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There has been a growing discourse within higher education to engage with students as partners and harness the strength of students and faculty working together. Engaging in student-faculty partnerships activities offers benefits to both students and faculty, yet there is less research on these practices within science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The purpose of this study was to conduct a Faculty-wide investigation to identify the benefits and challenges of engaging in student-faculty partnerships activities within a Faculty of Science at a mid-sized university in Ontario, Canada. Using a mixed-method approach of surveys and semi-structured interviews with undergraduate and graduate students, we examined the types of student partnership activities existing within a Faculty of Science as well as gathered insights into students’ perspectives of the benefits and challenges they experience engaging in these activities. Collaborating with faculty on research projects, teaching assistantships, being a student leader in an organization with faculty guidance, and co-authoring manuscripts with faculty members were considered the most impactful partnerships activities. Students reported social, personal, and career development benefits from their involvement in student-faculty partnership activities. Common barriers included difficulties finding opportunities to engage in partnership activities, social barriers (e.g., financial stability), power imbalances, difficult working environments, and personal challenges. Implications for supporting student engagement and collaboration through advantageous student-faculty partnerships are discussed.

Science students face specific challenges associated with their field of study. The purpose of this study was to assess science students’ use of support services and programs, identify barriers to use and group differences, determine professors’ and staff’s familiarity with programs and solicit ideas from all participants about what programming changes should be made. Survey questions were completed by 308 students and 40 staff and professors in our institution’s Faculty of Science. Students’ participation rates and professors’ and staff’s familiarity with programs ranged significantly but most services were rated as helpful by both groups. Few demographic group differences emerged in program use. Participants recommended a number of improvements to the Faculty of Science including strengthening mental health awareness and support services, fostering student engagement in science, building students’ relationships with professors and cultivating a healthy learning environment. Implications for program development in science faculties are considered.

The transition from high school to university can be difficult and stressful for many students who are not sure of how to be successful in their courses and become engaged in extracurricular activities beyond the classroom. This paper describes the design and outcomes of the Preparation for Academic Success in Science (PASS) transition program in the Faculty of Science at the University of Windsor, a mid-sized university in Ontario, Canada. The two-day PASS program, offered in the week before fall classes begin, is designed to introduce incoming students to effective study habits, note taking, and preparation for examinations. Moreover, students are advised on how to get involved in undergraduate research, study abroad, service learning, internships, and student organizations, while balancing their time, health and wellness. Results from PASS cohorts between 2017 and 2019 suggest that students who participated in the PASS program had higher major and overall averages in their first and subsequent years, and significantly greater engagement in extracurricular activities compared to the (control group) students who did not participate in the transition program. PASS is presented as an effective transition program, but it is argued that further study is required to determine how academic performance and engagement are related to the intentionality of the student when they start university, and the importance of the program to building community and a sense of belonging.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience and management of stress in science students and to evaluate concordance with faculty/staff members’ appraisal of student stress. A survey was completed by 308 students and by 40 staff and faculty members. Students’ stress levels were high but there were no differences based on demographic groups. Students’ top stressors included workload, grades, career, time management, and anxiety. Faculty and staff members accurately estimated the level of undergraduate student stress but underestimated graduate student stress. They also demonstrated a good understanding of the role of specific academic stressors, but consistently overestimated the contribution of stress from other sources. Students described using a variety of different coping strategies, including social support, self-care, hobbies, and problem-solving. L’objectif de cette étude était d’explorer l’expérience et la gestion du stress parmi les étudiants et les étudiantes en sciences et d’évaluer leur concordance avec l’évaluation du stress des étudiants et des étudiantes par les professeurs, les professeures et les membres du personnel. Un sondage a été mené auprès de 308 étudiants et étudiantes ainsi que 40 professeurs, professeures et membres du personnel. Les niveaux de stress ressenti par les étudiants et les étudiantes étaient élevés mais il n’y avait aucune différence basée sur les groupes démographiques. Les principaux facteurs de stress ressenti par les étudiants et les étudiantes étaient la charge de travail, les notes, les carrières, la gestion du temps et l’anxiété. Les professeurs, les professeures et les membres du personnel avaient estimé avec exactitude le niveau de stress ressenti par les étudiants et les étudiantes de premier cycle mais avaient sous-estimé le niveau de stress ressenti par les étudiants et les étudiantes des cycles supérieurs. Ils avaient également montré une bonne compréhension du rôle des divers facteurs de stress spécifiques à l’université, mais avaient systématiquement surestimé la contribution du stress causé par d’autres sources. Les étudiants et les étudiantes ont expliqué qu’ils faisaient appel à toute une variété de stratégies différentes pour gérer le stress, y compris le soutien social, les soins personnels, les passe-temps et la résolution de problèmes.

