Construct-level predictive validity of educational attainment and intellectual aptitude tests in medical student selection: meta-regression of six UK longitudinal studies

Background: Measures used for medical student selection should predict future performance during training. A problem for any selection study is that predictor-outcome correlations are known only in those who have been selected, whereas selectors need to know how measures would predict in the entire pool of applicants. That problem of interpretation can be solved by calculating construct-level predictive validity, an estimate of true predictor-outcome correlation across the range of applicant abilities. Methods: Construct-level predictive validities were calculated in six cohort studies of medical student selection and training (student entry, 1972 to 2009) for a range of predictors, including A-levels, General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs)/O-levels, and aptitude tests (AH5 and UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT)). Outcomes included undergraduate basic medical science and finals assessments, as well as postgraduate measures of Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (MRCP(UK)) performance and entry in the Specialist Register. Construct-level predictive validity was calculated with the method of Hunter, Schmidt and Le (2006), adapted to correct for right-censorship of examination results due to grade inflation. Results: Meta-regression analyzed 57 separate predictor-outcome correlations (POCs) and construct-level predictive validities (CLPVs). Mean CLPVs are substantially higher (.450) than mean POCs (.171). Mean CLPVs for first-year examinations, were high for A-levels (.809; CI: .501 to .935), and lower for GCSEs/O-levels (.332; CI: .024 to .583) and UKCAT (mean = .245; CI: .207 to .276). A-levels had higher CLPVs for all undergraduate and postgraduate assessments than did GCSEs/O-levels and intellectual aptitude tests. CLPVs of educational attainment measures decline somewhat during training, but continue to predict postgraduate performance. Intellectual aptitude tests have lower CLPVs than A-levels or GCSEs/O-levels. Conclusions: Educational attainment has strong CLPVs for undergraduate and postgraduate performance, accounting for perhaps 65% of true variance in first year performance. Such CLPVs justify the use of educational attainment measure in selection, but also raise a key theoretical question concerning the remaining 35% of variance (and measurement error, range restriction and right-censorship have been taken into account). Just as in astrophysics, ‘dark matter’ and ‘dark energy’ are posited to balance various theoretical equations, so medical student selection must also have its ‘dark variance’, whose nature is not yet properly characterized, but explains a third of the variation in performance during training. Some variance probably relates to factors which are unpredictable at selection, such as illness or other life events, but some is probably also associated with factors such as personality, motivation or study skills

Quantifying the If, the When, and the What of the Sublime: A Survey and Latent Class Analysis of Incidence, Emotions, and Distinct Varieties of Personal Sublime Experiences

Sublime encounters provide a compelling example of the peaks of our shared emotional and cognitive experiences. For centuries, these have been a target for philosophy and, more recently, for psychology, with its renewed focus on profound or aesthetic events. The sublime has been theoretically connected to multiple contexts, from interactions with overpowering nature, to beauty, music, even interpersonal engagements, and to multiple emotions—danger, awe, pleasure, fear—often with diametrically opposing arguments for what constitutes these events. However, despite this prolonged discussion, there is still a scarcity of actual systematic research. It is not known whether sublime encounters are common, nor how they are described by individuals, or if reports match theoretical arguments: Are there one or more, or no, distinct sublime types? We address these questions by matching historical discussions to 402 participants’ (Western adults) reports of whether they have ever experienced the sublime and, if so, how these are described in terms of cognitive/emotional and contextual factors. Roughly half reported having had at least one sublime experience, with accounts involving a range of contexts that essentially cover the full spectrum of past theoretical arguments. At the same time, when we considered the cognitive/affective descriptions using network science and latent class analysis of reported feelings, 90.8% fit one model, with involved communities (or interrelated clusters) of positive emotions, discrepancy, self-awareness, transformation/insight, and, notably, not including negative emotions/fear. We conclude with a discussion of how this approach and findings might be used as a basis for considering sublime theory and shaping future research

Predictive validity of the UK clinical aptitude test in the final years of medical school:a prospective cohort study

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Detection of the PAX3-FKHR fusion gene in paediatric rhabdomyosarcoma: a reproducible predictor of outcome?

