University School Research Articles

An Analysis of the Undergraduate Program of the Police School of the University of Internal Affairs

Theoretical knowledge, skills, and practical experience of the cadets, students, and graduates are essential for the implementation of the basic functions of the police organization to effectively combat crime, maintain public order, and ensure public safety. However, all of these depend on the concept of educational programs, training theories, and development trends. Therefore, we have written this article to analyze the undergraduate programs and their implementation, and to propose some improvements. The research focuses on the analysis of the undergraduate curriculum methodology at the Police School of the Internal Affairs University of Mongolia from 2000 to 2019. It involves comparing the current four specialized programs with those of the national police universities of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea. After conducting the analysis, we identified both problems and opportunities. We surveyed 250 graduates of the programs to compare the quality and accessibility of education at that time to the current situation which helped us identify the issues. According to the survey, 75 percent of the respondents believe that the Police Work-Law undergraduate program needs to be improved and updated while the remaining 20 percent did not feel that it needed improvement, and 5 percent were unsure. Comparative analysis of the programs finds that there has been an increase in program content and credit hours, some courses overlap, the internship period is short, and the quality and results are weak. Upon comparing similar programs in other countries, it has been identified that implementing curricula in areas such as artificial intelligence, coding, and programming can help international law schools effectively meet the challenges of 21st-century legal practice.

EFL Pre-Service Teachers’ Problems during Teaching Assistance of Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka Program

Teaching English was not an easy task. Therefore, pre-service teachers needed sufficient experience before becoming true teachers. The teaching assistance program was designed for aspiring teachers to gain that experience. However, during the implementation of this program, pre-service teachers undoubtedly encountered several problems. This study aimed to analyze the problems faced by pre-service teachers during the teaching assistance program. Three participants from the same university but different schools participated in the study. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. The result showed that various problems were faced by pre-service teachers during teaching assistance. Almost all pre-service teachers encountered different problems compared to their peers during teaching assistance. However, some of them also shared similar problems. All the problems faced by pre-service teachers during teaching assistance could be categorized into two main factors. Internal factors such as inappropriate teaching method, material, media, classroom management and pre-service teachers’ proficiency. Then external factors such as problem related to students, disconnection between expectation and reality, school facility, and lack of relatedness between teaching practice alongside lectures. This was considered important to discuss so that in the future, pre-service teachers could be better prepared when they would teach directly to students at schools during teaching assistance.

Efficacy analysis of mechanical thrombectomy combined with prolonged mild hypothermia in the treatment of acute middle cerebral artery occlusion: a single-center retrospective cohort study.

To determine the efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy combined with prolonged mild hypothermia compared with conventional treatment in managing acute middle cerebral artery occlusion, and to explore whether extending the duration of hypothermia can improve neurological function. From 2018 to June 2023, a retrospective analysis was conducted on 45 patients with acute middle cerebral artery occlusion treated at the NICU of Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. After thrombectomy, patients were admitted to the neurological intensive care unit (NICU) for targeted temperature management. Patients were divided into two groups: the mild hypothermia group (34.5-35.9°C) receiving 5-7 days of treatment, and the normothermia group (control group) whose body temperature was kept between 36 and 37.5°C using pharmacological and physical cooling methods. Baseline characteristics and temperature changes were compared between the two groups of patients. The primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 month after surgery, and the secondary outcomes were related complications and mortality rate. Prognostic risk factors were investigated using both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Among 45 patients, 21 underwent prolonged mild hypothermia, and 24 received normothermia, with no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The duration of mild hypothermia ranged from 5 to 7 days. The incidence of chills (33.3% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.031) and constipation (57.1% vs. 20.8%, p = 0.028) was significantly higher in the mild hypothermia group compared with the control group. There was no significant difference in mortality rates between the mild hypothermia and the control group (4.76% vs. 8.33%, p = 1.000, OR = 1.75, 95% CI, 0.171-17.949). At 3 month, there was no significant difference in the modified mRS (0-3) score between the mild hypothermia and control groups (52.4% vs. 25%, p = 0.114, OR = 0.477, 95% CI, 0.214-1.066). Infarct core volume was an independent risk factor for adverse neurological outcomes. Prolonged mild hypothermia following mechanical thrombectomy had no severe complications and shows a trend to improve the prognosis of neurological function. The Infarct core volume on CTP was an independent risk factor for predicting neurological function.

