ORCID Profile
0000-0001-5866-8968
Current Organisation
Bond University
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-2023
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-05-2022
DOI: 10.1111/BCPT.13613
Abstract: The primary goals of medical expulsive therapy are to increase the rate of stone expulsion along the ureter to avoid ureteral obstruction and reduce ureteral colic and thus avoid the need for surgical and more invasive interventions. This review focussed on the findings from in vivo and in vitro animal and human studies that have investigated the pharmacological mechanisms controlling ureteral motility and their translation to current and potentially new clinically used drugs for increasing the rate of stone expulsion along the ureter. The complicated contractility profile of the ureter, which alters with age, tissue segment region, orientation and species contributes to the difficulty of interpreting studies on ureteral pharmacology, which translates to the complexity of discovering ideal drug targets for medical expulsive therapy. Nevertheless, the current drug classes clinically used for patients with stone lodgement include α
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-04-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S00210-022-02244-0
Abstract: The β 3 -agonist mirabegron is thought to induce relaxation of the detrusor muscle, contributing to the improvement of overactive bladder symptoms. There has been recent interest in purposing mirabegron as a medical expulsive therapy drug to improve the passage of smaller kidney stones by relaxing the ureteral smooth muscles. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of mirabegron on the activity of the ureter. Additionally, we investigated the receptor and mechanisms through which mirabegron exerts these effects. In vitro agonist-induced responses of isolated porcine distal ureteral tissues were measured in the absence and presence of mirabegron in organ bath experiments. The responses were expressed as frequency, area under the curve and maximum litude. Mirabegron at concentrations of 100 nM and lower failed to suppress phenylephrine- or 5-HT-induced contractions in the porcine ureteral strip. Mirabegron at 1 μM and 10 μM produced a rightward shift of phenylephrine concentration–response curves in these tissues. This effect of mirabegron (10 μM) was not present in 5-HT concentration–response curves. The mirabegron effect on phenylephrine-induced contractions was also not abolished by β-adrenoceptor antagonist SR 59230A (10 μM), β-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol (10 μM), α 2 -adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine (30 nM), and nitric oxide synthase inhibitor l -NNA (10 μM). The present results show that mirabegron suppresses ureteral contractile responses in the porcine ureter via α 1 -adrenoceptor antagonism, since their effects were not present when the tissues were contracted with 5-HT. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects by mirabegron were not affected by β 3 -adrenoceptor antagonists.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-02-2023
DOI: 10.1111/BJET.13311
Abstract: While gamification and game‐based learning have both been demonstrated to have a host of educational benefits for university students, many university educators do not routinely use these approaches in their teaching. Therefore, this systematic review, conducted using the PRISMA guidelines, sought to identify the primary drivers and barriers to the use of gamification and game‐based learning by university educators. A search of multiple databases (Web of Science, Scopus and EBSCO (Business Source Complete ERIC Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts)) identified 1330 articles, with 1096 retained after duplicates were removed. Seventeen articles (11 quantitative, two mixed‐methods and four qualitative) were included in the systematic review. The primary drivers described by the educators that positively influenced their gamification and game‐based learning usage were their beliefs that it encourages student interactions and collaborative learning provides fun and improves engagement and can easily be used by students. Alternatively, the university educators' major barriers included a lack of time to develop gamification approaches, lack of proven benefits and classroom setting issues. Many of these and other less commonly reported drivers and barriers can be categorised as attitudinal, design‐related or administrative in nature. Such categorisations may assist university educators, teaching support staff and administrators in better understanding the primary factors influencing the utilisation of gamification and game‐based learning and develop more effective strategies to overcome these barriers to its successful implementation. Gamification and game‐based learning may have many benefits for university students. The majority of university educators do not routinely use gamification and game‐based learning in their teaching. University educators' major drivers that positively influence the use of gamification and game‐based learning include their perceptions that it encourages student interactions and collaborative learning, provides fun and improves engagement and can easily be used by students. University educators' major barriers that negatively influence the use of gamification and game‐based learning include their perceptions of a lack of time to develop gamification approaches, lack of proven benefits and classroom setting issues. These drivers and barriers may be classified as attitudinal, design‐related and administrative, with these categories providing a useful way for universities to develop strategies to better support educators who wish to use these approaches in their teaching. Attitudinal factors such as university educators' intention to use gamification and game‐based learning are influenced by a host of their perceptions including attitude, perceived usefulness and ease of use. A range of design‐related and administrative barriers may need to be overcome to increase the use of gamification and game‐based learning in the university sector.
