Concerns for medical radiation programs in Australian universities

The Australian higher education system is in a state of great change. The Federal education minister, Dr Brendan Nelson, has indicated that he intends to continue introducing far-reaching reforms that will impact significantly on how universities conduct teaching and research. The future allocation of government funding for university programs, including those in medical radiation, will have a significant effect on how those programs are delivered and could even determine whether programs remain viable. There will be a financial imperative for academic departments to strengthen research activity and to obtain funding from non-government sources, such as full-fee paying students, in order to generate enough income to cover program delivery. Medical radiation education in Australia is also facing many other challenges. Some of these are longstanding, such as the high cost of medical radiation program delivery, poor levels of research activity and difficulty in recruiting and retaining academic staff. Other problems have arisen recently, such as increased competition for students and a critical shortage of available training placements in clinical practice. The aim of this paper is to raise and explore these issues from a university perspective.     

Effects of Approach and Avoid Mindsets on Performance, Self-regulatory Cognition, and Affect in a Multi-task Environment

Despite numerous studies of approach- and avoidant mindsets, relatively little research has addressed the impact of such motivational orientations on performance and emotion in a real-time, multi-task setting. A laboratory simulation is reported that examines the influence of an induced approach-centered, an avoidance-centered, and a “neutral” motivational mindset upon multiple aspects of task performance, self-regulatory cognition, and affect. Undergraduate females randomly assigned to one of three mindset conditions performed a simulated automobile drive across one practice and two experimental trials. Dependent measures included divided attention, behavioral indicators of driving “cautiousness” in relatively safe straight roadway sections as well as during more risk-filled driving, multiple aspects of self-regulatory thinking (including self-monitoring, intended effort, and self-administered consequences), and positive and negative affect. Results revealed that the avoidant mindset produced poorer executive attention (i.e., fewer correctly detected divided attention events), more “cautious” driving behavior and reduced performance variability (i.e., greater control) when driving on presumably safe, straight roadway sections, lower self-reports of intended effort, and greater negative affect relative to the approach mindset. Results are intepreted within a self-regulation-centered motivational framework. Implications of the multi-task simulation for the study of normal and disordered adjustment are considered.     

Antenatal steroid therapy: have we undervalued the risks?

Antenatal corticosteroid therapy to enhance fetal lung maturation in pregnancies at risk for preterm delivery is used commonly, based on the assumption that its established benefits outweigh associated risks. Corticosteroid treatment does confer some risks, particularly with respect to restricted brain growth and disordered neuronal development. These alterations have the potential for long-term effects on health. They deserve further study, and should not be undervalued. Corticosteroid therapy should be applied selectively in those situations in which the risk of preterm birth is very high and the likelihood of severe respiratory distress syndrome substantial.     

Women's Evaluations of Their Experience in a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of Intrapartum Fetal Pulse Oximetry (The FOREMOST Trial)

Abstract: Background: Fetal pulse oximetry improves the assessment of fetal well‐being during labor. The objective of this study was to evaluate women's satisfaction with their experience with this additional technology. Methods: We surveyed women participating in the FOREMOST trial, a randomized controlled trial comparing the addition of fetal pulse oximetry (FPO) to conventional cardiotocograph (CTG) monitoring (intervention group), versus CTG‐only (control group), in the presence of nonreassuring fetal status during labor. Our survey evaluated 3 aspects of women's experience: labor, fetal monitoring, and participation in the research. The survey was administered within a few days of giving birth and repeated 3 months later. Results: No differences were found between the intervention and control groups for women's evaluations of their labor, fetal monitoring, research, or overall experiences when surveyed on both occasions. Within each study group, a small but statistically significant decline occurred in women's scores for their experience of labor and overall experience from the initial survey close to the time of giving birth, to 3 months later. The magnitude of differences in responses over time was similar for the both groups. Women were more satisfied after a spontaneous or assisted vaginal birth than after cesarean section. Length of time the research midwife was present had a significant positive effect on women's ratings of their experience several days after giving birth (p = 0.006), but no effect at 3 months. Conclusions: The addition of fetal pulse oximetry for the assessment of fetal well‐being during labor did not affect childbearing women's perceptions of fetal monitoring or their labor. Women evaluated their experience in the research process positively overall. Small changes occurred in women's perception of their satisfaction over time. (BIRTH 33:2 June 2006)     

伴随结节性硬化的浸润性视网膜星形细胞瘤4例

众所周知，视网膜星形细胞瘤常伴有结节性硬化的表现。视网膜星形细胞瘤一般是发生在视网膜神经纤维层的无蒂轻度隆起性病变。临床上可以是单侧发生，也可以是双侧发生。可以单个病灶，也可以多个病灶。可以是透明的，也可以是不透明的。可以有钙化，也可以没有钙化。视网膜星形细胞瘤相对固定的伴有眼内结节性硬化，很少表现为浸润性增长。在很少的情况下视网膜星形细胞瘤可以表现出浸润性增长，造成局部严重并发症。     

An overview of podiatric biomechanics theory and its relation to selected gait dysfunction

This paper introduces the ‘foot function’ approach used by podiatrists in the treatment of lower limb musculoskeletal dysfunction. The aim is to demonstrate how podiatric theory has evolved its own perspective of mechanisms relating to normal and abnormal locomotion. Three individual podiatric paradigms are discussed, and a further theory allowing a working simplification of theory is introduced. Finally, an example of gait abnormality is discussed in relation to podiatric and physiotherapy perspectives.An insight into podiatric theory should enable therapists working within this field to develop a more holistic and multidisciplinary approach. It is the view of the authors that a closer working relationship between physiotherapists and podiatrists with an interest in movement dysfunction provides a better quality service for appropriate patients.