Multiple–True–False Questions Reveal the Limits of the Multiple–Choice Format for Detecting Students with Incomplete Understandings

By having students select one answer among several plausible options, multiple–choice (MC) questions capture a student’s preferred answer but provide little information regarding a student’s thinking on the remaining options. We conducted a crossover design experiment in which similar groups of introductory biology students were assigned verbatim questions in the MC format or multiple–true–false (MTF) format, which requires students to separately evaluate each option as either true or false. Our data reveal that nearly half of the students who select the correct MC answer likely hold incorrect understandings of the other options and that the selection rates for individual MC options provide inaccurate estimations of how many students separately endorse each option. These results suggest that MC questions systematically overestimate question mastery and underestimate the prevalence of mixed and partial conceptions, whereas MTF questions enable students and instructors to gain a more nuanced portrait of student thinking with little additional effort

Involving consumers with palliative care needs and their families in research: A case study

© 2019 Australian College of Nursing Ltd Background: There are significant policy imperatives to involve consumers at the outset of and throughout research. How best to achieve this in an authentic and meaningful way is elusive, particularly within the palliative care population. Aim: To determine how best to engage people with palliative care needs and their families in co-designing a qualitative study to better understand how to improve care of the dying in the acute care setting. Methods: A case study design informed this work, informed by pre-determined research questions that focused on consumers advising on participant experience within the research, rather than research methodology per se. Findings: Eleven consumers contributed across five panel meetings. Analysis of documented feedback led to four key areas of protocol change: Getting the language in the recruitment materials and information and consent forms right; Developing a feasible and acceptable recruitment strategy; Opportunities to more clearly articulate the explicit value of this research for patients and families; Support strategies for participants. Discussion: Authentic consumer engagement requires time and effort; however, the outcomes are well worth the invested time and energy. Key foci outlined within this case study to enhance authenticity included: collaboration; preferencing the consumer voice; adequate preparation to support consumer engagement; and openness to all feedback provided. Conclusion: Co-designing research with consumers enabled the outcome to be feasible for implementation, without any modifications required. Ensuring relevance and consumer-centredness for the expanding palliative care evidence base is essential and can only be achieved through meaningful partnerships with consumer representatives

IRF-3, IRF-5, and IRF-7 Coordinately Regulate the Type I IFN Response in Myeloid Dendritic Cells Downstream of MAVS Signaling

Although the transcription factors IRF-3 and IRF-7 are considered master regulators of type I interferon (IFN) induction and IFN stimulated gene (ISG) expression, Irf3-/-×Irf7-/- double knockout (DKO) myeloid dendritic cells (mDC) produce relatively normal levels of IFN-β after viral infection. We generated Irf3-/-×Irf5-/-×Irf7-/- triple knockout (TKO) mice to test whether IRF-5 was the source of the residual induction of IFN-β and ISGs in mDCs. In pathogenesis studies with two unrelated positive-sense RNA viruses (West Nile virus (WNV) and murine norovirus), TKO mice succumbed at rates greater than DKO mice and equal to or approaching those of mice lacking the type I IFN receptor (Ifnar-/-). In ex vivo studies, after WNV infection or exposure to Toll-like receptor agonists, TKO mDCs failed to produce IFN-β or express ISGs. In contrast, this response was sustained in TKO macrophages following WNV infection. To define IRF-regulated gene signatures, we performed microarray analysis on WNV-infected mDC from wild type (WT), DKO, TKO, or Ifnar-/- mice, as well as from mice lacking the RIG-I like receptor adaptor protein MAVS. Whereas the gene induction pattern in DKO mDC was similar to WT cells, remarkably, almost no ISG induction was detected in TKO or Mavs-/- mDC. The relative equivalence of TKO and Mavs-/- responses suggested that MAVS dominantly regulates ISG induction in mDC. Moreover, we showed that MAVS-dependent induction of ISGs can occur through an IRF-5-dependent yet IRF-3 and IRF-7-independent pathway. Our results establish IRF-3, -5, and -7 as the key transcription factors responsible for mediating the type I IFN and ISG response in mDC during WNV infection and suggest a novel signaling link between MAVS and IRF-5

The Emergency Medical Services Sleep Health Study

DTNH2215C00029While fatigue and poor sleep quality affect more than than half of emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians, there is no known standard for educating and training. For this report the research team created the Fatigue Education Program for Emergency Medical Services, 10 brief education modules based on recommendations from the American College of Occupational Environmental Medicine. The primary aim of this study was to determine if providing education and training to EMS personnel on the importance of sleep health and dangers of fatigue improves indicators of sleep quality and fatigue. The researchers used a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, wait-list control, 6-month study design. The primary outcome was the Pittsburgh sleep quality index -measured sleep quality at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed no differences between the intervention and comparison groups in mean sleep quality scores at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Per protocol analyses showed that the greater the number of modules viewed, compared to no viewings, the greater the improvement in sleep quality and greater the reduction in fatigue. The largest improvement in sleep quality was observed among EMS clinicians who viewed eight to 10 education modules. Given these findings, the Fatigue Education Program for Emergency Medical Services may be a useful resource for EMS administrators who aim to fulfill the 2018 evidence-based guideline recommendation of educating and training EMS workers on sleep and fatigue

Multiple–True–False Questions Reveal the Limits of the Multiple–Choice Format for Detecting Students with Incomplete Understandings

By having students select one answer among several plausible options, multiple–choice (MC) questions capture a student’s preferred answer but provide little information regarding a student’s thinking on the remaining options. We conducted a crossover design experiment in which similar groups of introductory biology students were assigned verbatim questions in the MC format or multiple–true–false (MTF) format, which requires students to separately evaluate each option as either true or false. Our data reveal that nearly half of the students who select the correct MC answer likely hold incorrect understandings of the other options and that the selection rates for individual MC options provide inaccurate estimations of how many students separately endorse each option. These results suggest that MC questions systematically overestimate question mastery and underestimate the prevalence of mixed and partial conceptions, whereas MTF questions enable students and instructors to gain a more nuanced portrait of student thinking with little additional effort

A special stains database for histology

Histopathology laboratories routinely perform a large number and variety of special stains and immunohistochemical methods. The recording and retrieval of test information is usually done manually and is time consuming. It was considered timely and useful to computerize these tasks because of the ever increasing workload. This paper describes the introduction of a database management system to meet the requirements of a special stains laboratory. A computerized log book using Microsoft Access was established to replace a manual log book. The aims were to facilitate handling of test data, easier data entry and retrieval, and the generation of statistics. An additional advantage of this system was the saving of staff operating time and the use of data for management purposes and accounting