LEPTOSPIRA, PARVOVIRUS, AND TOXOPLASMA IN THE NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTER (LONTRA CANADENSIS) IN NORTH CAROLINA, USA.

The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is the largest mustelid in North Carolina, US, and was once extirpated from the central and western portions of the state. Over time and after a successful reintroduction project, otters are now abundant and occur throughout North Carolina. However, there is a concern that diseases may have an impact on the otter population, as well as on other aquatic mammals, either through exposure to emerging diseases, contact with domestic animals such as domestic cats (Felis catus), or less robust condition of individuals through declines in water quality.

Metal contamination of river otters in North Carolina.

Aquatic apex predators are vulnerable to environmental contaminants due to biomagnification. North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) populations should be closely monitored across their range due to point and nonpoint pollution sources. Nonetheless, no information exists on environmental contaminants in the North Carolina otter population.

Nephrolithiasis in free-ranging North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) in North Carolina, USA.

The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) serves as an indicator species for environmental monitoring, is prized as a valuable furbearer, and is a popular display animal in zoologic collections. Nephrolithiasis has been reported as a frequent problem in other free-ranging and captive otter species but is rarely reported in North American river otters. In this study, we compared the prevalence of nephrolithiasis diagnosed using routine gross pathologic examination techniques with the use of computed tomography (CT) of excised kidneys.

Learning basic surgical skills with mental imagery: using the simulation centre in the mind.

Context: Although surgeons and athletes frequently use mental imagery in preparing to perform, mental imagery has not been extensively researched as a learning technique in medical education.

Objective: A mental imagery rehearsal technique was experimentally compared with textbook study to determine the effects of each on the learning of basic surgical skills.

Methods: Sixty-four Year 2 medical students were randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups in which they undertook either mental imagery or textbook study.

Student Course Evaluations: Common Themes across Courses and Years.

Student course evaluations were analyzed for common themes across five different basic science, clinical, and innovative courses from the first and third years of medical school. Each course had both unique and common numerically scaled items including an overall quality rating item. A principal components analysis was conducted for each course to determine the items that loaded most heavily on the same component as the overall quality item.

A reliable and valid instrument to assess competency in basic surgical skills in second-year medical students.

Background: Despite calls for competency based education, a dearth of validated instruments for measuring basic skills currently exists. We developed an instrument to assess competency in basic surgical skills in second-year medical students and tested it for psychometric reliability and validity.

Methods: From a review of the literature, an instrument comprised of numerically scaled items was constructed.

Attitudes of veterinary medical students and medical students toward collaborative learning: an experiment.

This study measured the attitudes of 55 medical students and 30 veterinary medical students as they participated in an experiment of collaborative teaching and learning about basic surgical skills. Two parallel forms of an attitude questionnaire were developed, with three subscales: confidence in one's own surgical skill; collaboration with the other type of student; and inter-professional collaboration in general. These attitude scales were administered before and after an experiment involving the veterinary medical students teaching the medical students incision and exploratory laparoscopy in a laboratory setting using live rabbits.

Comparing the effects of physical practice and mental imagery rehearsal on learning basic surgical skills by medical students.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the effects of varying the amount of physical practice and mental imagery rehearsal on learning basic surgical procedures.

Study Design: Using a sample of 65 second-year medical students, 3 randomized groups received either: (1) 3 sessions of physical practice on suturing a pig's foot; (2) 2 sessions of physical practice and 1 session of mental imagery rehearsal; or (3) 1 session of physical practice and 2 sessions of imagery rehearsal. All participants then performed a surgery on a live rabbit in the operating theater of a veterinary college under approved conditions.

A survey of basic technical skills of medical students.

Purpose: In 1998, the Medical Schools Objectives Project (MSOP) Report listed the minimum routine technical procedures that graduating medical students should be proficient to perform. The authors conducted a survey to determine to what extent basic technical skills are being taught formally and how student competence in these skills is being evaluated in U.S.