Chemistry Section Research Articles

Automation and Molecular Diagnostics: a New Era in Clinical Microbiology

<h3>ABSTRACT</h3> The environment of the clinical microbiology laboratory is rapidly changing. Testing methods, based on organism growth with an array of liquid and solid media, are being replaced by newer methods. These new methods enhance the rate of organism identification and increase the sensitivity and specificity by which identification occurs. Most of these new techniques are based on nucleic hybridization and polymerase-chain–reaction technology. The techniques can range from identification of single organisms or organism families to multiplexed-syndromic panels, which can concurrently examine for the presence of numerous suspect organisms based on the symptoms exhibited by the patient. In addition, the clinical microbiology laboratory now has access to a level of automation thus far only seen in the chemistry and hematology sections of the clinical laboratory. These transitions have been repeatedly shown to enhance the level of patient care when properly implemented into the laboratory workflow. Conversely, with the rapid encroachment of these new technologies comes potential downfalls, which include cost and challenges with training laboratory staff. Collectively, the clinical microbiology laboratory is coming into a new era of technology and patient care that will bring about dramatic changes to conventional testing and organism identification.

Impact of Peer-Focused Recitation To Enhance Student Success in General Chemistry

This study investigates the impact of peer-focused, active-learning recitation sessions with the large-enrollment sections of General Chemistry I courses at Mississippi State University (MSState). Over a period of four semesters beginning in Spring 2016, recitation sessions were implemented into the General Chemistry I (CH1213) courses at MSState. In order to assess the influence of the active learning instructional hour, we studied departmental final (standardized ACS) exam scores, pass/fail rates for the course, and the success of students continuing on to General Chemistry II (CH1223) courses. Student attitudes toward the peer-focused recitation program were surveyed. The peer-focused recitation program has supported improvement on the standardized final, with students in peer-focused recitation program scoring 7.76 exam questions (17.76 percentile points) higher than the no recitation control students. The rise of exam scores with recitation learning impacted all students equally irrespective of gender, ethnicity, or math competency level (as measured by math ACT score). In addition, student pass rates for CH1213 significantly increased even though instructors greatly increased the rigor of the course. Students had improved success in the second semester of General Chemistry, CH1223, which may translate into academic confidence and continuation in STEM majors as a broader impact of the recitation program.

