Specifications Grading for Veterinary Medicine

Assigning grades in a traditional manner is often problematic: grades may or may not reflect actual student achievement, and students may base their self-worth on grades. Specifications (spec) grading claims to remedy these through a novel grading scheme. The scheme also purports to uphold high academic standards, reflect student learning, motivate students to focus on learning (rather than a grade), discourage cheating, reduce student stress, give students control over their grade, minimize conflict between students and faculty, save faculty time, make expectations clear, and facilitate higher-order learning. In spec grading, students must achieve 80% or higher to pass selected assignments, which include exams and quizzes, with the number and nature of assignments dictating the student's final letter grade for the course. Students may resubmit assignments until they pass. Implementing spec grading requires creating assignments, determining assignment bundles, and communicating the new scheme to students to set clear expectations. The purpose of this tip is to describe how to develop a course using spec grading for didactic and clinical applications.

Development of a Formative Assessment Rubric for Peer Evaluation of Teaching (FARPET) and Pilot Use in Veterinary Online Teaching

Peer evaluation of teaching (PET) serves an important role as a component of faculty development in the medical education field. With the emergence of COVID-19, the authors recognized the need for a flexible tool that could be used for a variety of lecture formats, including virtual instruction, and that could provide a framework for consistent and meaningful PET feedback. This teaching tip describes the creation and pilot use of a PET rubric, which includes six fixed core items (lesson structure, content organization, audiovisual facilitation, concept development, enthusiasm, and relevance) and items to be assessed separately for asynchronous lectures (cognitive engagement-asynchronous) and synchronous lectures (cognitive engagement-synchronous, discourse quality, collaborative learning, and check for understanding). The instrument packet comprises the rubric, instructions for use, definitions, and examples of each item, plus three training videos for users to compare with authors' consensus training scores; these serve as frame-of-reference training. The instrument was piloted among veterinary educators, and feedback was sought in a focus group setting. The instrument was well received, and training and use required a minimum time commitment. Inter-rater reliability within 1 Likert scale point (adjacent agreement) was assessed for each of the training videos, and consistency of scoring was demonstrated between focus group members using percent agreement (0.82, 0.85, 0.88) and between focus members and the authors' consensus training scores (all videos: 0.91). This instrument may serve as a helpful resource for institutions looking for a framework for PET. We intend to continually adjust the instrument in response to feedback from wider use.

Non‐coagulopathic hemothorax in a dog: A case report

An 8‐year‐old, female‐spayed, Blue Heeler presented with suspected non‐coagulopathic spontaneous, hemothorax with neoplasia as the most likely differential as coagulation parameters were normal and no obvious history of trauma was reported. Computed tomography scan was crucial for diagnosis of a traumatic partial vascular avulsion injury that was successfully managed supportively.

Drug Calculations in Veterinary Medical Education-Where Are We?

Veterinary studies tracking medical errors and their underlying causes are lacking. In human health care, the importance of drug calculation errors in patient safety is well documented. As much as 25% of all medical errors in people are reportedly drug errors, and as much as 14% of those can be attributed to poor drug calculation skills among doctors and nurses. Assessment of the math and analytical skills needed to perform drug calculations accurately is not standardized in veterinary medical education, and there is potential for significant deficit. The purposes of this "Challenges and Issues" article are to briefly discuss the potential impact of poor drug calculation skills on veterinary patients; share one instructor's experience incorporating drug calculations into a veterinary curriculum; and promote further discussion and research that might yield more insight into the assessment and delivery of drug calculation education in veterinary medicine.

A 7-week-old male Golden Retriever with extreme leukocytosis: A case report

Although neoplasia should be a top concern for extreme leukocytosis in dogs, infectious causes must also be considered to avoid delays in treatment or undue recommendations for humane euthanasia. Blood film review is of paramount importance.

Use of a non-invasive surgical skin closure device in dogs following dorsolateral hemilaminectomy

The ZipLine 16 surgical skin closure device (ZipLine 16; Zipline Medical, Campbell, California, USA) provides noninvasive surgical wound closure. This prospective study investigated its use in dogs undergoing a dorsolateral hemilaminectomy. Although the device produced normal appositional healing compared with controls, unacceptable traumatic dermatitis that is likely related to the device adhesive was noted after removal.

