ABSTRACT
@#AIM: To explore the effect of the improved four-stage teaching mode in the teaching process of optometry.<p>METHODS: Totally 109 students majoring in Ophthalmic Optics in our college in 2016 were selected as the subjects of study. Taking the mid-term results of optometry as the reference of baseline results. The control group adopted the traditional teaching mode, while the experimental group adopted the improved four-stage teaching model. Achievements in the final optometry examination, satisfaction of students with the teaching of optometry and self-evaluation were compared between the two groups.<p>RESULTS: There was no significant difference among the three final grades(basic theory of optometry, experimental skills and clinical case analysis)and the baseline scores in the control group(<i>P</i>>0.05). Compared with the baseline scores, the final scores of the three items in the experimental group were significantly improved, and the difference was statistically significant(<i>P</i><0.05). The final scores of the two groups were compared(<i>P</i><0.05). The satisfaction with the teaching process and results of optometry course and the improvement of self-evaluation ability of the two groups were significantly higher than those of the control group(<i>P</i><0.05). <p>CONCLUSION: Four-stage teaching can effectively improve the effect of optometry teaching for students majoring in Ophthalmic Optics, which can make students adapt to clinical work faster and more effectively.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>Background</b>The hedgehog signaling system (HHS) plays an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation during the embryonic phases. However, little is known about the involvement of HHS in the malignant transformation of cells. This study aimed to detect the role of HHS in the malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial (16HBE) cells.</p><p><b>Methods</b>In this study, two microfluidic chips were designed to investigate cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced malignant transformation of cells. Chip A contained a concentration gradient generator, while chip B had four cell chambers with a central channel. The 16HBE cells cultured in chip A were used to determine the optimal concentration of CSE for inducing malignant transformation. The 16HBE cells in chip B were cultured with 12.25% CSE (Group A), 12.25% CSE + 5 μmol/L cyclopamine (Group B), or normal complete medium as control for 8 months (Group C), to establish the in vitro lung inflammatory-cancer transformation model. The transformed cells were inoculated into 20 nude mice as cells alone (Group 1) or cells with cyclopamine (Group 2) for tumorigenesis testing. Expression of HHS proteins was detected by Western blot. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The t-test was used for paired samples, and the difference among groups was analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance.</p><p><b>Results</b>The optimal concentration of CSE was 12.25%. Expression of HHS proteins increased during the process of malignant transformation (Group B vs. Group A, F = 7.65, P < 0.05). After CSE exposure for 8 months, there were significant changes in cellular morphology, which allowed the transformed cells to grow into tumors in 40 days after being inoculated into nude mice. Cyclopamine could effectively depress the expression of HHS proteins (Group C vs. Group B, F = 6.47, P < 0.05) and prevent tumor growth in nude mice (Group 2 vs. Group 1, t = 31.59, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>Conclusions</b>The activity of HHS is upregulated during the CSE-induced malignant transformation of 16HBE cells. Cyclopamine can effectively depress expression of HHS proteins in vitro and prevent tumor growth of the transformed cells in vivo.</p>