Exploring progressive mental model representation of core physiology concepts in physician assistant students through word frequency and association analyses.

A well-developed mental model is crucial for effectively studying physiology core concepts. However, mental models can be difficult for students to represent and for instructors to evaluate and correct. Systems modeling as a visualization cognitive tool may facilitate mental model development. On the other hand, evidence of mental model development may also be represented verbally, in writing, and therefore, be evaluated. In this study, analysis of writing prompt completions illustrated progress in physician assistant student mental model formation of physiology core concepts, such as homeostasis and cell-cell communication, over time. Two cohorts of physician assistant students were invited to voluntarily submit completions of writing prompts five times over 16 months. Sessions included submissions pre- and post-small group systems modeling participation. Word frequency and word association cluster dendrogram analyses were conducted on submissions using the tm text mining package in R to provide insight into progressive changes in core concepts of word use and associations. Students demonstrated expanded core concepts systems thinking over time. This was apparent through the increased use of systems process terms, such as homeostasis, in submissions immediately following systems modeling activities. Students also increasingly included terms and associations emphasizing cell-cell communication and systems integration. The inclusion of these concepts within student mental models was demonstrably enhanced by participation in systems modeling activities.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study applies text mining, an artificial intelligence form of natural language processing, to evaluate a series of physiology student-written prompt completions. Text mining of student writing in physiology has not yet been reported in the literature. Through the application of this technique, longitudinal trends in student development of mental models of core concepts were identified and visualized through word frequency distributions and cluster dendrograms.

Physiology education and teaching in Chinese mainland medical schools: the status quo and the changes over the past two decades.

Physiology is a critical subject that bridges basic and clinical medicine. The reform of physiology education is crucial to improving the quality of teaching and supporting student learning; however, there is a lack of comprehensive data documenting the current state of physiology education in medical programs in China. This study conducted an online survey among experienced teachers from the top 100 medical schools in the Chinese mainland in 2022. A total of 89 valid questionnaires were included in this study. In 57.3% of the surveyed medical schools, 70% of the physiology teachers have a Ph.D. degree, while the number of faculty members with a medical background has tended to decrease in 53.9% of the surveyed medical schools. Of the 89 medical schools, 62 have implemented physiology course integration, with 69.4% of the respondents believing that curriculum integration could enhance students' knowledge acquisition and application. The lecture hours per term are 50-70 and 71-90 in 49.4% and 42.7% of the 89 medical schools, respectively. The ratio of course duration of lecture to laboratory was 2:1 in 47.2% of the surveyed medical schools, while the ratio was between 1:1 and 2:1 in 47.2% of the surveyed medical schools, and only 5.6% of medical schools opted for a 1:1 course arrangement. For teaching methods, about 60% of medical schools used problem-based learning, case-based learning, and task-based learning (PBL/CBL/TBL) for clinical medicine students only, and 25.4% of medical schools applied PBL/CBL/TBL to all students. This study is conducive to promoting dialogue and communication among physiology teachers, administrators, and researchers.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study conducted a nationwide survey of the top 100 medical schools in the Chinese mainland in 2022 to provide first-hand data on the current situation and changes in physiology education and teaching in the Chinese mainland with focuses on the faculty composition, curriculum integration, teaching methods, and assessment modes, which is a microcosm of the reform and development of the medical education in the Chinese mainland, hoping to improve the quality of preclinical medical education.

Sixty years of learning and teaching physiology.

This is a memoir of my experiences in learning and teaching Physiology. It begins in 1962 when I entered the University of Washington as a medical student and began research in a physiology laboratory, which led to a Ph.D. degree in Physiology and Biophysics to go with my M.D. degree in 1968. At this time, both groups of students participated in the same physiology course containing both lectures and laboratories. After postdoctoral research at the NIH and in Cambridge, UK, in 1973 I joined the faculty of the Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco where I participated in the teaching of medical students and graduate students for nearly 15 years. By this time, the teaching of medical and graduate students had largely separated. In 1987, I moved to the University of Michigan as Professor and Chair of Physiology where my role in teaching was organizational as well as participatory for the next 35 years. In this work, I compare the teaching of medical students as well as graduate students and focus on how it has changed over this 60-year period. Over this time both medical and graduate Ph.D. education have become more integrative. Medical education is now taught in organ blocks rather than courses, and I participated in organizing the teaching of the gastrointestinal block. At Michigan, there is no longer a separate medical school class in Physiology, and graduate students enter a combined, "Program in Biomedical Science" for a year before choosing a mentor and department.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Teaching remains an important part of the career of academic physiologists. It is important for schools offering the Ph.D. to provide instruction and experience in teaching. The American Physiology Society has developed new programs to assist teachers and many universities have centers on learning and teaching.

