Explore the vast range of titles available.

This volume contests the current higher educational paradigm of using objectives and outcomes as ways to measure learning. Instead, the contributors propose approaches to learning that draw upon the creative arts and humanities, including cinema, literature, dance, drama and visual art.

Abstract Advancing social responsibility through higher education (HE) is a crucial goal given today’s fragmented and polarized society. Based on a qualitative survey among lecturers at a British university long committed to HE access, this chapter explores the values that underpin their approach to HE and how these inform how they conceptualize “social responsibility” and embed it in the curriculum. Respondents revealed how core values – inclusivity, social justice, empathy, respect, fostering student engagement, empowerment and critical thinking – aligned to shared notions of social responsibility – enabling equal access, developing informed, aware and active citizens who can contribute for the benefit of society – are infused into choice of content, teaching, learning and assessment activities, and management of the learning environment. Perceived outcomes for students included becoming more motivated, independent and empowered learners ready to face the world, more aware of self and the world around them, feeling valued and respected, and growing in confidence, self-esteem and capacity for critical thinking. It was in the curriculum space of interaction among teachers and students that lectures could, in the face of work constraints, still exercise relative academic freedom and find inspiration and opportunities to advance educational practices connected to their values and HE social responsibility.

Abstract Transnational arrangements between different types of higher education institutions provide an interesting example of partnership working, being business arrangements with learning as a core organising principle. Successful partnerships both learn and work together and can become mutually transformative, sources of growth for the individuals and institutions involved. Individual projects early in the lifecycle of a partnership can support this development, enabling both organisations to take responsibility for relationship building and the demonstration of trust. This approach has the advantage that it takes the focus away from the home/away dichotomy often apparent in discussions of transnational partnership working and instead attention turns to the development of a new hybrid organisation, a ‘third space’ characterised by reciprocity, commitment, effective communication, competence and trust. This chapter provides a case study analysis of a learning and teaching programme which provided the opportunity for a partnership between a London-based university and a private provider in Sri Lanka to have transformational potential. It uses multiple sources of data to identify practical characteristics associated with developing a culture of transformative partnership working which includes the experiences of the ‘boundary spanner’ responsible for its development and leadership.

IntroductionTrafficking of inflammatory lymphocytes to the gut plays a central role in IBD pathogenesis. We analysed the profile of circulating gut homing effector memory T cell subsets in IBD patients. We also evaluated the impact of treatment with Vedolizumab, a monoclonal antibody that binds to integrin α4β7 (β7) and prevents binding to its ligand MAdCAM-1, thereby preventing lymphocyte migration to the gut.MethodsUsing multi parametric flow cytometry, we analysed the gut homing (β7+) effector T-cells (CD3+CD4+CD45RO+CD45RA-CCR7-) including different functional lineages: Th1 (CXCR3+CCR6-); Th2 (CXCR3-CCR6-CCR4+); Th17 (CXCR3-CCR6+) and Th1/17 (CXCR3+CCR6+) from peripheral blood (PB) of healthy controls (HC, n=42) and IBD (n=34) patients, including a prospective analysis of new starters of vedolizumab. Peripheral blood was taken from patients before their first dose of vedolizumab and at each subsequent infusion.ResultsCompared to HC, the proportion of Th1 cells within the gut homing compartment was significantly decreased in PB of IBD patients (median HC 27.3% vs IBD 44%, p<0.0006). In contrast, the proportion of Th17 cells within the gut homing compartment was significantly increased (HC 12% vs IBD 19%, p<0.003). This difference was most striking in ulcerative colitis. There was no significance difference in Th1/17 or Th2 cells in IBD vs HC.In the longitudinal analysis, there was minimal impact on gut homing Th1 cells in vedolizumab treated patients (comparison between baseline and week 8), however, the gut homing Th17 compartment increased over the same time period (from 19.3% at baseline to 29.7% at week 8). The proportion of gut homing Th17 was significantly higher in vedolizumab treated patients at week 8 in comparison to infliximab (n=3) treated IBD patients (37.3% vs 18.3%, p<0.02). There was no change in the proportion of Th1 cells expressing β7 in these groups. Intriguingly, preliminary data indicated that clinical response to vedolizumab (30% fall in HBI or SCCAI at week 8) was associated with a significantly higher median number of Th17 cells expressing β7 compared to non-responders (responders: 46.8% vs non-responders: 29.7%, p<0.04).ConclusionsIBD is characterised by an expansion of circulating gut homing Th17 cells, which is yet further increased following institution of vedolizumab therapy. The magnitude of change could also differentiate between responders and non-responders to treatment, raising the possibility that this test could be used as an early warning biomarker to aid decision making in clinical practice.

The long-term benefits of Helicobacter pylori-eradication treatment (HET) in H pylori-associated duodenal ulcer are unclear. We followed up patients with duodenal ulcers from a trial of H pylori eradication in 1985-86. 63 of 78 patients (81%) were reviewed clinically and had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with gastric antral biopsy. Of 35 patients previously rendered H pylori negative, 32 (92%) remained H pylori negative after 7·1 years (mean). All patients initially H pylori positive remained infected, unless HET was given in the interim. Duodenal ulceration was found in 20% (5 out of 25) of patients remaining H pylori-positive, compared with 3% (1 of 38) of H pylori-negative patients (p< 0·05). The reduction of duodenal ulcer relapse obtained from H pylori eradicaton in H pylori-associated duodenal ulcer extends to at least 7 years after treatment, and is likely to be due to freedom from H pylori infection. However, duodenal ulcer may recur in patients rendered H pylori negative, due to factors other than reinfection with H pylori.