Use of ePortfolio as Integrated Learning Strategy in Computer Integrated Manufacturing Online Course

Integrated learning is a vital strategy for engaging undergraduate Engineering students in the higher levels of learning, as it encourages students to reflect on their learning processes and draw connections between course-work and real-world experiences. Specifically, ePortfolios encourage novice engineers to consider their learning processes over time, drawing connections between coursework and their intended profession, as well as cultivating an online identity that supports their efforts to pursue a career in Engineering. The use of ePortfolios is one method for fostering integrative learning, focusing on the application of digital communication and assessment and awareness of self-competence. By training students to archive digital artifacts related to their learning, ePortfolios encourage student to draw connections between course content and their future careers. Digital portfolios also provide students with the opportunity to develop an online presence, demonstrating through multi-modal content the skills they gained through their education. At the same time, students develop basic digital literacies, from creating and curating digital artifacts throughout the learning process, managing their data, to displaying knowledge and skills which are important for their future engineering careers. This paper examines the efforts of students at Old Dominion University (ODU), Norfolk, Virginia who created ePortfolios in a variety of contexts, as a part of a course which was specifically developed as part of a university wide ePortfolio initiative. In May 2015, faculty attended a professional development workshop, eP3: Praxis, Process, and Production, in order to learn about basic ePortfolio strategies and ways in which to foster students\u27 archival habits. The project presented in this paper was established in the summer 2015 semester in the undergraduate course Computer Integrated Manufacturing at the senior level

Effect of Contact Force on Pulsed Field Ablation Lesions in Porcine Cardiac Tissue.

BACKGROUND Contact force has been used to titrate lesion formation for radiofrequency ablation. Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) is a field-based ablation technology for which limited evidence on the impact of contact force on lesion size is available. METHODS Porcine hearts (n=6) were perfused using a modified Langendorff set-up. A prototype focal PFA catheter attached to a force gauge was held perpendicular to the epicardium and lowered until contact was made. Contact force was recorded during each PFA delivery. Matured lesions were cross-sectioned, stained, and the lesion dimensions measured. RESULTS A total of 82 lesions were evaluated with contact forces between 1.3 g and 48.6 g. Mean lesion depth was 4.8 ± 0.9 mm (standard deviation), mean lesion width was 9.1 ± 1.3 mm and mean lesion volume was 217.0. ± 96.6 mm3 . Linear regression curves showed an increase of only 0.01 mm in depth (Depth = 0.01*Contact Force + 4.41, R2 = 0.05), 0.03 mm in width (Width = 0.03*Contact Force + 8.26, R2 = 0.13) for each additional gram of contact force, and 2.20 mm3 in volume (Volume = 2.20*Contact Force + 162, R2 = 0.10). CONCLUSIONS Increasing contact force using a bipolar, biphasic focal PFA system has minimal effects on acute lesion dimensions in an isolated porcine heart model and achieving tissue contact is more important than the force with which that contact is made. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Quantitative systems modeling approaches towards model-informed drug development: Perspective through case studies

Quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) modeling has become an increasingly popular approach impacting our understanding of disease mechanisms and helping predict patients’ treatment responses to facilitate study design or development go/no-go decisions. In this paper, we highlight the notable contributions and opportunities that QSP approaches are to offer during the drug development process by sharing three examples that have facilitated internal decisions. The barriers to successful applications and the factors that facilitate the success of the modeling approach is discussed

Mycobacterium avium Infection in a C3HeB/FeJ Mouse Model

Infections caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) species are increasing worldwide, resulting in a serious public health problem. Patients with MAC lung disease face an arduous journey of a prolonged multidrug regimen that is often poorly tolerated and associated with relatively poor outcome. Identification of new animal models that demonstrate a similar pulmonary pathology as humans infected with MAC has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) pathogenesis as well as provide a tractable model for screening candidate compounds for therapy. One new mouse model is the C3HeB/FeJ which is similar to MAC patients in that these mice can form foci of necrosis in granulomas. In this study, we evaluated the ability of C3HeB/FeJ mice exposure to an aerosol infection of a rough strain of MAC 2285 to produce a progressive infection resulting in small necrotic foci during granuloma formation. C3HeB/FeJ mice were infected with MAC and demonstrated a progressive lung infection resulting in an increase in bacterial burden peaking around day 40, developed micronecrosis in granulomas and was associated with increased influx of CD4+ Th1, Th17, and Treg lymphocytes into the lungs. However, during chronic infection around day 50, the bacterial burden plateaued and was associated with the reduced influx of CD4+ Th1, Th17 cells, and increased numbers of Treg lymphocytes and necrotic foci during granuloma formation. These results suggest the C3HeB/FeJ MAC infection mouse model will be an important model to evaluate immune pathogenesis and compound efficacy

