Evaluation of a "flipped" classroom model within a pharmacy professional practice class: a comparison across three consecutive cohorts

Background: The “flipped” classroom model promotes student responsibility for learning and increased one-on-one interaction with the instructor (Bergmann & Sams, 2012) allowing classroom time to be maximised for more complex activities. This model was first implemented during the Professional Practice (dispensing) classes of the M.Pharm programme at the University of Nottingham in September 2014. Aims: To investigate student performance across three consecutive cohorts at the Malaysia campus, one before and two after the implementation of the “flipped” classroom model. Method: Students’ performance for one particular practical each during the 2nd and 1styear of the programme was retrospectively analysed. Average exercises completed per student, percentage who completed a complex exercise requiring role-play, and percentage making a particular serious error were monitored. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Ethical approval was secured from the Science & Engineering Research Ethics Committee of the university. Results: Average exercises completed during the 2ndyear practical significantly ( p<0.01) increased from 5.44 (±1.31) prior to implementation to 6.47 (±1.95) and 6.23 (±2.15) during the 1st and 2nd year of implementation respectively. Percentage who completed complex exercises increased from 67.0% to 79.6% and 77.7% respectively. Average exercises completed during the 1st year practical significantly decreased (p<0.01) from 7.57 (±0.79) prior to implementation to 5.86 (±1.74) and 6.62 (±1.63) during the 1st and 2nd year of implementation respectively. Percentage of students making a serious error dropped from 39.3% to 19.7% and 28.4% respectively. Conclusion: The increase in complex exercises completed suggests this model allows students to cover more material at greater depth. The fewer serious errors made suggests that prior preparation allows students to progress faster. The reduction in total output among 1st year students, however, could be because when simpler exercises are involved, students’ ability to manage time effectively in class is adversely affected with prior knowledge of the class exercises. Further studies to assess students’ performance in later years of the programme will be valuable to fully appreciate the outcome of this model

Modern Invertebrate Footprints Compared with Fossil Footprints from the Coconino Sandstone (Permian)

Laboratory studies of trackways of the crayfish, Cambarus clarkii were conducted, and the footprints compared with fossil invertebrate footprints (Paleohelcura sp.) of the Permian Coconino sandstone of Northern Arizona, and similar footprints of other sandstone. Fine grained sand (similar to that composing the Coconino sandstone) was placed in a plexiglass tank to form slopes of various angles. The crayfish walked up and down slopes of 10°± 3°, 20°± 2°, 25° and on level sand, and their trackways were photographed. Trackways were produced on wet sand and underwater sand, but the animals would not walk on dry sand. Clear individual impressions (footprints) were present in one hundred percent of the wet sand trackways and ninety percent of the underwater trackways. A variety of track patterns was produced with twenty percent of the underwater trackways resembling the fossil track patterns of Paleohelcura sp. Forty-five percent of all the underwater trackways and eighty-eight percent of those made on low dipping slopes we re also very similar to Paleohelcura sp. in characteristic features of the individual impressions. These data indicate that trackways such as those named Paleohe lcura could have been made in an underwater environment by some aquatic animal, such as a crustacean

Past and present forestry support programs in the Philippines, and lessons for the future

A variety of government programs have been implemented to support smallholder forestry for production and conservation purposes in the Philippines. This paper briefly outlines the arrangements of the past and current programs, notes how they have evolved over time, and provides some comments on their performance. Over about 30 years, as weaknesses have been identified in programs, the program designs have been modified. For most of this time, there has been an increasing emphasis on community involvement as distinct from industrial or individual farmer forestry. However, some of the intractable constraints on community planting have led to recent interest in individual property rights

Evaluation of a "flipped" classroom model within a pharmacy professional practice class: a comparison across three consecutive cohorts

