Reaching Students and Faculty: Offering Instructional Design Services In Your Library

This presentation is to show how libraries have changed over time and become academically responsible for more that handling books, periodicals, videos and the like. As libraries have changed and led in the area of technology on many university campuses, they find that information is becoming more and more accessible via technology of one kind or another; either the internet or CD-ROMs. Libraries have to be involved in the process of education as they have in the past, now is their opportunity to do so by offering a service to instructors for designing the electronic materials

FACULTY PERCEPTIONS OF THE FACTORS ENABLING AND FACILITATING THEIR INTEGRATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING

This study employed a survey research design to identify factors that facilitate university faculty to integrate computer-based technologies into their teaching practice. The purpose of the study was to measure the practices and perceptions of higher education faculty toward instructional technology. The designed survey instrument established a series of five personal profile categories. The five categories were used as variables manipulated to enable a series of statistical analyses to examine factors that enable faculty to use technology in their teaching. The survey was electronically administered to faculty in 36 universities in the Appalachian Region; a target population of approximately 4000 potential survey respondents. A total of 427 faculty from 22 of these institutions responded to the survey, which was approximately 10% of the total population. The findings, showed statistically significant correlations between the teaching with technology subscale and personal technology use subscale. This may suggest that personal use and personal knowledge are indicators of whether or not university faculty will use technology in their teaching. Additionally, a statistically significant difference was found between the extent to which female faculty reported using technology compared to male faculty members. The generational factor (age), was not shown to have any significant relationship with the frequency of faculty members’ use of technology, but results indicated generational differences on the personal requirements profile. Lastly, one finding related to the personal requirements profile indicated that the most common requirement for using technology reported by the faculty was the knowledge that doing so would enhance students’ learning

Oxidative Stress Response to Short Duration Bout of Submaximal Aerobic Exercise in Healthy Young Adults

The purpose of this study was to investigate the oxidative stress response to a short duration bout of submaximal exercise in a cohort of healthy young adults. 15 apparently healthy college age males and females completed a modified Bruce-protocol treadmill test to 75–80% of their heart rate reserve. Blood samples collected immediately before (pre-exercise), immediately after, 30, 60 and 120 minutes post-exercise were assayed for total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide disumutase (SOD), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and protein carbonyls (PC). SOD activity was significantly increased from pre-exercise levels at 30 minutes (77%), 60 minutes (33%), and 120 minutes (37%) post-exercise. TAC levels were also significantly increased from pre-exercise levels at 60 minutes (30%) and 120 minutes (33%) post-exercise. There were no significant changes in biomarkers for reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (RONS) mediated damage (TBARS and PC) across all post-exercise time points. In a cohort of healthy young adults, a short duration bout of submaximal aerobic exercise elicited increases in antioxidant activity/concentration, but did not evoke changes in oxidative stress-induced damage. These results may suggest that: (1) short duration bouts of submaximal aerobic exercise are sufficient to induce RONS generation; and (2) the antioxidant defense system is capable of protecting against enhanced RONS production induced by a short duration, submaximal exercise bout in healthy young adults

p53 mediates failure of human definitive hematopoiesis in dyskeratosis congenita

Summary: Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a bone marrow failure syndrome associated with telomere dysfunction. The progression and molecular determinants of hematopoietic failure in DC remain poorly understood. Here, we use the directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cells harboring clinically relevant mutations in telomerase to understand the consequences of DC-associated mutations on the primitive and definitive hematopoietic programs. Interestingly, telomere shortening does not broadly impair hematopoiesis, as primitive hematopoiesis is not impaired in DC cells. In contrast, while phenotypic definitive hemogenic endothelium is specified, the endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition is impaired in cells with shortened telomeres. This failure is caused by DNA damage accrual and is mediated by p53 stabilization. These observations indicate that detrimental effects of telomere shortening in the hematopoietic system are specific to the definitive hematopoietic lineages. This work illustrates how telomere dysfunction impairs hematopoietic development and creates a robust platform for therapeutic discovery for treatment of DC patients. : By directly assessing primitive or definitive hematopoiesis derived from telomerase-mutant hESCs, Batista and colleagues show that telomere shortening specifically impairs definitive hematopoietic potential, while primitive hematopoiesis is instead enhanced. This system offers the unprecedented capability to study hematopoietic failure and suggests that bone marrow failure in DC patients is reversible. Keywords: embryonic stem cells, hematopoiesis, bone marrow failure, telomerase, dyskeratosis congenita, disease modeling, telomeres, telomere damag

