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Higher education institutions are expected to produce career-ready graduates who are equipped for the challenges of the 21st century. Employability experts argue that this can be achieved by integrating career development learning (CDL) into the curriculum. The informational interview helps students learn more about a career by interviewing a professional working in a field of interest, and helps students to make decisions regarding their career plans. The aims of the study were to determine students': 1) preferred career paths and career identity at the midpoint of their non-specialist degree; and 2) experiences and perceptions of an informational interview module. An informational interview module was embedded into a second-year human biosciences subject taken by students in undergraduate non-specialist health-related STEM degrees. Students indicated their preferred career, learned about informational interviews, and conducted an interview with a professional working in the field they wished to enter. After the interview, students completed reflection activities, responding to open-ended and Likert-scale questions. 91 student reflections were analysed to determine students' career identity, and their experiences and perceptions of the module. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on Likert-scale answers and inductive thematic analysis was conducted on open-ended answers. Students' career preferences were wide-ranging, with allied health the most popular. Career identity was reasonably well established in this cohort. The student experience was overall positive, and students' thought the module was useful in supporting their career planning and career development. In conclusion, an informational interview assignment is an effective career development tool for human biosciences students.

Objectives: There is evidence that treatment with nerve growth factor (NGF) may reduce neuroinflammation and apoptosis after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). NGF is thought to exert its effects via binding to either TrkA or p75 neurotrophin receptors. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a selective TrkA agonist, gambogic amide (GA), on TBI pathology and outcomes in mice following lateral fluid percussion injury. Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were given either a TBI or sham injury, and then received subcutaneous injections of either 2 mg/kg of GA or vehicle at 1, 24, and 48 h post-injury. Following behavioural studies, mice were euthanized at 72 h post-injury for analysis of neuroinflammatory, apoptotic, and neurite outgrowth markers. Results: Behavioural testing revealed that GA did not mitigate motor deficits after TBI. TBI caused an increase in cortical and hippocampal expression of several markers of neuroinflammation and apoptosis compared to sham groups. GA treatment did not attenuate these increases in expression, possibly contributed to by our finding of TrkA receptor down-regulation post-TBI. Conclusions: These findings suggest that GA treatment may not be suitable for attenuating TBI pathology and improving outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NADPH oxidases contribute to brain injury, yet they may also have a role in brain repair, particularly in vascular signaling and angiogenesis. This study determined the temporal and spatial profile of NADPH oxidase subunit expression/activity concurrently with angiogenesis in the brain following transient ischemic stroke induced by prolonged constriction of the middle cerebral artery by perivascular injection of endothelin-1 in conscious Hooded Wistar rats (n = 47). VEGF mRNA expression was increased in the ipsilateral cortex and striatum between 6 h and 28 days post-stroke concurrently with a marked increase in Nox2 mRNA expression up to 7 days, and increased Nox4 mRNA expression detected between 7 and 28 days. Point counting of blood vessels using Metamorph imaging software showed increased vascular sprouting between 3 and 7 days after stroke with new vascular networks detected in the core infarct region by 14 days. Angiogenic blood vessels 3 and 7 days post-stroke were observed to co-localise with both Nox2 antibody and dihydroethidium fluorescence suggesting a role for Nox2 generated superoxide during the phase of vascular remodeling, whilst Nox4 expression was detected once new cerebral vessels had formed. These results indicate for the first time that ROS signaling through a cerebrovascular Nox2 NADPH oxidase may be important in initiating brain angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Himalayan glaciers have shrunk rapidly in recent years, but provide a vital water resource for those living in their densely populated downstream catchments. Many of these glaciers are debris-covered, which strongly influences their response to climate change. Surface melt ponds are characteristic of debris-covered glaciers and can greatly enhance local melt rates. Furthermore, surface ponds can grow rapidly in size and coalesce to form large lakes. The growth of these glacial ponds and lakes represents a major hazard in the form of outburst floods, which can cause catastrophic damage downstream. Here, we use high-resolution (10 m) Sentinel-2A satellite imagery to quantify the spatiotemporal changes of 6,425 supraglacial ponds for 10 glaciers in Everest region of Nepal. Our analysis spans the period 2015-2018 and represents the most up-to-date study of ice surface ponds in the region. All 10 glaciers displayed an overall increase in ponded area over the study period, however year to year variation and glacier to glacier variation was observed. On the three larger glaciers (Ngozumpa, Pangbung and Khumbu) pond number reduced over the period, suggesting coalescence, whilst on the smaller glaciers pond number increased, suggesting ponded area is growing via new pond formation. Both Imja and Spillway Lake expanded over the period, and Khumbu Glacier continued to develop a chain of connected ponds, indicative of large lake development. Ice cliffs were found on all 10 glaciers, and a higher percentage of ponds had an adjacent cliff than didn't (54%), however cliffs were found to have little impact on pond growth, with more pond forming without a cliff during the study. Ponds were found to form irrespective of the surface slope, but favored locations of lower surface velocity (e.g. the terminus). Our data demonstrate that high-resolution imagery (<10m) is required to prevent omissions of smaller ponds, which account for 28-59% of the total number of ponds identified here. Finally, we classify the proglacial lakes in our study regions according to stage of glacial lake development (Komori et al., 2008; Robertson et al., 2012). We find that two lakes transitioned between stages during out study period, which indicates that lakes in the region are evolving rapidly. Furthermore, we find that some of the study lakes display characteristics of multiple classes in previous classification systems, so we propose an adapted classification system. Overall, our results demonstrate a continued trend of pond expansion, and thus heightened risk of outburst floods in the coming decades in the Everest Region, and should continue to be monitored closely to support regional hazard assessments. Key Words: Supraglacial Ponds, Debris, Ice-cliffs, Sentinel-2A, Outburst floods, Hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Death of pancreatic islet beta cells is a common feature of type 1 and 2 diabetes and often follows islet cell transplantation. Measurement of blood glucose is currently the only blunt instrument available to diagnose diabetes mellitus, and we lack tools to quantify islet cell loss or protection thereof. A class of RNA molecules (called microRNAs/miRNAs/miRs) that regulate endogenous gene expression via mRNA cleavage or translational arrest have been identified to be critical for birth, maintenance and regeneration of pancreatic beta cells. Recent demonstration that microRNAs can potentially be utilised as biomarkers due to their serum stability, has triggered increasing interest in understanding their role as regulators or biomarkers of disease. This review aims to delve into the potential of miRNA biomarkers, and whether miRNA profiles are indicators or effector of disease pathology. Furthermore, an outline for identifying and confirming islet-specific miRNA biomarkers is discussed.