Application of 21-gene recurrence risk score in patients with breast cancer

Objective: To investigate the relationship between 21-gene recurrence risk score (21-Gene RS) and the prognosis and clinicopathological features of hormone receptor (HR) positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer patients who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. Methods: A total of 469 patients with HR positive and HER2-negative early breast cancer who received surgical treatment in the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2014 to October 2017 were selected. Their clinicopathological data were retrospectively analyzed. Tumor tissue samples were collected from patients, and the expression of 21-gene was detected by reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The 21-Gene RS was calculated according to the Trial Assigning Individualized Options for Treatment (TAILORx) RS grouping and National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-20 (NSABP B-20) RS grouping principles. Patients were divided into low (21-Gene RS<11 or 21-Gene RS<18), intermediate (11≤21-Gene RS<26 or 18≤21-Gene RS<31) and high (21-Gene RS≥26 or 21-Gene RS≥31) risk groups, and the clinicopathological features and prognostic differences of patients in different risk groups were compared. Statistical data were compared by chi-square test. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curve analysis and the differences between groups were compared using Log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was conducted by COX regression analysis. Results: Based on TAILORx RS grouping, the proportions of low-risk, intermediate-risk and high-risk groups among the 469 patients were 18.8% (88/469), 48.2% (226/469) and 33.0% (155/469), respectively. Based on NSABP B-20 RS grouping, the proportion of low-risk, intermediate-risk and high-risk groups were 43.1% (202/469), 37.5% (176/469) and 19.4% (91/469), respectively. The association of 21-Gene RS with histological grading, luminal typing, Ki-67 expression, and chemotherapy and treatment modalities were statistically significant (P<0.05) regardless of TAILORx RS grouping or NSABP B-20 RS grouping. Kaplan-Meier survival curve suggested poor prognosis in high-risk group (P<0.05, Log-rank test). Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that surgical method and 21-Gene RS were risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients. Conclusions: 21-Gene RS is significantly associated with the prognosis of patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative, early-stage breast cancer not receiving neoadjuvant therapy, as well as with their clinicopathological characteristics such as patients' histologic grade, luminal typing, Ki-67 expression, and whether or not they are treated with chemotherapy or other treatment modalities.The 21-Gene RS threshold of 11 and 26 or 18 and 31 can be used to grade the prognosis in Chinese patients with early-stage breast cancer. More researches are needed to guide the selection of postoperative adjuvant therapy for patients with HR-positive and HER2-negative early-stage breast cancer.

Renewable, Flexible, and Storage Capacities: Friends or Foes?

Problem definition: More than 99% of the new power generation capacity to be installed in the United States from 2023 to 2050 will be powered by wind, solar, and natural gas. Additionally, large-scale battery systems are planned to support power systems. It is paramount for policymakers and electric utilities to deepen the understanding of the operational and investment relations among renewable, flexible (natural gas-powered), and storage capacities. In this paper, we optimize both the joint operations and investment mix of these three types of resources, examining whether they act as investment substitutes or complements. Methodology/results: Using stochastic control theory, we identify and prove the structure of the optimal storage control policy, from which we determine various pairs of charging and discharging operations. We find that whether storage complements or substitutes other resources hinges on the operational pairs involved and whether executing these pairs is constrained by charging or discharging. Through extensive numerical analysis using data from a Florida utility, government agencies, and industry reports, we demonstrate how storage operations drive the investment relations among renewable, flexible, and storage capacities. Managerial implications: Storage and renewables substitute each other in meeting peak demand; storage complements renewables by storing surplus renewable output; renewables complement storage by compressing peak periods, facilitating peak shaving and displacement of flexible capacity. These substitution and complementary effects often coexist, and the dominant effect can alternate as costs change. A thorough understanding of these relations at both operational and investment levels empowers decision makers to optimize energy infrastructure investments and operations, thereby unlocking their full potential. Funding: This research was supported in part by Lilly Endowment, Inc., through its support for the Indiana University Pervasive Technology Institute. This research was also supported by Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, and Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee. O. Q. Wu thanks Grant Thornton for their generous support. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2023.0068 .

