1| Page PROGRAMME HANDBOOK FOR BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES BSc DEGREE PROGRAMME Academic Year 2019/20 ___________________________________________ Page 1 Welcome & overview 2 2 Key names & contacts 4 3 Programme aims 4 4 What will you be expected to achieve? 5 5 How will you learn? 6 6 What is “independent study” 6 7 How will you be assessed? 7 8 Academic integrity 9 9 How is the programme structured? 9 10 How do we listen and act on your feedback? 12 11 Academic support 12 12 Specific support for disabled students 13 13 Advice & counselling service 13 14 Change of programme 14 15 Opportunities for postgraduate study in SBCS & SMD 15 16 What happens after graduation? 15
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PROGRAMMEHANDBOOKFOR
BIOMEDICALSCIENCESBScDEGREEPROGRAMME
AcademicYear2019/20
___________________________________________
Page
1 Welcome&overview 2
2 Keynames&contacts 4
3 Programmeaims 4
4 Whatwillyoubeexpectedtoachieve? 5
5 Howwillyoulearn? 6
6 Whatis“independentstudy” 6
7 Howwillyoubeassessed? 7
8 Academicintegrity 9
9 Howistheprogrammestructured? 9
10 Howdowelistenandactonyourfeedback? 12
11 Academicsupport 12
12 Specificsupportfordisabledstudents 13
13 Advice&counsellingservice 13
14 Changeofprogramme 14
15 OpportunitiesforpostgraduatestudyinSBCS&SMD 15
16 Whathappensaftergraduation? 15
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(1)WELCOME&OVERVIEW
Welcome to the School of Biological&Chemical Sciences (SBCS), toBart’s& The LondonSchool of Medicine & Dentistry (SMD), and specifically to the Biomedical Sciences BScdegreeprogramme.
BiomedicalScienceisconcernedwithunderstandingthecauses,diagnosisandtreatmentofdisease. Students study human anatomy, pathology, physiology, biochemistry, molecularbiology,geneticsandpharmacology,withspecialistcoursesontopicssuchasendocrinology,infectiousdiseases,haematology, immunologyandcancerbiology. Thecurriculumofourdegree programmehere atQueenMary is delivered by SBCSwith substantial input fromcolleaguesfromtheSMDinstitutes.Weworktogethertoensureyouaretaughtbyexpertsinbiomedicalscienceswhowanttosharetheirpassionfortheirsubjectwithyou.
StudentsgraduatingfromourBiomedicalSciencesprogrammefollowdiversecareerpaths.Some students enter medicine, dentistry or health-related professions; others enter thescientific community by working in a research lab or continuing their studies atpostgraduate level; somestudentspursueprofessionalcareersoutsideof science, suchasfinance or teaching; other students go into business, including biotechnology andpharmaceuticalcompanies;andsomestudentswalkacompletedifferentpaththroughlife!Theknowledgeandskillsyouwillgainduringyourdegreehavethepotentialtoopenmanydoors.
Ihopeyoufindthisprogrammehandbookusefulandthat,overthenext3years,youfindyourundergraduatedegreetobeasenjoyableasitiseducational.Ihopethatyouwillmakethemost of the opportunities for personal and professional development offered by thewide range of compulsory and elective modules that build on the breadth of expertiseofferedbyacademiccolleaguesindepartmentswithinSBCSandresearchinstitutesinBart’s&theLondonSchoolofMedicine&Dentistry.Allofthestaffinvolvedinyourdegreewishyougood luckwithyourstudiesand look forwardtosupportingyourpersonalandcareeraspirations over the course of your degree and, beyond that, when you graduate andbecomeanalumnusofQMUL.
In closing, can I reiteratemywelcome toQMUL, to SBCS, to SMD, and specifically to theBiomedicalScienceBScdegreeprogramme.
• Provide a rational, flexibly structured and coherent programme of study which isrelevant to theneedsof employers, facilitates yourprofessional development andlays the foundations for a successful career which will benefit the economy andsociety;
• Provideasoundknowledgebaseinthefieldsstudiedanddevelopkeytransferableskills in the areas of communication, numeracy, information technology, workingwithothers,problemsolving,timeandtaskmanagement;and
• Foster the development of an enquiring, open-minded and creative attitude,temperedwithscientificdisciplineandsocialawareness,whichencourages lifelonglearning.
