Library instruction and Wikipedia: investigating students' perceived information literacy,lifelong learning,and social responsibility through Wikipedia editing

Objectives:This article presents a multiyear pilot study delineating practical challenges, solutions, and lessons learned from Wikipedia editing experiences with first-year medical students at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. The purpose of our project was to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of Wikipedia editing to improve information literacy and lifelong learning skills and to investigate aspects of social responsibility in first-year medical students.Methods:Lessons were provided through a combination of in-person and online instruction via the WikiEdu learning management system (LMS). Students next selected a health-related Wikipedia article to edit. After the editing experience, structural completeness data were collected from the WikiEdu LMS. Feedback was collected via an anonymous retrospective pre-post survey to assess the students'' attitudes toward their perceived information literacy skills and the social responsibility of improving Wikipedia articles. Nonparametric tests were conducted to compare pre versus post outcomes.Results:Fifty-seven (79%) participants in the 2018 cohort and forty-nine (64%) participants in the 2019 cohort completed the retrospective pre-post survey. In both cohorts, respondents showed statistically significant increases (p<.05) in self-rating of all ten domains of information literacy and social responsibility after completing the program.Conclusions:This study showed that medical students are competent editors of Wikipedia and that their contributions improve both the quality of the articles and their own perceived information literacy. Additionally, editing medicine-related articles provides an opportunity to build students'' social responsibility by improving content on an open platform that reaches millions each day.     

Activated Carbon Fabric Mask Reduces Lead Absorption and Improves the Heme Biosynthesis and Hematological Parameters of Battery Manufacturing Workers

Activated carbon fabrics (ACF) mask prevents the absorption of lead and reduce its adverse effects of human health. Aim of this study to know the blood lead level and its effects on heme biosynthesis and hematological parameters after using 2 months activated carbon fabric mask of battery manufacturing workers (BMW). Blood lead level, heme biosynthesis and hematological parameters were measured by using standard method. Blood lead level (P < 0.001, − 13.5%) was significantly decreased, activated δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (P < 0.001, 11.97%) and non-activated δ- aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (P < 0.001, 23.17%) enzyme activity were significantly increased, however, the ratio of activated to Non-activated δ- ALAD (P < 0.001, − 10.13%) was significantly decreased, urinary excretion of δ- aminolevulinic acid (P < 0.001, − 10.49%) and porphobilinogen (P < 0.001, − 7.38%) were significantly decreased after using 2 months ACF mask as compared to before using mask of BMW. Hematological parameters i.e Hb (P < 0.05, 13.42%), PCV (P < 0.05, 7.23%), MCV (P < 0.05, 1.9%) were significantly increased and total WBC count (P < 0.05, − 5.18%) was significantly decreased after using 2 months ACF mask as compared to before using mask of BMW. Two months using ACF mask reduces the blood lead level and improves the δ-ALDH activity and hematological parameters, decreases the urinary excretion of δ-ALA, PBG of battery manufacturing workers. Therefore, the regular using of ACF mask is beneficial to prevent the lead absorption and its adverse effects on human health.     

A Comparative Study of Clinical Utility of Spot Urine Samples with 24-h Urine Albumin Excretion for Screening of Microalbuminuria in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Twenty-four hour urinary albumin excretion (UAE) is considered as gold standard method for albuminuria measurement, but collection of 24-h urine is inconvenient. The aim of present study was to evaluate whether albumin: creatinine ratio (ACR) and urinary albumin concentration (UAC) in different spot urine samples correlate or not with 24-h UAE for screening of microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients. We collected first morning void (FMV), random urine sample (RUS) and 24-h urine, separately on consecutive days from 104 type 2 diabetic patients. ACR and UAC in each spot urine sample compared with 24-h UAE with regard to Pearson correlation coefficient. Pearson’s correlation of albumin: creatinine ratio (ACR) with 24-h UAE was (r = 0.802 and 0.623) in first morning void (FMV) and random urine sample (RUS), respectively. Pearson’s correlation coefficient of urinary albumin concentration (UAC) compared with 24-h UAE was (r = 0.943 and 0.920), in FMV and RUS, respectively, P < 0.01. Results revealed that values in first morning void (FMV) were better correlated with 24-h urinary albumin excretion (UAE), than the values in random urine sample (RUS). We conclude that the first morning void (FMV) may be able to replace 24-h urine collection, preferably urinary albumin concentration (UAC) in the initial screening of microalbuminuria in diabetic patients.     

A study of serum magnesium in pre-eclampsia and eclampsia

In animals neuromuscular disorders have been reported due to magnesium deficiency. Severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are associated with convulsions. Therefore, we estimated serum magnesium levels in 30 patients with pre-eclampsia and fifteen patients of eclampsia. Statistically significant fall in serum magnesium has been observed in preeclampsia and eclampsia. In eclampsia serum magnesium was markedly reduced than in pre-eclampsia. Administration of magnesium sulphate to these patients was beneficial in relieving severity of the disease. Role of magnesium in pre-eclampsia and eclampsia is discussed.     

