Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) are uniquely poised to support instructors engaging in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) through professional expertise in evidence-based teaching ...practice and dedicated staff resources. Models for this support have ranged from purely a funding source, to learning communities, to one-off technical training and consultations, to comprehensive mentoring and partnerships. In the decade since Schwartz and Haynie published “Faculty Development Centers and the Role of SoTL,” we aimed to profile the current landscape of university CTLs and their involvement in SoTL. In this review, we draw on the multiple models of CTL participation in SoTL developed by Lukes et al
.
to categorize the work conducted at a sample of American institutions. Using a data mining approach of publicly available information online, we compiled a sample dataset that shows the distribution of CTLs across the US engaging in various forms of SoTL. We examine current trends of CTL and SoTL presence amongst institution types and geographic regions, with consideration for different SoTL program models. We conclude with a discussion of the current landscape of CTLs and their SoTL involvement compared to our aspirations: what will the future of faculty development look like, and what role will SoTL play? Given the pros and cons of each different model for CTL and SoTL integration, is the current distribution of these models as effective as it could be? What changes could lead to greater impact both for CTLs and for SoTL?
Aim To compare automated volumetric breast density (VBD) measurement with visual assessment according to Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS), and to determine the factors influencing ...the agreement between them. Materials and methods One hundred and ninety-three consecutive screening mammograms reported as negative were included in the study. Three radiologists assigned qualitative BI-RADS density categories to the mammograms. An automated volumetric breast-density method was used to measure VBD (% breast density) and density grade (VDG). Each case was classified into an agreement or disagreement group according to the comparison between visual assessment and VDG. The correlation between visual assessment and VDG was obtained. Various physical factors were compared between the two groups. Results Agreement between visual assessment by the radiologists and VDG was good (ICC value = 0.757). VBD showed a highly significant positive correlation with visual assessment (Spearman's ρ = 0.754, p < 0.001). VBD and the x-ray tube target was significantly different between the agreement group and the disagreement groups ( p = 0.02 and 0.04, respectively). Conclusion Automated VBD is a reliable objective method to measure breast density. The agreement between VDG and visual assessment by radiologist might be influenced by physical factors.
The determination of individual cell trajectories through a high-dimensional cell-state space is an outstanding challenge for understanding biological changes ranging from cellular differentiation to ...epigenetic responses of diseased cells upon drugging. We integrate experiments and theory to determine the trajectories that single BRAF
mutant melanoma cancer cells take between drug-naive and drug-tolerant states. Although single-cell omics tools can yield snapshots of the cell-state landscape, the determination of individual cell trajectories through that space can be confounded by stochastic cell-state switching. We assayed for a panel of signaling, phenotypic, and metabolic regulators at points across 5 days of drug treatment to uncover a cell-state landscape with two paths connecting drug-naive and drug-tolerant states. The trajectory a given cell takes depends upon the drug-naive level of a lineage-restricted transcription factor. Each trajectory exhibits unique druggable susceptibilities, thus updating the paradigm of adaptive resistance development in an isogenic cell population.
The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of traditional two-dimensional planning (2DP) and three-dimensional surgical simulation (3DS) in the surgical correction of skeletal class III with ...facial asymmetry. This retrospective cohort study included 37 consecutive adult Taiwanese patients. Preoperative and postoperative three-dimensional cephalometric measurements were obtained from cone beam computed tomography scans. The outcome variables were the differences in preoperative and postoperative linear and angular measurements and the differences between the two groups after surgery. When the surgical result was compared between the 2DP and 3DS groups, significant differences were found for four cephalometric variables: the distance from gonion on the non-deviated side to the midsagittal plane (MSP), mid-gonion to the MSP, upper first molar on the non-deviated side to the Frankfort horizontal plane, and the yaw angle. In the 3DS group, mandibular symmetry was achieved because the centre between the bilateral gonions was improved, and because there was no significant difference in the horizontal gonion (Go to the MSP) between the deviated and non-deviated sides after surgery. 3DS provides all the necessary information for planned surgical movements for the correction of facial asymmetry; it should be considered during surgical planning to improve surgical outcomes, particularly the achievement of bilateral mandibular contour symmetry.
