Learners' decisions for attending Pediatric Grand Rounds: a qualitative and quantitative study

BACKGROUND: Although grand rounds plays a major educational role at academic medical centers, there has been little investigation into the factors influencing the learners' decision to attend. Greater awareness of attendees' expectations may allow grand rounds planners to better accommodate the learners' perspective, potentially making continuing education activities more attractive and inviting. METHODS: We used both qualitative (part A) and quantitative (part B) techniques to investigate the motivators and barriers to grand rounds attendance. Part A investigated contextual factors influencing attendance as expressed through attendee interviews. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using grounded theory techniques. We created a concept map linking key factors and their relationships. In part B we quantified the motivators and barriers identified during the initial interviews through a survey of the grand rounds audience. RESULTS: Sixteen persons voluntarily took part in the qualitative study (part A) by participating in one of seven group interview sessions. Of the 14 themes that emerged from these sessions, the most frequent factors motivating attendance involved competent practice and the need to know. All sessions discussed intellectual stimulation, social interaction, time constraints and convenience, licensure, content and format, and absence of cost for attending sessions. The 59 respondents to the survey (part B) identified clinically-useful topics (85%), continuing education credit (46%), cutting-edge research (27%), networking (22%), and refreshments (8%) as motivators and non-relevant topics (44%) and too busy to attend (56%) as barriers. CONCLUSION: Greater understanding of the consumers' perspective can allow planners to tailor the style, content, and logistics to make grand rounds more attractive and inviting

Evaluation of alkyl polyglucoside as an alternative surfactant in the preparation of peptide-loaded nanoparticles

The present study was carried out to evaluate potentials of alkyl polyglucoside (APG) as an alternative surfactant/stabilizer in the preparation of peptide-loaded nanoparticles. hGF2 (human gel filtration fraction 2) was used as a model peptide and APG based on C10 fatty alcohol (decyl polylglucoside) was used as a representative surfactant. PLA (poly D,L-lactide) and PLGA (poly D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) based nanoparticles were prepared and the effect of APG on particle size, entrapment efficiency and biological activity was evaluated. At a concentration as low as 0.05% w/v, APG provided an excellent stabilization effect, resulting in nanoparticles with better encapsulation efficiency and particle size well below 450 nm. The effective concentration of APG was found to be much less (10-fold) as compared to PVA. Moreover, APG also showed low residual content as compared to PVA. In-vitro and in-vivo biological activity evaluation confirmed that encapsulated peptide was compatible with APG. These preliminary results suggest that APGs can be used as alternate surfactants for nanoparticle preparation

Circulating levels of gonadotrophins in immature mice treated neonatally with antisera to gonadotrophins

The circulating levels of gonadotrophins in immature and adult rats have been studied by several workers (Weisz & Ferin, 1970; Goldman, Grazia, Kamberi & Porter, 1971; Ojeda & Ramirez, 1972; Dohler & Wuttke, 1974, 1975). We have shown that administration of antigonadotrophic sera to neonatal mice affects ovarian development (Purandare, Munshi & Rao, 1976). In the present study the changes in gonadotrophin levels after treatment of neonatal mice wth such antisera were examined

Nature of cross-reaction between hCG and anti-oLH serum and development of a radioimmunoassay to measure hLH specifically in the presence of hCG

Immunological cross-reaction between hCG and anti-oLH sera has been demonstrated using radioimmunoassay techniques. The results indicate that this cross-reaction is incomplete and that the anti-oLH sera used have the ability to distinguish between LH and hCG. Following absorption with purified hCG, anti-oLH serum was used to develop a heterologous radioimmunoassay "[125I]iodo-hLH + anti-oLH serum" (H-O, RIA) which specifically and selectively measures hLH in serum samples containing both hLH and hCG. In this radioimmunoassay, hCG and subunits of hCG do not cross-react with hLH, in the range in which these hormones are present in human serum under physiological conditions. Other hormones such as hPL, hPRL, hGH, hFSH, hTSH, and GnRH do not interfere with the measurement of LH by radioimmunoassay. The sensitivity of the assay was 1.5 mlU (25 ng) per ml (LER 907 standard), and the inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variations for samples were 10.83% and 8.4%, respectively. The recoveries of hLH added to pregnancy serum containing an hCG concentration of 8.55 IU\ml were in the range 95-108%. Determination of LH content of human pituitary extracts by H - 0 RIA gave values which were in close agreement with those derived by bioassay (indices of discrimination 0.72-1.12). Serum LH patterns in women during normal menstrual cycles as well as in amenorrheic patients who received GnRH treatment are comparable to those reported by other investigators using other radioimmunoassay systems. Serum samples obtained during the first trimester of pregnancy, when analyzed by H - 0 RIA, showed basal LH levels