Monday, November 25, 2013
Holiday Week
This week is a short one, due to our Thanksgiving break.
Please accept my best wishes for this holiday season, and I hope you have a
chance to relax, spend time with family and eat hearty. I will have various and
sundry kids and spouses/significant others in, as well as one grandchild. Rest
may not be in the picture… J
Monday, November 18, 2013
New from Biomed Central
Lyness JE, Lurie SJ, Ward DS, Mooney CJ,
Lambert DR. Engaging students and faculty:
implications of self-determination theory for teachers and leaders in academic medicine
BMC Medical
Education 2013, 13:151
doi:10.1186/1472-6920-13-151implications of self-determination theory for teachers and leaders in academic medicine
ABSTRACT
Background: Much of the work of teachers and leaders at academic health centers involves engaging learners and faculty members in shared goals. Strategies to do so, however, are seldom informed by empirically-supported theories of human motivation.
Discussion: This article
summarizes a substantial body of motivational research that yields insights and
approaches of importance to academic faculty leaders. After identification of
key limitations of traditional rewards-based (i.e., incentives, or 'carrots and
sticks’) approaches, key findings are summarized from the science of
self-determination theory. These findings demonstrate the importance of
fostering autonomous motivation by supporting the fundamental human needs for
autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In turn, these considerations lead to
specific recommendations about approaches to engaging autonomous motivation,
using examples in academic health centers.
Summary: Since supporting autonomous motivation maximizes both functioning and well-being (i.e., people are both happier and more productive), the approaches recommended will help academic health centers recruit, retain, and foster the success of learners and faculty members. Such goals are particularly important to address the multiple challenges confronting these institutions.
Summary: Since supporting autonomous motivation maximizes both functioning and well-being (i.e., people are both happier and more productive), the approaches recommended will help academic health centers recruit, retain, and foster the success of learners and faculty members. Such goals are particularly important to address the multiple challenges confronting these institutions.
Sim TF, Sherriff J, Hattingh L, Parsons R, Tee LBG. The use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding: a population-based survey in Western Australia
BMC
Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2013, 13:317 doi:10.1186/1472-6882-13-317
ABSTRACT
Background: Main concerns for lactating women about medications include the safety of their breastfed infants and the potential effects of medication on quantity and quality of breast milk. While medicine treatments include conventional and complementary medicines, most studies to date have focused on evaluating the safety aspect of conventional medicines. Despite increasing popularity of herbal medicines, there are currently limited data available on the pattern of use and safety of these medicines during breastfeeding. This study aimed to identify the pattern of use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding in Perth, Western Australia, and to identify aspects which require further clinical research.
Methods: This study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire validated through two pilot studies. Participants were 18 years or older, breastfeeding or had breastfed in the past 12 months. Participants were recruited from various community and health centres, and through advertising in newspapers. Simple descriptive statistics were used to summarise the demographic profile and attitudes of respondents, using the SPSS statistical software.
Results: A total of 304 questionnaires from eligible participants were returned (27.2% response rate) and analysed. Amongst the respondents, 59.9% took at least one herb for medicinal purposes during breastfeeding, whilst 24.3% reported the use of at least one herb to increase breast milk supply. Most commonly used herbs were fenugreek (18.4%), ginger (11.8%), dong quai (7.9%), chamomile (7.2%), garlic (6.6%) and blessed thistle (5.9%). The majority of participants (70.1%) believed that there was a lack of information resources, whilst 43.4% perceived herbal medicines to be safer than conventional medicines. Only 28.6% of users notified their doctor of their decision to use herbal medicine(s) during breastfeeding; 71.6% had previously refused or avoided conventional medicine treatments due to concerns regarding safety of their breastfed infants.
Conclusions: The use of herbal medicines is common amongst breastfeeding women, while information supporting their safety and efficacy is lacking. This study has demonstrated the need for further research into commonly used herbal medicines. Evidence-based information should be available to breastfeeding women who wish to consider use of all medicines, including complementary medicines, to avoid unnecessary cessation of breastfeeding or compromising of pharmacotherapy.
Triano JJ, Budgell B, Bagnulo A, Roffey B,
Bergmann T, Cooperstein R, Gleberzon B, Good C, Perron J, Tepe R. Review of
methods used by chiropractors to determine the site for applying manipulationABSTRACT
Background: Main concerns for lactating women about medications include the safety of their breastfed infants and the potential effects of medication on quantity and quality of breast milk. While medicine treatments include conventional and complementary medicines, most studies to date have focused on evaluating the safety aspect of conventional medicines. Despite increasing popularity of herbal medicines, there are currently limited data available on the pattern of use and safety of these medicines during breastfeeding. This study aimed to identify the pattern of use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding in Perth, Western Australia, and to identify aspects which require further clinical research.
