Anatomy "steeplechase" online: necessity sometimes is the catalyst for innovation     

Inuwa IM  Al Rawahy M  Taranikanti V  Habbal O 《Anatomical sciences education》2011,4(2):115-118

In most medical schools, summative practical examination in Anatomy usually takes the format of a “steeplechase” (“spotters” or “bell ringers”) conducted in the gross anatomy laboratory using cadaveric material and prosected specimens. Recently, we have started to administer similar examinations online using the quiz facility in WebCT? and Moodle?. This article chronicles how we conceived and developed this method within the peculiar nature of our medical school setting. Over a five year period, practical summative examinations were organized as “steeplechase” online. The online examinations were administered using WebCT? and later Moodle? learning management software. Assessment “objects” were created from the materials available for anatomy teaching. These were digital images of cadaveric materials, radiological, and prosected specimens. In addition, short video clips of 30 seconds duration demonstrating muscle action were produced. These objects were optimized for online viewing and then uploaded onto the learning management software. A bank of questions (multiple choice or short answer type) was then created and linked to the assessment objects. These were used in place of the steeplechase in the computer laboratory. This method serves a crucial purpose in places like ours where continuous availability of human cadavers is impossible. Although time consuming initially, once questions are setup online, future retrieval, and administration becomes convenient especially where there are large batches of students. In addition, the online environment offers distinct advantages with regards to image quality, psychometric analysis of the examination and reduction of staff preparation time compared to traditional “steeplechase.” Anat Sci Educ 4: 115–118, 2011. © 2010 American Association of Anatomists.  相似文献   

Analysis of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Coagulation Pathway Factors in OCP Treated PCOS Women     

Saika Manzoor  Mohd A. Ganie  Sabhiya Majid  Iram Shabir  Iram A. Kawa  Qudsia Fatima  Humira Jeelani  Syed Douhath Yousuf  Fouzia Rashid 《Indian journal of clinical biochemistry : IJCB》2021,36(3):278

Human polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—a cluster of diseases displays various symptoms associated with endocrine and gynecological disorders in childbearing women. Oral contraceptive pills (OCP) being a drug of choice minimizes symptoms and complications associated with the disorder. But, the controversial data available in literature regarding use of OCPs compels us to setup a study design regarding effect of OCP treatment in PCOS subjects and the possible outcomes specifically regarding coagulation pathways. Two PCOS study groups have been selected according to Rotterdam Criteria: one with OCP treatment (n = 50) and other without any drug treatment i.e., drug naive (n = 50). Anthropometry, Biochemistry, Hormones, Insulin and various clotting factors like Factor XI, Factor V, tPA, TAT-III and D-dimer were analyzed in both groups. The results showed worsening of IR, Metabolic parameters and coagulopathy in OCP group comparative to drug naive group indicating adverse effects of the OCP treatment which puts these women at risk for number of future clinical implications especially Cardiovascular and metabolic complications.  相似文献   

Multidimensional model to assess the readiness of Saudi Arabia to implement evidence based child maltreatment prevention programs at a large scale     

Maha A. Almuneef  Mohamed Qayad  Ismail K. Noor  Majid A. Al-Eissa  Fadia S. AlBuhairan  Sarah Inam  Christopher Mikton 《Child abuse & neglect》2014

There has been increased awareness of child maltreatment in Saudi Arabia recently. This study assessed the readiness for implementing large-scale evidence-based child maltreatment prevention programs in Saudi Arabia. Key informants, who were key decision makers and senior managers in the field of child maltreatment, were invited to participate in the study. A multidimensional tool, developed by WHO and collaborators from several middle and low income countries, was used to assess 10 dimensions of readiness. A group of experts also gave an objective assessment of the 10 dimensions and key informants’ and experts’ scores were compared. On a scale of 100, the key informants gave a readiness score of 43% for Saudi Arabia to implement large-scale, evidence-based CM prevention programs, and experts gave an overall readiness score of 40%. Both the key informants and experts agreed that 4 of the dimensions (attitudes toward child maltreatment prevention, institutional links and resources, material resources, and human and technical resources) had low readiness scores (<5) each and three dimensions (knowledge of child maltreatment prevention, scientific data on child maltreatment prevention, and will to address child maltreatment problem) had high readiness scores (≥5) each. There was significant disagreement between key informants and experts on the remaining 3 dimensions. Overall, Saudi Arabia has a moderate/fair readiness to implement large-scale child maltreatment prevention programs. Capacity building; strengthening of material resources; and improving institutional links, collaborations, and attitudes toward the child maltreatment problem are required to improve the country's readiness to implement such programs.  相似文献   

