Groups perform better than the best individuals on letters-to-numbers problems: effects of group size.

Individuals and groups of 2, 3, 4, or 5 people solved 2 letters-to-numbers problems that required participants, on each trial, to identify the coding of 10 letters to 10 numbers by proposing an equation in letters, receiving the answer in letters, proposing a hypothesis, and receiving feedback on the correctness of the hypothesis. Groups of 3, 4, and 5 people proposed more complex equations and had fewer trials to solution than the best of an equivalent number of individuals. Groups of 3, 4, and 5 people had fewer trials to solution than 2-person groups but did not differ from each other.

Lyme disease prevention and vaccine prophylaxis.

Objective: To provide a comprehensive review of the epidemiology, diagnosis, and prevention of Lyme disease with a focus on the Lyme disease vaccine.

Data Source: A computerized search of MEDLINE (January 1996-December 1998) was used to identify articles regarding Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, epidemiology, prevention, and vaccine.

Data Synthesis: Lyme disease is a condition caused by infection with B.

Polymyalgia rheumatica.

The epidemiology, relationship to giant cell arteritis (GCA), pathogenesis, pathology, clinical and laboratory features, differential diagnosis, and treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are reviewed. Patients with PMR are usually over 50 years of age, white, and female. There is an association between GCA and PMR that has important implications because of the risk of blindness and other severe vascular complications in patients with GCA.

Computer-based patient simulations: hospital pharmacists' performance and opinions.

The performance of pharmacists in using an interactive computer-based patient simulation program and their attitudes toward the simulations are reported. The Institutional Patient Medication Simulation program is designed to enhance and evaluate the medication problem-solving skills of pharmacists. Each simulation consists of patient data-gathering, case question, and therapy decision modules with initial assessment and monitoring nodes.

Factors affecting outcomes of medication-history interviewing by pharmacy students.

Factors affecting outcomes of medication-history interviewing by pharmacy students were studied. Data were obtained from fourth-year pharmacy students enrolled in a required course in fall 1984. Each student conducted a medication-history interview with one of two simulated patients who presented a predetermined history; interviews were videotaped from behind a one-way mirror.