Methods: This study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire validated through two pilot studies. Participants were 18 years or older, breastfeeding or had breastfed in the past 12 months. Participants were recruited from various community and health centres, and through advertising in newspapers. Simple descriptive statistics were used to summarise the demographic profile and attitudes of respondents, using the SPSS statistical software.
Results: A total of 304 questionnaires from eligible participants were returned (27.2% response rate) and analysed. Amongst the respondents, 59.9% took at least one herb for medicinal purposes during breastfeeding, whilst 24.3% reported the use of at least one herb to increase breast milk supply. Most commonly used herbs were fenugreek (18.4%), ginger (11.8%), dong quai (7.9%), chamomile (7.2%), garlic (6.6%) and blessed thistle (5.9%). The majority of participants (70.1%) believed that there was a lack of information resources, whilst 43.4% perceived herbal medicines to be safer than conventional medicines. Only 28.6% of users notified their doctor of their decision to use herbal medicine(s) during breastfeeding; 71.6% had previously refused or avoided conventional medicine treatments due to concerns regarding safety of their breastfed infants.
Conclusions: The use of herbal medicines is common amongst breastfeeding women, while information supporting their safety and efficacy is lacking. This study has demonstrated the need for further research into commonly used herbal medicines. Evidence-based information should be available to breastfeeding women who wish to consider use of all medicines, including complementary medicines, to avoid unnecessary cessation of breastfeeding or compromising of pharmacotherapy.
Chiropractic
& Manual Therapies 2013, 21:36 doi:10.1186/2045-709X-21-36
ABSTRACT
Background: With the development of increasing evidence for the use of manipulation in the management of musculoskeletal conditions, there is growing interest in identifying the appropriate indications for care. Recently, attempts have been made to develop clinical prediction rules, however the validity of these clinical prediction rules remains unclear and their impact on care delivery has yet to be established. The current study was designed to evaluate the literature on the validity and reliability of the more common methods used by doctors of chiropractic to inform the choice of the site at which to apply spinal manipulation.
Methods: Structured searches were conducted in Medline, PubMed, CINAHL and ICL, supported by hand searches of archives, to identify studies of the diagnostic reliability and validity of common methods used to identify the site of treatment application. To be included, studies were to present original data from studies of human subjects and be designed to address the region or location of care delivery. Only English language manuscripts from peer-reviewed journals were included. The quality of evidence was ranked using QUADAS for validity and QAREL for reliability, as appropriate. Data were extracted and synthesized, and were evaluated in terms of strength of evidence and the degree to which the evidence was favourable for clinical use of the method under investigation.
Results: A total of 2594 titles were screened from which 201 articles met all inclusion criteria. The spectrum of manuscript quality was quite broad, as was the degree to which the evidence favoured clinical application of the diagnostic methods reviewed. The most convincing favourable evidence was for methods which confirmed or provoked pain at a specific spinal segmental level or region. There was also high quality evidence supporting the use, with limitations, of static and motion palpation, and measures of leg length inequality. Evidence of mixed quality supported the use, with limitations, of postural evaluation. The evidence was unclear on the applicability of measures of stiffness and the use of spinal x-rays. The evidence was of mixed quality, but unfavourable for the use of manual muscle testing, skin conductance, surface electromyography and skin temperature measurement.
Conclusions: A considerable range of methods is in use for determining where in the spine to administer spinal manipulation. The currently published evidence falls across a spectrum ranging from strongly favourable to strongly unfavourable in regard to using these methods. In general, the stronger and more favourable evidence is for those procedures which take a direct measure of the presumptive site of care– methods involving pain provocation upon palpation or localized tissue examination. Procedures which involve some indirect assessment for identifying the manipulable lesion of the spine–such as skin conductance or thermography–tend not to be supported by the available evidence.
ABSTRACT
Background: With the development of increasing evidence for the use of manipulation in the management of musculoskeletal conditions, there is growing interest in identifying the appropriate indications for care. Recently, attempts have been made to develop clinical prediction rules, however the validity of these clinical prediction rules remains unclear and their impact on care delivery has yet to be established. The current study was designed to evaluate the literature on the validity and reliability of the more common methods used by doctors of chiropractic to inform the choice of the site at which to apply spinal manipulation.
