Critical Issues and Lessons Learned in Establishing Concurrent International MS Degree Programs in Engineering Technology

Globalization, competitiveness, and innovation are frequently employed themes as governments, business and industry and universities attempt to respond to the challenges facing them. Clearly business as usual is not likely to be successful in the future. One strategic response for universities has been a significant impetus – in many parts of the world – towards dual, joint or concurrent degree programs involving international partners. It is perhaps not surprising that engineering is among the disciplines that make most use of international collaboration but it seems that engineering technology programs do not yet participate as extensively in this aspect of international education. Furthermore, it seems that much of the movement towards such collaborative degrees is occurring at the Master’s level

Hemocompatibility of oxygenators with covalent heparin-binding in a HLM-model

In der vorliegenden Studie wurde untersucht, welche Effekte heparinbeschichtete Oxygenatorsysteme mit kovalenter Heparinbindung (CBAS) im Vergleich zu unbeschichteten Systemen auf die Konzentrations- und damit die Aktivitätsänderungen der Parameter Kallikrein-like activity, Faktor XII-like activity, PMN-Elastase, Thrombozytenzahl und b-Thromboglobulin in Abhängigkeit von der Oberflächenbeschichtung besitzen. Desweiteren wurden die Heparinkonzentrationen der einzelnen Proben bestimmt, um Aussagen über die Stabilität der kovalenten Heparinbindung über eine längere Rezirkulationszeit machen zu können. Es kamen dabei Membranoxygenatoren der Firma Medtronic Inc., Anaheim, CA, USA des Typs Maxima Plus zum Einsatz. Die extrakorporale Zirkulation wurde dabei in einem abgeschlossenen ex-vivo-Modell realitätsnah für 90 Minuten simuliert. Die für diese Versuchsreihe benutzten humanen Vollblutkonserven wurden rekalzifiziert und mit 3IU/ml Heparin ungerinnbar gemacht. Abnahmen erfolgten zu definierten Zeitpunkten. In beiden Gruppen stiegen die Werte für die Kallikrein-like-activity sowie für die FXII-like-activity leicht an. Beide Parameter zeigen eine Aktivierung von Faktor XII und Kallikrein und damit der Kontaktphase durch Kontakt mit unphysiologischen Oberflächen sowie mechanischer Traumatisierung während der Rezirkulation an. Statistisch signifikante Unterschiede fanden sich jedoch nicht. Die Thrombozytenzahl fiel in der unbeschichteten Kontrollgruppe stark ab, um dann wieder gering anzusteigen. In der heparinbeschichteten Gruppe fand sich ein konstanter Abfall der Werte, der jedoch nicht so stark ausfiel wie in der Kontrollgruppe. Bereits nach 5 Minuten Rezirkulation fanden sich in beiden Gruppen hochsignifikante Unterschiede. Der Konzentrationsanstieg für b-Thromboglobulin fiel in der beschichteten Gruppe weniger stark aus als in der unbeschichteten. Es lässt sich ein äquivalenter Verlauf der b-Thromboglobulinwerte zu den Thrombozytenwerten feststellen. Die Werte für die PMN-Elastase steigen in beiden Gruppen an, wobei der Anstieg in der CBAS-Gruppe bereits Minuten nach 20 signifikant geringer ausfiel. Die Heparinkonzentration lag zu Beginn der Rezirkulation im angestrebten Bereich von 3IU/ml, um dann im Verlauf der Rezirkulation abzusinken. Durch den Einsatz der extrakorporalen Zirkulation mittels Herz-Lungen-Maschine werden alle Blutzellen durch den Kontakt mit unphysiologischen Oberflächen und auf chemisch-mechanischem Weg geschädigt. Außerdem kommt es zu einer Aktivierung der Kontaktphase, des Kallikrein-Kinin-Systems sowie des Komplementsystems und aller darauf folgenden Reaktionen. Die Hämokompatibilität von Fremdoberflächen hängt dabei hauptsächlich davon ab, inwieweit der sich am natürlichen Endothel permanent im Wechselspiel befindende Prozeß der Aktivierung und Inhibition von humoralen und zellulären Mediatoren simuliert werden kann. Die Vorteile der Heparinbeschichtung bestehen in der geringeren Adsorption von prokoagulatorischen und proinflamatorischen Proteinen sowie der selektiven Adsorption von antikoagulatorischen und antiinflamatorischen Plasmaproteinen, die einerseits zu einer schnellen Bildung einer blutfreundlichen Sekundärmembran auf der Oberfläche führen und andererseits eine weitere Denaturierung und Aktiverung der adsorbierten Proteine verhindern. Desweiteren konnte bestätigt werden, dass es sich bei der CBAS-Beschichtung um eine Beschichtung handelt, welche sich durch exzellente Stabilität über die 90-minütige Rezirkulation auszeichnet.The present study was undertaken to compare oxygenators with covalent heparin-binding (CBAS) and non-coated oxygenators of the same construction. We assessed the extent of initiation of the different cascade reaction of the human hemostatic systems, especially the concentration and activation of the parameters kallikrein-like activity, factor XII-like activity, PMN-elastase, platelate count, and b-thromboglobulin. We also assayed the concentration of heparin to get information about the stability of the heparin surface in a long circulation period over 90 minutes. In this study, we used membran oxygenators (Maxima Plus PRF, Medtronic Inc., Anaheim, CA, USA) in an ex-vivo-model where fresh human blood was recirculated with oxygen and arterial counter-pressure to simulate clinical conditions. As soon as blood contacts artificial surfaces kallikrein and factor XII are activated. Kallikrein-like activity and factor XII-like activity reflect the activation of kallikrein and factor XII. During the recirculation period an increase could be detected. However, the differences were not statistically significant. In the non-coated oxygenator group platelet count decreased intensivly and showed a slight increase at the end. The heparin coated group also showed a decrease in platelet count, however had significantly higher values compared with the control group. The concentration of b-thromboglobulin increased in both groups and corresponded with the degree of platelet activation. In accordance with the platelet count the non-coated oxygenator group showed a higher increase which was statistically significant. Activation of polymorphnuclear granulocytes results in a release of PMN-elastase out of the granules. In the non-coated oxygenator group we measured significantly higher PMN-elastase concentrations which showed a more intense activation of the granulocytes in this group. In both groups we detected equal heparin concentrations with a small decrease at the end of recirculation. There were no significant differences between the two groups any time. The results confirmed the excellent adhesive quality of the heparin-layer of the heparin coated oxegenators. During extracorporeal circulation with a heart-lung-machine we encountered uncontrolled activation of defensive systems, such as activation of the granulocytes, thrombocytes, kallikrein-kinin-system, complement system and all subsequent reactions. The advantage of heparin-coats shows in the reduced or selective adhesion of plasma proteins which leads to a protective secondary membrane on the one hand, and prevents a further denaturation and hence activation of the adhered proteins on the other hand. Presumably, the artificial surface´s adsorption properties contribute significantly to whether the circulating blood encounters activating or inhibiting stimuli. Thrombogenicity of artificial surfaces seems to depend mainly on the extent to which the activation and inhibition of platelet adhesion and aggregation can be simulated. This equilibrium reaction underlies both plasmatic as well as cellular auto-regulation and reverse feedback mechanisms