Analysis of the relationship between intestinal segmented filamentous bacteria and rotavirus infection in children

Objective: To investigate the association between intestinal colonization of segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) and the risk of rotavirus infection, and the possible mechanisms by which SFB resist rotavirus infection. Methods: This case-control study enrolled 50 children aged 0 to 5 years who present to the outpatient Department of Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine with diarrhea and positive stool tests for rotavirus. The children were divided into rotavirus enteritis group and control group consisting of 55 children with non-gastrointestinal and non-infectious surgical diseases.The age and sex composition of the two groups was matched. The DNA of the fecal flora was extracted and SFB was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR analysis. The children in the rotavirus enteritis group and the control group were subgrouped by age and sex to analyze the differences in SFB positivity rates between different groups, and further compare and analyze the differences in SFB positivity rates between these two groups of children in the ≤2 years old subgroup and the >2-5 years old subgroup. Neutralization test was performed with p3340 protein and rotavirus to determine the relationship between rotavirus infection rate and p3340 concentration in Vero cells. χ2 test or Fisher's exact probability method was used for comparison between the two groups. Results: There were 50 children in the rotavirus enteritis group with an age of (1.7±0.9) years, and 55 children in the control group with an age of (1.8±1.1) years. The positive rate of SFB in children with rotavirus enteritis showed a declining trend across ages groups, with the highest rate of 10/14 in the ≤1 year old group, followed by 67% (14/21) in the >1-2 years old group, 9/15 in the >2-5 years old group, and there was no statistically significant difference (P=0.867). The positive rate of SFB in the control group was 12/15 in the ≤1 year old group, 95% (19/20) in the >1-2 years old group, 50% (10/20) in the >2-5 years old group, with statistical significance (P=0.004). The positive rate of SFB in children with rotavirus enteritis was 74% (20/27) in males and 56% (13/23) in females (χ2=1.71, P=0.192). In the control group, it was 79% (22/28) in males and 70% (19/27) in females (χ2=0.49, P=0.485). The positive rate of SFB was 66% (33/50) in the rotavirus enteritis group and 75% (41/55) in the control group, with no statistically significant (χ2=0.56, P=0.454). In the children ≤2 years old, the SFB positivity rate was 69% (24/35) in the rotavirus enteritis group and 89% (31/35) in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (χ2=4.16, P=0.041). However, in the children >2-5 years old, no statistically significant difference was observed, with the positive rate of SFB being 9/15 in the rotavirus enteritis group and 50% (10/20) in the control group (P=0.734). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between rotavirus infection and SFB positivity (r=-0.87,P<0.001). As the concentration of the p3340 specific protein increased, the luminescence intensity of the luciferase in the Vero cells, which were suitable for cultivating rotavirus, exhibited a decreasing trend (F=4.17, P=0.001). Conclusions: SFB colonization in infants less than 2 years old is associated with a reduced risk of rotavirus infection. Cloning of specific SFB functional protein p3340 neutralizes rotavirus infection of Vero cells, and this mechanism of targeting rotavirus infection differs from the common antiviral mechanism.

