Comparing students' performance in self-directed and directed self-learning in College of Medicine, University of Bisha.

Background: Student-centered learning strategy increases the likelihood of graduation of competent, self-dependent, and problem-solving physicians. The University of Bisha, College of Medicine (UBCOM) adopted self-directed learning (SDL) represented by problem-based learning (PBL), and directed self-learning (DSL) represented by team-based learning (TBL). Aim: To compare the students' performance in SDL and DSL among UBCOM students. Methodology: A total of 502 multiple choice questions (MCQs) from the mid-course and final exams were collected by the relevant subject experts from nine courses during the period from September 2020 till June 2023 that adopted PBL and TBL; 247 MCQs related to PBL and 255 related to TBL. Psychometric analysis was used to determine difficult, easy, and optimum questions (≤25%, ≥90%, and 26-89%, respectively). Point biserial as <0.19, 0.20-0.29, 0.30-0.39, and >0.40 which indicate poor, marginal, good, and excellent point biserial, respectively. Finally, the number of functional distractors was attempted by >5% of the candidates. Results: No significant differences were noted for the students' performance in MCQs related to PBL (representing self-directed, small group learning tool), and TBL (representing directed-self, large group learning tool) regarding difficulty index (DI), point biserial, and distractors functionality. Conclusion: It has been observed that there is no difference in students' performance whether PBL or TBL is used for learning Basic Medical Science courses. Small group learning such as PBL needs more resources in comparison to large group learning as in TBL, therefore any institute can decide on the adopted learning strategy depending on its resources and the number of students.

Medical students' perception and academic performance after team-based and seminar-based learning in human anatomy.

Objectives: Student-centered educational strategies like problem-based learning (PBL), case-based learning (CBL), team-based learning (TBL), and seminars enhance group and self-learning. This study was carried out to evaluate students' achievements in anatomy topics delivered through TBL sessions and seminars and to survey student preferences regarding these two modalities in anatomy learning. Methods: TBL was conducted through individual readiness assurance tests (IRATs), group readiness assurance tests (GRATs), mini-lectures, and application exercises. Seminars included pretests, peer lecturing, and posttests. The performance of 117 students in three TBL sessions and three seminars was compared after standardizing the questions. The students were second-year (42), third-year (40), and fourth-year (35) students at the College of Medicine, University of Bisha, KSA, during the 2019/2020 academic year. Results: A gradual increase in the means of TBL grades was noticed among second-, third-, and four-year students (means ± SD: 68.6 ± 9.56, 82.8 ± 12.25, and 92.7 ± 4.70, respectively), but their seminar grades were nearly stationary (means ± SD: 80.0 ± 9.66, 85.11 ± 10.16, and 85.9 ± 8.80, respectively). Cohen's d-test to check the strength of the relationship between the two activities showed 1.03, 0.16, and 0.74 in the same order. We statistically analyzed perception and preference questionnaire results received from 39, 35, and 28 second-, third-, and four-year students, respectively. The majority of the students selected TBL as their preferred learning modality. However, their acceptance of the seminars was very poor. Conclusions: It can be concluded that TBL is more beneficial to the students, even in practical sciences like anatomy, most likely because group peer teaching enhances the sense of collegial competition, as opposed to the self-learning nature of seminars, which might suppress the sense of competition.

Therapeutic potential effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on chronic liver disease in murine Schistosomiasis Mansoni.

Some reports have shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy could ameliorate chemically-induced hepatic fibrosis. This research assesses the therapeutic action of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) on chronic diseased liver in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. All infected female mice divided into three groups, one group (15 mice) treated with oral praziquantel (PZQ), second group (15 mice) received intravenous injection of BM-MSCs and third group (15 mice) treated with both MSCs + PZQ. Two control groups (15 mice each) subdivided into one infected and second healthy one. BM-MSCs were obtained from bones of both femur and tibia of male mice (30 mice), then cultured and characterized morphologically by detection of CD105 by flow cytometer. Liver tissues for all groups were examined histopathologically. Measuring of the collagen 1 gene expression was done by real-time PCR and immunohistochemical study to detect stem cells differentiation for detection of MSCs engraftments in liver tissue. MSCs treatment caused marked improvement and regression of fibrosis, and prevents deposition of collagen and reduced the expression of collagen 1 gene in infected mice on their liver tissues, especially when used with PZQ in mice treatment. It can be concluded that, MSCs is a good therapeutic method for liver fibrosis caused by S. mansoni infection.

Murine hepatocytes DNA changes as an assessment of the immunogenicity of potential anti-schistosomal vaccines experimentally.

Hepatic affection by granulomatous inflammation in schistosomiasis suggested that a potential anti-pathology vaccine could be generated based on limiting the presence of hazardous hepatocytes induced apoptosis and caused reduction of granulomas number and size . So, this work is concerned with experimental assessment of the efficacy of different Schistosoma mansoni antigens (SEA, SWAP and combined SEA and SWAP) on murine liver after challenge by Schistosoma infection, histopathological, histochemical and molecular investigations were performed on sixty male laboratory bred Swiss Albino mice. A schedule of vaccination and challenge infection was followed and performed on 6 mice groups (each of ten); control normal (G1), control infected (G2), adjuvant received then infected (G3), SEA + adj. received then infected (G4), SWAP + adj. received then infected (G5) and SEA + SWAP + adj. received then infected (G6).Animals were euthanized 10 weeks post infection.Vaccination efficacy was assessed by histopathological, histochemical and molecular studies on murine hepatic tissues.Results showed that:The combined (SEA + SWAP) antigens were better in reducing the number and diameter of the hepatic granulomas, with more protection of the hepatocytes DNA, in addition to more decrease of hepatocytes induced apoptosis and fragmentation as demonstrated by molecular assay.

COMPARISON BETWEEN KATO-KATZ THICK SMEAR AND SEDIMENTATION TECHNIQUES IN DIAGNOSIS OF FAECAL-ORALLY TRANSMITTED HELMINTHES AND OTHER GEOHELMINTHES.

Kato-Katz technique is widely used for the diagnosis of Fecal-orally transmitted helminthic infections. It is relatively simple and inexpensive. However, a single slide prepared from a single stool specimen has low sensitivity, particularly in light infections. Therefore, there is a great need for concentration techniques. This study detected an accurate and affordable method for diagnosis of fecal-orally transmitted helminthes and other geohelminthes. The study was carried out on 217 stool samples of different sex and age groups. Stool samples were collected from different urban and rural areas in Sharkia Governorate. Stool samples were examined macroscopically and analyzed by different parasitological techniques: direct wet mount (DWM), Kato-Katz thick smear, spontaneous sedimentation in tube technique (SSTT) and formol ether sedimentation technique (FEC). The results showed that formol ether sedimentation method detected 59 positive samples followed by spontaneous sedimentation in tube technique (48/59 positive samples). FEC showed significant difference when compared to direct wet mount and Kato-Katz thick smear. SSTT also showed significant difference when compared to DWM (P <0.05).The overall prevalence of intestinal helminthes was (29.6%) among studied samples in Sharkia Governorate. The commonest helminthic infection was H. nana (12%) followed by E. vemicularis(10%) then A. lumbricoides (3.7%).