'I did not check if the teacher gave feedback': a qualitative analysis of Taiwanese postgraduate year 1 trainees' talk around e-portfolio feedback-seeking behaviours.

OBJECTIVES: Despite feedback being an extensively researched and essential component of teaching and learning, there is a paucity of research examining feedback within a medical education e-portfolio setting including feedback-seeking behaviours (FSBs). FSBs can be understood within a cost-value perspective. The objective of this research is to explore the factors that influence postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) trainee doctors' FSBs via e-portfolios. SETTING: Postgraduate education provision in the largest teaching hospital in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-one PGY1s (66% male). METHODS: A qualitative semistructured one-to-one interview method was adopted. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, anonymised and checked for completeness. Data were analysed inductively via thematic framework analysis and deductively informed using FSB theory. The process comprised data familiarisation, identification of the themes, charting and data interpretation. RESULTS: Two main themes of FSB related and e-portfolio related were identified. We present the theme focussing on FSB here to which n=32 (22 males, 10 females) of the n=71 participants contributed meaningfully. Subthemes include factors variously affecting PGY1s' positive and negative FSBs via e-portfolios at the individual, process and technological levels. These factors include learner-related (internal values vs social influence, forced reflection); teacher-related (committed educators vs superficial feedback); technology-related (face-saving vs lagging systems; inadequate user-interface) and process-related (delayed feedback, too frequent feedback) factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal the complexity of PGY1s' FSBs in an e-portfolio context and the interaction of numerous facilitating and inhibiting factors. Further research is required to understand the range of facilitating and inhibiting factors involved in healthcare learners' FSBs across different learning, social, institutional and national cultural settings.

Lower erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity in bronchopulmonary dysplasia in the first week of neonatal life.

BACKGROUND: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a major pulmonary complication in premature infants and is considered a free radical disorder. Erythrocyte catalase (CAT) and cellular glutathione peroxidase (c-GPx) are antioxidant enzymes that detoxify peroxides generated from dismutation of superoxide anion. The study goal was to measure enzyme activity for preterm infants during the first week of life. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from umbilical arterial lines or the radial artery of 44 preterm infants (gestational age range: 25-30 weeks) on days 0, 2, and 5 after delivery. Erythrocyte CAT and c-GPx activities were evaluated, while clinical data were obtained and the correlations of enzyme activity and BPD status were examined. RESULTS: There was no correlation between enzyme activity and gestational age or birth weight. Packed red cell transfusion did not affect enzyme activity and there was no difference in CAT activity between the patient groups. C-GPx activity from preterm infants with BPD was significantly lower than those of preterm infants without BPD on day 5. CONCLUSIONS: Erythrocyte c-GPx may play an important role in the development of BPD. Lower c-GPx activity in early post-natal life might be a risk factor of BPD.

Erythrocyte anti-oxyenzyme activity in preterm infants with retinopathy of prematurity.

BACKGROUND: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the main cause of visual impairment in premature infants and is considered to be a multifactorial disease. Because of the similarity between the human retina and the erythrocyte concerning their antioxidant mechanism, the aim of this study was to measure the erythrocyte anti-oxyenzyme activity of preterm infants. METHODS: This prospective study was performed on a tertiary referral hospital. Blood samples were collected from umbilical arterial lines or the radial artery of 33 preterm infants within 24 h after delivery to evaluate erythrocyte anti-oxyenzyme activity. Clinical data and oxygen administration were obtained and the correlations of enzyme activity and ROP status were examined. RESULTS: Gestational age, birth weight, 1-min Apgar score, and cellular glutathione peroxidase activity were significantly lower in preterm infants with ROP. There was no correlation between enzyme activity and gestational age, birth weight, or severity of ROP. There were no differences in cumulative oxygen and ventilator administration. CONCLUSIONS: Gestational age and birth weight, 1-min Apgar score, and glutathione peroxidase activity are risk factors for ROP. Defective glutathione peroxidase activity may contribute to the initial phase of ROP.

Erythrocyte Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activity in preterm infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

BACKGROUND: Erythrocyte Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase is believed to play a major role as a first-line antioxidant defense. Studies have reported varying results from measures of superoxide dismutase activity in cord blood samples from neonates. OBJECTIVE: The study goal was to assess enzyme activity for preterm infants representing a range of gestational ages during the 1st week of life. Clinical data were obtained and correlations with superoxide dismutase activity were examined. METHODS: We collected blood samples from umbilical arterial lines or the radial artery of 44 preterm infants (gestational age range 25-30 weeks) on days 1, 3, and 6 after delivery and evaluated erythrocyte Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activity. RESULTS: There was no correlation between enzyme activity and gestational age or birth weight. Superoxide dismutase activity gradually increased in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia on days 3 and 6, with levels significantly higher than those of preterm infants without bronchopulmonary dysplasia on day 6. We found that packed red cell transfusion did not affect erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity in either group. However, higher cumulative oxygen administration was noted in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. CONCLUSION: Higher cumulative oxygen administration may be one factor that upregulates the activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase.