Original Course Research Articles

Perception and experience of academic Jordanian ophthalmologists with E-Learning for undergraduate course during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundElectronic-learning (e-Learning) is a form of education that utilizes information and communications technology to access online teaching and learning. This study aims to evaluate the e-Learning experience among Jordanian academic ophthalmologists during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Material and methodsA cross-sectional survey was applied by using a questionnaire that was distributed among 23 academic ophthalmologists working at 6 medical schools in Jordan during the lockdown. The questionnaire included questions about the ophthalmologists' experience with e-Learning, advantages and disadvantages of e-Learning, interactions of medical students for the e-Learning and the expectations of e-Learning for the future. ResultsA total of 22 out of 23 academic ophthalmologists responded. Flexibility of e-Learning to time and place was a major advantage (95.5%), whereas lack of skills was the main obstacle for e-Learning (77.3%). Nineteen participants (86.4%) were not satisfied with e-Learning as the sole method for undergraduate teaching. To improve the original on-campus two-week ophthalmology course, 12 (54.5%) suggested integrating e-Learning into the curriculum, 3 (13.6%) preferred extending the period of training, and 7 (31.8%) reported that their tight schedule does not allow for more tasks. ConclusionThe experience of e-Learning was positive. Most believed that e-Learning would have a prominent role in the future of medical education and proposed blended learning programs.

From lived experience to experiential knowledge: a working model

PurposeThis paper aims to present a working model for using experiential knowledge in the work of lived experience practitioners within the mental health field.Design/methodology/approachThe working model is constructed from three key elements, namely, components of lived experience, the Library of Life Experiences and the NISE technique for sharing experiential knowledge (NISE: need identification; inner identification; sharing experiential knowledge and interpersonal encounter).FindingsThe model will be described, followed by central themes that emerged from a pilot course that was taught in Israel in 2019 to a group of peers working in the mental health system. The central themes were: developing peer identity; sharing peer language; internalizing the working model; understanding the peer role; and awakening social consciousness.Originality/valueThe original working model and training course were co-produced and co-conducted by peer specialists and mental health professionals, for the use of lived experience practitioners.

Creative Adjustments to an Undergraduate Chemical Biology Course from Research-Based in-Person to All-Remote Education during the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

With the global pandemic this spring, we experienced a switch to remote education halfway through our semester at The College of New Jersey. For an advanced special topics in chemical biology class, lecture and group work required changes, increasing the number of assignments as well as the level of independent thinking and application-based learning. Laboratories that revolved around a cohesive research experience where students would have synthesized, characterized and tested novel peptides using biophysical and biochemical techniques were changed in a unique way. Using research, both published and unpublished, the developed vignettes retained the learning outcomes for students and provided students background, a task, and raw, unworked data. They made predictions, worked up the data, provided conclusions, suggestions, and analysis just as they would had they obtained the data first-hand. This work describes the original course design, the adjustments to lab, lecture, and assessments, what appeared successful, and what was challenging.

URBAN AND HYDROGEOLOGICAL ALERT ON THE MORPHOCLIMATIC RISK AFFECTING QUITO’S WORLD HERITAGE

Abstract. The ecological risk attached to the filling of Quito’s ravines, together with the subsequent loss of a memory about their existence, are the focus of this paper which aims to provide a base for both comprehension and action. Ravines are part of the geomorphology of the city’s basin and play a vital role in the hydrogeological system of Quito’s water cycle. They have been filled over time, disappearing from urban maps. This disrupts ravines’ original course and natural drainage system generating risks. An integral multi-scale perspective that considers geomorphological and hydrogeological modifications is missing. Three problematics can be observed. Technical-infrastructural, Urban-spatial and Architectural-cultural. The conjugation of all the phenomena described above, constitutes a call to consciously establish the risk level to which this territory is exposed. The damage goes beyond material or human loss. It affects history, living memory, identity, and knowledge. All these aspects have contributed to the consideration of HCQ (Historical Centre of Quito) as World Heritage Site. These are valuable legacies that need to be preserved. Therefore, it is necessary to undertake a detailed inventory of: i) the technical constructive state of patrimonial buildings made using raw earth; ii) the modifications and current state of DMQ’s (Metropolitan District of Quito) ravines; iii) the existing interstitial spaces associated to the ravines’ path within the HCQ. The paradigm under consideration for the future is not conservation but integral protection. Rescuing Memory in relation to HCQ’s ravines as an active operator for transformative provisions associated to social, environmental, urban and architectonic dimensions becomes fundamental for future development.