The 1st International Scientific Conference on Pure Science

PrefaceThe 1st International Scientific Conference on Pure Science (ISCPS2019) was held on 23 -24 January 2019 at the University of Al-Qadisiyah, College of Education, Diwaniyah, South of Iraq. The ISCPS2019 was the first forum to present the innovative results of the advanced topics in physics, mathematics, biology, and chemistry. The conference was jointly organised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Iraq. The conference is an opportunity to achieve the strategic goals on the processes of activating the own capability to build (knowledge society), and keep abreast of scientific developments in the fields of science, and their applications and investments to serve the society. Thus, the conference aims is to bring together leading academics, scholars and students to discuss theoretical and practical issues to share their experiences and research findings, as well as ideas, problems and solutions related to the multifaceted aspects of Advanced Science.In this Conference, 300 technical papers were presented by local and international participants. The event included the contributions of large number of researchers, elite of universities and scientific institutions inside and outside Iraq. The contributions focused on the exchange of ideas and the dissemination of scientific knowledge.A number of reviewers assessed the quality of manuscripts. A rigorous peer-review process have implemented to evaluate the manuscripts. All accepted papers will be published in the conference proceeding. A booklet of abstracts was given to all participants on the registration day. The Committee have selected the high-quality manuscripts for publication in a special issue within a recognized international journal (with Clarivate and Scopus Indexing). The organised committee would like to thank the editors, Keynote speakers, reviewers and authors who have contributed to the Conference Proceedings. Our special thanks go to the Iraqi Higher Education and Scientific Research for their support towards the successful organization of the conference.The EDITORS OF THE WORK:Dr. Qusiy H. Al-Galiby Editor-in-ChiefQuantum Electronics & Nanoscience, member of Colin’s group in Quantum Nanotechnology Centre (c.lambert@lancaster.ac.uk), Lancaster University, UK Department of physics, University of Al-Qadisiyah, IraqEmails: qusiy.algaliby@qu.edu.iq qusiyalgaliby@gmail.comq.agaliby@lancaster.ac.ukFor Physics section:Solid State Physics EditorProf. Dr. Ahmed Abdul-Lettif University of Karbala, IraqEmail: Abdulateef1962@gmail.comNuclear physics, Radioactivity and Medical Physics EditorAssist. Prof. Dr. Murtadha Sh. Aswood University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq Email: murtadhababylon@gmail.comMolecular Electronics EditorAssist. Prof. Dr. Laith Algharagholy University of Sumer, IraqEmail: l.algharagholy@gmail.comPlasma Physics EditorProf. Dr. kadhim A. AadimUniversity of Baghdad, IraqEmail: hadhim_adem@Scbaghdad.edu.iqApplied Physics and Nanotechnology EditorAraa Mebdir Holi Alshabbani University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq Email: araa.holi@qu.edu.iqImage Processing EditorDr. Hayder Saad Abdulbaqi University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq Email: hayderhany@gmail.comLaser and Optics EditorAssist. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Al Musawi University of Al Mustansitya, Iraq Email: laser_mu@yahoo.comFor Biology sectionPlant Physiology EditorProf. Dr. Abdulameer Ali Yaseen AlharesDepartment of biology, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq Email: Abdulameer.Alhares@qu.edu.iqParasitology EditorProf. Dr. Hadi M.H.Al_MayaliDepartment of biology, University of Al_Qadisiyah Email: Hadi.Hamza@qu.edu.iqMicrobiology EditorProf. Dr. Majid Kadhim Al-ShiblyDepartment of biology, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq Email: Majid.shibly@qu.eduEcology EditorAssist. Prof. Dr. Raid Kadhim Abed Al-Asady Email: raid.al-asady@qu.edu.iqAnimal physiology EditorAssist. Prof. Dr. Ahmed Jassem Al-NaelyDepartment of biology, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq Email: ahmed.jassem@qu.edu.iqPhycology EditorAssist. Prof.Dr. Haider A. AlghanmiDepartment of biology, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq Email: haider.alghanmi@qu.edu.iqEditors for Mathematics section:Prof. Dr. Rahim Alhamzawi University of Al-Qadisiyah Email: Rahim.alhamzawi@qu.edu.iqProf. Dr. Nadia Mohammed Ghanim University of TechnologyEmail: nadiamg08@gmail.comProf. Dr. Raid Kamil Naji University of BaghdadEmail: rknaji@scbaghdad.edu.iqProf. Dr. Waggas Galib Atshan University of Al-Qadisiyah Email: waggas.galib@qu.edu.iqProf. Dr. Habeeb Mtashar Abood University of BusrahEmail: iraqsafwan2006@gmail.comFor chemistry section:Physical Chemistry EditorProf. Dr. Hassan A.Habeeb AlshamsiDepartment Of Chemistry, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq Email: Hasanchem70@gmail.comAnalytical Chemistry EditorAssist. Prof. Dr. Layth Sameer Jasim Mohammed Department Of Chemistry, University of Al-Qadisiyah, IraqEmail: layth.alhayder@qu.edu.iqOrganic Chemistry EditorProf. Dr. Nabeel Abdul-RedaDepartment Of Chemistry, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq Email: nabeel.a.alradha@qu.edu.iqInorganic Chemistry EditorProf. Dr Khalid Jawad AL-AdileeCollege of Education, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq Email: Khalid.Jawad@qu.edu.iqBiochemistry EditorAssist. Prof. Dr. Anwar J. almzaielUniversity of Al-Qadisiyah,College of Medicine, Department Of Chemistry Email: anwar.almzaiel@qu.edu.iq

ISCPS2019

ISCPS2019

Timing of Homework Completion vs. Performance in General Chemistry

The goal of this study was to investigate the timing of online homework completion and its effects on student performance. Data was collected from two large, first-semester general chemistry sections at a southwestern university. Specifically, this study aims to explore the link between when students complete their homework relative to the date the material was covered in lecture and student performance in that class. Topics covered in the study included VSEPR, Lewis structures, and molecular geometry. Performance was measured by different variables, namely in-class clicker scores (short-term) and exam grade (long-term). Students were divided into three groups: students who completed the relevant homework within 2 days after the lecture (before the next lecture), those who completed the homework 2 to 4 days after the lecture, and students who completed the homework more than 4 days after the material was covered in lecture. The study also took into consideration student reasoning abilities, as measured by the Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT), with a focus on at-risk students (low TOLT students). Results showed promising findings for low TOLT students. Instructors can employ results from this study to help their students better utilize the online homework resources.