Cheating charge rocks malaria research     

Sattaur O 《New scientist (1971)》1983,97(1345):423

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Effects of temperature and effective strain on the flow behavior of Ti–6Al–4V     

Sohrab Enayati  Seyed Ali Asghar Akbari Mousavi  Seyed Mohammad Ebrahimi  Majid Belbasi  Mostafa Sultan Bayazidi 《Journal of The Franklin Institute》2011,348(10):2813-2822

In this study, the hot backward extrusion of Ti–6Al–4V alloy is considered by finite element analysis and experiments. The effects of reduction and initial billet temperature on the force required for extrusion, on the maximum strain produced and on the formation of surface cracks are discussed. The simulation results show that the increase of temperature at high reduction is considerable and that can be reached 150 °C in the billet and punch interface. Moreover, the maximum strain is predicted at the interface of billet and punch. The study shows that the temperature rise and plastic deformation may induce surface cracks.  相似文献   

Fabrication of multi-layer polymeric micro-sieve having narrow slot pores with conventional ultraviolet-lithography and micro-fabrication techniques     

Ebrahimi Warkiani M  Lou CP  Gong HQ 《Biomicrofluidics》2011,5(3):36504-365049

Fast detection of waterborne pathogens is important for securing the hygiene of drinking water. Detection of pathogens in water at low concentrations and minute quantities demands rapid and efficient enrichment methods in order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of bio-sensors. We propose and demonstrate a low cost and rapid method to fabricate a multi-layer polymeric micro-sieve using conventional lithography techniques. The micro-fabricated micro-sieves are made of several layers of SU-8 photoresist using multiple coating and exposure steps and a single developing process. The obtained micro-sieves have good mechanical properties, smooth surfaces, high porosity (≈40%), and narrow pore size distribution (coefficient of variation < 3.33%). Sample loading and back-flushing using the multi-layer micro-sieve resulted in more than 90% recovery of pathogens, which showed improved performance than current commercial filters.  相似文献   

Acute and subacute oral toxicity of Litsea elliptica Blume essential oil in rats     

Siti Balkis Budin  Seri Masran Siti Nor Ain  Baharuddin Omar  Izatus Shima Taib  Othman Hidayatulfathi 《Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B》2012,13(10):783-790

Litsea elliptica Blume has been traditionally used to treat headache, fever, and stomach ulcer, and has also been used as an insect repellent. The acute and subacute toxicities of L. elliptica essential oil were evaluated orally by gavage in female Sprague-Dawley rats. For the acute toxicity study, L. elliptica essential oil was administered in doses from 500 to 4 000 mg/kg (single dose), and in the subacute toxicity test, the following doses were used: 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg, for 28 consecutive days. In the acute toxicity study, L. elliptica essential oil caused dose-dependent adverse behaviours and mortality. The median lethal dose value was 3 488.86 mg/kg and the acute non-observed-adversed-effect level value was found to be 500 mg/kg. The subacute toxicity study of L. elliptica essential oil did not reveal alterations in body weight, and food and water consumptions. The haematological and biochemical analyses did not show significant differences between control and treated groups in most of the parameters examined, except for the hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, mean cell volume, mean cell hemoglobin, serum albumin, and serum sodium. However, these differences were still within the normal range. No abnormalities or histopathological changes were observed in the liver, pancreatic islet of Langerhans, and renal glomerulous and tubular cells of all treated groups. In conclusion, L. elliptica essential oil can be classified in the U group, which is defined as a group unlikely to present an acute hazard according to World Health Organization (WHO) classification.  相似文献   

