tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16511916179496740542024-03-17T17:29:32.406+00:00Differential DiagnosisKeeping an open mind - some writing and links to networks by a physician interested in teaching.Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07988740182662829798noreply@blogger.comBlogger334125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-29370148872842839502015-09-19T09:59:00.003+01:002015-09-28T15:54:39.472+01:00Moving ...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been on blogger for years but I'm going to have a go posting with a homegrown blog machine thing.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://agnate.co.uk/som/dean_jenkins.php">https://agnate.co.uk/som/dean_jenkins.php</a></div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-26477627475958107222015-07-03T09:55:00.003+01:002015-07-03T09:55:34.550+01:00Does CME for Physicians improve Patient Health Outcomes?The Impact of CME on Physician Performance and Patient Health Outcomes: An Updated Synthesis of Systematic Reviews<br />
<br />
<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi?DOI=10.1002%2Fchp.21290">http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi?DOI=10.1002%2Fchp.21290</a><br />
<br />
<i>"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Verdana, Helvetica, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">(1) CME does improve physician performance and patient health outcomes, and (2) CME has a more reliably positive impact on physician performance than on patient health outcomes. The 8 systematic reviews support previous research showing CME activities that are more interactive, use more methods, involve multiple exposures, are longer, and are focused on outcomes that are considered important by physicians lead to more positive outcomes.</span>"</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi?DOI=10.1002%2Fchp.21290"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k4At3r2IwLU/VZZNYNByEsI/AAAAAAAAAUM/UuPDBMuQLuU/s400/CME-physician-performance.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This review reinforces confidence in good design principles of interactivity, multiple delivery methods, multiple exposures, over longer periods, and on important topics.Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-78393659904591748702015-06-02T15:33:00.001+01:002015-06-02T15:33:47.755+01:0012 Dimensions of MOOCs<a href="http://e4innovation.com/?page_id=2">Gráinne Conole</a> wrote about an analytical approach to Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) design in 2014 called <a href="http://e4innovation.com/?p=799">A 12-Dimensional Classification Schema for MOOCs</a>.<br />
<br />
The dimensions are as follows:<br />
<br />
<table border="1">
<tbody>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><b>Context</b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Open</td>
<td>How open the MOOC is</td></tr>
<tr><td>Massive</td>
<td>The scale of the MOOC/Number of participants</td></tr>
<tr><td>Diversity</td>
<td>The diversity of the participants</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><b>Learning</b></td></tr>
<tr><td>Use of multimedia</td>
<td>The amount and variety of multimedia</td></tr>
<tr><td>Degree of communication</td>
<td>The forms of communication</td></tr>
<tr><td>Degree of collaboration</td>
<td>The forms of collaboration</td></tr>
<tr><td>Amount of reflection</td>
<td>The extent to which reflection is encouraged</td></tr>
<tr><td>Learning pathway</td>
<td>The nature of the learning pathway (from learner centred to highly structured)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Quality Assurance</td>
<td>The form of quality assurance</td></tr>
<tr><td>Certification</td>
<td>Whether any form of accreditation is possible</td></tr>
<tr><td>Formal learning</td>
<td>Link into formal educational offerings</td></tr>
<tr><td>Autonomy</td>
<td>The degree of learner autonomy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
<br />
In her report she analyses a number of MOOCs over recent years using low / medium / high for each of the dimensions. <i>"I would argue that at a glance this classification framework gives a far better indication of the nature of each MOOC than the simple classification as xMOOCs and cMOOCs."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I think it is also a useful classification for exploring the purpose of design features of any particular online course especially where platform constraints are being compared.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-87525171415195697552015-05-13T20:42:00.003+01:002015-05-13T20:42:46.038+01:00Passive tolerance? Yes please!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So this week we had<i><br /></i><br />