أثر مقرر مقترح فی النانوتکنولوجی فی تنمیة مفاهیمه واتخاذ القرار والاتجاه نحو تطبیقاته لدی طلاب شعبة الکیمیاء بکلیة التربیة. The impact of a suggested course in nanotechnology and its applications in the development of the concepts of nanotechnology and decision taking and the attitude towards its applications in the students of the first year Chemistry section, Faculty of Education, Benha

هدف البحث لبناء مقرر مقترح بعنوان أساسيات لدى عينة قوامها (25) طلاب الفرقة الأولى شعبة الکيمياء بکلية التربية جامعة بنها, وتم إعداد کتاب الطالب للمقرر المقترح وکذلک دليل استرشادى للقائم بتدريس المقرر وقياس أثره في تنمية مفاهيم النانوتکنولوجي والقدرة علي اتخاذ القرار والاتجاه نحو تطبيقات النانوتکنولوجي ، وبعد تطبيق أدوات البحث قبليا ثم التدريس لمجموعة البحث وأخيرا التطبيق البعدي لأدوات البحث, وتوصل البحث للنتائج التالية:وجود فرق دال إحصائيا عند مستوى دلالة 0.05 بين متوسطي درجات طلاب المجموعة التجريبية فى أدوات البحث ( اختبار مفاهيم النانوتکنولوجي وتطبيقاته ومقياس اتخاذ القرار ومقياس الاتجاه نحو تطبيقات النانوتکنولوجي) فى التطبيق القبلى والبعدي لصالح التطبيق البعدي.

The Construction of Field in Science Popularization Stories

Systemic Functional Linguistics proposes a model of language that views texts as context-situated social activities. Context is modeled into two levels: context of culture which accounts for variation according to genre, and context of situation which accounts for variations according to three dimensions: field, tenor and mode. The register variable field, understood as the way in which a particular domain of experience is construed and organized through ideational meanings, is explored in a corpus of science popularization stories. The aim is to understand how science as a social activity is represented in these texts and to gain insights on how this approach can be useful in English as a Foreign Language reading courses in university environments. The data collected From a corpus of 60 popularization articles from the science popularization website Science Daily, including 30 stories extracted from the subsection Fitness in the Health section and 30 from the Chemistry Section, we randomly selected 10 stories from each field. One component of the Rhetorical Structure (Presentation of the Popularized Research) is selected to identify entities, activities and qualities through an analysis of Transitivity. Taxonomies are constructed related to the following entities: researchers, institutions, research reports, and research. The results show how the fields of doing science and reporting science are construed in this component through the description of those entities and the activities they are involved in. Pedagogical implications are suggested in relation to the design of pedagogical materials in EFL university reading courses.

Biological product manufacturing process validation (PV): the key components

Background & Aim Manufacturing process validation of products used in clinical investigation is the regulatory requirement. Production must be prospectively validated to confirm the suitability of the product intended use. The validated process and data are crucial for the Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control (CMC) section of the Investigation of New Drug submission. Effective validation is expected to be designed to include all key components that defines product manufacturing consistency, reliability, product quality, and data accuracy. Methods, Results & Conclusion The key components in designing a validation should base on scientific knowledge, literature review and data obtained from the pre-clinical studies. The objective of the validation must be clearly defined to enable an effective process validation plan. It should include established measurable product quality indicators such as process parameters, in process QC (e.g. time points and sample sizes) and target product profile (acceptable product outcomes). Standard operating procedure must be developed to outline process to be followed throughout the manufacturing and testing processes. All raw materials including starting biological material specifications must also be established. Critical equipment used must be properly qualified. Tests and assay to be conducted must be validated. The validation should be conducted up to the preparation process of final product intended use. When starting raw material in manufacturing process is biological product, donor quality becomes the significant variable factor, plan should consider minimizing the variability by using repeated donor in multiple processes when possible. Unanticipated outcomes or worst case scenario, when occur, should be carefully documented and analyzed to determine probable causes and resolutions. Repetition of the process is necessary and should base on the analysis of process and data from the preceding validation processes. Raw data must always be included with validation results. Conclusion The biological product manufacturing process is complex; the extent of the validation should factor in all elements of product quality attributes and the intended use of the final product. Effective manufacturing process validation should be designed not only to ensure the manufacturing process consistency and reliability but also the highest degree of product quality and integrity of data.

