Development of a supported self-directed learning approach for anatomy education

The ability to deliver sufficient core anatomical knowledge and understanding to medical students with limited time and resources remains a major challenge for anatomy educators. Here, we report the results of switching from a primarily didactic method of teaching to supported self-directed learning for students studying anatomy as part of undergraduate medicine at the University of Edinburgh. The supported self-directed approach we have developed makes use of an integrated range of resources, including formal lectures and practical sessions (incorporating gross anatomy specimens, medical imaging technologies, anatomical models, clinical scenarios, and surface anatomy workstations). In practical sessions, students are provided with a custom-made workbook that guides them through each session, with academic staff, postgraduate tutors, and near-peer teaching assistants present to deal with misunderstandings and explain more complicated topics. This approach retains many of the best attributes of didactic teaching but blends them with the advantages associated with self-directed learning approaches. The switch to supported self-directed learning-initially introduced in 2005-resulted in a significant improvement in anatomy examination scores over the subsequent period of five years, manifesting as an increase in the average anatomy practical spot examination mark, less students failing to obtain the pass mark and more students passing with distinction. We conclude that the introduction of supported self-directed learning improved students' engagement, leading to deeper learning and better understanding and knowledge of anatomy.     

Perceptual completion in newborn human infants

Despite decades of studies of human infants, a still open question concerns the role of visual experience in the development of the ability to perceive complete shapes over partial occlusion. Previous studies show that newborns fail to manifest this ability, either because they lack the visual experience required for perceptual completion or because they fail to detect the pattern of motion. To distinguish these possibilities, newborns' perception of a center-occluded object was tested, using stroboscopic motion. Infants (mean age of 72 hr) perceived the object as a connected unit, providing the first evidence that the newborn is capable of filling in gaps in the visible surface layout when the relevant visual information can be detected by his or her immature visual system.     

Imagery deficits in nonverbal learning disabilities

This study reports the observations gathered from 11 children referred to consulting services because of learning difficulties at school and diagnosed with nonverbal learning disabilities (NVLD). These children had an average verbal IQ, but a WISC-R performance IQ lower than the verbal IQ by at least 15 points and experienced difficulties especially in mathematics and drawing. The children completed a battery of four tasks requiring visuospatial working memory and visual imagery: a memory task composed of pictures and their positions (Pictures task), a task that required them to memorize the positions filled in a matrix (Passive Matrix task), a task that required them to imagine a pathway along a matrix (Active Matrix task) and a task that required them to learn groups made up of three words, using a visual interactive imagery strategy (TV task). In comparison to a control group of 49 children, children with NVLD scored lower in all the tasks, showing deficits in the use of visuospatial working memory and visual imagery. By contrasting subgroups of children of different ages in the control group, it was possible to show that some tasks did not show a clear developmental trend. Thus the deficits shown by the children with NVLD cannot simply be attributed to a developmental delay of these children, but seem to reflect a more severe disability.     

Can the punishment fit the crime when suspects confess child sexual abuse?

OBJECTIVE: To determine significant predictors of severity of sentencing of sex offenders of minors in a jurisdiction which obtains many confessions. METHOD: Data were abstracted from 323 criminal court case records of sexually abused minors over 11 years in a county which places a high priority on sexual abuse prosecution. The sample used in this analysis consisted of 218 men who received a sentence for a sex offense. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine what factors predicted severity of sentences. Specifically this study explores whether, in a county which is very successful in obtaining confessions to sexual abuse of children, the severity of sentence is explained by the seriousness of the crime (more severe type of sexual abuse, younger age of the victim, prior conviction of a sex offense, and abusing more than one child), or by factors unrelated to the seriousness of the offense, offender confession and/or having a court-appointed attorney. RESULTS: Factors that predicted the severity of the sentence were the seriousness of the sex crime, prior conviction of a sex crime, and young age of the victim. CONCLUSIONS: This community, with a high confession rate and a high conviction rate, imposed sentences that were consistent with the crimes, with more severe sentences for more serious crimes. Convenience factors, such as the fact the offender confessed, and systemic factors, such as having a court-appointed attorney, did not result in more severe sentences.     

Surveillance of viral contamination of invasive medical instruments in dentistry

Objective： To investigate the viral contamination of invasive medical instruments in dentistry and to provide health administrative institutions with surveillance data. Methods： Sterilized samples were randomly collected from the department of dentistry to detect HBV-DNA, HCV-RNA, HIV-RNA and HBsAg. Results： Of the invasive medical instruments that were sterilized with 2% glutaraldehyde, one of the samples was positive for HBV-DNA, and another sample was positive for HBsAg. Conclusion： Though massive virus contamination of invasive medical instruments in dentistry has been reduced to a low level, the occurrence of contamination still remains.     

Migratory plans of Portuguese adolescents

A substantial proportion of northern Portuguese adolescents belonging to lower and middle socioeconomic levels plan to eventually migrate abroad. Migratory plans therefore join academic and career plans in forming adolescents' overall personal plans. This paper considers motivations, awareness, and characteristics of 511 8th graders living in Oporto and the Braganca area who stated their intentions to migrate. The intention to migrate proved especially significant in the personal plans of youths from rural areas and of low socioeconomic status. In proportions comparable to that found among migrant workers, unemployment, low pay, and thwarted aspirations fueled the desire to migrate. The percentage of youths firmly committed to relocating increased with age, while overall increased desire to emigrate has been linked to rising domestic unemployment. Respondents were also largely aware of the potential physical, emotional, and psychological problems of living and working abroad. Migration plans were found to directly interfere with students' academic and careers plans. Those planning to migrate were less likely to consider further education and engagement in highly skilled occupations.