A randomised controlled trial of sensory awareness training and additional motor practice for learning scalpel skills in podiatry students

Background: The process of using a scalpel, like all other motor activities, is dependent upon the successful integration of afferent (sensory), cognitive and efferent (motor) processes. During learning of these skills, even if motor practice is carefully monitored there is still an inherent risk involved. It is also possible that this strategy could reinforce high levels of anxiety experienced by the student and affect student self-efficacy, causing detrimental effects on motor learning. An alternative training strategy could be through targeting sensory rather than motor processes. Methods: Second year podiatry students who were about to commence learning scalpel skills were recruited. Participants were randomly allocated into sensory awareness training (Sensory), additional motor practice (Motor) or usual teaching only (Control) groups. Participants were then evaluated on psychological measures (Intrinsic Motivation Inventory) and dexterity measures (Purdue Pegboard, Grooved Pegboard Test and a grip-lift task). Results: A total of 44 participants were included in the study. There were no baseline differences or significant differences between the three groups over time on the Perceived Competence, Effort/ Importance or Pressure/ Tension, psychological measures. All groups showed a significant increase in Perceived Competence over time (F₁,₄₁ = 13.796, p = 0.001). Only one variable for the grip-lift task (Preload Duration for the non-dominant hand) showed a significant difference over time between the groups (F₂,₄₁ = 3.280, p = 0.038), specifically, Motor and Control groups. Conclusions: The use of sensory awareness training, or additional motor practice did not provide a more effective alternative compared with usual teaching. Further research may be warranted using more engaged training, provision of supervision and greater participant numbers.Ryan S Causby, Michelle N McDonnell, Lloyd Reed and Susan L Hillie

Design for producing fiberglass fabric in a lunar environment

The purpose of this project was to design a method of producing a fabric material on the lunar surface from readily available glass fibers. Various methods for forming fabrics were analyzed to determine which methods were appropriate for the lunar conditions. A nonwoven process was determined to be the most suitable process for making a fabric material out of fiberglass under these conditions. Various resins were considered for adhering the fibers. A single thermoplastic resin (AURUM) was found to be the only applicable resin. The end product of the process was determined to be suitable for use as a roadway surfacing material, canopy material, reflective material, or packaging material. A cost analysis of the lunar process versus shipping the end-product from the Earth suggests that the lunar formation is highly feasible. A design for a lunar, nonwoven process was determined and is included

An evidence review on the interventions and services available for the treatment and diagnosis of allergies

Craig Lockwood, Zuben Florence, Ryan Causby, Rob Riemsma, and Jos Kleijne

The effect of handedness on mental rotation of hands: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Body-specific mental rotation is thought to rely upon internal representations of motor actions. Handedness is a source of distinctly different motor experience that shapes the development of such internal representations. Yet, the influence of handedness upon hand mental rotation has never been systematically evaluated. Five databases were searched for studies evaluating hand left/right judgement tasks in adults. Two independent reviewers performed screening, data extraction, and critical appraisal. Eighty-seven datasets were included, with 72 datasets pooled; all had unclear/high risk of bias. Meta-analyses showed that right-handers were faster, but not more accurate, than left-handers at hand mental rotation. A unique effect of handedness was found on performance facilitation for images corresponding to the dominant hand. Meta-analyses showed that right-handers were quicker at identifying images of right hands than left hands—a dominance advantage not evident in left-handers. Differing hand representations (more lateralised hand dominance in right-handers) likely underpin these findings. Given potential differences between hand preference and motor performance, future research exploring their distinct contributions to mental rotation is warranted

Ottawa Ankle Rules: adequacy of clinical information in X-ray referrals for traumatic ankle injury

Ankle and foot injuries are the most commonly presented musculoskeletal injuries in Australian emergency departments,1 with 4667 such presentations in South Australia in 2017–2018.2 The Ottawa Ankle Rules (OAR) are part of a clinical decision-making tool to help clinicians accurately rule out ankle fractures and hence preclude the need for diagnostic X-ray imaging of ankle trauma.3 This instrument has a sensitivity of almost 100% across various studies.3 The rules state that ankle X-rays are only required if the patient experiences malleolar pain and bone tenderness of the posterior distal tibia/medial malleolus tip, the posterior distal fibula/lateral malleolus tip or an inability to weight bear for four steps both immediately and in the emergency department.4In this study, we undertook a retrospective clinical audit of 300 ankle imaging referrals to (i) assess the current usage of the OAR in ruling out ankle fractures in a major metropolitan emergency department in Australia; (ii) evaluate the current concordance rate of scoring with positive findings on radiography and (iii) report on referring trends between professions, including consultants, registrars, physiotherapists and nurse practitioners. Ethics review was not sought because the study met criteria for exemption from such review according to an institutional policy.The outcome measures are characteristics of the included patients, compliance rate with the OAR, overall prevalence of ankle fractures, referring trends and sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio of the OAR in this study. Formal results are pending but will be available at time of presentation

Predator-induced hyperventilation in wild and hatchery Atlantic salmon fry

Following exposure to a predator stimulus (a brown trout Salmo trutta), the opercular rate of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar fry increased by 35.3 +/- 11.0% (mean +/- 95% CI). The time taken for opercular rate to decline to baseline levels depended upon the occurrence of any associated locomotory activity. Opercular rates of fish that dashed when exposed remained elevated for 38.2 +/- 20.6 min, whereas those of individuals that did not move ('freezers') recovered within 7.2 +/- 2.9 min. The duration that opercular rate remained elevated was positively correlated with the magnitude of the elevation, which was higher in 'dashers' than freezers. The maximum opercular rate in 'freezers' was similar between wild fry and hatchery-reared fry (from wild parents). There was a significant delay, however, in hatchery compared with wild fry in the time until peak ventilatory response and onset in the decline phase. This difference in opercular response suggests that hatchery fish were slower to realize fully the potential danger from the predator. Any delay in response could be directly attributed to the effect of hatchery-rearing environment, rather than domestication or hatchery selection effects. (C) 2004 Crown copyright.</p