Background: The “flipped” classroom model promotes student responsibility for learning and increased one-on-one interaction with the instructor (Bergmann & Sams, 2012) allowing classroom time to be maximised for more complex activities. This model was first implemented during the Professional Practice (dispensing) classes of the M.Pharm programme at the University of Nottingham in September 2014. Aims: To investigate student performance across three consecutive cohorts at the Malaysia campus, one before and two after the implementation of the “flipped” classroom model. Method: Students’ performance for one particular practical each during the 2nd and 1styear of the programme was retrospectively analysed. Average exercises completed per student, percentage who completed a complex exercise requiring role-play, and percentage making a particular serious error were monitored. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Ethical approval was secured from the Science & Engineering Research Ethics Committee of the university. Results: Average exercises completed during the 2ndyear practical significantly ( p<0.01) increased from 5.44 (±1.31) prior to implementation to 6.47 (±1.95) and 6.23 (±2.15) during the 1st and 2nd year of implementation respectively. Percentage who completed complex exercises increased from 67.0% to 79.6% and 77.7% respectively. Average exercises completed during the 1st year practical significantly decreased (p<0.01) from 7.57 (±0.79) prior to implementation to 5.86 (±1.74) and 6.62 (±1.63) during the 1st and 2nd year of implementation respectively. Percentage of students making a serious error dropped from 39.3% to 19.7% and 28.4% respectively. Conclusion: The increase in complex exercises completed suggests this model allows students to cover more material at greater depth. The fewer serious errors made suggests that prior preparation allows students to progress faster. The reduction in total output among 1st year students, however, could be because when simpler exercises are involved, students’ ability to manage time effectively in class is adversely affected with prior knowledge of the class exercises. Further studies to assess students’ performance in later years of the programme will be valuable to fully appreciate the outcome of this model

The fitness burden imposed by synthesising quorum sensing signals

It is now well established that bacterial populations utilize cell-to-cell signaling (quorum-sensing, QS) to control the production of public goods and other co-operative behaviours. Evolutionary theory predicts that both the cost of signal production and the response to signals should incur fitness costs for producing cells. Although costs imposed by the downstream consequences of QS have been shown, the cost of QS signal molecule (QSSM) production and its impact on fitness has not been examined. We measured the fitness cost to cells of synthesising QSSMs by quantifying metabolite levels in the presence of QSSM synthases. We found that: (i) bacteria making certain QSSMs have a growth defect that exerts an evolutionary cost, (ii) production of QSSMs negatively correlates with intracellular concentrations of QSSM precursors, (iii) the production of heterologous QSSMs negatively impacts the production of a native QSSM that shares common substrates, and (iv) supplementation with exogenously added metabolites partially rescued growth defects imposed by QSSM synthesis. These data identify the sources of the fitness costs incurred by QSSM producer cells, and indicate that there may be metabolic trade-offs associated with QS signaling that could exert selection on how signaling evolves

Landholder Typologies Used in the Development of Natural Resource Management Programs in Australia - A Review

This article reviews the literature on the identification of landholder typologies that can be used to assist the design and delivery of natural resource management (NRM) programs. Australian researchers have developed typologies of landholders based on a variety of criteria. The rationale for developing landholder typologies is first discussed before reviewing the various approaches that have been used by Australian researchers and comparing their findings. The methods employed have differed according to the theories used to guide the research and the 'clients' or 'sponsors' of the research. The landholder types they describe, however, have a number of similarities. These similarities suggest that the studies have identified the same fundamental divisions in the rural community, and that it may be possible to integrate landholder typologies for a variety of NRM and non-NRM applications. It is concluded that further research could usefully investigate whether concepts of social class or sub-cultures may be appropriate to define and describe the variations in landholder types

Immunotherapy for neuroblastoma using syngeneic fibroblasts transfected with IL-2 and IL-12

