Biomedical subjects

David R Fraser

Publications and source records attributed to David R Fraser.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

Changes with malnutrition in the concentration of plasma vitamin D binding protein in growing rats.

The work presented here examines the possible effects of nutritional deficiencies on the characteristics of the plasma transport protein for vitamin D and its metabolites (vitamin D binding protein, DBP) in the growing rat. Deficiencies in both dietary protein intake and dietary energy intake may decrease the concentration of DBP in the circulation, although plasma DBP was not affected by dietary Ca deficiency. None of the dietary factors examined appears to influence the affinity of DBP for its major ligand, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D(3)). Protein-deficient rats seemed to have difficulty in maintaining adequate concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(OH)(2)D(3)) in the circulation. The sensitivity of DBP to dietary protein and energy intake may constitute a novel mechanism that may help to explain the observed associations between malnutrition and the development of metabolic bone disease, through alterations to the cellular availability of vitamin D ligands to DBP.

25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2↗

PubMed2002

The Cornell Leadership Program for Veterinary Students.

Cornell University hosts a summer program for veterinary students who aspire to research careers. The program features independent, faculty-guided research; vocational counseling; and professional enrichment activities that seek to build teamwork skills and to foster critical thinking and effective communication. A total of 255 students from 49 veterinary colleges worldwide have taken part in the program since 1990. Among those who have completed their veterinary education, approximately half have followed career trajectories of the kind envisioned by the program. While this outcome is gratifying, it was also learned that some program graduates subsequently withdrew from a research-oriented academic track after many years of graduate study. That disquieting outcome underscores the need to inform aspiring veterinary scientists about the realities of a research career; to structure their graduate studies in a manner that will maximize their prospects of success; to provide them with ongoing guidance and assistance; and to reward them at a level that will ensure that they remain in training for a period sufficient to realize their career expectations.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

An exercise in leadership training for veterinary students aiming for careers in biomedical research.

A group discussion on the theme of "leadership" has been a central event in the annual Cornell Leadership Program for Veterinary Students since 1990. However, these discussions were often unfocused and did not readily demonstrate the leadership skills of distinguished guests who were invited to participate. Since 1998, a new format for this session has been developed in which students and guests are assigned individual roles in a scenario that is unfolded by a moderator over two to three hours. This role-playing exercise ensures that every student is obliged to participate and has an opportunity to practice such leadership skills as critical thinking, verbal communication, and decision making under pressure and with inadequate information. The distinguished guests, in their assigned roles, are able to interact freely with the student fellows and thus demonstrate their expertise as experienced leaders. This challenging experience has become an enjoyable part of the 10-week Leadership Program and one that shows the importance of leadership skills for those who aspire to careers in the biomedical sciences.

Animals↗