<br />
<i>'Britain to end what he termed "passive" tolerance of extremism'</i> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/world/europe/david-cameron-combat-muslim-extremism-britain.html?_r=0">David Cameron seeks new powers to combat extremism in Britain (NY Times)</a><br />
<br />
<i>'ending what he said was a culture of "passive tolerance"' </i><br />
<a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1e767dd6-f8c4-11e4-be00-00144feab7de.html">David Cameron to unveil measures against extremism. (FT)</a><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>'"conclusively turn the page" on passive tolerance of extremist views' </i><br />
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-revives-moves-for-tough-action-against-nonviolent-extremists-10245592.html">David Cameron revives moves for tough action against non-violent extremists to target radicalisation. (Independent)</a><br />
<br />
and in 2011 we had<br />
<br />
<i>'Frankly, we need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and much more active, muscular liberalism'</i><br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12371994">State multiculturalism has failed, says David Cameron. BBC</a><br />
<br />
This is what annoys me.<br />
<br />
You have a belief that extremism should be punished but the most effective counter-argument is that a thing called 'passive tolerance' exists, is a force for good, and would be harmed by such a belief. So, instead of trying to better understand the social science you diminish it; you <b>use its name</b> in your announcements and frame it as a bad thing so that journalists and voters are misled.<br />
<br />
Now when we hear about 'passive tolerance' we remember our well-spoken leader telling us it was bad.<br />
<br />
No it's not.<br />
<br />
<i>"Passive tolerance is probably not a concept many people have yet heard of. Let's hope that changes, because "passive tolerance" is the most hopeful bit of academic social psychology research to emerge in a long time. It is the idea that simply living in an area of high diversity rubs off on you, making you more tolerant of ethnic diversity."</i> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/16/passive-tolerance-beacon-hope-diverse-communities">Madeleine Bunting. Guardian March 2014</a>.<br />
<br />
We should work to prevent the causes of extremism in the first place not punish it which will simply encourage it.<br />
There's probably a very good word for the rhetorical technique used - like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equivocation">equivocation</a> - but I'm not sure - I'd need some journalist friend to tell me that. :-)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/2012-olympics-british-multiculturalism.html"><img alt="http://anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/2012-olympics-british-multiculturalism.html" border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxKRj2zrGgE-w7TRMZwJ31CTVra-gNQHY1XmTXfT_iGpxb8Im-ni97ER_r9S95jWkMNjNeF7zLSJj0RnOWHuQpiLisCdqtBE9rx5tZnTATrl1Rz1TrnHtMZ0Zpr7A8TKKW5c-sDp8DGxO/s400/Olympic+multiculturalism+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-84355962018328131742015-05-12T19:10:00.001+01:002015-05-12T19:10:26.834+01:00Learning Management Systems are like a minivan or a bus or best avoided?<p>LMS Is The Minivan of Education (and other thoughts from #LILI15) by Stephen Downes.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.downes.ca/post/63849">http://www.downes.ca/post/63849</a></p>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-89208192562778441482015-05-12T09:50:00.001+01:002015-05-12T09:50:27.389+01:00Pierre Louis and the "numerical method"<p>The French doctor who analysed the use of blood letting in pneumonia and settled the argument about whether it was helpful or harmful.<br></p>
<p>Numbers trump even the most strongly voiced opinions.<br></p>
<p><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Charles_Alexandre_Louis">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Charles_Alexandre_Louis</a></p>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-73722677345379781752015-05-12T06:51:00.001+01:002015-05-12T06:56:04.758+01:00Pre-clinical med school MOOC?<p>This US piece talks about disrupting medical school education and decreasing physician training costs with a national MOOC for the basic sciences. The most depressing part is the scale of junior doctor debt and how utterly distorts career choices away from primary care and improving health to increased specialization and the focus on treatment.<br></p>