Online-to-offline combined with problem-based learning is an effective teaching modality in the standardized residency training of nephrology

BackgroundThe online-to-offline (O2O) teaching method is recognized as a new educational model that integrates network learning into offline classroom education, while problem-based learning (PBL) is a teaching modality that guides students to apply acquired theoretical knowledge to solve practical problems. However, implementing O2O combined with PBL has not been extensively explored in nephrology residency training. This study aims to explore the efficacy of O2O combined with PBL in the standardized residency training of nephrology by comparing it with the traditional lecture-based teaching (LBT).MethodsSixty residency trainees who participated in the standardized training of internal medicine in the nephrology department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine were equally allocated into O2O combined with PBL (O2O/PBL) or the LBT group demographically matched. Examinations of theory, practice skills, clinical thinking and teaching satisfaction surveys were utilized to assess the teaching effects of the two groups.ResultsParticipants from the O2O/PBL group outperformed those from the LBT group in the examination of theory (81.233 ± 9.156 vs. 75.800 ± 7.009, mean ± SEM), practice skills (104.433 ± 3.569 vs.100.316 ± 4.628, mean ± SEM) and clinical thinking (88.933 ± 4.473 vs. 86.667 ± 3.844, mean ± SEM). There was no significant difference in the teaching satisfaction between the two groups.ConclusionThe current study shows the positive impact of O2O combined with PBL approach on standardized residency training in nephrology without reducing teaching satisfaction.

Four-year longitudinal culinary and lifestyle medicine track for undergraduate medical students: development and implementation

ABSTRACT The importance of culinary and lifestyle medicine education to combat the growing burden of chronic disease is gaining recognition in the United States. However, few medical schools offer in-depth training with a 4-year longitudinal track. The Culinary and Lifestyle Medicine Track (CLMT) is a 4-year curriculum thread created at West Virginia University School of Medicine to address the need for comprehensive culinary and lifestyle medicine education. CLMT teaches concepts of healthy nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and restorative sleep. CLMT students complete approximately 300 h of in-person and virtual culinary and lifestyle medicine education, including hands-on teaching kitchens, distributed over the preclinical and clinical years. Students are selected into the track prior to matriculation after an application and interview process. The students have exceeded expectations for scholarly and community activity. Track graduates have entered into primary care as well as specialty and surgical residencies, demonstrating that lifestyle education plays a role for students interested in a wide range of careers. Exit survey responses from learners reflected tangible and intangible benefits of participation and offered constructive feedback for improvement. Presented here are the components of the curricular design, implementation, and initial outcomes.

Students’ understanding of vector operations: With and without physics education technology simulation

This study aims to investigate the influence of technology integration (physics education technology simulation) in physics learning. A quantitative method with a quasi-experimental post-test-only design was applied to reveal the differences in students’ abilities to operate vectors between the group that learned and tested using simulation and the group that learned using graphics only. The test consisted of 16 questions on the addition and subtraction of two vectors divided into one and two dimensions. Student response data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis test. The analysis results show that the vector operation score for experimental group 1, which learned vector operations through graphic learning using simulation and tested with the same simulation (86.15), is higher than experimental group 2, which learned vector operations through graphic learning using simulation (76.59), and the control group, which learned vector operations through graphic learning without simulation assistance (71.81). All three groups have higher average scores for one-dimensional than two-dimensional vector operations. They also have higher average scores for vector addition compared to vector subtraction operations. Kruskal-Wallis test results indicate a significant difference in the average vector operation scores for the three groups (ρ=0.021). This suggests that integrating technology in the learning and testing processes leads to a significant difference. Moreover, the difference is significant for one-dimensional vector operations (ρ=0.004) and not significant for two-dimensional vector operations (ρ=0.107). These findings could support the implementation of similar approaches at the university and high school levels, especially for vector-related topics, in both learning and testing processes.