Cytokine-modified tumour cells have been used in clinical trials for immunotherapy of neuroblastoma, but primary tumour cells from surgical biopsies are difficult to culture. Autologous fibroblasts, however, are straightforward to manipulate in culture and easy to transfect using nonviral or viral vectors. Here we have compared the antitumour effect of fibroblasts and tumour cells transfected ex vivo to coexpress interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-12 in a syngeneic mouse model of neuroblastoma. Coinjection of cytokine-modified fibroblasts with Neuro-2A tumour cells abolished their in vivo tumorigenicity. Treatment of established tumours with three intratumoral doses of transfected fibroblasts showed a significant therapeutic effect with reduced growth or complete eradication of tumours in 90% of mice, associated with extensive leukocyte infiltration. Splenocytes recovered from vaccinated mice showed enhanced IL-2 production following Neuro-2A coculture, and increased cytotoxicity against Neuro-2A targets compared with controls. Furthermore, 100% of the tumour-free mice exhibited immune memory against tumour cells when rechallenged three months later. The potency of transfected fibroblasts was equivalent to that of tumour cells in all experiments. We conclude that syngeneic fibroblasts cotransfected with IL-2 and IL-12 mediate therapeutic effects against established disease, and are capable of generating immunological memory. Furthermore, as they are easier to recover and manipulate than autologous tumour cells, fibroblasts provide an attractive alternative immunotherapeutic strategy for the treatment of neuroblastoma

Common Variants in MAGI2 Gene Are Associated with Increased Risk for Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenic Patients

Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric disorder characterized by positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive impairment. MAGI2, a relatively large gene (∼1.5 Mbps) that maps to chromosome 7q21, is involved in recruitment of neurotransmitter receptors such as AMPA- and NMDA-type glutamate receptors. A genetic association study designed to evaluate the association between MAGI2 and cognitive performance or schizophrenia has not been conducted. In this case-control study, we examined the relationship of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variations in MAGI2 and risk for schizophrenia in a large Japanese sample and explored the potential relationships between variations in MAGI2 and aspects of human cognitive function related to glutamate activity. Based on the result of first schizophrenia genome-wide association study in a Japanese population (JGWAS), we selected four independent SNPs and performed an association study using a large independent Japanese sample set (cases 1624, controls 1621). Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) was used to evaluate executive function in 114 cases and 91 controls. We found suggestive evidence for genetic association of common SNPs within MAGI2 locus and schizophrenia in Japanese population. Furthermore in terms of association between MAGI2 and cognitive performance, we observed that genotype effect of rs2190665 on WCST score was significant (p = 0.034) and rs4729938 trended toward significance (p = 0.08). In conclusion, although we could not detect strong genetic evidence for association of common variants in MAGI2 and increased schizophrenia risk in a Japanese population, these SNPs may increase risk of cognitive impairment in schizophrenic patients

MAGI-1 Modulates AMPA Receptor Synaptic Localization and Behavioral Plasticity in Response to Prior Experience

It is well established that the efficacy of synaptic connections can be rapidly modified by neural activity, yet how the environment and prior experience modulate such synaptic and behavioral plasticity is only beginning to be understood. Here we show in C. elegans that the broadly conserved scaffolding molecule MAGI-1 is required for the plasticity observed in a glutamatergic circuit. This mechanosensory circuit mediates reversals in locomotion in response to touch stimulation, and the AMPA-type receptor (AMPAR) subunits GLR-1 and GLR-2, which are required for reversal behavior, are localized to ventral cord synapses in this circuit. We find that animals modulate GLR-1 and GLR-2 localization in response to prior mechanosensory stimulation; a specific isoform of MAGI-1 (MAGI-1L) is critical for this modulation. We show that MAGI-1L interacts with AMPARs through the intracellular domain of the GLR-2 subunit, which is required for the modulation of AMPAR synaptic localization by mechanical stimulation. In addition, mutations that prevent the ubiquitination of GLR-1 prevent the decrease in AMPAR localization observed in previously stimulated magi-1 mutants. Finally, we find that previously-stimulated animals later habituate to subsequent mechanostimulation more rapidly compared to animals initially reared without mechanical stimulation; MAGI-1L, GLR-1, and GLR-2 are required for this change in habituation kinetics. Our findings demonstrate that prior experience can cause long-term alterations in both behavioral plasticity and AMPAR localization at synapses in an intact animal, and indicate a new, direct role for MAGI/S-SCAM proteins in modulating AMPAR localization and function in the wake of variable sensory experience