Sagittal Subtalar and Talocrural Joint Assessment During Ambulation With Controlled Ankle Movement (CAM) Boots

Background: The purpose of the current study was to determine sagittal plane talocrural and subtalar kinematic differences between barefoot and controlled ankle movement (CAM) boot walking. This study used fluoroscopic images to determine talar motion relative to tibia and calcaneal motion relative to talus. Methods: Fourteen male subjects (mean age 24.1 ± 3.5 years) screened for normal gait were tested. A fluoroscopy unit was used to collect images at 200 Hz during stance. Sagittal motion of the talocrural and subtalar joints were analyzed barefoot and within short and tall CAM boots. Results: Barefoot talocrural mean maximum plantar and dorsiflexion were 9.2 ± 5.4 degrees and −7.5 ± 7.4 degrees, respectively; short CAM boot mean maximum plantar and dorsiflexion were 3.2 ± 4.0 degrees and −4.8 ± 10.2 degrees, respectively; and tall CAM boot mean maximum plantar and dorsiflexion were −0.2 ± 3.5 degrees and −2.4 ± 5.1 degrees, respectively. Talocrural mean range of motion (ROM) decreased from barefoot (16.7 ± 5.1 degrees) to short CAM boot (8.0 ± 4.9 degrees) to tall CAM boot (2.2 ± 2.5 degrees). Subtalar mean maximum plantarflexion angles were 5.3 ± 5.6 degrees for barefoot walking, 4.1 ± 5.9 degrees for short CAM boot walking, and 3.0 ± 4.7 degrees for tall CAM boot walking. Mean minimum subtalar plantarflexion angles were 0.7 ± 3.2 degrees for barefoot walking, 0.7 ± 2.9 degrees for short CAM boot walking, and 0.1 ± 4.8 degrees for tall CAM boot walking. Subtalar mean ROM decreased from barefoot (4.6 ± 3.9 degrees) to short CAM boot (3.4 ± 3.8 degrees) to tall CAM boot (2.9 ± 2.6 degrees). Conclusion: Tall and short CAM boot intervention was shown to limit both talocrural and subtalar motion in the sagittal plane during ambulation. The greatest reductions were seen with the tall CAM boot, which limited talocrural motion by 86.8% and subtalar motion by 37.0% compared to barefoot. Short CAM boot intervention reduced talocrural motion by 52.1% and subtalar motion by 26.1% compared to barefoot. Clinical Relevance: Both short and tall CAM boots reduced talocrural and subtalar motion during gait. The short CAM boot was more convenient to use, whereas the tall CAM boot more effectively reduced motion. In treatments requiring greater immobilization of the talocrural and subtalar joints, the tall CAM boot should be considered

N-terminal and C-terminal domains of calmodulin mediate FADD and TRADD interaction

FADD (Fas–associated death domain) and TRADD (Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 1-associated death domain) proteins are important regulators of cell fate in mammalian cells. They are both involved in death receptors mediated signaling pathways and have been linked to the Toll-like receptor family and innate immunity. Here we identify and characterize by database search analysis, mutagenesis and calmodulin (CaM) pull-down assays a calcium-dependent CaM binding site in the α-helices 1–2 of TRADD death domain. We also show that oxidation of CaM methionines drastically reduces CaM affinity for FADD and TRADD suggesting that oxidation might regulate CaM-FADD and CaM-TRADD interactions. Finally, using Met-to-Leu CaM mutants and binding assays we show that both the N- and C-terminal domains of CaM are important for binding

Use of GoFundMe® to crowdfund complementary and alternative medicine treatments for cancer.

PurposeComplementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common amongst cancer patients. However, there is growing concern about its safety and efficacy. Online crowdfunding campaigns represent a unique avenue to understand the cancer patient's perspective for using CAM or declining conventional cancer therapy (CCT).MethodsFive hundred GoFundMe campaigns from 2012 to 2019 detailing financial need for cancer treatment were randomly selected and reviewed for endorsement of CAM use, reasons for using CAM, and reasons for declining CCT. Descriptive statistics were used to compare patient and campaign characteristics between 250 CAM users and 250 non-CAM users.ResultsCompared to non-CAM users, CAM users were more likely to be female (70% vs. 54%, p < 0.01), to report more stage IV cancer (54% vs. 12%, p < 0.01), and to have a history of delayed, missed, or misdiagnosis (10% vs. 4%, p < 0.01). Reasons for using CAM include endorsing curative/therapeutic effects 212 (85%), pain/stress reduction 137 (55%), and dissatisfaction with current or past medical treatment options 105 (42%). 87 (35%) CAM users that declined CCT reported that they wanted to try to fight off cancer using CAM first 57 (61%), that CCT was too "toxic" to the body 39 (42%), and cancer was already too advanced, so that CCT would be futile or too aggressive 25 (27%).ConclusionCancer patients on GoFundMe using CAM highly value quality of life, comfort, and autonomy. Physicians should educate themselves on CAM to set realistic expectations and provide comprehensive counseling of the risks and benefits of CAM usage to patients who choose to use CAM to either augment or completely replace CCT

Factors influencing the inclusion of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in undergraduate medical education

Objective To investigate the views and practices of UK medical schools regarding the inclusion (or exclusion) of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in undergraduate medical curricula. Design Survey (by email) of UK medical schools offering MBBS (or equivalent) degrees. Results The overall response rate was 58.1% (18/31). All respondents indicated that their curricula included CAM elements. However, the quantity of CAM within curricula varied widely between medical schools, as did the methods by which CAM education was delivered. General Medical Council requirements were the strongest factor influencing the inclusion of CAM, although medical student preferences were also important. Respondents were generally satisfied with the extent of CAM provision within their curricula, while a wide range of views on the appropriateness of CAM in the medical curriculum were held by faculty members. Conclusions It may be useful for the General Medical Council to clarify the extent to which CAM should be incorporated into the curriculum. Current CAM education appears to exist primarily as a means of educating future doctors on the modalities that their patients may use or request. However, some forms of pedagogy arguably risk students assimilating CAM advocacy in an uncritical fashion

A Golod-Shafarevich Equality and p-Tower Groups

All current techniques for showing that a number field has an infinite p-class field tower depend on one of various forms of the Golod-Shafarevich inequality. Such techniques can also be used to restrict the types of p-groups which can occur as Galois groups of finite p-class field towers. In the case that the base field is a quadratic imaginary number field, the theory culminates in showing that a finite such group must be of one of three possible presentation types. By keeping track of the error terms arising in standard proofs of Golod-Shafarevich type inequalities, we prove a Golod-Shafarevich equality for analytic pro-p-groups. As an application, we further work of Skopin, showing that groups of the third of the three types mentioned above are necessarily tremendously large.Comment: 12 pages, pre-reviewer versio

Understanding Kindness – A Moral Duty of Human Resource Leaders

The role of leaders in the modern organization has evolved as scholars and practitioners have recognized that a key element to long-term profitability is the creation of high trust and high commitment work systems that treat employees as valued partners (Kim & Wright, 2011; Block, 2013; Beer, 2009; Caldwell & Floyd, 2014). Effective leaders create aligned organizational cultures with systems, processes, practices, and programs reinforcing the organization’s espoused values in achieving its mission (Schein, 2010). Human resource professionals (HRPs) play a critical leadership role in ensuring that human resource management (HRM) cultural elements are properly integrated, communicated effectively to employees, and followed in a manner that builds trust and increases commitment (Lengnick-Hall, 2009; McEvoy, et al., 2005). The purpose of this paper is to identify the importance of kindness as a moral duty of HRPs in serving their organizations and the employees within them. As HRPs perform their strategic and operational roles in the modern organization, properly understanding the nature of kindness is an important factor in carrying out HRM roles. This paper begins by defining kindness and its specific application to HRPs — equating the definition of kindness as a leadership trait with six elements of kindness and seven kindness-related ethical perspectives. The paper concludes with a summary of its contribution for HRP practitioners and scholars in understanding the nuances of kindness as a morally-and ethically-related HRM leadership virtue

The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Menopausal Symptoms among Chinese-American Women

The objectives of this research were to study the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for menopausal symptoms among Chinese-American women, and to examine the correlation between CAM use, acculturation, and CAM insurance coverage. The study revealed that Chinese-American women experience menopausal symptoms even when they still have regular menstrual cycles. Early education on women\u27s health, especially about menopause, is recommended. A significant correlation was found between the women being asked by their health care providers regarding CAM use, and open discussion regarding the women\u27s CAM use with their health care providers (p\u3c0.05). The researchers suggest that health care providers ask their patients about their CAM use in order to encourage open discussion of CAM use with their patients