Innovative strategy in learning & memory - memorization made easy! : a preliminary study.

Background: Medical curriculum is heavily packed with information and student find very difficult to memorize this information. Acquiring knowledge involves both learning and memory, memorizing the factual information is the difficult task especially in the preclinical years as most of the information in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry involves lot of new vocabulary. Since most of the student entering the medical school is from high school background who has studied in their local language medium, sudden transition in learning with English medium is an added burden and seldom students excel in their studies. Major complaint from the student was, memorizing different anatomical terminologies, physiological neural tracts and biochemical bonds and recalling them during the examination is beyond imagination and many a time they end up in mugging up the information. Methods: Based on this observation we developed a simple method/tool (charts) on the lecture. Students for this study were selected on a random selection method. Before hand the lecture on anatomy and physiology of cranial nerves was given and two groups of students, A & B were selected. A group was asked to study by their own routine method whereas group B was given the innovative proposed method. Lecture content was put in a concise way in two charts and told the student to place those charts at a visible distance in their resting area such as in front of their bed. Students were asked to glance through daily on these charts repeatedly whenever they were free and in leisure time during their relaxing time. A week long exercise was introduced and they were examined at the end of a week both by written and viva voce and compared with the students who have studied with their routine method. Based on nonparametric Spearman correlation test, (followed by Kulnogorov Smirnov two sample test to test the difference) examination scores were much higher in the group which used these flip charts (about 25 to 30% higher than conventional group). Results: Analysis of their examination results and viva voce revealed a better response and memorization by this method. Conclusion: In conclusion, innovative method of charts helps in a better memory retention and this study needs to be expanded further using a bigger student group for its scientific authenticity.

Mechanism of cytotoxicity of ribavirin in the rat bone marrow and testis.

Mechanisms of cytotoxicity of an antiviral drug, ribavirin was studied in the rat bone marrow and testis. Ribavirin at the dose levels of 20, 100 and 200 mg/kg was treated (i.p.) either as single (for bone marrow) or 5 (for testis) treatments. Bone marrow smears were obtained at 24, 48 and 72 h following the exposure and stained with the May-Gruenwald-Giemsa combination. Smears were screened for the incidence of dead cells, and at 24 h, a total of 2000 erythrocytes were counted to obtain the ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) to normochromatic erythrocytes (NCEs) (P/N). Step 19 spermatids/stage VII tubule, dividing cells (meiotic figures)/stage XIV tubule and the incidence of tubules with dead cells were counted in periodic acid--Schiff's reaction and haematoxylin (PAS-H) stained testicular sections on days 14, 35, 70 and 105. Significant decrease in the step 19 spermatids and meiotic figures, and increase in the incidence of tubules with dead cells (P < 0.05-0.01) were observed mainly on days 14 and 35. The cell death was observed in the bone marrow mainly at the two higher dose levels and significant decrease (P < 0.001) in P/N ratio was observed. This present study concludes that the cytotoxicity of ribavirin in these two target cell-lines in due to the induction of cell death and prevention of the cell division.

Effect of ribavirin on epididymal sperm count in rat.

Ribavirin (1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-1, 2, 4-triazole-3-Carboxamide) is a potent inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase, used widely as an antiviral drug. Although it has been reported as a teratogen, its effect on spermatogenesis is not known. Male Wistar rats were segregated into 24 groups of 5 in each. Six groups were treated with water, 6 groups with 20 mg/kg, another 6 groups with 100 mg/kg and remaining 6 groups with 200 mg/kg for 5 days at intervals of 24 h (i.p.). Animals were anaesthetized at 14, 28, 35, 42, 70 and 105 days following the last exposure, laparatomy was conducted, epididymis was removed, minced in 1 ml phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.2), filtered and stained with 1% aqueous eosin Y. An aliquot was taken in haemocytometer, diluted in PBS and charged into Neubauer's chamber. Spermatozoa were counted in 8 squares except the central, and multiplied by 5 x 10(4). Data were analysed by Mann-Whitney "U" test. Ribavirin significantly decreased the sperm count in a dose and time dependent pattern and showed a recovery by day 105 except at 200 mg/kg. Ribavirin is reversibly cytotoxic to germ cells and decreases the production of spermatozoa.