<p><a href="http://www.psmag.com/health-and-behavior/disrupting-medical-education">http://www.psmag.com/health-and-behavior/disrupting-medical-education</a></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeQ5gBrfjtv5Q-w-V6vQ0qjEqc4FOXeNEP_OyX-7CJXZkuRj-JDoT6MVyQq9EGZyfvvXyrv0OWG4YX_XzC1SowQmhIDBoqwNVrQNEvYU6CDRVa0Sml7WnGGmWBjOUXunhfN9S-UyyAZ_v/s1600/2015_05_12_06.54.17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeQ5gBrfjtv5Q-w-V6vQ0qjEqc4FOXeNEP_OyX-7CJXZkuRj-JDoT6MVyQq9EGZyfvvXyrv0OWG4YX_XzC1SowQmhIDBoqwNVrQNEvYU6CDRVa0Sml7WnGGmWBjOUXunhfN9S-UyyAZ_v/s640/2015_05_12_06.54.17.png"> </a> </div>Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-40007026474459119922015-05-09T11:13:00.003+01:002015-05-09T11:13:42.430+01:00Tesla Powerwall - can a battery change everything?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Tesla is disrupting the energy industry with a massive battery building development. The storage capacity - if delivered and bought by consumers, business, and even energy companies - could change the economics of energy.<br />
<br />
It will benefit "<a href="http://theenergycollective.com/arnaudh/2224766/tesla-s-powerwall-announcement-benefits-and-limitations-renewable-microgrids">local renewable power and renewable energy microgrids</a>". However, some argue <a href="http://johnquiggin.com/2015/05/05/is-powerwall-good-for-coal-and-nuclear/">Powerwall may even encourage coal and nuclear</a> - though that clearly isn't the intention.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.teslamotors.com/powerwall">http://www.teslamotors.com/powerwall</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.teslamotors.com/powerwall"><img alt="http://www.teslamotors.com/powerwall" border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWim7FMu_agaTTa5EUul98GEdrjyxe38NxaG3Ecj-u6AFfbSLFHmPo8PBc811dOc4xAl9yTQwubkZVQwwjV8Iwz5gtAPod3QqEpCawKue28vd6m-axNDMl5Fqy6yQcM5xrfhUklmODaEKv/s400/Screenshot+from+2015-05-09+11:03:08.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>"Powerwall is a home battery that charges using electricity generated
from solar panels, or when utility rates are low, and powers your home
in the evening. It also fortifies your home against power outages by
providing a backup electricity supply. Automated, compact and simple to
install, Powerwall offers independence from the utility grid and the
security of an emergency backup."</i></div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-2071530980357514562015-05-09T10:58:00.000+01:002015-05-09T10:58:40.172+01:00Not too late to enrol in the 'Making sense of climate change denial' MOOC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.edx.org/course/making-sense-climate-science-denial-uqx-denial101x#!">Free online university course</a> that teaches you how to completely take down climate change deniers receives 10,000 students<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RedrutZ_G3Q/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RedrutZ_G3Q?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/free-online-university-course-that-teaches-you-how-to-completely-take-down-climate-change-deniers-receives-10000-students-10212891.html">http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/free-online-university-course-that-teaches-you-how-to-completely-take-down-climate-change-deniers-receives-10000-students-10212891.html</a></div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-84918067428421679812015-05-09T10:44:00.000+01:002015-05-09T10:46:36.678+01:00Mind-control exoskeleton gives unprecedented paralysis recovery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="infuse">
What is so unexpected about this case series is that patients appear to be regaining some sensory and motor control in their lower limbs by using a mind-controlled exoskeleton.<i></i><br />
<br />
Why should a mind-controlled exoskeleton stimulate neurone recovery in spinal injury?<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="infuse">
<br /></div>
<div class="infuse">
<i>"Since November 2013, Nicolelis and his team have been
training Pinto and seven other people with similar [spinal] injuries to use the
exoskeleton – a robotic device that encases the limbs and converts brain
signals into movement.</i></div>
<div class="infuse">
<br /></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="infuse">
<i>The device also feeds sensory information
to its wearer, which seems to have partially reawakened their nervous
system. When Nicolelis reassessed his volunteers after a year of
training, he found that all eight people had regained sensations and the
ability to move muscles in their once-paralysed limbs."</i></div>