Methods: Structured searches were conducted in Medline, PubMed, CINAHL and ICL, supported by hand searches of archives, to identify studies of the diagnostic reliability and validity of common methods used to identify the site of treatment application. To be included, studies were to present original data from studies of human subjects and be designed to address the region or location of care delivery. Only English language manuscripts from peer-reviewed journals were included. The quality of evidence was ranked using QUADAS for validity and QAREL for reliability, as appropriate. Data were extracted and synthesized, and were evaluated in terms of strength of evidence and the degree to which the evidence was favourable for clinical use of the method under investigation.
Results: A total of 2594 titles were screened from which 201 articles met all inclusion criteria. The spectrum of manuscript quality was quite broad, as was the degree to which the evidence favoured clinical application of the diagnostic methods reviewed. The most convincing favourable evidence was for methods which confirmed or provoked pain at a specific spinal segmental level or region. There was also high quality evidence supporting the use, with limitations, of static and motion palpation, and measures of leg length inequality. Evidence of mixed quality supported the use, with limitations, of postural evaluation. The evidence was unclear on the applicability of measures of stiffness and the use of spinal x-rays. The evidence was of mixed quality, but unfavourable for the use of manual muscle testing, skin conductance, surface electromyography and skin temperature measurement.
Conclusions: A considerable range of methods is in use for determining where in the spine to administer spinal manipulation. The currently published evidence falls across a spectrum ranging from strongly favourable to strongly unfavourable in regard to using these methods. In general, the stronger and more favourable evidence is for those procedures which take a direct measure of the presumptive site of care– methods involving pain provocation upon palpation or localized tissue examination. Procedures which involve some indirect assessment for identifying the manipulable lesion of the spine–such as skin conductance or thermography–tend not to be supported by the available evidence.
Monday, November 11, 2013
New Content on Atomic Learning
I thought I would let you know of new training programs
recently added to our Atomic Learning website. Please feel free to play around.
Blackboard 9.1 Service
Pack 9 – Instructor Training
http://www.atomiclearning.com/blackboard-servicepack-9-training
http://www.atomiclearning.com/blackboard-servicepack-9-training
Blackboard 9.1 Service
Pack 11 – Instructor Training
http://www.atomiclearning.com/blackboard-sp11-training
http://www.atomiclearning.com/blackboard-sp11-training
Blackboard 9.1 Service
Pack 12 – Instructor Training
http://www.atomiclearning.com/blackboard-sp12-training
http://www.atomiclearning.com/blackboard-sp12-training
Blackboard 9.1 Service
Pack 13 – Instructor Training
http://www.atomiclearning.com/blackboard-servicepack-13-training
http://www.atomiclearning.com/blackboard-servicepack-13-training
Monday, November 4, 2013
American Society for Bioethics and Humanities 2013 Conference
At the end of the break week, I was able to
attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities.
This is a conference I always eagerly look forward to going to. Just to give
you a flavor of the scope of material the conference covers, here are the
sessions I attended:
- Delivering Research Ethics Education: Strategies for Training Community Research Partner
- The Moral Courage of Paracelsus: Medical, Religious, and Social Refor
- Unfit for the Future: The Need for Moral Bioenhancement
- A Tribute to Edmund Pellegrino and His Work
- Student Paper Award Selections
- Bioethics, Human Rights, and Maternal Mortality
- More than Informed Consent: Why Research Ethics Needs Religion
- Toward a More Patient-Centered Advance Directive for Surgical Patients
- A Conversation with Amy Gutmann, Chair, Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues
- Student-Led Research Review Panel: An Alternative to IRB Review of Medical Student Projects
- IRBs in Existential Crisis: Proposals for Evaluating the Efficacy of IRB Oversigh
- How to Get Fired in Bioethics: A User’s Guide to Succes
- Difference, Representation, and Inclusion in Bioethics and Humanitie
- Thinking Through the Ethics of Pregnancy Reduction
- The Best-Laid Schemes: Do Bioethicists Corrupt Public Policy
- Climate Change: A Neglected Topic in Bioethic
- Ethical Issues Surrounding the Use of Social Media Platforms in Disease Surveillance and Epidemiological Researc
- Gun Control, Ethics, and Public Health
- Disability Gai
- Has Bioethics Undermined Medical Ethics
- Legal Update 2013: Top 10 Legal Developments in Bioethic
- A Seat at the Table or a Voice in the Void: A Pilot Study of the Factors That Shape Community Members’ Roles on Research Review Board
- Pay-to-Participate Research: A Worthwhile Innovation
- Subversive Subjects: Rule-Breaking and Deception in Clinical Trial
- From Unification, Registration: The Genesis of Research Subject Registrie
- Randomized Clinical Trials in Maternal-Fetal Surgery: Who Is the Patient and Why It Matter
- Exploiting Altruism in Human Subjects Research
Monday, October 28, 2013
Electronic Communication with Students
The latest issue of the publication Online Cl@ssroom (October
2013) offers the reader some useful information about a number of technological
approaches to effective online communication with your students. Most are free
for download and use. Among them are:
Jing: This is owned by the same company that produces
Camtasia. In Jing, you are given the opportunity to combine audio and visual
elements. It captures images, video, animations and so on and then lets you
share that captured material on the web. It also allows you to record what is
taking place on the screen and then send that to the web. The only limitation
is that it only allows you to capture 5 minutes at a time. It works with
screencast.com for a hosting site. The url is www.techsmith.com/jing.html and
it is free (though upgraded versions do have cost).