International Joint- and Double-Degree Programs

In response to the recent growth of joint and double degree programs over the past two decades, the Institute of International Education and Freie Universität Berlin conducted an international survey that assessed the challenges, opportunities, motivations, and impact of developing collaborative degree programs from a global perspective

Critical issues and lessons learned in establishing concurrent international MS degree programs in engineering technology

Globalization, competitiveness, and innovation are frequently employed themes as governments, business and industry and universities attempt to respond to the challenges facing them. Clearly business as usual is not likely to be successful in the future. One strategic response for universities has been a significant impetus – in many parts of the world – towards dual, joint or concurrent degree programs involving international partners. It is perhaps not surprising that engineering is among the disciplines that make most use of international collaboration but it seems that engineering technology programs do not yet participate as extensively in this aspect of international education. Furthermore, it seems that much of the movement towards such collaborative degrees is occurring at the Master’s level. At the 2010 ASEE Conference, the core of this author team presented an overview of the purposes and aspirations of a new concurrent Masters degree project funded jointly by the European Union and the Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education.Peer Reviewe

Critical issues and lessons learned in establishing concurrent international MS degree programs in engineering technology

Globalization, competitiveness, and innovation are frequently employed themes asgovernments, business and industry and universities attempt to respond to the challenges facing them. Clearly business as usual is not likely to be successful in the future. One strategic response for universities has been a significant impetus – in many parts of the world – towards dual, joint or concurrent degree programs involving international partners. It is perhaps not surprising that engineering is among the disciplines that make most use of international collaboration but it seems that engineering technology programs do not yet participate as extensively in this aspect of international education. Furthermore, it seems that much of the movement towards such collaborative degrees is occurring at the Master’s level.At the 2010 ASEE Conference, the core of this author team presented an overview of thepurposes and aspirations of a new concurrent Masters degree project funded jointly by the European Union and the Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education.Peer Reviewe