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Teaching biomedical technology is critical for the success of research of both domestic and international postgraduate students (DPSs and IPSs). However, difference in the learning characteristics between the two cohorts as well as appropriate teaching modality remains largely unexplored. In the present work, we studied these issues by recruiting 33 IPSs and 32 DPSs who selected the course of 'Patch-Clamp Technique and Its Application in Life Science Research' at Harbin Medical University in China in 2019. Questionnaires were performed to investigate their learning obstacles and style preferences. Correspondingly, we designed a new teaching modality, i.e. lecture enriched with practicum, research proposal and post-course advice (LEPPA in brief) and tested its effect. This modality was positively evaluated by all the IPSs and 90% of the DPSs. The LEPPA can efficiently resolve the concerns of both IPSs and DPSs while promoting their transition from undergraduates to research students.

Hydrocephalus is one of the most common neurosurgical disorders, which is characterized by enlargement of ventricles and disrupted cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) homeostatis. Hydrocephalus is divided into multiple categories, of which trauma, posthemorrhagic and postinfectious hydrocephalus are the most important clinical types. Mechanism of secondary hydrocephalus is still unknown. In recent years, researches observed inflammation in both postinfectious hydrocephalusand posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus. Regulated inflammation is a significant protective respond that eliminates foreign pathogens, while abnormal inflammation deteriorates tissue damage. Apart from the traditional CSF homeostatis model, accumulating evidence have shown that neuroinflammation plays an important role in secondary hydrocephalus. This article reviews epidemiology, mechanisms and treatment of secondary normal pressure hydrocephalus. Understanding the mechanisms of secondary hydrocephalus might be helpful in developing more effective therapies.

Novel surface molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) combined to restricted access materials (RAMs) were prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization for selective and efficient determination of 17[beta]-estradiol (E2) in milk powder. TiO.sub.2 nanoparticles were coated by a MIP layer via RAFT polymerization and formed a core-shell structure. 3-Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane was grafted on the surface of MIP and hydrolyzed to form hydroxyl group to block unspecific adsorption of macromolecules. RAM-MIPs were characterized by infrared, thermal analyzer, surface area and porosimeter analyzer, and others. RAM-MIP exhibited efficient adsorption performance for E2. E2 in milk powder was dissolved in water, cleaned up by RAM-MIP solid phase extraction cartridge, silanized by N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide, dithioerythritol, and trimethyliodosilane, and determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The limit of quantification for E2 in milk powder samples was 0.001 mg/kg. The recoveries and relative standard deviations of E2 spiked at 0.001-0.01 mg/kg were 82.0-107.5% and 2.9-5.8%, respectively. Thus, RAM-MIP can be successfully applied to the determination of E2 in milk powder samples., Author(s): Hai Gen Zuo [sup.1] , Xiao Yu Liu [sup.1] , Yong Qin Du [sup.1] , Shi Yu Xiong [sup.1] , Ren Qing Hao [sup.1] , Zhi Fang Huang [sup.1] [...]

Sound wave has been proved to affect physical and mental health. Results of several research projects showed that sonic stimulation like music, white noise, waves with specific frequencies and natural sound can improve cognition, regulate psychological status. However, long-term noise exposure will cause psychological diseases and impair cognitive function. Herein, this article summarized global research progress about the effects of sound waves on the neuropsychiatric system in order to provide guidance for the development of sonic therapy and for control noise pollution control.

In higher education, it is a great challenge for instructors to teach international medical students (IMSs) efficiently. These students usually have different learning obstacles and learning style preferences from domestic students. Thus it is necessary to use teaching modalities targeting the specific characteristics of IMSs. Accordingly, we have developed a teaching modality composed of classical teacher-centered approach (TCA), enriched with components of student-centered approach (SCA) and online interactions targeting the learning characteristics of IMSs, which we defined as TESOT (an acronym made of the underlined words' initials). Aside from the online interactions that provide both answers to questions raised by students and guidance throughout a course, this modality contains additional in-classroom components (i.e., pre-lecture quiz, student-led summary, and post-lecture quiz). The effectiveness of this modality was tested in the nervous system module of the Physiology course for IMSs. The final exam scores in the nervous system module in the year taught with TESOT were higher than those earned by students taught with a classical TCA modality in preceding 2 yr. The improvement of teaching effectiveness is attributable to increasing communication, bridging course contexts, and meeting diverse learning style preferences. These results indicate that TESOT as an effective teaching modality is useful for enhancing efficiency of teaching IMSs.

Guided by Pals' (in: McStay (ed) Identity and story: Creating self in narrative, American Psychological Association, Washington DC, 2006) model of self-making through a narrative lens in the context of adversity, this study investigated not only the difficulties but also the personal growth that parents have experienced while participating in the interventions with their children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mainland China. Based on interviews with 16 purposively sampled parents, thematic analysis revealed themes concerning the parents' acknowledgment of stressful events and their emotional reactions, meanings of their experiences constructed through causal connections, and outcomes of their perceived improvement in self-understanding, parent--child relationships, and philosophies on life. Largely consistent with this theoretical model, such findings highlight the uniqueness of the personal growth process of parents of children with ASD in China's sociocultural context.