Critical Role for Cold Shock Protein YB-1 in Cytokinesis

High levels of the cold shock protein Y-box-binding protein-1, YB-1, are tightly correlated with increased cell proliferation and progression. However, the precise mechanism by which YB-1 regulates proliferation is unknown. Here, we found that YB-1 depletion in several cancer cell lines and in immortalized fibroblasts resulted in cytokinesis failure and consequent multinucleation. Rescue experiments indicated that YB-1 was required for completion of cytokinesis. Using confocal imaging we found that YB-1 was essential for orchestrating the spatio-temporal distribution of the microtubules, β-actin and the chromosome passenger complex (CPC) to define the cleavage plane. We show that phosphorylation at six serine residues was essential for cytokinesis, of which novel sites were identified using mass spectrometry. Using atomistic modelling we show how phosphorylation at multiple sites alters YB-1 conformation, allowing it to interact with protein partners. Our results establish phosphorylated YB-1 as a critical regulator of cytokinesis, defining precisely how YB-1 regulates cell division

Critical Role for Cold Shock Protein YB-1 in Cytokinesis

High levels of the cold shock protein Y-box-binding protein-1, YB-1, are tightly correlated with increased cell proliferation and progression. However, the precise mechanism by which YB-1 regulates proliferation is unknown. Here, we found that YB-1 depletion in several cancer cell lines and in immortalized fibroblasts resulted in cytokinesis failure and consequent multinucleation. Rescue experiments indicated that YB-1 was required for completion of cytokinesis. Using confocal imaging we found that YB-1 was essential for orchestrating the spatio-temporal distribution of the microtubules, β-actin and the chromosome passenger complex (CPC) to define the cleavage plane. We show that phosphorylation at six serine residues was essential for cytokinesis, of which novel sites were identified using mass spectrometry. Using atomistic modelling we show how phosphorylation at multiple sites alters YB-1 conformation, allowing it to interact with protein partners. Our results establish phosphorylated YB-1 as a critical regulator of cytokinesis, defining precisely how YB-1 regulates cell division

Effects of Age, Sex, Body Weight, and Quantity of Alcohol Consumption on Occurrence and Severity of Alcoholic Hepatitis

Only a minority of heavy drinking individuals develop alcoholic hepatitis (AH), for unclear reasons. We analyzed data from the Translational Research and Evolving Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment cohort: subjects who drink heavily with normal results from liver tests (controls) and patients with AH. We examined risk factors for the development of AH including body mass index (BMI), drinking pattern and quantity, and sex

Robust SARS-CoV-2-specific and heterologous immune responses in vaccine-naïve residents of long-term care facilities who survive natural infection

We studied humoral and cellular immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 152 long-term care facility staff and 124 residents over a prospective 4-month period shortly after the first wave of infection in England. We show that residents of long-term care facilities developed high and stable levels of antibodies against spike protein and receptor-binding domain. Nucleocapsid-specific responses were also elevated but waned over time. Antibodies showed stable and equivalent levels of functional inhibition against spike-angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 binding in all age groups with comparable activity against viral variants of concern. SARS-CoV-2 seropositive donors showed high levels of antibodies to other beta-coronaviruses but serostatus did not impact humoral immunity to influenza or other respiratory syncytial viruses. SARS-CoV-2-specific cellular responses were similar across all ages but virus-specific populations showed elevated levels of activation in older donors. Thus, survivors of SARS-CoV-2 infection show a robust and stable immunity against the virus that does not negatively impact responses to other seasonal viruses