The programmewill address knowledge and skills requirements for diverse pursuits aftergraduation:
• Academicandclinicalresearch.• Employmentinbiotechnology,pharmaceutical,andmicrobiologybasedindustries.• ProgressionintopostgraduatestudyateitherMastersleveloraPhD.• Entryintoteachingprofessionsinprimaryandsecondaryeducation.• Employment in a range of professional environments, including accountancy,
OnsuccessfulcompletionofyourBScprogramme,youwillbeableto:1. Communicateeffectivelybywrittenand/orverbalmeans.2. Capacityforindependentlearning,andtoworkindependently.3. Participate constructively as amember of a group/team,with skills to influence,
negotiateandlead.4. Evaluate the relevance, importance and reliability of the ideas of others and of
differentsourcesofinformation.5. Competence in the use of computer-based technology, and in themanipulation
andanalysisofquantitativedata.6. Awareness of the role and impact of science in society, including the global
(See also Section 6 “What is independent Study” and Section 8, “How is the programmestructured?”)
Youwill acquire knowledge anddevelop your understandingmainly through lectures anddirectedindependentstudy.Workshopswillreinforceknowledgeacquiredinlecturesandprovide opportunities for application of your knowledge to solving problems. Yourunderstanding will be reinforced through a combination of tutorial workshops, problemclasses, laboratory classes and e-learning (depending upon the modules you study),including regular feedback on submitted work. Additional learning support is providedthroughQueenMary'sonlinelearningenvironment(calledQMplus)andourITfacilities.
Eachpracticalclassislikelytoberepeatedtwoormoretimesinthesameweek.Youwillbeallocated (randomly) to a specific practical group to attend the practical class on a givendate/time.Ifyouareunabletoattendontheassigneddate/time(e.g.ifyouareallocatedtoaWednesdayafternoon,buthavesportscommitments,orifyouareallocatedtoaFridayafternoonbutneedtoattendjumahortogethomebeforeshabbat),youarerequiredto(a)negotiate a swap with a fellow student from a different group and then (b) email theModuleOrganiserwithdetailsofthatswap(confirmingwhoyouwillbeswappingwith).Ifyou are unable to negotiate a swap for an assessed practical class, you may be able tosubmitaclaimforextenuatingcircumstancesprovidedthereasonfornon-attendanceis(i)unforeseeableand(ii)beyondyourcontrol,andyoucanprovidedocumentaryevidencetosupportyourapplication.
QueenMary'sgraduateattributesaredevelopedinaprogressivefashion,butmostnotablyin tutorial-based components ofmodules such as BMD100 (Essential Skills for BiomedicalScientists). The project module provides further opportunities for the development oftransferableskillsandconsolidationofknowledge,understandingandskillsacquiredduringyourdegree.
Independent study is not the same as the homework youwould have completed duringSecondary/FurtherEducation,wherestaffgavespecificexerciseswhichwereoftenmarkedbetweenclasses.Whilestudyingforadegree,independentstudywillincludestaff-directed
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exercises or self-directed independent study. There are various forms of independentstudy,suchas:
• elaboration and extension, for example reading around the topic after the lectureusing textbooks and/or scientific papers suggested by staff or based on your owncuriosity,and
• application, i.e. reinforcing your understanding of a topic by utilising principlesintroducedinalecture/tutorial/practicalclasstoanewscenario.
Tosucceed inyourundergraduatedegreeatuniversity,youneedtochoosetocommit toyourdegree.Thiscommitmentincludesattendingalltimetabledsessionsandmakingtimeto complete the independent study. Together, your taughtprogrammeand independentstudywill enable you to develop the knowledge and depth of understanding required tograduatewithfirstoruppersecondclasshonours.
(7)HOWWILLYOUBEASSESSED?
