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Flipped classrooms invert the traditional teaching methods and deliver the lecture online outside of the classroom. An increase in technology accessibility is increasing the prevalence of this teaching technique in universities. In this study, we aim to address some of the uncertainties of a flipped classroom by implementing a new

Flipped classrooms invert the traditional teaching methods and deliver the lecture online outside of the classroom. An increase in technology accessibility is increasing the prevalence of this teaching technique in universities. In this study, we aim to address some of the uncertainties of a flipped classroom by implementing a new lecture format in Transport Phenomena. Transport Phenomena is a junior level biomedical engineering course originally flipped in Spring 2013. Since transitioning to a flipped classroom, students have been required to watch 75-minute lectures outside of class where the instructor covered key concepts and examples using paper and marker on a document camera. In class, students then worked in groups to solve problems with instructor and teaching assistant feedback. Students also completed self-graded homework with the opportunity to earn lost points back by discussing fundamental misconceptions. We are introducing re-formatted mini lectures that contain the same content broken down as well as example problems worked out in a tutorial technique instead of traditional solving method. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of newly created mini lectures with integrated questions and links in terms of student achievement and attitude [interest, utility, and "cost" (time, effort, and emotion)].
ContributorsBrenna, Samantha Paige (Author) / Ankeny, Casey (Thesis director) / Caplan, Michael (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
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Difficult to treat cancer patients, specifically those tumors that are metastatic and drug-resistant, prove to have the lowest survival rates when compared to more localized types. The commonplace combination therapies, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, do not usually result in remission and sometimes cannot be done with these specific patients. RNA

Difficult to treat cancer patients, specifically those tumors that are metastatic and drug-resistant, prove to have the lowest survival rates when compared to more localized types. The commonplace combination therapies, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, do not usually result in remission and sometimes cannot be done with these specific patients. RNA interference therapeutics, especially those that use short-interfering RNA (siRNA), have given rise to a novel field that employs the mechanisms in the body to silence the gene expression post-transcriptionally. The main cell types used in this research were Ewing Sarcoma, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, and Rhabdomyosarcoma cells. Initial assays involved the testing of the cells' responsiveness to a panel of siRNA compounds, to better understand the most effective ones. The siRNA UBBs1 proved to be the most cytotoxic to all cell lines tested, allowing for further investigation through transfection procedures for cellular assays and RNA purification for expression analysis. The data showed decreased cell viability for the UBBs1 treated group for both RD and RH-30 Rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines, especially at a much lower concentration than traditional chemotherapy drug dose response assays. The RNA purification and quantification of the transfected cells over time showed the biggest decrease in gene expression when treated with UBBs1. The use of siRNA in future therapeutics could be a highly-specific method to induce cytotoxicity of cancer cells, but more successful clinical testing and better manufacturing processes need to be established first.
ContributorsChilders, Robert Valente (Author) / Ankeny, Casey (Thesis director) / Azorsa, David (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
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Description
The development of computational systems known as brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) offers the possibility of allowing individuals disabled by neurological disorders such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and ischemic stroke the ability to perform relatively complex tasks such as communicating with others and walking. BCIs are closed-loop systems that record physiological

The development of computational systems known as brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) offers the possibility of allowing individuals disabled by neurological disorders such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and ischemic stroke the ability to perform relatively complex tasks such as communicating with others and walking. BCIs are closed-loop systems that record physiological signals from the brain and translate those signals into commands that control an external device such as a wheelchair or a robotic exoskeleton. Despite the potential for BCIs to vastly improve the lives of almost one billion people, one question arises: Just because we can use brain-computer interfaces, should we? The human brain is an embodiment of the mind, which is largely seen to determine a person's identity, so a number of ethical and philosophical concerns emerge over current and future uses of BCIs. These concerns include privacy, informed consent, autonomy, identity, enhancement, and justice. In this thesis, I focus on three of these issues: privacy, informed consent, and autonomy. The ultimate purpose of brain-computer interfaces is to provide patients with a greater degree of autonomy; thus, many of the ethical issues associated with BCIs are intertwined with autonomy. Currently, brain-computer interfaces exist mainly in the domain of medicine and medical research, but recently companies have started commercializing BCIs and providing them at affordable prices. These consumer-grade BCIs are primarily for non-medical purposes, and so they are beyond the scope of medicine. As BCIs become more widespread in the near future, it is crucial for interdisciplinary teams of ethicists, philosophers, engineers, and physicians to collaborate to address these ethical concerns now before BCIs become more commonplace.
ContributorsChu, Kevin Michael (Author) / Ankeny, Casey (Thesis director) / Robert, Jason (Committee member) / Frow, Emma (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School for the Future of Innovation in Society (Contributor) / Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics (Contributor)
Created2016-05