Enhancing the student experience in pre‐ and mid‐COVID‐19 pandemic period by upgrading the power electronics laboratory practice curriculum

Laboratory practices, which represent a vital part of electrical engineering education, have especially in the last few years been subjected to numerous challenges. The paper presents a concept of upgrading the laboratory practice curriculum in power electronics by introducing computer simulations. Due to the recognized shortcomings of the previous approach, the curriculum was closely reviewed, compared to the concepts from existing literature, and intensively upgraded by the introduction of the Ansys Simplorer computer program. The intensity of the process upgrade was enhanced by the COVID‐19 pandemic and related lockdowns. The introduced curriculum changes enabled the students to approach individual topics more gradually, reducing the gaps between the behavior of ideal and real power electronics circuits. The results of student feedback, obtained by a web‐based survey and a pre‐exam quiz, demonstrate that students recognize the new approach as being more gradual and beneficial, enabling them to improve their understanding of specific phenomena and to master the topics of power electronics with ease and satisfaction.

Adaptation of laboratory practices in a pharmacology course at a public university in Peru

The focus of this case study is the implementation of a pedagogical strategy to adapt the laboratory practices of the Pharmacology course in a Peruvian public university, where animals such as rats and mice are routinely used. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and the consequent virtualisation of the teaching-learning process, several academic challenges were posed. The 'Practical Seminars' have arisen as a pedagogical proposal that allows faculty to adapt to the conditions of society. They are designed based on selected articles that reflect experiments with drugs, where selected information is adapted, such as graphs, images and even videos. By posing analysis questions allows for students' previous knowledge to be checked;thus promoting an applied critical attitude to clinical situations. With this resource the faculty tried to recreate a significant space for self-learning. The results of students' partial evaluation reflects a performance similar to that of previous years of the course, with teaching staff accepting this modality well. Finally, a space for analysis was generated, in addition to dispensing with the use of experimental animals. Copyright © 2020 FIP.

Enhancing the student experience in pre- and mid-COVID-19 pandemic period by upgrading the power electronics laboratory practice curriculum

Laboratory practices, which represent a vital part of electrical engineering education, have especially in the last few years been subjected to numerous challenges. The paper presents a concept of upgrading the laboratory practice curriculum in power electronics by introducing computer simulations. Due to the recognized shortcomings of the previous approach, the curriculum was closely reviewed, compared to the concepts from existing literature, and intensively upgraded by the introduction of the Ansys Simplorer computer program. The intensity of the process upgrade was enhanced by the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns. The introduced curriculum changes enabled the students to approach individual topics more gradually, reducing the gaps between the behavior of ideal and real power electronics circuits. The results of student feedback, obtained by a web-based survey and a pre-exam quiz, demonstrate that students recognize the new approach as being more gradual and beneficial, enabling them to improve their understanding of specific phenomena and to master the topics of power electronics with ease and satisfaction.

Analysis of teaching Experimental Physics in Guayaquil using online education

During the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching of Physics at the high school level in the city of Guayaquil was carried out virtually. Consequently, the study that is presented below aims to explore the status and condition of teaching Experimental Physics in Guayaquil at the high school level during the two school years in which the education was carried out virtually (2020-2022) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The main results aim at the 'rejection' of teachers to carry out virtual laboratory practices and teacher training. © 2022 IEEE.

ESHRE certification of ART centres for good laboratory and clinical practice.

