Has the Internet improved medical student information literacy skills? A retrospective case study: 1995-2005

Our goal in this investigation was to see if the popularity of the Internet has had an effect on searching skills and an increased awareness of where to search for appropriate medical information

Circadian variation in gastric vagal afferent mechanosensitivity

Food intake is coordinated to cellular metabolism by clock gene expression with a master clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus synchronized by light exposure. Gastric vagal afferents play a role in regulating food intake, but it is unknown whether they exhibit circadian variation in their mechanosensitivity. We aimed to determine whether gastric vagal afferents express clock genes and whether their response to mechanical stimuli oscillates throughout the light/dark cycle. Nodose ganglia were collected from 8-week-old female C57BL/6 mice every 3 h starting at lights off (1800 h) to quantify Bmal1, Per1, Per2, and Nr1d1 mRNA by qRT-PCR. Additionally in vitro single-fiber recordings of gastric vagal mechanoreceptors were taken at all time points. Per1, Per2, Bmal1, and Nr1d1 mRNA is expressed in the nodose ganglia and levels oscillated over a 24 h period. In mice fed ad libitum, gastric content was 3 times higher at 0000 h and 0300 h than 1200 h. The response of tension receptors to 3 g stretch was reduced by up to 70% at 2100 h, 0000 h, and 0300 h compared with 1200 h. Gastric mucosal receptor response to stroking with a 50 mg von Frey hair was 3 times greater at 1200 h and 1500 h than the response at 0000 h. Similar findings were obtained in mice fasted for 6 h or maintained in darkness for 3 d before study. Therefore, these changes do not result from food intake or the light/dark cycle. Thus, gastric vagal mechanoreceptors display circadian rhythm, which may act to control food intake differentially at different times of the day.Stephen J. Kentish, Claudine L. Frisby, David J. Kennaway, Gary A. Wittert, and Amanda J. Pag

Using World-Wide-Web technology for pathology education

In this article, we describe the development of computer-based learning programs for pathology students at Jefferson Medical College. These programs are authored using HTML (HyperText Markup Language), and are available to students on campus and via the internet. Our computer-based learning resources include scheduling information, course goals and objectives, glossary of key words, self-assessment programs and image-based case studies. These educational programs are popular with the students. We recommend the use of World Wide Web technology to improve teaching and learning in pathology education

Text Messaging in the Patient-Centered Medical Home to Improve Glucose Control and Retinopathy Screening.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of a text messaging program (TMP) to improve glucose control, retinopathy screening (RS) rates, and self-care behaviors in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Methods: A single-group design with a quasi-systematic random sample (n=20) received educational/exhortational text messages on their cellular phones for 3 months. Subjects, 12 of whom identified as a minority ethnicity, were mostly male, aged 27-73 years. Results: Glucose control and RS rates improved significantly. Subjects (\u3e70%) reported changes in self-care behaviors. Conclusion: Leveraging ubiquitous technology, a TMP for patients with limited access to healthcare education, holds promis

Death by the pounds: The effects of television on the obesity of African-American children and adolescents

Abstract only availableThis study examined the direct effects that television programming has on the obesity of African-American children and adolescents based upon the top three stations viewed by African-American children and adolescents during prime time viewing hours. A self-concept theory was implemented to determine whether or not the content of television programs helped develop a child or teenagers concept of obesity. While it has not been possible to provide definite answers to our research questions, we project that the results will be that majority of children and adolescents who view a significantly amount of television a day will indeed have a distorted view of the realities of obesity and its causes. Future studies will explore the same self-concept theory of the African-American children and teenagers on obesity using advertisements as the medium. Also I will explore the usage and depiction of African-American endorsers in health food ads in popular African-American periodicals.Summer Pre-Graduate Research Experience for Students in the Humanitie

Evaluation of a Web-Based Research Course

A web-based research course for graduate nursing students was developed, implemented, and evaluated for academic and satisfactions outcomes. A collaborative paradigm was utilized in designing the course to increase successful attainment of the graduate nursing program’s goal of a complete online graduate nursing MSN program. This web-based research course with 24 enrolled students was compared to an identical classroom based research course with 20 enrolled students. Areas of evaluation were academic outcomes of overall numerical course grades, satisfaction with course scores, and qualitative data on satisfaction of course. Results of this descriptive exploratory study demonstrated no statistically significant differences between the academic outcomes of these two groups of students. Both groups were satisfied with the course, however there was a statistically significant difference in mean satisfaction scores for the research courses. Further investigation of environmental factors will need to be done to determine the significance of differences in satisfaction outcomes

Survey of forage harvesting in Missouri

Title from JPEG cover page (University of Missouri Digital Library, viewed Oct. 16, 2009)

Are radial tractor tires cost effective? (1993)

When Pirelli Co. developed the first radial tractor tire in 1957, the company claimed it would develop 20 percent greater traction with less slippage at equal load than an equivalent bias-ply tire. (Forrest, et al. 1962) Subsequent research has confirmed that radial tires have the advantage in tractive efficiency. H. Erdal Ozkan, state extension specialist at Ohio State University, has reviewed all available research results related to field performance of tractors equipped with radial and bias ply tires

Developing and Sustaining a Web-Based Library Newsletter

Before the rising popularity of the Internet in the mid 1990s, Scott Memorial Library, like most others, used printed newsletters to inform users about new resources and services. The JEFFLINE Forum, our attempt to resuscitate the Library\u27s newsletter by employing the technical advantages-and increasing presence-of the Web, debuted in October of 1999. The fifth anniversary of the Forum seemed like a good time to look back at its evolution and to examine some of the challenges inherent in developing and sustaining a library newsletter

Information Literacy and Library Attitudes of Occupational Therapy Students

Information literacy, often described as a person\u27s ability to effectively find and evaluate answers to questions using a variety of information resources, is of particular importance to health care workers. This paper presents the results of an information literacy survey presented to the occupational therapy (OT) students at Thomas Jefferson University during a series of required class activities. Also described are the authors\u27 activities with the faculty and courses at Jefferson. The survey was made available to first-, second-, third-, and fourth-year occupational therapy students along with nursing students and pharmacy students. The survey is designed to identify research habits, skills, and preferences. Results confirm some commonly held perceptions about searching skills of young adults and an interesting dichotomy in students\u27 learning habits. The paper concludes with a discussion of recommendations to OT faculty and librarians on how to improve information literacy education. The survey can be obtained by contacting the authors