Transition to online is possible: Solution for simulation-based teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March 2020, Polish universities had to suspend all on-site activities due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. As a result, we were faced with the problem of how to convert a simulation-based course in geriatrics into distance-learning. The main focus of the original course (30 academic hours) is to expose fourth-year medical students, working in teams of three, to eight simulated cases including acute dyspnea (pneumonia), behavior change (somatic delirium), and cardio-pulmonary deterioration.

Pathologic outcomes of MRI invisible tumors in prostate cancer.

282 Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) invisible tumors are a diagnostic challenge in prostate cancer due to the lack of ability to reliably monitor these lesions radiographically or pathologically. The progression and natural history of these lesions are unknown and outcomes over time are unclear. Methods: Men with multiparametric MRI of the prostate and MRI/Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) fusion guided biopsy were assessed for the presence of MRI invisible tumors (MIT). An MIT is defined as cancer detected only on extended sextant biopsy and not visible on MRI. All men first underwent an MRI/TRUS fusion biopsy with tracked extended sextant biopsy which originally detected the MIT. The original biopsy needle course sampling these MITs was tracked and set as a future target using the MRI/TRUS fusion platform. Men subsequently underwent a combined MRI/TRUS fusion biopsy, systematic extended sextant biopsy, and a Targeted Tracked biopsy of the MIT (TT-MIT) that was recorded and tracked from the original biopsy. We describe the outcomes of tracking these MITs and compare the ability to monitor them with TT-MIT biopsy as opposed to systematic extended sextant biopsy. Results: 105 MITs were identified, 84 (80%) of which were originally Gleason 6 tumors. The median time between biopsies was 16.6 months. The overall cancer detection rate with TT-MIT was 77.4% compared to 59.7% using systematic extended sextant biopsy. Using TT-MIT, these invisible tumors showed higher Gleason scores in 16 (15.2%) tumors. When TT-MIT was compared to the systematic extended sextant biopsy sampling the corresponding location, it showed increased Gleason scores in 30 (28.6%) MITs while 58 (55.2%) showed concordant pathology and 17 (16.2%) showed less aggressive pathology. Conclusions: The ability to follow MRI invisible tumors suggests that these tumors are more effectively tracked using TT-MIT biopsy technique. These MITs change over time and 15% of them will upgrade to higher Gleason scores. Tracking these tumors with TT-MIT biopsy increases cancer detection rate compared to standard sextant biopsy and more accurately samples these MITs, unveiling a more aggressive pathology.

Integrating Lecture and Laboratory Work for a Materials Chemistry Course to Engage and Motivate Students through Highly Visual and Intriguing Syntheses

An original integrated course called “Chemistry: Magical Science” at Montpellier University (France) is presented. This approach mixes tutorials and practical work by using the pretext of high-tech...

Natural Autoantibodies in Chronic Pulmonary Diseases.

In autoantibody-mediated autoimmune diseases, pathogenic autoantibodies generated by a failure of central or peripheral tolerance, have different effects mediated by a variety of mechanisms. Interestingly, even non-autoimmune chronic diseases have a set of disease-specific natural autoantibodies that are maintained for a long time. Because most of these natural autoantibodies target intracellular proteins or long non-coding RNAs, they are speculated to be non-pathological and have some important as yet unrecognized physiological functions such as debris clearance. Recently, we revealed a set of disease-specific natural autoantibodies of chronic pulmonary diseases with unknown etiology by protein arrays that enable detection of specific autoantibodies against >8000 targets. Surprisingly, some of the targeted antigens of disease-specific autoantibodies were subsequently reported by other laboratories as strongly associated with the disease, suggesting that these antigens reflect the pathology of each disease. Furthermore, some of these autoantibodies that target extracellular antigens might modify the original course of each disease. Here, we review the disease-specific natural autoantibodies of chronic pulmonary diseases, including chronic fibrosing idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, sarcoidosis, and autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, and discuss their utility and effects.

Michael Frederick Hasenfuss

Michael Frederick Hasenfuss (“Fred”) passed his finals in 1970 and swore never to sit another exam. He undertook house jobs at Dundee and Stracathro hospitals in 1970-71. In 1971 he...

