Is e-Learning ‘inevitable’ in dental education? Experiences from King’s College London Dental Institute

Ovaj rad želi predstaviti iskustva četiriju različitih projekata e-učenja provedenih na londonskom Kraljevskom stomatološkom institutu (KCLDI), a potvrdili su kulturalne promjene u primjeni takvoga oblika učenja (e-learninga) u stomatološkoj edukaciji. Definicije e-learninga, fleksibilnog učenja te učenja na daljinu trenutačno se navode u uporabi u visokom obrazovanju u Velikoj Britaniji. Na KCLDI-ju su provedena četiri istraživanja različitih primjena tehnologije i to: CDROM za igre, PDA za korištenje u kliničkom radu, webcasting za trajan profesionalan razvoj (CPD) te online-učenje za CPD. U prva dva istraživanja bili su uključeni dodiplomski studenti, a u ostala dva poslijediplomski. Rezultati četiriju istraživanja pokazuju sve veću vrijednost e-učenja u stomatološkoj izobrazbi. Potrebe dodiplomskih studenata mijenjaju se u suvremenom tehnološkom i digitalnom svijetu, a poslijediplomski studenti najviše cijene ugodnost i učinkovitost pristupa tečajevima, jer se mogu dobiti na kombinirani način – online uz praktičnu nastavu. Kao najveći stomatološki fakultet u Velikoj Britaniji, s najvišom kakvoćom učenja i istraživanja, e-learning je našao svoje mjesto u curiculumu dodiplomskih i poslijediplomskih studenata, ali i kod CPD-a. Početak pristupa IVIDENT-u (Međunarodni virtualni stomatološki fakultet) pomoći će uskladiti standarde te poduprijeti Bolonjsku deklaraciju. E-učenje je neodvojiv dio stomatološke edukacije.This descriptive paper aims to demonstrate how experiences of e-learning through four different e-learning projects undertaken at King’s College London Dental Institute (KCLDI) are validating the cultural change towards the use of e-learning in dental education. Definitions of e-learning, flexible learning and distance learning are stated as currently used in higher education in UK. Four investigations undertaken at KCLDI were chosen to represent four different uses of technology, namely CDROM for gaming, PDA for use in clinics, webcasting for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and blended online learning for CPD. The first two studies involved undergraduate students and the latter two, postgraduate students. Results of the four investigations are presented which demonstrate the increasing value of e-learning in dental education. The needs of the undergraduate are changing in a modern technological and digital world, whilst the postgraduate convenience and efficiency of access to courses, delivered in a blended approach - online coupled with practical tuition - is most highly prized. As the largest dental and medical school in UK, with the highest accolades in teaching quality and research, e-learning has become embedded within the delivery of the curriculum for both undergraduates, postgraduates and in CPD. The advent of an IVIDENT approach (International Virtual Dental School) is advocated to help converge standards and support the Bologna Declaration. e-Learning in dental education is considered ‘inevitable’

Is e-Learning ‘inevitable’ in dental education? Experiences from King’s College London Dental Institute

Ovaj rad želi predstaviti iskustva četiriju različitih projekata e-učenja provedenih na londonskom Kraljevskom stomatološkom institutu (KCLDI), a potvrdili su kulturalne promjene u primjeni takvoga oblika učenja (e-learninga) u stomatološkoj edukaciji. Definicije e-learninga, fleksibilnog učenja te učenja na daljinu trenutačno se navode u uporabi u visokom obrazovanju u Velikoj Britaniji. Na KCLDI-ju su provedena četiri istraživanja različitih primjena tehnologije i to: CDROM za igre, PDA za korištenje u kliničkom radu, webcasting za trajan profesionalan razvoj (CPD) te online-učenje za CPD. U prva dva istraživanja bili su uključeni dodiplomski studenti, a u ostala dva poslijediplomski. Rezultati četiriju istraživanja pokazuju sve veću vrijednost e-učenja u stomatološkoj izobrazbi. Potrebe dodiplomskih studenata mijenjaju se u suvremenom tehnološkom i digitalnom svijetu, a poslijediplomski studenti najviše cijene ugodnost i učinkovitost pristupa tečajevima, jer se mogu dobiti na kombinirani način – online uz praktičnu nastavu. Kao najveći stomatološki fakultet u Velikoj Britaniji, s najvišom kakvoćom učenja i istraživanja, e-learning je našao svoje mjesto u curiculumu dodiplomskih i poslijediplomskih studenata, ali i kod CPD-a. Početak pristupa IVIDENT-u (Međunarodni virtualni stomatološki fakultet) pomoći će uskladiti standarde te poduprijeti Bolonjsku deklaraciju. E-učenje je neodvojiv dio stomatološke edukacije.This descriptive paper aims to demonstrate how experiences of e-learning through four different e-learning projects undertaken at King’s College London Dental Institute (KCLDI) are validating the cultural change towards the use of e-learning in dental education. Definitions of e-learning, flexible learning and distance learning are stated as currently used in higher education in UK. Four investigations undertaken at KCLDI were chosen to represent four different uses of technology, namely CDROM for gaming, PDA for use in clinics, webcasting for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and blended online learning for CPD. The first two studies involved undergraduate students and the latter two, postgraduate students. Results of the four investigations are presented which demonstrate the increasing value of e-learning in dental education. The needs of the undergraduate are changing in a modern technological and digital world, whilst the postgraduate convenience and efficiency of access to courses, delivered in a blended approach - online coupled with practical tuition - is most highly prized. As the largest dental and medical school in UK, with the highest accolades in teaching quality and research, e-learning has become embedded within the delivery of the curriculum for both undergraduates, postgraduates and in CPD. The advent of an IVIDENT approach (International Virtual Dental School) is advocated to help converge standards and support the Bologna Declaration. e-Learning in dental education is considered ‘inevitable’

