Developing professionalism through the use of wikis: A study with first-year undergraduate medical students.

Aim: Learning about professionalism occurs through collaboration, with peer groups being important sources of support for students [Sandars J, Homer M, Pell G, Croker T. 2008. Web 2.

Assessing the surgeon's technical skills: analysis of the available tools.

The concept of assessing competency in surgical practice is not new and has taken on an added urgency in view of the recent high-profile inquiries into "botched cases" involving surgeons of various levels in different parts of the world. Until very recently, surgeons in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world, although required to undergo formal and compulsory examinations to test their factual knowledge and decision making, were not required to demonstrate technical ability. Therefore, there existed (and still exist) no objective assessment criteria to test trainees' surgical skill, especially during the exit examination, which, if passed, provides unrestricted license to surgeons to practice their specialties.

Lifelong learning for the modern day clinician.

The General Medical Council has a clear requirement for all doctors to keep their skills up to date; this is the essence of lifelong learning. This article identifies qualities of a lifelong learner and discusses the key activities which will help the clinician meet lifelong learning objectives seamlessly within common clinical settings.

The role of the seven key skills portfolios in the assessment of new dental graduates in general dental practice.

In this article, the authors examine the role of the seven key skills portfolios in the assessment of new dental graduates in general dental practice. They discuss the nature and construction of portfolios and explore how the use of portfolios encourages learning. They outline what educational support is available and consider where key skills fit within a career pathway.

Lifelong learning.

This article looks at the theory behind lifelong learning as a concept and applies it to many aspects of the dentist's professional life.

Use of interferon in the management of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Six patients (five male, one female) with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis were treated with purified lymphoblastoid interferon, using a combination of intravenous and lumbar intrathecal routes. The first symptoms of the disorder occurred between seven and 16 years of age, and the length of the illness before treatment varied from 1 1/2 to 12 months. All six patients were in the first clinical stage of the disorder.

The clinical pharmacology of acyclovir and its prodrugs.

Acyclovir (Zovirax) is a highly specific antiherpes virus agent. Extensive investigations of the pharmacokinetics in man have shown it to have a useful half-life of about three hours and to be largely excreted unchanged in the urine. Crystaluria can be avoided provided the patient is well hydrated and attention is paid to the dosing instructions especially in patients with renal failure.

Oral acyclovir prophylaxis against herpes simplex virus in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia patients receiving remission induction chemotherapy. A randomised double blind, placebo controlled trial.

Forty-one patients receiving remission induction chemotherapy with vincristine, adriamycin and prednisolone (VAP) for high grade lymphoma or acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were entered into a double blind, placebo controlled trial of oral acyclovir prophylaxis against herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. The dose of acyclovir was 200 mg four times daily for the duration of chemotherapy (six weeks). Of the 40 evaluable patients, 20 were randomised to each arm.

Acyclovir: an update of the clinical applications of this antiherpes agent.

This paper reviews the clinical evaluation of acyclovir in the treatment of herpes-virus infections, predominantly those due to herpes simplex and varicella-zoster viruses. Intravenous, oral and topical acyclovir have been reported to be effective in the therapy of a wide variety of established herpes simplex virus infections and the systemic drug has been shown to be capable of suppressing reactivation of that virus. Although acyclovir has less activity against varicella-zoster virus, infections caused by this agent are also susceptible to intravenous and possibly oral therapy.

Acyclovir prophylaxis against herpes virus infections in severely immunocompromised patients: randomised double blind trial.

Twenty patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and 39 patients receiving remission induction chemotherapy for acute leukaemia were entered into a double blind, placebo controlled stratified trial of acyclovir prophylaxis against herpes group virus infections. Within the transplant group intravenous acyclovir 5 mg/kg twice daily given throughout the period of granulocytopenia completely prevented oropharyngeal herpes simplex virus infection compared with a 50% incidence in the placebo arm (p = 0.033).

The mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics and toxicity of acyclovir--a review.

Acyclovir (ACV) has a novel, highly selective biological activity which results in the inhibition of herpesvirus replication at concentrations 300-3000-fold lower than those that will inhibit mammalian cellular functions. Subacute and chronic studies in animals indicate that the drug is relatively non-toxic, poses no special risks to pregnancy or the foetus and does not induce detectable oncogenic or genetic changes. In man, acyclovir has a plasma half-life of approximately three hours, is widely distributed throughout the body tissues and is rapidly cleared, mainly as unchanged drug, through the kidneys.

Renal function after acyclovir intravenous injection.

Plasma urea or creatinine was noted to be raised in 58 of 354 patients treated with intravenous acyclovir. This occurred after intravenous bolus injection of high dosages of acyclovir but the risk was considerably reduced by slow intravenous infusion of the same dosage over one hour, with adequate hydration of the patient and adjustment of dosage in patients with preexisting impaired renal function. Animal studies indicate that the impairment of renal function associated with high bolus injections of acyclovir is due to crystal formation in the renal tubules and/or the collecting ducts, and that the crystals are removed after cessation of treatment.

Acyclovir - a review of the preclinical and early clinical data of a new antiherpes drug.

A review of the literature on acyclovir (Zovirax), a new antiherpes drug, with particular activity against herpes simplex virus types I and II and also against varicella-zoster, Epstein-Barr, cytomegalo and herpes B viruses, is presented. The article deals with 'in vitro' and 'in vivo' efficacy in animals, animal toxicity, latency and resistance, the mechanism of action and early clinical experience.

Parenteral acyclovir therapy for herpesvirus infections in man.

Acyclovir is a new antiviral agent which is highly active against herpesviruses in vitro and in laboratory animals. Twenty-three cancer patients with cutaneous and/or systemic herpes zoster or herpes simplex infections were treated with parenteral acyclovir. All had received previous specific treatment for their malignant disease and ten had undergone bone-marrow transplantation.

Antilymphocyte globulin in the treatment of advanced Sézary syndrome.

Two patients with Sézary syndrome, refractory to conventional treatment, were given cyclophosphamide and antilymphocyte globulin (A.L.G) Both patients showed improvement.