The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of surgical-orthodontic treatment between hemifacial microsomia (HFM) patients who had and had not undergone early mandibular distraction ...osteogenesis (DO). Twenty adult unilateral HFM patients were included, seven who had undergone early mandibular DO (DO group) and 13 who had not (NDO group). All patients were type IIB, except for one type IIA patient in the NDO group. Mean age at definitive surgery was 20.72±2.96 years. Linear, cross-sectional, and volumetric measurements were obtained from serial cone beam computed tomography scans. Data were obtained pre-surgery (T0), 1 week after surgery (T1), and at treatment completion (T2) to determine surgical movement, post-surgical stability, and net gain movement. Surgical and ultimate outcomes did not differ significantly between the groups. The overall surgical movement among all patients was as follows (mean values): maxillomandibular complex (MMC) symmetry was achieved by Le Fort I differential roll movement (3.78mm extrusion on the affected side, 4.28mm impaction on the non-affected side), a combination of medial movement and yaw rotation of MMC, and genioplasty. Upper and lower dental midlines and deviated menton were shifted by 5.73mm, 5.08mm, and 12.38mm, respectively. Anterior impaction and advancement with counterclockwise rotation of MMC were also performed. Menton was advanced by 6.14mm and lower facial height was increased by 3.55mm. Neither group exhibited a significant difference in stability. Relapse at the maxilla was <1mm and relapse at the mandible was <1.5mm. The results suggest that early DO had limited beneficial effects on the definitive correction outcome. HFM patients achieved acceptable symmetry and a stable surgical outcome, regardless of early DO, following surgical-orthodontic correction at skeletal maturity with three-dimensional surgical simulation.
Ganoderma lucidum, a medicinal white-rot basidiomycete, produces many laccase isozymes in liquid culture. Three laccase isozymes (GaLc 1, 2, 3) have been purified 32.4-fold from the crude enzyme ...protein through anion exchange chromatography, preparative gel electrophoresis, and electroelution. Their estimated molecular weights are 65-68 kDa, and they contain 7-10% N-linked carbohydrates. The three isozymes have identical N-terminal amino acid sequences: G-I-G-P-T. The optimum pH and temperature both for each isozyme singly and the isozyme mixture are pH 3.5 and 20 degrees C, respectively. One isozyme (GaLc 3) is quite stable at pH 4.0-10.0, and shows good stability when incubated at temperatures lower than 40 degrees C. The K(m) values of GaLc 3 for o-tolidine and 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) are 401.6 micromolar and 3.7 micromolar respectively, and the V(max) of GaLc 3 for these substrates is 0.0198 OD min(-1)unit(-1) and 0.0142 OD min(-1)unit(-1), respectively.
We evaluated the diagnostic role of ultrasonography-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) according to ultrasonography features of thyroid nodules that had inconclusive ultrasonography-guided fine-needle ...aspiration (FNA) results.
A total of 88 thyroid nodules in 88 patients who underwent ultrasonography-guided CNB because of previous inconclusive FNA results were evaluated. The patients were classified into three groups based on ultrasonography findings: Group A, which was suspicious for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC); Group B, which was suspicious for follicular (Hurthle cell) neoplasm; and Group C, which was suspicious for lymphoma. The final diagnoses of the thyroid nodules were determined by surgical confirmation or follow-up after ultrasonography-guided CNB.
Of the 88 nodules, the malignant rate was 49.1% in Group A, 12.0% in Group B and 90.0% in Group C. The rates of conclusive ultrasonography-guided CNB results after previous incomplete ultrasonography-guided FNA results were 96.2% in Group A, 64.0% in Group B and 90.0% in Group C (p=0.001). 12 cases with inconclusive ultrasonography-guided CNB results were finally diagnosed as 8 benign lesions, 3 PTCs and 1 lymphoma. The number of previous ultrasonography-guided FNA biopsies was not significantly different between the conclusive and the inconclusive result groups of ultrasonography-guided CNB (p=0.205).
Ultrasonography-guided CNB has benefit for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules with inconclusive ultrasonography-guided FNA results. However, it is still not helpful for the differential diagnosis in 36% of nodules that are suspicious for follicular neoplasm seen on ultrasonography.
This study shows the diagnostic contribution of ultrasonography-guided CNB as an alternative to repeat ultrasonography-guided FNA or surgery.
L-ascorbate (L-ascorbic acid, vitamin C) clearly has an inhibitory effect on cancer cells. However, the mechanism underlying differential sensitivity of cancer cells from same tissue to L-ascorbate ...is yet to be clarified. Here, we demonstrate that L-ascorbate has a selective killing effect, which is influenced by sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter 2 (SVCT-2) in human breast cancer cells. Treatment of human breast cancer cells with L-ascorbate differentially induced cell death, dependent on the SVCT-2 protein level. Moreover, knockdown of endogenous SVCT-2 via RNA interference in breast cancer cells expressing high levels of the protein induced resistance to L-ascorbate treatment, whereas transfection with SVCT-2 expression plasmids led to enhanced L-ascorbate chemosensitivity. Surprisingly, tumor regression by L-ascorbate administration in mice bearing tumor cell xenograft also corresponded to the SVCT-2 protein level. Interestingly, SVCT-2 expression was absent or weak in normal tissues, but strongly detected in tumor samples obtained from breast cancer patients. In addition, enhanced chemosensitivity to L-ascorbate occurred as a result of caspase-independent autophagy, which was mediated by beclin-1 and LC3 II. In addition, treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, suppressed the induction of beclin-1 and LC3 II, implying that the differential SVCT-2 protein-dependent L-ascorbate uptake was attributable to intracellular ROS induced by L-ascorbate, subsequently leading to autophagy. These results suggest that functional SVCT-2 sensitizes breast cancer cells to autophagic damage by increasing the L-ascorbate concentration and intracellular ROS production and furthermore, SVCT-2 in breast cancer may act as an indicator for commencing L-ascorbate treatment.
