A trial of patient-oriented problem-solving system for immunology teaching in China: a comparison with dialectic lectures

BACKGROUND: The most common teaching method used in China is lecturing, but recently, efforts have been widely undertaken to promote the transition from teacher-centered to student-centered education. The patient-oriented problem-solving (POPS) system is an innovative teaching-learning method that permits students to work in small groups to solve clinical problems, promotes self-learning, encourages clinical reasoning and develops long-lasting memory. To our best knowledge, however, POPS has never been applied in teaching immunology in China. The aim of this study was to develop POPS in teaching immunology and assess students’ and teachers’ perception to POPS. METHODS: 321 second-year medical students were divided into two groups: I and II. Group I, comprising 110 students, was taught by POPS, and 16 immunology teachers witnessed the whole teaching process. Group II including the remaining 211 students was taught through traditional lectures. The results of the pre- and post-test of both groups were compared. Group I students and teachers then completed a self-structured feedback questionnaire for analysis before a discussion meeting attended only by the teachers was held. RESULTS: Significant improvement in the mean difference between the pre- and post-test scores of those in Groups I and II was seen, demonstrating the effectiveness of POPS teaching. Most students responded that POPS facilitates self-learning, helps them to understand topics and creates interest, and 88.12% of students favored POPS over simple lectures. Moreover, while they responded that POPS facilitated student learning better than lectures, teachers pointed out that limited teaching resources would make it difficult for wide POPS application in China. CONCLUSIONS: While POPS can break up the monotony of dialectic lectures and serve as a better teaching method, it may not be feasible for the current educational environment in China. The main reason for this is the relative shortage of teaching resources such as space, library facilities and well-trained teachers

High expression of trimethylated histone H3 at lysine 27 predicts better prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer

Epigenetic parameters such as DNA methylation and histone modifications play pivotal roles in carcinogenesis. Global histone modification patterns have been implicated as possible predictors of cancer recurrence and prognoses in a great variety of tumor entities. Our study was designed to evaluate the association among trimethylated histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3), clinicopathological variables and outcome in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The expression of H3K27me3 and its methyltransferase, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) together with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in normal lung tissue (n=5) and resected NSCLC patients (n=42). In addition, the specificity of antibody for H3K27me3 was tested by western blot analysis. The optimal cut-off point of H3K27me3 expression for prognosis was determined by the X-tile program. The prognostic significance was determined by means of Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and log-rank tests. As a result, enhanced trimethylation of H3K27me3 was correlated with longer overall survival (OS) and better prognosis (P<0.05). Moreover, both univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that H3K27me3 level was a significant and independent predictor of better survival (hazard ratio, 0.187; 95% confidence interval, 0.066-0.531, P=0.002). Furthermore, H3K27me3 expression was positively correlated with DNA methylation level at CCGG sites while reversely related to EZH2 expression (P<0.05). In conclusion, H3K27me3 level defines unrecognized subgroups of NSCLC patients with distinct epigenetic phenotype and clinical outcome, and can probably be used as a novel predictor for better prognosis in NSCLC patients

Cortical brain abnormalities in 4474 individuals with schizophrenia and 5098 control subjects via the enhancing neuro Imaging genetics through meta analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium

BACKGROUND: The profile of cortical neuroanatomical abnormalities in schizophrenia is not fully understood, despite hundreds of published structural brain imaging studies. This study presents the first meta-analysis of cortical thickness and surface area abnormalities in schizophrenia conducted by the ENIGMA (Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta Analysis) Schizophrenia Working Group. METHODS: The study included data from 4474 individuals with schizophrenia (mean age, 32.3 years; range, 11-78 years; 66% male) and 5098 healthy volunteers (mean age, 32.8 years; range, 10-87 years; 53% male) assessed with standardized methods at 39 centers worldwide. RESULTS: Compared with healthy volunteers, individuals with schizophrenia have widespread thinner cortex (left/right hemisphere: Cohen's d = -0.530/-0.516) and smaller surface area (left/right hemisphere: Cohen's d = -0.251/-0.254), with the largest effect sizes for both in frontal and temporal lobe regions. Regional group differences in cortical thickness remained significant when statistically controlling for global cortical thickness, suggesting regional specificity. In contrast, effects for cortical surface area appear global. Case-control, negative, cortical thickness effect sizes were two to three times larger in individuals receiving antipsychotic medication relative to unmedicated individuals. Negative correlations between age and bilateral temporal pole thickness were stronger in individuals with schizophrenia than in healthy volunteers. Regional cortical thickness showed significant negative correlations with normalized medication dose, symptom severity, and duration of illness and positive correlations with age at onset. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that the ENIGMA meta-analysis approach can achieve robust findings in clinical neuroscience studies; also, medication effects should be taken into account in future genetic association studies of cortical thickness in schizophrenia