Introduction Clinical trials, although academically accepted as the most effective treatment available for cancer patients, poor accrual to clinical trials remains a significant problem. A clinical trials navigator (CTN) program was piloted where patients and/or their healthcare professionals could request a search and provide a list of potential cancer clinical trials in which a patient may be eligible based on their current status and disease. Objectives This study examined the outcomes of a pilot program to try to improve clinical trials accrual with a focus on patients at medium to small sized cancer programs. Outcomes examined included patient disposition (referral to and accrual to interventional trials), patient survival, sites of referral to the CTN program. Methods One 0.5 FTE navigator was retained. Stakeholders referred to the CTN through the Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network. Demographic and outcomes data were recorded. Results Between March 2019 and February 2020, 118 patients from across Canada used the program. Seven per cent of patients referred were enrolled onto treatment clinical trials. No available trial excluded 39% patients, and 28% had a decline in their health and died before they could be referred or enrolled onto a clinical trial. The median time from referral to death was 109 days in those that passed. Conclusion This novel navigator pilot has the potential to increase patient accrual to clinical trials. The CTN program services the gap in the clinical trials system, helping patients in medium and small sized cancer centres identify potential clinical trials at larger centres.

The objective of this study was to characterize commercially-available cotton fabrics to determine their suitability as materials for construction of cloth masks for personal and public use to reduce infectious disease spread. The study focused on cottons because of their widespread availability, moderate performance and they are recommended for inclusion in home-made masks by international health authorities. Fifty-two cottons were analyzed by electron microscopy to determine fabric characteristics and fabric weights. Sixteen fabrics were selected to test for breathability and to construct 2-ply cotton masks of a standard design to use in quantitative fit testing on a human participant. Cotton mask fitted filtration efficiencies (FFEs) for 0.02–1 μm ambient and aerosolized sodium chloride particles ranged from 40 to 66% compared with the mean medical mask FFE of 55±2%. Pressure differentials across 2-ply materials ranged from 0.57 to > 12 mm H2O/cm2 on samples of equal surface area with 6 of 16 materials exceeding the recommended medical mask limit. Models were calibrated to predict 2-ply cotton mask FFEs and differential pressures for each fabric based on pore characteristics and fabric weight. Models indicated cotton fabrics from 6 of 9 consumer categories can produce cloth masks with adequate breathability and FFEs equivalent to a medical mask: T-shirt, fashion fabric, mass-market quilting cotton, home décor fabric, bed sheets and high-quality quilting cotton. Masks from one cloth mask and the medical mask were re-tested with a mask fitter to distinguish filtration from leakage. The fabric and medical masks had 3.7% and 41.8% leakage, respectively. These results indicate a well fitted 2-ply cotton mask with overhead ties can perform similarly to a disposable 3-ply medical mask on ear loops due primarily to the superior fit of the cloth mask which compensates for its lower material filtration efficiency.

