Informal peer-assisted learning amongst medical students: A qualitative perspective.

Purpose: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) can occur informally as part of a medical programme and complements the formal curriculum. However, little is known about the mechanisms and processes of how informal peer-assisted learning (IPAL) is enacted.

Materials And Methods: This paper presents data from an ethnographic and semi-structured interview study with Year 1 and 2 undergraduate medical students at a UK university.

Students' perceived research skills development and satisfaction after completion of a mandatory research project: results from five cohorts of the Sydney medical program.

Background: Research activities undertaken during University studies contribute to preparation of medical students for practice of evidence-based medicine. This study aimed to understand medical students' experiences, perceived research skills development and satisfaction associated with completion of mandatory research projects.

Methods: An online survey was sent to five cohorts of students (n = 1375) from years 2017-2021 at the completion of their research projects.

Rapid Rescoping and Adaptation: An Evaluation of the Impact of COVID-19 on Postgraduate Medical Student Research Projects.

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected tertiary science and medical education, with significant impact on research-related activities. Research projects are a mandatory requirement of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program at the University of Sydney, and medical student projects are delivered across multiple sites in metropolitan and rural New South Wales, Australia. Several cohorts of medical students had projects that were affected by COVID-19.

Research supervisors' views of barriers and enablers for research projects undertaken by medical students; a mixed methods evaluation of a post-graduate medical degree research project program.

Background: Medical degree programs use scholarly activities to support development of basic research skills, critical evaluation of medical information and promotion of medical research. The University of Sydney Doctor of Medicine Program includes a compulsory research project. Medical student projects are supervised by academic staff and affiliates, including biomedical science researchers and clinician-academics.

Enhancing Behavior Change Skills in Health Extension Workers in Ethiopia: Evaluation of an Intervention to Improve Maternal and Infant Nutrition.

Maternal and infant nutrition are problematic in areas of Ethiopia. Health extension workers (HEWs) work in Ethiopia's primary health care system, increasing potential health service coverage, particularly for women and children, providing an opportunity for health improvement. Their roles include improving maternal and infant nutrition, disease prevention, and health education.

Vasorelaxation elicited by endogenous and exogenous hydrogen sulfide in mouse mesenteric arteries.

HS causes vasorelaxation however there is considerable heterogeneity in the reported pharmacological mechanism of this effect. This study examines the contribution of endogenously released HS in the regulation of vascular tone and the mechanism of HS-induced vasorelaxation in small resistance-like arteries. Mesenteric arteries from C57 and eNOS mice were mounted in myographs to record isometric force.

Influence of type-4 dipeptidyl peptidase inhibition on endothelium-dependent relaxation of aortae from a db/db mouse model of type 2 diabetes: a comparison with the effect of glimepiride.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the type-4 dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP-4) inhibitors linagliptin and vildagliptin as well as the sulfonylurea glimepiride on endothelium-dependent relaxation of aortae from female db/db mice with established hyperglycemia to determine whether these treatments were able to attenuate diabetes-induced endothelial dysfunction.

Materials And Methods: The mice were treated with glimepiride (2 mg/kg po per day, weeks 1-6, n=12), glimepiride plus vildagliptin (glimepiride 2 mg/kg po per day, weeks 1-6; vildagliptin 3 mg/kg po per day, weeks 4-6, n=11), glimepiride plus linagliptin (glimepiride 2 mg/kg po per day, weeks 1-6; linagliptin 3 mg/kg po per day, weeks 4-6, n=11) or linagliptin (3 mg/kg po per day, weeks 1-6, n=12). Endothelium-dependent relaxation using acetylcholine was assessed in the absence and presence of pharmacological tools (TRAM-34 1 μM; apamin 1 μM; N-nitro-L-arginine [L-NNA] 100 μM; 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo [4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one [ODQ] 10 μM) to distinguish relaxation mediated by nitric oxide (NO).

Vascular Myography to Examine Functional Responses of Isolated Blood Vessels.

