Concept Mapping: An Effective Instructional Strategy for Diet Therapy

Concept mapping is an instructional strategy that requires learners to identify, graphically display, and link key concepts in instructional reading material. Although proven effective in numerous disciplines as a means to promote critical thinking and self-directed learning, concept mapping has not been tested in diet therapy. The objective of this study was to implement concept mapping as a small-group, cooperative learning strategy in an upper-division diet therapy course and to evaluate student attitudes about the effect of concept mapping on knowledge, self-directed learning, problem-solving, and collaborative skills. Students in the first semester (n=27) initially learned course material by lecture (4 weeks) followed by an integrated mapping/lecture format (12 weeks); the second semester (n=25) used an integrated mapping lecture format for the full 16 weeks. At the end of both semesters, students completed a 10-item original survey questionnaire. Responses for first (n=25) and second (n=21) semesters were analyzed independently. Results indicated that a majority of students thought participation in concept mapping enhanced knowledge of diet therapy principles (n=19 of 25; 18 of 21), self-directed learning (n=14 of 25; 18 of 21), critical thinking (n=21 of 25; 14 of 21), problem-solving (n=22 of 25; 16 of 21), and collaboration (n=24 of 25; 20 of 21) skills. When noncooperation of teammates was a factor, concept mapping was viewed as more frustrating and time consuming than lecture. This study demonstrated concept mapping as an effective learning strategy for diet therapy; it improves students’ ability to engage in self-directed learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem solving. Results suggest that concept mapping is most effective when accompanied with comprehensive training, coordinated lectures, instructor guidance, and long-term practice. J Am Diet Assoc. 1995; 95:908–911.     

TOPICAL UNDECYLENIC ACID IN TINEA PEDIS: A NEW LOOK

ABSTRACT: One hundred and four patients with mycologically confirmed tinea pedis took part in a controlled clinical trial to determine the efficacy of undecylenic acid powder preparations in the treatment of their fungal infections. Clinical and mycological cures were obtained in 53% of those subjects treated with undecylenic acid powders as compared with 7% of those treated with the talc vehicle or left untreated. Undecylenic acid in a powder vehicle appears to be a safe and effective agent in the treatment of tinea pedis.     

A comparative study of infections with rodent isolates of Giardia duodenalis in inbred strains of rats and mice and in hypothymic nude rats

Giardia isolated from mice and rats have been identified as Giardia duodenalis by morphological criteria. No differences in the electrophoretic mobilities of 28 enzymes were detected between the mouse and rat isolates or between these isolates and human and cat isolates. Infections with both rodent isolates have been studied in several strains of inbred rats. No significant differences were detected between the rat strains, with the mouse isolate producing a self-limiting infection and the rat isolate a chronic infection. After the primary infection was eradicated with metronidazole, all strains of rats were resistant to reinfection with the homologous isolate. Both isolates produced chronic infections in hypothymic nude rats. BALB/c mice were found to be relatively resistant to primary infection with either isolate but C3H mice became infected chronically with the mouse isolate and experienced a prolonged infection with the rat isolate. These findings resemble those observed with infections with G. muris in the same strains of mice (Roberts-Thomson & Mitchell 1978). It is suggested that infections with G. duodenalis in rats may offer a model for giardiasis that is based on organisms related closely to G. lamblia. Comparative studies using the two rodent isolates may lead to a better understanding of how the parasite establishes as a chronic infection and which antigens induce protective immune responses.     