Visual Learning Equity Initiative Enhances Preclinical Dermatologic Image Representation: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Despite growing diversity in the United States population, studies show that medical education lacks representation of conditions in darker skin tones. Given that medical conditions present differently in different skin tones, limited exposure to images of darker tones in medical training may contribute to incorrect or delayed diagnoses, perpetuating health inequities. This study examines the preclinical curriculum at the Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM) to report on its image representation with respect to skin tone and to assess the impact of a student-driven initiative in achieving visual learning equity (VLE). Of 1050 preclinical images, 58.2% depicted conditions in light/white skin tones, 31.3% in medium/brown, and 10.5% in dark/black. The microbiology and pathology courses had the highest percentages of dark/black and medium/brown images. Infectious disease images made up 36.3% of all images with 54.6% light/white, 31.5% medium/brown, and 13.9% dark/black. Overall, the first images representing conditions were 63.5% light/white, 30.0% medium/brown, and 6.6% dark/black. When dark/black images were presented first, 64.3% were of infectious diseases, compared to 35.1% for medium/brown and only 28.4% for white/light first images that were infectious diseases. A significant increase in images of conditions in darker skin tones was observed in the IRD course 2022 compared to the IRD course 2020 (P&lt;.001). Our study highlights an underrepresentation of darker skin tones compared to lighter skin tones in the GUSOM preclinical curriculum. A student-led initiative significantly increased the representation of darker skin tones in dermatologic images, demonstrating the potential impact of such efforts in achieving VLE in medical education.J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(7):519-524.&nbsp; doi:10.36849/JDD.7992.

Endoscopic variceal ligation combined with sclerotherapy for management of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in pediatric patients: a single-center retrospective study.

Portal hypertension (PH) frequently gives rise to severe and life-threatening complications, including hemorrhage accompanied by the rupture of esophageal and gastric varices. In contrast to the guidelines for the management of PH in adults, the optimal endoscopic management of variceal bleeding for secondary prophylaxis in children remains unclear. The present study evaluated the efficacy and safety of endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) and endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST) to control gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in children. This retrospective study included children with gastroesophageal variceal bleeding who underwent EST or EVL at Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, between February 2013 and March 2020. Short-term hemostasis rate and long-term rebleeding rate were evaluated. Adverse events related to the procedures, such as esophageal ulcer, esophageal stricture, abnormal embolization, pneumonia and perforation, were also recorded. EVL (n = 8) and EST (n = 13) were performed successfully in all pediatric patients diagnosed with moderate to severe esophageal varices concurrent with gastric varices. Hemostasis was achieved during episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The mean volume of each single aliquot of cyanoacrylate injected was 0.3 ± 0.1 ml (range: 0.1-0.5 ml). Varices were eradicated in six (75%) of the eight patients who underwent EVL after a median 2 (range: 1-4) procedures and a median time of 3.40 months (range: 1.10-13.33 months). Eleven (52.4%) of the 21 patients developed rebleeding events, with the mean duration of hemostasis being 11.1 ± 11.6 months (range 1.0-39.2 months). No treatment-related complications, for example, distal embolism, occurred except for abdominal pain in one patient (4.8%). EST, alone or in combination with EVL, is an effective and safe method of managing gastroesophageal variceal hemorrhage in children undergoing secondary prophylaxis.

Analysis of risk factors associated with postoperative pancreatic fistula after robotic-assisted distal pancreatectomy