Establishment of reference values for various coagulation tests in healthy Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and evaluation of coagulation in debilitated manatees during rehabilitation

OBJECTIVE

To establish reference ranges for coagulation parameters in healthy Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and compare results with those for debilitated manatees undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation facility.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

ANIMALS

29 healthy manatees and 45 debilitated manatees with various diseases.

PROCEDURES

Manatees considered healthy on the basis of results of physical examination, CBC, and serum biochemical analysis underwent coagulation testing including measurement of prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, D-dimer concentration, platelet count, and fibrinogen concentration to establish reference ranges. For comparison, a group of manatees undergoing rehabilitation was also tested, and the results were compared. Thromboelastography was also performed on some animals.

RESULTS

Values for D-dimer concentration were significantly higher in debilitated versus healthy animals. There was no significant difference for prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, platelet count, or fibrinogen concentration between groups. Thromboelastography was performed on 8 healthy animals.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Reference ranges were established for various tests of coagulation that may assist clinicians during the initial evaluation and rehabilitation of Florida manatees. Future research to evaluate the effect of specific disease processes on the coagulation cascade is recommended.

A software application that answers the need for an enterprise budgeting tool

A prototype software application developed for the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine answered our need for an enterprise budgeting tool--one that has application across the entire organization. This application, built on Microsoft Access, provides a flexible user interface without requiring sophisticated technical support.

Accuracy of judgments of sexual orientation from thin slices of behavior

In this research the authors examined the accuracy of judging sexual orientation on the basis of brief observations or "thin slices" of nonverbal behavior. In Study 1, sexual orientation was judged more accurately than chance, with judgments being more accurate when based on dynamic nonverbal behavior (10-s and 1-s silent video segments) than on static information (a series of 8 still photographs). Gay men and lesbians were more accurate than heterosexuals in judging still photographs and 1-s clips but not in 10-s clips. In Study 2, judgments based on 10-s dynamic figural outline displays containing primarily gestural information were more accurate than chance.

Accuracy of judgments of sexual orientation from thin slices of behavior

In this research the authors examined the accuracy of judging sexual orientation on the basis of brief observations or "thin slices" of nonverbal behavior. In Study 1, sexual orientation was judged more accurately than chance, with judgments being more accurate when based on dynamic nonverbal behavior (10-s and 1-s silent video segments) than on static information (a series of 8 still photographs). Gay men and lesbians were more accurate than heterosexuals in judging still photographs and 1-s clips but not in 10-s clips. In Study 2, judgments based on 10-s dynamic figural outline displays containing primarily gestural information were more accurate than chance.

Linkage of typical pseudoachondroplasia to chromosome 19

Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) is an autosomal dominant dwarfing condition associated with disproportionate short stature, marked joint deformities, and early onset osteoarthritis. Previous linkage studies have excluded linkage to cartilage and noncartilagenous extracellular matrix candidate genes. Here, we report mapping the pseudoachondroplasia gene to chromosome 19. Maximum lod scores of 4.70, 4.15, and 4.86 at theta = 0.00 were found for D19S212, D19S215, and D19S49, respectively. Multipoint analysis suggests the following order: D19S253-D19S199-(D19S212/PSACH/D19S215)-++ +D19S222-D19S49.

Utilizing lung sounds analysis for the evaluation of acute asthma in small children

One of the most difficult aspects of management of acute asthma in the small child is the clinician's inability to quantitate the response or lack of response to bronchodilator agents because of the inability of a child this age to perform objective lung measurements in the acute state. The present study was designed to evaluate bronchodilator responsiveness in children between 2 and 6 years of age with wheezing by means of a computerized lung sound analysis, computer digitized airway phonopneumonography. Children between ages 2 and 6 who were experiencing acute exacerbations of asthma were included in this study population. The 43 children were evaluated by physical examination, pulmonary function testing, if possible, by use of (spirometry or peak flow meter) and transmission of lung sounds to a computer using an electronic stethoscope to obtain a phonopneumograph with sound intensity level determinations during tidal breathing. A control group of 20 known asthmatic patients between the ages of 8 and 52 years who also presented to the office with acute asthma were evaluated similarly. In each of these individuals, a physical examination was followed by complete spirometry as well as computer digitized airway phonopneumonography recordings. Following initial measurements, all patients were treated with nebulized albuterol (0.25 mL in 2 mL of saline). Five minutes after completion of the nebulization all patients were reexamined and repeat pulmonary function tests were performed followed by CDAP recordings. In the study group of children, the mean pretreatment sound intensity level was 1,694 (range 557 to 4,950 SD +/- 745).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analysis of breath sounds in normal and asthmatic children and adults using computer digitized airway phonopneumography (CDAP)

