Online learning has become an essential part of mainstream higher education. With increasing enrollments in online anatomy courses, a better understanding of effective teaching techniques for the ...online learning environment is critical. Active learning has previously shown many benefits in face‐to‐face anatomy courses, including increases in student satisfaction. Currently, no research has measured student satisfaction with active learning techniques implemented in an online graduate anatomy course. This study compares student satisfaction across four different active learning techniques (jigsaw, team‐learning module, concept mapping, and question constructing), with consideration of demographics and previous enrollment in anatomy and/or online courses. Survey questions consisted of Likert‐style, multiple‐choice, ranking, and open‐ended questions that asked students to indicate their level of satisfaction with the active learning techniques. One hundred seventy Medical Science master's students completed the online anatomy course and all seven surveys. Results showed that students were significantly more satisfied with question constructing and jigsaw than with concept mapping and team‐learning module. Additionally, historically excluded groups (underrepresented racial minorities) were generally more satisfied with active learning than non‐minority groups. Age, gender, and previous experience with anatomy did not influence the level of satisfaction. However, students with a higher‐grade point average (GPA), those with only a bachelor's degree, and those with no previous online course experience were more satisfied with active learning than students who had a lower GPA, those holding a graduate/professional degree, and those with previous online course experience. Cumulatively, these findings support the beneficial use of active learning in online anatomy courses.
Objectives:
Quantitative laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) using turns analysis can differentiate acute vocal fold paralysis from normal controls. The objective of this study is to determine if using ...both traditional qualitative LEMG measurements in addition to turns analysis improves prognostic accuracy in patients with acute vocal fold paralysis who demonstrate voluntary motor activity.
Study Design:
Retrospective review of LEMG data (qualitative and quantitative) and charts of patients with vocal fold paralysis on flexible laryngoscopy, recurrent laryngeal neuropathy, and varying degrees of motor unit recruitment.
Methods:
Laryngeal EMG using a standardized protocol involving qualitative (evaluation of recruitment, motor unit configuration, detection of fibrillations, synkinesis) and quantitative (turns analysis) measurements was performed. Prognosis was correlated with vocal fold motion recovery status (minimum of 6 months following onset) using positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV).
Results:
Twenty‐three patients underwent LEMG for acute recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. All four patients with excellent LEMG prognosis recovered motion, whereas 17/19 patients with fair/poor LEMG prognosis were without motion at least 6 months following onset, resulting in a 100% PPV and 89.5% NPV.
Conclusions:
Integrating both qualitative and quantitative LEMG data improves prognostic accuracy in vocal fold paralysis patients who demonstrate voluntary motor unit activity. Laryngoscope, 2012
Nramp1 confers resistance of macrophages to Salmonella Typhimurium via NF‐κB‐dependent induction of the siderophore capturing peptide lipocalin‐2.
The expression of the cation transporter Nramp1 ...(Slc11a1) in late phagolysosomes confers resistance to infection with several intracellular pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica, in mice. The antimicrobial actions of Nramp1 are attributable, in part, to modulation of macrophage immune function and cellular iron metabolism—the latter affecting the availability of the essential nutrient iron for intraphagosomal bacteria. Here, we provide novel evidence that Nramp1 functionality increases the expression of the peptide Lcn2, which exerts its antimicrobial activity by scavenging iron‐loaded bacterial siderophores and mediating iron efflux from macrophages. With the use of macrophage cell lines expressing functional or nonfunctional Nramp1, we found significantly elevated Lcn2 mRNA and protein levels in Nramp1‐expressing cells. These resulted from Nramp1‐mediated alterations in the production of ROS, which stimulated NF‐κB activity and subsequently, Lcn2 transcription. We observed that increased Lcn2 levels in primary Nramp1‐positive macrophages resulted in a significant suppression of S. enterica serovar typhimurium growth. Stimulation of Lcn2 expression is a novel mechanism by which Nramp1 confers resistance against infection with the intracellular bacterium S. typhimurium.
The dark photon A^{'} and the dark Higgs boson h^{'} are hypothetical particles predicted in many dark sector models. We search for the simultaneous production of A^{'} and h^{'} in the dark ...Higgsstrahlung process e^{+}e^{-}→A^{'}h^{'} with A^{'}→μ^{+}μ^{-} and h^{'} invisible in electron-positron collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 10.58 GeV in data collected by the Belle II experiment in 2019. With an integrated luminosity of 8.34 fb^{-1}, we observe no evidence for signal. We obtain exclusion limits at 90% Bayesian credibility in the range of 1.7-5.0 fb on the cross section and in the range of 1.7×10^{-8}-200×10^{-8} on the effective coupling ϵ^{2}×α_{D} for the A^{'} mass in the range of 4.0 GeV/c^{2}<M_{A^{'}}<9.7 GeV/c^{2} and for the h^{'} mass M_{h^{'}}<M_{A^{'}}, where ϵ is the mixing strength between the standard model and the dark photon and α_{D} is the coupling of the dark photon to the dark Higgs boson. Our limits are the first in this mass range.
