International Society for Technology in Education.

The blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) is the functional equivalent of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the sense of providing a specialized microenvironment for the cellular constituents of the spinal cord. Even if intuitively the BSCB could be considered as the morphological extension of the BBB into the spinal cord, evidence suggests that this is not so. The BSCB shares the same principal building blocks with the BBB; nevertheless, it seems that morphological and functional differences may exist between them. Dysfunction of the BSCB plays a fundamental role in the etiology or progression of several pathological conditions of the spinal cord, such as spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and radiation-induced myelopathy. This review summarizes current knowledge of the morphology of the BSCB, the methodology of studying the BSCB, and the potential role of BSCB dysfunction in selected disorders of the spinal cord, and finally summarizes therapeutic approaches to the BSCB.

The blood-spinal cord barrier: morphology and clinical implications.

Mechanisms and implications of adaptive immune responses after traumatic spinal cord injury.

Central neuropathic pain (CNP) is an important problem following spinal cord injury (SCI), because it severely affects the quality of life of SCI patients. As in the patient population, the majority of rats develop significant allodynia (CNP rats) after moderate SCI. However, about 10% of SCI rats do not develop allodynia, or develop significantly less allodynia than CNP rats (non-CNP rats). To identify transcriptional changes underlying CNP development after SCI, we used Affymetrix DNA microarrays and RNAs extracted from the spinal cords of CNP and non-CNP rats. DNA microarry analysis showed significantly increased expression of a number of genes associated with inflammation and astrocytic activation in the spinal cords of rats that developed CNP. For example, mRNA levels of glial fibrilary acidic protein (GFAP) and Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) significantly increased in CNP rats. We also found that GFAP, S100beta and AQP4 protein elevation persisted for at least 9 months throughout contused spinal cords, consistent with the chronic nature of CNP. Thus, we hypothesize that CNP development results, in part, from dysfunctional, chronically "over-activated" astrocytes. Although, it has been shown that activated astrocytes are associated with peripheral neuropathic pain, this has not previously been demonstrated in CNP after SCI.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1471-4159.2005.03462.x

Transcriptional profiling of spinal cord injury-induced central neuropathic pain.

Blood–brain barrier opening using focused ultrasound and microbubbles has been experimentally established as a noninvasive and localized brain drug delivery technique. In this study, the permeability of the opening is assessed in the murine hippocampus after the application of focused ultrasound at three different acoustic pressures and microbubble sizes. Using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, the transfer rates were estimated, yielding permeability maps and quantitative Ktrans values for a predefined region of interest. The volume of blood–brain barrier opening according to the Ktrans maps was proportional to both the pressure and the microbubble diameter. A Ktrans plateau of ~0.05 min 21 was reached at higher pressures (0.45 and 0.60 MPa) for the larger sized bubbles (4– 5 and 6–8 mm), which was on the same order as the Ktrans of the epicranial muscle (no barrier). Smaller bubbles (1–2 mm) yielded significantly lower permeability values. A small percentage (7.5%) of mice showed signs of damage under histological examination, but no correlation with permeability was established. The assessment of the blood–brain barrier permeability properties and their dependence on both the pressure and the microbubble diameter suggests that Ktrans maps may constitute an in vivo tool for the quantification of the efficacy of the focused ultrasound-induced blood–brain barrier opening. Magn Reson Med 66:821–830, 2011. V C 2011 Wiley

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/mrm.22848

Permeability dependence study of the focused ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier opening at distinct pressures and microbubble diameters using DCE-MRI

This paper presents results of a research study conducted at the University of Houston, in which a group of in-service elementary, middle, and high school teachers learned to use digital storytelling through a series of summer workshops conducted by university faculty and graduate students. The study investigated the teachers' use of digital storytelling in their classrooms, what effects this use had on students, and what problems arose that prevented implementation of digital storytelling in the classroom. The study results suggested that, even though almost all of the teachers' perceptions about using digital stories in the classroom were positive immediately after the workshops, in practice, more than half of the teachers did not continue to use digital storytelling during the implementation period. Teachers who did use digital storytelling reported positive effects on student performance, an increase in 21 st century skills, and increased motivation and engagement levels in their students.

/pdf/implementation-of-digital-storytelling-in-the-classroom-by-3z6ssbq1za.pdf

Implementation of digital storytelling in the classroom by teachers trained in a digital storytelling workshop

In vivo assessment of blood-spinal cord barrier permeability: serial dynamic contrast enhanced MRI of spinal cord injury.

This paper describes the results of a research study about DISTCO 2008, the first in a series of Digital Storytelling Contests. DISTCO 2008 was designed as a pilot project for the inaugural DISTCO planned for spring 2009. These contests are open to all K-12 students and teachers in San Antonio, Texas and surrounding areas. The project is designed so that students and teachers from different schools may submit original digital stories in for the contest. The competition will be held solely online, and digital stories are required to be submitted using the official contest website (http://www.distco.org). Specifically, this paper will highlight if and how teachers incorporated digital storytelling in the classroom, what they hoped to gain by using digital stories in the classroom, what challenges and successes they faced in the implementation process, whether digital stories helped students and teachers prepare for the standardized state assessment test (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and SkillsTAKS). In terms of the research implications for students, this paper analyzes students’ perspectives on using digital stories in the classroom, the motivating factors using digital stories, and preferred content areas for digital story use.

Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling: Creating Digital Storytelling Contests for K-12 Students and Teachers

This paper describes the results of a research study about DISTCO 2012, the fourth in a series of Digital Storytelling Contests. The DISTCO 2012 was open to all K-12 students and teachers on both national and international levels. The project was designed so students and teachers from different schools may submit original digital stories within a specified time frame and in a certain manner for the contest. The competition was held solely online, and original digital stories were required to be submitted using an official contest website (http://www.distco.org). This article will outline and describe the research results of DISTCO 2012. Specifically, this paper analyzes students’ and teachers’ perspectives on using digital stories in the classroom, the motivating factors, and preferred content areas for digital story. In addition, grade level differences in the use of digital storytelling will be discussed.

Educational uses of digital storytelling in k-12: research results of a digital storytelling contest (distco) 2013

Technology is an indispensible component of any science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or project-based learning (PBL) activity. Technology may contribute to the design and implementation of the STEM activities in multiple ways. However, two patterns emerge when technology use is analyzed for STEM education: 1) direct integration and embedding of technology into STEM activities; and 2) using technology as a tool or facilitator to enrich STEM PBL (Akgun, 2013).

Bulent Dogan

Papers

Implementation of digital storytelling in the classroom by teachers trained in a digital storytelling workshop

In vivo assessment of blood-spinal cord barrier permeability: serial dynamic contrast enhanced MRI of spinal cord injury.

Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling: Creating Digital Storytelling Contests for K-12 Students and Teachers

Educational uses of digital storytelling in k-12: research results of a digital storytelling contest (distco) 2013

Technology’s Role in Stem Education and the Stem SOS Model