The effect of learning styles and study behavior on success of preclinical students in pharmacology.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of learning styles and study behaviors on preclinical medical students' pharmacology exam scores in a non-Western setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Grasha-Reichmann Student Learning Study Scale and a modified Study Behavior Inventory were used to assess learning styles and study behaviors of preclinical medical students (n = 87). Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the independent effect of gender, age, learning style, and study behavior on pharmacology success. RESULTS: Collaborative (40%) and competitive (27%) dominant learning styles were frequent in the cohort. The most common study behavior subcategories were study reading (40%) and general study habits (38%). Adequate listening and note-taking skills were associated with pharmacology success, whereas students with adequate writing skills had lower exam scores. These effects were independent of gender. CONCLUSIONS: Preclinical medical students' study behaviors are independent predictive factors for short-term pharmacology success.

Evaluation of lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage in patients with periodontitis and hyperlipidemia.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to determine the serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), as a lipid peroxidation marker, and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), as an oxidative DNA damage marker, in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) and hyperlipidemia. METHODS: A total of 74 individuals were divided into four age- and sex-matched groups: 18 patients with hyperlipidemia and CP (HLp), 18 periodontally healthy patients with hyperlipidemia (HLh), 19 systemically healthy individuals with CP (Cp), and 19 systemically and periodontally healthy controls (Ch). Clinical periodontal parameters were measured, and serum lipids, MDA, and 8-OHdG levels were assessed in blood samples. RESULTS: 8-OHdG, MDA, probing depth, clinical attachment level, and percentage of sites bleeding on probing (BOP) were significantly higher in the HLp group than the Cp group. In the hyperlipidemic group, BOP was significantly correlated with total cholesterol, the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and 8-OHdG levels. A significant correlation between 8-OHdG and MDA was also observed in the hyperlipidemia group. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, serum MDA and 8-OHdG were found to be highest in the HLp group. The increased levels of MDA and 8-OHdG in HLp patients may be a result of a harmful oxidative status in association with hyperlipidemia and periodontitis.

Are there any remarkable effects of prenatal exposure to food colourings on neurobehaviour and learning process in rat offspring?

OBJECTIVE: Artificial food colourings and additives (AFCAs) have long been discussed to have adverse effects on cognition and behaviour in children. In this study, our aim was to assess the probable side effects of prenatal exposure to colouring food additives on neurobehaviour and spatial learning process. METHODS: We administered 'no observable adverse effect levels' (NOAELs) of common used AFCAs as a mixture (erythrosine, Ponceau 4R, Allura Red AC, Sunset yellow FCF, tartrazine, Amaranth, Brilliant Blue, Azorubine and Indigotine) to female rats before and during gestation and tested their effects on spatial working memory and behaviour in their offspring. Effects of AFCAs on spatial working memory were evaluated by Morris water maze, behavioural and locomotor effects by open-field and forced-swim tests. RESULTS: Prenatal exposure to commonly used AFCAs had no adverse effects on spatial working memory; however, assessment of interaction of sex and AFCAs on 'latency to locate the visible platform', which was used as a measure of motivation, showed a significant interaction (P < 0.05) on female rats. In addition, AFCAs caused an increase in anxiolytic like effect in the open-field test (P < 0.05) and an increase in mobility time (P < 0.05) in the forced-swim test. We also detected a significant interaction of sex and AFCAs on forced-swim test parameters (P < 0.05). DISCUSSION: These findings indicated that prenatal exposure to NOAELs of AFCAs resulted in implicit adverse effects that caused an increase in motility and a decrease in motivation and anxiety in offspring in sex-related manner.

Acetylsalicylic acid and ascorbic acid combination improves cognition; via antioxidant effect or increased expression of NMDARs and nAChRs?

Chronic inflammation occurs systematically in the central nervous system during ageing, it has been shown that neuroinflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative disorders. Aspirin, a nonselective COX inhibitor, as well as ascorbic acid, has been purported to protect cerebral tissue. We investigated the effects of subchronic aspirin and ascorbic acid usage on spatial learning, oxidative stress and expressions of NR2A, NR2B, nAChRα7, α4 and ß2. Forty male rats (16-18 months) were divided into 4 groups, namely, control, aspirin-treated, ascorbic acid-treated, aspirin+ascorbic acid-treated groups. Following 10-weeks administration period, rats were trained and tested in the Morris water maze. 8-Hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine and malondialdehyde were evaluated by ELISA and HPLC, respectively. Receptor expressions were assessed by western blotting of hippocampi. Spatial learning performance improved partially in the aspirin group, but significant improvement was seen in the aspirin+ascorbic acid group (p < 0.05). While 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine and malondialdehyde levels were significantly decreased, NR2B and nAChRα7 expressions were significantly increased in the aspirin+ascorbic acid group as compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Subchronic treatment with aspirin+ascorbic acid in aged rats was shown to enhance cognitive performance and increase the expressions of several receptors related to learning and memory process.

Medical students' participation in and perception of unprofessional behaviors: comparison of preclinical and clinical phases.

We aimed to compare reported observations, participation in, and perceptions of unprofessional behaviors across preclinical and clinical medical students using a 23-item questionnaire that asked participants whether they witnessed or participated in the behavior and considered it unprofessional. Overall, 111 preclinical (year 3) and 104 clinical (year 4) students responded. For all of the behaviors, significant positive correlations were present between participation and affirmative perceptions. Participation rates for several unprofessional behaviors (14 of 23 items) were higher in the clinical phase. Clinical students more frequently perceived unprofessional behaviors as appropriate (17 of 23 items) compared with preclinical students. In conclusion, both preclinical and clinical medical students in our setting commonly witness unprofessional behaviors. Clinical students participate in and tend to rationalize these behaviors more frequently than preclinical students do.

