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Objective Examinations (objective + examination)
Selected AbstractsFungivore host-use groups from cluster analysis: patterns of utilisation of fungal fruiting bodies by ciid beetlesECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 6 2005Glenda M. Orledge Abstract., 1.,Ciid beetles typically live and breed in the fruiting bodies of lignicolous basidiomycete fungi. This study was undertaken to address the lack of an objective examination of patterns of host use by ciids. 2.,Cluster analysis of ciid host-use datasets from Britain, Germany, North America, and Japan, and subsequent cross-dataset comparisons, demonstrated the existence of ciid host-use patterns of wide geographical occurrence. These patterns were formalised as ciid host-use groups. 3.,Six Holarctic ciid host-use groups, and two host-use subgroups, were identified, and are described. Each host-use group comprises an assemblage of fungal genera and the breeding ciids that it supports. Each taxon belongs to only a single host-use group, but may be associated with several members of that group. There is a strong tendency for closely related taxa to belong to the same host-use group. 4.,It is suggested that ciid host-use groups are defined ultimately by host chemistry, with the ciids that belong to a particular group recognising, and responding positively to, emitted volatiles characterising the fungi belonging to that group. 5.,The idea of the host-use group bears comparison with the concepts of niche and guild, but is not equivalent to either. 6.,Ciid host-use groups have a valuable role to play in underpinning future studies of ciid ecology, also the systematics of both ciids and their fungal hosts. [source] Laparoscopic nephropexy: Treatment outcome and quality of lifeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 1 2004YOSHIYUKI MATSUI Abstract Background:, The recent introduction of laparoscopic procedures has markedly altered urological surgery. Laparoscopic nephropexy has attracted the attention of urologists as a treatment for nephroptosis. Herein, we describe our experiences and quality-of-life outcome of laparoscopic nephropexy and discuss its indications and surgical techniques. Methods:, From May 1998 to February 2002, six female patients, ranging in age from 20 to 64 years (median age 39.8 years), with symptomatic nephroptosis underwent laparoscopic nephropexy. Mean preoperative downward kidney displacement was 2.25 vertebral bodies (range 2,2.5) and all affected kidneys were tilted at orthostasis. One patient underwent nephropexy through the transperitoneal approach and the remaining patients underwent nephropexy through the retroperitoneal approach. To evaluate surgical results, postoperative follow-up interview (pain visual analog scale and the short-form 36 (SF-36) health survey questionnaire) and objective examinations were performed. Results:, All procedures were accomplished without complication. Postoperative intravenous pyelography correctly confirmed fixed kidney in both supine and erect positions. All patients reported an improvement of symptoms approximately 1 month after nephropexy and no symptoms have recurred during the follow-up period (range 6.3,50.7 months). On the SF-36, two domains, including role limitations due to emotional problems (RE) and mental health (MH), exhibited significant improvement postoperatively (P = 0.0405 and P = 0.0351, respectively). Conclusions:, Laparoscopic, in particular retroperitoneoscopic, nephropexy yields excellent outcomes and greatly improves general health-related quality of life, particularly mental status, as a minimally invasive treatment for symptomatic nephroptosis. [source] Empathy in medical students as related to academic performance, clinical competence and genderMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 6 2002M Hojat Context, Empathy is a major component of a satisfactory doctor,patient relationship and the cultivation of empathy is a learning objective proposed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) for all American medical schools. Therefore, it is important to address the measurement of empathy, its development and its correlates in medical schools. Objectives, We designed this study to test two hypotheses: firstly, that medical students with higher empathy scores would obtain higher ratings of clinical competence in core clinical clerkships; and secondly, that women would obtain higher empathy scores than men. Materials and subjects, A 20-item empathy scale developed by the authors (Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy) was completed by 371 third-year medical students (198 men, 173 women). Methods, Associations between empathy scores and ratings of clinical competence in six core clerkships, gender, and performance on objective examinations were studied by using t -test, analysis of variance, chi-square and correlation coefficients. Results, Both research hypotheses were confirmed. Empathy scores were associated with ratings of clinical competence and gender, but not with performance in objective examinations such as the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), and Steps 1 and 2 of the US Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE). Conclusions, Empathy scores are associated with ratings of clinical competence and gender. The operational measure of empathy used in this study provides opportunities to further examine educational and clinical correlates of empathy, as well as stability and changes in empathy at different stages of undergraduate and graduate medical education. [source] A comparison of learning outcomes and attitudes in student- versus faculty-led problem-based learning: an experimental studyMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2000David J Steele Objectives To compare learning outcomes and perceptions of facilitator behaviours and small-group process in problem-based learning (PBL) groups led by students and those led by faculty. Design A prospective, Latin-square cross-over design was employed. Second-year medical students participated in 11 PBL cases over the course of the academic year. For each case, half the student groups were led by faculty and the other half by a student group member selected randomly to serve in the facilitator role. Learning outcomes were assessed by performance on objective examinations covering factual materials pertinent to the case. Perceptions of facilitator behaviours and of group functioning were assessed with a questionnaire completed at the end of each individual case. Focus-group discussions were held to gain more in-depth information about student perceptions and experience. Student-led sessions were observed at random by the investigators. Setting A state-supported, US medical school with a hybrid lecture-based and problem-based curriculum. Subjects One hundred and twenty-seven second-year medical students and 30 basic science and clinical faculty. Results No differences were detected in student performance on the objective evaluation based on whether the facilitator was a faculty member or peer group member, nor were there any differences in the perceptions of group process. Students gave peer facilitators slightly higher ratings in the second semester of the experiment. In the focus-group discussions, students voiced a general preference for student-led groups because they felt they were more efficient. Observation and focus-group reports suggest that groups led by students sometimes took short cuts in the PBL process. Conclusion In a hybrid lecture- and PBL-based curriculum, student performance on objective examinations covering PBL materials is unaffected by the status of the facilitator (student vs. faculty). However, in peer-facilitated groups, students sometimes took short cuts in the PBL process that may undermine some of the intended goals of PBL. [source] | ||||||||||