STOCHASTIC BIFURCATION OF A CURRENT CARRYING THIN RECTANGULAR PLATE IN A MAGNETIC FIELD

A nonlinear random vibration model of a current carrying thin rectangular plate simply supported at each edge was established when the plate was applied mechanical load in a magnetic field. The model was proposed based on the theories of plates and shells and the magnetic elastic mechanics. It was simplified as a nonlinear dynamics differential equation by using Galerkin variation method. Then the equation was equivalent to be a one-dimensional It stochastic differential equation by applying the stochastic average theory of a quasi non-integrable Hamilton system. The local stochastic stability of the system was judged using the maximum Lyapunov index. Its global stability of the system was also judged using the singular boundary theory.Finally the influences of the system parameters on the stochastic Hopf bifurcation were researched through the steady probability density function. The numerical simulation results were shown in the paper

Resource Allocation for Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces Assisted Federated Learning System with Imperfect CSI

Due to its ability to significantly improve the wireless communication efficiency, the intelligent reflective surface (IRS) has aroused widespread research interest. However, it is a challenge to obtain perfect channel state information (CSI) for IRS-related channels due to the lack of the ability to send, receive, and process signals at IRS. Since most of the existing channel estimation methods are developed to obtain cascaded base station (BS)-IRS-user devices (UDs) channel, this paper studies the problem of computation and communication resource allocation of the IRS-assisted federated learning (FL) system based on the imperfect CSI. Specifically, we take the statistical CSI error model into consideration and formulate the training time minimization problem subject to the rate outage probability constraints. In order to solve this issue, the semi-definite relaxation (SDR) and the constrained concave convex procedure (CCCP) are invoked to transform it into a convex problem. Subsequently, a low-complexity algorithm is proposed to minimize the delay of the FL system. Numerical results show that the proposed algorithm effectively reduces the training time of the FL system base on imperfect CSI

Probabilistic stability analyses of undrained slopes by 3D random fields and finite element methods

A long slope consisting of spatially random soils is a common geographical feature. This paper examined the necessity of three-dimensional (3D) analysis when dealing with slope with full randomness in soil properties. Although 3D random finite element analysis can well reflect the spatial variability of soil properties, it is often time-consuming for probabilistic stability analysis. For this reason, we also examined the least advantageous (or most pessimistic) cross-section of the studied slope. The concept of “most pessimistic” refers to the minimal cross-sectional average of undrained shear strength. The selection of the most pessimistic section is achievable by simulating the undrained shear strength as a 3D random field. Random finite element analysis results suggest that two-dimensional (2D) plane strain analysis based the most pessimistic cross-section generally provides a more conservative result than the corresponding full 3D analysis. The level of conservativeness is around 15% on average. This result may have engineering implications for slope design where computationally tractable 2D analyses based on the procedure proposed in this study could ensure conservative results. Keywords: Random field, Slope stability, Factor of safety, Statistical analysis, Finite-element modelling, Monte-Carlo simulation

Power Stabilization Strategy of Random Access Loads in Electric Vehicles Wireless Charging System at Traffic Lights

An opportunity wireless charging system for electric vehicles when they stop and wait at traffic lights is proposed in this paper. In order to solve the serious power fluctuation caused by random access loads, this study presents a power stabilization strategy based on counting the number of electric vehicles in a designated area, including counting method, power source voltage adjustment strategy and choice of counting points. Firstly, the circuit model of a wireless power system with multi-loads is built and the equation of each load is obtained. Secondly, after the counting method of electric vehicles is stated, the voltage adjustment strategy, based on the number of electric vehicles when the system is at a steady state, is set out. Then, the counting points are chosen according to power curves when the voltage adjustment strategy is adopted. Finally, an experimental prototype is implemented to verify the power stabilization strategy. The experimental results show that, with the application of this strategy, the charging power is stabilized with the fluctuation of no more than 5% when loads access randomly

Erythropoietin-Derived Peptide Protects Against Acute Lung Injury After Rat Traumatic Brain Injury

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be complicated by TBI-triggered acute lung injury (ALI), in which inflammation plays a central role. It has been reported that an Erythropoietin-derived peptide (pHBSP) was able to ameliorate TBI; however, its function in TBI-caused ALI has not been reported yet. Methods: In this study, we studied the effect of pHBSP on TBI-caused ALI by using a weight-drop induced TBI model. At 8 h and 24 h post-TBI, pulmonary edema (PE) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) proteins were measured, and haematoxylin and eosin (H&#38;E) staining of lung sections was carried out. At 24 h following TBI, the lungs were harvested for immunofluorescence staining and qRT-PCR analysis. Results: At 8 h and 24 h post-TBI, pHBSP treatment significantly decreased wet/dry ratios, decreased total BALF protein, and attenuated the histological signs of pulmonary injury. At 24 h post-TBI, pHBSP treatment decreased the accumulation of CD68+ macrophages in the lung and reduced the mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and iNOS in the lung. Conclusions: We identified the protective role that pHBSP played in TBI-caused ALI, suggesting that pHBSP is a potent candidate for systemic therapy in TBI patients