Incorporating Magazine Project to Teach Fashion Styling Course

When college students first enter a fashion apparel/textiles design and merchandising program, they seldom know the exact career path they either wish to enter or would excel in. Partially due to the vast career opportunities available in apparel merchandising, retailing and promotions within the greater fashion industry, fashion students are often left confused of their career path as they matriculate through their academic program. Although most fashionrelated programs offer some form of curricula structure to allow undergraduate students the opportunity to explore various sectors within the courses offered at the institution (often referred as “elective”, “specialization” or “emphasis” courses), some career topics are still left untapped

Learning Professional Dress through Peer-Evaluation

Aspects of professional attire/dress and its influence have been examined in both the educational and nonacademic settings, suggesting the importance of appearance management in the work environment (Okoro & Washington, 2011; Cardon & Okoro, 2009). Furthermore, there has been much discourse on pedagogical aspects of teaching professionalism, including what is usually deemed ‘appropriate’ for one’s profession. However, our literature review suggests a gap in research addressing what and how college students entering the general apparel and textiles industries should wear to internships and networking events. For the last three years, I have been teaching a 300 level course focusing on the creating, marketing, manufacturing and retailing of textiles/apparel/home fashion goods; the business of fashion

Student and faculty perceptions of online clothing and textile courses

An exploratory evaluation of ITAA proceedings from the past five years indicates that there have been limited studies regarding practices and assignments in online clothing and textile (CT) courses. It is important to continue assessment of online education in the CT discipline because the most recent “Going the Distance: Online Education in the United States” report indicates that 31.1% of college students are enrolled in an online course with a 10% or more increase in enrollment each year since 2002 (Allen & Seaman, 2013). The purpose of this research was to obtain perceptions and evaluations regarding CT online courses. In so doing, the current status of online education in this discipline can be assessed and potentially improved

What skills and knowledge do clothing and textile graduates need for the workforce? Qualitative reflections from clothing and textile faculty and industry professionals

The question of how to best prepare students for jobs in the fast-paced and ever-changing clothing and textiles (CT) industry is important because students face an increasingly competitive job market upon graduation. CT scholars have consistently conducted research with this question as their foundation (e.g., Albloushy, Frazier, & Yun, 2012; Hodges, Yurchisin, Karpova, Marcketti, Hegland, & Yan, 2012; Kean, Eckman, Ellis, Miller, & Vineyard, 2013; Ma & Hahn, 2014). The purpose of this study was to provide an updated assessment of the skills and knowledge that CT faculty and industry professionals have deemed critical and marketable for students to succeed in industry jobs. In so doing, the work of the aforementioned scholars is updated and available for faculty use to assist with teaching and curriculum development processes

Student and faculty perceptions of the development and use of Massive Open Online Courses in clothing and textiles education

Online learning environments are increasingly common in clothing and textiles (CT) education (e.g., see “Special Courses” on itaaonline.org). The newest variation is called a Massive Open Online Course (or MOOC). MOOCs are similar to college courses, but were developed in an attempt to revolutionize higher education. They are online courses aiming at large-scale global participation (e.g., up to thousands of students). Students can work at their own pace and on their own time, as well as further enhance learning through the use of social media for peer-interaction

Student, faculty, and industry perceptions of the development and use of Massive Open Online Courses in clothing and textiles education: Continuing studies

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) rose to popularity in 2012. Jawaharlal (2015) explains that MOOCs are transforming from a “social experiment to becoming a standard” as online courses and learning platforms become more accepted in higher education (para. 11). This paper extends the ongoing discussion about MOOCs in clothing and textile education (CT) (see Reeves-DeArmond, Mower, & Nishida, 2013, 2014) and presents the results of a study that explored student, faculty, and industry professionals’ perceptions of MOOCs in CT education. This paper also adds to the ongoing discussion by including the perceptions of CT industry professionals

Atypical composition and ultrastructure of proteoglycans in the mouse corneal stroma

PURPOSE: Recently, gene-targeted strains of mice with null mutations for specific proteoglycans (PGs) have been used for investigations of the functional role of these molecules. In the present study, the corneal stroma of the mouse was examined to provide some baseline PG morphologies in this species. METHODS: Monoclonal antibodies to specific glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain sulfation patterns were used to characterize PG composition in corneal extracts by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis and to identify their tissue distribution by immunofluorescence microscopy. PGs were also visualized by transmission electron microscopy after contrast enhancement with cationic dye fixation. RESULTS: Western blot analysis of pooled corneal extracts and immunofluorescence of tissue sections identified 4-sulfated, but not 6-sulfated, chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS). Keratan sulfate (KS) was present only as a low-sulfated moiety. Electron microscopic histochemistry disclosed a complex array of corneal PGs present as (1) fine filaments radiating from collagen fibrils, and (2) elongate, straplike structures, running either along the fibril axis or weaving across the primary fibril orientation. These large structures were digested by chondroitinase ABC, but not by keratanase. CONCLUSIONS: KS in the mouse is predominantly undersulfated and generates an immunostaining pattern that differs from that observed in corneas of other mammalian species thus far investigated. The mouse cornea resembles other mammalian corneas in the presence of filamentous arrays of small, collagen-associated stromal PGs visualized by cationic dye staining. However, large dye-positive structures with a CS/DS component are also present and appear to be unique to the cornea of this species

Colon cancer-derived myofibroblasts increase endothelial cell migration by glucocorticoid-sensitive secretion of a pro-migratory factor

AbstractAngiogenesis is important in cancer progression and can be influenced by tumor-associated myofibroblasts. We addressed the hypothesis that glucocorticoids indirectly affect angiogenesis by altering the release of pro-angiogenic factors from colon cancer-derived myofibroblasts.Our study shows that glucocorticoids reduced prostanoids, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and angiopoietin-like protein-2 (ANGPTL2) levels, but increased angiogenin (ANG) in supernatant from human CT5.3hTERT colon cancer-derived myofibroblasts. Conditioned medium from solvent- (CMS) and dexamethasone (Dex)-treated (CMD) myofibroblasts increased human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation, but did not affect expression of pro-angiogenic factors or tube-like structure formation (by HUVECs or human aortic ECs). In a HUVEC scratch assay CMS-induced acceleration of wound healing was blunted by CMD treatment. Moreover, CMS-induced neovessel growth in mouse aortic rings ex vivo was also blunted using CMD. The latter effect could be ascribed to both Dex-driven reduction of secreted factors and potential residual Dex present in CMD (indicated using a dexamethasone-spiked CMS control). A similar control in the scratch assay, however, revealed that altered levels of factors in the CMD, and not potential residual Dex, were responsible for decreased wound closure.In conclusion, our results suggest that glucocorticoids indirectly alter endothelial cell function during tumor development in vivo

The Small GTPase RhoA Localizes to the Nucleus and Is Activated by Net1 and DNA Damage Signals

Rho GTPases control many cellular processes, including cell survival, gene expression and migration. Rho proteins reside mainly in the cytosol and are targeted to the plasma membrane (PM) upon specific activation by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). Accordingly, most GEFs are also cytosolic or associated with the PM. However, Net1, a RhoA-specific GEF predominantly localizes to the cell nucleus at steady-state. Nuclear localization for Net1 has been seen as a mechanism for sequestering the GEF away from RhoA, effectively rendering the protein inactive. However, considering the prominence of nuclear Net1 and the fact that a biological stimulus that promotes Net1 translocation out the nucleus to the cytosol has yet to be discovered, we hypothesized that Net1 might have a previously unidentified function in the nucleus of cells.Using an affinity precipitation method to pulldown the active form of Rho GEFs from different cellular fractions, we show here that nuclear Net1 does in fact exist in an active form, contrary to previous expectations. We further demonstrate that a fraction of RhoA resides in the nucleus, and can also be found in a GTP-bound active form and that Net1 plays a role in the activation of nuclear RhoA. In addition, we show that ionizing radiation (IR) specifically promotes the activation of the nuclear pool of RhoA in a Net1-dependent manner, while the cytoplasmic activity remains unchanged. Surprisingly, irradiating isolated nuclei alone also increases nuclear RhoA activity via Net1, suggesting that all the signals required for IR-induced nuclear RhoA signaling are contained within the nucleus.These results demonstrate the existence of a functional Net1/RhoA signaling pathway within the nucleus of the cell and implicate them in the DNA damage response

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)