STUDY QUESTION: Three years after the start of the ESHRE ART Centre Certification (ARTCC) programme, what is the current state of the system, in terms of the interest expressed in it and experiences during the assessment of ART services? SUMMARY ANSWER: As of 1 December 2021, 25 European ART centres have been involved in the various stages of certification and the most common recommendations from inspectors were the need for documented training, verification of competencies for all staff members, verification of laboratory and clinical performance indicators, implementation of a quality management system and avoidance of overusing ICSI and add-ons. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: European Union (EU) legislation has included ART activities in the EU Tissue and Cells Directives (EUTCDs). Following inspections by national EUTCD authorities, many details regarding documentation, laboratory environment, handling of reproductive cells and tissues, traceability, coding and patient testing have become standardized. However, the EUTCDs do not cover all ART-specific aspects. For this reason, the ARTCC was established to focus on peculiar areas, including relevant staff qualifications, training, continuing professional development, workload, equipment suitability, (non)-evidence-based laboratory and clinical methods used, treatment approaches according to ESHRE guidelines, recommendations and laboratory and clinical key performance indicators. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION: The article reviews the state-of-the-art of the ESHRE certification of ART centres for good clinical and laboratory practice over an initial 3-year period of operation, including the number of ART centres involved in the different stages of certification and the most common recommendations by inspectors. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS: In 2016, the ARTCC working group began to establish a new ESHRE ARTCC programme. Since then, the working group has organized 4 preparatory courses and appointed 37 inspectors (19 clinicians, 17 embryologists and one paramedical). A tool to verify compliance with ESHRE recommendations for good laboratory and clinical practice was developed. The ARTCC has been open for applications since September 2018. In Step 1, the applicant enters basic information about the ART centre, staff and ART activities into the application platform. After review and approval, the applicant is given the opportunity to enter Step 2 and provide detailed online checklists on general, laboratory, clinical services and clinical outcomes. Two inspectors (one clinician and one embryologist) independently evaluate the submitted checklists. The condition to proceed to evaluation is a positive mean score (at least 66%) from each of the four checklists. In Step 3, a live site visit (or virtual owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic) is organized and the inspectors prepare a final report with appropriate recommendations. The application may be rejected at any time if the criteria required to advance to the next stage are not met. The ARTCC programme is currently available for European countries listed in ESHRE internal rules, available on the ESHRE website. The certificate is valid for 3 years, after which an application for renewal can be submitted. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Over a 3-year period (until 1 December 2021), 63 ART centres from 25 countries started applying through an online platform. So far, 38 applications did not progress owing to lack of completion of the initial application within a 1-year period or because applications came from non-European countries. Of the remaining 25 applications, 8 centres have been inspected and 7 centres have been certified. The most common recommendations given by inspectors to assessed centres were the need for documented training, verification of competencies, skills and continuing professional development for all staff members, verification of laboratory and clinical performance indicators and implementation of a quality management system. The inspectors identified some recurring areas of medically assisted reproduction that deviate from good practice: the overuse of ICSI, preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies, freeze-all and other add-ons. They often reported that the clinical outcomes could not be objectively assessed because of non-inclusion of the started cycles or the frequent use of freeze-all cycles. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION: No major modifications have been made to the application platform and checklists since the early stages of the certification programme. However, in this short time, quite a few changes in clinical practice have occurred, especially concerning the more frequent use of the 'freeze-all' strategy. As a result, problems arose in the evaluation of clinical outcomes. In addition, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, site visits were substituted by the implementation of virtual visits. While this enabled the certification programme to continue, it is possible that certain critical details that would have been noticed during a traditional site visit may have been overlooked. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Regular monitoring of the observations of ARTCC inspectors and analysis of their reports is certainly useful to harmonize inspectors' criteria in the assessment process and to identify chronic deficiencies in clinical and laboratory practice. Non-conformities can be addressed by ESHRE through guidelines and recommendations, as well as through discussion with EU institutions and competent authorities. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: The ARTCC programme was developed and funded by ESHRE, covering expenses associated with the meetings. The Steering Committee members who are the authors of this article did not receive payments for the completion of this study. The inspectors were remunerated for their work with an honorarium. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Laboratory and clinical teaching experience of nursing professors in the COVID-19 pandemic era: Now and the future.

Nursing professors must constantly interact with students, maintain a high level of professional performance, and meet targets and deadlines, even during a pandemic. Considering the changing educational environment, it is essential to identify contemporary limitations and problems to provide feedback for improvement. This study aimed to explore the laboratory and clinical teaching experiences of nursing professors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focus group interviews were conducted with professors from the nursing departments of universities in Korea. In total, 19 professors who had laboratory and clinical experience participated in this study. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The analysis identified four themes. The themes included feeling helpless in the infection management system, uncertainty about the effectiveness of alternative practice training, acceptance of changes, and preparation for future practice training. As the necessity and possibility of non-face-to-face education have been confirmed by the pandemic, it is expected that classes using technology will be actively developed in nursing practice education. The roles and attitudes of teachers and educational institutions also need to change. Nursing professors should reflect upon and evaluate challenges to prepare for post-pandemic practical education.

Experience in providing a laboratory practice in the conditions of distance learning during a pandemic

Pandemic COVID-19 in 2020-2021 led to the largest disruption in education systems in history. Universities, institutes, and other institutions of higher education changed their students to study by using distance learning technologies. The greatest difficulties for educational organizations were caused by the implementation of a laboratory workshop in a distance form. In this work, we share the experience of leading laboratory classes in a remote form, using virtual laboratory installations. © 2022 SPIE.

