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A GIS project is an effective means of linking learning "about" GIS and learning "with" GIS, and it can enhance students' employability. However, individual project work creates challenges that could result in failed assessment. Here we adopt a mixed-methods approach to examine how students of mixed abilities cope with GIS problems and to reveal the variety of support mechanisms they adopt. We also highlight the moral dilemmas of achieving academic success independently. We conclude that more research needs to be conducted into the way staff promote the graduate attribute of independence while still supporting their students.

The basis of immune evasion, a hallmark of cancer, can differ even when cancers arise from one cell type such as in the human skin keratinocyte carcinomas: basal and squamous cell carcinoma. Here we showed that the basal cell carcinoma tumorinitiating cell surface protein CD200, through ectodomain shedding, was responsible for the near absence of NK cells within the basal cell carcinoma tumor microenvironment. In situ, CD200 underwent ectodomain shedding by metalloproteinases MMP3 and MMP11, which released biologically active soluble CD200 into the basal cell carcinoma microenvironment. CD200 bound its cognate receptor on NK cells to suppress MAPK pathway signaling that in turn blocked indirect (IFN-[gamma] release) and direct cell killing. In addition, reduced ERK phosphorylation relinquished negative regulation of PPAR[gamma]- regulated gene transcription and led to membrane accumulation of the Fas/FADD death receptor and its ligand, FasL, which resulted in activation-induced apoptosis. Blocking CD200 inhibition of MAPK or PPAR[gamma] signaling restored NK cell survival and tumor cell killing, with relevance to many cancer types. Our results thus uncover a paradigm for CD200 as a potentially novel and targetable NK cell-specific immune checkpoint, which is responsible for NK cell-associated poor outcomes in many cancers., Introduction Epithelia are constantly exposed to environmental carcinogens and as such epithelial cancers, carcinomas, are the commonest adult malignancies and cancer-associated mortality. The transformation of epithelial tissues, carcinogenesis, is often [...]

Recently, layered rare-earth hydroxides (LRHs) have received growing attention in the field of theranostics. We have previously reported the hydrothermal synthesis of layered terbium hydroxide (LTbH), which exhibited high biocompatibility, reversible uptake of a range of model drugs, and release-sensitive phosphorescence. Despite these favourable properties, LTbH particles produced by the reported method suffered from poor size-uniformity (670 ± 564 nm), and are thus not suitable for therapeutic applications. To ameliorate this issue, we first derive an optimised hydrothermal synthesis method to generate LTbH particles with a high degree of homogeneity and reproducibility, within a size range appropriate for in vivo applications (152 ± 59 nm, n = 6). Subsequently, we apply this optimised method to synthesise a selected range of LRH materials (R = Pr, Nd, Gd, Dy, Er, Yb), four of which produced particles with an average size under 200 nm (Pr, Nd, Gd, and Dy) without the need for further optimisation. Finally, we incorporate Gd and Tb into LRHs in varying molar ratios (1 : 3, 1 : 1, and 3 : 1) and assess the combined magnetic relaxivity and phosphorescence properties of the resultant LRH materials. The lead formulation, LGd1.41Tb0.59H, was demonstrated to significantly shorten the T2 relaxation time of water (r2 = 52.06 mM−1 s−1), in addition to exhibiting a strong phosphorescence signal (over twice that of the other LRH formulations, including previously reported LTbH), therefore holding great promise as a potential multi-modal medical imaging probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A GIS project is an effective means of linking learning about GIS and learning with GIS, and it can enhance students' employability. However, individual project work creates challenges that could result in failed assessment. Here we adopt a mixed-methods approach to examine how students of mixed abilities cope with GIS problems and to reveal the variety of support mechanisms they adopt. We also highlight the moral dilemmas of achieving academic success independently. We conclude that more research needs to be conducted into the way staff promote the graduate attribute of independence while still supporting their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical information systems (GIS) are in tune with the current ethos of higher education because of their perceived vocational value. However, it is particularly difficult to teach GIS vocationally. This paper critiques the claim of vocationalism. The authors use an innovative method of evaluating a module that enlists its alumni to reflect on the career value of their GIS teaching. The survey was analysed to show how, to what extent and for which graduates GIS had been vocationally useful. The paper concludes that GIS is vocational but in variable and complex ways for different students.