On the occasion of the centennial of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1923: Nicolae C. Paulescu-between scientific creativity and political fanatism.

AIMS: Since the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded in 1923 to FG Banting and JJR Macleod, many voices have been raised against this decision. The bitterest protest was that of the Romanian scientist Nicolae C. Paulescu. In 2002, The Romanian Academy of Sciences, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) planned to hold a series of academic events the following year in Paris to acknowledge Paulescu's scientific merits in the discovery of the antidiabetic hormone. However, the initiative was cancelled in August 2003, when the European Center of the Simon Wiesenthal Foundation (SWC) accused Paulescu of being antisemitic. The authors of this manuscript have decided to approach "the Paulescu case" from its double aspect, scientific and sociopolitical, to analyze the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the antidiabetic hormone, and Paulescu's alleged antisemitic past in the historical context of the Romanian nation in the interwar period. METHODS: We contacted the SWC and people related to the 2003 events in Paris. We performed a comparative review of the documents published by the Toronto group and by Paulescu and analyzed the correspondence and articles generated by international experts from the scientific community interested in the controversy. We carried out an exhaustive bibliographic search through several online catalogs (INDEXCAT, NLM Gateway, EUREKA, MEDHIST). We travelled to Bucharest, where we visited Paulescu's house-museum, interviewed a former student of the Romanian professor, and a prominent medical historian who was knowledgeable about Paulescu's scientific and political biography. Dan Angelescu†, son of Dr. Constantin Angelescu (1904-1990), Paulescu's nephew and collaborator, provided us with a copy of all the available documentation from Paulescu's personal archive. It constitutes an essential source for understanding Paulescu's personal, political and academic biography. Archives consulted: Românǎ Academy (Bucharest). Personal Archive of Paulescu, House -Museum (Bucharest)*. Romanian Jewish Heritage (Bucharest). http://romanianjewish.org/ **. Simon Wiesenthal Center (Los Angeles, CA) http://www.wiesenthal.com **. Romanian Patent Office. Oficiul de Stat pentru Invenții si Mǎrci (OSIM) (Bucharest)***. Nobel Archives (Stockholm) https://www.nobelprize.org . Internet Archive (San Francisco, CA) https://archive.org **. Wellcome Library (London) https://wellcomelibrary.org **. The European Library https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/ **. US National Library of Medicine, NLM historical collections http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/index.html **. US. Holocaust Memorial Museum http://www.ushmm.org/ (*: archive consulted on site; **: material found in the online catalog of the archive; ***: archivists sent us digitized copies of archival material). Books consulted for information on the history of Romania and antisemitism: "Nationalist ideology and antisemitism. The case of Romanian intellectuals in the 1930s", by Leon Volovici; "The mystique of ultranationalism: History of the Iron Guard, Romania, 1919-1941" by Francisco Vega; "Romania 1866-1947", by Keith Hitchins; "History of Romania. Compendium", by Ioan-Aurel Pop and Joan Bolovan; "The Holocaust in Romania. The destruction of Jews and Gypsies under the Antonescu regime, 1940-1944", by Radu Ioanid; "The Jews of East Central Europe between the World Wars", by Ezra Mendelson; "Cultural Politics in Greater Romania. Regionalism, Nation Building and Ethnic Struggle, 1918-1930", by Irina Livezeanu, and "Judeophobia. How and when it is born, where and why it survives", by Gustavo Daniel Perednik. Articles are referenced in the bibliography section at the end of the manuscript. RESULTS: A-Nicolae Paulescu developed an intense long-term research activity, which included complete pancreatectomy and preparation of a pancreatic extract (PE) containing the