The Effect of pH on Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Characteristics Synthesized from Banana Peel Extract

In this study, Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized from banana peels (Jackfruit banana) extract (BPE) at different pH condition. The samples were then characterized to identify the optimum pH condition for producing ZnO NPs and at the same time determine the crystallite and particles size of ZnO. This paper covered a section of green chemistry since green application has become an attention nowadays. Slo-gel method is the method used to synthesize the ZnO NPS because the advantages in terms of eco-friendly, less time consumption, cost effective and easy to apply. BPE is one of raw material that has the ability to act as stabilizer and reducing agent. The samples were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Red (FTIR) Spectroscopy, UV-visible spectrometer (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunaner-Emmett-Teller (BET). It was found that the presence of ZnO were recorded from FTIR spectra at wavenumber 350-390 cm-1 for all samples which indicating the presence of ZnO bond. The UV-Vis spectrometer was recorded to observe the absorption peak, the highest absorption peak at 367 nm and the band gap was 3.38 Ev at pH 12. XRD analysis showed the ZnO nanoparticles formed to have hexagonal wurtzite structure and the crystallite size between 16 to 23 nm and the smallest crystallite size was smallest at pH 12. BET analysis showed that the surface area of ZnO NPs between 15 to 53 m2/g and the average particles size of ZnO NPs between 20 to 66 nm. As a conclusion, ZnO NPs can be produced from BPE at optimum pH of 12.

Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Systems and Absorption Tuning

AbstractMogens Brøndsted Nielsen is a Professor of Organic Chemistry and is Head of the Organic Chemistry Section at the Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen (Denmark). He is a current member of the ChemPhotoChem Editorial Board.

Research progress and regulatory perspectives for stem cell-based regenerative medicine products

Advances in stem cell therapy have led to the surge of regenerative medicine products for treating severe diseases worldwide in the recent years. Stem cells are capable of self-renewal and differentiation, and regenerative medicine products are remarkably complex and varied in their manufacturing processes including methods for cell culture, induction of differentiation and engraftment. The outcomes of the clinical trials of stem cell products also bear uncertainty partly due to the disparities among patients. Therefore it is challenging for the drug administrative agencies to regulate stem cell products. In this article, we review the research progress of the licensed stem cell-based products in the USA, Europe and Japan, along with the regulations and guidance documents of FDA, EMA and PMDA. We also summarize the considerations in evaluating the Chemistry, Manufacture and Control section of stem cell product applications. We hope our effort would contribute to the establishment of science-based regulatory policy in China, and provide the insights for the development and evaluation of regenerative medicine products.

Fatal intoxications among non-drug addicts in Eastern Denmark over a 5-year period (2008&amp;ndash;2012)

Correspondence: Sys Stybe Johansen Section of Forensic Chemistry, Frederik Femte Vej 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark O Tel +45 3532 6241 Fax +45 3532 6085 Email ssj@forensic.ku.dk Background: This study describes fatal intoxications among non-drug addicts in Eastern Denmark over a five-year period (2003–2007), and the data are compared with two similar five-year studies from 1992–1996 and 1998–2002. Method and Results: Among 2663 medicolegal autopsies performed during the study period, 428 fatal intoxications in non-drug addicts were detected. Sixty-three percent were caused by pharmaceuticals, 20% by carbon monoxide, and 15% by ethanol. Comparable with previous studies, carbon monoxide, ethanol, methadone, and morphine were the most common fatal substances, although new pharmaceuticals were observed among the ten most lethal substances, such as tramadol. Furthermore, older pharmaceuticals with narrow therapeutic windows such as propoxyphene and ketobemidone were almost not present. This study also briefly mentions alcoholic ketoacidosis as a cause of fatal intoxications. Conclusion: The pattern of fatal intoxications could, for some pharmaceuticals, be related to the number of treatments, although other unknown factors also contribute.

OPTIMISATION OF SELECTION OF ELECTRONIC LEARNING RESOURCES ACCORDING TO STUDENT GROUP COMPOSITION

The technology of integration of learning methods, forms and means of information and communication technologies is described with due regards for psychological and pedagogical characteristics of student groups. The results of theoretical and experimental research conducted on the basis of two Ukrainian universities with the participation of 341 students in the "Chemistry" training area and 18 lecturers of basic chemical disciplines are highlighted. Both students and lecturers were polled in a specially designed questionnaire to show their attitude to the use of various electronic learning resources in learning and teaching basic chemical disciplines. Students’ preferences in learning styles were estimated on the basis of a self-scoring questionnaire for assessing preferences on four complementary dimensions, such as perception (sensitive or intuitive), input (visual or verbal), processing (active or reflective) and understanding (sequential or global) of chemical information. Such an approach is known as the method of Felder-Soloman, and it allows one to calculate Indices of Learning Style which assess qualitatively available preferences of all respondents in each of the four available directions. The developed technology allows lecturers to qualify an optimal set of electronic learning resources for the teaching of individual sections of chemistry, taking into account preferences in their use of students with different learning styles. The technology under development is based on the calculation of average resource scores as assessed by all students in the group, as well as on the expert evaluation of the feasibility of their application in the teaching of basic chemical disciplines. The taxonomy of the optimal selection of electronic learning resources and teaching methods is developed for each type of students’ learning preferences. Advantages and disadvantages of all available variants of the application of the developed technology are discussed for student groups of different compositions. An example of the application is given for studying the discipline "Inorganic Chemistry".

