Measuring Learner Satisfaction of an Adaptive Learning System.

Tertiary educational institutions have continually implemented various educational technologies to support student learning. An example is adaptive learning systems, within which learners take ownership of their learning experience and accelerate future learning. Despite the importance of considering learner satisfaction in the development of such systems given how it has been widely acknowledged as an indication of the success of e-learning systems, research in the area of adaptive learning technologies for education has concentrated more on tailoring instruction to implement personalised learning. A review of instruments measuring learner satisfaction of virtual learning environments found that the learner satisfaction questionnaire (LSQ) that was developed to measure learner satisfaction of e-learning systems, and preliminarily validated by means of exploratory factor analysis, was most suitable for adaptation. This study sought to adapt and validate the LSQ for the purpose of measuring learner satisfaction of an adaptive learning system developed in-house. A total of 121 tertiary students recruited via availability sampling took part in this study. Hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis was performed as part of the validation. Results presented the adapted LSQ as a 14-item instrument that can be readily deployed on a broad scale basis. The adapted LSQ also yielded valid and reliable satisfaction scores both at the subscale as well as the overall scale level. Practical implications are discussed, noting that such scores could inform the further development and refinement of AdLeS or similar systems, with the view of benefiting students.

Sulforaphane enhances the anticancer activity of taxanes against triple negative breast cancer by killing cancer stem cells.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) typically exhibits rapid progression, high mortality and faster relapse rates relative to other breast cancer subtypes. In this report we examine the combination of taxanes (paclitaxel or docetaxel) with a breast cancer stem cell (CSC)-targeting agent sulforaphane for use against TNBC. We demonstrate that paclitaxel or docetaxel treatment induces IL-6 secretion and results in expansion of CSCs in TNBC cell lines. Conversely, sulforaphane is capable of preferentially eliminating CSCs, by inhibiting NF-κB p65 subunit translocation, downregulating p52 and consequent downstream transcriptional activity. Sulforaphane also reverses taxane-induced aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive (ALDH+) cell enrichment, and dramatically reduces the size and number of primary and secondary mammospheres formed. In vivo in an advanced treatment orthotopic mouse xenograft model together with extreme limiting dilution analysis (ELDA), the combination of docetaxel and sulforaphane exhibits a greater reduction in primary tumor volume and significantly reduces secondary tumor formation relative to either treatment alone. These results suggest that treatment of TNBCs with cytotoxic chemotherapy would be greatly benefited by the addition of sulforaphane to prevent expansion of and eliminate breast CSCs.

Development and validation of the QUT corneal nerve grading scale.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a grading scale to facilitate the estimation of the amount of nerve tissue in images of the corneal subbasal nerve plexus captured using in vivo laser scanning corneal confocal microscopy (LSCCM). METHODS: Images of the corneal subbasal nerve plexus obtained using a Heidelberg LSCCM were sourced from a large image bank at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). These images were used to construct a grading scale for depicting the amount of nerve tissue, ranging from 0 (sparse) to 4 (extensive). Twenty-five observers graded 20 images of a known corneal nerve fiber length (defined as the total length of nerves per unit area) on 2 occasions, at least 2 weeks apart. An equivalent calculated grade was determined for each test image from known values of corneal nerve fiber length. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient for repeat gradings was 0.88 (P < 0.001). Intraobserver and interobserver repeatabilities were unrelated to the calculated grade (P = 0.467 and P = 0.530, respectively). Grading can be performed with average 95% confidence limits of ±1.2 grading units. Overall grading estimates did not differ between observers (P = 0.998). There was a strong agreement between the estimated and calculated grades (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.92, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We have developed the QUT Corneal Nerve Grading Scale, which is demonstrated to be repeatable, reliable, precise, and accurate. This tool provides clinicians and researchers with a simple and convenient pictorial reference for assessing, comparing, and monitoring the corneal subbasal nerve plexus with reference to LSCCM images.