<div class="infuse">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22630174.100-mindcontrol-exoskeleton-gives-unprecedented-paralysis-recovery.html"><img alt="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22630174.100-mindcontrol-exoskeleton-gives-unprecedented-paralysis-recovery.html" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY05S8mp6ytjV1MGs4fytjclGBns8eVO_KEINCqJOun8z-tUJz1FM1u57s6mT1W9g4C1X1WUpqxR_S0aZeQ6f6leTDuOiGHsBKANVlB3foTTv-H3C9cQA53bULy9O-8N0bkoopjZFFV8U9/s1600/mg22630174.100-2_300.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="infuse">
<br /></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22630174.100-mindcontrol-exoskeleton-gives-unprecedented-paralysis-recovery.html">http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22630174.100-mindcontrol-exoskeleton-gives-unprecedented-paralysis-recovery.html</a></div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-89226294380242461982015-05-09T10:30:00.001+01:002015-05-09T10:35:42.739+01:00What's popular on Wikipedia?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
An Open Ranking of Wikipedia Pages<br />
<br />
<a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/6mef2hSf_Fc/an-open-ranking-of-wikipedia-pages">http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/6mef2hSf_Fc/an-open-ranking-of-wikipedia-pages</a><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://wikirank.di.unimi.it/">open wikipedia ranking search engine</a> is available for you to see what's the most popular issue in any area. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://wikirank.di.unimi.it/"><img alt="http://wikirank.di.unimi.it/" border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYxsZbUQLeevmYZ6EAafInjcymxKzhtnDqvTnmhLKt13Kit2lbMHZzowuNWdDBAVQQ0aBDYrTTdzvgJUd_2sj-aYLZkm4_iuJ7UAsBwt_y17H23gQSEqyDxcSTR51xSPBoeAjx3nyeadC/s400/Screenshot+from+2015-05-09+10:23:10.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The most important thing in Cornwall is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org./wiki/The_Song_of_the_Western_Men">Song of Western Men</a>.<br />
<br />
The most important topic in Medicine is - to my great disgust - the 1810 book of laying out the irrational quackery of homeopathy. [link not provided! ... I'll send you to <a href="http://www.1023.org.uk/">#ten23</a> instead]<br />
<br />
However - moving on - the most important theorem is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org./wiki/Poincar%C3%A9_conjecture">Poincaré conjecture</a>.</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-83680712820867817892015-05-09T08:35:00.001+01:002015-05-09T10:20:27.721+01:00The Facebook Echo Chamber effect<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
People only seem to click on links they agree with in the social media environment of Facebook but not as consistently as you might assume.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/data">Facebook have 'scientists'</a> researching <a href="https://research.facebook.com/blog/1393382804322065/exposure-to-diverse-information-on-facebook/">Exposure to Diverse Information on Facebook</a> which attempts to quantify this tendency.<br />
<br />
<i>"Take people whose friends shared at least one consistent and one
cross-cutting story --- 99 percent of them were exposed to at least one
ideologically aligned item, and 96 percent encountered at least one
ideologically cross-cutting item in News Feed. When we looked at who
clicked through to hard news content, we found that 54 percent---more
than half---clicked on ideologically cross-cutting content, although
less than the 87 percent who clicked on ideologically aligned content. "</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/data"><img alt="https://www.facebook.com/data" border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCl3cGDIGTnJR2Mbqbb0UlfXssVB4THl4x9-HwZ0G8FYsFbjXZpsYkMZuLuXePK0eiZVOD9HOjHtb-3aQsLxswU-u8uolj83wUow7xqQfIjtCa7vIK9adL89Ur7TaiuBa5NCzu7wlxd2lf/s400/Screenshot+from+2015-05-09+10:05:34.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Reported in the Independent.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/facebook-study-finds-people-only-click-on-links-that-they-agree-with-site-is-an-echo-chamber-10234746.html">http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/facebook-study-finds-people-only-click-on-links-that-they-agree-with-site-is-an-echo-chamber-10234746.html</a></div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-46083100870115511602015-05-06T16:06:00.001+01:002015-05-06T16:06:26.119+01:00Doing less harm in frail patients with diabetes<p>Less aggressive diabetes care needed in hospice<br><br></p>
