Effect of concept mapping model on critical thinking skills of family medicine residents: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The cognitive process of critical thinking (CT) involves the examination of the existing reasons and an analysis of the information to draw conclusions and make decisions. The goal of the study was to determine how concept mapping (CM) technique affects family medicine residents' capacity for critical thought. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial among family medicine residents aged between 26 and 28 years. A total of 100 residents were involved; over the course of 3 months, 50 residents were exposed to the conventional teaching model and 50 residents to the CM model. Data was collected using California CT skills test (CCTST) modified Arabic version and a self-administered questionnaire. The primary intervention was teaching method, experimental group received CM lessons while control group had conventional lessons. First session was carried out at baseline and second session one week after baseline, whereas 3rd, 4th, and 5th sessions conducted at end of 1st, 2nd, 3rd months, respectively. Both groups were assessed at baseline and at end of 3rd month. Both groups were reassessed at end of three months. Quantitative data was presented as mean and SD, whereas frequencies and percentages used for qualitative data. Pre- and post-intervention CT scores for study groups were compared using t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate. Groups were compared on pre- and post-intervention CT grades using Chi-square test. RESULTS: Vast majority (98%) of participants were females, nearly half were 27 year old, and belonged primarily to urban areas (76%). There was no difference in the CT scores between the groups at baseline. The post-intervention CT scores for study group were statistically significantly higher (18.36±2.68) compared to control group (15.94±1.94) (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The CM approach was superior to the conventional teaching approach in terms of improving CT.

A Suggested Formula for Postmortem Estimation of Brain Edema Using Morphometric Parameters in Egyptian Population.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to find a mathematical relation that would be able to determine the existence of brain edema with a certain degree of accuracy, away from the subjective impressions of each examiner. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The analyzed study sample consists of 100 brains that underwent forensic autopsy in the Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority, Zagazig department, from January 2017 to June 2018. Measurements of morphometric parameters of the skull were used to determine the volume and diameters of the cranial cavity. Subjects were divided histologically into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of brain edema. RESULTS: Using this methodological approach, 88% of the brains would be correctly classified as edematous, and 12% would be incorrectly classified as edematous. It was found that the mean ± SD value of brain weight was 1377.1 ± 124.5 g. The mean ± SD value of the brain volume was 1319.7 ± 58.5 cm 3 . The mean value of brain density was 1.04 ± 0.09 g/dL. It was found that there was a significant difference between subjects with brain edema and those without brain edema regarding measured and estimated brain weight, brain volume, and brain density. There was no statistically significant difference between age and sex regarding brain weight, brain volume, longitudinal diameter, width, and height of the skull. CONCLUSIONS: The study results will significantly facilitate the daily routine macroscopic assessment of brain edema based on scientifically determined principles. However, any estimation must still be used with caution and in combination with clinical information and macroscopic and histological findings.

Pregabalin induced reproductive toxicity and body weight changes by affecting caspase3 and leptin expression: Protective role of wheat germ oil.

Pregabalin (PGB) drug abuse is common among the youth. It substituted tramadol before its recent schedule as a controlled drug since April 2019. PGB is an antiepileptic drug acting on the central nervous system. It blocks calcium channels regulating the action of neurotransmitters and causing prolonged depolarization. The present study aimed to investigate the toxic effect of long term pregabalin abuse on the reproductive function and body weight in both male and female albino rats and to evaluate the ameliorative effect of wheat germ oil (WGO). Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into eight groups. The first four groups were males and they were treated as follows: control group (1.5 mL saline), WGO group (1.5 mL L/kg), PGB group (300 mg/kg), and protective group (PGB + WGO). All doses were administrated once per day for 60 days by gastric gavage. The second four groups were females. They were divided and treated the same as the male groups. Pregabalin caused significant weight loss, decreased serum triglyceride level, and increased leptin gene expression in all rats. PGB affected male rats reproduction by decreasing total testosterone serum level and inhibiting spermatogenesis. Reproductive toxicity in females was caused by decreasing pituitary steroids, increasing gonadal hormones, and increasing the number of atretic ovarian follicles. Mechanism of toxicity may be attributed to the PGB oxidative stress effect that induced apoptosis and caused diffuse gonadal atrophy. WGO showed a protective effect on PGB induced toxicity as all measured parameters were relatively improved.

Padova Charter on personal injury and damage under civil-tort law : Medico-legal guidelines on methods of ascertainment and criteria of evaluation.

Compensation for personal damage, defined as any pecuniary or non-pecuniary loss causally related to a personal injury under civil-tort law, is strictly based on the local jurisdiction and therefore varies significantly across the world. This manuscript presents the first "International Guidelines on Medico-Legal Methods of Ascertainment and Criteria of Evaluation of Personal Injury and Damage under Civil-Tort Law". This consensus document, which includes a step-by-step illustrated explanation of flow charts articulated in eight sequential steps and a comprehensive description of the ascertainment methodology and the criteria of evaluation, has been developed by an International Working Group composed of juridical and medico-legal experts and adopted as Guidelines by the International Academy of Legal Medicine (IALM).

Garlic and alpha lipoic supplementation enhance the immune system of albino rats and alleviate implications of pesticides mixtures.

This study aimed to investigate age dependent immune-system response versus exposure to different doses of mixture of (chlorpyrifos, profenofose, and fenitrothion) and/or combined with 60 and 250 mg kg(-1) alpha lipoic acid and garlic, respectively. 120 males of albino rats were divided to two groups according to age; weaning group (2 months age and 60-80 gm.), adult (6 months and 180-200 gm). Each age was divided into 6 subgroups treated orally for 3 months , G1 (control), G2 high dose (HDPM) CPF10 mg kg(-1), PRO 3 mg kg(-1), FEN 6 mg kg(-1), G3 low dose (LDPM) CPF 1 mg kg(-1), PFN 0.3 mg kg(-1) and FEN 0.6 mg kg(-1), G4 AOX (alpha lipoic + Garlic), G5 HDPM + AOX and G6 LDPM + AOX. Results showed significant inhibition in serum acetylcholinesterase (AChE), elevation in malondialdehyde (MDA) concurrent with reduction in total reduced glutathione (GSH) in both ages was recorded as well as, decrease in IGG, IGM, Lymphocyte transformation and Phagocytosis humeral and cellular immunity confirmed by alteration in lymph nodes architecture. This study was concluded that the supplementation with alpha lipoic acid and garlic improved previous alternations slightly to be more or less near the control level in both adult and weaning rats. It seems that, immune-responses of both adult and weaning rats were slightly similar.