For each module that comprises your degree, your knowledge and understanding willgenerally be tested through a combination of assessed coursework and unseen writtenexaminations.Forthemajorityofyoumodules,thecoursework:examweightingwillbeasfollows:
Forsomemodules,ahigherproportionofmarkswillbederivedfromcourseworkandafewmodules are entirely assessed by coursework with no written exam (e.g. the “EssentialSkills”moduleinfirstyearandfinalyearresearchprojects).PleasecheckthemoduledetailsonQMPlustoconfirmtheexactcoursework:examweightingforeachmodule.
Theexactnatureofthecourseworkvariesfrommoduletomoduleandmayincludeworkinthe form of laboratory experiment write-ups, essays and/or problem sheets. Thecourseworkmarkmayalsoincludeacontributionfromcomputer-basedassessmentsandin-course tests. Some modules in our programme include oral examinations, oralpresentationsandextendedreports/dissertations.
Transferable skills are developed in a contextual manner throughout the teaching andlearning programme, and are indirectly assessed as part of the normal assessmentprocesses for the programme. For example, the assessment of the projects includesconsiderationofdata-retrievalskills,report-writingskillsandpresentationalskills.
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Practical skills are assessed through in-class observation and through written laboratoryreports,whichoftenincludeattentiontoquantitativeaccuracy.Theassessmentofthefinalyearpractical researchprojectalsoaddresses themajorityof theprofessionaldisciplinaryskillsthatstudentsofthisprogrammeareexpectedtoacquire.
Commencing inthe2019-20academicyear,QMULwillhavetwomainexamperiods. Thefirstperiod,lastingtwoweeks,willtakeplaceinJanuaryandwillassessmodulescompletedinSemesterA.Thesecondexamperiod,predominantlyinMay,willlastfourweeksandwillinclude exams formodules completed in Semester B and year-longmodules. The examtimetablewillbereleasedtostudentsinapproximatelyweek10ofeachsemester.Answersto frequently asked questions about semester-based exams are available on the QMULwebsite:http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/exams/semester-based-exams/
IntheBiomedicalSciencesprogramme,thethresholdforpassingamoduleisafinalmodulemarkover40%,derivedfromtheexamand/orcourseworkinthespecifiedratio.Ifyoufailamodule,youhaveoneresitopportunity.Theresitisusuallyanexamwhichsupersedesallprevious assessment, including coursework assessments (i.e. only the resit exammark iscounted). Additionally, the resit mark is capped at 40% which means that if you scorehigherthan40%intheresitexamthenyourmarkwillberecordedas40%only.ResitexamstakeplaceintheLateSummerExamperiod,whichisusuallythefirsttwoweeksinAugust.
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(8)ACADEMICINTEGRITY
Academic honesty is a very important consideration in this course and in your universitycareer. We take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of academic dishonesty andmisconduct, including but not limited to plagiarism, collusion, cheating (i.e., providing orreceivingunauthorizedassistanceonassignmentsorexams),and impersonation. It isyourresponsibility to be aware of the rules and policies associatedwith academic dishonesty.TheUniversity’sAcademicMisconductPolicyandRegulations forAssessmentOffencecanbefoundontheQMULwebsite.
At QMUL, any instance of academic dishonesty or negligence must be reportedconfidentially to thedepartment’s PlagiarismOfficer,who followsproceduresoutlinedbytheuniversity.
(9)HOWISTHEPROGRAMMESTRUCTURED?
Ineachacademicyearyoumuststudy120credits,suchthatyoustudyatotalof360creditsoveryour3yearBSc.Mostmodulesareworth15creditsexceptforthefinalyearprojectmodulewhich isworth 30 credits. Allmodules in the first year are compulsory; electivemodulesoccurinthesecondandthirdyearofyourprogramme.
Whereelectivemodulesareavailable,youarestronglyrecommendedtoselectatotalof60creditstostudyinSemesterAandatotalof60creditsinSemesterB.Ifyouwishtostudymore credits in either semester, you should discuss thiswith your Academic Advisor andthenwiththeProgrammeDirector,DrJayneDennis,beforemakingyourpre-selection.Youmaynotenrolformorethan75creditsinanygivensemester.