antidiabetic hormone he called pancreina. Parenteral administration of the PE achieved excellent results in the treatment of experimental diabetes in dogs and induction of hypoglycemia in the healthy animal. This work was initiated before 1916 and published at least eight months antedating the publication of the first article by Banting and Best (February 1922), who were acquainted with Paulescu's results, but misinterpreted them. The pancreatic extract of the two Canadian researchers, -iletin/insulin-, only achieved similar results to that of the Romanian scientist once they abandoned the use of the "degenerated pancreas" extract (ligation of the ductal system), replacing it with the pancreas of adult or fetal bovine. Pancreina and insulin were very similar. The award of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to FG Banting and JJR Macleod in October 1923 honored the successful clinical use of insulin in patients with diabetes mellitus. Paulescu's achievements were ignored. B-Nicolae Paulescu publicly manifested his Judeophobic ideology on multiple occasions in academic and political interventions and in publications and participated with other figures from the Romanian intellectual sphere in the founding of the Uniunea Național Crestinǎ (UNC, National Christian Union) in 1922 and of the Liga Apǎrǎrii Național Cresține (LANC, League for Christian National Defense) in 1923, antisemitic far-right political parties, associated with an irrational Christian orthodoxy and hatred of Jews. Paulescu played a pivotal role in the spread of antisemitism. CONCLUSIONS: A-The Romanian scientist NC Paulescu started an intense research program aimed at the isolation of the antidiabetic hormone before 1916, including an original procedure of pancreatectomy in the dog and the elaboration of a pancreatic extract that achieved excellent results in the treatment of experimental diabetes, demonstrating its beneficial effects on the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats and reducing both glycosuria and glycemia and the urinary excretion of ketone bodies of depancreatized dogs toward normality. The results of these investigations were published in 1920 and 1921, predating the first report published by FG ​​Banting and CH Best in February 1922. It has been sufficiently demonstrated that Canadian researchers were aware of Paulescu's excellent results, mentioning them only in passing, albeit erroneously misrepresenting key results of the Romanian scientist's publication in the aforementioned seminal Canadian article. Expert historians and international scientists have recognized that the pancreatic extract that Paulescu called pancreina and that obtained by Banting and Best, insulin, were very similar. The October 1923 award of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to FG Banting and JJR Macleod ignored Paulescu's scientific achievements in the treatment of experimental diabetes and rewarded the extraordinary advance of insulin treatment in human diabetes. B-At the end of August 2003, a few days before the date of the celebration at the Hôtel Dieu in Paris of the scheduled program of tribute to the scientific merits of NC Paulescu and his important contribution to the discovery of the antidiabetic hormone, convened by the Romanian Academy and the International Diabetes Federation, the Wiesenthal Foundation publicly accused the Romanian scientist of being an antisemite, an act that determined the cancellation of the announced events. The exhaustive investigation of the personal convictions and antisemitic behavior of Nicolae C. Paulescu has undoubtedly documented the Judeophobic ideology of the Romanian scientist, linked to his orthodox religious radicalism, manifested in multiple documents (mostly pamphlets) and interventions in collaboration with other relevant personalities of the Romanian intelligentsia of his time. Furthermore, Paulescu participated in the creation of political organizations of the most radical extreme right that played a fundamental role in the spread of antisemitism amongst the Romanian population and the university community.

