Characteristics And Control Of Bilateral Arm Movement In Humans

This study deals with the following questions: (1) How precisely are movement properties matched for the two arms? (2) Is matching of movements of the two arms affected by visual information? (3) Are movements of one arm affected by kinesthetic information arising from the contralateral arm? (4) Does alteration in the motor performance of one arm affect movement performance in the other arm?;During experiments, subjects grasped a vertical rod attached to a horizontal manipulandum bar. The subject\u27s shoulder was abducted to 90 deg. The manipulandum bar was pivoted above the subject\u27s elbow. Subjects made step-tracking flexion/extension movements about the elbow. Both simultaneously and independently made movements of the two arms, performed at the subject\u27s own speed, were studied.;During simultaneous arm movements, movements of the two arms were initiated at the same times. The degree of matching of movement parameters was dependent on visual information. In the absence of visual information, these parameters were exactly matched in simultaneous movements of the two arms. When visual information was provided by displaying the position of right or left arm to the subject, the movements of the non-displayed arm were consistently of greater amplitudes and velocities than those of the displayed arm. The relation between movement peak velocity and amplitude was linear for each arm and was the same (matched) for both arms under all visual conditions. This matching was also seen for the independently made movements.;In some experiments the left arm was loaded. Loading altered the slope of the peak velocity-amplitude relation in movements of the left arm. Similar changes occurred in the velocity-amplitude relation of the right (non-loaded) arm.;To test interlimb responses to kinesthetic information, high frequency (120 Hz) mechanical vibration of muscle tendons was used to stimulate muscle spindles of the elbow movers. Vibration of the triceps muscle of one arm produced overshooting of the intended flexion end-position by the opposite arm.;It is concluded that the motor actions of the two arms are functionally linked. Matching of movements made by the two arms may reflect the operation of a common motor program which can be modified by visual and kinesthetic information

Burnout Syndrome Among Primary Care Physicians in Oman

Objectives: Medical professionals are exposed to many job stressors everyday, which can lead to psychological disturbances as well as burnout syndrome. We sought to assess the level of burnout among primary care physicians (PCPs) in Oman and explore risk factors for its development. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, analytical study among a random cluster sample of 190 PCP working in Muscat, Oman. Indices of burnout (emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA)) were noted using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBIHSS). We also used a questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic and job characteristics data. We used a binary logistic regression model and both unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios for statistical analysis. Results: The prevalence of burnout in all three dimensions was 6.3%. High levels of MBI-HSS subscales were reported on EE, DP and PA with 17.8%, 38.2%, and 21.5%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that working over 40 hours per week was the most important risk factor for burnout among PCPs. Conclusions: A total of 6.3% of PCPs working in urban areas in Oman suffered burnout. Long working hours was strongly associated with high occupational burnout. Solutions to eliminate or decrease the rate of burnout involve institutional changes, primarily respecting weekly working hours, and in more severe cases psychotherapy help is very important

Burnout Syndrome Among Primary Care Physicians in Oman

Objectives: Medical professionals are exposed to many job stressors everyday, which can lead to psychological disturbances as well as burnout syndrome. We sought to assess the level of burnout among primary care physicians (PCPs) in Oman and explore risk factors for its development. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, analytical study among a random cluster sample of 190 PCP working in Muscat, Oman. Indices of burnout (emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA)) were noted using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). We also used a questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic and job characteristics data. We used a binary logistic regression model and both unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios for statistical analysis. Results: The prevalence of burnout in all three dimensions was 6.3%. High levels of MBI-HSS subscales were reported on EE, DP and PA with 17.8%, 38.2%, and 21.5%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that working over 40 hours per week was the most important risk factor for burnout among PCPs. Conclusions: A total of 6.3% of PCPs working in urban areas in Oman suffered burnout. Long working hours was strongly associated with high occupational burnout. Solutions to eliminate or decrease the rate of burnout involve institutional changes, primarily respecting weekly working hours, and in more severe cases psychotherapy help is very important

Cyanoacrylate-induced pseudo-tarsorrhaphy of the eye

Cyanoacrylate, also known as superglue, is a polymer which forms a strong bond at room temperature with a variety of materials including metal, glass, plastic, rubber, skin, mucous membranes and other epithelial tissues as well. We hereby present a 22-year-old female who had an accidental instillation of the glue in her eye, with an uneventful outcome

Intraorbital Foreign Body: Clinical Presentation, Radiological Appearance and Management

Intraorbital foreign bodies usually occur after a high velocity injury such as gunshot or industrial accidents; more rarely they occur following trivial trauma. A retained foreign body can give rise to serious complications, the most devastating of which is loss of the eye. This retrospective, interventional case report reviews the clinical features, radiological appearance and surgical management of two patients who presented at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman with intraorbital foreign bodies. Details of ocular history, preoperative ocular examination findings including visual acuity, surgical procedure and subsequent management were noted. The two patients, aged 10 years and 9 years old respectively, sustained orbital trauma with sharp objects. Both patients were found to have intraorbital foreign bodies that were documented clearly by computed tomography (CT) scans of the orbit. The first patient presented straight after injury, had no ocular involvement, underwent immediate surgical exploration and ended up with full recovery. The second patient presented to us after a delay of 4 days, and was found to have endophthalmitis. This patient ultimately lost all visual function in the affected eye. A CT scan is the modality of choice for orbital foreign body detection and localization. Early surgical exploration and foreign body extraction greatly influence the visual prognosis and final outcome

Intraorbital Foreign Body: Clinical Presentation, Radiological Appearance and Management

Intraorbital foreign bodies usually occur after a high velocity injury such as gunshot or industrial accidents; more rarely they occur following trivial trauma. A retained foreign body can give rise to serious complications, the most devastating of which is loss of the eye. This retrospective, interventional case report reviews the clinical features, radiological appearance and surgical management of two patients who presented at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman with intraorbital foreign bodies. Details of ocular history, preoperative ocular examination findings including visual acuity, surgical procedure and subsequent management were noted. The two patients, aged 10 years and 9 years old respectively, sustained orbital trauma with sharp objects. Both patients were found to have intraorbital foreign bodies that were documented clearly by computed tomography (CT) scans of the orbit. The first patient presented straight after injury, had no ocular involvement, underwent immediate surgical exploration and ended up with full recovery. The second patient presented to us after a delay of 4 days, and was found to have endophthalmitis. This patient ultimately lost all visual function in the affected eye. A CT scan is the modality of choice for orbital foreign body detection and localization. Early surgical exploration and foreign body extraction greatly influence the visual prognosis and final outcome

A Comparison of the Breakage Mechanisms for Attrition of Selected Polymers in Pneumatic Transport and Spouted Beds

Predicting the amount of attrition that will occur in a pneumatic transport system is very important in preventing product degradation. Considerable work has been performed on the mechanisms of attrition in fluidized beds; hence, they are well understood. On the other hand, there are fewer correlations that can be used to predict the attrition rate in pneumatic transport and spouted beds. In this study, polymethyl methacrylates particles were attrited in a pneumatic transport pilot plant and the experimental attrition rate was determined. The same particles were also used in a spouted bed with a sonic attrition jet and the attrition rate was measured. Finally, a fluidized bed correlation was applied to the spouted bed and a model was used to determine whether the attrition mechanism in pneumatic transport can be related to the attrition mechanism in the spouted bed