MACROPHAGES IN EPICARDIAL ADIPOSE TISSUE AND SERUM NT-proBNP IN PATIENTS WITH STABLE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is widely considered a chronic inflammatory disorder, and dysfunction of epicardial adipose tissue could be an important source of the inflammation. Amino-terminal fragment of pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a known marker of cardiovascular disorders of cardiac origin. Recent studies show that inflammatory stimuli may influence its secretion. Our purpose was to evaluate NT-proBNP serum concentration in relation to immune cell ratios in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), and cytokine levels in the patients with stable CAD. Patients with stable CAD and heart failure classified into classes II-III, according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) scale, scheduled for the coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, were recruited into the study (n = 10;59.5 (53.0-65.0) y. o.;50% males). The EAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) specimens were harvested in the course of CABG surgery. Immunostaining with anti-CD68, anti-CD45, anti-IL-1β and anti-TNFα monoclonal antibodies was performed to evaluate cell composition by differential counts per ten fields (400 magnification). Fasting venous blood was obtained from patients before CABG. Blood was centrifuged at 1500g, aliquots were collected and stored frozen at -40 °С until final analysis. Concentrations of NT-proBNP, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNFα were determined in serum samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We have found increased production of IL-1β and TNFα cytokines in EAT compared to SAT. Concentrations of NT-proBNP exceeded 125 pg/ml in 4 patients, and correlations between the CD68+ macrophage counts in both EAT and SAT samples (rs = 0.762;p = 0.010 and rs = 0.835;p = 0.003, respectively). NT-proBNP levels showed positive relations with CD45+ leukocyte counts (rs = 0.799;p = 0.006), and with IL-1β+ cell numbers (rs = 0.705;p = 0.023) in EAT samples only. As for the serum biomarkers, NT-proBNP levels showed negative correlation with fasting glucose levels (rs = -0.684;p = 0.029), and positive correlation with serum IL-6 concentrations (rs = 0.891;p = 0.001). Increased serum concentrations of NT-proBNP in CAD patients correlate with accumulation of macrophages in EAT, which is associated with increased production of IL-1β in EAT and correlates with some metabolic parameters.

Development of hybrid practice sessions in the chemistry lab reinforced by teamwork activities and video-enhanced learning

This work presents the adaptation of a course mainly based on practice sessions in the chemical laboratory into a blended learning format after the irruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted during the course "Experimentation in Chemical Engineering II" of the third academic year of the B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Valencia. The development of experimental courses under the context of the pandemic takes place under strict room occupancy and hygiene rules, although teamwork and interaction between students tends to be more important than in theory classes. To make feasible that students gain experience in the use of equipment and pilot plants in the chemical laboratory, we proposed the formation of teams of 4 to 5 students, divided in two subgroups that alternated their attendance to the practice sessions. In order to mitigate the absence of one of the sub-groups in each session, we created instructive videos including the experimental part conducted in the laboratory. In addition to this, the experimental data gathered in the lab were treated by the complete team, so that all team members could participate in the treatment and analysis of experimental results. The number of views per video, as well as the response of the students in a survey confirmed the blended learning strategy as an adequate alternative to ensure the training of students in handson experiments, as well as to accomplish with the restrictive room-occupancy rules in laboratories in times of COVID-19.

Virtual Laboratory Workshop in Physics

A cycle of virtual laboratory work has been developed in the Mechanics section of the General Physics course, simulating real laboratory equipment used in the physics workshop of the St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University SPbETU 'LETI'. Virtual models are available on the website of the Department of Physics of St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University and allow students to perform laboratory work remotely. Virtual units reflect both the key laws and the nuances of physical phenomena that arise during the experiment and research on real devices. The developed workshop was used and tested when teaching students of St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University during the quarantine period for coronavirus. The almost complete correspondence between real and virtual physical installations achieved in computer models made it possible to conduct distance learning instead of face-to-face training without loss of quality. © 2022 IEEE.

Good Laboratory Practices and Biosafety Containments in a Virology Laboratory

Infectious disease outbreaks keep challenging human and veterinary health worldwide since decades. Disease outbreaks such as smallpox, influenza, polio, SARS, Ebola, foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, and the most recent and devastating COVID-19, all point to the need for a more proactive approach to developing diagnostics and treatment methods for these deadly diseases. Because the pathogenic agents that cause these diseases are highly transmissible, careful containment of these agents within the laboratories is necessary, with little or no exposure to working personnel. Different regulatory authorities across the world provide guidelines and procedures to ensure that research and diagnostic laboratories operate safely. This chapter delves into the many events that occur as a result of lab-mediated disease spread, as well as the need for, importance of, and guidelines for good lab practices and biosafety.

Open Online Courses for Strengthening Laboratory-Based Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance in Pakistan.

