Laterality and Flight: Concurrent Tests of Side-Bias and Optimality in Flying Tree Swallows

Behavioural side-bias occurs in many vertebrates, including birds as a result of hemispheric specialization and can be advantageous by improving response times to sudden stimuli and efficiency in multi-tasking. However, behavioural side-bias can lead to morphological asymmetries resulting in reduced performance for specific activities. For flying animals, wing asymmetry is particularly costly and it is unclear if behavioural side-biases will be expressed in flight; the benefits of quick response time afforded by side-biases must be balanced against the costs of less efficient flight due to the morphological asymmetry side-biases may incur. Thus, competing constraints could lead to context-dependent expression or suppression of side-bias in flight. In repeated flight trials through an outdoor tunnel with obstacles, tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) preferred larger openings, but we did not detect either individual or population-level side-biases. Thus, while observed behavioural side-biases during substrate-foraging and copulation are common in birds, we did not see such side-bias expressed in obstacle avoidance behaviour in flight. This finding highlights the importance of behavioural context for investigations of side-bias and hemispheric laterality and suggests both proximate and ultimate trade-offs between species-specific cognitive ecology and flight biomechanics

Residency Training in Robotic-Assisted Gynecologic Surgery

Objective: The educational objective is to teach physicians who are in training effective surgical techniques and options for minimally invasive surgery by performing robotic surgery. Design: Several educators influenced the authors’ design for robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery training. It was posited that surgical education should be innovative and should include at least five aspects: (1) knowledge; (2) basic skills; (3) experience; (4) decisionmaking skills; and (5) quality performance and evaluation. Materials and Methods: The obstetric and gynecologic residency training program used for this study involved a total of 24 residents (6 residents per year), with *70% of the surgical training being performed at a large tertiary care university-affiliated community hospital. The gynecologic surgery rotation included 4 residents (one each postgraduate year 1–4) and had a duration of 8 weeks. Training was instituted when patients who were scheduled for robotic surgery consented, and the residents worked under direct supervision and monitoring by expert faculty members. Results: Residents received a certificate of completion for online da Vinci robot training, completed the basic skills portion of the robotic surgery training, and were able to perform or assist in surgical procedures. Conclusions: This educational program for residency training in robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery is a structured approach to expand surgical education in minimally invasive techniques. Gynecologic surgery should strive to improve patient care, patient satisfaction, and patient ability to resume normal activities more quickly and safely by decreasing complications, blood loss, and healing time. Gynecology educators have a duty to patients to train residents properly by implementing more advanced surgical techniques to achieve those goals. ( J GYNECOL SURG 28:192

Residency Training in Robotic-Assisted Gynecologic Surgery

Objective: The educational objective is to teach physicians who are in training effective surgical techniques and options for minimally invasive surgery by performing robotic surgery. Design: Several educators influenced the authors’ design for robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery training. It was posited that surgical education should be innovative and should include at least five aspects: (1) knowledge; (2) basic skills; (3) experience; (4) decisionmaking skills; and (5) quality performance and evaluation. Materials and Methods: The obstetric and gynecologic residency training program used for this study involved a total of 24 residents (6 residents per year), with *70% of the surgical training being performed at a large tertiary care university-affiliated community hospital. The gynecologic surgery rotation included 4 residents (one each postgraduate year 1–4) and had a duration of 8 weeks. Training was instituted when patients who were scheduled for robotic surgery consented, and the residents worked under direct supervision and monitoring by expert faculty members. Results: Residents received a certificate of completion for online da Vinci robot training, completed the basic skills portion of the robotic surgery training, and were able to perform or assist in surgical procedures. Conclusions: This educational program for residency training in robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery is a structured approach to expand surgical education in minimally invasive techniques. Gynecologic surgery should strive to improve patient care, patient satisfaction, and patient ability to resume normal activities more quickly and safely by decreasing complications, blood loss, and healing time. Gynecology educators have a duty to patients to train residents properly by implementing more advanced surgical techniques to achieve those goals. ( J GYNECOL SURG 28:192

Resident Training in Robotic Assisted Gynecologic Surgery

Robotic surgery is one the greatest advances in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery since 2005. The educational concern is how to teach physicians in-training. Currently, most physicians learn this technique through animal or post-graduate simulation courses. There are no established training programs for residents. A longitudinally designed training course was developed to incorporate robotic surgery into the gynecologic surgical portion of the residency. All resident year levels were trained. The training curriculum included knowledge, basic skills, experience, and performance. Evaluation was performed throughout the training. Residents underwent basic skill training related to set up, port placement, docking, camera control, dexterity, needle manipulation and suturing. All residents showed improvement from onset to four weeks later in evaluated basic skills. Senior residents were able to perform fine tasks of needle manipulation and suturing faster with more precision than junior residents. Senior residents performed supervised robotic cases during their gynecologic surgical rotation