Rhabdomyosarcoma has 2 major histological subtypes, embryonal and alveolar. Alveolar histology is associated with the fusion genes PAX3-FKHR and PAX7-FKHR. Definition of alveolar has been complicated by changes in terminology and subjectivity. It is currently unclear whether adverse clinical behaviour is better predicted by the presence of these fusion genes or by alveolar histology. We have determined the presence of the PAX3/7-FKHR fusion genes in 91 primary rhabdomyosarcoma tumours using a combination of classical cytogenetics, FISH and RT-PCR, with a view to determining the clinical characteristics of tumours with and without the characteristic translocations. There were 37 patients with t(2;13)/PAX3-FKHR, 8 with t(1;13) PAX7-FKHR and 46 with neither translocation. One or other of the characteristic translocations was found in 31/38 (82%) of alveolar cases. Univariate survival analysis revealed the presence of the translocation t(2;13)/PAX3-FKHR to be an adverse prognostic factor. With the difficulties in morphological diagnosis of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma on increasingly used small needle biopsy specimens, these data suggest that molecular analysis for PAX3-FKHR will be a clinically useful tool in treatment stratification in the future. This hypothesis requires testing in a prospective study. Variant t(1;13)/PAX7-FKHR appears biologically different, occurring in younger patients with more localised disease. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaignhttp://www.bjcancer.co

Mineralization of sheep manure and its influence on lettuce production

Diversos resíduos orgânicos são utilizados na agricultura sem o adequado conhecimento da sua dinâmica de mineralização. Avaliou-se a mineralização de esterco de ovinos e sua influência na produção de alface. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Foram utilizadas 25 t ha-1 como dose de esterco para cada um dos seguintes tratamentos: 1) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de feno de mandioca (PAM); 2) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de subproduto de ervilha (ERV); 3) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de feno de capim coast-cross (FCC); 4) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de subproduto de saccharina (SAC) e 5) solo sem aplicação de esterco (testemunha). Foi determinada semanalmente a respiração basal do solo, utilizada como indicador de mineralização da matéria orgânica. A massa fresca de alface foi avaliada como medida de produção. Os tratamentos ERV, FCC e SAC apresentaram ganhos de massa fresca na ordem de 68, 65 e 62% em relação à testemunha e de 43, 39 e 33% em relação ao PAM, respectivamente. A produção menor promovida pelo PAM, em relação às demais, pode ser explicada pela forma de mineralização da matéria orgânica que apresentou elevada respiração microbiana cinco dias após o transplantio, com acentuado declínio, nas medições subseqüentes, ao longo do ciclo da cultura. Os demais tratamentos apresentaram mineralização sincronizada com conseqüente aumento na produção de massa fresca. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTSeveral organic wastes are used in agriculture with no precise knowledge about the mineralization dynamics of these materials. In this study the sheep manure mineralization and its influence on the lettuce production was evaluated. A randomized block design with three replications was used. Five treatments were studied using 25 t ha-1 as dose of manure: 1) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with cassava straw (PAM); 2) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with residue of pea crop (ERV); 3) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with Coast-Cross hay (FCC), 4) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with saccharin residue (SAC) and 5) soil without application of manure (control). Weekly the basal respiration was determined and used as an indicator of organic matter mineralization. Lettuce fresh mass was evaluated as a measure of production. Treatments ERV, FCC and SAC showed superior weight gains of 68, 65 and 62% compared to the control and 43, 39 and 33% compared to MAP, respectively. Lower production promoted by the MAP in relation to the other treatments can be explained by organic matter mineralization that showed a high microbial respiration five days after transplanting, with marked decline in subsequent measurements during the crop cycle. The other systems showed mineralization synchronized with the production increase of lettuce fresh mass

A multi-dimensional investigation of self-regulated learning in a blended classroom context : a case study on eLDa MOOC

