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Objective: Our aim of this study was to investigate the association between fish consumption and depressive symptoms in senior ethnic Chinese residents of Singapore. Design: A population-based crosssectional study. Setting: The Singapore Longitudinal Aging Studies (SLAS). Participant: The study consisted of 2,034 participants from the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Studies (SLAS) project who were at least 55 years old. Measurements: The presence of depressive symptoms was compared between those who self-reported eating fish at least three times a week versus those who ate fish less often. A score of 5 or greater on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was the cutoff for being designated as having depressive symptoms. Results: Fish intake was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms ([odds ratio] OR = 0.60, 95% [confidence interval] CI 0.40-0.90; P =.015) after controlling for age, sex, marital status, housing, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical exercise, social and productive activities, self-rated health, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure or attack, stroke, fruit and vegetable intake, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Conclusion: Our results suggest that eating fish at least three times a week is associated with a lower odds of having depressive symptoms among Chinese adults over 55 years old living in Singapore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Within an Asian context, this study examines the effect of changing from traditional course grades to a distinction/pass/fail (D/P/F) grading system on medical student self-perceived stress levels and on student exam performance. Methods: At the end of the 2010-2011 academic year, the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) was administered to the cohort of students finishing their first year of medical studies. For the academic year 2011-2012, the grading system was changed to D/P/F for the first year of medical school. The PSS-10 was also administered to the subsequent cohort of first-year medical students at the same point in the academic year as previous. Qualitative comments were collected for both cohorts. Results: Stress as measured by the PSS-10 was significantly lower in the cohort that went through the year with the D/P/F grading system in place. Thematic analysis of qualitative responses showed a shift in sources of student stress away from peer-competition. There were no significant differences in overall exam performance. Discussion: Within an Asian context, switching to a D/P/F grading system can alleviate stress and peer competition without compromising knowledge. This may help foster a 'learning orientation' rather than an 'exam orientation,' and contribute to inculcating lifelong learning skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of the microcomputer in medical education began about 1977. Since then man computer-assisted learning packages have been developed for preclinical and clinical subjects. The experiences of the authors with the Macintosh microcomputer in the development of courseware and tutorware on some aspects of Anatomy in the Department of Anatomy of the National University of Singapore are shared in the present paper. It describes how textual and instructive material can be prepared along with graphics support using a software called HYPERCARD (Apple Inc.). Elementary levels of animation can also be achieved. In this way it illustrates how a study of Anatomy, for example, can be made using the computer to "dissect" the human body.

Rapid advances in Information Technology in recent years have provided powerful computers and software that can be innovatively applied to create powerful pedagogical courseware that go beyond what precursors like the PLATO project could do on the mainframes of yesteryear. This article focusses on the research and development that we have carried out which is applicable to the whole area of education (including medical education). It introduces the elements of hypertext, hypermedia and the pedagogical user interface. It illustrates the principles necessary for the communication of conceptual, functional and structural knowledge. It emphasises the key aspect of mastery of Information Technology necessary for a new dimension in Computer-Enhanced Learning that will be of relevance to the Information Society of the 21st century.

The recent availability of increasingly powerful and user friendly computers is making a noticeable impact in the field of medical education. Over the past year, the power of the computer is being harnessed here in the field of anatomy to enable medical and dental students to learn the subject more effectively. Machines with excellent graphics, text and animation capabilities have made it possible to allow students to comprehend structural complexity as seen in gross anatomy or, temporal alterations of structure as seen in embryology by the use of computer based, tutorial style or self paced interactive style of learning. Positive student response to sample learning packages has encouraged the undertaking of courseware development for future use at computer workstations.