Multiple-Choice versus Open-Ended Questions in Advanced Clinical Neuroanatomy: Using a National Neuroanatomy Assessment to Investigate Variability in Performance Using Different Question Types

Methods of assessment in anatomy vary across medical schools in the United Kingdom (UK) and beyond; common methods include written, spotter, and oral assessment. However, there is limited research evaluating these methods in regards to student performance and perception. The National Undergraduate Neuroanatomy Competition (NUNC) is held annually for medical students throughout the UK. Prior to 2017, the competition asked open-ended questions (OEQ) in the anatomy spotter examination, and in subsequent years also asked single best answer (SBA) questions. The aim of this study is to assess medical students’ performance on, and perception of, SBA and OEQ methods of assessment in a spotter style anatomy examination. Student examination performance was compared between OEQ (2013–2016) and SBA (2017–2020) for overall score and each neuroanatomical subtopic. Additionally, a questionnaire explored students’ perceptions of SBAs. A total of 631 students attended the NUNC in the studied period. The average mark was significantly higher in SBAs compared to OEQs (60.6% vs. 43.1%, P < 0.0001)—this was true for all neuroanatomical subtopics except the cerebellum. Students felt that they performed better on SBA than OEQs, and diencephalon was felt to be the most difficult neuroanatomical subtopic (n = 38, 34.8%). Students perceived SBA questions to be easier than OEQs and performed significantly better on them in a neuroanatomical spotter examination. Further work is needed to ascertain whether this result is replicable throughout anatomy education.     

Absence of postzygotic isolating mechanisms: evidence from experimental hybridization between two species of tropical sea urchins

Two reef margin species of tropical sea urchins, Echinometra sp. C (Ec) and Echinometra oblonga (Eo), occur sympatrically on Okinawa intertidal reefs in southern Japan. Hybridization between these species was examined through a series of cross-fertilization experiments. At limited sperm concentrations, where conspecific crosses reached near 100% fertilization, both heterospecific crosses showed high fertilization rates (81%–85%). The compatibility of the gametes demonstrated that if gamete recognition molecules are involved in fertilization of these species, they are not strongly species-specific. We found that conspecific crosses reached peak fertilization levels much faster than did heterospecific crosses, indicating the presence of a prezygotic barrier to hybridization in the gametes. Larval survival, metamorphosis, and juvenile and adult survival of hybrid groups were nearly identical to those of their parent species. Hybrids from crosses in both directions developed normally through larval stages to sexually mature adults, indicating that neither gametic incompatibility nor hybrid inviability appeared to maintain reproductive isolation between these species. In adults, Ec×Ec crosses gave the highest live weight, followed by Eo (ova)×Ec (sperm), Ec (ova)×Eo (sperm), and Eo×Eo. Other growth performance measures (viz., test size, Aristotle’s lantern length, and gonad index) of hybrid groups and their parental siblings showed the same trends. The phenotypic color patterns of the hybrids were closer to the maternal coloration, whereas spine length, tube-foot and gonad spicule characteristics, pedicellaria valve length, and gamete sizes showed intermediate features. Adult F₁ hybrids were completely fertile and displayed high fertilization success in F₁ backcrosses, eliminating the likelihood that hybrid sterility is a postzygotic mechanism of reproductive isolation. Conversely, intensive surveys failed to find hybrid individuals in the field, suggesting the lack or rarity of natural hybridization. This strongly suggests that reproductive isolation is achieved by prezygotic isolating mechanism(s). Of these mechanisms, habitat segregation, gamete competition, differences in spawning times, gametic incompatibility or other genetic and non-genetic factors appear to be important in maintaining the integrity of these species.     

Information ethics in Pakistani librarianship: The role of online mailing groups

This study examines the practice of information ethics of the members of the mailing group of the Pakistan Library Automation Group, called PAKLAGPK who participate frequently in the discussions on a variety of LIS ethical issues. The research uses both qualitative and quantitative methods, including a survey questionnaire to measure subscribers' prior knowledge about certain issues in Information Ethics (IE). The research also uses the content analysis method to investigate the information communication behavior of the subscribers over this mailing group.     

Computer Graphics in Simulating the Functioning of a Simple Computer

Computer graphics is widely used in several areas of science such as computer science education. The execution of hardware and software computer systems can be skillfully simulated using computer graphics. Such a simulation is very attractive in teaching at a university level. It is a way of visualization where students can see the unseen. In this article, the function of a simple computer is simulated. A simulator ASSEM is developed which is suitable as a teaching tool in computer system courses along with mnemonic and assembly language. The algorithm for implementing such a simulator is also presented.     

A kinetic approach to evaluate salinity effects on carbon mineralization in a plant residue-amended soil

The interaction of salinity stress and plant residue quality on C mineralization kinetics in soil is not well understood. A laboratory experiment was conducted to study the effects of salinity stress on C mineralization kinetics in a soil amended with alfalfa, wheat and corn residues. A factorial combination of two salinity levels （0.97 and 18.2 dS/m） and four levels of plant residues （control, alfalfa, wheat and corn） with three replications was performed. A first order kinetic model was used to describe the C mineralization and to calculate the potentially mineralizable C. The CO2-C evolved under non-saline condition, ranged from 814.6 to 4842.4 mg CO2-C/kg in control and alfalfa residue-amended soils, respectively. Salinization reduced the rates of CO2 evolution by 18.7%, 6.2% and 5.2% in alfalfa, wheat and corn residue-amended soils, respectively. Potentially mineralizable C （Co） was reduced significantly in salinized alfalfa residue-treated soils whereas, no significant difference was observed for control treatments as well as wheat and corn residue-treated soils. We concluded that the response pattern of C mineralization to salinity stress depended on the plant residue quality and duration of incubation.     

