Computer literacy and attitudes towards e-learning among first year medical students

BACKGROUND: At the Medical University of Vienna, most information for students is available only online. In 2005, an e-learning project was initiated and there are plans to introduce a learning management system. In this study, we estimate the level of students' computer skills, the number of students having difficulty with e-learning, and the number of students opposed to e-learning. METHODS: The study was conducted in an introductory course on computer-based and web-based training (CBT/WBT). Students were asked to fill out a questionnaire online that covered a wide range of relevant attitudes and experiences. RESULTS: While the great majority of students possess sufficient computer skills and acknowledge the advantages of interactive and multimedia-enhanced learning material, a small percentage lacks basic computer skills and/or is very skeptical about e-learning. There is also a consistently significant albeit weak gender difference in available computer infrastructure and Internet access. As for student attitudes toward e-learning, we found that age, computer use, and previous exposure to computers are more important than gender. A sizable number of students, 12% of the total, make little or no use of existing e-learning offerings. CONCLUSION: Many students would benefit from a basic introduction to computers and to the relevant computer-based resources of the university. Given to the wide range of computer skills among students, a single computer course for all students would not be useful nor would it be accepted. Special measures should be taken to prevent students who lack computer skills from being disadvantaged or from developing computer-hostile attitudes

<i>mito</i>-QC illuminates mitophagy and mitochondrial architecture <i>in vivo</i>

Autophagic turnover of mitochondria, termed mitophagy, is proposed to be an essential quality-control (QC) mechanism of pathophysiological relevance in mammals. However, if and how mitophagy proceeds within specific cellular subtypes in vivo remains unclear, largely because of a lack of tractable tools and models. To address this, we have developed “mito-QC,” a transgenic mouse with a pH-sensitive fluorescent mitochondrial signal. This allows the assessment of mitophagy and mitochondrial architecture in vivo. Using confocal microscopy, we demonstrate that mito-QC is compatible with classical and contemporary techniques in histochemistry and allows unambiguous in vivo detection of mitophagy and mitochondrial morphology at single-cell resolution within multiple organ systems. Strikingly, our model uncovers highly enriched and differential zones of mitophagy in the developing heart and within specific cells of the adult kidney. mito-QC is an experimentally advantageous tool of broad relevance to cell biology researchers within both discovery-based and translational research communities

Evaluation of internet access and utilization by medical students in Lahore, Pakistan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The internet is increasingly being used worldwide in imparting medical education and improving its delivery. It has become an important tool for healthcare professionals training but the data on its use by medical students in developing countries is lacking with no study on the subject from Pakistan. This study was, therefore, carried out with an aim to evaluate the pattern of internet access and utilization by medical students in Pakistan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A structured pre-tested questionnaire was administered to a group of 750 medical students in clinical years studying at various public and private medical colleges in Lahore. The questions were related to patterns of internet access, purpose of use and self reported confidence in performing various internet related tasks, use of health related websites to supplement learning and the problems faced by students in using internet at the institution.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 532 medical students (70.9%) returned the questionnaire. The mean age of study participants was 21.04 years (SD 1.96 years). Majority of the respondents (84.0%) reported experience with internet use. About half of the students (42.1%) were using internet occasionally with 23.1%, 20.9% and 13.9% doing so frequently, regularly and rarely respectively. About two third of the students (61.0%) stated that they use internet for both academic and professional activities. Most of the participants preferred to use internet at home (70.5%). Self reported ability to search for required article from PubMed and PakMedinet was reported by only 34.0% of the entire sample. Students were moderately confident in performing various internet related tasks including downloading medical books from internet, searching internet for classification of diseases and downloading full text article. Health related websites were being accessed by 55.1% students to supplement their learning process. Lack of time, inadequate number of available computers and lack of support from staff were cited as the most common problems faced by students while accessing internet in the institution premises. There were significant differences among male and female students with respect to the place of internet use (p = 0.001) and the ability to search online databases for required articles (p = 0.014).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Majority of the medical students in this study had access to internet and were using it for both academic and personal reasons. Nevertheless, it was seen that there is under utilization of the potential of internet resources to augment learning. Increase in awareness, availability of requisite facilities and training in computing skills are required to enable better utilization of digital resources of digital resources by medical students.</p