Publisher: IGI Global
Date: 14-08-2023
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-8656-6.CH007
Abstract: This chapter investigates the potential of educational escape rooms in higher education exploring the theoretical frameworks surrounding their design, outcomes, and future directions. The primary purpose is to provide educators with an understanding of how these immersive experiences can enhance learning and engagement. The chapter delves into relevant theoretical frameworks, including constructivism, experiential learning, game-based learning, and social learning which underpin the effectiveness of educational escape rooms. The chapter also offers practical recommendations and discusses emerging opportunities for incorporating escape rooms into various educational contexts. By examining the multifaceted aspects of educational escape rooms, this chapter aims to support educators in leveraging these innovative tools to create engaging learning experiences and foster positive student outcomes.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.MAD.2018.03.004
Abstract: This study investigated the role of calcium sensitisation in the regulation of ureteral contractility with ageing. Isolated ureteral strips from young (6-month old) and older (3-year old) pigs were mounted in Krebs bicarbonate solution and contractility induced by the α1-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (30 and 300 μM) and 5-HT (10 and 100 μM), recorded in the absence and presence of the rho-kinase inhibitors Y-27632 (10 μM) and fasudil (30 μM). Ureteral strips developed bursts of contractile activity which was measured as area under the curve (AUC) and frequency. Maximum contraction to phenylephrine was significantly enhanced in tissues from older animals compared to younger animals (p < 0.001) while maximum contraction to 5-HT was greater in tissues from younger animals (p < 0.001). Both inhibitors significantly depressed AUC and frequency responses to both agonists in ureters from both age groups (p < 0.05). Inhibition by Y-27632 of phenylephrine (300 μM)- and 5-HT(100 μM)-induced contractions was greater in tissues from older animals than young (p < 0.05). Rho-kinase activity was also assayed in ureteral tissues, and basal activity was similar in ureters from both age groups. Neither phenylephrine nor 5-HT increased rho-kinase activity over basal levels. These data demonstrate the significant role rho-kinase plays in ureteral contractility and possible alterations with age.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-10-2021
DOI: 10.1002/NAU.24548
Abstract: To explore contractile actions of angiotensin II (ATII) on the muscularis mucosae (MM) of the bladder, ATII‐induced contractions were compared between MM and the detrusor smooth muscle (DSM) of the pig bladder by isometric tension recordings. Effects of ATII on spontaneous Ca 2+ transients in MM were visualized using Cal‐520 fluorescence. ATII receptor type 1 (ATR1) expression in MM and DSM was also examined by immunohistochemistry. ATII (1 nM–1 μM) caused phasic contractions of MM in a concentration‐dependent manner, while ATII (10 nM–10 μM) had no or marginal effects on DSM contractility. ATII (100 nM)‐induced MM contractions had an litude of approximately 70% of carbachol (1 μM)‐induced or 90% of U46619 (100 nM)‐induced contractions. Candesartan (10 nM), an ATR1 blocker, prevented the contractile effects of ATII (1 nM) in MM, while ATR1 immunofluorescence was greater in MM than DSM. ATII (10–100 pM) increased the frequency but not the litude of spontaneous Ca 2+ transients in MM. Both urothelium‐intact and ‐denuded MM strips developed comparable spontaneous phasic contractions, but ATII, carbachol and U46619‐induced contractions were significantly larger in urothelium‐denuded than urothelium‐intact MM strips. In conclusion, the MM appears to have a much greater sensitivity to ATII compared with DSM that could well sense circulating ATII, suggesting that MM may be the predominant target of contractile actions induced by ATII in the bladder while the urothelium appears to inhibit MM contractility.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
Publisher: IGI Global
Date: 24-02-2023
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-6500-4.CH009
Abstract: Gamification is an active-learning approach commonly used in education to promote learner engagement. This chapter provides an overview of how gamified approaches can be applied to enable university students comprising of Generation Z and Y learners, to access authentic learning resources to self-regulate their learning in preparation for assessment. Methods and flexible strategies that can be incorporated into undergraduate and postgraduate education programs worldwide are provided. Three case studies illustrate the use of technology-enhanced weekly quizzes to optimise student engagement, knowledge retention, and academic performance. Key educational theories and practices that underpinned the case studies include social constructivism, disuse theory, and complexity theory alongside the use of scaffolding, chunking, flipped classroom, deliberate practice, and periodic revisitation. The chapter concludes with 12 pearls of wisdom to optimize leaner engagement using a gamified approach to enhance the students' ability to self-regulate their learning and achieve their learning goals.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.VASCN.2019.106661
Abstract: We aimed to investigate factors contributing to ureteral responses and establish a reliable porcine model for studying ureteral contractility. Isolated ureteral strips from young (6-month old) and older (3-year old) pigs were mounted in organ baths and subjected to phenylephrine, 5-HT, carbachol and histamine. Ureteral strips developed bursts of contractile activity which was measured as area under the curve (AUC) and frequency. Phenylephrine and 5-HT-induced responses of proximal and distal ureters were obtained, in the presence and absence of indomethacin (10 μM) and L-NNA (100 μM), and the influence of an intact mucosa was examined. Phenylephrine and 5-HT-induced contractile responses were greater than those to carbachol in the porcine ureter. In fact, responses to carbachol were only present in ureters from older animals. Ureters suspended longitudinally had increased phenylephrine-induced contractions compared to those suspended circularly (p < .05). A greater amount of tissue strips developed spontaneous contractions from the proximal region compared to distal (83% vs 25%). There was an increase in maximum phenylephrine-induced responses in the distal ureter when compared to the proximal ureter (p < .05). In the presence of indomethacin, only 5-HT-induced contractions in the young animals were depressed (p < .05) while L-NNA did not affect any ureteral responses. The intact mucosa significantly decreased contractile responses to phenylephrine and 5-HT in the porcine ureter. The complexity of ureteral contractions depicting bursts of phasic activity requires AUC assessment. Porcine ureteral contractile properties, such as regional differences, influence of mucosa and lack of response to carbachol, are similar to those reported in the literature for human ureter.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.EJPHAR.2017.11.001
Abstract: Isolated ureteral strips develop spontaneous phasic contractile activity which is enhanced by 5-hydroytryptamine (5-HT). The aim of this study was to identify the receptor subtype mediating these responses and to determine whether responses to 5-HT change with age. The frequency of contractions and the overall contractile activity (measured as the area under the curve, AUC) were recorded in strips of porcine distal ureter isolated from young (3 months) and old (2 years) pigs. Responses to 5-HT were examined in the absence and presence of selective 5-HT receptor subtype antagonists. Tissues from the younger animals elicited larger contractile responses to 5-HT (5885 ± 335g
No related grants have been discovered for Iris Lim.