Towards a sight word list in Arabic

While the English language boasts a century of research into its most frequently-used words, no such attempt has ever formally been made in the Arab world. This pioneering study presents a list of 500 commonly-used words in the Arabic language based on compilations of words gathered from a number of popular reading series in Lebanon, spanning grades K to 3. This list can serve as a powerful tool for language teachers—who face several challenges posed by the inherent nature of Arabic in terms of diglossia, orthography and morphology—and provide them with a handy list of words for their pupils. The study has its limitations in terms of scope, breadth and the nature of the technology used for counting words. Nonetheless, it makes a number of recommendations for the future, including the development of a readability formula based on this list, the expansion of the scope of this word list and improvement to increase its technical accuracy.     

Improving the performance of networked control systems with time delay and data dropouts based on fuzzy model predictive control

This paper proposes a fuzzy model predictive control (FMPC) combined with the modified Smith predictor for networked control systems (NCSs). The network delays and data dropouts are problems, which greatly reduce the controller performance. For the proposed controller, the model of the controlled system is identified on-line using the Takagi – Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy models based on the Lyapunov function. There are two internal loops in the proposed structure. The first is the loop around the FMPC, which predicts the future outputs. The other is the loop around the plant to give the error between the system model and the actual plant. The proposed controller is designed for controlling a DC servo system through a wireless network to improve the system response. The practical results based on MATLAB/SIMULINK are established. The practical results are indicated that the proposed controller is able to respond the networked time delay and data dropouts compared to other controllers.     

Implicit higher-order moment matching technique for model reduction of quadratic-bilinear systems

We propose a projection based multi-moment matching method for model order reduction of quadratic-bilinear systems. The goal is to construct a reduced system that ensures higher-order moment matching for the multivariate transfer functions appearing in the input-output representation of the non-linear system. An existing technique achieves this for the first two multivariate transfer functions, in what is called the symmetric form of the multivariate transfer functions. We extend this framework to an equivalent and simplified form, the regular form, which allows us to show moment matching for the first three multivariate transfer functions. Numerical results for three benchmark examples of quadratic-bilinear systems show that the proposed framework exhibits better performance with reduced computational cost in comparison to existing techniques.     

蒌叶提取物增强5-氟尿嘧啶对结肠癌细胞HT29和HCT116的生长抑制作用(英文)

研究目的:探讨蒌叶(PB)提取物对5-氟尿嘧啶(5-FU)抑制结肠癌细胞HT29和HCT116生长的影响。研究方法:HT29和HCT116细胞分别给予PB、5-FU以及两种药物联合治疗24小时,应用等效线图法分析PB和5-FU的药效学相互作用,Annexin V/PI染色法检测HT29和HCT116细胞的凋亡情况,高效液相色谱法排除PB和5-FU间任何可能的相互化学作用。重要结论:联合PB,低剂量5-FU可以在短时间内起到细胞毒作用,而单独应用PB或5-FU治疗较联合治疗可以诱导更多细胞发生凋亡。进一步采用等效线图法分析显示PB和5-FU的联合作用在抑制结肠癌细胞HT29和HCT116的生长中分别体现出协同和拮抗作用。因此可以认为在HT29细胞中,PB使得较低剂量5-FU发挥最大抑制结肠癌细胞生长效果,然而在HCT116细胞中,PB没有显著降低5-FU的药物浓度,说明PB和5-FU的相互作用不仅仅体现在诱导细胞凋亡方面。     

Aging and social security system in Pakistan: policy challenges,opportunities, and role of China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to highlight the aging and elderly care in Pakistan, a country considered the seventh most populous country in the world with an estimated population of 220 million people (citation, 2017). In 2013, Pakistan signed a MoU with China for 56 billion in US$ to create opportunities for the youngsters, but there was no story of opportunity included for the senior citizens. An attempt has been made to raise awareness of the plight of seniors to the Pakistan Government’s attention; however since there is no formal policy dedicated to elders from the Chinese mega MoU and political instability, only little has been accomplished to better the lives of older adults. Modernization has had a major impact on the life of older Pakistani, and not always a positive effect. This research focuses on the important issues that are making the lives of senior citizens more difficult. The issues include psychological factors, anxiety, physical issues, and environmental issues. The research concludes while many factors are making the lives of senior citizens problematic, seniors are still living a satisfied life because they are not depending on their children or others. Senior citizens demand and desire time with their children and grandchildren. Increases found in elders’ psychological problems are likely correlated with modernization. Unfortunately, the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the mega project remain totally for the younger population with no economic prospects for elders to directly benefit. Thus, the question remains what will be the outcome for Pakistani seniors?