Redescubriendo al paciente M: Justo Gonzalo Rodríguez-Leal y su teoría de la dinámica cerebral / Rediscovering patient M: Justo Gonzalo Rodríguez-Leal and his theory of the brain dynamics

Introducción: En el transcurso de la Guerra Civil española, Justo Gonzalo Rodríguez-Leal visita al paciente M en el Hospital de Sanidad Militar de Godella (Valencia). Este encuentro marca el inicio de una larga relación entre ambos, que brinda a Justo Gonzalo la oportunidad de estudiar la organización funcional cerebral y articular una original concepción de la neurofisiología basada en las leyes de la excitabilidad nerviosa. El objetivo de este trabajo es redescubrir al paciente M y la interpretación fisiológica de la dinámica cerebral de Gonzalo.Desarrollo: Tomando como piedra angular al paciente M, Gonzalo postula que el efecto de una lesión cortical depende de su magnitud y posición: la magnitud condiciona la intensidad del trastorno; la posición, el tipo de trastorno. Entre 1945 y 1950 desarrolla en profundidad estas y otras hipótesis, basadas en observaciones clínicas, en la obra Dinámica cerebral, La actividad cerebral en función de las condiciones dinámicas de la excitabilidad nerviosa (Vol. 1, 1945; Vol. 2, 1950). A partir de 1952 proporciona una versión ampliada de su teoría sobre dinámica cerebral, fundamentándola no sólo en conceptos fisiológicos, sino también en la idea de gradientes cerebrales, e introduciendo los conceptos de similitud y alometría de los sistemas dinámicos.Conclusiones: Durante siglos, el conocimiento sobre la organización funcional del cerebro se ha asentado en el estudio de casos únicos. El paciente M constituye un ejemplo más de esta tradición, ayudando a establecer las bases de la teoría de dinámica cerebral desarrollada por Justo Gonzalo.(AU)

Introduction: During the Spanish Civil War, Justo Gonzalo Rodríguez-Leal visited patient M at the Military Healthcare Hospital in Godella (Valencia). This meeting marked the beginning of a long relationship between the two, which gave Justo Gonzalo the opportunity to study the functional organisation of the brain and to develop an original conception of neurophysiology based on the laws of nervous excitability. The aim of this work is to rediscover patient M and the physiological interpretation of Gonzalo’s brain dynamics.Development: Taking patient M as the cornerstone, Gonzalo postulated that the effect of a cortical lesion depends on its magnitude and position: the magnitude conditions the intensity of the disorder, whereas the position determines the type of disorder. Between 1945 and 1950 he developed these and other hypotheses in depth, based on clinical observations, in his work Dinámica cerebral. La actividad cerebral en función de las condiciones dinámicas de la excitabilidad nerviosa (Vol. 1, 1945; Vol. 2, 1950). From 1952 onwards he provided an expanded version of his theory of brain dynamics, basing it not only on physiological concepts, but also on the idea of brain gradients, and introducing the concepts of similarity and allometry of dynamic systems.Conclusions: For centuries, knowledge about the functional organisation of the brain has been based on single case studies. Patient M is a further example of this tradition that helps to establish the basis of the theory of brain dynamics developed by Justo Gonzalo.(AU)

Implementación y evaluación de un espacio digital de aprendizaje de la fisiología mediante vídeos instruccionales cortos y gamificación / Implementation and evaluation of a digital physiology learning space with short instructional videos and gamification

Introducción: Herramientas ofrecidas por las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación, como los vídeos instruccionales en línea, han ampliado las alternativas didácticas en el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje de la fisiología. Objetivo: Evaluar el impacto en el aprendizaje y la satisfacción de los estudiantes en un programa de pregrado en medicina, en el que se implementó un espacio digital de aprendizaje de la fisiología que combinó el uso de vídeos cortos (microaprendizaje) y la gamificación de la evaluación del contenido de estos. Sujetos y métodos: Diseño longitudinal prospectivo tipo pre y post. Se invitó a participar a una muestra por conveniencia de estudiantes de medicina que estaban estudiando el curso de Sistemas funcionales efectores (tercer semestre) en una universidad de Colombia. Se elaboraron vídeos introductorios de algunos temas de la fisiología en un formato corto (microaprendizaje) con autoevaluaciones previas y posteriores a ellos que incorporaban elementos de la gamificación. Se realizó una encuesta al final del estudio para conocer la percepción y la satisfacción de los estudiantes sobre la estrategia. Resultados: Se observó una mejora en las puntuaciones de las autoevaluaciones después de la exposición al material. La encuesta mostró que la estrategia motivó el aprendizaje, así como el entusiasmo por participar de manera más activa en las clases presenciales. Conclusiones: La combinación de elementos de varias estrategias de tecnologías de la información y la comunicación, como el microaprendizaje, con interacción en los vídeos y la gamificación de las autoevaluaciones puede fomentar el aprendizaje autodirigido de la fisiología, así como la motivación y la participación en los encuentros presenciales.(AU)

