Vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) are proposed as a reliable test to supplement the current vestibular test battery by providing diagnostic information about saccular and/or inferior vestibular nerve function. VEMPs are short-latency electromyograms (EMGs) evoked by high-level acoustic stimuli and recorded from surface electrodes over the tonically contracted sternocleidomastoid muscle. VEMP amplitude is influenced by the EMG level, which must be controlled. This study examined the ability of subjects to achieve the EMG target levels over a range of target levels typically used during VEMP recordings. In addition, the influence of target EMG level on the latency and amplitude of the clickand tone-evoked VEMP was examined. The VEMP amplitude increased as a function of EMG target level, and the latency remained constant. EMG target levels ranging from 30 µV to 50 µV are suggested for clinical application of the VEMP.

Objective. To determine if a flipped classroom improved student examination performance in a pharmacotherapy oncology module. Design. Third-year pharmacy students in 2012 experienced the oncology module as interactive lectures with optional case studies as supplemental homework. In 2013, students experienced the same content in a primarily flipped classroom. Students were instructed to watch vodcasts (video podcasts) before inclass case studies but were not held accountable (ie, quizzed) for preclass preparation. Examination questions were identical in both cohorts. Performance on examination questions was compared between the two cohorts using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with prior academic performance variables (grade point average [GPA]) as covariates. Assessment. The students who experienced the flipped classroom approach performed poorer on examination questions than the cohort who experienced interactive lecture, with previous GPA used as a covariate. Conclusion. A flipped classroom does not necessarily improve student performance. Further research is needed to determine optimal classroom flipping techniques.

The present study determined the effect of hypoxia on xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and xanthine oxidase (XO) activity and gene and protein expression in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). BAEC were exposed to hypoxia (3% O2) or anoxia (0% O2) for 24 or 48 h and to 24 h of hypoxia followed by 24 h of reoxygenation. Hypoxia- and anoxia-exposed BAEC demonstrated a greater than twofold increase in XDH/XO activity at 24 and 48 h compared with timed controls. Hypoxic cells that were subsequently reoxygenated in 21% O2 also demonstrated a similar increase in XDH/XO activity vs. timed controls. No differences were seen in mRNA levels at any time point. Similarly, no difference was noted in XDH/XO protein expression after hypoxic exposure, as determined by Western blot analysis. The increase in XDH/XO activity was not prevented by cyclohexamide, indicating that protein synthesis was not required. Thus the increased XDH/XO activity observed in response to hypoxia in the present study was due to posttranslational modulation of the enzyme.

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