Purpose - To assess an innovative tutoring program named 'Student-Led Objective Tutorial' (SLOT) among undergraduate medical students. Method - The program was conceptualized by the Pharmacology Unit of Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Asian Institute of Medicine Science & Technology (AIMST), Malaysia and implemented in the middle of 2005. A cohort of 246 medical undergraduate students (spread across 5 consecutive batches) participated. Following a brief explanation on the purpose and nature of SLOT, each batch was divided into small groups and was given a reading assignment on 4 previously delivered lecture topics. Each group was asked to prepare 3-5 multiple choice questions (MCQs) of their own in PowerPoint format to be presented, in turns, to the whole class on the day of SLOT. The proceedings were facilitated by 2 lecturers. Student feedback on the efficacy and benefits were assessed through an anonymous self administered questionnaire. Results - About 76% (188) of the students favored SLOT. The acceptance rate of SLOT was higher among males. There was no significant difference between batches in their opinions on whether to pursue SLOT in future. The most prevalent positive comment was that SLOT enhanced learning skills, and the negative comment being, it consumed more time. Conclusions - SLOT is a novel tutorial method which can offset faculty shortage with advantages like enhanced interest among teachers and learners, uniform reach of content, opportunities for group learning, and involvement of visual aids as teaching-learning (T-L) method. SLOT unraveled the students' potential of peer tutoring both inside as well as outside the classroom. Consumer tutors (students) can be tapped as a resource for SLOT for all subjects and courses in healthcare teaching.
A series of 22 stilbene derivatives based on resveratrol were synthesized incorporating acetoxy-, benzyloxy-, carboxy-, chloro-, hydroxy- and methoxy functional groups. We examined the cytotoxicity of these 22 stilbenes in human K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cells. Only four compounds were cytotoxic namely 4'-hydroxy-3-methoxystilbene (15), 3'-acetoxy-4-chlorostilbene (19), 4'-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxystilbene or pterostilbene (3) and 3,5-dibenzyloxy-4'-hydroxystilbene (28) with IC(50)s of 78 µM, 38 µM, 67 µM and 19.5 µM respectively. Further apoptosis assessment on the most potent compound, 28, confirmed that the cells underwent apoptosis based on phosphatidylserine externalization and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Importantly, we observed a concentration-dependent activation of caspase-9 as early as 2 hr with resultant caspase-3 cleavage in 28-induced apoptosis. Additionally, a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study proposed a possible mechanism of action for compound 28. Taken together, our data suggests that the pro-apoptotic effects of 28 involve the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway characterized by an early activation of caspase-9.