NEJM Knowledge+ Question of the Week: A Novel Virtual Learning Community Effectively Utilizing an Online Discussion Forum.

Asynchronous virtual learning communities provide learners with the ability to enhance their learning and contribute to their peers' learning in a safe environment. However, the tone and content of learner comments, the level of engagement among learners, and the role of moderators have not been well studied within non-course-related virtual learning communities. Therefore, we sought to explore these characteristics using the NEJM Knowledge+ Question of the Week (NEJM Knowledge+ QoW) forum, a web-based asynchronous virtual learning community.

Which ART regimen is best after receipt of single-dose nevirapine?

Preliminary results from the OCTANE trial suggest that lopinavir/r-based regimens are more effective than nevirapine-based ones, particularly when ART is initiated shortly after exposure to single-dose nevirapine.

Concurrent ART/TB treatment finally proven to be beneficial.

Giving ART while TB treatment was still ongoing dramatically improved survival among HIV/TB-coinfected patients in a large clinical trial in South Africa.

Adolescent diet and risk of breast cancer.

Background: Early life exposures, including diet, have been implicated in the etiology of breast cancer.

Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted among participants in the Nurses' Health Study who completed a 24-item questionnaire about diet during high school. There were 843 eligible cases diagnosed between onset of study (1976) and before the return of the high school diet questionnaire (1986), who were matched 10:1 with controls on the basis of age.