Developing authentic leadership as a starting point to responsible management: A Canadian university case study

To attain sustainable development goals (SDGs), organizations need authentic leaders. Authentic leaders are self-aware and are guided by a strong set of ethical values that drive their actions. They create a climate of trust that stimulates the personal development of subordinates and organizational performance. Experiential learning is recognized as a promising strategy for developing the skills required for authentic leadership. This paper describes an original leadership course in management master's programs at a Canadian university. This course incorporates an intensive off-campus leadership camp whose main strategy involves collaborative action games. This article proposes a threefold contribution. First, it provides a detailed description of a proven educational approach based on experiential learning. Second, it assesses the value of this approach in developing certain key authentic leadership skills, including self-awareness, which is identified as an essential characteristic of a responsible manager. Third, it demonstrates that the intensive leadership camp constitutes an original and relevant pedagogical approach to foster students' learning of authentic leadership, provided that a rigorous process, including a reflexivity mechanism, is followed.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Conflict Resolution Using Return-to-Course Maneuver

This Paper considers the problem of conflict resolution involving two constant-speed aircraft moving in a horizontal plane. A planar deconflicting maneuver that resolves the conflict with the desired safety threshold and takes the aircraft back to its original course is proposed. Considering the maximum bank angle and maximum banking rate of the aircraft, a second-order dynamical relationship between the aircraft bank angle and aileron deflection is used to design the maneuver. The maneuver consists of straight-line segments and coordinated turns. Maneuver parameters are computed by translating the problem in a frame of reference relative to the intruder aircraft and resolving the conflict therein. An analytical guarantee is presented for the existence of a solution for all possible conflicts in this scenario. The solution is expressed in terms of aileron deflection commands required to execute the maneuver. Simulations are carried out for various conflict scenarios, showing the efficacy of the proposed maneuver.

Does urban shrinkage require urban policy? The case of a post-industrial region in Poland

ABSTRACT The problem of depopulation in towns is present in most European countries. In Central and Eastern Europe it emerged primarily after the political transformation at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. Despite the often-significant demographic decline, the problem did not immediately become part of agenda-setting in towns’ local strategies. This paper discusses the above topics, focusing on the principal reasons for trivialization of depopulation in local policies of towns in the Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. In the discussion an emphasis is placed on the fact that in this region the issue of depopulation and urban shrinkage ‘vied’ with another consequence of transformation: unemployment. Because the Silesian Voivodeship is one of the largest regional labour markets in Europe, the confrontation of the two phenomena in local and regional policy took an original course characterized by phenomena such as policy taboo, trivialization, informal agenda-setting and mismatch strategies. The paper shows that while all the mentioned attributes of urban policy with respect to depopulation may be regarded as negative, considering the gigantic scale of the unemployment and depopulation phenomena and lack of experience in urban governance, they were a ‘natural’ reaction of the local authorities to the accumulated problems. It also indicates that in the studied region issues such as strongly marked morphological polycentricity and its (post)mining and (post)industrial nature were also not without significance.

FORMATION OF PROFESSIONAL (LINGVOCULTURAL) COMPETENCE OF ITALIAN STUDENTS0CULTUROLOGISTS

The article deals with the problem of the formation of the professional (linguistic and cultural) competence of Italian students-culturologists, specializing in the study of Russian culture in its synchronic and diachronic examination. The authors offer a description and analysis of the program implemented by the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute together with the Milan State University. The program includes courses: “History of Russian Culture”, “Modern Russian Literature”, “Language and Culture”. The article focuses on the original course “Language and Culture”, which is part of the program, based on an analysis of the peculiarities of the connection between the Russian language and culture in different historical periods, which fundamentally distinguishes it from traditional language and culture courses. The article describes the features of the structure and content of the course “Language and Culture” for students-culturologists, its goals, tasks and methodological apparatus. The course includes five thematic sections: “The Language and Culture of Ancient Russia”, “The Russian Language and Culture of the 18th Century”, “The Russian Language and Culture of the 19th Century”, “The Russian Language and Culture of the 20th Century”. The main goal of the course is to deepen students’ knowledge of the relationship between the Russian language and culture (in the interaction of diachronic and synchronous components), the development of their communicative competence, mainly in the socio-cultural sphere of communication associated with the future professional activities of the culturologist. An important component of the training in this course is the Multimedia language and culture Dictionary “Russia”, which is publicly available on the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute portal. The dictionary materials (articles, media library, interactive tasks) form the main content of the course.