Introduction: Information and communication technologies have expanded the didactic strategies in the Physiology teaching and learning process, among these alternatives are online instructional videos. Objective: To evaluate the impact on learning and satisfaction of students of an Undergraduate Program in Medicine, where a digital space for learning Physiology was implemented. It combined short videos (microlearning) and interaction trough gamification of evaluation of their content. Subjects and methods: A pre-post prospective longitudinal design was used. A convenience sample of medical students who were taking Functional Effector Systems course (third semester) were invited to participate. Introductory videos of some Physiology topics were made in a short format (microlearning) with pre- and post-assessments that incorporated gamification elements. A survey was carried out at the end of the study to find out perceptions and satisfaction of students regarding the strategy. Results: An improvement in self-assessment scores was observed after exposure to the material in most of the topics. The survey showed that the strategy motivated learning, as well as enthusiasm to participate more actively in face-to-face meetings. Conclusions: We concluded that combination of elements of various information and communication technologies strategies such as microlearning with video interaction and gamification of self-assessments can favor self-directed learning. as well as motivation.(AU)

Unpacking and validating the "cell membrane" core concept of physiology by an Australian team.

A task force of physiology educators from 25 Australian universities generated an Australia-wide consensus on seven core concepts for physiology curricula. One adopted core concept was "cell membrane," defined as "Cell membranes determine what substances enter or leave the cell and its organelles. They are essential for cell signaling, transport, and other cellular functions." This concept was unpacked by a team of 3 Australian physiology educators into 4 themes and 33 subthemes arranged in a hierarchical structure up to 5 levels deep. The four themes related to defining the cell membrane, cell membrane structure, transport across cell membranes, and cell membrane potentials. Subsequently, 22 physiology educators with a broad range of teaching experience reviewed and assessed the 37 themes and subthemes for importance for students to understand and the level of difficulty for students on a 5-point Likert scale. The majority (28) of items evaluated were rated as either Essential or Important. Theme 2: cell membrane structure was rated as less important than the other three themes. Theme 4: membrane potential was rated most difficult, while theme 1: defining cell membranes was rated as the easiest. The importance of cell membranes as a key aspect of biomedical education received strong support from Australian educators. The unpacking of the themes and subthemes within the cell membrane core concept provides guidance in the development of curricula and should facilitate better identification of the more challenging aspects within this core concept and help inform the time and resources required to support student learning.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The "cell membrane" core concept was unpacked by a team of Australian physiology educators into a conceptual framework to provide guidance for students and educators. Key themes in the cell membrane core concept were cell membrane definition and structure, transport across cell membranes, and membrane potentials. Australian educators reviewing the framework identified cell membrane as an essential yet relatively simple core concept, suggesting that this is well-placed in foundational physiology courses across a diverse range of degrees.

Recreating an introductory physiology unit in the Core Concepts form: helping students to think like a physiologist.

This article showcases the redesign of an introductory undergraduate vertebrate physiology unit at Murdoch University (BMS107) to promote student mastery of six Core Concepts of Physiology (Michael J, Cliff W, McFarland J, Modell H, Wright A, SpringerLink. The Core Concepts of Physiology: a New Paradigm for Teaching Physiology, 2017). Concepts were selected for their suitability in an introductory physiology unit and their ability to scaffold advanced physiology learning. Innovative curricular and pedagogical approaches were employed to 1) create a Core Concepts structure, 2) sell the Core Concepts approach to students, 3) foreground Core Concepts in learning materials, 4) actively engage students with Core Concepts, 5) revise, and 6) assess Core Concepts understanding. Median student marks and overall satisfaction with the unit were unaffected by the introduction of a Core Concepts approach. Notably, though, there was a 14% increase in student agreement with the statement "I received feedback that helped me to learn." The challenge of the Core Concepts approach was articulated by students, but these novice learners also recognized Core Concepts as a mechanism to focus their understanding of physiology and promote critical thinking. For teaching staff, a Core Concepts approach was a reinvigorating opportunity to apply their expertise to the teaching of introductory physiology. We propose that a strong Core Concepts emphasis, while challenging, is highly rewarding for staff and provides students with a "disciplinary passport" that better prepares them to progress in diverse courses and professions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This article presents a "how-to" guide for redesigning an introductory physiology unit to emphasize the Core Concepts of Physiology. Detailed descriptions are provided of innovative, scalable, adjustments to content delivery, assessment, learning objectives, and activities. Staff reflections and student experience suggest a strong Core Concepts emphasis, while challenging, can promote critical thinking and develop an understanding of underlying chemical, physical and biological principles.