Critical windows of exposure to household pesticides and risk of childhood leukemia.

The potential etiologic role of household pesticide exposures was examined in the Northern California Childhood Leukemia Study. A total of 162 patients (0-14 years old) with newly diagnosed leukemia were rapidly ascertained during 1995-1999, and 162 matched control subjects were randomly selected from the birth registry. The use of professional pest control services at any time from 1 year before birth to 3 years after was associated with a significantly increased risk of childhood leukemia [odds ratio (OR) = 2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-5.7], and the exposure during year 2 was associated with the highest risk (OR = 3.6; 95% CI, 1.6-8.3). The ORs for exposure to insecticides during the 3 months before pregnancy, pregnancy, and years 1, 2, and 3 were 1.8 (95% CI, 1.1-3.1), 2.1 (95% CI, 1.3-3.5), 1.7 (95% CI, 1.0-2.9), 1.6 (95% CI, 1.0-2.7), and 1.2 (95% CI, 0.7-2.1), respectively. Insecticide exposures early in life appear to be more significant than later exposures, and the highest risk was observed for exposure during pregnancy. Additionally, more frequent exposure to insecticides was associated with a higher risk. In contrast to insecticides, the association between herbicides and leukemia was weak and nonsignificant. Pesticides were also grouped based on where they were applied. Exposure to indoor pesticides was associated with an increased risk, whereas no significant association was observed for exposure to outdoor pesticides. The findings suggest that exposure to household pesticides is associated with an elevated risk of childhood leukemia and further indicate the importance of the timing and location of exposure

Safety and pharmacokinetics of MM-302, a HER2-targeted antibody–liposomal doxorubicin conjugate, in patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer: A phase 1 dose-escalation study

BackgroundThis phase 1 dose-escalation trial studied MM-302, a novel HER2-targeted PEGylated antibody-liposomal doxorubicin conjugate, in HER2-positive locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer.MethodsPatients were enrolled in four cohorts: MM-302 monotherapy (8, 16, 30, 40, and 50 mg/m2 every 4 weeks [q4w]); MM-302 (30 or 40 mg/m2 q4w) plus trastuzumab (4 mg/kg q2w); MM-302 (30 mg/m2) plus trastuzumab (6 mg/kg) q3w; MM-302 (30 mg/m2) plus trastuzumab (6 mg/kg) and cyclophosphamide (450 mg/m2) q3w.ResultsSixty-nine patients were treated. The most common adverse events (AEs) were fatigue and nausea. Grade 3/4 AEs of special interest included neutropenia, fatigue, mucosal inflammation, anemia, thrombocytopenia, febrile neutropenia, and palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia. The MTD was not reached. With MM-302 ≥ 30 mg/m2, overall response rate (ORR) was 13% and median progression-free survival (mPFS) 7.4 months (95% CI: 3·5-10·9) in all arms. In 25 anthracycline-naïve patients, ORR was 28·0% and mPFS 10·9 months (95% CI: 1·8-15·3). Imaging with 64Cu-labeled MM-302 visualized tumor-drug penetrance in tumors throughout the body, including the brain.ConclusionMM-302 monotherapy, in combination with trastuzumab, or trastuzumab plus cyclophosphamide, was well tolerated and showed promising efficacy. The selected phase 2 MM-302 dose was 30 mg/m2 plus 6 mg/kg trastuzumab q3w