Train-the-Trainers in hand hygiene: a standardized approach to guide education in infection prevention and control

BackgroundHarmonization in hand hygiene training for infection prevention and control (IPC) professionals is lacking. We describe a standardized approach to training, using a “Train-the-Trainers” (TTT) concept for IPC professionals and assess its impact on hand hygiene knowledge in six countries.MethodsWe developed a three-day simulation-based TTT course based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Multimodal Hand Hygiene Improvement Strategy. To evaluate its impact, we have performed a pre-and post-course knowledge questionnaire. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the results before and after training.ResultsBetween June 2016 and January 2018 we conducted seven TTT courses in six countries: Iran, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, Spain and Thailand. A total of 305 IPC professionals completed the programme. Participants included nurses (n = 196; 64.2%), physicians (n = 53; 17.3%) and other health professionals (n = 56; 18.3%). In total, participants from more than 20 countries were trained. A significant (p < 0.05) improvement in knowledge between the pre- and post-TTT training phases was observed in all countries. Puebla (Mexico) had the highest improvement (22.3%; p < 0.001), followed by Malaysia (21.2%; p < 0.001), Jalisco (Mexico; 20.2%; p < 0.001), Thailand (18.8%; p < 0.001), South Africa (18.3%; p < 0.001), Iran (17.5%; p < 0.001) and Spain (9.7%; p = 0.047). Spain had the highest overall test scores, while Thailand had the lowest pre- and post-scores. Positive aspects reported included: unique learning environment, sharing experiences, hands-on practices on a secure environment and networking among IPC professionals. Sustainability was assessed through follow-up evaluations conducted in three original TTT course sites in Mexico (Jalisco and Puebla) and in Spain: improvement was sustained in the last follow-up phase when assessed 5 months, 1 year and 2 years after the first TTT course, respectively.ConclusionsThe TTT in hand hygiene model proved to be effective in enhancing participant’s knowledge, sharing experiences and networking. IPC professionals can use this reference training method worldwide to further disseminate knowledge to other health care workers.

Encourage them to learn: Case Study of Fictitious Product and Virtual Market in Marketing Communications Degree Course

At the Faculty of Economics and Management at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CULS Prague) a wide range of marketing courses are taught, covering many aspects of marketing theory. The curriculum of the majority of marketing courses consists of case studies and project work in teams. The students in their MSc. studies have five marketing subjects in total, and work with different teachers, though the same teaching approach and design (project teaching) is used. In this article, we present the results of a new design for the Marketing Communications course. In this case, students are engaged in designing a real package for a fictitious product, and to enter a virtual market using a wide range of promotional tools. The students then debrief the entire experience as consumers in that virtual market. The course uses a mix of traditional and contemporary teaching techniques in the field of marketing communications. It can be used in traditional or blended learning or adapted for online courses. The innovative course design has been shown to be a key factor to stimulate the students to learn, rather than simply study and repeat their lectures. The learning efficiency compares favourably with the original course design.

Revised Hospital-MIMMS Course for Japan

Introduction:HMIMMS (Major Incident Medical Management and Support: The Practical Approach in the Hospital) has been introduced by ALSG (Advanced Life Support Group, Manchester, UK) and developed for many countries for preparing to accept huge numbers of casualties at a hospital during major incidents. The original HMIMMS course has been held in Japan since 2007, produced over 1,200 providers. Japan has a crucial history of natural disasters, earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons often resulting in extensive damages to infrastructure and communications.Aim:The MIMMS-JAPAN and the Japanese Association for Disaster Medicine have joined to plan to revise the original HMIMMS course from the point of view of the difference of the type of disaster.Method:By the permission of ALSG, two subjects were added “Hospital Evacuation” and “Business Continuity Plan” as lectures, workshops, and tabletops to the original HMIMMS course. Before attending the course, students were required to watch e-learning for deeper understanding and time-saving. Total program was organized into two days.Results:Main points of modification are to: 1.Replace a system peculiar to the UK with a Japanese system.2.Add unique contents of a Japanese disaster.3.Add the important subjects especially in Japan.4.Modify the presentation slides to understand easily for Japanese students. But the fundamental concept that hospital functions upon ‘CSCATTT’ is strictly preserved.Discussion:Newly revised HMIMMS course will start in 2019 for Japanese learners. Many reflections must be accumulated and further revisions will continue.