Clinical trial to assess the effect of physical exercise on endothelial function and insulin resistance in pregnant women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Preeclampsia (PE) is a common maternal disease that complicates 5 to 10% of pregnancies and remains as the major cause of maternal and neonatal mortality. Cost-effective interventions aimed at preventing the development of preeclampsia are urgently needed. However, the pathogenesis of PE is not well known. Multiple mechanisms such as oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance may contribute to its development. Regular aerobic exercise recovers endothelial function; improves insulin resistance and decreases oxidative stress. Therefore the purpose of this clinical trial is to determine the effect of regular aerobic exercise on endothelial function, on insulin resistance and on pregnancy outcome.</p> <p>Methods and design</p> <p>64 pregnant women will be included in a blind, randomized clinical trial, and parallel assignment. The exercise group will do regular aerobic physical exercise: walking (10 minutes), aerobic exercise (30 minutes), stretching (10 minutes) and relaxation exercise (10 minutes) in three sessions per week. Control group will do the activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, eating, and walking) without counselling from a physical therapist.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>NCT00741312.</p

Experience and Attitudes towards Information Technology among First-Year Medical Students in Denmark: Longitudinal Questionnaire Survey

BACKGROUND: As more and more information technology (IT) resources become available both for support of campus- based medical education and for Web-based learning, it becomes increasingly interesting to map the information technology resources available to medical students and the attitudes students have towards their use. OBJECTIVE: To determine how extensively and effectively information handling skills are being taught in the medical curriculum, the study investigated Internet and computer availability and usage, and attitudes towards information technology among first-year medical students in Aarhus, Denmark, during a five-year period. METHODS: In the period from 1998 to 2002, students beginning the first semester of medical school were given courses on effective use of IT in their studies. As a part of the tutorials, the students were asked to complete a web-based questionnaire which included questions related to IT readiness and attitudes towards using IT in studies. RESULTS: A total of 1159 students (78%) responded. Overall, 71.7% of the respondents indicating they had access to a computer at home, a number that did not change significantly during the study period. Over time, the power of students' computers and the use of e-mail and Internet did increase significantly. By fall 2002, approximately 90% of students used e-mail regularly, 80% used the Internet regularly, and 60% had access to the Internet from home. Significantly more males than females had access to a computer at home, and males had a more positive attitude towards the use of computers in their medical studies. A fairly constant number of students (3-7%) stated that they would prefer not to have to use computers in their studies. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together with our experience from classroom teaching, these results indicate optional teaching of basic information technology still needs to be integrated into medical studies, and that this need does not seem likely to disappear in the near future

MED42/480: Quick Time Virtual Reality (QTVR) Visualization of 2D and 3D Structures in Medical Education

INTRODUCTION: QTVR is a movie format, developed by Apple, that enables users to work interactively with 2D and 3D objects in a variety of ways that enhance visualization as compared to still images or linear movie files. This standard has been available for some years but the potentials of its use in medical education has not yet been fully exploited. METHODS: Like linear quick time movies, QTVR movies can be readily viewed with an Internet browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer versions 3 or higher) when quick time viewer (available free from Apple) has been installed. Thus the format is well suited for integration into educational web pages. QTVR movies are non-linear movie files that can be manoeuvred by users to: 1. turn 3D objects; 2. zoom in and out of 2D or 3D objects; 3. pan/scroll objects; 4. activate new QTVR movie files by clicking on hot spots. Each frame in the QTVR movie may itself be a movie. QTVR movies are created with the program QTVR authoring studio on Macintosh computers but resulting files are cross-platform compatible and can be distributed on the Internet or on a CD. RESULTS: The versatility of the tool enables a large variety of different applications to be made (see:http://www.intermed.dk/qtvr for examples and links to other QTVR resources): 1. Gross-anatomical visualization of 3D objects can be created by recording a series of images around a real 3D object suspended in a rotating rag. 2. Panoramic movies can be created by rotating the camera and subsequently stitching images in QTVR authoring studio. 3. A virtual light- or electron microscope can be created by using a 2D image digitized at high resolution. 4. Serial sections of i.e. Magnetic Resonance images or CT images can be manoeuvred by the user to reveal anatomical structures for study. In one example we have placed a sequence of serial MR movies each representing the cardiac cycle. When this movie is moved using the mouse, another plane of the heart is shown, revealing a very dynamic representation of the entire heart. DISCUSSION: We plan to further exploit this tool and expect it to be very effective in enhancing interactive learning in topics such as anatomy, cell biology, histology, radiology and cardiology