Virtual patient design : exploring what works and why : a grounded theory study

Objectives: Virtual patients (VPs) are online representations of clinical cases used in medical education. Widely adopted, they are well placed to teach clinical reasoning skills. International technology standards mean VPs can be created, shared and repurposed between institutions. A systematic review has highlighted the lack of evidence to support which of the numerous VP designs may be effective, and why. We set out to research the influence of VP design on medical undergraduates. Methods: This is a grounded theory study into the influence of VP design on undergraduate medical students. Following a review of the literature and publicly available VP cases, we identified important design properties. We integrated them into two substantial VPs produced for this research. Using purposeful iterative sampling, 46 medical undergraduates were recruited to participate in six focus groups. Participants completed both VPs, an evaluation and a 1-hour focus group discussion. These were digitally recorded, transcribed and analysed using grounded theory, supported by computer-assisted analysis. Following open, axial and selective coding, we produced a theoretical model describing how students learn from VPs. Results: We identified a central core phenomenon designated ‘learning from the VP’. This had four categories: VP Construction; External Preconditions; Student–VP Interaction, and Consequences. From these, we constructed a three-layer model describing the interactions of students with VPs. The inner layer consists of the student's cognitive and behavioural preconditions prior to sitting a case. The middle layer considers the VP as an ‘encoded object’, an e-learning artefact and as a ‘constructed activity’, with associated pedagogic and organisational elements. The outer layer describes cognitive and behavioural change. Conclusions: This is the first grounded theory study to explore VP design. This original research has produced a model which enhances understanding of how and why the delivery and design of VPs influence learning. The model may be of practical use to authors, institutions and researchers

The Ursinus Weekly, June 1, 1953

Dr. Shaffer is speaker at Baccalaureate • Alumni gather at meeting Saturday • Manning wins class honors; Owens second • Kaye speaks to graduates; Degrees, prizes awarded • Women elect dorm officers • Cub & Key names Kolp as president • Curtain Club names tentative group heads • Dedekind named Lantern editor • Six honored by Alpha Psi; New officers elected • Armstrong elected chairman of 1953-54 Spirit Committee • Ursinus graduate holds position in Iran • Editorials: Crowding and concentration • Engagements • Baseball season closes; Burger leads hitters • Softball team downs Temple • Drexel, Swarthmore upend tennis team • Court squads beat Temple • Alumni graduates from Institute for Foreign Trade • Marriedhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1521/thumbnail.jp

Quantum interference initiated super- and subradiant emission from entangled atoms

We calculate the radiative characteristics of emission from a system of entangled atoms which can have a relative distance larger than the emission wavelength. We develop a quantum multipath interference approach which explains both super- and subradiance though the entangled states have zero dipole moment. We derive a formula for the radiated intensity in terms of different interfering pathways. We further show how the interferences lead to directional emission from atoms prepared in symmetric W-states. As a byproduct of our work we show how Dicke's classic result can be understood in terms of interfering pathways. In contrast to the previous works on ensembles of atoms, we focus on finite numbers of atoms prepared in well characterized states.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, 2 Table

The Ursinus Weekly, March 8, 1954

WAA schedules musical revue Thursday night • AAUW holds program for senior women • West Chester STC group conducts vespers program • Greek columns • Roland Dedekind is Weekly editor; Killheffer named managing editor • Debating team has contest with Temple • U. of P. band will give concert here, March 18 • Dr. A. Rice reads Swedish works • Women\u27s club plans coffee for senior girls • Dr. Bachrach to speak on civil liberties at forum • J. Canady speaks on impressionist art • Committee leaders announced for play • Conflicting schedule causes Group II to postpone play • Editorials: Information please • Letters to the editor • Thief of time • Group III plays reviewed • Dawkins and Padula win MAC crowns; Ed Dawkins voted most valuable wrestler by MAC • Belles outplay Penn, 57-27; Kuhn tallies 29 points • Belles topple West Chester • Burger, Knull in finale, Delaware defeats Bearshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1491/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, May 11, 1953

Ed Abramson elected prexy by thespians • Spirit Committee to hold election • Ursinus debaters triumph over LaSalle team, on FEPC • J. Alfred Kaye to speak at commencement, June 1 • Clubs elect 1953-54 heads • Cast receives high praise for Two blind mice production • New Y cabinet installed Sunday; Dance planned • Day Study elections decide new officers • Ruth Reed is May queen; Crowned under sunny sky • Seniors win study awards • Quartets present program, Tuesday • MSGA elections to be held Tuesday • Career offer for grads • Freshmen women elect soph rulers; Nesta Lewis to head committee • Editorials: But who shall decide? • Letters to the editor • Time machine • Mr. all-college visits U.C. and finds a way of life • To all happy drivers: We struggle for survival • Rittenhouse places in intercollegiates • Taylor hurls one-hitter; Belles defeat Beaver, 3-2 • PMC tops tracksters; Bears win 880, discus • Tennis team wins; Tops Albright, 5-4 • Baseball team wins, 5-4; Burger, Anderson star • Swarthmore wins meet 76-50; Swett, Eshbach win again • Sororities close year with dinner dances, shore tripshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1520/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, April 20, 1953

