A mobility case uncovered: a mixed-method study using autoethnography on the power of context upon learning behaviour

OBJECTIVE Learning behaviours (LBs) are the cornerstone of research in medical education, and are influenced by student characteristics and contextual factors. We wanted to know how students react to changes in the academic context. We explored if and how a student participating in a one-year exchange programme adapted his LBs to the new academic context and back again upon returning to his home-university. METHOD Our study took place at the medical schools (MSs) of Lausanne University (Switzerland; home-university) and Galway University (Ireland; host-university). A mixed-method design with quantitative (survey) and qualitative components (analytic autoethnography (AA)) was employed. Review of official documents allowed characterisation of both academic contexts. Surveys permitted description of the learning practices of students at each site. A Swiss student doing an exchange year underwent AA. Analyses of his field notes allowed understanding evolution of LBs during and after the exchange. RESULTS The two MSs offered contrasting curricula. Surveys showed divergent results in learning activities. Students at the home-university favoured lecture slides, whereas students at the host- university worked on a wider range of resources (books, online resources, lecture slides). AA showed how our student adapted his LBs to his new academic environments. CONCLUSION Adaptation unfolded in three phases and re-adaptation in two phases. LB adjustments were driven by five contextual factors: schedule load, teaching methods, curriculum goals, assessment strategy, and communication with teachers and local students. The radical change in LBs of our student showed the powerful influence of clinical and academic contexts in comparison with the effects of student factors

Sound navigation aid system for the vision impaired

Visually impaired or blind people are someone who lost their ability to see. They usually depend on guide cane or guide dog to assist them navigates their environment. However, guide cane requires the blind to scan the surrounding manually with their hand while guide dog is expensive and has a short life span. There are many researches on creating better navigation aid for blind people. Instead of using vibration or alarm to notify the distance of the obstacles, this research proposed the application of sound notification for the blind. This system is developed using MATLAB r2010a with the integrated webcam of the laptop and a laser pointer. The laser pointer acts as a reference point so that object's distance can be calculated from the captured image by the webcam. This system manages to calculate distance for any color of object under any level of brightness condition during day and night time. It also possesses human head movement ability to turn left and right, up and down. This system managed to detect the obstacles up to a distance of 432 centimeters, which is sufficient to prevent the blind from bumping into the obstacles. The calculated distance is then converted to sound in order to notify the blind how far the object is away from them

Students' satisfaction using e-learning as a supplementary tool

E-learning is useful to help students gaining digital and data literacy during their studies particularly in the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0). E-learning which is characterized by time and place flexibility should be utilized as a tool for self-learning. In Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), elearning plays an important role as a supplementary tool for effective web-based learning. The purpose of this study is to examine what are the factors that drive students' satisfaction in e-learning. A total of 194 samples were collected from undergraduate students in UTM using quantitative method. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondents. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilized for data analysis. The findings showed that delivery method and content have a positive and significant relationship with satisfaction of using e-learning. However, system operations has no impact on students' satisfaction in e-learning. In conclusion, the finding of this study is expected to provide an effective teaching model for general education schools

Fingolimod: therapeutic mechanisms and ocular adverse effects.

Fingolimod is an oral immunomodulating drug used in the management of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). We aim to review the published literature on ocular manifestations of fingolimod therapy and their possible underlying mechanisms. The therapeutic effects of fingolimod are mediated via sphingosine receptors, which are found ubiquitously in various organs, including lymphoid cells, central nervous system, cardiac myocytes, and smooth muscle cells. Fingolimod-associated macular oedema (FAME) is the most common ocular side effect but retinal haemorrhages and retinal vein occlusion can occur. The visual consequences appear to be mild and, in cases of FAME, resolution is often attained with discontinuation of therapy. However, in cases of retinal vein occlusion, discontinuation of fingolimod alone may not be sufficient and intra-vitreal therapy may be required. We also propose a pragmatic service pathway for monitoring patients on fingolimod therapy, which includes stratifying them by risk and visual acuity

Developments in a cash resource model for cost control

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:D38728/81 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

A review of supply chain collaboration practices for small and medium-sized manufacturers

For the decades, organizations have endeavored to look for external sources for opportunities to achieve efficient and responsive supply chain with their partners especially for small and medium manufacturers (SMM). In this scenario, supply chain collaboration (SCC) is an interaction between supply chain members with the purpose of utilizes the knowledge and resources of customers and suppliers, and integrates the flows of products and information in order to achieve a common goal and obtain mutual benefit. The essential SCC dimensions for SMMs comprised of information sharing, joint knowledge creation, joint decision making, goal congruence and incentive sharing. The successful implementation of SCC can give SMMs an edge over their competitors. This paper aims to introduce a review of SCC practices for SMM. Overall, the findings provide managerial insights for the SMM in SCC implementation owing to resource scarcity and the need to draw SCC in order to ensure a sustainable competitive advantage

Blends of palm kernel oil, soybean oil and palm stearin as an alternative to milk fat for frozen dessert application

In this study, the ternary blends of palm kernel oil (PKO), soybean oil (SBO) and two types of palm stearin (PS) (PS33 and PS38) were systematically prepared and evaluated for their application as an alternative to milk fat in frozen dessert. The physicochemical characteristics namely fatty acids constituent, triacylglycerols (TAGs) composition, melting behavior, solid fat content (SFC) and microstructure were studied. All ternary blends of PKO/SBO/PS33 and PKO/SBO/PS38 had comparable microstructure to that of milk fat. However, 80/15/5 (PKO/SBO/PS33) and 80/15/5 to 80/5/15 (PKO/SBO/PS38) mixtures were found to have similar SFC as milk fat at temperature above 20 °C, allowing these ternary blends to be completely melted at body temperature. With this, 80/15/5 (PKO/SBO/PS33) and 80/15/5 to 80/5/15 (PKO/SBO/PS38) mixtures were able to provide similar meltdown and mouth feel as milk fat at room temperature. Nonetheless, fatty acids constituent, TAGs composition and melting behavior of the blends were different from milk fat. This study showed that ternary blends of PKO, SBO and PS at ratios 80/15/5 (PKO/SBO/PS33) and 80/15/5 to 80/5/15 (PKO/SBO/PS38) can be potentially used as a milk fat alternative for frozen dessert application based on its similar microstructure and SFC profile as the milk fat. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-022-05507-z

Oogenesis defects in a mutant mouse model of oculodentodigital dysplasia

The essential role of connexin43 (Cx43) during oogenesis has been demonstrated by the severe germ cell deficiency and arrested folliculogenesis observed in Cx43 knockout mice. Recently, another mutant mouse strain became available (Gja1Jrt/+) that carries the dominant loss-of-function Cx43 mutation, Cx43G60S. Gja1Jrt/+ mice display features of the human disease oculodentodigital dysplasia (ODDD), which is caused by mutations in the GJA1 gene. We used this new mutant strain to study how a disease-linked Cx43 mutant affects oogenesis. We found that female mutant mice are subfertile with significantly reduced mating success and small litters. The phosphorylated species of the Cx43 protein are reduced in the mutant ovaries in association with impaired trafficking and assembly of gap junctions in the membranes of granulosa cells, confirming that the mutant protein acts dominantly on its wild-type counterpart. Correspondingly, although starting with a normal abundance of germ cells, ovaries of the mutant mice contain significantly fewer pre-ovulatory follicles and do not respond to superovulation by gonadotropins, which is at least partially the result of reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis of granulosa cells. We conclude that the Gja1Jrt mutation has a dominant negative effect on Cx43 function in the ovary, rendering the females subfertile. Given these findings, closer examination of reproductive function in ODDD human females is warranted