Scientific writing: a randomized controlled trial comparing standard and on-line instruction

Background  

Writing plays a central role in the communication of scientific ideas and is therefore a key aspect in researcher education, ultimately determining the success and long-term sustainability of their careers. Despite the growing popularity of e-learning, we are not aware of any existing study comparing on-line vs. traditional classroom-based methods for teaching scientific writing.     

Qualitative evaluation of a narrative reflection program to help medical trainees recognize and avoid overuse: “Am I doing what’s right for the patient?”

Objective

The Do No Harm Project is a novel reflective writing program that encourages medical trainees to reflect on and write up clinical narratives about instances of avoidable medical overuse. Our goal is to describe this program and to explore the effect of the program on those participating.

Content and communication: How can peer review provide helpful feedback about the writing?

Background  

Peer review is assumed to improve the quality of research reports as tools for scientific communication, yet strong evidence that this outcome is obtained consistently has been elusive. Failure to distinguish between aspects of discipline-specific content and aspects of the writing or use of language may account for some deficiencies in current peer review processes.     

Design and validation of Segment - freely available software for cardiovascular image analysis

Background  

Commercially available software for cardiovascular image analysis often has limited functionality and frequently lacks the careful validation that is required for clinical studies. We have already implemented a cardiovascular image analysis software package and released it as freeware for the research community. However, it was distributed as a stand-alone application and other researchers could not extend it by writing their own custom image analysis algorithms. We believe that the work required to make a clinically applicable prototype can be reduced by making the software extensible, so that researchers can develop their own modules or improvements. Such an initiative might then serve as a bridge between image analysis research and cardiovascular research. The aim of this article is therefore to present the design and validation of a cardiovascular image analysis software package (Segment) and to announce its release in a source code format.     

WriteSim TCExam - An open source text simulation environment for training novice researchers in scientific writing

Background  

The ability to write clearly and effectively is of central importance to the scientific enterprise. Encouraged by the success of simulation environments in other biomedical sciences, we developed WriteSim TCExam, an open-source, Web-based, textual simulation environment for teaching effective writing techniques to novice researchers. We shortlisted and modified an existing open source application - TCExam to serve as a textual simulation environment. After testing usability internally in our team, we conducted formal field usability studies with novice researchers. These were followed by formal surveys with researchers fitting the role of administrators and users (novice researchers)     

Learning to connect: Students’ reflections on doctor–patient interactions

Objective

Reflective writing is an established method for teaching medical students empathetic interactions, though little is known about students’ reflections on connecting with patients during the clinical clerkship. The purpose of this study was to describe factors that medical students perceive contribute to or detract from making connections with patients and families, as identified in a writing assignment during the pediatric clinical clerkship.

Methods

Reflective essays submitted by third-year medical students about interacting with patients/families during their pediatric clerkship were qualitatively analyzed for thematic content.

Results

Major themes emerging in 44 essays analyzed included time, knowledge, language and culture, and actions. Barriers to connecting for some students were considered resources by others. Critical reflection was present in 31.8%.

Conclusions

Students’ perceptions of factors that influence their interactions with patients and families will enhance or detract their ability to make connections. Through reflection, medical students – amidst clinical responsibilities – can identify how, why, and whether or not connections with patients/families have occurred.

Practice implications

Recognizing what factors medical students perceive as enhancing and detracting from connecting with patients/families will help preceptors foster those connections and mitigate barriers. Future study could assess how to best provide specific individualized feedback to best enhance critical reflection. We recommend the inclusion of brief reflective writing exercises during clinical clerkships in medical school, as it may augment students’ ability to connect.     

Coupling computer-interpretable guidelines with a drug-database through a web-based system – The PRESGUID project

Background  

Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) available today are not extensively used due to lack of proper integration into clinical settings, knowledge-related information resources, and lack of decision support at the point of care in a particular clinical context.     

Factor VII deficiency and developmental abnormalities in a patient with partial monosomy of 13q and trisomy of 16p: case report and review of the literature

Background  

Unbalanced chromosomal translocations may present with a variety of clinical and laboratory findings and provide insight into the functions of genes on the involved chromosomal segments.     

Case-oriented computer-based-training in radiology: concept, implementation and evaluation

Background  

Providing high-quality clinical cases is important for teaching radiology. We developed, implemented and evaluated a program for a university hospital to support this task.     

A <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chryseobacterium meningosepticum</Emphasis> colonization outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit

Purpose  

To report the epidemiologic, bacteriologic, and clinical features of a Chryseobacterium meningosepticum outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a referral teaching hospital.     

Hospital characteristics associated with highly automated and usable clinical information systems in Texas,United States

Background  

A hospital's clinical information system may require a specific environment in which to flourish. This environment is not yet well defined. We examined whether specific hospital characteristics are associated with highly automated and usable clinical information systems.     

A review of randomized controlled trials comparing the effectiveness of hand held computers with paper methods for data collection

Background  

Handheld computers are increasingly favoured over paper and pencil methods to capture data in clinical research.     

Observer variation in chest radiography of acute lower respiratory infections in children: a systematic review

Background  

Knowledge of the accuracy of chest radiograph findings in acute lower respiratory infection in children is important when making clinical decisions.     

An exploratory investigation of the influence of publication on translational medicine research

Background  

Changes in clinical practice are brought about by the weight of clinical evidence for and against an intervention. Clinical evidence of efficacy relies on the dissemination of research results, usually by publication in medical journals which is often seen as a pre-requisite for progression of an intervention through further clinical trials or implementation studies.     

Acetaldehyde and hexanaldehyde from cultured white cells

Background  

Noninvasive detection of innate immune function such as the accumulation of neutrophils remains a challenge in many areas of clinical medicine. We hypothesized that granulocytes could generate volatile organic compounds.     

A survey of attitudes toward clinical research among physicians at Kyoto University Hospital

Background  

In Japan, only clinical research related to investigational new drug trials must be notified to regulatory bodies, and this lack of a uniform standard for clinical research has caused a number of difficulties. The objective of this study was to assess the willingness of physicians to participate in clinical research and to identify effective methods to promote and enhance clinical research.     

From design to implementation - The Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE) program: A descriptive report of an electronic web-based diabetes management program

Background  

The Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE) Program is a web-based program incorporating a comprehensive risk engine, care protocols, and clinical decision support to improve ambulatory diabetes care.     

Anatomical bases of endoscopic tarsal tunnel release: anatomical and ultra-sonographic study with a preliminary clinical report

Purpose  

The purpose of our study is to present the anatomical bases of a new technique for endoscopic tarsal release and to report the preliminary clinical outcome for this technique.     

Impaired cell functions of hepatocytes incubated with plasma of septic patients

Objective and design  

The development of liver failure is a major problem in septic patients. In this prospective clinical experimental study the hepatotoxicity of plasma from septic and non-septic patients was tested.     

A developing country response to Lavery et al. "In global health research, is it legitimate to stop clinical trials early on account of their opportunity costs?"

Background  

A recent paper presents an argument and mechanism for the possible stopping of clinical trials early based on opportunity costs.