Increasing Knowledge and Skills of Graduate Students Using Experiential Education

This study examined the impact of experiential education through the utilization of vignettes on graduate student knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the area of written language disorders. Graduate students enrolled in a written language disorders class completed assessment measures designed to examine clinical understanding and confidence when preparing to teach a client exhibiting a written language disorder. The impact of the use of vignettes in the learning process was measured using pre- and post-tests, class surveys, and focus group interviews. Students demonstrated significant improvement in their knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding written language disorders. All pre- and post-course comparisons were significant (p \u3c .01). Therefore, the use of vignettes in a graduate level written language disorders course created learning experiences which resulted in the transformation of factual and theoretical knowledge into active clinical understanding and clinical confidence

A novel method of screening combinations of angiostatics identifies bevacizumab and temsirolimus as synergistic inhibitors of glioma-induced angiogenesis.

Tumor angiogenesis is critical for the growth and progression of cancer. As such, angiostasis is a treatment modality for cancer with potential utility for multiple types of cancer and fewer side effects. However, clinical success of angiostatic monotherapies has been moderate, at best, causing angiostatic treatments to lose their early luster. Previous studies demonstrated compensatory mechanisms that drive tumor vascularization despite the use of angiostatic monotherapies, as well as the potential for combination angiostatic therapies to overcome these compensatory mechanisms. We screened clinically approved angiostatics to identify specific combinations that confer potent inhibition of tumor-induced angiogenesis. We used a novel modification of the ex ovo chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model that combined confocal and automated analyses to quantify tumor angiogenesis induced by glioblastoma tumor onplants. This model is advantageous due to its low cost and moderate throughput capabilities, while maintaining complex in vivo cellular interactions that are difficult to replicate in vitro. After screening multiple combinations, we determined that glioblastoma-induced angiogenesis was significantly reduced using a combination of bevacizumab (Avastin®) and temsirolimus (Torisel®) at doses below those where neither monotherapy demonstrated activity. These preliminary results were verified extensively, with this combination therapy effective even at concentrations further reduced 10-fold with a CI value of 2.42E-5, demonstrating high levels of synergy. Thus, combining bevacizumab and temsirolimus has great potential to increase the efficacy of angiostatic therapy and lower required dosing for improved clinical success and reduced side effects in glioblastoma patients