A Leadership Laboratory: Exploring the Use of Case-in-Point Pedagogy to Develop Complex Thinking in Leaders

Leadership scholars have identified a growing gap between the complexity of 21st century organizations and the capabilities of individuals in positions of leadership to adequately address these challenges. This gap has contributed to a so-called complexity crisis—a situation in which the demands placed on those in leadership positions increases “at a rate that significantly outstrips the rate at which” leaders are cognitively developing (Rich-Tolsma & Oliver, 2016, p. 1). One way to respond to this growing need for complex adult thinking is through metacognitive development initiatives. However, finding educational methods to promote metacognitive development has proven to be difficult. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a course utilizing Case-in-Point (CIP) teaching methods at the University of San Diego (USD) could be a successful strategy for developing metacognitive knowledge in adult students. The study explored a) the experiences of students in a CIP course and whether the pedagogy supported or inhibited their learning and growth and b) the extent to which the constructs and theories of metacognitive development aligned with, or, possibly, contradicted, the data collected. A qualitative approach, using both inductive and abductive methods, was employed to analyze participant interviews, class observations, student assignments, course materials, and developmental assessments. Findings suggest the course is distinctive in its experimental nature and format, and that specific elements of the pedagogy generated transformative participant experiences and produced growth through the leveraging of productive discomfort. Some other elements of the course, however, appeared not only to be uncomfortable but also unhelpful in promoting personal learning and growth. Consistent with these findings, most participants’ assessments often were paradoxical, meaning participants offered affirmation and critique, almost simultaneously, when reflecting on the value of the pedagogy and course experience. Finally, the study found that there was alignment between the course goals and objectives and the constructs of metacognition, but metacognitive development varied depending on the level of student engagement and buy-in to the course pedagogy. This study offered recommendations and insight from the data regarding the course structure, assignments, and facilitation of case-in-point methods moving forward

Msit No'kmaq: An Exploration of Positionality and Identity in Indigenous Research

In this paper I explore the Mi’kmaq words Mist No’kmaq, which can be translated as ‘all my relations’. Msit No'kmaq is not only at the center of who I am as a person, but also who I am becoming as a researcher. Reflecting on how to honor all my relations within research, has allowed me to explore my beliefs about research, thereby developing a clear understanding of the purpose and intentions of engaging in Indigenous research. Rather than seeing researchers as insiders or outsiders within the context of Indigenous communities, I argue that it is important to engage in reflexive processes that make visible a researcher’s positionality and who they are and are becoming.   *Keywords: Identity, positionality, Indigenous research, relations, relational accountabilit

Hipopituitarismo e síndrome amenorreia-galactorreia causados por trombose de aneurisma carotídeo e da artéria carótida no pescoço: relato de caso

Giant intra and parasellar aneurysm with a spontaneous thrombosis of internal carotid artery is rare. We report the case of a 34 years old woman presenting a unique giant sellar and parasellar aneurysm associated with hypopituitarism and amenorrhea-galactorrhea syndrome. Computed tomographic scans and magnetic resonance images were suggestive of a sellar tumor with a cystic component. Digital cerebral angiography showed spontaneous thrombosis of a intrasellar and parasellar carotid artery aneurysm and left internal carotid artery in the neck. A transseptal endoscopic biopsy was done and confirmed a thrombosed aneurysm. No other surgical treatment was required in this patient but permanent endocrinological treatment was necessary.Aneurismas selares e paraselares gigantes com trombose da artéria carótida cervical e intracraniana são raros. Apresentamos o caso de mulher de 34 anos apresentando hipopituitarismo e síndrome amenorréia-galactorréia. A tomografia computadorizada craniana e a ressonância magnética foram sugestivas de tumor selar com componente cístico. Angiografia digital cerebral mostrou aneurisma único gigante selar e parasselar e trombose completa da artéria carótida comum esquerda no pescoço. A biopsia transeptal endoscópica da lesão mostrou tratar-se de aneurisma carotídeo trombosado. Não foi realizado nenhum outro tratamento cirúrgico na paciente, mas apenas tratamento endocrinológico de reposição.Fortaleza General Hospital Department of NeuroendocrinologyUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM)Federal University of Ceará Department of AnesthesiologyFortaleza General Hospital Department of Neck and Head SurgeryUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Little Data on Whether Charters Make a Difference When College is the Goal

Some charters are too young to measure how their students perform. Others collect data in a spotty way. And official statistics make comprehensive comparisons difficult. Link to capstone project: http://citylimits.org/2016/12/28/little-data-on-whether-charters-make-a-difference-when-college-is-the-goal

Residual tumor cells that drive disease relapse after chemotherapy do not have enhanced tumor initiating capacity.

Although chemotherapy is used to treat most advanced solid tumors, recurrent disease is still the major cause of cancer-related mortality. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been the focus of intense research in recent years because they provide a possible explanation for disease relapse. However, the precise role of CSCs in recurrent disease remains poorly understood and surprisingly little attention has been focused on studying the cells responsible for re-initiating tumor growth within the original host after chemotherapy treatment. We utilized both xenograft and genetically engineered mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to characterize the residual tumor cells that survive chemotherapy treatment and go on to cause tumor regrowth, which we refer to as tumor re-initiating cells (TRICs). We set out to determine whether TRICs display characteristics of CSCs, and whether assays used to define CSCs also provide an accurate readout of a cell's ability to cause tumor recurrence. We did not find consistent enrichment of CSC marker positive cells or enhanced tumor initiating potential in TRICs. However, TRICs from all models do appear to be in EMT, a state that has been linked to chemoresistance in numerous types of cancer. Thus, the standard CSC assays may not accurately reflect a cell's ability to drive disease recurrence

Uneven distribution of cobamide biosynthesis and dependence in bacteria predicted by comparative genomics.

