Anatomy is a core component of the basic health sciences and a structural foundation for higher clinical courses. Mastering this foundational science is an essential competency for health care ...providers. Some medical schools still adopt the traditional teacher-centered methods for teaching anatomy with the disadvantages of lacking the students’ opportunity to practice higher levels of thinking such as application, interpretation, or analysis during class. One of the promising teaching strategies that enhance student engagement is the flipped classroom (FC). The present study explored the students’ achievement during the anatomy FC, compared with traditional classroom for the first time in Qassim College of Medicine.
Online educational materials were uploaded on the Blackboard in the form of electronic textbooks, PowerPoint presentations, online websites, journal articles and multimedia in the pre-class phase of the FC. The in-class phase included open discussion and problem-solving activities were based upon the digitalized resources. Students’ attendance was recorded during the in-class sessions. Comparison between the students’ scores of the pre-and post-tests for both the FC and traditional classroom. A computed students’ survey towards the FC was analysed.
The mean students’ scores of the lower and higher-order thinking questions of the FC in the pre-tests were significantly increased in the pre-tests (4.40 ± 1.18 and 1.39 ± 0.53 respectively), compared with that of the traditional classroom (1.44 ± 1.09 and 0.41 ± 0.51 respectively) as well as in the post-tests (5.73 ± 1.03 and 2.14 ± 0.71), compared with that of the traditional classroom (5.07 ± 1.2 and 1.66 ± 0.93 respectively). The absence rate of the students during the FC was lower by 16.13%. Students’ survey conveyed their satisfaction towards the FC. Cronbach’s alpha test revealed high reliability of all students’ survey items and their correlation coefficient was positive.
The current work concluded that the educational outcome gained from the technology-enhanced active learning (TEAL), through the implementation of the anatomy FC, enhanced the students' achievement and commitment and suggested the upgrading of the anatomy teaching methods and exploring the long-term effects of the FC.
Wound healing involves the integration of complex biological processes. Several studies examined numerous approaches to enhance wound healing and to minimize its related morbidity. Both chitosan and ...mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were used in treating skin wounds. The aim of the current work was to compare MSCs versus chitosan in wound healing, evaluate the most efficient route of administration of MSCs, either intradermal or systemic injection, and elicit the mechanisms inducing epidermal and dermal cell regeneration using histological, immunohistochemical and fluorescent techniques.
Forty adult male Sprague Dawley albino rats were divided into four equal groups (ten rats in each group): control group (Group I); full thickness surgical skin wound model, Group II: Wound and chitosan gel. Group III: Wound treated with systemic injection of MSCs and Group IV: Wound treated with intradermal injection of MSCs. The healing ulcer was examined on day 3, 5, 10 and 15 for gross morphological evaluation and on day 10 and 15 for histological, immunohistochemical and fluorescent studies.
Chitosan was proved to promote wound healing more than the control group but none of their wound reached complete closure. Better and faster healing of wounds in MSCs treated groups were manifested more than the control or chitosan treated groups. It was found that the intradermal route of administration of stem cells enhanced the rate of healing of skin wounds better than the systemic administration to the extent that, by the end of the fifteenth day of the experiment, the wounds were completely healed in all rats of this group. Histologically, the wound areas of group IV were hardly demarcated from the adjacent normal skin and showed complete regeneration of the epidermis, dermis, hypodermis and underlying muscle fibers. Collagen fibers were arranged in many directions, with significant increase in their area percent, surrounding fully regenerated hair follicles and sebaceous glands in the dermis of the healed areas more than in other groups.
MSCs enhanced the healing process of wound closure more than chitosan gel treatment. Furthermore, MSCs injected intradermally, were more efficient in accelerating wound healing than any other mode of treatment.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
بعد جائحة كوفيد-١٩، قامت المؤسسات الأكاديمية على الفور بتحويل جميع النشاطات الأكاديمية إلى التعليم الإليكتروني. يصف العمل الحالي الإجراءات المتزامنة للتعليم الإليكتروني والتقييم التي أجريت في كلية ...الطب، بجامعة القصيم، بالمملكة العربية السعودية. كما درسنا تأثير التعلم الإليكتروني والتقييم على أداء الطلاب وأعضاء هيئة التدريس، والتحديات التي تواجه استدامتها.