To assist your choice of elective(s) most appropriate to your interests and careeraspirations, we enable you to research the elective modules available to you prior tomodule pre-selection (which happens in March/April). We will provide you withinformationoutliningmodulecontentand, inSemesterB,wewillalsoorganisea“ModuleFair”atwhichyoucanmeetwithModuleOrganisersandstudentswhohavestudiedeachmoduletoaskanyquestionsyoumayhaveforthefollowingacademicyear.
Pleasenotethatinsomerarecases,electivemoduleshaveacaponthemaximumnumberofstudentsthatthemodulecanaccommodate. Forthesemodules,acceptanceontothemodulemay be contingent on your academic performance prior to the point ofmoduleselection(typicallyyourYear1academicperformance).
Likewise,dependentonstaffavailabilityandappropriatequalityassurance,wemaybeableto add newmodules to subsequent years of your degree programme and improve evenfurtheryourchoiceofelectivemodules.
In the following programme outline, compulsory modules are denoted in standard textwhereaselectivemodulesaredenotedinitalicisedtext.
Furthermore, in Year 2 you are required to study BMD201 (Biomedical Science CaseApproachtoProblemSolving),butallcreditforthismoduleisawardedinYear3underthemodulecodeBMD301).
Inaddition,youmustselectoneofthetwo30-creditmodules:eitherBMD600(BiomedicalScienceResearchProject)orBIO603 (ProjectSkills in theLifeSciences). Inorder tostudyBMD600youwillneedtoperformwellinYear1ofyourdegree,typicallyscoringinexcessof65%(ifnot70%)ineachofyourYear1modules.IfyoudonotpassthisthresholdthenyouwillhavetostudyBIO603;ifyoudopassthisthresholdthenyoumaychoosebetweenthetwoprojectmodules.
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In Year 3 you have a choice of four electivemodules (a total of 60 credits) from the 11offered.
(10)HOWDOWELISTENANDACTONYOURFEEDBACK?
YouarestronglyencouragedtoprovideinformalfeedbacktoModuleOrganisersand/ortotheProgrammeDirectorwhereyoucanseeawaythatyourteachingcouldbesignificantlyimprovedoryouhavecauseforcomplaint.IfyoufeeluncomfortableapproachingaModuleOrganiser and/or Programme Director, you can also make any suggestions/raise anyconcernsbyemailto:sbcs-studentvoice@qmul.ac.uk.Thisemailaddressismonitoreddailybyseveralcolleaguessoyoucanreasonablyexpectaresponsewithin3workingdays.
TheStudent-StaffLiaisonCommittee(SSLC),ChairedbytheDirectorforStudentExperience,DrCarolineBrennan,providesa formalmeansof communicationanddiscussionbetweentheSchoolanditsstudents.Thecommitteeconsistsofelectedstudentrepresentativesfromeach year of our degree programmes, together with staff representation from SBCS andSMD. SSLC isdesignedtorespondtotheneedsofstudents,aswellasactasa forumfordiscussingprogrammeandmoduledevelopments.TheSSLCmeetsregularlythroughouttheyear.
TheSBCSTeaching&LearningCommittee(TLC)advisestheDirectorofTaughtProgrammes(DTP),DrBray,onallmattersrelatingtothedeliveryoftaughtprogrammesatschoollevel.ThisincludesmonitoringtheapplicationofrelevantQMpoliciesandreviewingproposalsformoduleandprogrammeamendmentbeforesubmissiontoTaughtProgrammesBoard(TPB).The SMD Science & Undergraduate Teaching & Learning (SUTL) Committee performs anequivalent role to TLC, advising the Head of Undergraduate Science Education for SMD,ProfessorHall,whoworksverycloselywithDrBrayandwith theProgrammeDirector,DrDennis, to ensure that all student concerns are identified, shared, and acted upon, asappropriate. Student views are incorporated into the work of both TLC and SUTL in anumberofways,suchasthroughconsiderationofstudentsurveysandinputfromtheSSLC.