<p><a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/05/01/us-terminal-care-diabetes-idUKKBN0NM41C20150501?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews">http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/05/01/us-terminal-care-diabetes-idUKKBN0NM41C20150501?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews</a></p>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-75272228434958863592015-05-06T13:30:00.001+01:002015-05-06T13:56:01.739+01:00MOOC for medical students - promoting textbooks.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Elsevier's Free MOOC Prepares Med Students for Licensing Exam<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.downes.ca/post/63839">http://www.downes.ca/post/63839</a><br />
<br />
Good example of the marketing MOOC promoting a popular exam prep textbook.<br />
<br />
<i>"This new MOOC is accessible to the more than 40,000 US medical students and thousands outside of the US preparing to take the USMLE Step 1. 'The success of the Crush Step 1 MOOC pilot will help Elsevier evaluate its ability to work within the MOOC model and develop trusted content that informs and engages medical students,' said Theodore O’Connell, MD, author of Crush Step 1. 'Using results from the pilot, Elsevier will understand how we might develop a full USMLE course and other course guides.'"</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcZZPStGX6hQKDIX284YxIEt-f4Eh1RAsdoki5lzVIAyjTSHBuBSvTPFHlDbE02LE0verY5VRc3Lqysko9ubkUrjf7aXHBYnB9h7Ld2c5ABacL4NaJzl7R-x28an6k2iPPhwDBZCwKZ_m/s1600/crush-step.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcZZPStGX6hQKDIX284YxIEt-f4Eh1RAsdoki5lzVIAyjTSHBuBSvTPFHlDbE02LE0verY5VRc3Lqysko9ubkUrjf7aXHBYnB9h7Ld2c5ABacL4NaJzl7R-x28an6k2iPPhwDBZCwKZ_m/s1600/crush-step.PNG" height="238" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-41234286457071031282015-04-30T09:36:00.000+01:002015-04-30T09:43:18.588+01:00Innovation in medical technology ... DO try this at home.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>"The Little Devices team at MIT develops empowerment technologies for health. We believe that innovation and design happens at the frontline of healthcare where providers and patients can invent everyday technologies to improve outcomes."</i><br />
<br />
This team hack cheap devices such as toys. They take ideas and parts and turn them into medical devices. "Unless you make somebody feel a little uncomfortable you're probably not being that innovative".<br />
<br />
<a href="http://littledevices.org/">http://littledevices.org/</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2f4JTxFYDfvZvUfPLRd_qNlyLUyFMSPUIk_nTVYPu0qJ0c2TbKQyVBu8tRMkOhJUv0aqWLCK4P00DuPtD10gq9tDH6D1tfHkvChDGBXnD-6RrFWEOzrvh1qB3QUdtHMKWEomlCGdS9HC1/s1600/technologiesoverview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2f4JTxFYDfvZvUfPLRd_qNlyLUyFMSPUIk_nTVYPu0qJ0c2TbKQyVBu8tRMkOhJUv0aqWLCK4P00DuPtD10gq9tDH6D1tfHkvChDGBXnD-6RrFWEOzrvh1qB3QUdtHMKWEomlCGdS9HC1/s1600/technologiesoverview.jpg" height="400" width="372" /> </a></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UHCT9SOBHs0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UHCT9SOBHs0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
I think this is great - I'm going to go into the next toy shop I pass.<br />
<br />
How does this type of innovation compare with that offered by corporations seeking to make the next ubiquitous - and patented - health device? Why not find out for yourself? Littledevices offer <a href="http://littledevices.org/research/7-diy-medical-technologies-you-can-build-at-home/">7 medical technology projects you can try at home</a>.</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-10239134973310934492015-04-27T13:35:00.000+01:002015-04-27T13:42:27.888+01:00Transtheoretical model of behaviour change<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Always worth a read this very detailed theory of behaviour change.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://web.uri.edu/cprc/about-ttm/"><img alt="http://web.uri.edu/cprc/about-ttm/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsiR6IKw1sFU3nBUIlpxI9lPEg0aSF5y7gtMB_H4wfjFFIMDztoNUqeYTgcez1Iks6tK2EMWpyVLU1Fdz1yL0pxMyIjWrKH-id5WkOtyXHTRiUXRvseSy4s2Kt6xkC-TXl8_qVC1q9rv9/s1600/Stages.jpg" height="149" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I was updating the links to it in our <a href="http://qualifications.bmj.com/diabetes">Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes</a> and noticed it has moved home within Rhode Island. [1]<br />
<br />
