Clinical audit project in undergraduate medical education curriculum: An assessment validation study

Objectives: To evaluate the merit of the Clinical Audit Project (CAP) in an assessment program for undergraduate medical education using a systematic assessment validation framework. Methods: A cross-sectional assessment validation study at one medical school in Western Australia, with retrospective qualitative analysis of the design, development, implementation and outcomes of the CAP, and quantitative analysis of assessment data from four cohorts of medical students (2011-2014). Results: The CAP is fit for purpose with clear external and internal alignment to expected medical graduate outcomes. Substantive validity in students’ and examiners’ response processes is ensured through relevant methodological and cognitive processes. Multiple validity features are built-in to the design, planning and implementation process of the CAP. There is evidence of high internal consistency reliability of CAP scores (Cronbach’s alpha \u3e 0.8) and inter-examiner consistency reliability (intra-class correlation\u3e0.7). Aggregation of CAP scores is psychometrically sound, with high internal consistency indicating one common underlying construct. Significant but moderate correlations between CAP scores and scores from other assessment modalities indicate validity of extrapolation and alignment between the CAP and the overall target outcomes of medical graduates. Standard setting, score equating and fair decision rules justify consequential validity of CAP scores interpretation and use. Conclusions: This study provides evidence demonstrating that the CAP is a meaningful and valid component in the assessment program. This systematic framework of validation can be adopted for all levels of assessment in medical education, from individual assessment modality, to the validation of an assessment program as a whole

End-user computing support and management: A status report

As company investment in end-user computing (EUC) grows so does the need for the organization to provide end-user support and training, to encourage resource sharing, to establish mechanisms for management and operational control over data resources, systems quality assurance, and resource acquisition. To satisfy these needs, many organizations have established information centers (IC). ICs have been shown to be very dynamic organizations which are continuously evolving and vary dramatically from company to company in terms of location, resources available, and the types of services provided. This study surveyed 156 organizations to assess present shifts in EUC and IC activities, as well as the impact ofIC performance on EUC overall company effectiveness and payoffs from EUC. The results show among other things that in many organizations the EUC support burden is being shifted to IS departments, to outsiders, and to the end-users themselves; that EUC support is indeed a requirement for overall EUC effectiveness and for the company to derive payoffs from the EUC investment

The insect state: Development, politics and capital in African desert locust control

The African Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria) has presented a long (indeed deeply historical) problem for producers throughout northern and western Africa. Gestating in isolated settings in the Saharafor extended periods, populations of the insect periodically increase in density, change behavior and morphology, and take to the air in swarms that consume crops and pasture over hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, moving across dozens of countries, spanning the range of the Mediterranean to the Congo. This paper reviews analysis by an international multidisciplinary team of researchers to examine and explain the political and economic barriers to locust control in the region. The conclusions suggest that: (1) the bifurcated resolution and extent of the insect's ecology - from its isolated solitary condition to its continental scale gregarious condition - are mismatched to the institutional scalar capacities of the modern nation state; but that (2) governmental and international institutions have become adapted to the cycles of locust outbreaks, leveraging these to capture, control, and absorb development resources on a massive scale. (Texte intégral

Regional specialization within the human striatum for diverse psychological functions

Decades of animal and human neuroimaging research have identified distinct, but overlapping, striatal zones, which are interconnected with separable corticostriatal circuits, and are crucial for the organization of functional systems. Despite continuous efforts to subdivide the human striatum based on anatomical and resting-state functional connectivity, characterizing the different psychological processes related to each zone remains a work in progress. Using an unbiased, data-driven approach, we analyzed large-scale coactivation data from 5,809 human imaging studies. We (i) identified five distinct striatal zones that exhibited discrete patterns of coactivation with cortical brain regions across distinct psychological processes and (ii) identified the different psychological processes associated with each zone. We found that the reported pattern of cortical activation reliably predicted which striatal zone was most strongly activated. Critically, activation in each functional zone could be associated with distinct psychological processes directly, rather than inferred indirectly from psychological functions attributed to associated cortices. Consistent with well-established findings, we found an association of the ventral striatum (VS) with reward processing. Confirming less well-established findings, the VS and adjacent anterior caudate were associated with evaluating the value of rewards and actions, respectively. Furthermore, our results confirmed a sometimes overlooked specialization of the posterior caudate nucleus for executive functions, often considered the exclusive domain of frontoparietal cortical circuits. Our findings provide a precise functional map of regional specialization within the human striatum, both in terms of the differential cortical regions and psychological functions associated with each striatal zone

