A Falls Prevention Program for People After Stroke in Guyana: An International Collaboration.

Objective: The objective was to describe the social, environmental, and cultural adaptations to an existing falls program and assess acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of the program in reducing fear, reducing falls, and improving function among individuals poststroke in Guyana.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pilot study with a pretest/posttest in-group design was developed through a collaboration of researchers in Guyana and the US. Participants took part in the falls prevention program for 8 weeks.

Efficacy of a Nasogastric Tube Educational Intervention for Nursing Staff.

Aim: We performed a single-center teaching intervention with nursing providers on nasogastric tube (NG tube) clinical practice. The initial purpose of this study was the validation of whether the training was sufficient enough to be retained at a later time point.

Methods: We performed a prospective pre-post study examining participants' knowledge before, immediately after, and 4 weeks after training in NG tube management.

An effective system to produce smoke solutions from dried plant tissue for seed germination studies.

Premise Of The Study: An efficient and inexpensive system was developed to produce smoke solutions from plant material to research the influence of water-soluble compounds from smoke on seed germination. •

Methods And Results: Smoke solutions (300 mL per batch) were produced by burning small quantities (100-200 g) of dried plant material from a range of species in a bee smoker attached by a heater hose to a side-arm flask. The flask was attached to a vacuum water aspirator, to pull the smoke through the water.

Rovibrational energy transfer in Ne-Li2(A1Sigmau+,v=0): Comparison of experimental data and results from classical and quantum calculations.

Absolute rate constants for rotational and rovibrational energy transfer in the system Ne-Li2(A1Sigmau+) were measured by a dispersed fluorescence technique following excitation of the (v = 0,j = 18) initial level of Li2(A1Sigmau+). The rate coefficients for Deltav = 0 processes decline monotonically with increasing |Deltaj|. The Deltav = 1 rate coefficients are also peaked near Deltaj = 0 but show a broad shoulder extending to approximately Deltaj = 30.

Effect of a brief intervention on evidence-based medicine skills of pediatric residents.

Background: While Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) skills are increasingly being taught in medical schools, teaching quality has been insufficient, so that incoming pediatric residents lack adequate EBM skills required for patient care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief teaching module developed to improve EBM skills of pediatric residents.

Methods: With-in subjects study design with pre- and post-test evaluation was performed in a large urban pediatric residency training program in Brooklyn, New York.

Collaborating to enhance patient education and recovery.

Objective: The paper describes a collaborative project between librarians and health care staff to enhance patient recovery by distributing educational videos and evaluating the acceptability of this "information intervention."

Background: On inpatient units, nurses experience decreased time to teach patients. Text handouts do not include multimedia information, and reading levels may limit comprehension.

Molecular and mechanical properties of major ampullate silk of the black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus.

Molecular and material properties of major ampullate silk were studied for the cobweb-building black widow spider Latrodectus hesperus. Material properties were measured by stretching the silk to breaking. The strength was 1.

Supporting ward staff in acute care areas: the past, the present and the future?

Clinical education for acute ward staff caring for critically ill patients has continued to be a strong focus for practice development. Adopting a work-based learning approach to empower ward staff has led to the development of a five-day competency-based high dependency skills course. Developing leadership potential and enhancing networking opportunities for nurses from within critical care and ward areas is essential for the realisation of the aims of Comprehensive Critical Care.