Defect in mitochondrial functions in damaged human mitral valve

Mitochondrial diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders in which a primary mitochondrial dysfunction is proven by morphological, biochemical, and genetic examinations. The mitral valve has important function in the regulation of blood flow from one chamber to another. Often, the mitral valve becomes abnormal with age, in Rheumatic fever or it is abnormal from birth (Congenital) or it can be destroyed by infection i.e. bacterial endocarditis and needs replacement. Myocardial function depends on energy produced by mitochondria and in any of these disease conditions, mitochondrial functions and enzyme activities may be impaired. With this in view, we analyzed the relationship between preoperative clinical conditions (as per New York heart Association) and extent of mitochondrial enzyme activities in damaged Human mitral valve in two types of heart disease such as Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) and Bacterial Endocarditis (BE). Thirty nine Patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for routine valvular heart surgery were included in the study. Controls included 11 normal porcine mitral valve samples without any evidence of heart disease. Mitochondrial enzymes like cytochrome oxidase (COX), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), citrate synthase (CS) and ATPase were determined. Mitochondrial COX, SDH, CS and Total ATPase activities were significantly decreased in disease condition like BE and RHD when compared with control (P<0.001). On the other hand as per New York Heart Association (NYHA) preoperative clinical classification, all the mitochondrial enzymes were significantly (p<0.05) impaired in class IV as compared with NYHA class I, II and III. Present study shows that impairment in the mitochondrial enzymes activities are more pronounced in bacterial endocarditis (BE). It also indicates that damage to mitochondrial enzymes are most pronounced in NYHA class IV.     

Study of oxidative stress and enzymatic antioxidants in normal pregnancy

Pregnancy is a physiological state accompanied by a high-energy demand and an increased oxygen requirement. Augmented levels of oxidative stress would be expected because of the increased intake and utilization of oxygen. Evidence of increased oxidative stress in normal pregnancy in comparison with nonpregnant controls was estimated by measuring Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), enzymatic antioxidants like Superoxide dismutase, Glutathione peroxidase, Glutathione reductase and catalase. It was observed that pregnant women were more susceptible to oxidative damage than non-pregnants as indicated by increased TBARS and decreased antioxidants.     

Information literacy for first-year students: an embedded curriculum approach

The ability to access, evaluate and synthesise high-quality research material is the backbone of critical thinking in academic and professional contexts for Engineers and Industrial Designers. This is the premise upon which teaching and library staff developed Information Literacy (IL) components in Engineering & Industrial Design Practice—a first-year unit of study in the School of Engineering at the University of Western Sydney. This paper documents the IL teaching and learning experience and evaluates and reflects upon how effective it was at helping students navigate their first tertiary level research tasks. It concludes that library sessions and assessment tasks were effective in introducing IL skills in concurrent development of critical thinking, based on feedback from library sessions, an online IL test, and assessment results.     

Riemann integration

Riemann had revolutionized the fields of analysis, geometry and mathematical physics. His ideas concerning geometry of space had a profound effect on the development of modern theoretical physics. Riemannian manifolds, Riemann surfaces, the Cauchy—Riemann equations, the Riemann hypothesis-all these and more are packed into his one-volume collected works. Riemann clarified the notion of integration by defining, a little over 135 years ago, what we now call theRiemann integral. This article is devoted to a study of the Riemann integral.     

Bardet–Biedl Syndrome: A Rare Cause of Chronic Kidney Disease

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare autosomal recessive condition characterized by retinitis pigmentosa, postaxial polydactyly, central obesity, and renal involvement. Renal failure is the commonest cause of death. We report a case of BBS with chronic kidney disease (CKD) at younger age (17 year) from India. This diagnosis should be considered in patients with renal disease and the characteristic phenotype of retinitis pigmentosa, postaxial polydactyly and central obesity. These patients should undergo regular monitoring of renal function test to early diagnosis and treatment of CKD to prevent morbidity and mortality. Renal transplantation is a viable option of renal replacement therapy in these patients. These findings are valuable for comparing phenotype of BBS patients with CKD from various national and international centers.     

The work of lagrange in number theory and algebra

Joseph Louis Lagrange, a French mathematician, worked on a variety of topics — Algebra (classical and abstract), Number Theory, Dynamics, Functions of several variables, and Astronomy to mention a few. Here we give proofs of four theorems, three in number theory and one in group theory. It is said that post-Newtonian mathematics was dominated by two giants, Lagrange and Euler, in the eighteenth century. While Euler mainly contributed to pure mathematics, Lagrange contributed equally to mathematical physics and pure mathematics. Lagrange had special love for the theory of numbers and theory of polynomials.