Regulatory requirements for Drug master file in context to Canada and Australia

Drug Master Files are required in most countries as supporting documents for the registration of drug products. DMFs generally contain information pertaining to the chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) sections of the drug submission and reflect the drug’s identity, strength, purity and quality. Canada and Australia which are consider as highly regulated markets (HRMs). In CANADA, DMF filing was done through New Drug Submission (NDS) for both drugs and biologic products. They use MF terminology for DMF which contain four types of MASTER FILE- ASMFs, CCS MFs, Excipient MFs, Drug product MFs. In AUSTRALIA different application processes and regulatory requirements apply depending on the type of therapeutic goods that is applied. They consist of eight phase for DMF registration. Where EU guidelines adopted in Australia include references to EU legislation. Now from 2016 onwards most of the regulated countries will use eCTD or their electronic format for their DMF submission. Compare DMF regulatory requirements in the above-mentioned countries so that reader can have clear idea on how to file DMF.

A Single Reaction Thread Ties Multiple Core Concepts in an Introductory Chemistry Course

This work describes the use of a single chemical reaction to teach and connect a number of standard general chemistry course topics while also introducing students to polymer concepts. Through the study of the reaction that converts spiropyran into merocyanine, we are able to present and connect molecular orbital theory, quantum mechanics, equilibrium, hydrogen bonding, mechanical work, and polymer chemistry. By framing a number of different concepts with the same reaction, our goal is to allow students to see connections in seemingly disparate sections of general chemistry. At the same time, repeated study of this organic reaction provides a pathway for students to gain confidence and comfort with carbon-based molecular structures before stepping into an organic chemistry course. Experimental results indicate that there is no significant difference in student performance on problems linked to unit learning objectives when a group of students who complete the spiropyran-based exercises is compared to a co...

Frequency of Macroprolactin in Hyperprolactinemia.

To determine the frequency of Macroprolactin (MaPRL) in patients with increased total prolactin and its clinical and financial impact. Cross-sectional study. Section of Clinical Chemistry, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from March to May 2015. Patients with high total prolactin were screened by polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation for determination of MaPRL. Clinical history, imaging work-ups, and cost incurred in further investigations were collected by telephonic interview after verbal consent. Patients were stratified into true hyperprolactinemia and macroprolactinemia after PEG treatment, based on monomeric prolactin levels. Medical records of cases registered with AKUH were reviewed to confirm the diagnosis. Two hundred and thirty-nine patients were identified with high prolactin levels. Macroprolactinemia was identified in 145 (60.7%) and true hyperprolactinemia in 94 (39.3%) patients. Galactorrhea was significantly more in true hyperprolactinemic females (p=0.022), followed by visual disturbances (p=0.01) and headache (p=0.006). Moreover, as majority of population were females, the clinical features in the macroprolactinemia group as compared to true hyperprolactinemic group were mostly related to non-pituitary causes like drug intake [42.5% (54) vs. 37% (30)], heat intolerance due to thyroidal illness [41.7% (53) vs. 38.3% (31)] and surgery [26.8% (34) vs 22.2% (18)] in females. Further radiological workup (MRI, CT) were conducted in 35 (37.2%) patients with true hyperprolactinemia. Twenty-one (60%) of the patients were confirmed to have pituitary adenomas. In eight (5.5%) patients with MaPRL, only one had pituitary microadenoma on radiological workup. Total cost impact on the basis of investigations, was significantly higher in the group undergone imaging, despite 7 out of 8 individuals found to have normal imaging results. The median total cost in true hyperprolactinemic group undergone imaging was Rs. 4370 (IQR=2412.5, 22850) as compared to macroprolactinemic groups; Rs. 3,250 (IQR=2150, 4278). There was significant difference in the cost burden of both the groups (p <0.001). High frequency of MaPRL was identified in patients with hyperprolactinemia. Screening with PEG precipitation in hyperprolactinemic sera is simple and cost-effective.