All schools/institutes operate an Annual Programme Review (APR) of their taughtundergraduate andpostgraduateprovision.APR is a continuousprocess of reflection andaction planning which is owned by those responsible for programme delivery; the maindocumentofreferenceforthisprocessistheTaughtProgrammesActionPlan(TPAP)whichis the summary of the school/institute's work throughout the year to monitor academicstandards and to improve the student experience. Students’ views are considered in thisprocessthroughanalysisoftheNationalStudentSurvey(NSS),QueenMaryStudentSurvey(QMSS)andmoduleevaluations.
(11)ACADEMICSUPPORT
Youwillbeprovidedwithapersonaltutor,referredtoasanAcademicAdvisor,whowillbeyour main point of contact throughout your whole programme for advice on general
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academic matters and assistance with pastoral concerns, i.e. personal issues which mayimpact on your ability to study. When you need to meet with your Advisor, you canscheduleanappointmentviaemail. (Notethatweno longeroperateadrop-insystemof“officehours”sincealladviseesmayhaveverydifferentpatternsofavailabilitydependentontheirchoiceofelectivemodules.)
If your Advisor is unavailable or cannot help with a specific problem, other sources ofsupport are Programme Tutors and the Student Support Officer. Programme tutors areexperiencedAcademicAdvisors; theStudentSupportOfficer isnotamemberof teachingstaffandcanofferadviceorpointyoutowardsapersonorservicethatcanhelpyou.TheSSOisalsothepersonyouneedtospeaktoregardinganyextenuatingcircumstancesyoumayhaveforyourassessments.
SBCS students also operate a Peer Assisted Study Support (PASS) programme for peerguidance.PASSisasubject-basedmentoringscheme,runforfirst-yearstudentsbyhigher-yearundergraduates.
Learning Development offers students practical guidance in developing insights andpracticesthatwillcontributetotheirsuccesswhilstatQueenMary.LearningDevelopmentworks with students on an individual basis and in groups. They can help you withinterpretingfeedbackonyourassignments,generalstudyadvice,developingwrittenskills,referencingsourcesinessaysandmuchmore.Theyalsohavearangeofresourcesavailableontheirwebsite.
(12)SPECIFICSUPPORTFORDISABLEDSTUDENTS
QueenMaryhas a centralDisability andDyslexia Service (DDS) thatoffers support for allstudentswith disabilities, specific learning differences andmental health issues. TheDDSsupports all QueenMary students: full-time, part-time, undergraduate, postgraduate, UKandinternationalatallcampusesandallsites.
Studentscanaccessadvice,guidanceandsupportinthefollowingareas:• Findingoutifyouhaveaspecificlearningdifferencelikedyslexia,• ApplyingforfundingthroughtheDisabledStudents'Allowance(DSA),• ArrangingDSAassessmentsofneed,• Specialarrangementsinexaminations,• Accessingloanedequipment(e.g.digitalrecorders),• Specialistone-to-one"studyskills"tuition,• Providingeducationalsupportworkers(e.g.note-takers,readers,libraryassistants)• Ensuringaccesstocoursematerialsinalternativeformats(e.g.Braille),and• Mentoring support for students with mental health issues and conditions on the
autisticspectrum.
(13)ADVICEANDCOUNSELLINGSERVICE
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QueenMaryhasanAdviceandCounsellingService(ACS),basedinGeographySquare,thatoffers free support forall studentsatall stagesof theirdegree studies. The full rangeofservicesofferedbytheACSisdetailedontheirwebsite(www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk).Onthiswebsite, you will find a series of self-help and guidance booklets covering such diverseissuesasadaptingtolifeasastudentatuniversitythroughmakingaclaimforextenuatingcircumstancestorequestinganinterruptionofstudiesorwithdrawing.
Should you wish to be considered for a Change of Programme (CoP), either withinSMD/SBCSoroutoftheSchools,youwillneedtocompleteaCoPform,availablefromtheSBCSreception.
BeforesigningandsubmittingyourformyoushouldmeetwithyourAcademicAdvisororaProgrammeTutortodiscusstheprosandconsofswitchingprogrammes.Pleasenotethatthere are deadlines during the academic year by which a CoP should be submitted,depending on the implications for entry to examinations and studying the necessarymodules in each semester: your academic advisor and/or the Student SupportOffice canadviseyouonthesedeadlines.