<a href="http://web.uri.edu/cprc/detailed-overview/">Detailed overview of the Transtheoretical model of behaviour change. http://web.uri.edu/cprc/detailed-overview/</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://web.uri.edu/cprc/detailed-overview/"><img alt="http://web.uri.edu/cprc/detailed-overview/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gaMYlPxtmVEkFvoh65pLrfW5jnijZfMlMoh6M-3Lss_0pJiA8lSQkX83ErydTJVcwMoIDvvswLE-Efk6vZqvPDgceTf9Fp5QD5uz0ph3UfAS9BNSSXqExXrKIS2rO8xd0uK7fEYqmfNB/s1600/Screenshot+from+2015-04-27+13:23:09.png" height="165" width="400" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Whether it works in practice is another issue. A recent Cochrane review failed to show evidence of its use when applied to <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24500864">weight loss</a> and another review called for more research into <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23921563">single-theory interventions in contraception</a>.<br />
<br />
[1] The University of Rhode Island is the home of this theory and you'd think they'd take more care in preserving its links and not give <a href="http://web.uri.edu/cprc/TTM/detailedoverview.htm">an ugly 404 error</a>.</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-29983712449837065752015-04-18T18:03:00.003+01:002015-04-18T18:03:59.553+01:00The Journal "Basic and Applied Social Psychology" bans p-values<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The often misused p-value is now not welcome at the social science journal.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://science.slashdot.org/story/15/04/17/156251/social-science-journal-bans-use-of-p-values">http://science.slashdot.org/story/15/04/17/156251/social-science-journal-bans-use-of-p-values</a><br />
<br />
How significant this might be we will just have to see.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-value"><img alt="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-value" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMV8DrZQaIwZbF-XoFcfg0eJIGC_ikpER1EUXHen-3jA8fJqsugWyBI5kWzU1kJXvcinqqJaJPB_v_-fHoMI7SrVZ-ZphJeGkVAchNuvbdvMue3vEtMsYkhTy0yWx1p2Q_ONfnOiet99Hd/s1600/Screenshot+from+2015-04-18+18:02:17.png" height="257" width="400" /></a></div>
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Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-67363050538294918572015-04-18T17:36:00.000+01:002015-04-18T17:46:26.753+01:00Acquired savant syndrome<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Following a head injury whilst skiing this lady now complains of remembering too much.<br />
<br />
"<span class="ng-scope" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Article">I
could remember everywhere, like flicking through the pages of a book.
Every place I had ever been, but specifically the buildings.</span>"<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/acquired-savant-sydnrome">http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/acquired-savant-sydnrome</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/acquired-savant-sydnrome"><img alt="http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/acquired-savant-sydnrome" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJh6jiPpHATceKZ0kp-YdjMIiSD8dQ7PaADy3kDTmvgYZ0Qtr8etrzZIhvjOpgQRpPhO5jPpXLAO_iDzNX2ILOz04rWZYvcENn-9jIDXoqhgkKafXzAaeFIQOOItmcOeGcVU3jhS1Wom3q/s1600/MTI5Mzg3ODQ5NjM5MzAzNjQ2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Apparently her doctor is writing it up for a journal. Wonder if it's coming our way at <a href="http://blogs.bmj.com/case-reports/2015/04/18/acquired-savant-syndrome/">BMJ Case Reports</a>.</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-13297197834388343942015-04-18T15:19:00.001+01:002015-04-18T15:21:30.644+01:00Association Between Apple Consumption and Physician Visits<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
9% of the US adult population eat an apple a day but it doesn't keep the doctor away. <br />
<br />
You need to sign in to view the full scientific detail but the abstract says it all.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"<span class="Abstract 0" id="scm6MainContent_ucArticleContent_rptSections_lblSection_0">Evidence
does not support that an apple a day keeps the doctor away; however,
the small fraction of US adults who eat an apple a day do appear to use
fewer prescription medications.</span>"</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2210883">http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2210883</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2210883"><img alt="http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2210883" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRhyq7uuXmF7j5d0YR98LkgQW7nu1dvJFIAgyIZjHVZOmrQs5Ut6ak6tY79iIUCWgAKA7i1Tl6sCHz0wjzLdpsSxsxhsnsee3rcBlMVrwft74GW660g_YvwyXJXGBrG7ui4omr8nyv-cw/s1600/Screenshot+from+2015-04-18+15:16:45.png" height="140" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Another example of the relatively low quality research that comes from dietary recall.<br />
<br />