Determinants of Choice of Storage Systems for Root and Tuber Crops in Benue State, Nigeria

Determinants of Choice of Storage Systems for root and tuber crops in Benue State of Nigeria were examined. The specific objectives were to determine the factors affecting choice of storage systems by root and tuber crop farmers; and determine the relationship between choice of storage systems and farm productivity. Data were collected from 288 root and tuber crop producers in eight Local Government Areas and 32 wards, using a multi-stage sampling technique. Structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data collected were analysed using logit model and Mann-Whiney U test. The results indicate that total output, gender, educational level, household size, and farm size significantly affect the choice of storage systems by root and tuber crop producers. The results also reveal that the output of farmers who utilized only the local storage systems exceeds those who utilized both the local storage systems in addition to the modern storage techniques. It was recommended that strategies and policies aimed at encouraging root and tuber crops farmers to adopt a particular storage technique should take into consideration their socio-economic characteristics. Also research efforts aimed at improving the effectiveness of the local storage systems using locally sourced materials should be encouraged

Use of three joints as predictors of carcass and body fat depots in Blanca Celtibérica goats

Nineteen adult goats of the Blanca Celtibérica breed - in non productive stage - from the experimental flock of Servicio de Investigación Agraria (Diputación General de Aragón) were scored using the lumbar, breast and tail palpation. Sternal triangle joint, lumbar square jointt a ailn tdha t were handled to assess body condition scores were dissected into muscle, bone subcutaneous fat and intermuscular fat. Regression analyses were developed for predicting carcass and body fat depots, using sternal triangle, lumbar square joint and tail compositions like independent variables. The best predictor of omental fat, subcutaneous fat, intermuscular fat, kidney fat, total body and total carcass fat depots was the totaol ff alut mbar square joint. On the other hand8 9, 80 and 86% (PS0,Ol) of the variationo f mesenteric, heart and udder fat depots, respectively, were accounted for by variation in intermuscular fat of sternal triangle joint. Finally, the subcutaneous fat weight of 1 tail vertebra accounted for 96% of the total variation of tail fat weight. In conclusion, the best predictor of the most important carcass and body fat depots (omental, subcutaneous, intermuscular, kidney, total body and total carcass fat) was the total fat of lumbar square. Utilisation de trois points de prélèvement comme prédicteurs des dépôts adipeux de la carcasse et du corps chez des chèvres de race Blanca Celtibérica". Un lot de 19 chèvres adultes de race Blanca Celtibérica, vides et taries, appartenant au troupeau expérimental du Service de la Recherche Agronomique (Gouvernement Autonome d'Aragon), ont été notées par la palpation au niveau lombaire, setet crnaauld al. Le triangle sternal, le carré lombaire et la queue ont été soumis à dissection en muscle, os, gras sous-cutané et intermusculaire. L 'analyse des régressionsé até utilisée pour prédire les dépôts adipeux de la carcaests edu corps de l'animal moyennant l'utilisation de la composition du triangle sterna/, du carré lombaire et de la queue comme variables indépendantes. Le meilleur prédicteur des graisses omentales, sous-cutanées, intermusculaires, rénales totales du corps, et totales de la carcasse é até le gras total du carré lombaire. D'autre part, 89, e8t0 8 6% (E0,Ol) de la variation des dépôts de gras mésentérique, du coeur et de la mamelle respectivement, ont eté expliqués par la variation du gras intermusculaire du triangle sternal. Comme conclusion, le meilleur prédicteur des dépôts adipeux de la carcasse et du corps les plus importants (omental, sous-cutané, intermusculaire, rénal, total du corps et total de la carcasse) a été le gras total du carré lombaire

siRNA carrying an (E)-vinylphosphonate moiety at the 5' end of the guide strand augments gene silencing by enhanced binding to human Argonaute-2

