Plasticity of human menstrual blood stem cells derived from the endometrium

Stem cells can be obtained from women’s menstrual blood derived from the endometrium. The cells display stem cell markers such as Oct-4, SSEA-4, Nanog, and c-kit (CD117), and have the potent ability to differentiate into various cell types, including the heart, nerve, bone, cartilage, and fat. There has been no evidence of teratoma, ectopic formation, or any immune response after transplantation into an animal model. These cells quickly regenerate after menstruation and secrete many growth factors to display recurrent angiogenesis. The plasticity and safety of the acquired cells have been demonstrated in many studies. Menstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs) provide an alternative source of adult stem cells for research and application in regenerative medicine. Here we summarize the multipotent properties and the plasticities of MenSCs and other endometrial stem cells from recent studies conducted both in vitro and in vivo.     

Workplace-integrated-learning: Preparing tomorrow's academic library workforce

In 2014, the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) in partnership with the University's Faculty of Information (FI) launched a new internship program, the Toronto Academic Libraries Internship program (TALint). The program is designed to provide iSchool students with the opportunity to participant in a two-year paid internship at one of the University's libraries. In the course of running our TALint program, some unanticipated questions arose that challenged our assumptions about who, among a diverse student body, is drawn to academic librarianship as a potential career, what skills and competencies library supervisors are looking for in today's hire, and how students and faculty leverage (or not) student workplace experiences as a means of enhancing course-based learning?. Additionally, the university's recent emphasis on the discourse of workplace-integrated-learning (WIL) placed novel demands on the program's design and delivery warranting critical research engagement. The purpose of the following paper is threefold: (1) to introduce the concept of Workplace-Integrated-Learning (WIL) into the academic library literature, (2) present a case study of a WIL-inspired internship program, and (3) reflect on the outcomes of that case study with respect to best practices, policy implications and suggestions for future research into the changing face of the professional academic library workforce.     

Organizational Learning in Libraries at For-Profit Colleges and Universities: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

Despite successful application of organizational learning to enhance services in academic libraries, little is known about organizational learning in libraries of for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs). A quantitative online survey, followed by qualitative interviews, served to assess and explore the use of organizational learning in libraries at FPCUs. Data reflected medium to high levels of organizational learning in the libraries studied, as well as a negative relationship between organizational learning and number of students enrolled. Common themes in the interview responses included external pressures from the FPCUs making it more difficult to implement organizational learning, and the importance of communication.     

Implementing AAC with children with profound and multiple learning disabilities: a study in rationale underpinning intervention

There is a developing research base to support the rationale underpinning augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for people with learning disabilities. However, there is a paucity of research examining the process involved in implementing AAC support for people who have profound disabilities. This paper seeks to explore the processes involved in planning and implementing AAC systems to support the communication of two 6 year olds with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Following assessment, a plan of intervention involving specific implementation of objects of reference, gestures and signs was implemented to enhance communication opportunities for both children. Both children improved their communication skills through use of specific AAC supports. Results suggest that important aspects to include when planning intervention are understanding the level of each child's cognition in relation to their receptive abilities and a consistent, collaborative approach where strategies are agreed between team members. Specific challenges are discussed.     

Hanging out in The Studio to challenge xenophobia: consolidating identities as community writers

This article examines findings from a Scottish Social Innovation Fund project carried out in an after‐school club known as The Studio. Researchers worked alongside artists to engage young people situated within their communities to challenge xenophobic discourses through the creation of positive narratives developed through story and arts‐based activities. The work used the “deep hang out theory” to generate a complex account of how the participants mediated the cultural tools surrounding them to produce a community text. Through engaging in an arts‐based process, the young writers and illustrators developed a sense of belonging within their communities, taking an active, engaged stance as literacy producers of texts that challenged xenophobic discourses. The lessons learned in this informal space are of relevance across contexts where young people wish to engage in creating positive narratives of community cohesion.     

