Adopting Review,Reflect and Re-focus [Triple R] sessions to support pre-registration therapeutic radiography students post clinical placement

IntroductionEducation and training strategies in Therapeutic Radiography are challenged in recruiting and retaining students in the profession. Clinical oncology centres are often viewed as stressful environments for students due to rapid advances in technology and reported bullying and harassment. Educators continue to work with clinical partners in developing strategies to promote resilience and reduce negative attitudes. The overall aim of this project was to explore the use of Triple R sessions as a new method of student reflection.MethodsThe Review, Reflect and Re-focus (Triple R) sessions were designed to enable students to learn from their clinical experiences and; apply their understanding and positivity when they return to clinical placement. Eleven sessions were completed across 7 student cohorts in one academic year. Qualitative data was collected from feedback forms, as well as academic field notes, and analysed thematically.ResultsTwo main themes focused on: (1) staff interactions and (2) student expectations. Results showed that Triple R sessions were helpful in drawing out the experiences of students in a positive way to reflect on their own development. The sessions enabled critical self-analysis and improved problem-solving skills, particularly evident during peer discussions.ConclusionTriple R sessions explored the influence of a positive approach on students' perceptions of their overall placement. Evaluation of the data indicated that, following academic and peer discussion, students' perceptions tended to be a more positive overall view of their placement.Implications for practiceTriple R sessions can be used in academic and clinical environments to enable positive student interactions.     

Multivariable non-linear controller for a synchronous generator

The problem of multivariable controller synthesis for a turbogenerator is considered. Using the feedback linearization approach for multi-input non-linear systems, the existence of a linearizing state feedback for the improved reduced-order model of a turbogenerator is proved and the simplest form of this feedback is derived. Application of the obtained non-linear controller to the multivariable control of a turbogenerator provides very good results not only for the reduced-order model but also for the ‘exact’ (Park's) model of a turbogenerator. Simulations of fault and post-fault conditions in the obtained nonlinear control system confirm its superiority over a system with a voltage regulator and power system stabilizer.     

Activity in deep intermediate layer collicular neurons during interrupted saccades

The activity of neurons located in the deep intermediate and adjacent deep layers (hereafter called just deep intermediate layer neurons) of the superior colliculus (SC) in monkeys was recorded during saccades interrupted by electrical stimulation of the brainstem omnipause neuron (OPN) region. The goal of the experiment was to determine if these neurons maintained their discharge during the saccadic interruption, and thus, could potentially provide a memory trace for the intended movement which ends accurately on target in spite of the perturbation. The collicular neurons recorded in the present study were located in the rostral three-fifths of the colliculus. Most of these cells tended to show considerable presaccadic activity during a delayed saccade paradigm, and, therefore, probably overlap with the population of SC cells called buildup neurons or prelude bursters in previous studies. The effect of electrical stimulation in the OPN region (which interrupted ongoing saccades) on the discharge of these neurons was measured by computing the percentage reduction in a cell's activity compared to that present during non-interrupted saccades. During saccade interruption about 70% of deep intermediate layer neurons experienced a major reduction (30% or greater) in their activity, but discharge recovered quickly after the termination of the stimulation as the eyes resumed their movement to finish the saccade on the target. Therefore, the pattern of activity recorded in most of the deep intermediate layer neurons during interrupted saccades qualitatively resembled that previously reported for the saccade-related burst neurons which tend to be located more dorsally in the intermediate layer. In contrast, some of our cells (30%) showed little or no perturbation in their activity caused by the saccade interrupting stimulation. Because all the more dorsally located burst neurons and the majority of our deep intermediate layer neurons show a total or major suppression in their discharge during interrupted saccades, it seems unlikely that the colliculus by itself could maintain an accurate memory of the desired saccadic goal or the remaining dynamic motor error required to account for the accuracy of the resumed movement which occurs following the interruption. However, it remains possible that the smaller proportion of our neurons whose activity was not perturbed during interrupted movements could play a role in the mechanisms underlying saccade accuracy in the interrupted saccade paradigm. Interrupted saccades have longer durations than normal saccades to the same target. Therefore, we investigated whether the discharge of our deeper collicular cells was also necessarily prolonged during interrupted saccades, and, if so, how the prolongation compared to the prolongation of the saccade. Sixty percent of our sample neurons showed a prolongation in discharge that was approximately the same as the prolongation in saccade duration (difference < 15 ms in magnitude). The, observation that temporal discharge in our neurons was perturbed to roughly match saccadic temporal perturbation suggests that dynamic feedback about ongoing saccadic motion is provided to the colliculus, but does not necessarily imply that this structure is the site responsible for the computation of dynamic motor error.     