في هذه الدراسة المستعرضة الوصفية، قمنا برصد عدد ومدة الأنشطة التعليمية الإلكترونية المختلفة أثناء جائحة كوفيد-١٩. تم عقد الدورات التدريبية للإجراءات المختلفة للفصول الافتراضية والتقييم الإلكتروني للمعلمين والطلبة. ورتبت لجنة التقييم الإليكتروني المنشأة حديثا مختلف التقييمات الإليكترونية. تم مقارنة متوسط درجات نفس الطلبة أثناء جلسات التعلم القائم على حل المعضلات سواء عقدت وجها لوجه أو تم عقدها إلكترونيا. كما تم عمل وتحليل استبانة رضا الطلاب، والتقارير الأسبوعية لتصور أعضاء هيئة التدريس بالإضافة إلى خبرات جلسة مجموعة التركيز عن التعلم الإليكتروني.
تم تنفيذ ٦٢٠ فصلا افتراضية بنجاح على مدى ٩٩٤ ساعة شملت المحاضرات النظرية، وجلسات التعلم القائم على حل المعضلات، والندوات وحلقات النقاش. لاحظنا زيادة ذات دلالة إحصائية في متوسطدرجات الطالبات أثناء الجلسات الإلكترونية للتعلم القائم على حل المعضلات. عكس أكثر عدد ممكن ٥٢.٨٢٪ من طلاب السنوات الأساسية بالإضافة إلى أعضاء هيئة التدريس الرضى العالي تجاه الفصول الافتراضية، والتقييم الإليكتروني وورش العمل الإلكترونية.
أوضحت هذه الدراسة فوائد التعلم الإلكتروني والتقييم. لاحظنا ارتفاعا في إنجاز الطلاب وتصورا واعدا لأعضاء هيئة التدريس وتحسنا ملحوظا في مهاراتهم التكنولوجية. تدعم هذه النتائج التحول نحو التنفيذ المستقبلي لمزيد من المقررات الطبية الإليكترونية.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, academic institutions are promptly shifting all educational activities to the e-learning format. The present work describes concurrent procedures for online teaching and assessment performed at the College of Medicine, Qassim University, KSA. We also explored the impact of e-learning and assessment on the performance of students and faculty, and the challenges to their sustainability.
In this descriptive cross-sectional study, we recorded the number and duration of different online educational activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Training sessions for various procedures of virtual classrooms and online assessments were organised for teachers and students. A newly established e-assessment committee arranged different online assessments. A comparison between the mean problem-based learning (PBL) grades of the same students was conducted either face-to-face or online. A student satisfaction survey and online staff focus group about the online learning experiences were conducted, and weekly staff perception reports were prepared. The results obtained were then analysed.
A total of 620 virtual classrooms were successfully implemented over 994 h including theoretical lectures, PBL sessions, seminars, and tutorials. A significant increase in the mean PBL grades was observed for female students during the online sessions. Out of the basic year students and staff, 58.82% reflected their high satisfaction towards virtual classrooms, online assessment, and online workshops.
The present study elaborates on the benefits of e-learning and assessment. We observed higher student achievements and promising staff perceptions with obvious improvement in their technological skills. These findings support the shift towards future implementation of more online medical courses.
One of the major challenges facing anatomy educators is delivering the anatomy materials in fewer hours with a reduction of anatomy courses in the integrated curricula. The flipped classroom modality ...may be an innovative solution. However, its effectiveness remains under debate due to a lack of outcome‐based research and the mixed results of students' performance. The present study aimed to determine the outcome of the flipped classroom based upon the level of student cognition. The study investigated performance on 17 multiple‐choice anatomy questions as a part of the final examination of the musculoskeletal system module. The results were compared between the first‐year female students of Qassim Medical College, specifically the flipped classroom group (46 students) of the academic year (2018–2019) and the traditional group (49 students) of the academic year (2017–2018). The mean differences in the students' grades on the anatomy questions at the level of knowledge, application, and analysis using Cohen's d test were 0.43, 1.41, and 1.01, respectively. These results suggest the positive impact of flipping the students' classrooms on improving their levels of thinking according to Bloom's taxonomy. Perception surveys also revealed students' enthusiasm for the pre‐class activities, leading to a better performance in the class with more engagement with their peers and teachers. The present study suggested that the flipped classroom modality can be performed to compensate for the reduction of anatomy educational hours. However, further studies are recommended to investigate the best practices of the flipped classroom that fit with the students' needs and workloads.
Objective: To investigate the medical students’ performance with and perception towards different multimedia medical imaging tools.
Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of ...Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia, from 2019 to 2020, and comprised third year undergraduate medical students during the academic year 2019-2020. The students were divided into tow groups. Those receiving multimedia-enhanced problem-based learning sessions were in intervention group A, while those receiving traditional problem-based learning sessions were in control group B. Scores of the students in the formative assessment at the end of the sessions were compared between the groups. Students’ satisfaction survey was also conducted online and analysed. Data was analysed using SPSS 21.
