Everyday memory deficits associated with anabolic-androgenic steroid use in regular gymnasium users

Background: This study compared a group of 47 regular gym users who take androgenic-anabolic steroids (the AAS group) as part of their recreational sport, with a group of 48 regular gym users who do not use AAS (the Non-AAS group) on self-reports of Retrospective memory (RM), executive function (EF) and prospective memory (PM), which are all critical to everyday remembering. Methods: All participants were tested using an on-line Survey Monkey method. The Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ) assessed everyday RM and PM deficits and the Executive Function Questionnaire (EFQ) assessed self-reported problems in EF. A drug-use questionnaire and a mood questionnaire were also administered Results: After observing no between-group differences on alcohol or mood, omitting anyone who drank excessively or had drank recently, smoked or reported using any illegal drug, three one-way ANCOVAs (controlling for age) revealed that the ASS group reported significantly more RM deficits, EF deficits, and PM deficits, when compared with the NonASS group. Conclusion: It was concluded that AAS use in a recreational sports context is associated with RM, EF and PM deficits, indicating that AAS use may damage everyday remembering

The Role of Medicinal Plants in New Zealand's Settler Medical Culture, 1850s-1920s

Throughout history, medicinal plants have been important components of medical practices in almost all cultures of the world. This thesis focuses specifically on the changing uses and understandings of medicinal plants in New Zealand‘s settler medical culture from 1850 to 1920. Using a wide range of source material, and both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, it examines the plant species most popular in New Zealand, the reasons for their popularity, the introduction of these into the Colony, and their use and interpretation by three groups of healers: domestic healers, herbalists and doctors. This thesis deploys the concept of translation to argue that different qualities were attributed to the same plant in response to the needs and approaches of domestic healers, herbalists and doctors, each of whom had different ways of gathering, collating and assessing medico-botanical information. While British understandings of botany and medicine introduced during the course of colonisation guided healers and their use of plants in New Zealand significantly, this thesis posits that the flow of medico-botanical knowledge was more diffuse and highly complex, moving in multiple directions, and adapting and incorporating multiple meaning

Muddy Doctors and Mustard Poultices: Medical knowledge and practices in colonial New Zealand

This thesis examines health care in colonial New Zealand and sets about identifying and recognising the care which was given by women in their homes and communities. Based around four dominant etiological theories of the nineteenth century it explores the introduction, application and adaptation of medical knowledge in New Zealand. An overview of public health care in New Zealand from the late 1700s through to the 1930s is included. This covers the introduction of disease to the colony, the role of missionaries as healers, the contribution made by private medical practitioners as well as the professionlisation of medicine in New Zealand and the development of public health practices. This research is placed in the broader context of European colonisation and uncovers settler’s ideas, beliefs and perceptions surrounding health and disease. The use of medical rhetoric to control the population and promote progressive ideals is discussed. The importance and prevalence of domestic health practice becomes clear when we examine colonial diaries and correspondence and take into account the haphazard nature of the public health systems and the popularity of home medical books. The division of labour generated through gender stereotyping meant that women in particular worked tirelessly as health care providers with little remuneration or recognition. Domestic health care has been overlooked in our country’s official medical history. This thesis seeks to address that omission

The Evolving Middle School Concept: This We (Still) Believe

The Successful Middle School builds upon many decades of commitment to the middle school concept. The fifth edition of AMLE’s landmark position paper amplifies the importance of responding both to young adolescents’ developmental needs and to their social identities. The edition’s release amidst a global pandemic and increasing protests against racial injustice reminds us that responding to the full diversity of student experience is not optional. It is critical to helping young adolescents--and indeed the world--to thrive, now and in the future

Swelling cholesteric liquid crystal shells to direct colloids at the interface

Cholesteric liquid crystals can exhibit spatial patterns in molecular alignment at interfaces that can be exploited for particle assembly. These patterns emerge from the competition between bulk and surface energies, tunable with the system geometry. In this work, we use the osmotic swelling of cholesteric double emulsions to assemble colloidal particles through a pathway-dependent process. Particles can be repositioned from a surface-mediated to an elasticity-mediated state through dynamically thinning the cholesteric shell at a rate comparable to that of colloidal adsorption. By tuning the balance between surface and bulk energies with the system geometry, colloidal assemblies on the cholesteric interface can be molded by the underlying elastic field to form linear aggregates. The transition of adsorbed particles from surface regions with homeotropic anchoring to defect regions is accompanied by a reduction in particle mobility. The arrested assemblies subsequently map out and stabilize topological defects. These results demonstrate the kinetic arrest of interfacial particles within definable patterns by regulating the energetic frustration within cholesterics. This work highlights the importance of kinetic pathways for particle assembly in liquid crystals, of relevance to optical and energy applications.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures total, including 4 supplemental figure

Teaching family medicine residents how to answer clinical questions using QUIPs

Background: “Questions in Practice” (QUIP) rounds are used to encourage residents to quickly find, evaluate, and incorporate information into clinical practice. It is an opportunity for residents to identify a clinical question, research the answer, present the evidence, and discuss how to apply it to practice. The value of using this method to teach residents has not been evaluated. Methods: A sampling of all first and second-year family medicine residents enrolled in the Memorial University Family Medicine program were invited to participate in the survey. The survey gathered information about the residents’ current experiences with answering clinical questions, their experience during QUIP rounds, and the value of an interdisciplinary approach. Results: The response rate was 91% (42/46). Medical websites (45%) and journal article indexes (34%) were most often used. Through QUIPs, 50% of the students identified new methods to retrieve answers, 80% considered it a useful learning experience, 75% had improved confidence, and clinical knowledge improved in 97%. Conclusions: Residents are familiar with many general sources of medical information, and QUIPs helped improve confidence in their knowledge and ability to answer questions. QUIPs appear to be a useful tool for teaching information resources and how to interpret and apply evidence to clinical situations

Patterns of Antibiotic Resistance Among Group B Streptococcus Isolates: 2001–2004

The objectives were to determine the prevalence of group B streptococcus (GBS) and to characterize antibiotic resistance patterns. All pregnant women presenting to the triage units at two urban hospitals during three intervals from 2001 to 2004 were included. Each interval lasted approximately four weeks. Swabs were inoculated into selective broth and cultured on tryptic soy agar with 5% sheep blood. GBS was identified using the StrepTex latex agglutination system. GBS positive cultures were tested for their resistance to ampicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and cefazolin. GBS was isolated from 154 (12.2%) of 1264 swabs collected during the study period. African-American women were more likely to be colonized with GBS than Caucasians and Hispanics. Resistance to routinely administered antibiotics was common, but there were no statistically significant increases in resistance to antibiotics over the study period. Ongoing surveillance of antibiotic resistance patterns is important in determining optimal prophylaxis and therapy