Vascular myography is an in vitro technique used to examine functional responses of isolated blood vessels. This classical pharmacological technique has been in use for over a century. The assay technique studies changes in isometric tone of large and small vessels, arteries and veins, and tissues from genetic or disease models.

An organisational participatory research study of the feasibility of the behaviour change wheel to support clinical teams implementing new models of care.

Background: Health and social care organisations globally are moving towards prevention-focussed community-based, integrated care. The success of this depends on professionals changing practice behaviours. This study explored the feasibility of applying a behavioural science approach to help staff teams from health organisations overcome psychological barriers to change and implement new models of care.

Exploring what teams perceive by 'culture' when implementing new models of care.

Introduction: Health and social care organizations continually face change to coordinate efforts, improve care quality and better meet patient needs in the context of growing pressure on services. NHS 'vanguard' teams funded to pilot organizational change in England have argued that alongside new structures, policies and governance, a shift in 'workplace culture' is needed to implement change. Although now defined in the literature and seen as an important driver of quality care, it was not clear what teams themselves meant when discussing workplace culture.

Chronic NaHS treatment decreases oxidative stress and improves endothelial function in diabetic mice.

Hydrogen sulphide (HS) is endogenously produced in vascular tissue and has anti-oxidant and vasoprotective properties. This study investigates whether chronic treatment using the fast HS donor NaHS could elicit a vasoprotective effect in diabetes. Diabetes was induced in male C57BL6/J mice with streptozotocin (60 mg/kg daily, ip for 2 weeks) and confirmed by elevated blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin levels.

HS causes contraction and relaxation of major arteries of the rabbit.

Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) caused by atherosclerosis remains a worldwide burden. Hydrogen sulfide is a promising new therapeutic avenue for the treatment of CVD, however reports show exogenous HS has both vasodilator and vasoconstrictor effects depending on organ examined, and in vitro studies in animal models which are not resistant to developing atherosclerosis are limited. We sought to determine if rabbit arteries constricted or dilated to hydrogen sulfide.

Decreased vascular H2S production is associated with vascular oxidative stress in rats fed a high-fat western diet.

A Western-style high-fat diet is known to cause vascular dysfunction and oxidative stress. H2S contributes to the regulation of vascular function and acts as a vasoprotective molecule; however, the effects of high-fat diet on vascular H2S production and function are not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high-fat diet on vascular function and H2S production.

Hydrogen sulfide treatment reduces blood pressure and oxidative stress in angiotensin II-induced hypertensive mice.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is increasingly recognized as a gasotransmitter with protective effects in the cardiovascular system. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of chronic NaHS treatment on blood pressure, vascular function and oxidative stress in an in vivo model of hypertension and oxidative stress. Male C57Bl6/J mice were rendered hypertensive with 0.

Effect of type 1 diabetes on the production and vasoactivity of hydrogen sulfide in rat middle cerebral arteries.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is produced endogenously in vascular tissue and has both vasoregulation and antioxidant effects. This study examines the effect of diabetes-induced oxidative stress on H2S production and function in rat middle cerebral arteries. Diabetes was induced in rats with streptozotocin (50 mg/kg, i.

An evaluation of pharmacology curricula in Australian science and health-related degree programs.

Background: Pharmacology is a biomedical discipline taught in basic science and professional degree programs. In order to provide information that would facilitate pharmacology curricula to be refined and developed, and approaches to teaching to be updated, a national survey was undertaken in Australia that investigated pharmacology course content, teaching and summative assessment methods.

Methods: Twenty-two institutions participated in a purpose-built online questionnaire, which enabled an evaluation of 147 courses taught in 10 different degrees.

Hydrogen sulfide protects endothelial nitric oxide function under conditions of acute oxidative stress in vitro.

The aim of this study was to examine the ability of H2S, released from NaHS to protect vascular endothelial function under conditions of acute oxidative stress by scavenging superoxide anions (O2(-)) and suppressing vascular superoxide anion production. O2(-) was generated in Krebs' solution by reacting hypoxanthine with xanthine oxidase (Hx-XO) or with the O2(-) generator pyrogallol to model acute oxidative stress in vitro. O2(-) generation was measured by lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence.