An Educational Deployment of the NCAR Mobile Integrated Sounding System

Abstract The best way to train the next wave of observational talent is through direct experience. In 2012 and again in 2014, students at St. Cloud State University (SCSU) welcomed deployments of professional atmospheric research equipment, allowing them to support and execute field projects. The Boundary Structure Experiments with Central Minnesota Profiling (BaSE CaMP) projects brought the Mobile Integrated Sounding System (MISS) from the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) to SCSU for a National Science Foundation–funded educational deployment. Its diverse instrumentation and ability to travel to interesting weather events and locations makes MISS extremely valuable for teaching students about both weather experiments and measurement strategies. In addition to the university project, outreach activities with MISS took place at high schools, regional conferences, and public events. MISS carries four instruments: a boundary layer wind profiler, a radio acoustic sounding system (RASS), radiosondes, and an instrumented 10-m tower. The type and time of MISS deployments were quite varied so students could participate around their class schedule, jobs, and other commitments. Each year the project had periods of fixed operations and mobile activity, where MISS was relocated to best observe current weather conditions. BaSE CaMP operations and results were incorporated into many classes in the meteorology program at SCSU. The original course request was for Radar and Satellite Meteorology, but other activities contributed to Atmospheric Dynamics, Physical Meteorology, and Meteorological Analysis Software courses.

Implementing a Large On-Campus ALN: Faculty Perspective

This case study describes the implementation and continued operation of a large on-campus ALN for a 500-student course in introductory physics. The ALN was used to modify and complement the original course and thus represents an evolution rather than a revolution. A highly positive impact on student success rates was achieved and continues. Factors that increased faculty satisfaction and instances of dissatisfaction are presented. The potential increase in the latter with technology is of some concern.

What to do in cases of postoperative damage of the ulnar nerve after K‑wire osteosynthesis of supracondylar humeral fractures in childhood?

Iatrogenic damage to the ulnar nerve after crossed Kirschner wire osteosynthesis of supracondylar humeral fractures is apreventable complication in pediatric traumatology, which occurs in up to 10% of cases. There are strategies in the literature for avoiding this complication but no consistent suggestions for action in the presence of the damage. Within the framework of aquestionnaire survey with the support of the German Society for Trauma Surgery, 198 pediatric and trauma surgeons presented their treatment algorithm based on case examples. In preoperatively known accident-related sensorimotor failure, 76.3% perform revision surgery of the nerve as part of primary care. If the treatment-related nerve damage occurs immediately postoperatively, up to 84.3% do this immediately. The rate depends on the extent of nerve damage (sensory vs. sensorimotor) and the reduction method (open vs. closed). The later the nerve damage is diagnosed, the sooner the original course of treatment with timely metal removal is retained or neurophysiological examinations are included. Respondents used the clinical extent of the lesion, the timing of the diagnosis and the nature of primary care as criteria for the indications in postoperative ulnar nerve damage. Differences in outcome between invasive and waiting strategies cannot be derived from the study.

Short versus Long Course at Patrouille Des Glaciers (Pdg)–Who Participates At the Original Course from Zermatt to Arolla and Verbier

Background: The biggest ski mountaineering race of the West Alps Patrouille des Glaciers (PdG) is characterized by a short course from Arolla-Verbier and a classic distance from Zermatt-Arolla-Verbier. In accordance with general findings from endurance sports e.g., running where the average speed in half marathon is lower compared to marathon these findings should also be valid for PdG. This yields to the aim of the study to analyze potential differences between the short versus the long course at PdG. Materials and methods: All participants of PdG 2018 were analyzed yielding to a total of 207 Patrols (principally three alpinists) from race one from Zermatt-Arolla- Verbier, 344 patrols from race two Zermatt-Arolla-Verbier as well as 374 patrols from race one of the short distance Arolla-Verbier and 375 of race two Arolla-Verbier with an average age in female of 39.1 ± 10.2 years and male 41.4 ± 10.9. Average speed was calculated with the concept of performance km for the different parts of the short and the long race. Furthermore, significance of differences between average speed of the short and the long race was analyzed with two-sided t-tests. Results: In total, average speed was significantly higher in the original race compared to the short course. Only the first part just after the start was faster in the short race Arolla-Verbier compared to the original race Zermatt- Arolla-Verbier. Discussion: These findings are somehow contra intuitive but might be explained by the different samples of participants at the short versus the long race. At the long race mainly highly trained alpinists take part whereas the short races more often attract recreational alpinists. Beside that gender differences are to mention: Only thirteen female participants absolved the original course (less than 0.01 percent) whereas in the Arolla-Verbier nearly one fourth were female (0.24 percent) implying the large physical challenge in the original course mainly absolved by men.