Learning scientific and medical terminology with a mnemonic strategy using an illogical association technique.

For students pursuing careers in medical fields, knowledge of technical and medical terminology is prerequisite to being able to solve problems in their respective disciplines and professions. The Dean Vaughn Medical Terminology 350 Total Retention System, also known as Medical Terminology 350 (25), is a mnemonic instructional and learning strategy that combines mental imagery and keyword mnemonic elaboration processes to help students recall the scientific meaning of Greek and Latin word parts. High school students in Anatomy and Physiology classes at a career technology center were divided into experimental (Medical Terminology 350), control (rote memorization), or combination (Medical Terminology 350 and rote memorization) groups and completed pre- and posttests of standardized word recall tests. Students in the Dean Vaughn Medical Terminology 350 Total Retention System group achieved significantly greater pre- to posttest word recall improvement compared with students in both the rote memorization (P

ATLes: the strategic application of Web-based technology to address learning objectives and enhance classroom discussion in a veterinary pathology course.

A case-based program called ATLes (Adaptive Teaching and Learning Environments) was designed for use in a systemic pathology course and implemented over a four-year period. Second-year veterinary students working in small collaborative learning groups used the program prior to their weekly pathology laboratory. The goals of ATLes were to better address specific learning objectives in the course (notably the appreciation of pathophysiology), to solve previously identified problems associated with information overload and information sorting that commonly occur as part of discovery-based processes, and to enhance classroom discussion. The program was also designed to model and allow students to practice the problem-oriented approach to clinical cases, thereby enabling them to study pathology in a relevant clinical context. Features included opportunities for students to obtain additional information on the case by requesting specific laboratory tests and/or diagnostic procedures. However, students were also required to justify their diagnostic plans and to provide mechanistic analyses. The use of ATLes met most of these objectives. Student acceptance was high, and students favorably reviewed the online ''Content Links'' that made useful information more readily accessible and level appropriate. Students came to the lab better prepared to engage in an in-depth and high-quality discussion and were better able to connect clinical problems to underlying changes in tissue (lesions). However, many students indicated that the required time on task prior to lab might have been excessive relative to what they thought they learned. The classroom discussion, although improved, was not elevated to the expected level-most likely reflecting other missing elements of the learning environment, including the existing student culture and the students' current discussion skills. This article briefly discusses the lessons learned from ATLes and how similar case-based exercises might be combined with other approaches to enhance and enliven classroom discussions in the veterinary curriculum.

Systematically controlling for the influence of age, sex, hertz and time post-whole-body vibration exposure on four measures of physical performance in community-dwelling older adults: a randomized cross-over study.

Though popular, there is little agreement on what whole-body vibration (WBV) parameters will optimize performance. This study aimed to clarify the effects of age, sex, hertz and time on four physical function indicators in community-dwelling older adults (N = 32). Participants were exposed to 2 min WBV per session at either 2 Hz or 26 Hz and outcome measures were recorded at 2, 20 and 40 min post-WBV. Timed get up-and-go and chair sit-and-reach performances improved post-WBV for both sexes, were significantly different between 2 Hz and 26 Hz treatments (P ≤ 0.05) and showed statistically significant interactions between age and gender (P ≤ 0.01). Counter movement jump and timed one-legged stance performances showed a similar but non-significant response to 2 Hz and 26 Hz treatments, though male subjects showed a distinct trended response. Age and gender should be statistically controlled and both 2 Hz and 26 Hz exert a treatment effect.

Acute effects of whole-body vibration on lower extremity muscle performance in persons with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a relatively new form of exercise training that may influence muscle performance. This study investigated the acute effects of high- (26 Hz) and low- (2 Hz) frequency WBV on isometric muscle torque of the quadriceps and hamstrings in persons with multiple sclerosis. PARTICIPANTS AND METHOD: Fifteen individuals (mean age = 54.6 years, SD = 9.6) with multiple sclerosis and Expanded Disability Status Scale scores ranging from 0 to 6.5 (mean = 4.2, SD = 2.3) participated in this randomized, crossover study. After baseline measures of isometric quadriceps and hamstring muscle torque, subjects were exposed to 30 seconds of WBV at either 2 or 26 Hz. Torque values were measured again at one, 10, and 20 minutes after vibration. Subjects returned one week later to repeat the same protocol at the alternate vibration frequency. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in isometric torque production between the 2- and 26-Hz WBV conditions. There was also no significant difference between baseline torque values and those measured at one, 10, and 20 minutes after either vibration exposure. However, there was a consistent trend of higher torque values after the 26-Hz WBV when compared with the 2-Hz condition for both quadriceps and hamstring muscles. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although not statistically significant, peak torque values for both quadriceps and hamstring muscles were consistently higher after 30 seconds of WBV at 26 vs 2 Hz. Whether WBV presents a viable treatment option as either a warm-up activity or a long-term exercise intervention is yet to be determined. Future studies should include a wider variety of WBV parameters and the use of functional outcome measures.

Student critical thinking is enhanced by developing exercise prescriptions using online learning modules.

Developing the ability to think critically is an important element of undergraduate physiology education and is influenced by many factors, including the learning environment, the social context of the learning environment, and the instructor's approach to teaching. In this work, we describe online learning modules (OLM) that were designed to promote higher-order critical thinking skills in students enrolled in an upper-division Exercise Testing and Prescription course. The OLM provided students with an online learning environment in which to review clinical physiological details from authentic patient case data and develop exercise prescriptions (ExRx), by requiring students to critically analyze authentic patient case histories and collaborate on computer-based learning activities. On the basis of assessment data, we conclude that the OLM helped exercise science students develop the critical thinking skills necessary for development of effective exercise prescriptions by requiring them to think critically while concurrently reinforcing lecture-presented exercise science content.

Dietary deficiencies and excesses: a sample of African American mothers and daughters eligible for nutrition assistance programs.

The purpose of the study detailed in this article was to identify nutritional excesses and deficiencies of selected dietary nutrients for a sample of low-income African American mothers and their daughters. Anthropometrics, physical activity questionnaires, food frequency questionnaires, and 24-hour food recalls were collected from a sample of 108 African American mothers and daughters (n = 42 and n = 66, respectively). Results revealed information regarding nutritional deficiencies and excesses that may be useful for modifying nutrition education and services offered through nutrition assistance programs designed for people earning low incomes and receiving financial assistance.