Clearly we urgently need a prospective, randomized-controlled trial with placebo apples.</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-8968951268610093942015-04-18T15:07:00.000+01:002015-04-18T15:07:23.030+01:00Extrasensory perception vest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"A vest that allows the profoundly deaf to 'feel' and understand speech
is under development by engineering students and their mentors at Rice
University and Baylor College of Medicine."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JTSGX6RYuiM/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JTSGX6RYuiM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<a href="http://news.rice.edu/2015/04/08/vest-helps-deaf-feel-understand-speech-2/">http://news.rice.edu/2015/04/08/vest-helps-deaf-feel-understand-speech-2/</a><br />
<br />
Picked up <a href="http://www.medgadget.com/2015/04/electronic-vest-lets-deaf-people-hear-with-their-torsos.html">this story via Medgadget</a>.<br />
<br />
Providing the alternate sensation to the skin is one thing but filtering the speech from surrounding sound with a mobile app and reinforcing it is the real innovation here.</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-59163088262320068292015-04-18T14:57:00.003+01:002015-04-18T14:57:45.613+01:00Overcoming an Eating Disorder With Instagram<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>"<span><span>Hayley Kremer, a 20-year-old student at Colorado Mesa
University, believes that her eating disorder first began in high
school—but she’s struggled with body-image issues for much longer. She’s
been in recovery for a few years, and sees both a nutritionist and a
counselor. But on top of these more traditional recovery resources, she
largely credits her Instagram account for the significant progress she’s
made in getting better.</span></span>"</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/overcoming-an-eating-disorder-with-instagram/387658/">http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/overcoming-an-eating-disorder-with-instagram/387658/</a><br />
<br />
Hayl's Instagram feed is pictured below. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://instagram.com/hayls_sprinklesofsunshine/"><img alt="https://instagram.com/hayls_sprinklesofsunshine/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzhyNmvIttkC7zkgag749Eu4shS7EkUXBRNGOCUUjIqWVy53P4Jmt1GkSWU5_r8Ck-I-7Wn4Fd6TNcGlChQJM-D9mP6qAYGwdozJOmp3XC0vsMUxTbn4i29wz8D1fPJ8cph79QJRqTkmq/s1600/Screenshot+from+2015-04-18+14:53:17.png" height="203" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Having a conversation about food - even if it is only with yourself - can be helped by the low barrier and immediacy of a social media app like Instagram.</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-61613778150473998972015-04-17T17:12:00.001+01:002015-04-18T14:50:59.992+01:00Phrase of the day: pH Low-Insertion Peptides (pHLIP)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Gold nanoparticles significantly boost focus for radiation therapy.<br />
<br />
<i>"A team from Brown University and the University of Rhode Island has
developed a new technique to radically improve how radiation therapy
acts on cancer cells. The method uses gold nanoparticles that are
delivered to cancer cells using so-called pH Low-Insertion Peptides
(pHLIP), compounds that are attracted to acidic environments. Since
cancer cells tend to be more acidic than healthy ones, pHLIPs accumulate
around tumor sites."</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.medgadget.com/2015/04/gold-particles-significantly-boost-focus-of-radiation-therapy.html">www.medgadget.com/2015/04/gold-particles-significantly-boost-focus-of-radiation-therapy.html</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.medgadget.com/2015/04/gold-particles-significantly-boost-focus-of-radiation-therapy.html"><img alt="www.medgadget.com/2015/04/gold-particles-significantly-boost-focus-of-radiation-therapy.html" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntl0Xjeq1Ay9ZclhTXQDpCkBQ8bEalKReHvSHzHpEzjivmkmM3TjNwleZcj5wzPmgD8CoY_huLqRa5VdWNEIn4l64GYM_dLuC4UE5oJyoAPFg6KW6K54Zv_d8oFIu2OBRUg04NoIG4SRG/s1600/gold-for-radiation-cancer-therapy.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-1329982426583051812015-04-14T13:24:00.004+01:002015-04-14T13:25:43.938+01:00Public sector Linux deployment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Interesting Linux story via Slashdot<br />
<br />
<a href="http://m.slashdot.org/story/266851">http://m.slashdot.org/story/266851</a><br />
<br />
The <a href="https://sverigelinux.github.io/">Sverigelinux (Sweden Linux)</a> aims at improving large deployments of Linux.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The objective for the SverigeLinux project is to lower the threshold for deploying Linux in an organization. Deploy a server. Configure, install and change everything from there."</blockquote>
