Implementing CAA in chemistry: a case study

Computer aided assessment (CAA) was implemented in the level 1 module Skills for Forensics Investigators; the assignment was focused on several chemistry concepts. The aim was to provide students with rapid feedback, while trying to enhance their engagement with the subject; reducing the lecturer’s marking load was perceived as an added bonus. The CAA system used was Perception from Question Mark Computing; the assessment comprised two components, one formative and one summative. The formative test could be accessed at any time, and provided feedback that sought to guide further learning; the summative component had no feedback and could only be taken once. From the lecturer’s perspective, the experience was very positive. The initial time invested preparing the assessment was considerable; however, that time was used in a creative way (designing the assignment) as opposed to a conventional paper based assessment, in which the time would be spent in routine marking. A total of 83 students, 94% of the students for that module, participated in the assessment process, suggesting that the use of technology did not prevent students from taking the assignment. Student evaluation was gathered via anonymous on-line questionnaires; 38.5 % of all the students involved in the assessment (32 students) answered the evaluation survey. Results indicate that the CAA system has made a positive impact upon the students’ learning experience. This assessment raised some issues regarding students’ “last minute” working practices. Students who left the test until the last minute and who experienced difficulties were dealt with individually, but this is an aspect which needs to be resolved through clear regulations rather than on an ad-hoc basis. Overall, the experience has proven very positive for both staff and students. The success of this assignment has led to improved communication with the students on the nature of their online assessment

Integrating Research and Knowledge Exchange in the Science Undergraduate Curriculum: Embedding Employability Through Research-Involved Teaching

The aim of this chapter is to give an overview of how engaging undergraduate students with research and research-related activities can be used to enrich their learning experience and enhance their employability prospects. There are two specific challenges in producing industry-ready science graduates: providing students with relevant subject specific and transferable skills and knowledge, and to provide them with appropriate industry engagement. The science undergraduate curriculum at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) includes research activities that are designed to move students from being recipients of knowledge to becoming collaborators in its production. This approach to “research-involved teaching” (RIT) provides students with opportunities to gain practical research experience through course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) and individual undergraduate research experiences (UREs). Students on the CCCU science programmes are diverse, many coming from low-participation neighborhoods and/or with nontraditional entry qualifications who have taken up study via the Foundation Year in Science (pre Higher Education level) that can be taken as part of each of the science programmes. Such students in particular can benefit from RIT. This chapter briefly summarizes the development of undergraduate research in higher education and then presents examples of specific pedagogic interventions, CUREs and UREs used across the CCCU science programmes

The use of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery in non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is a global health problem affecting millions of people each year. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer with various conventional treatment available in the clinic. Application of these treatments alone often results in high rates of cancer reoccurrence and metastasis. In addition, they can cause damage to healthy tissues, resulting in many adverse effects. Nanotechnology has emerged as a modality for the treatment of cancer. When used in combination with nanoparticles, it is possible to improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of pre-existing drugs used in cancer treatment. Nanoparticles have physiochemical properties such as small size which allowing passage through challenging areas of the body, and large surface area allows for higher doses of drugs to be brought to the tumor site. Nanoparticles can be functionalized which involves modifying the surface chemistry of the particles and allows for the conjugation of ligands (small molecules, antibodies, and peptides). Ligands can be chosen for their ability to target components that are specific to or are upregulated in cancer cells, such as targeting receptors on the tumor surface that are highly expressed in the cancer. This ability to precisely target the tumor can improve the efficacy of drugs and decrease toxic side effects. This review will discuss approaches used for targeting drugs to tumors using nanoparticles, provide examples of how this has been applied in the clinic and highlight future prospects for this technology

The use of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery in non-small cell lung cancer

PM003/2016). CL and EO acknowledge the funding provided by the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry LAQV which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, through the projects UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020. E.O. thanks the CEEC contract CEECIND/00648/2017to the FCT/MCTES. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 Holder, Ferguson, Oliveira, Lodeiro, Trim, Byrne, Bertolo and Wilson.Lung cancer is a global health problem affecting millions of people each year. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer with various conventional treatment available in the clinic. Application of these treatments alone often results in high rates of cancer reoccurrence and metastasis. In addition, they can cause damage to healthy tissues, resulting in many adverse effects. Nanotechnology has emerged as a modality for the treatment of cancer. When used in combination with nanoparticles, it is possible to improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of pre-existing drugs used in cancer treatment. Nanoparticles have physiochemical properties such as small size which allowing passage through challenging areas of the body, and large surface area allows for higher doses of drugs to be brought to the tumor site. Nanoparticles can be functionalized which involves modifying the surface chemistry of the particles and allows for the conjugation of ligands (small molecules, antibodies, and peptides). Ligands can be chosen for their ability to target components that are specific to or are upregulated in cancer cells, such as targeting receptors on the tumor surface that are highly expressed in the cancer. This ability to precisely target the tumor can improve the efficacy of drugs and decrease toxic side effects. This review will discuss approaches used for targeting drugs to tumors using nanoparticles, provide examples of how this has been applied in the clinic and highlight future prospects for this technology.publishersversionpublishe

Meaningful learning through gamification in the Chemistry course at various degrees of the University of Malaga: The use of the escape room as gamification activity