The objective of this study was to characterize commercially-available cotton fabrics to determine their suitability as materials for construction of cloth masks for personal and public use to reduce infectious disease spread. The study focused on cottons because of their widespread availability, moderate performance and they are recommended for inclusion in home-made masks by international health authorities. Fifty-two cottons were analyzed by electron microscopy to determine fabric characteristics and fabric weights. Sixteen fabrics were selected to test for breathability and to construct 2-ply cotton masks of a standard design to use in quantitative fit testing on a human participant. Cotton mask fitted filtration efficiencies (FFEs) for 0.02-1 μm ambient and aerosolized sodium chloride particles ranged from 40 to 66% compared with the mean medical mask FFE of 55±2%. Pressure differentials across 2-ply materials ranged from 0.57 to > 12 mm H2O/cm2 on samples of equal surface area with 6 of 16 materials exceeding the recommended medical mask limit. Models were calibrated to predict 2-ply cotton mask FFEs and differential pressures for each fabric based on pore characteristics and fabric weight. Models indicated cotton fabrics from 6 of 9 consumer categories can produce cloth masks with adequate breathability and FFEs equivalent to a medical mask: T-shirt, fashion fabric, mass-market quilting cotton, home décor fabric, bed sheets and high-quality quilting cotton. Masks from one cloth mask and the medical mask were re-tested with a mask fitter to distinguish filtration from leakage. The fabric and medical masks had 3.7% and 41.8% leakage, respectively. These results indicate a well fitted 2-ply cotton mask with overhead ties can perform similarly to a disposable 3-ply medical mask on ear loops due primarily to the superior fit of the cloth mask which compensates for its lower material filtration efficiency.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience and management of stress in science students and to evaluate concordance with faculty/staff members’ appraisal of student stress. A survey was completed by 308 students and by 40 staff and faculty members. Students’ stress levels were high but there were no differences based on demographic groups. Students’ top stressors included workload, grades, career, time management, and anxiety. Faculty and staff members accurately estimated the level of undergraduate student stress but underestimated graduate student stress. They also demonstrated a good understanding of the role of specific academic stressors, but consistently overestimated the contribution of stress from other sources. Students described using a variety of different coping strategies, including social support, self-care, hobbies, and problem-solving.

Abstract Background The breast tumor microenvironment regulates progression of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). However, it is unclear how interactions between breast epithelial and stromal cells can drive this progression and whether there are reliable microenvironmental biomarkers to predict transition of DCIS to IDC. Methods We used xenograft mouse models and a 3D pathomimetic model termed mammary architecture and microenvironment engineering (MAME) to study the interplay between human breast myoepithelial cells (MEPs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) on DCIS progression. Results Our results show that MEPs suppress tumor formation by DCIS cells in vivo even in the presence of CAFs. In the in vitro MAME model, MEPs reduce the size of 3D DCIS structures and their degradation of extracellular matrix. We further show that the tumor-suppressive effects of MEPs on DCIS are linked to inhibition of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA)/urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR)-mediated proteolysis by plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and that they can lessen the tumor-promoting effects of CAFs by attenuating interleukin 6 (IL-6) signaling pathways. Conclusions Our studies using MAME are, to our knowledge, the first to demonstrate a divergent interplay between MEPs and CAFs within the DCIS tumor microenvironment. We show that the tumor-suppressive actions of MEPs are mediated by PAI-1, uPA and its receptor, uPAR, and are sustained even in the presence of the CAFs, which themselves enhance DCIS tumorigenesis via IL-6 signaling. Identifying tumor microenvironmental regulators of DCIS progression will be critical for defining a robust and predictive molecular signature for clinical use.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among Canadian men. Next-generation sequencing using RNA-Seq provides large amounts of data that may reveal novel and informative biomarkers. We introduce a method that uses machine learning techniques to identify transcripts that correlate with prostate cancer development and progression. We have isolated transcripts that have the potential to serve as prognostic indicators and may have tremendous value in guiding treatment decisions. Analysis of normal versus malignant prostate cancer data sets indicates differential expression of the genes HEATR5B, DDC, and GABPB1-AS1 as potential prostate cancer biomarkers. Our study also supports PTGFR, NREP, SCARNA22, DOCK9, FLVCR2, IK2F3, USP13, and CLASP1 as potential biomarkers to predict prostate cancer progression, especially between stage II and subsequent stages of the disease.