Psychological distress and help seeking amongst higher education students: findings from a mixed method study of undergraduate nursing/midwifery and teacher education students in Ireland

Psychological distress as experienced by higher education students is of major concern because of its potential to adversely impact academic performance, retention, mental health and lifestyle. This paper reports a mixed method investigation of student self-reported psychological distress and help-seeking behaviour. The sample comprised all students (n?=?1557) registered on undergraduate nursing/midwifery and teacher education programmes at an Irish university. Participants (n?=?1112) completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) to determine their self-reported psychological distress and the Lifestyle Behaviour Questionnaire to examine sources of distress, lifestyle and demographic variables. Individual interviews (n?=?59) explored student experiences of psychological distress and their help-seeking behaviours. Forty two percent of respondents exceeded the GHQ threshold ≥5, which signifies risk of mental or physical health problems. Sources of distress included academic, financial and psychosocial stressors. Regression analysis identified that demographic, programmatic and lifestyle variables predicted GHQ scores. Despite the distress experienced, students were reluctant users of support services. Many actively avoided seeking help. These findings raise serious concerns about the extent of psychological distress among this population. They also alert education providers to be vigilant for student psychological distress and to provide effective interventions, cognisant of the impact of stigma on help seeking.     

Timed Online Tests: Do Students Perform Better With More Time?

This article focuses on timed tests and specifically on whether increased time enhances test performance. Three courses during the Winter 2015 term (quizzes n = 573) and three courses over the Spring 2015 term (quizzes n = 600) comprised this sample. Students were given the same tests, but the experimental group (Spring 2015) was given 50% more time than the control group. The results indicate that more time on tests did not enhance student performance in terms of higher scores.

Much attention has been given to student assessment of learning in the online classroom. One such method of measurement is online tests, quizzes, and exams. The focus of this research is to determine whether test scores would improve if students were allowed more time on tests.     

Collaborative learning activities in graduate courses

Structured collaborative learning activities undertaken in two graduate level classes are described. Student and instructor perspectives on these activities are explored based on data collected through interviews, open-ended evaluation instruments, and journals. Four perspectives on collaborative learning emerged from the data: (1) student expectations; (2) instructor tolerance for ambiguity and flexibility; (3) student reliance on authority; and, (4) evaluation of student learning. Suggestions for implementing collaborative groups in graduate courses are presented.Julie A. Hughes Caplow is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in Higher Education Administration. Her areas of interest include postsecondary instructional strategies, faculty beliefs about teaching and knowledge, and postsecondary curricula. CarolAnne M. Kardash is an Associate Professor of Educational and Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She received her Ph.D. from Arizona State University in Educational Psychology. Her areas of interest include text processing, reading comprehension, and instructional and learning strategies.     

Designing and building an on-line community: The struggle to support sociability in the inquiry learning forum

In this paper we describe the sociotechnical structures of the Inquiry Learning Forum (ILF), a Web-based professional development tool designed to support a community of inservice and preservice mathematics and science teachers creating, sharing, and improving inquiry-based pedagogical practices. Founded in our previous research and consistent with our pedagogical commitment, the technical structures of the ILF have been designed around a “visiting-the-classroom” metaphor. This decision was based on our belief that teachers need to be full participants in, and owners of, their virtual space for meaningful interaction to occur. The hallmark of this environment is that teachers with a broad range of experience and expertise can come together in an on-line environment to observe, discuss, and reflect on pedagogical theory and practice anchored to actual teaching vignettes. The goal of this paper is to share how we instantiated our pedagogical commitments and to describe the challenges we faced during the design, development, implementation, and analysis of the ILF. Toward this end, we walk the reader through our design and implementation process, highlighting our change in focus from usability to sociability issues, and movement from conceiving the ILF as an electronic structure to a sociotechnical interaction network. The ILF Design Team consists of Brian Beatty, Tom Duffy, Geraldine Haas, Chris Keslin, Sun-Myung Lee, Justin Marquis, and Kirk Sluder