To click or not to click: introducing audience response system during undergraduate teaching to improve academic performance

To determine if the use of audience response system [ARS] during large group teaching to undergraduate medical students promotes active learning, improves retention of information and leads to an improvement in academic performance. A Prospective Interventional Study. Setting: RCSI Bahrain. ARS was used during a 12-week teaching period in the first semester of the first year of the medical program from October 2012 to December 2012. Lecturers integrated Multiple Choice Questions [MCQs] into their PowerPoint presentations together with ARS during Anatomy and Physiology lectures. Students were asked to discuss and respond to the MCQs during the lectures. Using ARS did not improve academic performance in Anatomy and Physiology, but students reported that using clickers during lectures provided a more interactive learning environment increasing student engagement, promoted active-learning and helped students identify gaps in knowledge. Using ARS in large group teaching had no impact on academic performance in the Anatomy and Physiology rich modules. However, students overwhelmingly enjoyed using clickers during lectures as they promoted active learning and helped them identify gaps in their knowledge

Brachylophora, a new brachypterous genus of Rhopalophorini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)

Brachylophora, a new brachypterous genus of Rhopalophorini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae). Brachylophora auricollis (Bruch, 1918) comb. nov. = Pasiphyle auricollis Bruch, 1918, originally described from Argentina (Salta), is redescribed and illustrated. Although with reduced elytra, the genus is transferred from Rhinotragini to Rhopalophorini based on the following characters: eyes well separated in both sexes, frons between eyes depressed and lacking frontal suture; pro-, meso-, and metasternum planar; mesothorax parallel-sided, not at all declivous before mesosternal process; metasternum large, together with mesosternum twice length of prosternum, metepisternum very wide, entire suture separating it from metasternum clearly visible when viewed from below; female ovipositor shortened with short cylindrical styles; and, more generally, structural features of hind legs, and surface ornamentation. Habitus similar to Coremia group. Bolivian specimens were netted as they visited flowers of Croton sp. (Euphorbiaceae).

Brachylophora, gênero braquíptero de Rhopalophorini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae). Brachylophora auricollis (Bruch, 1918) comb. nov. = Pasiphyle auricollis Bruch, 1918, originalmente descrito de Argentina (Salta), é redescrito e ilustrado. Embora com élitros reduzidos, o gênero é incluído em Rhopalophorini com base nos seguintes caracteres: olhos bem afastados em ambos os sexos, fronte deprimida entre os lobos inferiores e sem sutura frontal, pro-, meso- e metasterno no mesmo nível, mesosterno com bordas laterais paralelas e sem declive antes do processo, metasterno amplo, junto com o mesosterno, duas vezes mais longo que prosterno, metepisterno largo, sutura metepisternal inteiramente visível, ovipositor encurtado com estilos pouco alongados e cilídricos e pela estrutura das pernas posteriores. Habitus semelhante do grupo Coremia. Os exemplares da Bolívia foram coletados quanto estavam visitando as flores de Croton sp. (Euphorbiaceae).

Life cycle of Phoebemima ensifera Tippmann (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) / Ciclo vital de Phoebemima ensifera Tippmann (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)

An account of host plant selection, larval development and behaviour, and behaviour of adult Phoebemima ensifera. Illustrations of the host plant, plant parts, larva, pupa, and adult are provided.

Descreve-se a seleção da planta hospedeira, desenvolvimento e comportamento larval, e comportamento do adulto de Phoebemima ensifera. Ilustrações da planta-hospedeira, larva, pupa e adultos são fornecidas.

New and newly illustrated Gnomidolon Thomson (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Hexoplonini) from Bolivia

Three new species of Gnomidolon Thomson, 1864 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Hexoplonini) from Bolivia are described and illustrated, and G. proseni Martins, 1962 is redefined. Photographs of G. proseni and four other Bolivian species of this genus are provided: G. bonsae Martins, 1967, G. nanum Martins, 1962, G. musivum (Erichson, 1847), and both pale and dark forms of G. wappesi Martins, 2006.

Três espécies novas do Gnomidolon Thomson, 1864 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Hexoplonini) da Bolívia são descritas e ilustradas, e G. proseni Martins, 1962 é redefinido. Fotografias do G. proseni e quatro outras espécies do gênero são fornecidas: G. bonsae Martins, 1967, G. nanum Martins, 1962 G. musivum (Erichson, 1847), e as duas formas, pálida e obscura, de G. wappesi Martins, 2006.

Determinación del catabolismo de los anticuerpos maternos y su interacción con diferentes planes vacunales para la enfermedad de gumboro en pollos de engorde / Evaluation of maternal antibodies catabolism and its interaction with vaccination programs against infectious bursal disease in broilers

Con el fin de evaluar el catabolismo de los anticuerpos maternos y su interferencia con tres planes vacunales diferentes contra la enfermedad de Gumboro se realizó un estudio utilizando pollos de la estirpe Ross 308, divididos en cuatro grupos: grupo 1: control (sinvacuna); grupo 2: vacunado los días 1, 7 y 15; grupo 3: vacunados los días 1 y 12; y grupo 4: vacunado el día 12. En el primer experimento el biológico se suministró en el agua de bebida, y en el segundo se hizo en el pico. Se sacrificaron 15 aves de cada grupo a los 1, 12, 21 y 42 días de edad y se evaluó peso corporal, tamaño y peso de la bolsa de Fabricio, relación peso bolsa/peso corporal (PB/PC), grado de depleción linfoide, presencia de cepas estándar y/o variantes del virus y los títulos de anticuerpos para la enfermedad de Gumboro.El catabolismo de los anticuerpos maternos ocurrió entre los 21 y 28 días de edad. En los grupos vacunados no se evidenció una respuesta inmune activa frente a ningún plan vacunal.La relación PB/PC no indicó atrofia de la bolsa en el experimento 1, aunque las lesiones histopatológicas en el último muestreo fueron grado 3; en el segundo experimento solamente el grupo 3 presentó una disminución en la relación PB/PC; las lesiones histopatológicas enel tercer y cuarto muestreos, en todos los grupos, fueron clasificadas como grado 3 y 4. En los dos experimentos se detectó la presencia de cepas tanto clásicas como variantes y una baja respuesta humoral. Ninguno de los tres planes vacunales confirió adecuada proteccióna las aves...