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Graduate students often teach in higher education but lack necessary experience, while enrolment for teacher-training courses is often voluntary with varying standards. The development and malleability of graduate students' teaching approaches, self-efficacy, interest and teaching ability were evaluated in a mandatory teaching course at a research-intensive university using latent SEM (variable-centred) and latent profile transition (person-centred) analyses. Participants (n = 310) completed items from the Approaches to Teaching Inventory, Teacher's Sense of Efficacy Scale, and Teaching Interest Scale at the beginning and end of the course. Trainers assessed participants in end-of-course teaching. Prior student-focused teaching predicted future self-efficacy ([beta] = 0.30) which predicted achievement (end-of-course teaching, [beta] = 0.033). Prior self-efficacy was also found to predict future interest ([beta] = 0.17). Initial differences in teaching approach reported by STEM and non-STEM participants did not persist, suggesting training can shape and alter previous conceptions. Three subgroups: Low-Teacher-Focused, Mid-Mixed, and High-Student-Focused indicated a developmental progression in teaching beliefs. Results suggest teaching beliefs can be developed and shaped during a short course. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Student-generated materials offer high engagement, connectedness, and satisfaction in learning. In this project, the students merged the concepts and cases learned in class with the experiences of business professionals to create scenarios that can convey the concepts of Business Ethics (BE) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to secondary school students. Because these abstract concepts are difficult to teach effectively, the torch of learning is passed via the student-designed content, which is coupled with augmented reality and mobile technology. With this approach, undergraduate students will gain more ownership in the learning process and the secondary school students will acquire BE and CSR concepts interactively. As a result, learning efficacy is enhanced by the active engagement of students outside the classroom, as validated by the triangulation of qualitative feedback, quantitative analysis, and clickstream data.

Differences in cultural background and prior academic background significantly affect the perception of academic integrity and ethics (AIE) among university students. While upholding the highest standards of AIE is crucial both academically and professionally, such abstract concepts are difficult to teach in the traditional classroom. With mobile technology coupled with augmented reality, these concepts can be taught in an innovative way with practical scenarios. By analyzing clickstream results, it is possible to explore how students' cultural backgrounds or prior learning experiences may influence their approaches to ethical decisions. The text mining of students' discussions about their understanding of AIE, before and after the learning trail, have shown rather different results from past iterations.

This study determined the accuracy of "Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers" ("M-CHAT") in detecting toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders (DD) in community mother and child health clinics. We analysed 19,297 eligible toddlers (15-36 months) who had "M-CHAT" performed in 2006-2011. Overall sensitivities for detecting ASD and all DD were poor but better in the 21 to <27 months and 27-36-month age cohorts (54.5-64.3%). Although positive predictive value (PPV) was poor for ASD, especially the younger cohort, positive "M-CHAT" helped in detecting all DD (PPV = 81.6%). This suggested "M-CHAT" for screening ASD was accurate for older cohorts (>21 months) and a useful screening tool for all DD.

This study determined the accuracy of Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) in detecting toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders (DD) in community mother and child health clinics. We analysed 19,297 eligible toddlers (15-36 months) who had M-CHAT performed in 2006-2011. Overall sensitivities for detecting ASD and all DD were poor but better in the 21 to 21 months) and a useful screening tool for all DD., Author(s): Teck-Hock Toh [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , Vivian Wee-Yen Tan [sup.2] , Peter Sie-Teck Lau [sup.1] [sup.3] [sup.5] , Andrew Kiyu [sup.4] [sup.6] Author Affiliations: (1) Lau King Howe Memorial [...]

A two-step chemoenzymatic process for the preparation of polyvinylphenols from phenolic acids (PAs), being abundant aromatic constituents found in agricultural biomass, was developed. In the first step, conversion of 4-hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives to the corresponding vinylphenols, mediated by a recombinant phenolic acid decarboxylase, was evaluated using a variety of bioprocessing technologies that include biphasic whole cell and cell free extract biotransformations, a combination of biocatalyst with adsorbent resins for in situ product recovery, and fixed bed reactors using immobilized whole cells. The best yield (90%) with a high space time yield of 4.83 g/l/h was the result of a combination of crude enzyme extracts of the recombinant Escherichia coli (E. coli) with water immiscible organic solvents such as toluene. In the second step, cationic and radical polymerizations were tested to produce polyvinylguaiacol (PVG) from vinyl phenols. Characterization of PVG by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and nanoindentation test are reported here for the first time. The feasibility of the chemoenzymatic process for the production of aromatic polymers from biomass was demonstrated by the production of polymers from a mixture of ferulic acid (FA) and p-coumaric acid (pCA), obtained from alkaline hydrolysis of corn bran. Interestingly, nanoindentation tests showed that both PVG and “mixed” PVG polymers showed significantly higher performances than a commercial polystyrene polymer.

Tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells have emerged as key players in the immune control of melanoma. These specialized cells are identified by expression of tissue retention markers such as CD69, CD103 and CD49a with downregulation of egress molecules such as Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor-1 (S1PR1) and the lymphoid homing receptor, CD62L. TRM have been shown to be integral in controlling infections such as herpes simplex virus (HSV), lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and influenza. More recently, robust pre-clinical models have also demonstrated TRM are able to maintain melanoma in a dormant state without progression to macroscopic disease reminiscent of their ability to control viral infections. The discovery of the role these cells play in anti-melanoma immunity has coincided with the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy which has revolutionized the treatment of cancers. ICIs that target programmed death protein-1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) have led to substantial improvements in outcomes for patients with metastatic melanoma and have been rapidly employed to reduce recurrences in the resected stage III setting. While ICIs mediate anti-tumor activity via CD8+ T cells, the specific subsets that facilitate this response is unclear. TRM invariably exhibit high expression of immune checkpoints such as PD-1, CTLA-4 and lymphocyte activating gene-3 (LAG-3) which strongly implicates this CD8+ T cell subset as a crucial mediator of ICI activity. In this review, we present pre-clinical and translational studies that highlight the critical role of TRM in both immune control of primary melanoma and as a key CD8+ T cell subset that mediates anti-tumor activity of ICIs for the treatment of melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two kinds of retted Canadian linseed flax fibers, dew-retted (F1) and enzyme-retted flax fibers (F2) were characterized in detail for their applications in composites, such as retting degree, thermal stability, tensile strength, and interfacial behavior in polypropylene (PP) matrix. It's clear from Scanning Electron Micrograph that the aspect ratio of F2 was much higher than that of F1 in the light of their separated elementary fibers in most cases. Instead, the elementary fibers of F1 remained tightly bundled into technical fiber wrapping with more non-cellulose portions. This reflected its lower retting degree and resulted in its lower thermal stability. Single fiber tensile test and single fiber pull-out test were used to evaluate the fiber tensile properties and fiber/PP interfacial shear strength, respectively. Better retting degree and fewer damages on F2 endowed F2 better tensile property. Consequently, higher aspect ratio, retting degree, and tensile strength proved F2 to be a kind of better reinforcing material than F1 for composites. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 52:165-171, 2012. 2011 published by Society of Plastics Engineers*, INTRODUCTION Nowadays, more and more attention has been paid to natural fiber reinforcing polymer composites in the field of material research in order to achieve good mechanical properties, low abrasion, [...]

The biocatalytic performance of a cloned cyclohexylamine oxidase derived from Brevibacterium oxydans IH-35A towards structurally different amines was investigated. Cycloalkyl primary amines, alkyl aryl amines, and a-carbon- substituted aliphatic amines were identified as suitable substrates for the biocatalyst based on an activity assay. Kinetic resolutions of several amines by either recombinant whole cells or crude enzyme extracts prepared therefrom gave enantiomerically pure (R)-amines besides the corresponding ketones. When cyclohexylamine oxidase in combination with a borane--ammonia complex as reducing agent was applied to the deracemization of several substrates, excellent enantiomeric ratios (>99:1) and good isolated yields (62%-75%) of the corresponding (R)-amines were obtained. Key words: biocatalysis, cyclohexylamine oxidase, chiral amines, kinetic resolution, deracemization. On a etudie la performance biocatalytique d'un clone de l'oxydase de la cyclohexylamine derive du Brevibacterium oxydans IH-35A vis-a-vis des amines de structures diverses. Sur la base d'un essai d'activite, il a ete possible d'identifier les cycloalkylamines primaires, les alkylarylamines primaires et les amines aliphatiques portant un substituant sur le carbone en α comme des substrats appropries pour le biocatalyseur. Les resolutions cinetiques de plusieurs amines par des cellules recombinantes completes ou des extraits bruts d' enzyme prepares a partir de celles-ci conduisent a des amines (R) enantiomeriquement pures aux cotes des cetones correspondantes. On a utilise l'oxydase de la cyclohexylamine en combinaison avec un complexe de borane-ammoniac comme agent reducteur pour effectuer la deracemisation de plusieurs substrats, avec d'excellents rapports enantiomeriques (>99/1) et de bons rendements en produits isoles (72 % a 75 %) des amines (R) correspondantes. Mots-cles : biocatalyseur, oxydase de la cyclohexylamine, amines chirales, resolution cinetique, deracemisation. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction The importance of enantiomerically pure amines as starting materials for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, as chiral auxiliaries, and as resolving agents is beyond question. (1) Despite the wide applications of [...]