Chronic NaHS Treatment Is Vasoprotective in High-Fat-Fed ApoE(-/-) Mice.

Hydrogen sulfide is emerging as an important mediator of vascular function that has antioxidant and cytoprotective effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of endogenous H2S and the effect of chronic exogenous H2S treatment on vascular function during the progression of atherosclerotic disease. ApoE(-/-) mice were fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks and treated with the H2S donor NaHS or the cystathionine- γ -lyase (CSE) inhibitor D,L-propargylglycine (PPG), to inhibit endogenous H2S production for the final 4 weeks.

Hydrogen sulfide as a vasculoprotective factor.

Hydrogen sulfide is a novel mediator with the unique properties of a gasotransmitter and many and varied physiological effects. Included in these effects are a number of cardiovascular effects that are proving beneficial to vascular health. Specifically, H2S can elicit vasorelaxation, prevention of inflammation and leukocyte adhesion, anti-proliferative effects and anti-thrombotic effects.

Hydrogen Sulfide in the RVLM and PVN has No Effect on Cardiovascular Regulation.

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is now recognized as an important signaling molecule and has been shown to have vasodilator and cardio-protectant effects. More recently it has been suggested that H(2)S may also act within the brain to reduce blood pressure (BP). In the present study we have demonstrated the presence of the H(2)S-producing enzyme, cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), and the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), brain regions with key cardiovascular regulatory functions.

3',4'-Dihydroxyflavonol reduces superoxide and improves nitric oxide function in diabetic rat mesenteric arteries.

Background: 3',4'-Dihydroxyflavonol (DiOHF) is an effective antioxidant that acutely preserves nitric oxide (NO) activity in the presence of elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS). We hypothesized that DiOHF treatment (7 days, 1 mg/kg per day s.c.

3',4'-Dihydroxyflavonol restores endothelium-dependent relaxation in small mesenteric artery from rats with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is known to cause an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), contributing to the impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation in microvasculature, however it is not clear whether antioxidants are able to reverse microvascular endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the synthetic flavonol 3',4'-dihydroxyflavonol (DiOHF) could reduce the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and improve endothelium-dependent relaxation in mesenteric arteries from both type 1 and type 2 diabetic rats. Endothelial function of third order mesenteric arteries from type 1 and type 2 diabetic rats was assessed using wire-myography.

Mechanism of vasorelaxation and role of endogenous hydrogen sulfide production in mouse aorta.

This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of H(2)S-induced vasorelaxation. Vasorelaxation responses to the H(2)S donor NaHS and the H(2)S precursor L: -cysteine were examined by measuring isometric tone of mouse aortic rings in a small vessel myograph. H(2)S concentrations in Krebs' solution were determined with a polarographic sensor.

Role of sulfur-containing gaseous substances in the cardiovascular system.

Gaseous mediators are important signaling molecules with properties that differ from other, larger signaling molecules. Small gaseous mediators readily cross cell membranes and can access sites on target molecules that would be inaccessible to bulkier molecules. They have a variety of signaling mechanisms, some well understood, some not.

Enzyme-catalysed synthesis of galactosylated 1D- and 1L-chiro-inositol, 1D-pinitol, myo-inositol and selected derivatives using the beta-galactosidase from the thermophile Thermoanaerobacter sp. strain TP6-B1.

The products from the enzymatic beta-D-galactopyranosylation of 1D-chiro-inositol, 1D-pinitol, 1D-3-O-allyl-4-O-methyl-chiro-inositol, 1D-3,4-di-O-methyl-chiro-inositol, 1L-chiro-inositol and myo-inositol in combined yields ranging from 46% to 64% have been obtained using the beta-galactosidase isolated from an anaerobic extreme thermophile, Thermoanaerobacter sp. strain TP6-B1 and p-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside as the donor. Analysis of the products from these reactions reveals information about the acceptor preferences of the enzyme.