Esofagectomía transhiatal por vía abierta y vía laparoscópica para el cáncer de esófago: análisis de los márgenes de resección y ganglios linfáticos

Surgical treatment of cancer of the oesophagus is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Minimally invasive surgery has been proposed as an alternative to try to reduce these complications; however, at this time there are not many studies that evaluate the oncological validity of this method. The objective of this work is to give a preliminary audit of the results of our experience in both surgical techniques, with special emphasis on the oncopathological aspects (resection margins and lymph nodes). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between April 2003 and February 2007, 40 patients diagnosed with distal oesophageal cancer were surgically intervened at Charing Cross Hospital, London, 24 open and 16 by laparoscopy in accordance with the surgeon responsible. Of these, 50% received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Both groups were homogeneous for age, sex, ASA, tumour stage and tumour location. In all cases, the pathological tumour stage (TNM), the tumour distal margin, tumour proximal margin, tumour circumference and number of resected lymph nodes, were collected in a data base. RESULTS: The number of resected lymph nodes was similar in both groups; (19 for open and 18 for laparoscopy). The mean distal tumour margin for the group treated by open surgery was 4.9 cm compared to 4.3 in the group treated by laparoscopy (p = 0.578). The mean proximal tumour margin for the group treated by open surgery was 8.4 cm compared to 4.6 cm in the laparoscopy group (p = 0.004) and tumour circumference margin was positive in 11 patients (45%) belonging to the open group compared to 5 patients (33%) in the laparoscopy group (p = 0.519). CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, laparoscopic surgery for cancer of the oesophagus appears to show similar initial results to those of open surgery as regards the number of resected lymph nodes and resection margins

Comparative transcriptomic analysis of Porphyromonas gingivalis biofilm and planktonic cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Porphyromonas gingivalis </it>in subgingival dental plaque, as part of a mature biofilm, has been strongly implicated in the onset and progression of chronic periodontitis. In this study using DNA microarray we compared the global gene expression of a <it>P. gingivalis </it>biofilm with that of its planktonic counterpart grown in the same continuous culture.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Approximately 18% (377 genes, at 1.5 fold or more, <it>P</it>-value < 0.01) of the <it>P. gingivalis </it>genome was differentially expressed when the bacterium was grown as a biofilm. Genes that were down-regulated in biofilm cells, relative to planktonic cells, included those involved in cell envelope biogenesis, DNA replication, energy production and biosynthesis of cofactors, prosthetic groups and carriers. A number of genes encoding transport and binding proteins were up-regulated in <it>P. gingivalis </it>biofilm cells. Several genes predicted to encode proteins involved in signal transduction and transcriptional regulation were differentially regulated and may be important in the regulation of biofilm growth.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study analyzing global gene expression provides insight into the adaptive response of <it>P. gingivalis </it>to biofilm growth, in particular showing a down regulation of genes involved in growth and metabolic activity.</p

Effect of sampling site on Doppler-derived right ventricular systolic time intervals

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28663/1/0000480.pd

Failure of Working Memory Training to Enhance Cognition or Intelligence

Fluid intelligence is important for successful functioning in the modern world, but much evidence suggests that fluid intelligence is largely immutable after childhood. Recently, however, researchers have reported gains in fluid intelligence after multiple sessions of adaptive working memory training in adults. The current study attempted to replicate and expand those results by administering a broad assessment of cognitive abilities and personality traits to young adults who underwent 20 sessions of an adaptive dual n-back working memory training program and comparing their post-training performance on those tests to a matched set of young adults who underwent 20 sessions of an adaptive attentional tracking program. Pre- and post-training measurements of fluid intelligence, standardized intelligence tests, speed of processing, reading skills, and other tests of working memory were assessed. Both training groups exhibited substantial and specific improvements on the trained tasks that persisted for at least 6 months post-training, but no transfer of improvement was observed to any of the non-trained measurements when compared to a third untrained group serving as a passive control. These findings fail to support the idea that adaptive working memory training in healthy young adults enhances working memory capacity in non-trained tasks, fluid intelligence, or other measures of cognitive abilities.</p

Framework for E‐Learning Assessment in Dental Education: A Global Model for the Future

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153544/1/jddj002203372013775tb05504x.pd