Resident Training in Robotic Assisted Gynecologic Surgery

Robotic surgery is one the greatest advances in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery since 2005. The educational concern is how to teach physicians in-training. Currently, most physicians learn this technique through animal or post-graduate simulation courses. There are no established training programs for residents. A longitudinally designed training course was developed to incorporate robotic surgery into the gynecologic surgical portion of the residency. All resident year levels were trained. The training curriculum included knowledge, basic skills, experience, and performance. Evaluation was performed throughout the training. Residents underwent basic skill training related to set up, port placement, docking, camera control, dexterity, needle manipulation and suturing. All residents showed improvement from onset to four weeks later in evaluated basic skills. Senior residents were able to perform fine tasks of needle manipulation and suturing faster with more precision than junior residents. Senior residents performed supervised robotic cases during their gynecologic surgical rotation

Gynecological Findings at Laparoscopy for Tubal Sterilization in the Pre-Digital Era

Study Objective: Recent advances in computer science, digital photography and robotics have made seasoned gynecologists to miss and young physicians to be deprived of the opportunity to know about how laparoscopy was performed 30 years ago. Digital cameras were not available, computers were rudimental, optics was unsophisticated and instrumentation was minimal. Nevertheless patient care and accurate diagnosis were skillfully performed. The purpose of our study was to revisit gynecological findings at laparoscopy performed for tubal sterilization in the pre-digital era. Methods: We review the archives of laparoscopic photographs performed when interesting findings were documented, in patients who underwent laparoscopic tubal sterilization between 1982 and 1988. Interesting findings were defined as significant anatomic variations or pathologic results clearly documented. The equipment used for laparoscopy included a 10 mm 0 degree Laprocator (JHPIEGO) telescope, 12 cm Verres gas needle, 11 mm trocar with canula sleeve, carbon dioxide gas and Falope or Yoon rings with applicator. For the photography halogen light source, fiber optic cable extensor and 35 mm color Kodak crom film were used. Results: Thirty four photographs with interesting findings were identified. The pourpourri of pathology identified included: endometriosis, endometrioma, Allen Masters Syndrome, salpingitis isthmica nodosa, tuberculosis, intra peritoneal adhesions, conjoint ovaries, Lippes loop intraperitoneal, Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, failed tubal sterilization and hypoplastic uterus. Conclusions: We revisited interesting gynecological findings at laparoscopy performed for tubal sterilization in the pre-digital era

Gynecological Findings at Laparoscopy for Tubal Sterilization in the Pre-Digital Era

Study Objective: Recent advances in computer science, digital photography and robotics have made seasoned gynecologists to miss and young physicians to be deprived of the opportunity to know about how laparoscopy was performed 30 years ago. Digital cameras were not available, computers were rudimental, optics was unsophisticated and instrumentation was minimal. Nevertheless patient care and accurate diagnosis were skillfully performed. The purpose of our study was to revisit gynecological findings at laparoscopy performed for tubal sterilization in the pre-digital era. Methods: We review the archives of laparoscopic photographs performed when interesting findings were documented, in patients who underwent laparoscopic tubal sterilization between 1982 and 1988. Interesting findings were defined as significant anatomic variations or pathologic results clearly documented. The equipment used for laparoscopy included a 10 mm 0 degree Laprocator (JHPIEGO) telescope, 12 cm Verres gas needle, 11 mm trocar with canula sleeve, carbon dioxide gas and Falope or Yoon rings with applicator. For the photography halogen light source, fiber optic cable extensor and 35 mm color Kodak crom film were used. Results: Thirty four photographs with interesting findings were identified. The pourpourri of pathology identified included: endometriosis, endometrioma, Allen Masters Syndrome, salpingitis isthmica nodosa, tuberculosis, intra peritoneal adhesions, conjoint ovaries, Lippes loop intraperitoneal, Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, failed tubal sterilization and hypoplastic uterus. Conclusions: We revisited interesting gynecological findings at laparoscopy performed for tubal sterilization in the pre-digital era

Gynecological Findings at Laparoscopy for Tubal Sterilization in the Pre-Digital Era

Study Objective: Recent advances in computer science, digital photography and robotics have made seasoned gynecologists to miss and young physicians to be deprived of the opportunity to know about how laparoscopy was performed 30 years ago. Digital cameras were not available, computers were rudimental, optics was unsophisticated and instrumentation was minimal. Nevertheless patient care and accurate diagnosis were skillfully performed. The purpose of our study was to revisit gynecological findings at laparoscopy performed for tubal sterilization in the pre-digital era. Methods: We review the archives of laparoscopic photographs performed when interesting findings were documented, in patients who underwent laparoscopic tubal sterilization between 1982 and 1988. Interesting findings were defined as significant anatomic variations or pathologic results clearly documented. The equipment used for laparoscopy included a 10 mm 0 degree Laprocator (JHPIEGO) telescope, 12 cm Verres gas needle, 11 mm trocar with canula sleeve, carbon dioxide gas and Falope or Yoon rings with applicator. For the photography halogen light source, fiber optic cable extensor and 35 mm color Kodak crom film were used. Results: Thirty four photographs with interesting findings were identified. The pourpourri of pathology identified included: endometriosis, endometrioma, Allen Masters Syndrome, salpingitis isthmica nodosa, tuberculosis, intra peritoneal adhesions, conjoint ovaries, Lippes loop intraperitoneal, Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, failed tubal sterilization and hypoplastic uterus. Conclusions: We revisited interesting gynecological findings at laparoscopy performed for tubal sterilization in the pre-digital era