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Journal club (JC) is an integral part of postgraduate medical education. Although several innovations have been attempted to improve its effectiveness, the influence of the number of sessions remains unexplored. The current study investigated the effect of the number of sessions (one vs. four) of conduction of journal club on critical appraisal skills of postgraduate students at two institutions. A quasi-experimental study was conducted comparing the effectiveness of JC in a one- versus four-session JC format using two objective tests: Critical Appraisal Skills Test (CAST) and Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) score. The degree of changes (pre-JC vs. post-JC session) after each format exposure, association of prescores to postscores, and correlation between the CAST and PICO scores were discerned. CAST score was higher in the four-session format (P = 0.03), whereas PICO score increased in the single-session format of JC (P = 0.03). Also, the change in CAST score was higher in the four-session versus single-session JC format (P = 0.04). We conclude that a four-session format of JC is more effective in augmenting critical appraisal skills of postgraduate students, whereas a single session is sufficient for improving factual knowledge.

This research was carried out to develop a homemade, nutrient-rich milk cake for the Indian festive season. This milk cake has been prepared with condensed milk, aloe vera gel, and honey as a sweetener. Each component utilized has undergone a thorough analysis to determine its nutritional worth. Energy (72.96 kcal), total protein (1.12 g), total carbohydrate (17.24 g), total fat (0.11 g), total sugar (0.83 g), vitamin C (4.49), calcium (27 mg), potassium (46 mg), iron (2.15 mg), and salt (2.89 mg) All of these included in an analysis of aloe gel's nutritional content. While the total flavonoid concentration (3.90/100 g) and fibre content illustrate the antioxidant potential of aloe gel. The same kind of study was done on honey, taking into various factors like moisture percentage (17.2), reducing sugar (71.80), specific gravity at 27 °C (1.37), and total sugar (76.56) per 100 g. FTIR analysis of gel was also done during this work and it was observed throughout the duration of this assessment that the final product, which was made using just natural food ingredients and no chemicals, can prove to be a highly beneficial and popular appetite suppressant among individuals of all ages. This is owing to the fact it is energized and offers a variety of health advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish a rigorous, expert-led, evidence-based approach to the evaluation of licensed drugs for repurposing and testing in clinical trials of people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods: We long-listed licensed drugs with evidence of human safety, blood-brain barrier penetrance and demonstrable efficacy in at least one animal model, or mechanistic target, agreed by a panel of experts and people with MS to be relevant to the pathogenesis of progression. We systematically reviewed the preclinical and clinical literature for each compound, condensed this into a database of summary documents and short-listed drugs by scoring each one of them. Drugs were evaluated for immediate use in a clinical trial, and our selection was scrutinised by a final independent expert review.Results: From a short list of 55 treatments, we recommended four treatments for immediate testing in progressive MS: R-α-lipoic acid, metformin, the combination treatment of R-α-lipoic acid and metformin, and niacin. We also prioritised clemastine, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, nimodipine and flunarizine.Conclusions: We report a standardised approach for the identification of candidate drugs for repurposing in the treatment of progressive MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Multiple Sclerosis Outcome Assessments Consortium (MSOAC) was formed by the National MS Society to develop improved measures of multiple sclerosis (MS)-related disability. Objectives: (1) To assess the current literature and available data on functional performance outcome measures (PerfOs) and (2) to determine suitability of using PerfOs to quantify MS disability in MS clinical trials. Methods: (1) Identify disability dimensions common in MS; (2) conduct a comprehensive literature review of measures for those dimensions; (3) develop an MS Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) data standard; (4) create a database of standardized, pooled clinical trial data; (5) analyze the pooled data to assess psychometric properties of candidate measures; and (6) work with regulatory agencies to use the measures as primary or secondary outcomes in MS clinical trials. Conclusion: Considerable data exist supporting measures of the functional domains ambulation, manual dexterity, vision, and cognition. A CDISC standard for MS (http://www.cdisc.org/therapeutic#MS) was published, allowing pooling of clinical trial data. MSOAC member organizations contributed clinical data from 16 trials, including 14,370 subjects. Data from placebo-arm subjects are available to qualified researchers. This integrated, standardized dataset is being analyzed to support qualification of disability endpoints by regulatory agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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