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Background: Evidence suggests that the low fermentable oligo‐, di‐, mono‐saccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet improves irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms when delivered by a dietitian. However, demand for dietetic appointments exceeds supply. Prerecorded webinars are acceptable and cost‐effective for delivering first‐line IBS dietary advice. Methodology: This study, using a pre–post design, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a low‐FODMAP diet restriction phase webinar at improving IBS symptoms. Participants with self‐reported IBS symptoms were asked to report their IBS symptoms, stool frequency, stool consistency and IBS medication use, before and 8 weeks postwebinar via an online questionnaire. The presence and severity of participants' symptoms and bowel habits were captured using validated tools and a global symptom question. Results: In total 228 participants responded to both pre‐ and postsurveys. A statistically significant improvement in all symptoms was observed 8 weeks postwebinar (p < 0.05). The proportion of participants rating their overall symptoms as moderate‐to‐severe reduced from 85.5% at baseline to 34.6% postwebinar (50.9% reduction [p < 0.001]). The proportion of participants reporting normal stool consistency and frequency significantly increased postwebinar (23.2%–39.9% [p < 0.001] and 76.3%–89% [p < 0.001], respectively). Satisfactory relief of symptoms increased from 16.7% to 53.1%, (p < 0.001) 8 weeks postwebinar. Conclusions: These results are comparable with literature on the efficacy of face‐to‐face delivery of low‐FODMAP diet education. Dietitians should consider directing triaged patients with IBS, who have tried first‐line dietary advice, to this webinar as an alternative or alongside current practice. Key points: The low fermentable oligo‐, di‐, mono‐saccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet has been shown to be effective in alleviating symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) when administered by a dietitian. However, demand for dietetic appointments currently exceeds capacity.Prerecorded webinars have been shown to be a cost‐effective and acceptable method for delivering first‐line IBS dietary advice in previous research.This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a dietitian‐developed low‐FODMAP diet webinar in improving IBS symptoms. Participants with self‐reported IBS symptoms (n = 228) completed online questionnaires before and 8 weeks after viewing the webinar.There was a statistically significant improvement across all IBS symptoms (p < 0.05) 8 weeks postwebinar.The proportion of participants rating their overall symptoms as moderate‐to‐severe reduced from 85.5% at baseline to 34.6% postwebinar (50.9% reduction [p < 0.001]).The proportion of participants reporting normal stool consistency and frequency significantly increased postwebinar (23.2%–39.9% (p < 0.001) and 76.3%–89% (p < 0.001).Satisfactory relief of symptoms increased from 16.7% to 53.1%, (p < 0.001) 8 weeks postwebinar.These findings align with previous research on the efficacy of face‐to‐face dietitian delivery of low‐FODMAP diet education, and the use of prerecorded webinars supports the objectives of the long‐term plan of the NHS to digitise healthcare and reduce the number of outpatient appointments.Dietitians should consider signposting triaged patients with IBS to the low‐FODMAP diet webinar as an alternative or to supplement current practice.Long‐term follow‐up of this cohort will be explored in future research to determine how long participants experienced satisfactory relief from symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore patients' follow-up preferences. Background: Optimal follow-up strategies for patients with coeliac disease remain a subject of debate. Research suggests patients' prefer review by dietitians with a doctor available as required. Methods: Patients with coeliac disease under review at our centre, completed a questionnaire assessing their views on what makes follow-up useful based on specific criteria. Bloods tests, symptoms review, dietary assessment, opportunity to ask questions and reassurance. Patients' preferences between follow-up with a hospital doctor, a hospital dietitian, a hospital dietitian with a doctor available, a general practitioner, no follow-up or access when needed were also evaluated. Results: 138 adult patients completed the questionnaire, 80% of patients reported following a strict gluten free diet (mean diagnosis was 7.2 years). Overall, 60% found their follow-up to be 'very useful' valuing their review of blood tests and symptoms (71%) reassurance (60%) and opportunity to ask questions (58%). Follow-up by a dietitian with a doctor available was the most preferred option of review (p<0.001) except when compared to hospital doctor (p=0.75). Novel modalities of follow-up such as telephone and video reviews were regarded as of equal value to face-to-face appointments (65% and 62% respectively). Digital applications were significantly less preferable (38%, p<0.001). Conclusion: Follow-up by a dietitian with a doctor available as needed was the most preferred follow-up method. However, in this study follow-up by a dietitian with doctor available and hospital doctor alone was statistically equivalent. Many patients consider telephone and video follow-up of equal value to face-to-face reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence suggests that dietary interventions can improve symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), although most data explore the short‐term (immediate) impact. Data on long‐term (>6 months) impact are limited, especially from primary care settings. The present study aimed to investigate the long‐term effect of dietetic‐led interventions for IBS delivered in primary care. Methods: A service evaluation of a dietetic‐led IBS clinic was completed, analysing data on symptom severity, stool frequency and consistency, and healthcare input. Data were collected before and immediately after dietary intervention as part of patients' routine clinical appointments. Long‐term data were collected via a postal questionnaire at least 11 months later. Results: In total, 211 patients responded to the long‐term follow‐up questionnaire at a median of 13 months (interquartile range 12–16 months) post follow‐up appointment. Of these, 84% had been advised to follow a low FODMAP (i.e., fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols carbohydrates) diet. All symptoms were reported significantly less frequently short term, and all except heartburn and acid regurgitation remained so over the long term. The four most commonly reported bowel symptoms reduced in frequency were abdominal pain (62%), bloating (50%), increased wind (48%) and urgency to open bowels (49%) (p < 0.001). The percentage of patients reporting satisfactory relief of gut symptoms was 10% at baseline and 55% at long‐term follow‐up (p < 0.001). Visits to a general practitioner were reduced (from 96% to 34%; p < 0.001), as were those to the gastroenterologist (from 37% to 12%; p = 0.002), during the year prior to long‐term follow‐up compared to the year prior to dietary intervention. Conclusions: Patients with IBS who received dietetic‐led interventions in primary care reported long‐term symptoms improvements that may result in reduced healthcare usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating Undergraduate Research Experience in Microbiology Classroom. Dr. Mangala Tawde, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences and Geology, Queensborough Community College, CUNY. Undergraduate Research (UR) experience is increasingly being recognized as one of the most transforming experiences students can have in their undergraduate years of education. To make it accessible to all students, incorporating authentic research experiences in the classroom is important and it is a major initiative at Queensborough community college; where we have institutionalized UR as a High Impact Practice. We incorporated an authentic research project into the Microbiology course curriculum for allied health majors. The research project was to isolate and identify antibiotic-resistant microbes from diverse environments. As students are aware of antibiotic resistance being a serious concern in today's medicine, they get interested and are enthusiastically engaged in the research project. Students collect soil samples from various environments and locations of their choice and then they isolate and identify bacteria that may exhibit antibiotic resistance. The microbes isolated from diverse environments are identified based on the 16s rRNA sequence analysis as well as biochemical tests. The research experience is relevant and aligns well with the course curricula, course learning objectives as well as the college's General Education objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual literacy is a set of skills that enable an individual to search, analyze, interact, and create images and media through a critical lens. In preparing post-secondary students for the media-saturated information environment of the twenty-first century, it is important that educators promote visual literacy by encouraging interpretations and discussions of the social, cultural, technological and historical, contexts of images and media. This article offers a brief review of literature regarding pedagogical practice in using the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)'s Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education and a case study of how these skills can be developed for undergraduate students in a 2000-honors-level sociology course taught by a faculty-librarian partnership through the Fine Arts Library at the University of Arkansas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic and debilitating condition efecting over 10% of the UK population with a higher preponderance among adult Caucasian females. It places a signifcant economic burden on the NHS with annual cost projections ranging from £45 to £200 million. Misdiagnosis is common and is refected in the high prevalence of gastrointestinal-related surgery within this cohort, and it is essential to obtain a detailed case history to ensure correct treatment. National guidelines now recommend diet as the frst line approach, with research repeatedly advocating the use of the low FODMAP diet, particularly for those with diarrhoea dominant or mixed IBS. However, specialist dietetic support is essential to ensure nutritional adequacy and prevent the use of unnecessary or highly restrictive diets. Where access to dietitians may be limited, dietetic departments are now able to recommend technology, such as dietitian-led webinars, mobile phone apps and YouTube videos to increase patient access to reliable information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the highlights of a roundtable discussion on the treatment of chronic gastrointestinal symptoms, such as irritable bowel syndrome. The roundtable included various health practitioners such as a general practitioner, pharmacist, dietitian, psychotherapist and a gastroentorologist. It featured case studies of the different gastrointestinal symptoms, and discussions on diversity of clinical management and accessibility to specialist techniques.

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) is a syndrome characterized by intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms related to the ingestion of gluten-containing food, in subjects that are not affected by either celiac disease or wheat allergy. Given the lack of a NCGS biomarker, there is the need for standardizing the procedure leading to the diagnosis confirmation. In this paper we report experts’ recommendations on how the diagnostic protocol should be performed for the confirmation of NCGS. A full diagnostic procedure should assess the clinical response to the gluten-free diet (GFD) and measure the effect of a gluten challenge after a period of treatment with the GFD. The clinical evaluation is performed using a self-administered instrument incorporating a modified version of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale. The patient identifies one to three main symptoms that are quantitatively assessed using a Numerical Rating Scale with a score ranging from 1 to 10. The double-blind placebo-controlled gluten challenge (8 g/day) includes a one-week challenge followed by a one-week washout of strict GFD and by the crossover to the second one-week challenge. The vehicle should contain cooked, homogeneously distributed gluten. At least a variation of 30% of one to three main symptoms between the gluten and the placebo challenge should be detected to discriminate a positive from a negative result. The guidelines provided in this paper will help the clinician to reach a firm and positive diagnosis of NCGS and facilitate the comparisons of different studies, if adopted internationally.