Obviously it is very popular as their public download of the .iso has broken.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINAN4f9abQLjsTKz1vhHXvAdRv4j3p30gaBxHxm7t9i2q4TWSRGGjF7jHi0IkWJdtKElme9vSVmuvU3rHFn5Eb5RuNSOrBFpEouNuyz4P8ZK7GOpVR42H2lpG9TBg5G2Od2yyqUVs0hBD/s1600/Screenshot+from+2015-04-14+13:21:18.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINAN4f9abQLjsTKz1vhHXvAdRv4j3p30gaBxHxm7t9i2q4TWSRGGjF7jHi0IkWJdtKElme9vSVmuvU3rHFn5Eb5RuNSOrBFpEouNuyz4P8ZK7GOpVR42H2lpG9TBg5G2Od2yyqUVs0hBD/s1600/Screenshot+from+2015-04-14+13:21:18.png" /></a></div>
<br />
A video shows you how to set up a network of machines.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W1tT60E830E/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/W1tT60E830E?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-32858640178468581292015-04-14T13:08:00.000+01:002015-04-14T13:15:27.498+01:00Agile techniqes for learning modules<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Thinking of using Agile Methodology for creating learning materials? Stephen Downes comments<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=63679">http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=63679</a><br />
<br />
... on a blog by Allison Littlejohn about Open University.<br />
<br />
Working closely with your media designers using the "module resources (as a 'mediating artifact')" is hardly disruptive but it does reflect some of the jargon-breaking methods and customer focus of Agile. If you don't talk the same lingo then what the professors mean and the media designers mean may be very different.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://agilemanifesto.org/"><img alt="http://agilemanifesto.org/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZaEX3hyphenhyphencPc75lFJXAbnVNAUC9RBq13kC-nJMfi3xd3-uUYBtwdgbXwZnRa2KUHuSv0sAL_do74pun1F5QsF6Ina8IizeZ6zSUru6m3AdDXjUodAArYAwvnk1m0W0MLGXxK-FUItL-b7C/s1600/Screenshot+from+2015-04-14+13:04:49.png" height="197" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Small in-house teams would probably approach the production of learning media in this way quite naturally. It is when you become a bigger institution or outsource media expertise that flexibility and shared understanding risk being left behind.</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1651191617949674054.post-54033173900330264142015-04-14T10:40:00.002+01:002015-04-14T10:40:32.380+01:00Getting Google Mobile-Friendly Ranking pester emails from web designers?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On April 21st Google will use 'mobile friendliness' as part of the ranking algorithm for people searching using a mobile. This makes great sense as Google wants to improve the quality of the search results for that particular searcher's device.<br />
<br />
There are plenty of website designers who are now emailing their customers offering an upgrade. Which is great news for the web design business.<br />
<br />
However, if your a little suspicious Google have made a nice mini site explaining it all.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://developers.google.com/webmasters/mobile-sites/">https://developers.google.com/webmasters/mobile-sites/</a><br />
<br />
This includes a <a href="https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/">Mobile-Friendly Test</a> as well. Just type your website address (or your web designer's website address and portfolio of customers if you want to check them out) and Google will give its opinion.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://developers.google.com/webmasters/mobile-sites/"><img alt="https://developers.google.com/webmasters/mobile-sites/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4WJtlY3UcE5cIBcS8-tePWtU5xaxlfut7jxD5bLnmvSpc6rG-MjdzuCue3s_sPj0yLYOWHHUSvFWTJGvT6wHJSKDRuUE_5EsNk4r5SfYoE461YTk7ykvKFqnIh0YJX_DnAeLhoPDSd2X/s1600/Screenshot+from+2015-04-14+10:35:32.png" height="331" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Google is pushing the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsive_web_design">responsive web design</a> approach over the alternate mobile site which is great. Why maintain two websites when one will do? For many it means completely rebuilding a website designed with a focus on desktops not tablets or smartphones ... and that can be expensive.<br />
<br />
The main thing to ask yourself is whether or not your visitors do so on mobile devices? More and more are doing so ... it's about time you asked the question.</div>
Dean Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16094964922799644088noreply@blogger.com1