Use of a short, in-class drawing activity to assess student understanding of core concepts of the cell membrane in an undergraduate physiology course.

Students in an animal physiology course are required to have completed prerequisite cell biology and genetics courses that include discussion of basic properties and functions of the cell membrane. However, while many students remember basic information about membrane structure, they often have difficulty relating that structure to membrane functions, such as vesicular transport, active transport, osmosis, and current flow across the membrane. To better understand what students recall about the cell membrane, students were given an open-ended prompt to draw what they know about the structure and function of the animal cell membrane. This activity was repeated 1-2 weeks after finishing discussion of the cell membrane in class, with an emphasis on the concepts of membrane transport and a related core concept, flow along gradients. Student responses were analyzed using the conceptual framework for the "cell membrane" core concept published by Michael and Modell (Michael J, Modell H. Adv Physiol Educ 43: 373-377, 2019). Before covering this content in class, the majority of submissions included a representation of the cell membrane as a phospholipid bilayer, and a high percentage also included membrane proteins or the fluid mosaic model. Similar percentages of students included these concepts in the postcoverage drawing. However, other components of the conceptual framework were included less frequently or not at all before covering the content in class but improved dramatically afterward. This activity provides information about what students recall from prior coursework and which concepts need to be revisited, and it can provide a complementary assessment of student understanding of the core concept of the cell membrane.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Student-constructed drawings can give insight into student understanding, and misunderstandings, of core concepts about the cell membrane.

Unpacking and validating the "integration" core concept of physiology by an Australian team.

Consensus was reached on seven core concepts of physiology using the Delphi method, including "integration," outlined by the descriptor "cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems interact to create and sustain life." This core concept was unpacked by a team of 3 Australian physiology educators into hierarchical levels, identifying 5 themes and 10 subthemes, up to 1 level deep. The unpacked core concept was then circulated among 23 experienced physiology educators for comments and to rate both level of importance and level of difficulty for each theme and subtheme. Data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA to compare between and within themes. The main theme (theme 1: the body is organized within a hierarchy of structures, from atoms to molecules, cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems) was almost universally rated as Essential. Interestingly, the main theme was also rated between Slightly Difficult to Not Difficult, which was significantly different from all other subthemes. There were two separate subsets of themes in relation to importance, with three themes rating between Essential and Important and the two other themes rating as Important. Two subsets in the difficulty of the main themes were also identified. While many core concepts can be taught concurrently, Integration requires the application of prior knowledge, with the expectation that learners should be able to apply concepts from "cell-cell communication," "homeostasis," and "structure and function," before understanding the overall Integration core concept. As such, themes from the Integration core concept should be taught within the endmost semesters of a Physiology program.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This article proposes the inclusion of a core concept regarding "integration" into physiology-based curricula, with the descriptor "cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems interact to create and sustain life." This concept expands prior knowledge and applies physiological understanding to real-world scenarios and introduces contexts such as medications, diseases, and aging to the student learning experience. To comprehend the topics within the Integration core concept, students will need to apply learned material from earlier semesters.

Foundations in physiology: an introductory course using the core concepts.

As one element of an extensive revision to program curriculum, the Integrative Physiology and Health Science Department at a small, private, liberal arts institution developed a novel introductory course for the major, focusing specifically on the "core concepts" of physiology. Intended to provide the initial step in explicit scaffolding for student success and, ultimately, transfer of knowledge across the curriculum, development and assessment of the first offering of the course were completed. In the fall of 2021, IPH 131: Foundations in Physiology was launched. The specific core concepts covered were as follows: causality, scientific reasoning, physics/chemistry, structure-function, homeostasis, flow-down gradients, cell membrane, energy, cell-cell communication, and interdependence/integration. To assess student learning, the Phys-MAPS (Measuring Achievement and Progress in Science for Physiology) assessment tool was administered to students during the first week of class and again in the final week of the semester. Average scores revealed significant learning gains by the end of the semester (0.497 ± 0.058 vs. 0.538 ± 0.108 correct as a proportion of the total number of questions, P = 0.0096). While a modest gain in learning outcomes, these data provide early evidence that a course specifically addressing the core concepts of physiology can be an appropriate introduction to the physiology curriculum.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This article will detail the development and implementation of an introductory course using the "core concepts." Specifics of course design, assessment, and challenges encountered will be presented for those interested in this approach.