Introduction: Quality-assured antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) depends upon the knowledge and skills of laboratory staff. In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Pakistan, such types of knowledge and skills are limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to use openaccess online courses to improve the knowledge of laboratory staff involved in the detection and reporting of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Methodology: Seven online modules comprising 22 courses aimed at strengthening the laboratory detection of Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) were developed. The courses were uploaded onto the website www.parn.org.pk. Participants had an option of selecting courses of their interest. Online registration and completion of a pre-course assessment (pre-test) were essential for enrolment. However, participation in post-course assessment (post-test) was optional. The number of registered participants and the proportion of participants who completed each course were computed. A paired t-test was used to assess the increase between mean pre- and post-test scores. The association between the participants working in public vs. private laboratories and course completion rates were determined using the chi-square test. Results: A total of 227 participants from Pakistan (March 2018 to June 2020) were registered. The largest number of registered participants and the highest completion rate were noted for AST and biosafety courses, while quality-related courses attracted a lower interest. A comparison of pre- and post-test performance using the paired mean score for the individual courses showed a statistically significant (the value of p < 0.05) improvement in 13/20 assessed courses. A higher course completion rate was observed in participants from public vs. private sector laboratories (56.8 vs. 30.8%, the value of p = 0.005). Conclusions: Our study suggests a promising potential for open online courses (OOCs) toward addressing knowledge gaps in laboratory practice in resource limited settings.

Hand Sanitizer Safety Risks Associated with Poor Formulation and Packaging Approaches: Lessons Learned and Improvements Needed Post-Pandemic

Introduction: The rapid effectiveness of alcohol-based hand rub(ABHR) on microbial pathogens, including viral variants, inspired unprecedented demand for ABHR during the COVID-19 pandemic. A wide variety of new ABHR products that were rapidly produced and released to the public appear to have introduced new and unacceptable human safety risks. Objectives: While the long-term public health impact of exposure to adulterated ABHR will require further study, the immediate need to assess the safety and efficacy of ABHR motivated this study. Methods: Sampling of ABHR provided to the public in community settings (e.g., by a medical center) occurred across a wide variety of global community settings. When possible, ABHR samples of 30.50 ml were analyzed for: alcohol %, visible impurities and chemical impurities (i.e., acetal, acetaldehyde, benzene, and methanol). Validated analytical methods (good laboratory practices (GLP) or International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards) were used for quantitative measurements. Photographs were taken for visual assessment of packaging design + labeling risks. Results: Alcohol concentrations less than a typical minimum antimicrobial efficacy level of 60% were measured in ≥ 7% of the ABHR samples. Unknown visible impurities were observed in ≥ 11% of samples. Levels of regulated impurities (acetal, acetaldehyde, benzene, and methanol) in excess of US FDA Guidance were observed in ≥ 43% of samples. Photographs demonstrate numerous risks associated with package design and open refillable ("bulk") dispensers, including no lot code nor expiry, and lack of traceable labeling. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 Emergency, demand for ABHR prompted new supply sources, followed by inscrutable donations of surplus products. Though unintended, allowing tainted and poor quality ABHR into communities places clinicians and the public at unnecessary risk. Guidance to consumers, businesses, and communities including medical centers, nursing homes, schools, offices, and retail settings, on the proper evaluation, use, and handling of ABHR, and safe disposal of adulterated or suspect product is needed. Regulatory guidance and enforcement addressing dangerous practices evident in this study including refilling of pump bottles/dispensers with a variety of ABHRs is needed immediately to reduce future exposure to unsafe, ineffective, mislabeled or unlabeled ABHR products.

How Does Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 Affect the Brain and Its Implications for the Vaccines Currently in Use.

This mini-review focuses on the mechanisms of how severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects the brain, with an emphasis on the role of the spike protein in patients with neurological symptoms. Following infection, patients with a history of neurological complications may be at a higher risk of developing long-term neurological conditions associated with the α-synuclein prion, such as Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia. Compelling evidence has been published to indicate that the spike protein, which is derived from SARS-CoV-2 and generated from the vaccines currently being employed, is not only able to cross the blood-brain barrier but may cause inflammation and/or blood clots in the brain. Consequently, should vaccine-induced expression of spike proteins not be limited to the site of injection and draining lymph nodes there is the potential of long-term implications following inoculation that may be identical to that of patients exhibiting neurological complications after being infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, further studies are needed before definitive conclusions can be made.

Different Strategies for the Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in the Laboratory Practice.

A considerable effort has been devoted in all countries to react to the COVID-19 pandemic by tracing infected individuals, containing the spread of the disease, identifying therapies, and producing and distributing vaccines. Currently, a significant concern is the appearance of variants of the virus that may frustrate these efforts by showing increased transmissibility, increased disease severity, reduced response to therapy or vaccines, and ability to escape diagnosis. All countries have therefore devoted a massive attempt to the identification and tracking of these variants, which requires a vast technological effort to sequence a large number of viral genomes. In this paper, we report our experience as one of the Italian laboratories involved in SARS-CoV-2 variant tracing. We summarize the different approaches used, and outline a potential model combining several techniques to increase tracing ability while at the same time minimizing costs.