VoiceThread: In VoiceThread, you can share a file or
something else with your class, and then allow people access to ti and let them
comment. Now, the interesting thing here is that they can leave voice files,
not just text files; text would simply be like a regular posting board. This is
a voice recorder moved to the computer. It also has built-in drawing tools, so
imagine posting a complex anatomical chart and letting people leave voice
comments as well as their own overlaid drawings. Pretty cool, huh. This is also
free (or at cost if upgraded) at www.voicethread.com.
Go Animate: You have
probably seen a Go Animate video in the past few months without realizing you
were doing so. The program allows you to make animations to illustrate your
educational point. Thus, you end up with a video when you are done. You can choose
characters, their features, the backgrounds, and a whole lot more; in fact, you
can get buried in making choices to create just the perfect teaching video. The
best plan would cost around $58 per year for use. The url for this is www.goanimate.com
There is explosive growth in teaching technologies. The
Center for Teaching and Learning is, at the time I write this, in process of
obtaining Camtasia, so that one can put voiceover on a PowerPoint presentation.
As time goes on, there will be more choices, and the above represent only a few
available for your use. Monday, October 21, 2013
Congratulations, Graduates!
Let me send my congratulations to all graduates of our recent commencement ceremony: to the new DCs, the chiropractic assistants, all new BS degree recipients, and the two new graduates of our clinical master's degree program, both of whom I have worked with closely over the past couple of years. Good on all of you!
Friday, October 4, 2013
End of Term: It Must be Youtube Time Again!
This will be my last post for th current term. I am posting this early because I am scheduled for jury duty next week, and then most of us here in Davenport will be on break. So, please enjoy your time off, and please enjoy these little clips! I'll be back by the start of our new term.
1.
Basejumping “The Crack.” This is an amazing clip
where you are looking backward at a second jumper while the first flies through
a small canyon in his parasuit. Whoa! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhnb9q6c4gA
2.
Mathieu Biche Fools Penn and Teller. I have some
familiarity with magic, and I have no idea how he pulled this one off. And
neither do Penn and Teller. He cannot
have forced a choice, since he set the trick up randomly. At least, so it
seems. This is very, very clever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpthjI1z2FM
3.
Turtleman. Hey, who doesn’t love the Turtleman? It
is clear that Turtleman loves what he does, and brings joy to those he meets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYEQw34eHtc
4.
Rachel Flowers on the Huge Beast Modular Moog,
with Keith Emerson Introducing. Rachel is an amazing musician, who can play several
instruments, and here she is allowed to play Keith Emerson’s original Moog,
called the Beast. Oh, and she’s blind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7qujZpMHbA
5.
Rachel Again. So, here she is dueting with
herself on flute and keyboards. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qoc5qfJ9Jgw
6.
Firefly: Mal the Negotiator. One of the best but
not watched shows ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPRlHwwVIug
7.
Gravity. This is the trailer for the new movie.
This movie is unlike any you have ever seen. It is intense. Relentless. Mind
boggling. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiTiKOy59o4
8.
Doc Martin. One of those great British series,
this time about a misanthrope with no bedside manners who has a phobia to
blood. Martin Clunes rocks! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i-xXsk-NGg
9.
Mark Cavendish Crashes. Oh, this is scary to
see. And you get a sense of how intense a bicycle sprint can be, as those
riders are moving at close to 50mph! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RNAYR3KPIg
10.
Subcontrabass Flute. Largest flute ever made,
and an odd looking critter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmxnp_3KUt0
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