Do learning approaches of medical students affect their satisfaction with problem-based learning?

The aim of this research was to determine the satisfaction of medical students with problem-based learning (PBL) and their approaches to learning to investigate the effect of learning approaches on their levels of satisfaction. The study group was composed of medical students from three different universities, which apply PBL at different levels in their curricula. The revised two-factor study process survey was applied to the study group to determine their approaches to learning as "deep" or "surface" learning. In addition, another survey of 20 questions was used to determine satisfaction levels of students with PBL and other variables. Of the study group, 64.6% were found to adopt a deep approach to learning, and we confirmed that these students were reasonably more satisfied with PBL.

Effects of maternally exposed coloring food additives on receptor expressions related to learning and memory in rats.

Exposure to artificial food colors and additives (AFCAs) has been implicated in the induction and severity of some childhood behavioral and learning disabilities. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nACHRs) are thought to be effective in the learning and memory-generating process. In this study, we investigated the effects of intrauterine exposure to AFCAs on subunit concentrations of NMDARs and nAChRs isoforms in rats. We administered a mixture of AFCAs (Eritrosin, Ponceau 4R, Allura Red AC, Sunset Yellow FCF, Tartrazin, Amaranth, Brilliant Blue, Azorubin and Indigotin) to female rats before and during gestation. The concentration of NR2A and NR2B subunits and nAChR α7, α4ß2 isoforms in their offspring's hippocampi were measured by Western Blotting. Expressions of NR2B and nAChR ß2 were significantly increased (17% and 6.70%, respectively), whereas expression of nAChR α4 was significantly decreased (5.67%) in male experimental group compared to the male control group (p<0.05). In the female experimental group, AFCAs caused a 14% decrease in NR2B expression when compared to the female control group (p<0.05). Our results indicate that exposure to AFCAs during the fetal period may lead to alterations in expressions of NMDARs and nAChRs in adulthood. These alterations were different between male and female genders.

Examination of adhesion molecules, homocysteine and hs-CRP in patients with polygenic hypercholesterolemia and isolated hypertriglyceridemia.

BACKGROUND: Increased levels of selectins, adhesion molecules, hs-CRP and homocysteine are considered important as indicators of atherosclerosis. There is a significant amount of evidence that high LDL-C levels are a risk factor for coronary artery disease, whereas the relevance of isolated triglycerides is controversial. The present study aims to compare the levels of homocysteine, hs-CRP, E-selectin, sP-selectin, VCAM-1, ICAM-1 in patients with isolated hypertriglyceridemia and polygenic hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: The following three groups were formed: polygenic hypercholesterolemia group (n=30), isolated hypertriglyceridemia group (n=30) and control group (n=30). These three groups were matched in terms of BMI, waist circumference and gender. Plasma high sensitive CRP, homocysteine, sVCAM-1, sICAM-1, sP-selectin, sE-Selectin levels of patients in these three groups were measured. RESULTS: In the present study, mean values for sE-selectin, sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 in the polygenic hypercholesterolemia group were significantly higher than in the other two groups (p<0.001). Homocysteine and hs-CRP levels were higher in the polygenic hypercholesterolemia group, compared to the isolated hypertriglyceridemia group (p=0.019, p<0.001; respectively) and the control group (p<0.001, p<0.001; respectively). Comparison of patients with hypertriglyceridemia to individuals in the control group did not yield a significant difference in terms of sE-selectin, sP-selectin, sVCAM-1, sICAM and homocysteine (p>0.05), where as the hs-CRP value was significantly higher in patients with isolated hypertriglyceridemia compared to the control group (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The increase of adhesion molecules, homocysteine and hs-CRP in polygenic hypercholesterolemia subjects compared to the isolated hypertriglyceridemia group reflects their high cardiovascular risk.

[Does the short-term mortality differ between men and women with first acute myocardial infarction?]. / Acil Servise Akut Miyokard Infarktüsü ile Ilk Kez Basvuran Kadin ve Erkeklerde 28 Günlük Sagkalim Farkli mi?

OBJECTIVE: Women with myocardial infarction (MI) have been reported to have worse short-term prognosis than men. We aimed to compare men and women with first MI regarding 28 days survival, cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, clinical findings, and the treatment in the emergency setting. METHODS: One-hundred and seventy-five consecutive patients with first MI admitted to the emergency department of our hospital within one year were included in the study. Data on admission time, CV risk factors, clinical findings and treatment options were obtained from the patient charts. Twenty-eight days after the first admission, patients were called by phone and asked information about their health status. Survival curves for men and women were compared using log rank test. RESULTS: After the exclusion of 20 cases who were lost during the follow up, 117 men and 38 women were evaluated in the study; 9.4% of the men and 10.5% of the women died within 28 days (p=0.85). Women were older (10 years), had higher prevalence of hypertension (p=0.04), diabetes (p=0.01) and stroke history (p=0.02) than men. Men had higher levels of smoking history than women (79.1%, 31.6%; p<0.001). There were no significant gender differences regarding clinical findings, time to hospital admission after chest pain onset and time to thrombolysis. Thrombolysis was applied in 35.8% of women and in 48.6% of men patients. Primary PTCA was performed in 26.4% of men and 11.4% of women patients (p=0.16). CONCLUSION: Women tended to be older and had more co-morbidities, but did not differ from men regarding clinical findings, treatment given in emergency department and short-term survival.