Online systems such as massive open online courses (MOOCs) are new innovative learning technology in education. With the proliferation of MOOC systems, little has been mentioned about blended MOOC system and how it enhances students’ performance. Blended classroom is a form of learning taking place between two different activities of which one is online and the other is traditional teaching method using bricks and mortal classroom settings. This study reveals the effectiveness of blended classroom teaching for an undergraduate course. The module was embedded in an eLDa MOOC platform, which is a platform for delivery computing concepts, and Python programme course. This research aims to investigate students’ perceptions of self-regulated learning (SRL) habits. A multi-dimensional survey was designed to evaluate each aspect of SRL skills, motivation and attaining better grades within the course. This research analysis explores (a) cognitive process of students improving their self-regulated learning skills (b) potential of students’ preparedness and motivation to engage with the course content in a blended context (c) potential difference in addressing the relation among the methods of engagement and achievement in their weekly assessment results. The research applied an online self-regulated learning questionnaire (OSLQ) as the instrument for measuring the self-regulated learning skills of the students in the learning platform environment. In relation to developing a revised OSLQ to address the use of the instrument to measure self-regulated learning in an online blended classroom context. Data collection process was conducted on a sample of first year undergraduate students who took a seminar module via a blended course format. The results indicate the level of self-regulated learning explored from the measure of the self-regulation in the blended learning environment in this study

Molecular decoding using luminescence from an entangled porous framework

Chemosensors detect a single target molecule from among several molecules, but cannot differentiate targets from one another. In this study, we report a molecular decoding strategy in which a single host domain accommodates a class of molecules and distinguishes between them with a corresponding readout. We synthesized the decoding host by embedding naphthalenediimide into the scaffold of an entangled porous framework that exhibited structural dynamics due to the dislocation of two chemically non-interconnected frameworks. An intense turn-on emission was observed on incorporation of a class of aromatic compounds, and the resulting luminescent colour was dependent on the chemical substituent of the aromatic guest. This unprecedented chemoresponsive, multicolour luminescence originates from an enhanced naphthalenediimide–aromatic guest interaction because of the induced-fit structural transformation of the entangled framework. We demonstrate that the cooperative structural transition in mesoscopic crystal domains results in a nonlinear sensor response to the guest concentration

Properties and identification of antibiotic drug targets

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We analysed 48 non-redundant antibiotic target proteins from all bacteria, 22 antibiotic target proteins from <it>E. coli </it>only and 4243 non-drug targets from <it>E. coli </it>to identify differences in their properties and to predict new potential drug targets.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When compared to non-targets, bacterial antibiotic targets tend to be long, have high β-sheet and low α-helix contents, are polar, are found in the cytoplasm rather than in membranes, and are usually enzymes, with ligases particularly favoured. Sequence features were used to build a support vector machine model for <it>E. coli </it>proteins, allowing the assignment of any sequence to the drug target or non-target classes, with an accuracy in the training set of 94%. We identified 319 proteins (7%) in the non-target set that have target-like properties, many of which have unknown function. 63 of these proteins have significant and undesirable similarity to a human protein, leaving 256 target like proteins that are not present in humans.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We suggest that antibiotic discovery programs would be more likely to succeed if new targets are chosen from this set of target like proteins or their homologues. In particular, 64 are essential genes where the cell is not able to recover from a random insertion disruption.</p

Candida dubliniensis: An Appraisal of Its Clinical Significance as a Bloodstream Pathogen

A nine-year prospective study (2002–2010) on the prevalence of Candida dubliniensis among Candida bloodstream isolates is presented. The germ tube positive isolates were provisionally identified as C. dubliniensis by presence of fringed and rough colonies on sunflower seed agar. Subsequently, their identity was confirmed by Vitek2 Yeast identification system and/or by amplification and sequencing of the ITS region of rDNA. In all, 368 isolates were identified as C. dubliniensis; 67.1% came from respiratory specimens, 11.7% from oral swabs, 9.2% from urine, 3.8% from blood, 2.7% from vaginal swabs and 5.4% from other sources. All C. dubliniensis isolates tested by Etest were susceptible to voriconazole and amphotericin B. Resistance to fluconazole (≥8 µg/ml) was observed in 2.5% of C. dubliniensis isolates, 7 of which occurred between 2008–2010. Of note was the diagnosis of C. dubliniensis candidemia in 14 patients, 11 of them occurring between 2008–2010. None of the bloodstream isolate was resistant to fluconazole, while a solitary isolate showed increased MIC to 5-flucytosine (>32 µg/ml) and belonged to genotype 4. A review of literature since 1999 revealed 28 additional cases of C. dubliniensis candidemia, and 167 isolates identified from blood cultures since 1982. In conclusion, this study highlights a greater role of C. dubliniensis in bloodstream infections than hitherto recognized