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Abstract Virtual Worlds (VWs) like Second Life provide a multiuser 3-D environment that may be utilized for either classroom-based or autonomous language learning. While Second Life is one of the most popular VWs at the current time (especially if differentiated from Massively-Multiplayer Online Games like World of Warcraft), there are a number of other VW platforms that, taken together, dwarf Second Life in terms of users. A few of these include: Active Worlds, Entropia Universe, Furcadia, Club Penguin; and MMOGs like the aforementioned World of Warcraft, Runescape, Lineage II, etc. In addition to these worlds, there are also more customized environments such as Croquet and OpenSimulator. As researchers and teachers of languages and literature, our challenge is to determine which of these environments, if any, is appropriate for the group(s) of students we wish to teach and/or study. This article will provide a rationale for the use of VWs in education and also an overview of some of the most applicable Virtual Worlds and discuss the strengths, weakness, and dangers of each.

Abstract Background General practice staff are reluctant to discuss sexual health opportunistically in all consultations. Health promotion materials may help alleviate this barrier. Chlamydia screening promotion posters and leaflets, produced by the English National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP), have been available to general practices, through local chlamydia screening offices, since its launch. In this study we explored the attitudes of general practice staff to these screening promotional materials, how they used them, and explored other promotional strategies to encourage chlamydia screening. Methods Twenty-five general practices with a range of screening rates, were purposively selected from six NCSP areas in England. In focus groups doctors, nurses, administrative staff and receptionists were encouraged to discuss candidly their experiences about their use and opinions of posters, leaflets and advertising to promote chlamydia screening. Researchers observed whether posters and leaflets were on display in reception and/or waiting areas. Data were collected and analysed concurrently using a stepwise framework analytical approach. Results Although two-thirds of screening practices reported that they displayed posters and leaflets, they were not prominently displayed in most practices. Only a minority of practices reported actively using screening promotional materials on an ongoing basis. Most staff in all practices were not following up the advertising in posters and leaflets by routinely offering opportunistic screening to their target population. Some staff in many practices thought posters and leaflets would cause offence or embarrassment to their patients. Distribution of chlamydia leaflets by receptionists was thought to be inappropriate by some practices, as they thought patients would be offended when being offered a leaflet in a public area. Practice staff suggested the development of pocket-sized leaflets. Conclusion The NCSP should consider developing a range of more discrete but eye catching posters and small leaflets specifically to promote chlamydia screening in different scenarios within general practice; coordinators should audit their use. Practice staff need to discuss, with their screening co-ordinator, how different practice staff can promote chlamydia screening most effectively using the NCSP promotional materials, and change them regularly so that they do not loose their impact. Education to change all practice staff's attitudes towards sexual health is needed to reduce their worries about displaying the chlamydia materials, and how they may follow up the advertising up with a verbal offer of screening opportunistically to 15-24 year olds whenever they visit the practice.

Given the adverse effect of alcohol in the development of breast cancer among women in the general population, we evaluated whether a similar association exists among women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Information regarding baseline daily alcohol consumption was abstracted from a research questionnaire for 3067 BRCA mutation carriers enrolled in a prospective cohort study. Women were followed biennially until the date of the last follow-up questionnaire, date of breast cancer diagnosis, date of prophylactic bilateral mastectomy, or date of death. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for invasive breast cancer associated with alcohol consumed at or prior to completion of the baseline questionnaire. After a mean of 5.4 years of follow-up, we observed 259 incident cases of primary invasive breast cancer. Compared with non-users, the adjusted RRs were 1.06 (95 % CI 0.78-1.44) for ever use and 1.08 (0.79-1.47) for current alcohol use. For women in the highest versus lowest quintile of cumulative alcohol consumption, the RR was 0.94 (95 % CI 0.63-1.40; P trend = 0.65). Our findings suggest that alcohol consumption is not a risk factor for breast cancer among women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

Purpose: To examine temporal fluctuations in selected plasma protein levels over a period of nearly 4 months and assess biological variation of these proteins across a healthy population cohort., Experimental Design: Plasma was collected from ten healthy volunteers over two time-courses: (i) weekly for 4 weeks; (ii) bimonthly over 4 months and depleted of albumin and IgG. SRM MS was used to determine the relative quantitation of 31 plasma proteins commonly observed in biomarker studies over these time courses. Estimates of between-subject and within-subject biological variances determined by SRM were calculated for each protein., Results: Replicate analysis demonstrated the high precision of SRM assays of plasma proteins. Statistical analysis indicated that none of the measured proteins exhibited significant temporal fluctuations over either time course. Overall, time-based intraindividual quantitative variation of plasma protein levels was considerably lower than biological variation occurring between individual volunteers., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: This study is the first to show robust temporal stability of the plasma proteome in healthy individuals using SRM-based peptide quantitation. This is important as it provides a strong basis for reliable detection of disease/treatment-related changes of these plasma proteins and others using SRM., (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The widespread clinical adoption of protein biomarkers with diagnostic, prognostic and/or predictive value remains a formidable challenge for the biomedical community. From discovery to validation, the path to biomarkers of clinical relevance abounds with many protein candidates, yet so few concrete examples have been substantiated. In this review, we focus on the recent adoption of selected reaction monitoring (SRM) of plasma proteins in the path to clinical use for a broad range of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, genetic disorders and various metabolic disorders. Recent progress reveals a promising outlook for clinical applications using SRM, which now provides the routine analysis of clinically relevant protein markers at low nanogram per millilitre in plasma., (Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

An emphasis of current proteomic research is the validation of plasma protein biomarkers. The process of blood collection itself is critical to the accuracy and reproducibility of quantitative biomarker assays. We have developed selected reaction monitoring (SRM) assays to analyse thirteen abundant plasma proteins and evaluated the impact of three different blood collection tubes on the levels of these proteins. We also assessed the implications of the time taken to analyse plasma samples by evaluating the recovery of these proteins. We showed that SRM detects minor differences in the levels of some proteins which can be attributed to collection tube type. The average recovery for 12 of 18 assays was higher for proteins that were collected in tubes containing protease inhibitors compared to conventional collection tubes. For five of the assays, the differential recovery was statistically significant. Delaying MS analysis of a freeze-thawed sample for 1 hour showed greatly reduced recovery of these analytes; however differences attributed to tube type were only evident at the baseline timepoint. Finally, we assessed the natural variation of circulating levels of these proteins in a cohort of seven healthy individuals. This study provides useful information for researchers contemplating blood collection for undertaking protein biomarker studies.

1. The approximate lethal dose (ALD) of six chlorinated hydrocarbons via the intratracheal route has been determined in rats and compared with published oral LD50 values. 2. The compounds tested in this study were dichloromethane, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform and ethylene dichloride. 3. A method of administering the materials intratracheally to unanaesthetized animals was developed. 4. The intratracheal ALD of the chlorinated hydrocarbons ranged from 3.1 to 17.5% of the oral LD50 and death was peracute. 5. Aspiration of chlorinated hydrocarbons may present more of a hazard than oral toxicity and should be considered when rendering first aid or emergency medical treatment.