We synthesized three diketopyrrolopyrrole-thiophene-based small molecules (
p-
,
m-
, and
o-DPP-PhCN
) substituted with electron-withdrawing cyanide groups on both end phenyl rings in different ...positions. The physical properties of the oligomers varied based on the position of the CN groups. Compared to
m-
and
o-DPP-PhCN
, the
p-DPP-PhCN
film had a more red-shifted, strong UV absorption (
λ
max
= 670 nm).
p-DPP-PhCN
also exhibited a relatively well-aligned arrangement in the X-ray diffraction pattern, owing to a high degree of molecular packing in
p-DPP-PhCN
. Such an exceptionally strong aggregation of
p-DPP-PhCN
is expected to give rise to strong molecular orbital interactions and a subsequent decrease in the energy band gap (
E
g
).
p-DPP-PhCN
has a lower optical
E
g
(1.75 eV) than
m-
and
o-DPP-PhCN
(∼1.80 eV). Organic photovoltaic cells with the structure ITO/PEDOT:PSS/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):
DPP-PhCN
/LiF/Al were fabricated. Two D/A-type binary cells using
p-
or
o-DPP-PhCN
showed similar power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 0.5% although the device parameters were different. A high open circuit voltage of 1.09 V in P3HT:
o-DPP-PhCN
comes from a high-lying lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy level of
o-DPP-PhCN
. In contrast, the relatively high short circuit current density of P3HT:
p-DPP-PhCN
can be explained by the red-shifted UV absorption and superior molecular packing in
p-DPP-PhCN
. Furthermore, the maximum photocurrent response (13%) of P3HT:
p-DPP-PhCN
was observed at the
λ
max
of
p-DPP-PhCN
. In other words, the light absorption of
p-DPP-PhCN
contributes to the photocurrent along with the absorption of P3HT (
e.g.
, “channel II” charge generation). Finally, a PCE of 1.00%, more than twice that of binary cells, was achieved in the D/A/A-type ternary cells composed of P3HT,
p-
, and
o-DPP-PhCN
. The contribution of the electron acceptor to the photocurrent of the devices was enhanced by adding a second acceptor. Improved film morphology and better charge separation were observed in the ternary cells.
The majority of research on obesity (OB) has focused primarily on clinical features (eating behavior, adiposity measures) or peripheral appetite-regulatory peptides (leptin, ghrelin). However, recent ...functional neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that some reward circuitry regions that are associated with appetite-regulatory hormones are also involved in the development and maintenance of OB. Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), characterized by hyperphagia and hyperghrelinemia reflecting multi-system dysfunction in inhibitory and satiety mechanisms, serves as an extreme model of genetic OB. Simple (non-PWS) OB represents an OB-control state.
This study investigated subcortical food motivation circuitry and prefrontal inhibitory circuitry functioning in response to food stimuli before and after eating in individuals with PWS compared with OB. We hypothesized that groups would differ in limbic regions (that is, hypothalamus, amygdala) and prefrontal regions associated with cognitive control (that is, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) after eating.
A total of 14 individuals with PWS, 14 BMI- and age-matched individuals with OB, and 15 age-matched healthy-weight controls viewed food and non-food images while undergoing functional MRI before (pre-meal) and after (post-meal) eating. Using SPM8, group contrasts were tested for hypothesized regions: hypothalamus, nucleus accumbens (NAc), amygdala, hippocampus, OFC, medial PFC and DLPFC.
Compared with OB and HWC, PWS demonstrated higher activity in reward/limbic regions (NAc, amygdala) and lower activity in the hypothalamus and hippocampus in response to food (vs non-food) images pre-meal. Post meal, PWS exhibited higher subcortical activation (hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus) compared with OB and HWC. OB showed significantly higher activity versus PWS and HWC in cortical regions (DLPFC, OFC) associated with inhibitory control.
In PWS, compared with OB per se, results suggest hyperactivations in subcortical reward circuitry and hypoactivations in cortical inhibitory regions after eating, which provides evidence of neural substrates associated with variable abnormal food motivation phenotypes in PWS and simple OB.
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