Objective: To investigate pertinent risk factors for postoperative pancreatic fistula(POPF) after robotic-assisted distal pancreatectomy(RDP). Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Clinical data of 1 211 patients who underwent various methods of distal pancreatectomy at the Department of General Surgery,Ruijin Hospital,Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine,between January 2021 and December 2023 were retrospectively collected. Among the 1 211 patients,440 cases were in the robot-assisted group(173 males and 267 females),with an age(M(IQR)) of 55(29)years;720 cases were in the open surgery group (390 males and 330 females),with an age of 64(15)years;and 51 cases were in the laparoscopic group(17 males and 34 females),with an age of 56(25)years. These 440 patients who underwent RDP were divided into two cohorts based on the presence of clinically relevant pancreatic fistulas(grades B and C). Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed on 27 factors related to POPF. Univariate analysis methods included independent sample t-test,Mann-Whitney U test,and χ2 test,while multivariate analysis utilized binary logistic regression. Results: After stratification by pathological type,there was no significant difference in the incidence of pancreatic fistula between the robot-assisted group and the open surgery group(benign tumor:χ2=1.200,P=0.952;malignant tumor:χ2=0.391,P=0.532). The surgical duration of the RDP group (Z1=15.113,P1<0.01; Z2=4.232, P2<0.01) was significantly shorter than that of the open surgery and laparoscopic groups,so as the intraoperative blood loss (Z1=12.530,P1<0.01;Z2=2.550,P2=0.032). Postoperative hospital stay in the RDP group was significantly shorter than that in the open surgery group (Z1=10.947, P1<0.01), but not different from that in the laparoscopic group (P2>0.05). All 440 patients underwent successful surgery,of which there was only 1 case who underwent a conversion to open surgery. A total of 104 patients(23.6%) developed clinically relevant pancreatic fistulas,and no perioperative mortality was observed. Univariate analysis revealed that 6 factors were associated with POPF after RDP: gender(χ2=12.048,P=0.001),history of smoking (χ2=6.327,P=0.012),history of alcohol consumption (χ2=17.597,P<0.01),manual pancreas division (χ2=9.839,P=0.002),early elevation of amylase in drainage fluid (Z=5.187,P<0.01),and delayed gastric emptying (χ2=4.485,P=0.034). No statistically significant association with POPF was found for the remaining factors(all P>0.05).The cut-off value for the early amylase level in the drainage fluid was determined to be 7 719.5 IU/ml,with an area under curve of 0.676 determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis identified a history of alcohol consumption(P=0.002,95%CI: 0.112 to 0.623), manual pancreas division(P=0.001,95%CI:1.446 to 4.082),early amylase level of drainage fluid ≥7 719.5 IU/ml(P<0.01,95%CI:0.151 to 0.438),and delayed gastric emptying (P=0.020, 95%CI: 1.131 to 4.233) as independent risk factors for POPF of RDP. Conclusion: Patients with pancreatic body and tail tumors who receive RDP therapy are at increased risk of developing a pancreatic fistula if they have a history of alcohol consumption,manual pancreas division,early elevation of amylase in drainage fluid to ≥7 719.5 IU/ml, or delayed gastric emptying.

Efficacy of linaclotide in combination with polyethylene glycol for bowel preparation in Chinese patients undergoing colonoscopy polypectomy: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundAdequate bowel preparation is essential for successful colonoscopy and polypectomy procedures. However, a significant proportion of patients still exhibit suboptimal bowel preparation, ranging from 18% to 35%. The effectiveness of...

CD19 CAR-T treatment shows limited efficacy in r/r DLBCL with double expression and TP53 alterations

ObjectAutologous CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) significantly modifies the natural course of chemorefractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, 25% to 50% of patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL still do not achieve remission. Therefore, investigating new molecular prognostic indicators that affect the effectiveness of CAR-T for DLBCL and developing novel combination therapies are crucial. MethodsData from 73 DLBCL patients who received CD19 CAR-T (Axi-cel or Relma-cel) were retrospectively collected from Shanghai Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University. Prior to CD19 CAR-T-cell transfusions, the patients received a fludarabine and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy regimen. ResultsOur study revealed that relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL) patients with both Double-expression (MYC>40% and BCL2>50%) and TP53 alterations tend to have a poorer clinical prognosis after CAR-T therapy, even when CAR-T therapy is used in combination with other therapies. However, CAR-T therapy was found to be effective in patients with only TP53 alterations or DE status, suggesting that their prognosis is in line with that of patients without TP53 alterations or DE status. ConclusionsOur study suggests that r/r DLBCL patients with both DE status and TP53 alterations treated with CAR-T therapy are more likely to have a poorer clinical prognosis. However, CAR-T therapy has the potential to improve the prognosis of patients with only TP53 alterations or DE status to be similar to that of patients without these abnormalities.

The people behind the papers - Alyshia Scholl, Yihong Liu and Geraldine Seydoux.