Analysis of breath sounds using the stethoscope is a major part of physicians evaluation of their patients. However, the use of a stethoscope is often inadequate to give quantitative measurements of the clinical state of the individual. In this study a modification of a previously described computer analysis of breath sounds was used to measure sound intensity levels in both normal and asthmatic children who, in most cases, were unable to perform pulmonary function. The intensity levels were derived using a microcomputer-based program that digitizes audio signals and calculates energy values at 25-ms intervals throughout each signal. There were statistical differences between mean intensity levels for normal breath sounds in children between 2 and 6 years and the mean intensity levels for wheezing sounds in the same age group, as well as wheezing sounds in asthmatic patients over the age of 8 years (P less than 0.002). Also, the mean intensity levels for normal breath sounds could be clearly differentiated from intensity levels for other sounds from the chest, including heart sounds and voice sounds. Thus, computer digitized airway phonopneumography (CDAP) proved to be a reproducible, quantifiable method for demonstrating airway obstruction in those children and patients unable to perform pulmonary function testing.

Methacholine challenges in the management of young children

Methacholine bronchial challenges (MBCs) have been used as an important diagnostic and management tool for physicians who treat children with chronic asthma. Despite this, children less than 5 years of age present significant diagnostic and management questions that can not easily be answered because of their inability to perform standard spirometry, and thus methacholine bronchial challenges. The present study was designed to evaluate with methacholine bronchial challenge small children (between 2 and 6 years of age) with the diagnosis of or a suspected diagnosis of asthma, utilizing a new method of evaluating airflow in small children through sound analysis, Computer Digitized Airway Phonopneumography (CDAP). There were 23 children in the study between the ages of 2 and 6 years with suspected asthma who could not perform pulmonary function tests. A control group consisting of 12 subjects between the ages of 8 and 38 years of age with a history of chronic cough and/or wheezing who could perform pulmonary function tests was also studied. Of the 12 patients over the age of 8 who had MBC, 11 of them had positive challenges with a fall in FEV1 of 19% or greater. The percent change in sound intensity levels from baseline range from 232% to 396% of baseline. There was greater than 200% change in mean intensity levels with a concentration of methacholine that produced a 19% fall in FEV1 in all of the eleven patients. For one individual who had a negative MBC there was only a 16% change in pulmonary function at 25 mg of methacholine with essentially no change in sound intensity level from baseline.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mammary tumorigenesis in rats fed diets high in lard

Studies were performed to examine the effect of a lard diet on tumorigenesis by 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA), given parenterally rather than by gavage, to eliminate any effect of the high lard diet on carcinogen absorption. In addition, the effect of low dietary levels of the antioxidants butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in the tumor model was evaluated. The lards fed were analyzed for fatty acid composition and content of certain potential contaminants. DMBA induced tumors when given by intravenous or subcutaneous injection. The high lard diet appeared to enhance tumorigenesis in rats given a dose of 0.25 mg (10% of the gavage dose) by injection into the mammary gland, although the effect was not statistically significant. In other experiments using lard from different sources and DMBA given by gavage, significant enhancement of tumorigenesis was limited to groups fed the high lard diets throughout the experiment or beginning after DMBA exposure. In contrast to earlier results, there was no demonstrable effect of feeding the high lard diets before DMBA administration. Addition of BHA and BHT to the lard at the concentration assayed in commercial lard samples or at the maximum concentration permitted did not influence the tumorigenesis. In groups in which tumorigenesis was enhanced by the high lard diet, the incidence of malignant, invasive tumors was higher than in other groups.

[Herpesviruses in man]

The importance and the extent of the inter-actions between herpes viruses and man is beginning to be understood. As more is learned about the natural histories of these viruses, it is becoming apparent that they have in common: Horizontal spread during childhood, often with subclinical infection. Latency in the host for many years, probably for life. Potential for reactivation at a later time. Host immune response maintained for life. Potential for oncogeneiss. A more thorough knowledge of the biochemistry and the biology of these viruses promises to be the foundation of more effective treatment and prevention.