Conceptual Demography in Upper Secondary Chemistry and Biology Textbooks’ Descriptions of Protein Synthesis: A Matter of Context?

This study investigates how the domain-specific language of molecular life science is mediated by the comparative contexts of chemistry and biology education. We study upper secondary chemistry and biology textbook sections on protein synthesis to reveal the conceptual demography of concepts central to the communication of this subject. The term “conceptual demography” refers to the frequency, distribution, and internal relationships between technical terms mediating a potential conceptual meaning of a phenomenon. Data were collected through a content analysis approach inspired by text summarization and text mining techniques. Chemistry textbooks were found to present protein synthesis using a mechanistic approach, whereas biology textbooks use a conceptual approach. The chemistry texts make no clear distinction between core terms and peripheral terms but use them equally frequently and give equal attention to all relationships, whereas biology textbooks focus on core terms and mention and relate them to each other more frequently than peripheral terms. Moreover, chemistry textbooks typically segment the text, focusing on a couple of technical terms at a time, whereas biology textbooks focus on overarching structures of the protein synthesis. We argue that it might be fruitful for students to learn protein synthesis from both contexts to build a meaningful understanding.

Nitrogen management efficiency against sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) under different irrigation frequencies

A field trial to examine nitrogen management efficiency against sunflower under varying irrigation frequencies was performed during 2015 at Agriculture Chemistry (Soils) Section, ARI Tandojam. Four N levels (0, 50, 100, 150 kg ha-1) and four irrigation frequencies (2, 3, 4, 5 irrigations) were evaluated in RCBD with three replicates. The response of sunflower crop to varying N rates and irrigation frequency in relation to growth, seed yield and oil content was significant (P<0.05). Apart from the crop growth traits, sunflower seed yield was highest (2520.90 kgha‑1) with 41.73% oil content; while seed yield decreased to 2268.90 kg ha‑1 and oil content increased (42.09%) under 100 kg ha-1 N over 150 kg N ha-1. The N @50 kg ha-1 remained least in all the growth and seed yield traits. Similarly, 04 times irrigated sunflower produced highest seed yield (2198.80 kg ha‑1) and oil content (41.10%); while 05 times irrigated crop showed relatively lesser seed yield (1953.40 kg ha‑1) and oil content (39.71%). The seed yield responded superbly to higher N (150 kg ha-1) with maximum seed yield (2520.9 kg ha-1) but oil yield slightly decreased; while 04 times irrigated crop resulted in highest seed yield (2198.8 kg ha-1) and oil content (41.10%). Keywords: Sunflower; Nitrogen efficiency; Irrigation frequency; Seed yield; Oil content http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2017.60059

Success in Implementation of a Resident In-Service Examination Review Series.

Primary pathology board certification has been correlated with senior resident in-service examination (RISE) performance. We describe our success with an annual, month-long review series. Aggregate program RISE performance data were gathered for 3 years prior to and 3 years following initiation of the review series. In addition, mean United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and 2 Clinical Knowledge scores for residents participating in each RISE examination were obtained to control for incoming knowledge and test-taking ability. Linear models were used to evaluate differences in average RISE performance prior to and following the initiation of the review series in addition to controlling for relevant covariates. Significant improvement was noted in the grand total, anatomic pathology section average, clinical pathology section average, and transfusion medicine section. Although not statistically significant, improvement was noted on the cytopathology and clinical chemistry sections. There was no significant difference in scores in hematopathology, molecular pathology, and the special topics section average. In addition, improvement in primary pathology board certification rates was also noted. Institution of a month-long RISE review series demonstrated improved overall performance within our training program. The success could easily be replicated in any training program without significant disruption to an annual didactic series.

High Structure Active Learning Pedagogy for the Teaching of Organic Chemistry: Assessing the Impact on Academic Outcomes

Organic Chemistry is a required course for programs in chemistry, biology, and many health science careers. It has historically been considered a highly challenging course with significant failure rates. As with many science disciplines, the teaching of Organic Chemistry has traditionally focused on unstructured exposition-centered delivery of course material. This report details efforts to transform the teaching of a large section of Organic Chemistry to a more student-centered approach through the use of a highly structured, active learning format. In this study, the authors examine student performance data on homogeneous examinations and course grades for two groups of students at a large public university for comparison between those that received highly structured active learning pedagogy and those that received traditional, unstructured, lecture pedagogy in Organic Chemistry. Data consist of repeated cross sections over 4 different years, with a total sample size n = 766. Regression and propensity s...