Metastatic PDAC Cell – Neutrophil Interaction Regulates their Proliferation and Survival

Tumor-promoting inflammation is a hallmark of cancer that contributes to tumor cells\u27 survival and proliferation. Infiltrating leukocytes and pro-inflammatory cytokines released into the tumor microenvironment (TME) often cause this inflammation, which is often pro-tumorigenic. Neutrophils are one of the most abundant types of leukocytes found in circulation. Enhanced neutrophil infiltration into the TME with disease progression was previously observed in my lab. Neutrophils are a pro-tumorigenic and pro-metastatic part of the TME. It has been shown in previous research that neutrophils aid in PDAC progression and metastasis. Although, exact mechanisms of this neutrophil-PDAC interaction remain relatively unknown. The specific objective of this project is to determine the role of tumor-associated neutrophils in PDAC progression and metastasis. Our working hypothesis is that neutrophil-PDAC interaction increases PDAC proliferation, survival, and metastasis. The two neutrophil cell lines that were used in this study were mouse neutrophils, MPRO, and human neutrophils, HL-60. The two human pancreatic cancer cell lines that were used are L3.3 and L3.6. The pancreatic cancer cell line L3.3 is a low metastatic cell line while L3.6 is a high metastatic line. Cancer cells were either treated with neutrophil-conditioned media (indirect interaction), or co-cultured with the neutrophil (direct interaction). MTT assays were performed to analyze proliferation of the cancer cell lines, and a WST assay was performed to analyze the survival of neutrophils. We observed concentration-dependent increase in PDAC cell proliferation following treatment with neutrophil-conditioned media. Similarly, co-culture of PADC cell with neutrophils enhanced their proliferation. We did not observe any difference in neutrophil survival when co-cultured with low-metastatic L3.3 cell. However, neutrophil survival was significantly reduced when co-cultured with L3.6 cells (high metastatic). Together, our data suggest that PDAC-neutrophil interaction differentially modulates of neutrophil and PDAC cells survival/proliferation.https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/surp2023/1013/thumbnail.jp

Vessel Reactivity and Blood Flow in Rats Exposed to Neonatal Supplemental Oxygen

Premature babies make up 12.8% of live births per year. Because their lungs are poorly developed, supplemental oxygen is a necessary treatment. Recent studies in our laboratory, in a rat model of prematurity, show that aortic pulse wave velocities were higher in rats exposed to neonatal supplemental oxygen. This is an indicator of significant aortic stiffening. This study aims to determine if supplemental oxygen also affects the downstream vasculature reactivity. We hypothesized that exposure to supplemental oxygen during the neonatal period will decrease vessel reactivity and we will observe smaller changes in blood flow with hypoxic and carbon dioxide challenges. Twelve month old rats exposed to 80% and 21% oxygen for eight days during the neonatal period were ventilated with hypoxic (12% O2), hypercapnic (5% CO2), and room air conditions. Each exposure lasted 10 minutes and followed with different 10 µm neutron-activated BioPAL microspheres injections into the left ventricle. The microspheres were allowed to circulate for 300-400 cardiac cycles. Microspheres lodged in the tissues were used to quantify changes in visceral blood flow. 80% O2 exposed rats showed a decreased baseline cardiac output to tissues compared to controls. In hypoxic and carbon dioxide conditions, 80% O2 exposed rats showed decreased changes in blood flow to tissues compared to controls, but results were not significant. Some tissues showed decreased blood flows when the rats were exposed to hypoxia and carbon dioxide challenges suggesting some vasoconstrictive effects had also occurred

Gemcitabine Resistant PDAC Cell- Neutrophil Interaction Regulates their Proliferation and Survival