改变在体兔左心室后负荷对其电生理参数的影响

目的：探讨改变在体兔左心室后负荷对室性心律失常发生情况及左心室电生理参数的影响。方法：改变左心室后负荷，观察室性心律失常发生情况，并测定左心室舒张阈值（ＶＤＴ），相对不应期（ＲＲＰ），有效不应期（ＥＲＰ）及其不应期离散和心室纤颤阈（ＶＦＴ）。结果：逐级增加左心室后负荷（ＡＢ级）可使左室空间ＲＲＰ，ＥＲＰ离散增加（Ｂ级，Ｐ＜００５），ＶＦＴ降低（Ｂ级，Ｐ＜００１）；各实验动物均出现室性心律失常（Ｂ级）；而逐级减小左室后负荷（ＣＤ级），心室电生理参数无变化（Ｐ＞００５），各实验动物亦无室性心律失常发生。结论：增加左心室后负荷诱发室性心律失常，与左室空间不应期离散增加有关。     

Percepciones estudiantiles sobre las propiedades del examen clínico objetivo estructurado en Uruguay. Disponiendo un cuestionario válido para analizar la factibilidad del nuevo formato durante la transición curricular

Introduction

Although an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) format has been applied in Uruguay since 2004, and providing reliable performance measures, perceptions of it properties and level of student satisfaction have not been determined.

The Effects of Feedback Sensory Modality, Feedback Information Content, and Sex on Short-Term Biofeedback Training of Three Responses

In three factorial experiments, auditory vs visual vs tactile feedback, analog feedback vs analog feedback which was anchored, and sex, were varied to assess the effects of these variables on performance in short-term biofeedback training of heart rate reduction, hand temperature increase, and forehead muscle tension reduction. A total of 108 subjects served in the study. Moderate but reliable changes were found during the course of the training session for all three physiological responses. The ability to reduce heart rate in a single training session did not appear to be a function of any of the variables manipulated in this study, but rather could be attributed to adaptation. In both muscle tension and temperature training, however, there were significant interactions between sex and sensory modality of the feedback stimulus and, in the case of muscle tension training, between information content of the feedback signal and sex. The overall pattern of results indicated that performance during biofeedback training is a complicated function of sex and the type of signal used to provide feedback, and that this function is not constant across physiological response systems.     

Effects of information and reward on stimulus-preceding negativity prior to feedback stimuli

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of informational and motivational level of feedback stimuli on the stimulus-preceding negativity (SPN). In the time estimation task, in which a visual stimulus was presented 3 s after a voluntary movement, (a) the information level (high information and low information) and (b) the motivation level (reward and no-reward) for feedback stimuli were manipulated. Under the high-information condition, subjects received feedback information about (1) correctness (correct or incorrect), (2) direction of error (under- or overestimate), and (3) degree of accuracy (accurate or less accurate) of their time estimation. In the low-information condition, however, they received information about the correctness only. In the reward condition, they received a monetary reward for accurate time estimations but received nothing in the no-reward condition. The results demonstrated a significant interaction of information by motivation level, showing that the SPN amplitude under the reward/high-information was larger than that in the no-reward/high-information condition. The results are discussed in terms of emotional anticipation, taking into consideration the result of self-report that subjects felt to be more motivated when they received precise information.     

Second Thoughts: Multiple P300s Elicited by a Single Stimulus

In a previous report (Johnson & Donchin, 1978), we manipulated the discriminability of tone pairs that delivered feedback information in a time-estimation paradigm. As in other experiments using feedback stimuli, the event-related potentials elicited by these stimuli did not return to baseline in the 800-ms poststimulus interval. Since we were interested in this “Slow Wave'’activity, the poststimulus interval was lengthened to 1500 ms. Averages revealed that a second positive peak was present for some of the individual subjects. To investigate this activity further, the filtered singletrial waveforms were inspected visually. These data were characterized by the presence of one, and occasionally two, positive peaks, with highly variable latencies, following the P300. These peaks were indistinguishable in frequency and general appearance from the P300s elicited by the feedback stimuli. After latency adjusting the waveforms on the peak of the second positive wave, amplitude and latency were quantified. Whereas P300 amplitude was directly related to stimulus discriminability and positive feedback elicited larger P300s than negative feedback, the amplitude of the second positive wave was constant across levels of discriminability and the same for both types of feedback. In contrast, the latencies of both waves were inversely related to stimulus discriminability and shorter following positive feedback than negative feedback. Evidence is presented to support our contention that these additional positive peaks represent P300 activity. The data are discussed in terms of what these multiple P300s reveal about human information processing.     

Effects of the presentation of false heart-rate feedback on the performance of two common heartbeat-detection tasks.

Research has indicated that performance on heartbeat counting tasks may be influenced by beliefs about heart rate. Sixty male subjects were administered the Schandry heartbeat counting task after viewing fast, slow, or no heart rate feedback. Subjects were also administered the Whitehead signal-detection type task. Results indicated that subjects who received fast or no heartbeat feedback performed better on the Schandry task than subjects who received slow feedback. Feedback presentation did not affect performance on the Whitehead task. These results suggest that the Schandry task is influenced by external variables (expectations, beliefs) beyond pure awareness of "discrete" visceral sensations and, thus, may not be as powerful a method for determining awareness of individual heartbeats as some other paradigms.     

A Negative Slow Wave Related to Conceptual Load Which Vanishes if the Amount of Load is Increased? A Reply to Ruchkin and Johnson

Ruchkin and Johnson (1991) claim that the mode of responding used by Rösler & Heil (1991) may have camouflaged effects of a negative slow wave that Ruckin et al. (1988) had found to be related to the difficulty of mental calculation problems. This criticism is addressed by three arguments which support the interpretation of Rösler and Heil (1991). According to this view, the negative slow wave in question is more likely related to unspecific processing factors, such as effort and event expectation, than to specific processing demands such as these induced by mental arithmetic.