Kallikreins are secreted proteases that may play a functional role and/or serve as a serum biomarker for the presence or progression of certain types of cancers. Kallikrein 6 (KLK6) has been shown to be upregulated in several types of cancers, including colon. The aims of this study were to elucidate pathways that influence KLK6 gene expression and KLK6 protein secretion in the HCT116 human colon cancer cells. Our data indicate a central role for caveolin-1 (CAV-1), the main structural protein of caveolae, in both KLK6 gene expression and protein secretion. Sucrose gradient subcellular fractionation reveals that CAV-1 and KLK6 colocalize to lipid raft domains in the plasma membrane of HCT116 cells. Furthermore, we show that CAV-1, although it does not directly interact with the KLK6 molecule, enhances KLK6 secretion from the cells. Deactivation of CAV-1, through SRC-mediated phosphorylation, decreased KLK6 secretion. We also demonstrate that, in colon cancer cells, CAV-1 increased the amount of phosphorylated AKT in cells by inhibiting the activity of the AKT-negative regulators PP1 and PP2A. This study demonstrates that proteins such as CAV-1 and AKT, which are known to be altered in colon cancer, affect KLK6 expression and KLK6 secretion.

Cathepsin B protein and activity are known to localize to the basal plasma membrane of colon carcinoma cells following the appearance of K-ras mutations. Using immunofluorescence and subcellular fractionation techniques and two human colon carcinoma cell lines—one with a mutated K-ras allele (HCT 116) and a daughter line in which the mutated allele has been disrupted (HKh-2)—we demonstrate that the localization of cathepsin B to caveolae on the surface of these carcinoma cells is regulated by mutant K-ras. In HCT 116 cells, a greater percentage of cathepsin B was distributed to the caveolae, and the secretion of cathepsin B and pericellular (membrane-associated and secreted) cathepsin B activity were greater than observed in HKh-2 cells. Previous studies established the light chain of annexin II tetramer, p11, as a binding site for cathepsin B on the surface of tumor cells. The deletion of active K-ras in HKh-2 cells reduced the steady-state levels of p11 and caveolin-1 and the distribution of pl1 to caveolae. Based upon these results, we speculate that cathepsin B, a protease implicated in tumor progression, plays a functional role in initiating proteolytic cascades in caveolae as downstream components of this cascade (e.g., urokinase plasminogen activator and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor) are also present in HCT 116 caveolae.

Do you have an idea for a new activity or laboratory exercise that you would like to incorporate into your course but feel unsure as to how it will be received by your students? This was our concern when developing first-year biology labs for a biology majors’ course at University of Windsor. Through a Centred on Learning Innovation Fund (CLIF) grant at our institution, we were able to form new and revised laboratory exercises, incorporating on-line, active, and reflective components. But, would the students like the labs? Which labs should be replaced? Using student surveys and a ‘trial’ lab, we were able to collect information about the new lab, as well as the old labs. It was a revelation to witness the enthusiasm and the appreciation first-year students had for being involved in the development of the labs. The goal of this essay is to identify the benefits and costs of incorporating a new activity into a course, as well as describing the process that we developed, which includes student input as an important component in the development of the activity.

The ability of tumor cells to adhere to, migrate on, and remodel extracellular matrices is mediated by cell surface receptors such as β 1 -integrins. Here we conducted functional live-cell imaging in real time to investigate the effects of modulating β 1 -integrin expression and function on proteolytic remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Human breast and prostate cancer cells were grown on reconstituted basement membrane containing a quenched fluorescent form of collagen IV. Generation of cleavage products and the resulting increases in fluorescence were imaged and quantified. Decreases in the expression and activity of β 1 -integrin reduced digestion of quenched fluorescent-collagen IV by the breast and prostate cancer cells and correspondingly their invasion through and migration on reconstituted basement membrane. Decreased extracellular matrix degradation also was associated with changes in the constituents of proteolytic pathways: decreases in secretion of the cysteine protease cathepsin B, the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13, and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 and 2; a decrease in expression of MMP-14 or membrane type 1 MMP; and an increase in secretion of TIMP-3. This is the first study to demonstrate through functional live-cell imaging that downregulation of β 1 -integrin expression and function reduces proteolysis of collagen IV by breast and prostate cancer cells.