The variability and complexity of course prerequisites across colleges and schools of pharmacy can result in barriers to admission. While prerequisites play an important role in the admissions ...process and assuring student preparation, requiring excessive prerequisites can create unnecessary challenges for applicants. Prospective students may choose not to apply to a particular pharmacy school or even enter the profession because they cannot complete all course prerequisites in time to apply. Extraneous prerequisites can also contribute to the cost of education and educational indebtedness, which can more adversely affect minority and disadvantaged students. Pharmacy programs should carefully examine their course prerequisite requirements and consider new ways to measure preparedness to attract a diverse and competent pool of applicants to the profession while also being more competitive with other health professions programs.
The measurement of two-particle angular correlation functions in high-multiplicity e^{+}e^{-} collisions at sqrts=10.52 GeV is reported. In this study, the 89.5 fb^{-1} of hadronic e^{+}e^{-} ...annihilation data collected by the Belle detector at KEKB are used. Two-particle angular correlation functions are measured in the full relative azimuthal angle (Δϕ) and three units of pseudorapidity (Δη), defined by either the electron beam axis or the event-shape thrust axis, and are studied as a function of charged-particle multiplicity. The measurement in the thrust axis analysis, with mostly outgoing quark pairs determining the reference axis, is sensitive to the region of additional soft gluon emissions. No significant anisotropic collective behavior is observed with either coordinate analyses. Near-side jet correlations appear to be absent in the thrust axis analysis. The measurements are compared to predictions from various event generators and are expected to provide new constraints to the phenomenological models in the low-energy regime.
Objectives/Hypothesis
As laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) becomes more refined, accurate predictions of vocal fold motion recovery are possible. Focus has been on outcomes for patients with poor ...prognosis for vocal fold motion recovery. Limited information is available regarding the expected rate of purposeful vocal fold motion recovery when there is good to normal motor recruitment, no signs of denervation, and no signs of synkinetic activity with LEMG, termed excellent prognosis. The objective of this study is to determine the rate of vocal fold motion recovery with excellent prognosis findings on LEMG after acute recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.
Study Design
Retrospective review.
Methods
Patients undergoing a standardized LEMG protocol, consisting of qualitative (evaluation of motor recruitment, motor unit configuration, detection of fibrillations, presence of synkinesis) and quantitative (turns analysis) measurements were evaluated for purposeful vocal‐fold motion recovery, calculated after at least 6 months since onset of injury.
Results
Twenty‐three patients who underwent LEMG for acute vocal fold paralysis met the inclusion criteria of excellent prognosis. Eighteen patients (78.3%) recovered vocal fold motion, as determined by flexible laryngoscopy.
Conclusion
Nearly 80% of patients determined to have excellent prognosis for vocal fold motion recovery experienced return of vocal fold motion. This information will help clinicians not only counsel their patients on expectations but will also help guide treatment.
Level of Evidence
4. Laryngoscope, 126:2310–2314, 2016
Objectives/Hypothesis
Benign midmembranous vocal fold lesions (BMVFLs) are common voice disorders, but interpretation of outcomes following treatment is difficult due to the lack of a standardized ...nomenclature system for these lesions. Outcome results are increasingly important to third party payers. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of patients with BMVFLs using a previously validated nomenclature, and to provide incidences and outcome results for each diagnosis.
Methods
A retrospective chart review of BMVFL patients was performed. Treatment was individualized but typically involved implementation of nonsurgical therapy followed by phonomicrosurgery as needed. A previously reported BMVFL stratification system was used.
Results
A total of 224 patients with BMVFLs were studied. Sixty‐seven percent of all patients with a BMVFL underwent phonomicrosurgery. The most common BMVFL types were polyp and nonspecific vocal fold lesion. Pseudocyst represented 0.9% of the cohort. The Voice Handicap Index‐10 (VHI‐10) and acoustic data demonstrate a high degree of treatment success. The mean change in VHI‐10 was greatest for cyst–subepithelial and polyp. Fibrous mass–ligamentous patients had the smallest mean change in VHI‐10. Mean post‐treatment VHI‐10 scores of all the lesions except fibrous mass–ligamentous were within normal limits (<11).
Conclusions
This study represents the first outcomes‐based report of BMVFLs using a strictly defined nomenclature system for stratification of lesions. Ligamentous fibrous mass lesions have a decreased response to treatment compared to all other lesions. This study demonstrates the ability to return most BMVFL patients to normal speaking voice capabilities following treatment.
Level of Evidence
4. Laryngoscope, 126:415–420, 2016
PDF