The vitamin B12 family of cofactors known as cobamides are essential for a variety of microbial metabolisms. We used comparative genomics of 11,000 bacterial species to analyze the extent and distribution of cobamide production and use across bacteria. We find that 86% of bacteria in this data set have at least one of 15 cobamide-dependent enzyme families, but only 37% are predicted to synthesize cobamides de novo. The distribution of cobamide biosynthesis and use vary at the phylum level. While 57% of Actinobacteria are predicted to biosynthesize cobamides, only 0.6% of Bacteroidetes have the complete pathway, yet 96% of species in this phylum have cobamide-dependent enzymes. The form of cobamide produced by the bacteria could be predicted for 58% of cobamide-producing species, based on the presence of signature lower ligand biosynthesis and attachment genes. Our predictions also revealed that 17% of bacteria have partial biosynthetic pathways, yet have the potential to salvage cobamide precursors. Bacteria with a partial cobamide biosynthesis pathway include those in a newly defined, experimentally verified category of bacteria lacking the first step in the biosynthesis pathway. These predictions highlight the importance of cobamide and cobamide precursor salvaging as examples of nutritional dependencies in bacteria

Untold Perspectives: The Impact of the Closure of a Health Institution in a Black Community in North St. Louis County

Based on the literature of social determinants of health, health equity, and anchor institutions, it is evident that hospitals have a role to play in ensuring the health of their community. However, our understanding of the impact of hospital closures is limited, especially when it comes to Black communities. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of the closure of the Normandy Osteopathic Hospital to the social determinants of health—specifically access to care and economic stability as it relates to income and wealth generation—for a Black community in one near-North suburb of St. Louis. Ten individuals with a connection to the Normandy Osteopathic Hospital were interviewed using qualitative methods and an oral history protocol. Data was coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings showed layers of disinvestment over time through national and local health care management decisions. Findings also showed that the hospital closure not only had an impact on access to health care, but also on community self-worth and economic wellbeing. As a result of these findings, policy implications and recommendations are explored

Estrogen Regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin Pathway in Osteocytes in Response to Mechanical Loading

Title from PDF of title page viewed January 27, 2021Dissertation advisor: Mark L. JohnsonVitaIncludes bibliographical references (page 101-107)Thesis (Ph.D.)--School of Dentistry and School of Pharmacy. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2019Osteoporosis is a major health concern, especially for women who are peri- and post-menopausal. During this time, estrogen levels dramatically decline followed by a subsequent loss of bone density, which increases risk of bone fracture. The increased fragility of bone negatively affects the patient’s quality of life by limiting the performance of everyday activities and increasing the frequency of physician visits and medical care costs. Estrogen exerts its effects on bone at various levels. One important, yet poorly understood, aspect of its action is on the osteocyte, the most abundant cell in bone and thought to be the primary cell involved in sensing mechanical loads. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is activated in the osteocyte upon mechanical loading. The role of estrogen (specifically estrogen loss) in regulation of this pathway in osteocytes is not fully understood. I hypothesize that estrogen is a critical factor in the responsiveness of the osteocyte to mechanical loading via regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway; and in the absence of estrogen, osteocytes will have a decreased activation upon mechanical loading. The specific aims are: 1) determine the effects of ovariectomy (OVX) on the ability of the osteocyte to activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in response to mechanical load; 2) determine the role of estrogen on the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in vitro in response to mechanical load. The OVX group failed to activate osteocyte β-catenin signaling at 24 hours post-loading, which is normal peak activation time point of the pathway following loading. Trabecular bone had significant decreases in bone mineral density, bone volume/total volume and trabecular thickness in the OVX group, along with increases in osteoclasts and decreases in osteoblast numbers. Bone micro-architecture (lacunar size and volume) and biomechanical properties remained unchanged. In vitro studies showed osteocyte activation with fluid flow and the addition of Wnt3a, and activation was attenuated with the addition of an estrogen receptor inhibitor. These findings are consistent with a change in the intrinsic ability of the osteocyte to respond to loading in the absence of estrogen and support the hypothesis that estrogen plays a critical role in the osteocyte’s responsiveness to mechanical loading.Introduction -- Methods and Materials -- Results -- Discussion -- Conclusion

Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program (AGEP): Financial literacy and savings—Two-year follow-up

Through the Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program (AGEP), the Population Council and partners implemented a social, health, and economic asset-building program in Zambia for over 11,000 vulnerable adolescent girls aged 10–19 years. The AGEP intervention was comprised of three major components: 1) weekly safe spaces groups in which girls met once a week for two years for training on sexual and reproductive health, life skills, and financial education; 2) a health voucher that girls could use at contracted private and public facilities for general wellness and sexual and reproductive health services; and 3) a savings account that was designed by the National Savings and Credit Bank of Zambia (Natsave) specifically to be girl-friendly. This brief presents results from the program, which indicate that AGEP set participants on the path of long-term regular savings behavior. In addition, savings accounts remained a motivation for savings behavior—whether formal or informal—even two years after the financial-literacy and regular group meetings ended