A flipped classroom is a growing pedagogy in higher education. Many research studies on the flipped classroom have focused on student outcomes, with the results being positive or inconclusive. A few studies have analyzed confounding variables, such as student's previous achievement, or the impact of a flipped classroom on long-term retention and knowledge transfer. In the present study, students in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program in a traditional style lecture of gross anatomy (n = 105) were compared to similar students in a flipped classroom (n = 112). Overall, students in the flipped anatomy classroom had an increase in semester average grades (P = 0.01) and performance on higher-level analytical questions (P < 0.001). Long-term retention and knowledge transfer was analyzed in a subsequent semester's sequenced kinesiology course, with students from the flipped anatomy classroom performing at a higher level in kinesiology (P < 0.05). Student's pre-matriculation grade point average was also considered. Previously lower performing students, when in a flipped anatomy class, outperformed their traditional anatomy class counterparts in anatomy semester grades (P < 0.05), accuracy on higher-level analytical anatomy multiple-choice questions (P < 0.05) and performance in subsequent course of kinesiology (P < 0.05). This study suggests that the flipped classroom may benefit lower performing student's knowledge acquisition and transfer to a greater degree than higher performing students. Future studies should explore the underlying reasons for improvement in lower performing students.

One hundred patients with clinically diagnosed Huntington's disease (HD) were randomized to either idebenone, an antioxidant and enhancer of oxidative metabolism, or placebo, in a 1-year, double-blind, parallel-group study aimed at slowing the rate of progression of the disease. Ninety-one patients completed the study. There were no significant differences between groups on the primary outcome measures of the Huntington's Disease Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL-an index of functional status) and the Quantified Neurologic Examination (QNE). Sample size calculations based on progression of the ADL and QNE in this study group revealed that a larger study group is necessary to detect any differences less than an almost complete halting of the disease. This argues for multicenter efforts for future therapeutic trials in HD.

SummaryMany kinds of neuroscience data are being acquired regarding the dynamic behaviour and phenotypic diversity of nerve cells. But as the size, complexity and numbers of 3D neuroanatomical datasets grow ever larger, the need for automated detection and analysis of individual neurons takes on greater importance. We describe here a method that detects and identifies neurons within confocal image stacks acquired from the zebrafish brainstem. The first step is to create a template that incorporates the location of all known neurons within a population -in this case the population of reticulospinal cells. Once created, the template is used in conjunction with a sequence of algorithms to determine the 3D location and identity of all fluorescent neurons in each confocal dataset. After an image registration step, neurons are segmented within the confocal image stack and subsequently localized to specific locations within the brainstem template -in many instances identifying neurons as specific, individual reticulospinal cells. This image-processing sequence is fully automated except for the initial selection of three registration points on a maximum projection image. In analysing confocal image stacks that ranged considerably in image quality, we found that this method correctly identified on average ∼80% of the neurons (if we assume that manual detection by experts constitutes 'ground truth'). Because this identification can be generated approximately 100 times faster than manual identification, it offers a considerable time savings for the investigation of zebrafish reticulospinal neurons. In addition to its cell identification function, this protocol might also be integrated with stereological techniques to enhance quantification of neurons in larger databases. Our focus has been on zebrafish brainstem systems, but the Correspondence to: Donald M. O'Malley.

The purpose of this study was to determine if online video modules (videos) identifying dissected cadaveric structures improve physical therapy students' learning and understanding of Gross Anatomy material assessed by performance on laboratory practicals. Current research in other disciplines suggests utilizing online resources will benefit students' learning of complex material. However, a gap in the research exists in relation to the benefits of video usage within the population of physical therapy students learning gross anatomy. A cohort of 110 first‐year Doctorate of Physical Therapy students were included in the study. Six interactive videos were created that taught the identification and relationships of multiple anatomic structures of varying levels of difficulty. Subjects viewed the videos prior to corresponding in‐person laboratory session. A likert‐scale and open‐ended questionnaire was administered to assess overall usefulness of videos and students' confidence with the material covered in the cadaveric videos. Video metadata was collected and analyzed to deduce student usage of the videos throughout the course. In addition, student practical exam scores were analyzed to compare accuracy of identifying structures discussed in the videos compared to structures not discussed in the videos of relative difficulty. The results provided evidence to support implementing interactive video modules to improve practical exam performance and confidence of material in a gross anatomy course for physical therapy students.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.