Application of polyurethane geocomposites to help maintain track geometry for high-speed ballasted railway tracks     

Peter Keith Woodward  Abdellah El Kacimi  Omar Laghrouche  Gabriela Medero  Meysam Banimahd 《浙江大学学报(A卷英文版)》2012,13(11):836-849

There are many issues surrounding the performance of critical assets on high-speed ballasted railway lines. At assets like switch & crossings and bridge transitions high track forces can be produced resulting in higher ballast settlements and hence track misalignments. The latter result in higher track forces and hence more settlement, leading to the need for increased track maintenance to ensure comfort and safety. Current technologies for solving issues like ballast movement under high-speed loading regimes are limited. However, a technique that has been well used across the UK and now increasingly overseas to stabilise and reinforce ballasted railway tracks is the application of in-situ polyurethane polymers, termed XiTRACK. This paper discusses how this technique can be used to solve these types of long-standing issues and presents actual polymer application profiles at two typical critical sites, namely a junction and a transition onto concrete slab-track.  相似文献   

The LRXs-RALFs-FER module controls plant growth and salt stress responses by modulating multiple plant hormones     

Chunzhao Zhao  Wei Jiang  Omar Zayed  Xin Liu  Kai Tang  Wenfeng Nie  Yali Li  Shaojun Xie  Yuan Li  Tiandan Long  Linlin Liu  Yingfang Zhu  Yang Zhao  Jian-Kang Zhu 《国家科学评论(英文版)》2021,8(1)

Salt stress is a major environmental factor limiting plant growth and productivity. We recently discovered an important new salt tolerance pathway, where the cell wall leucine-rich repeat extensins LRX3/4/5, the RAPID ALKALINIZATION FACTOR (RALF) peptides RALF22/23 and receptor-like kinase FERONIA (FER) function as a module to simultaneously regulate plant growth and salt stress tolerance. However, the intracellular signaling pathways that are regulated by the extracellular LRX3/4/5-RALF22/23-FER module to coordinate growth, cell wall integrity and salt stress responses are still unknown. Here, we report that the LRX3/4/5-RALF22/23-FER module negatively regulates the levels of jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA) and abscisic acid (ABA). Blocking JA pathway rescues the dwarf phenotype of the lrx345 and fer-4 mutants, while disruption of ABA biosynthesis suppresses the salt-hypersensitivity of these mutants. Many salt stress-responsive genes display abnormal expression patterns in the lrx345 and fer-4 mutants, as well as in the wild type plants treated with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an inhibitor of pectin methylesterases, suggesting cell wall integrity as a critical factor that determines the expression pattern of stress-responsive genes. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is constitutively increased in the lrx345 and fer-4 mutants, and inhibition of ROS accumulation suppresses the salt-hypersensitivity of these mutants. Together, our work provides strong evidence that the LRX3/4/5-RALF22/23-FER module controls plant growth and salt stress responses by regulating hormonal homeostasis and ROS accumulation.  相似文献   

Strengthening Agricultural Libraries in Pakistan     

Shaheen Majid 《International Information and Library Review》2013,45(4):233-245

Abstract

Inflow of current information is vital to support agricultural research for sustaining an adequate level of productivity. Agricultural libraries in Pakistan have extremely deficient collections. Little application of information technology has been made in these libraries. Deficiency of trained manpower has been another area of critical concern. These problems have prevented these libraries to cater tbr the information needs of the Pakistani's scientific community in an efficient manner. A library strengthening project, with financial assistance of USAID, was designed to elevate the status of agricultural libraries in Pakistan. One of the objectives was to develop multi-media collections in these libraries by providing core journals on microform and other electronic media. This paper discusses different facets of the project related to project design and development, and strategies used for collection development and application of information technology. It also discusses the criteria for the selection of library application software. The paper also recommends measures to improve library cooperation and resource sharing among agricultural libraries of Pakistan. Needs for appropriate funding and application of promotional activities are also highlighted.  相似文献