Amino acid sequence of UP1, an hnRNP-derived single-stranded nucleic acid binding protein from calf thymus

The UP1 single-stranded nucleic acid binding protein from calf thymus (Herrick, G. & Alberts, B.M. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 2124–2132) has recently been shown to be a proteolytic fragment derived from the A₁ heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP)(Pandolfo et al. (1985) Nucleic Acids Res. 13, 6577–6590). The NH₂-terminus of the 22 162 dalton UP1 protein appears to be blocked, which suggests that UP1 represents the NH₂-terminal two thirds of this 32 000 dalton hnRNP protein. The complete amino acid sequence for UP1 was derived from automated sequencing of peptides that were purified by HPLC from digests with trypsin, chymotrypsin, Staphylococcus aureus protease, endoproteinase Lys-C, and cyanogen bromide. Trichloroacetic acid precipitation followed by enzymatic digestion in 2 M urea proved to be the best approach for generating UP1 peptides. By carboxymethylating after, rather than before, digestion it was possible to avoid problems associated with the insolubility of the carboxymethylated UP1. All of the resulting peptides in amounts varying from 2 to 15 nmol were coupled to aminopolystyrene prior to solid-phase sequencing. Using these methods, no difficulties were encountered in assigning glutamic acid residues or in completely sequencing peptides that contained up to 25–30 residues. The relative ease with which the UP1 protein was sequenced, requiring only about a year to complete, and the comparatively modest amount of protein required, less than 5 mg, attests to the usefulness of water soluble carbodiimide coupling and solid-phase sequencing for determining the primary structures of proteins. In addition to serving as a basis for determining structural relationships among various mammalian single-stranded nucleic acid binding proteins, the amino acid sequence of UP1 reveals that the A₁ hnRNP protein contains a region of internal sequence homology that apparently corresponds to two independent nucleic acid binding sites.     

CUTANEOUS VASCULITIS DUE TO CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE THERAPY FOR CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA

A 55-year-old male with chronic lymphocytic leukemia developed a skin eruption after receiving oral cyclophosphamide. Subsequent rechallenge with parenteral cyclophosphamide led to recurrence of the skin lesions, which on biopsy were shown to be vasculitic in nature. (Aust NZ J Med 1989; 19: 55–57.)     

Promoting leadership: the development of a nurse executive team in an acute hospital trust

Aim The purpose of this study was to evaluate how an executive nursing team, within an acute hospital trust in the south of England, developed their leadership characteristics through the use of a professional development programme. Background This paper offers an insight into how this team worked together to clarify their views of their new role and how the role would be enacted. Method A questionnaire using quantitative and qualitative measures was used to explore the group’s leadership style and evaluate the professional development programme. Findings The findings show how the development programme worked and what clarity it afforded the group in terms of their leadership style. Group work, building on the findings, helped them define their particular characteristics, skills and leadership ability and what further work was needed to demonstrate this. Conclusions The issues raised, such as team‐working, mutual purpose and personal development, are discussed in terms of their function within an integrated executive team with vision and goals. Implications for nursing management In ensuring that the nursing service has positive purpose, direction and goals, there needs to be a strategic approach to corporate development; otherwise, nursing will struggle to lead itself within a fast changing health care system.     

A Perinatal Study of Toluene in CD-1 Mice

A Perinatal Study of Toluene in CD-1 Mice. COURTNEY, K. D.,ANDREWS, J. E., SPRINGER, J., MÉNACHE, M., WILLIAMS,T., DALLEY, L, AND GRAHAM, J. A. (1986). Fundam. Appi. Toxicol.6, 145–154. Toluene administered by inhalation at 400ppm to CD-1 mice from Days 6 to 16 of gestation was teratogenicbut not fetotoxic resulting in a significant shift in the fetalrib profile. At the lower concentration of 200 ppm, there wasan increase in dilated renal pelves which might reflect desynchronizationof maturation with respect to development and growth. No othereffects were noted at the 200-ppm concentration. At 400 ppm,toluene also produced an increased body weight in the neonateson Day 1 postpartum following in utero exposure. Activity oflactic dehydrogenase (LDH) was significantly increased in thebrains of dams exposed to 400 ppm during gestation while nonpregnantadult mice studied concurrently had significant increased activitiesof LDH in the liver and kidneys of the 400-ppm group. The onlychange in the isozyme profiles was in the kidneys of the nonpregnantadult mice in which a slight decrease in LDH-2 was observed.No other changes were noted in the dams or pups.