Malignant tumors are inherently pro-inflammatory, and infiltrating leukocytes are thought to be critical for tumor maintenance and progression. Infiltrating cells and molecules driving tumor-associated inflammation have considerable potential as therapeutic targets, yet this area remains relatively under-explored. Neutrophils are the most prevalent leukocyte in the innate immune system and have been shown to play an essential role in cancer progression. Previously our lab has reported that as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) disease progresses, there is an increase in the infiltration of neutrophils. The specific objective of this study is to determine the role of neutrophil-PDAC cell interaction in therapy resistance. We analyzed whether direct neutrophil-PDAC cell interaction modulates their survival and whether it is dependent on therapy resistance. We used two human and murine neutrophil cell line models (MPRO and HL60) and two isogenic parent CD18/HPAF (C) and gemcitabine-resistant variant CD18/HPAF-R (CGR). Neutrophil and PDAC cells were co-cultured for 24 h, and their proliferation/survival was determined using WST and MTT assays. We observed that PDAC cancer cell proliferation increased when co-cultured with neutrophils. Moreover, cell free-neutrophil conditioned media modulated PDAC cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent (v/v) manner. We observed significantly higher proliferation in therapy-resistant CGR cell lines. Furthermore, our data suggest neutrophils co-cultured with therapy-resistant CGR cells had higher survival compared to neutrophils co-cultured with parent C cells. Together our data demonstrate that neutrophil-PDAC cell interaction modulates their proliferation and survival.https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/surp2023/1009/thumbnail.jp

Hurricane Katrina Winds Measured By a Buoy-Mounted Sonic Anemometer

The eye of Hurricane Katrina passed within 49 n mi of an oceanographic observing system buoy in the Mississippi Bight that is part of the Central Gulf of Mexico Ocean Observing System. Although a mechanical anemometer failed on the buoy during the hurricane, a two-axis sonic anemometer survived and provided a complete record of the hurricane\u27s passage. This is the first reported case of a sonic anemometer surviving a hurricane and reporting validated data, and it demonstrates that this type of anemometer is a viable alternative to the mechanical anemometers traditionally used in marine applications. The buoy pitch and roll record during the storm show the importance of compensating the anemometer records for winds oblique to the horizontal plane of the anemometers. This is made apparent in the comparison between the two wind records from the anemometers during the hurricane

Assessment of Moisture Response and Expected Durability of a Heritage Masonry Building Subjected to Projected Future Climate Loads of Ottawa, Canada

As part of the Canadian government‘s recent drive to the "on Greening Government" initiative, heritage buildings forming part of the parliamentary precinct in Ottawa, Canada are to be retrofitted in the coming years to help reduce energy usage and decrease greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating and cooling. Increasing levels of GHG concentrations over time has the potential to raise the mean global temperature by +3.5 degrees. The predicted impact on Ottawa‘s climate will be significant, increasing precipitation annually by 14.4% and decreasing the January winter design temperature from - 25º C to -11.7º C or 53%. In this paper, the moisture response of a heritage building located in Ottawa, Canada is determined from results of numerical simulations when subjected to both historical and projected future climate loads. Various insulation strategies for masonry wall systems were assessed. The objective was to decrease the energy demand associated with heating and cooling by applying insulation on the interior face of the masonry. Using future climate loads, results from hygrothermal modeling showed that although the climate change model produces higher volumes of annual precipitation, no deleterious levels of moisture build-up were observed in the wall system. In fact, moisture levels remained relatively consistent, irrespective of the insulation type applied to the interior face of the walls. Moisture content for all scenarios was well below critical saturation of the masonry materials. The warming climate has a dramatic effect by reducing the number of hours below freezing experienced by the interior brick wythe when interior insulation is applied. From the hygrothermal analysis, it was concluded that the warming temperatures will substantially reduce the number of hours the interior wythe of masonry experiences freezing temperatures which in turn, reduces the potential for freeze-thaw damage to the masonry. The interior application of moderate levels of insulation should therefore be considered for retrofit measures for this heritage building, located in Ottawa, Canada, without increasing the risk of damage to the wall