Result: Of the 130 medical students, 75(57.7%) were males and 55(42.3%) were females. A significant increase in the mean scores was observed for both male and female students in group A compared to those in group B (p<0.05). The perception survey was filled up by 100(77%) students, and open-ended comments were obtained from 88(88%) of them. Overall, 69(74%) subjects expressed satisfaction with the multimedia-enhanced problem-based learning sessions.
Conclusions: Radiological and pathological images enhanced the students’ understanding, interaction and critical thinking during problem-based learning sessions.
Key Words: Radiological images, PBL sessions, Medical students, Qassim University, Medical imaging.
Development and maturation of submandibular salivary glands are influenced by intrauterine diabetic environment. Several studies investigated the effects of diabetes on the salivary glands. However, ...the effects of maternal diabetes on the submandibular glands of the offspring was not properly examined. Therefore, the present study was designed to describe the changes in the development of the submandibular glands of the offspring of diabetic mothers. The submandibular glands of the offspring of Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic female rats were examined at two and four weeks after birth. Detection of mRNA demonstrated that maternal diabetes affects the level of different indicators. The reduction of expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF); a protein mitogen, cytokeratin 5 (CK5); an epithelial cell progenitor, CK7 and aquaporin 5 (AQP5); differentiation markers and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2); an antiapoptotic marker were found. Increase in Bcl2-associated X protein (Bax); an apoptotic marker was detected. These changes indicate their effects on saliva secretion, glands tumorigenesis, growth of normal oral flora and oral microbes, with decreased protein synthesis and production of xerostomia and dental caries. Loss of normal glandular architecture, significant increase in fibrosis, by the detection of collagen fibers, and stagnation of secretory granules were found with atrophic changes in the acinar cells. Marked defect of polysaccharides in the acinar cells, denoting functional changes, was manifested by significant reduction of the intensity of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction. The positive immunoreactivity of caspase-3, denoting cellular apoptosis, and minimal reaction of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α SMA) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were evident in the offspring of diabetic mothers. We conclude that maternal diabetes produces degenerative effects in the structure and function of the submandibular salivary glands of the offspring, reflecting possible influences on their secretory activity affecting oral and digestive health.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Several researchers studied the protective effect of the
N
-acetylcysteine (NAC) when it was given before the induction of myocardial infarction (MI). Other researchers studied such protective effect ...when it was before done and after done of the MI. The missing data are the comparison between the protective effect of NAC before myocardial injury with its protective effect both before and after myocardial injury. The aim of the study was to compare the cardioprotective effect of NAC on the isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury before the isoprenaline (ISP) injection with its protective effect both before and after the ISP injection. This study was applied over both short and long time periods. A total of 90 male adult Wistar albino rats were used in the study. The rats were divided into four groups: control group, ISP-treated group, NAC-pretreated group and NAC-pre-& posttreated group. Based on the duration of the experiment, the second and third groups were further subdivided into a and b groups. Histological, immunohistochemical and histomorphometric analysis were used. The myocytes in the ISP-treated groups were fragmented, disrupted with karyolysis. The blood vessels were dilated, congested and associated with blood extravasation, interstitial edema and cellular inflammatory infiltration. Much improvement was observed in the NAC-pretreated group. Focal degeneration was detected in the muscle fibers. The capillaries were normal. Minimal blood extravasation and cellular infiltration were seen. The cardiac muscle fibers in the NAC-pre-& posttreated group were regularly arranged. The mean collagen fiber area percent of the ISP-treated groups was significantly higher by 8.3-folds and 10.1-folds as compared with that of the control group and was also higher by 5.5-folds and 6.8-folds as compared with that of the NAC-pre-&posttreated groups. The α-SMA area percent in the ISP-treated groups was significantly higher by 12.2-folds and 23.9-folds as compared with that of the control group and was higher by 7.5-folds and 15-folds as compared with that of the NAC-pre-& posttreated groups. The mean PCNA area percent of the ISP-treated groups was significantly higher by 126.2 and 164.8% as compared with that of the control group and was higher by 106.3 and 141.5% as compared with that of NAC-pre-& posttreated groups. ISP had deleterious effects on the heart. Administration of NAC before ISP injection could largely reduce the ISP-induced short- and long-term alterations. The protection was maximum with the use of NAC before the ISP injection and continued after the injection for 12 days.