Unpacking the "movement of substances" core concept of physiology by an Australian team.

Australia-wide consensus was reached on seven core concepts of physiology. The "movement of substances" core concept with the descriptor "the movement of substances (ions or molecules) is a fundamental process that occurs at all levels of organization in the organism" was unpacked by a team of three Australian physiology educators from the Delphi Task Force into hierarchical levels. There were 10 themes and 23 subthemes arranged in a hierarchy, some 3 levels deep. Using a 5-point Likert scale, the unpacked core concept was then rated for level of importance for students to understand (ranging from 1 = Essential to 5 = Not Important) and level of difficulty for students (ranging from 1 = Very Difficult to 5 = Not Difficult) by the 23 physiology educators from different Australian universities, all with a broad range of teaching and curriculum experience. Survey data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA to compare between and within concept themes. The main themes all were rated on average as important. There was a wide range of difficulty ratings and more variation for this concept compared with the other core concepts. This may in part be due to the physical forces such as gravity, electrochemistry, resistance, and thermodynamics that underpin this concept, which in themselves are inherently complex. Separation of concepts into subthemes can help prioritize learning activities and time spent on difficult concepts. Embedding of core concepts across curricula will allow commonality and consistency between programs of study and inform learning outcomes, assessment, and teaching and learning activities.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This article unpacks the core concept of the "movement of substances" within the body, with the aim to produce a resource that will help guide the teaching of physiology at tertiary education institutes in Australia. The concept introduces fundamental knowledge of the factors that drive substance movement and then applies them in physiological contexts.

Mapping the core concepts of physiology across Australian university curricula.

Core concepts in physiology, designed by physiology educators to promote improved learning and teaching, have existed for over a decade. This study aimed to investigate the extent to which a set of 15 core concepts of physiology (developed by Michael and McFarland, U.S.-based educators) are reflected in the learning outcomes (LOs) of units (subjects) comprising physiology curricula in Australian universities. From publicly accessible online information, we identified 17 Australian universities that offered a physiology major for undergraduate degree students and downloaded 788 LOs from the 166 units that comprised the majors. Each LO was blindly mapped against the 15 core concepts by 8 physiology educators from 3 Australian universities. Additionally, text-matching software was employed to match keywords and phrases (identified as descriptors of the 15 core concepts) against the LOs. The frequency of individual words and two-word phrases for each core concept was calculated and ranked. There was variability in rating LOs for the same university among academic mappers; nevertheless, many of the 15 core concepts did not appear to be adequately covered in the LOs. Two core concepts most matched manually were in the top three most mapped by the software. These were, from most common, structure/function and interdependence. Our findings suggest a lack of alignment of LOs with the core concepts across Australian physiology curricula. This highlights the need for Australia-wide agreement on a set of core concepts in physiology as the first step in collaboratively improving assessment and learning and teaching practice in physiology.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first time an existing set of core concepts for physiology, developed by Michael and McFarland (U.S.-based educators), have been mapped against unit (subject) learning outcomes across physiology curricula in Australian universities to gauge uptake and the need for agreement on a set of core concepts in the Australian higher education context.

Unpacking the renal system component of the "structure and function" core concept of physiology by an Australian team.

