Effect of flipped classroom methodology on the student performance of gastrointestinal and renal physiology entrants and repeaters.

BACKGROUND: Physiology is a subject that is considered difficult; it is associated with academic failure and causes high levels of stress and anxiety in students. METHODS: This study compared the effectiveness of a traditional lecture-based methodology with that of a flipped classroom scheme focusing on cooperative ludic learning among gastrointestinal and renal physiology students. Two groups were subjected to these two different methods to teach gastrointestinal and renal physiology content divided into 14 topics. Additionally, two subgroups were identified in each group: entrants and repeaters. There were no differences in age or gender between the subgroups. RESULTS: Levels of self-perceived stress (measured by the SISCO scale), biological stress (measured by awakening salivary cortisol levels), and anxiety (measured by the Zung scale) were high in all of the students; the cortisol levels increased in the entrants and some of the scores in SISCO scale increased in the repeaters, throughout the study. The self-reported study time was longer in the students subjected to the flipped classroom-based method. The final exam results were better only in the new students facing the flipped methodology, but not in the repeaters, who scored lower on the final evaluation. The quantitative and qualitative assessments completed by the participants regarding the different aspects of the flipped-classroom-based methodology were favorable; however, the participants believed that traditional lectures should be maintained for specific topics. CONCLUSIONS: A methodology based on flipped teaching was an effective strategy to improve academic performance ingastrointestinal and renal physiology, but only in new students.

Effects of 17beta-estradiol and IGF-1 on L-type voltage-activated and stretch-activated calcium currents in cultured rat cortical neurons.

INTRODUCTION: Calcium transport pathways are key factors for understanding how changes in the cytoplasmic calcium concentration are associated with neuroprotection because calcium is involved in the onset of death signaling in neurons. OBJECTIVES: This study characterized the effects of 17ß-estradiol and IGF-1 on voltage-activated and stretch-activated calcium channels in rat cultured cortical neurons. METHODS: The whole-cell patch-clamp technique, using a voltage steps protocol or by applying positive pressure into the micropipette, was used on 7-10 day cultured neurons from a Wistar rat cortex, and pharmacological characterization was performed on these neurons. RESULTS: Both 17ß-estradiol and IGF-1 inhibited the currents mediated by L-type voltage-activated calcium channels, although the IGF-1 effects were lower than those of 17ß-estradiol. The effect of both hormones together was greater than the sum of the effects of the individual agents. Unlike IGF-1, 17ß-estradiol decreased the current mediated by stretch-activated channels. The inhibition of the classical receptors of these hormones did not affect the results. CONCLUSION: Both hormones regulate voltage-activated calcium channels in a synergistic way, but only 17ß-estradiol has an inhibitory effect on stretch-activated calcium channels. These effects are not mediated by classical receptors and may be relevant to the neuroprotective effects of both hormones because they diminish calcium entry into the neuron and decrease the possibility for the onset of apoptotic signaling.