Germ granules have been hypothesized to deliver mRNAs of germ cell fate determinants to primordial germ cells. Now, a new study in Development finds that many mRNAs enriched in germ granules are not involved in germline development in Caenorhabditis elegans. To find out more about the story behind the paper, we caught up with first author Alyshia Scholl, second author Yihong Liu and corresponding author Geraldine Seydoux, Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Comparative Effectiveness of different therapies for Convergence Insufficiency

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of different treatment options such as brock string, dot card, jump convergence and pencil push-up exercises for convergence insufficiency (CI). Methodology: After ethical approval, this quasi experimental study was conducted at District Head Quarter (DHQ) Bhakkar, Thel University Bhakkar, schools and collages of Bhakkar and district Layyah by selecting 140 patients presenting with symptomatic convergence insufficiency through non-probability convenient sampling. After informed consent, Positive Fusional Vergence (PFV), CI Symptom Survey (CISS) and near point of convergence (NPC) were measured. Then randomly divide into four groups of 35 patients by non-probability purposive sampling. Each group received one of the chosen therapy for 3 consecutive months. All patients were examined and self-structure proforma was filled as baseline data on each follow-up of therapy. Data was analyzed by IBM SPSS version 23. Results: After completion of three month of treatment, near point of convergence improved from mean 13.343 ±.219 to 8.757±.194; CI 95%: p&lt;0.001 respectively in brock string, mean 13.486 ±.197 to 7.729 ±.169; CI 95%: p&lt;0.001 in dot card exercise, in jump convergence mean 13.614 ±.214 to 9.057, ±.170; CI 95%: p&lt;0.001 improvement of NPC occur and in pencil push-up 13.243 ±.208 to 8.329 ±.143; CI 95%: p&lt;0.001. Conclusion: The dot card is most effective treatment to perform at home for CI, effective for achieving clinically significant improvements in signs and symptoms associated with CI in young adults.

Enhancing Rural Science Education through School District–University Partnership

This instrumental case study describes the steps taken to establish and implement a university–school partnership to improve rural science teachers’ content knowledge and teaching practices and students’ achievement in elementary science and high school biology courses. Our research questions explored the impact of professional development and place-based learning on student outcomes, with the study’s methodology involving needs assessments, teacher training, and continuous support through modeling and coaching. The findings include gains in achievement and substantial gains in science education. The findings have implications for the design, implementation, and evaluation of university–school partnerships designed to build teachers’ capacity to deliver high-quality science education and improve student success in rural school districts.

The Effects of Medical Students’ Traits and College Life on Academic Failure Mediated by Mental Health

This study utilized cohort data, student lifestyle surveys, and mental health examination results from a medical school to investigate the impact of factors such as hometown, alcohol use, smoking, university life adaptation, and aptitude on academic failure, with mental health serving as a mediator. We analyzed data from 409 of the 549 incoming students at Keimyung University School of Medicine, excluding 140 individuals with missing data, from the academic years 2015 to 2021. Significant differences were found according to hometown in feelings of depression, suicidal tendencies, and internet addiction. There were also significant differences based on university life adaptation in feelings of depression, suicidal tendencies, and internet addiction, as well as significant differences according to academic aptitude in feelings of depression and internet addiction. Academic failure showed significant differences based on hometown, university life adaptation, and academic aptitude. Furthermore, students’ hometown had a complete mediating effect on academic failure together with feelings of depression, suicidal tendencies, and internet addiction. University life adaptation exhibited a complete mediating effect with suicidal tendencies and a partial mediating effect with feelings of depression and internet addiction. Academic aptitude demonstrated partial mediating effects on feelings of depression, suicidal tendencies, and internet addiction. Based on these results, we suggest establishing counseling programs tailored to the characteristics of medical students, and various programs for university life adaptation are necessary. There is also a need for diverse programs not only for clinical training, but also for different career paths.