The distinctive feature of liver fibrosis is the progressive replacement of healthy hepatic cells by the extracellular matrix protein, which is abundant in collagen I and III, with impaired matrix ...remodeling. The activation of myofibroblastic cells enhances the fibrogenic response of complex interactions of hepatic stellate cells, fibroblasts, and inflammatory cells to produce the excessive deposition of the extracellular protein matrix. This process is activated by multiple fibrogenic mediators and cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-1β, accompanied with a decrease in the anti-fibrogenic factor NF-κβ. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising therapy for liver fibrosis, allowing for a more advanced regenerative influence when cultured with extrinsic or intrinsic proliferative factors, cytokines, antioxidants, growth factors, and hormones such as melatonin (MT). However, previous studies showed conflicting findings concerning the therapeutic effects of adipose (AD) and bone marrow (BM) MSCs; therefore, the present work aimed to conduct a comparative and comprehensive study investigating the impact of MT pre-treatment on the immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects of AD- and BM-MSCs and to critically analyze whether MT-pre-treated AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs reveal equal or different therapeutic and regenerative potentials in a CCl4-injured liver experimental rat model.
Six groups of experimental rats were used, with ten rats in each group: group I (control group), group II (CCl4-treated group), group III (CCl4- and BM-MSC-treated group), group IV (CCl4 and MT-pre-treated BM-MSC group), group V (CCl4- and AD-MSC-treated group), and group VI (CCl4 and MT-pre-treated AD-MSC group). Liver function tests and the gene expression of inflammatory, fibrogenic, apoptotic, and proliferative factors were analyzed. Histological and immunohistochemical changes were assessed.
The present study compared the ability of AD- and BM-MSCs, with and without MT pre-treatment, to reduce hepatic fibrosis. Both types of MSCs improved hepatocyte function by reducing the serum levels of ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), and total bilirubin (TBIL). In addition, the changes in the hepatocellular architecture, including the hepatocytes, liver sinusoids, central veins, portal veins, biliary ducts, and hepatic arteries, showed a decrease in hepatocyte injury and cholestasis with a reduction in inflammation, apoptosis, and necrosis of the hepatic cells, together with an inhibition of liver tissue fibrosis. These results were augmented by an analysis of the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα and IL-1β, the anti-fibrogenic factor NF-κβ, the apoptotic factor caspase-3, and the proliferative indicators antigen Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). These findings were found to be statistically significant, with the restoration of normal parameters in the rats that received AD-MSCs pre-treated with MT, denoting optimal regenerative and therapeutic effects.
AD-MSCs pre-treated with MT are the preferred choice in improving hepatic fibrosis and promoting the therapeutic and regenerative ability of liver tissue. They represent a very significant tool for future stem cell use in the tissue regeneration strategy for the treatment of liver diseases.
The relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, severity of liver disease, frequency of
infection, and degree of gastric lesions was not yet fully investigated in Egyptian patients. The ...present work was performed on 100 Egyptian patients with HBV from the National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Institute and 70 healthy volunteers as control group. The participants were subjected to full medical history taking, clinical examination, and laboratory investigations. All patients were positive for HBV surface antigen (HBV sAg), HBV DNA, and negative for hepatitis C virus antibodies. The severity of the liver disease was assessed using Child-Pugh scoring system. Screening of all participants for
Ag in stool was performed. Biopsy specimens were taken from the gastric lesions of
-infected patients for histopathological examination. The mean age of the patients and control group were 34.9 and 33.4 years, respectively. The levels of the liver enzymes were statistically higher in HBV patients than the control group.
Ag in stool was detected in 45.7% of the control group, and a higher percentage (60%) was detected in the patients group. Chronic gastritis with glandular atrophy and metaplasia was found in 15.6% of patients of Child-Pugh A, 70% of Child-Pugh B, and 100% of Child-Pugh C. It could be concluded that the prognosis of the liver disease significantly influences the severity of the gastric pathology in
infection.
The COVID-19 pandemic has enhanced the adoption of virtual learning after the urgent suspension of traditional teaching. Different online learning strategies were established to face this learning ...crisis. The present descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to reveal the different digital procedures implemented by the College of Medicine at Qassim University for better student performance and achievement.
The switch into distance-based learning was managed by the digitalization committee. Multiple online workshops were conducted to the staff and students about the value and procedures of such a shift. New procedures for online problem-based learning (PBL) sessions were designed. Students’ satisfaction was recorded regarding the efficiency of live streaming educational activities and online assessment.
The students were satisfied with the overall shift into this collaborative e-learning environment and the new successful procedures of virtual PBL sessions. The digital learning tools facilitated the performance of the students and their peer sharing of knowledge. The role of informatics computer technologies was evident in promoting the students, research skills, and technical competencies.
The present work elaborated on the procedures and privileges of the transformation into digitalized learning, particularly the PBL sessions, which were appreciated by the students and staff. It recommended the adoption of future online theoretical courses as well as the development of informatics computer technologies.
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