Elements of leadership in education : a reflective essay

As I grew up, my interest in various academic subject areas and my enjoyment of school caused me to become interested in education as a career. I felt that I could make a contribution to the lives of my students. My specific interest in mathematics and my personality lent themselves to classroom instruction. Although I have experienced some discouraging days, I still remain confident concerning a career in education

Superplasticity in Rapidly Solidified White Cast Irons

Superplastic properties of three different composition white cast irons were investigated in the temperature range of 630 to 725 °C. Fine structures consisting of 1 to 2 μm ferrite grains were developed in these materials by consolidation of rapidly solidified powders at intermediate temperatures below the A1 critical temperature. Tensile elongations of 1410 pct were found for a 3.0 pct C + 1.5 pct Cr white cast iron, 940 pct for a 3.0 pct C white cast iron, and 480 pct for a 2.4 pct C white cast iron when tested at 700 °C and at a strain rate of 1 pct per minute. The superplastic white cast irons exhibited a high strain rate sensitivity exponent,m, of 0.5 and activation energies for plastic flow were found to be nearly equal to the activation energy for grain boundary self-diffusion in iron. These observations are in agreement with the creep behavior of superplastic materials controlled by grain boundary diffusion.Peer reviewe

Focal laser ablation as clinical treatment of prostate cancer: Report from a Delphi consensus project

Purpose: To define the role of focal laser ablation (FLA) as clinical treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) using the Delphi consensus method. Methods: A panel of international experts in the field of focal therapy (FT) in PCa conducted a collaborative consensus project using the Delphi method. Experts were invited to online questionnaires focusing on patient selection and treatment of PCa with FLA during four subsequent rounds. After each round, outcomes were displayed, and questionnaires were modified based on the comments provided by panelists. Results were finalized and discussed during face-to-face meetings. Results: Thirty-seven experts agreed to participate, and consensus was achieved on 39/43 topics. Clinically significant PCa (csPCa) was defined as any volume Grade Group 2 [Gleason score (GS) 3+4]. Focal therapy was specified as treatment of all csPCa and can be considered primary treatment as an alternative to radical treatment in carefully selected patients. In patients with intermediate-risk PCa (GS 3+4) as well as patients with MRI-visible and biopsy-confirmed local recurrence, FLA is optimal for targeted ablation of a specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-visible focus. However, FLA should not be applied to candidates for active surveillance and close follow-up is required. Suitability for FLA is based on tumor volume, location to vital structures, GS, MRI-visibility, and biopsy confirmation. Conclusion: Focal laser ablation is a promising technique for treatment of clinically localized PCa and should ideally be performed within approved clinical trials. So far, only few studies have reported on FLA and further validation with longer follow-up is mandatory before widespread clinical implementation is justified

Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors

© 2007 American Society for NutritionBackgroundRegular exercise and consuming long-chain n-3 fatty acids (FAs) from fish or fish oil can independently improve cardiovascular and metabolic health, but combining these lifestyle modifications may be more effective than either treatment alone.ObjectiveWe examined the individual and combined effects of n-3 FA supplements and regular exercise on body composition and cardiovascular health.DesignOverweight volunteers [body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)): >25] with high blood pressure, cholesterol, or triacylglycerols were randomly assigned to one of the following interventions: fish oil (FO), FO and exercise (FOX), sunflower oil (SO; control), or SO and exercise (SOX). Subjects consumed 6 g tuna FO/d ( approximately 1.9 g n-3 FA) or 6 g SO/d. The exercise groups walked 3 d/wk for 45 min at 75% age-predicted maximal heart rate. Plasma lipids, blood pressure, and arterial function were assessed at 0, 6, and 12 wk. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at 0 and 12 wk only.ResultsFO supplementation lowered triacylglycerols, increased HDL cholesterol, and improved endothelium-dependent arterial vasodilation (PConclusionsFO supplements and regular exercise both reduce body fat and improve cardiovascular and metabolic health. Increasing intake of n-3 FAs could be a useful adjunct to exercise programs aimed at improving body composition and decreasing cardiovascular disease risk.Alison M Hill, Jonathan D Buckley, Karen J Murphy and Peter RC How

Identification of a Human Airway Epithelial Cell Subpopulation with Altered Biophysical, Molecular, and Metastatic Properties.

Lung cancers are documented to have remarkable intratumoral genetic heterogeneity. However, little is known about the heterogeneity of biophysical properties, such as cell motility, and its relationship to early disease pathogenesis and micrometastatic dissemination. In this study, we identified and selected a subpopulation of highly migratory premalignant airway epithelial cells that were observed to migrate through microscale constrictions at up to 100-fold the rate of the unselected immortalized epithelial cell lines. This enhanced migratory capacity was found to be Rac1-dependent and heritable, as evidenced by maintenance of the phenotype through multiple cell divisions continuing more than 8 weeks after selection. The morphology of this lung epithelial subpopulation was characterized by increased cell protrusion intensity. In a murine model of micrometastatic seeding and pulmonary colonization, the motility-selected premalignant cells exhibit both enhanced survival in short-term assays and enhanced outgrowth of premalignant lesions in longer-term assays, thus overcoming important aspects of "metastatic inefficiency." Overall, our findings indicate that among immortalized premalignant airway epithelial cell lines, subpopulations with heritable motility-related biophysical properties exist, and these may explain micrometastatic seeding occurring early in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Understanding, targeting, and preventing these critical biophysical traits and their underlying molecular mechanisms may provide a new approach to prevent metastatic behavior. Cancer Prev Res; 10(9); 514-24. ©2017 AACRSee related editorial by Hynds and Janes, p. 491