OncecompletedyoushouldreturnthecompletedandsignedformtotheSBCSreceptiontobeconsideredand,ifpossible,approvedbyDrBrayastheSBCSDTP.Assoonasadecisionhasbeenreached,youwillbeemailedandadvisedoftheoutcomeofyourapplicationbythe SBCS SSO. Approval will be contingent on (a) there being places available on theprogrammeontowhichyouwouldliketotransfer,and(b)meetingtheadmissionscriteriaforthenewprogramme.
Under QMUL’s International Exchange Programme, students on most BSc and MSciprogrammeshavetheopportunityto‘studyabroad’atoneofQMUL’spartneruniversitiesforafullyearbetweenYears2and3oftheirBScdegree.Ifyouwishtotakeadvantageofthis opportunity, you would have to request a CoP onto Biomedical Science with a YearAbroad. Whiletheyearoverseaswouldnotcounttowardsyourdegreeclassification,anyYear Abroad should include relevant modules and you would need to meet the passstandardsoftheoverseasuniversityinordertograduatewiththetitle“BiomedicalSciencewithaYearAbroad”.Asyouwillappreciate,positionsonsuchinternationalexchangesaresubject to a successful application,which includesmeeting specificmark criteria, and areawarded on a competitive basis. (If you wish to apply to transfer on to a Year Abroadprogramme,inthefirstinstance,youshoulddiscusstheprosandconswithyourAcademicAdvisor or Programme Tutor, as appropriate.) SBCS offers several degrees “with a YearAbroad” becausewe appreciate the opportunities that this can provide for personal andprofessional growth, and for the acquisition of transferable skills thatwill enrich your CVandbolsteryourprospectsforagraduatecareer.
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(15)OPPORTUNITIESFORPOSTGRADUATESTUDYINSBCSANDSMD
OncompletionofyourBScdegree,youmightwishtoembarkonapostgraduateresearchdegree to become aDoctor of Philosophy (PhD). Increasingly, competitive applicants forPhDopportunities have not only a high-class honours degree (first or upper second classhonours),buttheywillalsohavecompletedapostgraduatetaughtMasterofScience(MSc)orMastersbyResearch(MRes)degree,commonlywithaMeritorDistinction.
Atthetimeofwriting,SBCSdoesnotofferanMScdegreeinBiomedicalScience,butdoesofferarangeofbiologicalMScdegreeswhichexploittheresearchexpertiseofstaffinSBCS,including anMSc in Bioinformatics. If you wish to knowmore about any of theseMScprogrammes, information can be found on the SBCSwebsite and/or you can contact theDirector for Teaching & Learning [Postgraduate], Dr Christoph Eizaguirre([email protected]).
Additionally, SMD offers a wide range of postgraduate courses, including Cancer &Therapeutics, Genomic Medicine, Global Health, Neuroscience & Translational Medicine,Oral Biology, and Regenerative medicine. Further information about all postgraduateprogrammescanbefoundontheQMULwebsite.(16)WHATHAPPENSAFTERGRADUATION?
ThisBiomedicalSciencesdegreewillallowgraduatestogoontofurtherstudy(forexample,medicine, dentistry, aMasters degree or a PhD) orwork in diverse professions using theskills and attributes outlined in Section 4. Previous students have gone into healthcare-relatedroles(e.g.nursingassistants),science-relatedcareers(e.g.workinginalaboratory),workinginpharmaceuticalandbiotechnologyindustries,accountancy,auditing(forexamplewithoneofthe“BigFour”PriceWaterhouseCoopers,KPMG,EYorDeloitte),finance,humanresourcesandbusiness.
AllstudentsareencouragedtovisittheQMULCareers&EnterpriseServiceintheQueens’Building and use the resources available on their website (www.careers.qmul.ac.uk). TheCareers Service run employer and alumni events on campus, offer one-to-one careersadvice, practice interviews, CVandapplication advice and resources tohelp youwith jobhunting.Graduatescanaccesstheserviceforuptotwoyearsaftergraduation.
within medical teams to support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients.Physician Associates work in General Practice or a hospital department using generalistclinical skillsbutalsowithopportunities to specialise. Further information isavailableontheQMULwebsite.