An Australia-wide consensus was reached on seven core concepts of physiology, one of which was "structure and function" with the descriptor "Structure and function are intrinsically related to all levels of the organism. In all physiological systems, the structure from a microscopic level to an organ level dictates its function." As a framework for the structure and function core concept, the renal system was unpacked by a team of 5 Australian Physiology educators from different universities with extensive teaching experience into hierarchical levels, with 5 themes and 25 subthemes up to 3 levels deep. Within theme 1, the structures that comprise the renal system were unpacked. Within theme 2, the physiological processes within the nephron such as filtration, reabsorption, and secretion were unpacked. Within theme 3, the processes involved in micturition were unpacked. In theme 4, the structures and processes involved in regulating renal blood flow and glomerular filtration were unpacked; and within theme 5, the role of the kidney in red blood cell production was unpacked. Twenty-one academics rated the difficulty and importance of each theme/subtheme, and results were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA. All identified themes were validated as "essential" to "important"/"moderately important" and rated between "difficult" to "not difficult." A similar framework consisting of structure, physiological processes, physical processes, and regulation can be used to unpack other body systems. Unpacking of the body systems will provide a list of what students should be taught in curricula across Australian universities and inform assessment and learning activities.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first attempt to unpack and validate the "structure and function" core concept in physiology with all Australian educators. We unpacked the renal system into themes with hierarchical levels, which were validated by an experienced team of Australian physiology educators. Our unpacking of the "structure and function" core concept provides a specific framework for educators to apply this important concept in physiology education.

Unpacking and validating the "cell-cell communication" core concept of physiology by an Australian team.

An Australia-wide consensus was reached on seven core concepts of physiology, one of which was cell-cell communication. Three physiology educators from a "core concepts" Delphi task force "unpacked" this core concept into seven different themes and 60 subthemes. Cell-cell communication, previously unpacked and validated, was modified for an Australian audience to include emerging knowledge and adapted to increase student accessibility. The unpacked hierarchical framework for this core concept was rated by 24 physiology educators from separate Australian universities, using a five-point scale for level of importance for student understanding (ranging from 1 = Essential to 5 = Not Important) and level of difficulty (ranging from 1 = Very Difficult to 5 = Not Difficult). Data were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn's multiple comparison test. The seven themes were rated within a narrow range of importance (1.13-2.4), with ratings of Essential or Important, and statistically significant differences between the themes (P < 0.0001, n = 7). The variance for the difficulty rating was higher than for importance, ranging from 2.15 (Difficult) to 3.45 (between Moderately Difficult and Slightly Difficult). Qualitatively, it was suggested that some subthemes were similar and that these could be grouped. However, all themes and subthemes were ranked as Important, validating this framework. Once finalized and adopted across Australian universities, the unpacked core concept for cell-cell communication will enable the generation of tools and resources for physiology educators and improvements in consistency across curricula.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Seven core concepts, including cell-cell communication, were identified by an Australian Delphi task force of physiology educators. The previously "unpacked" concept was adapted for Australian educators and students to develop a framework with seven themes and 60 subthemes. The framework was successfully validated by the original Delphi panel of educators and will provide a valuable resource for teaching and learning in Australian universities.

[Johannes Müller (1801-1858) and his school: pioneer and giant of German physiology]. / Johannes Müller (1801­1858) und seine Schule ­ Wegbereiter und Gigant der deutschen Physiologie.

Johannes Müller was indisputably the most versatile and brilliant physiologist in the mid-nineteenth century. Müller was born in Koblenz in 1801 as the eldest of five children. He received an excellent education in mathematics and the ancient languages and was thus able to read with ease the writings of Aristotle in the original.He served a year with the Pioneers after graduating from high school in 1818. In 1819 he enrolled at the University of Bonn. In 1821, while still a student, he was awarded the scientific university prize for his work on foetal respiration. Müller received his doctorate at the university of Bonn in 1822. He moved to Berlin, where he continued to attend lectures by the anatomist Karl Asmund Rudolphi.He obtained his habilitation in physiology and comparative anatomy in 1824. After his years in Bonn, he accepted a chair at the University of Berlin in 1833 as Rudolphi's successor. His famous "Handbuch der Physiologie" (1833-1840) was published in Berlin. Müller's main areas of interest were physiology, human anatomy, comparative anatomy and anatomical pathology.Müller has numerous publications in addition to his famous book on physiology. He and his distinguished students (Emil du Bois-Reymond, Ernst Haeckel, Hermann von Helmholtz, Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle, Carl Ludwig, Theodor Schwann and Rudolf Virchow amongst others) made the Berlin Physiological Institute world famous. The natural-philosophical approach to medicine that was still dominant at the beginning of the 19th century was increasingly replaced by a scientifically oriented methodology by Müller.