Improved PBL Hybrid with LBL is Benificial to Fundamental Knowledge Acquisition in a Large Class Prior to Medical Internship

Since pre-internship medical students appeared inefficient in acquiring fundamental knowledge in large classes, a hybrid instructional method of problem-and-lecture-based learning (PLBL) was designed to leverage the complementary strengths of PBL in reasoning under minimal guidance and LBL in immediate knowledge retention. We improved PBL (IPBL) in its instructional process and grading in a way that’s feasible in large classes, divided in IPBL almost 50 students into 7-10 squads as a figure simulating student counts in classic PBL class to strive for each squad member to achieve the same level of knowledge, and applied IPBL to about half of the instructional contents while LBL to another half for their complementary strengths. In this case, PLBL led to more number of test questions correctly answered by all students in a class, more students in higher test score buckets, and higher student perception scores on the methodology. PLBL facilitates fundamental knowledge acquisition in large classes within 50 students prior to medical internships

Fuzheng Huayu recipe prevents nutritional fibrosing steatohepatitis in mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fuzheng Huayu recipe (FZHY), a compound of Chinese herbal medicine, was reported to improve liver function and fibrosis in patients with hepatitis B virus infection. However, its effect on nutritional fibrosing steatohepatitis is unclear. We aimed to elucidate the role and molecular mechanism of FZHY on this disorder in mice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>C57BL/6 J mice were fed with methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet for 8 weeks to induce fibrosing steatohepatitis. FZHY and/or heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) chemical inducer (hemin) were administered to mice, respectively. The effect of FZHY was assessed by comparing the severity of hepatic injury, levels of hepatic lipid peroxides, activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and the expression of oxidative stress, inflammatory and fibrogenic related genes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mice fed with MCD diet for 8 weeks showed severe hepatic injury including hepatic steatosis, necro-inflammation and fibrosis. Administration of FZHY or hemin significantly lowered serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, reduced hepatic oxidative stress and ameliorated hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. An additive effect was observed in mice fed MCD supplemented with FZHY or/and hemin. These effects were associated with down-regulation of pro-oxidative stress gene cytochrome P450 2E1, up-regulation of anti-oxidative gene HO-1; suppression of pro-inflammation genes tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6; and inhibition of pro-fibrotic genes including α-smooth muscle actin, transforming growth factor beta 1, collagen type I (Col-1) and Col-3.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study demonstrated the protective role of FZHY in ameliorating nutritional fibrosing steatohepatitis. The effect was mediated through regulating key genes related to oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrogenesis.</p

Identification of subtype-specific metastasis-related genetic signatures in sarcoma

Background: Sarcomas are heterogeneous rare malignancies constituting approximately 1% of all solid cancers in adults and including more than 70 histological and molecular subtypes with different pathological and clinical development characteristics. Method: We identified prognostic biomarkers of sarcomas by integrating clinical information and RNA-seq data from TCGA and GEO databases. In addition, results obtained from cell cycle, cell migration, and invasion assays were used to assess the capacity for Tanespimycin to inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of sarcoma. Results: Sarcoma samples (N = 536) were divided into four pathological subtypes including DL (dedifferentiated liposarcoma), LMS (leiomyosarcoma), UPS (undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas), and MFS (myxofibrosarcoma). RNA-seq expression profile data from the TCGA dataset were used to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) within metastatic and non-metastatic samples of these four sarcoma pathological subtypes with DEGs defined as metastatic-related signatures (MRS). Prognostic analysis of MRS identified a group of genes significantly associated with prognosis in three pathological subtypes: DL, LMS, and UPS. ISG15, NUP50, PTTG1, SERPINE1, and TSR1 were found to be more likely associated with adverse prognosis. We also identified Tanespimycin as a drug exerting inhibitory effects on metastatic LMS subtype and therefore can serve a potential treatment for this type of sarcoma. Conclusions: These results provide new insights into the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of sarcomas and provide new directions for further study of sarcoma

Multiscale characterization of the 3D network structure of metal carbides in a Ni superalloy by synchrotron X-ray microtomography and ptychography

Synchrotron X-ray microtomography and ptychography were used to characterize the 3D network structure, morphology and distribution of metal carbides in an as-cast IN713LC Ni superalloy. MC typed carbides were found to distribute mainly on the grain boundary between the matrix γ and γ' phase. The differences in solidification cooling rate had a minor influence on the volume fraction of the MC type carbides, but significantly affected the carbide size, distribution and network morphology. Depending on the local composition of the remaining liquid phase and geometric constraints, the carbides can form either spherical or strip or network morphologies. The research demonstrated clearly the advantage and technical potential of using the two complementary tomography techniques synergistically to characterize non-destructively complex multiple-phase structures in three dimensional space with a spatial resolution of ~30 nm

High-throughput identification of genotype-specific cancer vulnerabilities in mixtures of barcoded tumor cell lines.

Hundreds of genetically characterized cell lines are available for the discovery of genotype-specific cancer vulnerabilities. However, screening large numbers of compounds against large numbers of cell lines is currently impractical, and such experiments are often difficult to control. Here we report a method called PRISM that allows pooled screening of mixtures of cancer cell lines by labeling each cell line with 24-nucleotide barcodes. PRISM revealed the expected patterns of cell killing seen in conventional (unpooled) assays. In a screen of 102 cell lines across 8,400 compounds, PRISM led to the identification of BRD-7880 as a potent and highly specific inhibitor of aurora kinases B and C. Cell line pools also efficiently formed tumors as xenografts, and PRISM recapitulated the expected pattern of erlotinib sensitivity in vivo

Effects of Physically Effective Neutral Detergent Fiber Content on Intake, Digestibility, and Chewing Activity in Fattening Heifer Fed Total Mixed Ration

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF) content in total mixed ration (TMR) on dry matter intake, digestibility, and chewing activity in fattening Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae) heifers. The experiment was designed as a replicated 3×3 Latin square using 12 heifers. Fattening heifers were offered one of three diets [high (T1), medium (T2), and low (T3) peNDF] obtained by different mixing times (3, 10, and 25 min) for the same TMR feed. The peNDF content of TMR was determined by multiplying the proportion of dry matter retained by a 1.18 mm-screen in a Penn State Particle Separator by the dietary NDF content. The peNDF1.18 content was 30.36%, 29.20%, and 27.50% for the T1, T2, and T3 diets, respectively (p<0.05). Dry matter intake was not affected by peNDF content in TMR. Total weight gain in T1 group was significantly higher (p<0.05) than in T2 and T3 groups. However, weight gain did not differ between T2 and T3 groups. The feed conversion ratio decreased with an increase in the peNDF content (T1: 12.18, T2: 14.17, and T3: 14.01 g/g). An increase in the peNDF content of TMR was associated with a linear increase in the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber (p<0.05). Also, an increase in peNDF content of the TMR resulted in a linear increase in the number of chews in eating and ruminating (p<0.05), and consequently in the number of total chews (p<0.05). These results indicate that peNDF content affects digestibility and chewing activity. Consequently, the peNDF content of TMR should be considered for improving feed efficiency, digestibility, body weight gain, and performance in fattening heifers

Mutation signatures implicate aristolochic acid in bladder cancer development

10.1186/s13073-015-0161-3Genome Medicine71Article number 3

Mapping topology-disorder phase diagram with a quantum simulator

We explore the topology-disorder phase diagram by simulating one-dimensional Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model with quasiperiodic disorder using a programmable superconducting simulator. We experimentally map out and identify various trivial and topological phases with extended and localized bulk states. We find that in the topological phase the bulk states can be critically localized without mobility edge or contain both critically and completely localized states. In addition, there exist trivial and topological intermediate phases with mobility edge and coexistence of extended and completely localized states. The presence of the surprisingly rich phases in the simple SSH model with quasiperiodic disorder sheds new light on the investigation of the topological and localization phenomena in condensed-matter physics.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure