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Purpose: Instructional methods that offer students' opportunity for engagement are essential to develop an active learning environment. This paper aims (1) to assess whether the use of an Audience Response System (ARS) during anatomy and physiology lectures improves students' engagement, knowledge retention and academic achievement and (2) to evaluate the feasibility of introducing ARS as a formative tool from both instructors' and students' perspectives. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted across ten lectures for the second-year Pre-Applied Medical Science (PAMS) and Pre-Medical (PMED) students at the College of Sciences and Health Professions, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The ARS was integrated into five lectures, whereas the remaining were conducted without ARS. A comparison of the immediate post-lecture and prior laboratory session quiz scores between the lectures with and without ARS was performed using an independent sample t-test. An online survey was completed by the students as well as informal feedback was taken from the instructors to assess ARS usefulness. Results: A total of 65 PMAS and 126 PMED students participated in the study. Students achieved significantly better scores for ARS lectures than non-ARS lectures: PAMS (p 0.038) and PMED (p 0.018). Students and instructors agreed that ARS was easy to use, allowing students to engage and actively participate in the teaching process by responding to questions and receiving instant and anonymous feedback about their learning progress. Conclusion: Employing suitable interactive teaching methods facilitates students' learning and improves their retention of knowledge. Students and instructors positively view the ARS strategy as a means to promote learning in a traditional lecture setting. Increased practice on how to integrate its use into classrooms could lead to further utilization.

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OBJECTIVE: To determine the range of complications occurring in infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs). DESIGN: An observational cross-sectional study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Federal Government Services Hospital, Islamabad and National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, from August 1999 to January 2000. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All IDMs born during the study period were immediately admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit after delivery. Maternal history was obtained and a detailed physical examination was performed to detect congenital abnormalities. Babies were screened for hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, hyperbilirubinemia, birth asphyxia, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and birth trauma. Outcome of IDMs and relative frequencies of various complications were evaluated. Results were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 11. RESULTS: A total number of 40 babies with IDM were included in the study. Out of diabetic mothers, only 19 (47.5%) were taking insulin albeit irregularly. No mother was taking oral hypoglycemic agents, 5 (12.5%) were following only dietary advice while 16 (40%) were not following any advise for control of diabetes. Twenty-two (55%) mothers were delivered by C-section and 18 (45%) had vaginal delivery. Seven (17.5%) mothers experienced birth injuries, all of them were delivered vaginally and majority of them were large babies. Fifteen percent IDMs suffered from birth asphyxia. Most (82.5%) were delivered vaginally. Congenital anomalies were found in 10 (25%) babies. Eighteen (45%) were macrosomic, 20 (50%) were appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and 02 (5%) were small for gestational age (SGA) or growth retarded. Hypoglycemia was noted in 35% and hypocalcemia in 15%. Hyperbilirubinemia was observed in 12 (30%) newborns. Mortality was 7.5%. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show a high frequency complications in IDMs. The diabetic mothers should have regular antenatal follow-up and maintain good glycemic control throughout pregnancy. Cesarean section may be allowed more liberally, especially with clinical evidence of macrosomic baby, to avoid birth injury and asphyxia. All deliveries of diabetic mother should be attended by pediatrician to minimize complications.

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A simple solid-phase radioimmunoassay was developed for detecting staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) in food. The method detected 85-100% SEA added to extracts of 6 kinds of foods, and 52-100% SEA added directly to foods at a concentration of 1 ng/g. Assay sensitivity is about 0.3 ng toxin/mL extract. The method is specific for SEA; results are only marginally affected by staphylococcal enterotoxins B and C2 present at concentrations as high as 500 ng/mL extract.

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