Problem-Based Learning: An Alternative Approach To Legal Education

This paper is intended to provide legal educators with an introduction to problem-based learning. Problem-based learning has several variations and each of them will be briefly reviewed with a view to providing insights as to how the method might be used. We will underscore the pedagogical rationale for the method and place it in the context of developments in legal education generally. In addition we will describe what a teacher actually does when using a particular variation of the method

Improving Surface Mass Balance Over Ice Sheets and Snow Depth on Sea Ice

Surface mass balance (SMB) over ice sheets and snow on sea ice (SOSI) are important components of the cryosphere. Large knowledge gaps remain in scientists' abilities to monitor SMB and SOSI, including insufficient measurements and difficulties with satellite retrievals. On ice sheets, snow accumulation is the sole mass gain to SMB, and meltwater runoff can be the dominant single loss factor in extremely warm years such as 2012. SOSI affects the growth and melt cycle of the Earth's polar sea ice cover. The summer of 2012 saw the largest satellite-recorded melt area over the Greenland ice sheet and the smallest satellite-recorded Arctic sea ice extent, making this meeting both timely and relevant

The International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare: An interprofessional global collaboration to enhance values and communication in healthcare

Objectives: The human dimensions of healthcare—core values and skilled communication necessary for every healthcare interaction—are fundamental to compassionate, ethical, and safe relationship-centered care. The objectives of this paper are to: describe the development of the International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare which delineates core values, articulate the role of skilled communication in enacting these values, and provide examples showing translation of the Charter’s values into action. Methods: We describe development of the Charter using combined qualitative research methods and the international, interprofessional collaboration of institutions and individuals worldwide. Results: We identified five fundamental categories of human values for every healthcare interaction—Compassion, Respect for Persons, Commitment to Integrity and Ethical Practice, Commitment to Excellence, and Justice in Healthcare—and delineated subvalues within each category. We have disseminated the Charter internationally and incorporated it into education/training. Diverse healthcare partners have joined in this work. Conclusion: We chronicle the development and dissemination of the International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare, the role of skilled communication in demonstrating values, and provide examples of educational and clinical programs integrating these values. Practice implications: The Charter identifies and promotes core values clinicians and educators can demonstrate through skilled communication and use to advance humanistic educational programs and practice

Assessment of Tapentadol API Abuse Liability with the Researched Abuse, Diversion and Addiction-Related Surveillance System

Tapentadol, a Schedule II opioid with a combination of µ-opioid activity and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition, is used for the management of moderate to severe acute and chronic pain. Its dual mechanism of action is thought to reduce opioid-related side effects that can complicate pain management. Since approval, tapentadol has been tracked across multiple outcomes suggesting abuse liability, and a pattern of relatively low, although not absent, abuse liability has been found. This retrospective cohort study further details the abuse liability of tapentadol as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) when immediate-release as well as extended-release formulations were on the market together (fourth quarter of 2011 to second quarter of 2016). Tapentadol (API) was compared with tramadol, hydrocodone, morphine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, and oxymorphone across Poison Center, Drug Diversion, and Treatment Center Programs Combined data streams from the Researched Abuse, Diversion and Addiction-Related Surveillance system. Findings suggest the public health burden related to tapentadol to date is low, but present. Event rates of abuse per population-level denominators were significantly lower than all other opioids examined. However, when adjusted for drug availability, event rates of abuse were lower than most Schedule II opioids studied, but were not the lowest. Disentangling these 2 sets of findings further by examining various opioid formulations, such as extended-release and the role of abuse-deterrent formulations, is warranted

Restoring Core Values: An International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare

Background: The human dimensions of healthcare are fundamental to the practice of compassionate, safe, and ethical relationship-centered care. Attending to the human dimensions improves patient and clinician satisfaction, outcomes and quality of care; however, these dimensions have not received the emphasis necessary to make them central to every healthcare encounter. We established an international collaborative effort to identify and promote the human dimensions of care. Objectives: a) To describe work to date on the International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare; b) To discuss translation of the Charter's universal values into education, research, and practice. Methods: An international working group of expert educators, clinicians, linguists, and researchers identified initial values that should be present in every healthcare interaction. The working group and four additional groups -- National Academies of Practice (NAP) USA, International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, Interprofessional Patient-Centered Care Conference, American Academy on Communication in Healthcare Forum -- identified values for all healthcare interactions and prioritized top values. The NAP group also prioritized top values for interprofessional interactions. Additional data was gathered via a Delphi process and 2 focus groups of Harvard Macy Institute scholars and faculty. Results: Through iterative content analyses and consensus, we identified 5 categories of core human values that should be present in every healthcare interaction: Capacity for Compassion, Respect for Persons, Commitment to Integrity and Ethical Practice, Commitment to Excellence, and Justice in Healthcare. Through further consensus and Delphi methodology, we identified values within each category. Conclusions: The International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare [1] is a cooperative effort to restore core human values to healthcare around the world. Major healthcare and education partners have joined this international effort. We are working to develop methods to translate the Charter's universal values into education (teaching, assessment, curricula), research and practice

A near IR imaging survey of intermediate and high-mass young stellar outflow candidates

We have carried out a near-infrared imaging survey of luminous young stellar outflow candidates using the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. Observations were obtained in the broad band K (2.2 mu) and through narrow band filters at the wavelengths of H_2 v=1--0 S(1) (2.1218 mu) and Br gamma (2.166 mu) lines. Fifty regions were imaged with a field of view of 2.2 X 2.2 arcmin^2. Several young embedded clusters are unveiled in our near-infrared images. 76% of the objects exhibit H_2 emission and 50% or more of the objects exhibit aligned H_2 emission features suggesting collimated outflows, many of which are new detections. These observations suggest that disk accretion is probably the leading mechanism in the formation of stars, at least up to late O spectral types. The young stellar objects responsible for many of these outflows are positively identified in our images based on their locations with respect to the outflow lobes, 2MASS colours and association with MSX, IRAS, millimetre and radio sources. The close association of molecular outflows detected in CO with the H_2 emission features produced by shock excitation by jets from the young stellar objects suggests that the outflows from these objects are jet-driven. Towards strong radio emitting sources, H_2 jets were either not detected or were weak when detected, implying that most of the accretion happens in the pre-UCHII phase; accretion and outflows are probably weak when the YSO has advanced to its UCHII stage.Comment: 64 pages, 53 figures, Accepted for publication in the MNRA