Dependencia emocional en mujeres con estudios universitarios y técnico superior de la ciudad de Trujillo

The objective of the research was to determine the level of emotional dependence in university and high school students. The approach was quantitative, with a non-experimental and descriptive simple cross-sectional design. The sample of 533 women was selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The results indicate that the overall prevalence of emotional dependence is low at 60.3%, followed by 32.1% at medium level and 7.5% at high level. Analyzing by residence, in both rural and urban residence students, the trend is similar, with the majority at low level. By type of institution, university students show a similar distribution, while high school students have a slightly higher prevalence in the low level (61.9%) and lower prevalence in the high level compared to other categories.

Assessment of the Incidence of Müllerian Anomalies in Central Illinois

Introduction: Müllerian anomalies include a spectrum of malformations resulting from the underdevelopment of the Müllerian duct during embryological development. This results in a malformed vagina, uterus or both. Complete agenesis of one or both of these structures in a subset of these cases is known as Mayer‐Rokitansky‐Küster‐Hauser (MRKH) syndrome. There are two types of Müllerian agenesis: Type I MRKH only affects the upper vagina, cervix and uterus, whereas Type II MRKH has associated malformations affecting the renal, auditory and skeletal systems. The reported prevalence is approximately 1 in 5,000 for MRKH syndrome and ~5.5 in 100 for all Müllerian anomalies; however, there is a broad range in the described incidence rates. Purpose: We hypothesized the patient population served by the Department of Ob/Gyn, Division of Reproduction, Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) at Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine has a higher incidence of Müllerian anomalies and MRKH. Our objective was to assess the incidence of these Müllerian anomalies and describe the types of anomalies that affect women in Central Illinois. Methods: All patients receiving care at SIU Ob/Gyn, Division of REI from 01/1/2010-07/31/2021 were queried using specific ICD-9 and 10 codes and further screened to verify eligibility. A retrospective review (IRB# 21-893) was then conducted on all eligible subjects and relevant health information was extracted from the electronic health record. Continuous variables were measured by central tendency (mean or median) and dispersion (standard deviation or range). Categorical variables were described using frequencies and percentages. Results: The initial query identified 282 individuals of which 81 were deemed eligible (i.e., confirmed Müllerian anomaly). The total number of unique patients who underwent an ultrasound at REI during that time of study approval was 697. Based on these data, the calculated incidence of Müllerian anomalies in the REI patient population is ~11.6% and the incidence of MRKH is 57 in 5000. Demographics included: 74 subjects were White (91.4%), two Black or African American (2.5%), one Asian (1.2%) and 4 declined to report their race or identified as more than one race (4.9%); two subjects were of Hispanic ethnicity (2.5%). Mean ages at menarche and diagnosis were 12.7 ± 1.7 and 27.8 ± 6.4 years, respectively. Eight subjects diagnosed with MRKH had Type I MRKH. The specific type of anomalies identified included: uterine septum (29.1%), arcuate uterus (25.3%), unicornuate uterus (19.0%), agenesis (10.1%), bicornuate uterus (6.3%), uterus didelphys (6.3%) and 3.8% had another type of anomaly. The majority of patients underwent surgery within approximately one year of diagnosis (74%). Postoperative complications were rare (~7%) and included mild constipation, urinary retention and bleeding from the incision site. Pregnancy outcomes were as follows: prior to diagnosis, 3 (30%) infants were preterm vs. 7 (70%) term and those were spontaneous conceptions; after diagnosis 4 (30%) infants were preterm vs 9 (70%) term deliveries and the most common methods of conception were spontaneous and ovulation induction; post-surgery 11 (31%) infants were born preterm vs 24 (69%) term deliveries, and the most common methods of conception were ovulation induction and in-vitro fertilization. Conclusions: From this initial investigation, we found the incidence of Müllerian anomalies in the SIU Ob/Gyn, REI population is higher than the wide range of reported values. As expected, the vast majority of these patients underwent surgical management with little or no complications. We aim to further study what factors/exposures may be impacting the development of female fetuses resulting in Müllerian anomalies.