of the short course is presented as a meeting dispatch.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, carry a variety of bio-macromolecules, including mRNA, microRNA, other non-coding RNAs, proteins and lipids. EVs have emerged as a promising, minimally invasive (liquid biopsies) and novel source of material for molecular diagnostics, and may provide a surrogate to tissue biopsy-based biomarkers for a variety of diseases. Although EVs can be easily identified and collected from biological fluids using commercial kits, further research and proper validation is needed in order for them to be useful in the clinical setting. Currently, several EV-based research and diagnostic companies have developed research-based kits and are in the process of working with clinical laboratories to develop and validate EV-based assays for a variety of diseases. The successful clinical application of EV-based diagnostic assays will require close collaboration between industry, academia, regulatory agencies and access to patient samples. We expect that international, integrative and interdisciplinary translational research teams, along with the emergence of FDA-approved platforms, will set the framework for EV-based diagnostics. We recognize that the EV field offers new promise for personalized/precision medicine and targeted treatment in a variety of diseases. A short course was held as a four-session webinar series in September and October 2014, presented by pioneers and experts in the EV domain, covering a broad range of topics from an overview of the field to its applications, and the current state and challenges of the commercialization of EVs for research and an introduction to the clinic. It was concluded with a panel discussion on the regulatory aspects and funding opportunities in this field. A summary of the short course is presented as a meeting dispatch.

PURPOSE: To define the maximum tolerated dose of a conformal short-course accelerated radiotherapy in patients with symptomatic advanced pelvic cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A phase I trial in 3 dose-escalation steps was designed: 14 Gy (3.5-Gy fractions), 16 Gy (4-Gy fractions), and 18 Gy (4.5-Gy fractions). The eligibility criteria included locally advanced and/or metastatic pelvic cancer and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of ≤3. Treatment was delivered in 2 days with twice-daily fractionation and at least an 8-hour interval. Patients were treated in cohorts of 6-12 to define the maximum tolerated dose. The dose-limiting toxicity was defined as any acute toxicity of grade 3 or greater, using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group scale. Pain was recorded using a visual analog scale. The effect on quality of life was evaluated according to Cancer Linear Analog Scale (CLAS). RESULTS: Of the 27 enrolled patients, 11 were male and 16 were female, with a median age of 72 years (range 47-86). The primary tumor sites were gynecologic (48%), colorectal (33.5%), and genitourinary (18.5%). The most frequent baseline symptoms were bleeding (48%) and pain (33%). Only grade 1-2 acute toxicities were recorded. No patients experienced dose-limiting toxicity. With a median follow-up time of 6 months (range 3-28), no late toxicities were observed. The overall (complete plus partial) symptom remission was 88.9% (95% confidence interval 66.0%-97.8%). Five patients (41.7%) had complete pain relief, and six (50%) showed >30% visual analog scale reduction. The overall response rate for pain was 91.67% (95% confidence interval 52.4%-99.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Conformal short course radiotherapy in twice-daily fractions for 2 consecutive days was well tolerated up to a total dose of 18 Gy. A phase II study is ongoing to confirm the efficacy on symptom control and quality of life indexes.

In order to optimise the use of the available means and to constitute sustainable research groups in the European Union, the Severe Accident Research NETwork of Excellence (SARNET) has gathered, between 2004 and 2008, 51 organizations representing most of the actors involved in severe accident (SA) research in Europe plus Canada. This project was co-funded by the European Commission (EC) under the 6th Euratom Framework Programme. Its objective was to resolve the most important pending issues for enhancing, in regard of SA, the safety of existing and future nuclear power plants (NPPs). SARNET tackled the fragmentation that existed between the national R&D programmes, in defining common research programmes and developing common computer codes and methodologies for safety assessment. The Joint Programme of Activities consisted in:Implementing an advanced communication tool for accessing all project information, fostering exchange of information, and managing documents;Harmonizing and re-orienting the research programmes, and defining new ones;Analyzing the experimental results provided by research programmes in order to elaborate a common understanding of relevant phenomena;Developing the ASTEC code (integral computer code used to predict the NPP behaviour during a postulated SA) by capitalizing in terms of physical models the knowledge produced within SARNET;Developing scientific databases, in which the results of research experimental programmes are stored in a common format;Developing a common methodology for probabilistic safety assessment of NPPs;Developing short courses and writing a text book on severe accidents for students and researchers;Promoting personnel mobility amongst various European organizations. This paper presents the major achievements after four and a half years of operation of the network, in terms of knowledge gained, of improvements of the ASTEC reference code, of dissemination of results and of integration of the research programmes condu, QC 20140917

As part of an effort to establish a Louisiana professional Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, with a concentration in transportation engineering, it has been proposed that a number of courses should be offered on different Louisiana campuses through distance learning. Distance learning has also been suggested as a means to offer continuing education to professionals in the state, especially engineers in the State Department of Transportation and Development., The purpose of this project was to develop and offer a short course on a topic of major interest to DOTD through distance learning capabilities, using compressed video. The course was designed to serve two purposes: 1) offer an opportunity for staff of the DOTD, FHWA, and the MPOs to learn about transportation planning and 2) act as a prototype and proof-of-concept test of distance learning education for professionals within these organizations.