Chemistry is considered highly complex by students. To achieve meaningful learning, it is necessary to demonstrate its utility in everyday life, in the development of a country, and in society. Learning becomes meaningful when students successfully integrate it into their existing knowledge structures, giving it personal significance. In this study, we explore how gamification facilitates the learning experience for our students. Therefore, our research group has implemented an Escape Room based on the topics covered in our course. The Escape Room, titled 'Was it a Murder or a Suicide?' has proven effective in enhancing students' grades by approximately 1-2 points. In the final questionnaire, participants expressed their interest in incorporating gamification into other subjects. Some students mentioned that it was the first time they found an exam enjoyable. These questionnaires were conducted across four engineering degrees at UMA, yielding very similar responses. Most of the participants view the concept of gamification-based exams favourably, highlighting the positive motivation it instils in students.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Difficulty of Chemistry concepts. How to make easy the learning. Gamification

Chemistry is considered highly complex by students. To achieve meaningful learning, it is necessary to show its usefulness in daily life, in the development of a country and a society. Learning will be significant when the student can incorporate it into the structures of prior knowledge that they possess, acquiring significance for them. In this specific case, the research aims to contribute to the improvement of the teaching-learning processes of Chemistry in the studies of the Degree in Engineering. In this work we studied how gamification facilitates the learning of our students. For this reason, the research group has used an Escape Room based on the topics of our subject. The Escape Room is called Was it a murder or a suicide? They will find material in the classroom, and they will have to decide if it was a murder. In the end, the students who participate in these activities have increased their calcification in the matter by around 1-2 points. And in the final questionnaire, they have said that they would like to use gamification in other subjects. Some students told us that it was their first time taking an exam and that it was fun.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Research Informed Teaching: Enhancing the Teaching-Research Nexus in Science Disciplines

Non

N,N'-{1,3-Phenylenebis[methyleneoxy-2,1-phenylene(Z)methylylidene]}bis[1-(1-naphthyl)methanamine]

A new fluorescent di-imine compound containing two naphthalene groups has been synthesized by classical Schiff-base reaction between 2,2’-[1,3-phenylene­bis­(methyleneoxy)]dibenzaldehyde and 1-naphthylmethylamine. The new bischromophoric compound has been characterised by IR, NMR and MALDI-TOF MS spectroscopy. The photophysical characterization was carried out by UV-vis and fluorescence emission spectroscopy, using chloroform. The monomer and excimer bands, typical for the naphthalene in solution, are present in the emission spectra for the compound

Extraction and purification of the lectin found in the tubers of Eranthis hyemalis (winter aconite)

Lectin are proteins which play an important role in the defence mechanisms of plants against the attack of microorganisms and insects: this role has provoked particular interest in the fields of biotechnology and agriculture. This paper describes the extraction and purification of the lectin found in tubers of the winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis), with the aim of improving and modernising the existing extraction protocol. The Eranthis hyemalis lectin (EHL) is a member of the type-2 Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIP) family, proteins which have the ability to inhibit in vitro protein synthesis. RIPs have been linked to plant defence by their antiviral, antifungal and insecticidal properties, and some have been found to be potent inhibitors of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) virus. EHL was purified using affinity column chromatography and ammonium sulphate precipitation; thiourea was used as antioxidant in order to prevent EHL denaturing during the extraction process. The presence of EHL in the extract was verified using a blood agglutination test with rabbit erythrocytes. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis was employed to determine the lectin size; EHL was found to be formed of two chains with molecular weights of approximately 31 kDa; the size of the whole protein was estimated as approximately 60 kDa. The concentration of the EHL in the post-column eluent, determined using the Bradford Assay, was 380.1 μg.cm-3. This improved extraction protocol is the first step which will enable future research on the potential use of EHL in crop protection, by studying its insecticidal, fungicidal and bactericidal properties

Synthesis of gold functionalised nanoparticles with the Eranthis hyemalis lectin and preliminary toxicological studies on Caenorhabditis elegans

This work was supported by the Associate Laboratory Research Unit for Green Chemistry-Clean Processes and Technologies-LAQV which is financed by national funds from FCT/MEC (UID/QUI/50006/2013) and co-financed by the ERDF under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007265). E.B. and S.H. are grateful to Canterbury Christ Church University for financial support.The lectin found in the tubers of the Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) plant (EHL) is a Type II Ribosome Inactivating Protein (RIP). Type II RIPs have shown anti-cancer properties and have great potential as therapeutic agents. Similarly, colloidal gold nanoparticles are successfully used in biomedical applications as they can be functionalised with ligands with high affinity and specificity for target cells to create therapeutic and imaging agents. Here we present the synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles conjugated with EHL and the results of a set of initial assays to establish whether the biological effect of EHL is altered by the conjugation. Gold nanoparticles functionalised with EHL (AuNPs@EHL) were successfully synthesised by bioconjugation with citrate gold nanoparticles (AuNPs@Citrate). The conjugates were analysed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential analysis, and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Results indicate that an optimal functionalisation was achieved with the addition of 100 μL of EHL (concentration 1090 ± 40 μg/mL) over 5 mL of AuNPs (concentration [Au0] = 0.8 mM). Biological assays on the effect of AuNPs@EHL were undertaken on Caenorhabditis elegans, a free-living nematode commonly used for toxicological studies, that has previously been shown to be strongly affected by EHL. Citrate gold nanoparticles did not have any obvious effect on the nematodes. For first larval stage (L1) nematodes, AuNPs@EHL showed a lower biological effect than EHL. For L4 stage, pre-adult nematodes, both EHL alone and AuNPs@EHL delayed the onset of reproduction and reduced fecundity. These assays indicate that EHL can be conjugated to gold nanoparticles and retain elements of biocidal activity.publishersversionpublishe