The objective was to evaluate the toxicity and feasibility of intraperitoneal (IP) infusion of tumor-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) as therapy for recurrent ovarian cancer, and to determine if repetitive cycles of CTL generation and infusion measurably increases the host’s ovarian cancer immune response. In this study, seven subjects with recurrent ovarian cancer confined to the peritoneal cavity underwent up to 4 cycles, each cycle beginning with a leukapheresis for collection of precursor lymphocytes, which were stimulated in vitro with MUC1, a tumor-specific antigen found commonly in ovarian cancer cells. The resulting new CTL for each cycle were re-introduced into the host via IP infusion. Immunological parameters (killer cells, cytokine production, memory T-lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells) were studied. Toxicity, CA-125, and survival data were also evaluated. The tumor marker CA-125 was non statistically significantly reduced after the first month of immunotherapy. However, after that, it rose. Killer cells, cytokine production and memory T-lymphocytes increased after the first cycle of stimulation, but plateaued or reduced thereafter. The percent of NK cells inversely correlated with other immune parameters. Median survival was 11.5 months. One subject is free of disease since December, 2000. Multiple cycles, beyond one cycle, of T-cell stimulation followed by adoptive T cell infusion, may not enhance the in vivo immune response.

<p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="color: #0d0d0d; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 242;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;">Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a problem-centered teaching method with exciting potential in engineering education for motivating and enhancing student learning. Implementation of PBL in engineering education has the potential to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Two common problems are encountered when attempting to integrate PBL into the undergraduate engineering classroom:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>1) the large time requirement to complete a significant, useful problem and 2) the ability to determine its impact on students. Engineering, mathematics, and science professors at West Texas A&amp;M University (WTAMU) have </span><a name="OLE_LINK2"></a><a name="OLE_LINK1"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;">overcome the large time commitment associated with implementation of PBL in a single course by integrating small components of the larger project into each of their classes and then linking these components with a culminating experience for all the classes. Most of the engineering students were concurrently enrolled in the engineering, mathematics, and science classes and were therefore participating in all activities related to the project. This linked-class PBL</span></span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> experience addressed course concepts, reinforced connections among the courses, and provided real-world applications for the students. Students viewed the experience as beneficial, increasing their understanding of content and applications in each discipline. This paper provides details about implementation and evaluation of one PBL project and how difficulties in evaluation of the linked-class PBL experiences are being addressed. </span></span></span></p>

No abstract

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) has become an increasingly popular method across disciplines in K-12 and higher education worldwide since it was first introduced to medical education in the late 1960’s. However, it has not gained significant popularity in engineering curricula due to the large time-scale needed to solve complex engineering problems. Previous work by the authors in this area has developed a method for combining problem solving opportunities on a small time scale in linked courses that culminate to solve a challenging problem that would normally take a significant amount of class time. This method of problem-based learning provides a practical application that can be used in engineering curricula. While this method has produced favorable response from both students and faculty involved, there is a need for a more comprehensive effort to develop strategies for evaluation of PBL in mathematics, science and engineering courses, both directly and indirectly. In this study, Engineering Statics, Engineering Physics, and Calculus II are linked using PBL to increase both student engagement and success. For smaller problems, group work with directed individual or interactive tasks is facilitated through teacher-guided discussions. Students who are in these linked (co-enrolled) classes work on small mathematics, physics, and engineering problems that are used to solve a challenging engineering problem. The project addresses concepts taught in class, reinforces connections among the courses, and provides real-world applications. A mixed method evaluation approach was utilized by the external evaluators, the West Texas Office of Evaluation and Research (WTER) including surveys, focus groups, and personal interviews.

<p>Over the last few years, WTAMU Mathematics, Engineering and Science faculty has used interdisciplinary projects as the basis for implementation of a linked-class approach to Problem-Based Learning (PBL). A project that has significant relevance to engineering statics, fluid mechanics, and calculus is the Hydrostatic Pressure Project. This project was developed by faculty associated with the NSF-funded INCRSE project, Increasing Numbers and Connections in Science, Math, and Engineering, for application of the linked-class PBL to calculus II and engineering statics. The students in the linked classes were to predict the horizontal force and the vertical force on a submerged surface and determine the appropriate locations of these forces in order to experimentally verify the calculations. They worked in groups to outline their procedures, develop their functional relations, record experimental data, and report on their findings. Assessment efforts have focused on student laboratory reports and student perceptions about their learning and experiences with this linked-class PBL project collected through surveys and focus groups. In all the surveys and focus groups conducted with students who had participated in the Hydrostatic Pressure Project, all of the students felt their experience was beneficial and had enhanced their understanding and applications of engineering and mathematics.</p>