Wilcox, Hirst, Rice speak on prof\u27s panel • Fotine to play Friday night • Miller shows pictures, speaks to IRC group • Laughton to read at Norristown, Sat. • Ursinus to be host to first Future Teacher\u27s convention • Informal initiations held • Student elections tomorrow, April 21; Petitioning begins for class officers • High class stuff acclaimed success • Ursinus Women\u27s Club entertains senior women • Meistersingers present Music for you, Thursday • Morrell, Frey, Hering, Field Ursinus bridge champions • Library gets map • Band will elect officers tomorrow • Editorials: Now is the time • Henrie, Long, Kutzer, Pollock elected to Chi Alpha offices • Letters to the editor • For smokers only • Swett wins in weights as track team loses • Ursinus, Neborak topple E\u27town • Harris stars as Bears, Carter rout Delaware • Girls beat Penn in tennis openerhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1517/thumbnail.jp

Clonal amplification of Fasciola hepatica in Galba truncatula: within and between isolate variation of triclabendazole-susceptible and -resistant clones

Background: Fasciola hepatica is of worldwide significance, impacting on the health, welfare and productivity of livestock and regarded by WHO as a re-emerging zoonosis. Triclabendazole (TCBZ), the drug of choice for controlling acute fasciolosis in livestock, is also the drug used to treat human infections. However TCBZ-resistance is now considered a major threat to the effective control of F. hepatica. It has yet to be demonstrated whether F. hepatica undergoes a genetic clonal expansion in the snail intermediate host, Galba truncatula, and to what extent amplification of genotypes within the snail facilitates accumulation of drug resistant parasites. Little is known about genotypic and phenotypic variation within and between F. hepatica isolates. Results: Six clonal isolates of F. hepatica (3× triclabendazole-resistant, TCBZ-R and 3× triclabendazole-susceptible, TCBZ-S) were generated. Snails infected with one miracidium started to shed cercariae 42–56 days post-infection and shed repeatedly up to a maximum of 11 times. A maximum of 884 cercariae were shed by one clonally-infected snail (FhLivS1) at a single time point, with > 3000 clonal metacercariae shed over its lifetime. Following experimental infection all 12 sheep were FEC positive at the time of TCBZ treatment. Sheep infected with one of three putative TCBZ-S clones and treated with TCBZ had no parasites in the liver at post-mortem, whilst sheep each infected with putative TCBZ-R isolates had 35–165 adult fluke at post-mortem, despite TCBZ treatment. All six untreated control animals had between 15–127 parasites. A single multi-locus genotype was reported for every fluke from each of the six clonal isolates. Adult F. hepatica showed considerable variation in weight, ranging from 20–280 mg, with variation in weight evident within and amongst clonal isolates. Conclusions: A genetic clonal expansion occurs within G. truncatula, highlighting the potential for amplification of drug resistant genotypes of F. hepatica. Variation in the weight of parasites within and between clonal isolates and when comparing isolates that are either susceptible or resistant to TCBZ represent inherent variation in liver fluke and cannot be attributed to their resistance or susceptibility traits

The Ursinus Weekly, December 14, 1953

MSGA-WSGA together, discuss U.C. honor system • Committee to pick Spring production • Senate hears complaints; Struth heads Booster Committee • MSGA warns men\u27s dorms • Audience stirred by Messiah, Thursday • Christmas Communion to be conducted by Chi Alpha • Morning watch services to be conducted this week by Y • Who\u27s who honors twelve in Ursinus class of 1954 • Debating Team opens season at tournament • Zimmerman, Price are lord, lady of senior ball • Alpha Psi Omega initiates new members, Kuebler, Allen • Editorials: Christmas spirit; Resolutions for a happy New Year • Letters to the editor • No Christ this Christmas? • Ursinus to participate in bridge tournament • Engagement announced • First Ursinus Christmas Fun in a magical snowfall • Awards available for graduate work • Mr. Dolman and Dr. Rice bring varied experience to new job • Paolone leads matmen; Expect excellent season • Phyl Stadler is hockey captain • Maliken, Aden are most valuable players: Football fullback, soccer halfback receive new honor • Belles begin practice; Friedlin leads cagers • Bears fall to Juniata; Wallop Pharmacy, 99-83 • Syvertsen captains mermaids; Excellent season expectedhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1485/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, April 27, 1953

Y to sponsor panel meeting with Albright • Price, Merrifield, Haines, Hartman to head WSGA, WAA, YWCA, YMCA • May Day dancers prepare pageant for gala weekend • Concert presented by Meistersingers • Fraternities plan May dinner dances • Sororities make plans for shore visits, dinner dances • Group plays to be given • Eight win full scholarships • French teachers\u27 conference held at Ursinus, April 25 • Thespians to give Two blind mice • Friedlin crowned queen; Cub & Key honors five • Radomski, Wong elected to pre-med society offices • Class and council petitioning ends Friday • Jones reads from works of Noyes and Lindsay on Tuesday • Editorials: Tradition vs. common sense • I love Spring! • Helfferich named to board • Career offer for grads • Letters to the editor • Are you wasting money? • Alumni news • U.C. co-ed gives inside scoop on life in a boys\u27 dormitory • Ursinus professors are authorities in subject fields • From memoirs of a freshman: A visit to the Supply Store • Bears drop track meet to West Chester, 69-57 • Bryn Mawr tops girls in tennis • Baseball team loses, 8-7; But tops Graterford, 7-3 • East Stroudsburg routs Belles, 5-0 • Men\u27s tennis team loses, 5-4 • Belles, Albright vie in softball opener • Court squad downs Chestnut Hill, 5-0 • Hutch twirls shut-out; Bears beat Pharmacy, 20-0https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1518/thumbnail.jp