Efficient gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) in vivo requires the recognition and binding of the 5'- phosphate of the guide strand of an siRNA by the Argonaute protein. However, for exogenous siRNAs it is limited by the rapid removal of the 5'- phosphate of the guide strand by metabolic enzymes. Here, we have determined the crystal structure of human Argonaute-2 in complex with the metabolically stable 5'-(E)-vinylphosphonate (5'-E-VP) guide RNA at 2.5-A resolution. The structure demonstrates how the 5' binding site in the Mid domain of human Argonaute-2 is able to adjust the key residues in the 5'-nucleotide binding pocket to compensate for the change introduced by the modified nucleotide. This observation also explains improved binding affinity of the 5'-E-VP -modified siRNA to human Argonaute-2 in-vitro, as well as the enhanced silencing in the context of the trivalent N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated siRNA in mice relative to the un-modified siRNA

Project Omoverhi : a thermal storage solution

One principal energy source that is underutilized in the world today is solar energy. While the United States has tried to make a push for reusable and \u27green\u27 energy sources, these sources are frequently overlooked in developing nations. While the set up costs of solar energy may be expensive due to installation and the high cost of certain parts, the savings over time is well worth the initial cost. In many developing nations large areas of the country are off of the power grid or have inconsistent power. One way to help people living in these areas is by introducing the use of solar power. Unfortunately one major drawback to using solar energy is the difficulty of storing it. While photovoltaic panels can store energy in batteries, they are extremely expensive and inefficient. Using solar collectors that are either manufactured or handmade rather than PV panels can be more than four times as efficient and cost much less. The one negative issue with solar collectors is that they will only work when the sun is out. The 2011 to 2012 Project Omoverhi team\u27s goal was to utilize this energy from solar collectors and store it in a thermal storage container. The stored energy could then be used when direct sunlight was not available. Using paraffin wax as a phase change material because of its melting temperature and excellent storage properties, Project Omoverhi was able to achieve this goal and create an affordable, easy to use system that can be attached to a solar collector. The system was tested to determine if it would enable an incubator to keep a steady temperature that would meet the requirements of a premature infant or successfully hatch chicken eggs. Data collected showed that Project Omoverhi\u27s design is an effective way to store heat and energy from a solar collector so that it can be utilized as needed

Rapid generation of drug-resistance alleles at endogenous loci using CRISPR-Cas9 indel mutagenesis

Genetic alterations conferring resistance to the effects of chemical inhibitors are valuable tools for validating on-target effects in cells. Unfortunately, for many therapeutic targets such alleles are not available. To address this issue, we evaluated whether CRISPR-Cas9-mediated insertion/deletion (indel) mutagenesis can produce drug-resistance alleles at endogenous loci. This method takes advantage of the heterogeneous in-frame alleles produced following Cas9-mediated DNA cleavage, which we show can generate rare alleles that confer resistance to the growth-arrest caused by chemical inhibitors. We used this approach to identify novel resistance alleles of two lysine methyltransferases, DOT1L and EZH2, which are each essential for the growth of MLL-fusion leukemia cells. We biochemically characterized the DOT1L mutation, showing that it is significantly more active than the wild-type enzyme. These findings validate the on-target anti-leukemia activities of existing DOT1L and EZH2 inhibitors and reveal a simple method for deriving drug-resistance alleles for novel targets, which may have utility during early stages of drug development