1,785 research outputs found
Medical graduate views on statistical learning needs for clinical practice: a comprehensive survey
BACKGROUND: This paper seeks to contribute to a reputable evidence base for required competencies across different topics in statistics and probability (statistical topics) in preparing medical graduates for clinical practice. This is in order to inform the prioritization of statistical topics within future undergraduate medical curricula, while exploring the need for preparing tomorrow's doctors to be producers, and not merely consumers, of statistics. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive online survey from July 2013 to August 2014 for a target group of 462 medical graduates with current or prior experience of teaching undergraduate medical students of the University of Edinburgh of whom 278 (60.2%) responded. Statistical topics were ranked by proportion of respondents who identified the practice of statistics, performing statistical procedures or calculations using appropriate data, as a required competency for medical schools to provide in preparing undergraduate medical students for clinical practice. Mixed effects analyses were used to identify potential predictors for selection of the above competency and to compare the likelihood of this selection for a range of statistical topics versus critical appraisal. RESULTS: Evidence was gleaned from medical graduates' experiences of clinical practice for the need for, not only a theoretical understanding of statistics and probability but also, the ability to practice statistics. Nature of employment and statistical topic were highly significant predictors of choice of the practice of statistics as a required competency ((F = 3.777, p < 0.0005) and (F = 45.834, p < 0.0005), respectively). The most popular topic for this competency was graphical presentation of data (84.3% of respondents) in contrast to cross-over trials for the competency understanding the theory only (70.5% of respondents). Several topics were found to be more popular than critical appraisal for competency in the practice of statistics. CONCLUSIONS: The model of medical graduates as mere consumers of statistics is oversimplified. Contrary to what has been suggested elsewhere, statistical learning opportunities in undergraduate medicine should not be restricted to development of critical appraisal skills. Indeed, our findings support development of learning opportunities for undergraduate medical students as producers of statistics across a wide range of statistical topics
Static and Dynamic Magnetism in Underdoped Superconductor BaFeCoAs
We report neutron scattering measurements on single crystals of
BaFeCoAs. The magnetic Bragg peak intensity is reduced by
6 % upon cooling through T. The spin dynamics exhibit a gap of 8 meV with
anisotropic three-dimensional (3d) interactions. Below T additional
intensity appears at an energy of 4.5(0.5) meV similar to previous
observations of a spin resonance in other Fe-based superconductors. No further
gapping of the spin excitations is observed below T for energies down to 2
meV. These observations suggest the redistribution of spectral weight from the
magnetic Bragg position to a spin resonance demonstrating the direct
competition between static magnetic order and superconductivity.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Study of the ground state properties of using SR
is an insulating system where the magnetic Ho ions
have an Ising character, and interact mainly through magnetic dipolar fields.
We used the muon spin relaxation technique to study the nature of the ground
state for samples with x=0.25, 0.12, 0.08, 0.045 and 0.018. In contrast with
some previous works, we have not found any signature of canonical spin glass
behavior down to 15mK. Instead, below 300mK we observed
dynamic magnetism characterized by a single correlation time with a temperature
independent fluctuation rate. We observed that this low temperature fluctuation
rate increases with x up to 0.08, above which it levels off. The 300mK energy
scale corresponds to the Ho3+ hyperfine interaction strength, suggesting that
the hyperfine interaction may be intimately involved with the spin dynamics in
this system
A preliminary investigation to group disparate batches of licit and illicit diazepam tablets using differential scanning calorimetry
Increasing numbers of illicit and unlicensed medicines are in general circulation and regularly seized by the police and other regulatory authorities. Forensic identification of seized tablets tends to focus on visual appearance and chromatographic identification of the contained drug. This process is relatively time consuming and places a strain on forensic laboratories. It was therefore of interest to investigate the possible application of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as a fast and efficient tool to facilitate the identification of contained drug/s and associated tablet excipients. Sixteen different cases (Cases A to P) of diazepam tablets obtained from Police Scotland were characterised based on visual appearance (colour and manufacturers' logos), physical attributes (size, weight and hardness), drug type, drug quantity (HPLC) and thermal properties (DSC). Raw DSC data was further processed using principal component analysis (PCA) as an objective assessment of the thermograms obtained with a view to statistical grouping of different cases. Cases J/K, M/O and L/P could be paired on visual appearance and Cases B/C/E/G and J/K/L/P on tablet hardness (17–23 and 80–89 N respectively). HPLC indicated that 75% of the cases examined contained diazepam but less than half of these contained the recognised amount (10 mg); Cases B/E/L/P contained phenazepam and J/K contained etizolam. The thermal signatures of individual tablets provided by DSC produced qualitative information about both drugs and excipients, indicating lactose in Cases D/F/H/I/J/K/M/N/O and Emcompress™ in B/E/L/P. In particular, DSC coupled with PCA provided confident groupings of A/C/G, B/E/L/P and H/I/J/K, and specific pairings of B/E, L/P and F/N
2D Kagome Ordering in the 3D Frustrated Spinel Li2Mn2O4
muSR experiments on the geometrically frustrated spinel oxide, Li2Mn2O4, show
the development of spin correlations over a range of length scales with
decreasing temperature. Increased relaxation below 150 K is consistent with the
onset of spin correlations. Below 50 K, spin order on a length scale, which is
long range for the muSR probe, appears abruptly in temperature, consistent with
prior neutron diffraction results. The oscillations in the zero field asymmetry
are analyzed using a three frequency model. By locating the muon site this is
shown to be consistent with the unexpected 2D q = root 3 x root 3 structure on
the Kagome planes proposed originally from neutron data. Longitudinal field
data demonstrate that some spin dynamics persist even at 2 K. Thus, a very
complex magnetic ground state, featuring the co-existence of long length scale
2D ordering and significant spin dynamics, is proposed. This is unusual
considering the 3D topology of the Mn3+ spins in this material.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, to be submitted to J. Phys. Cond. Mat
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