A comparative study of tendinous interconnection in the forearm and hand of human cadavers and live subjects

Certain complex hand functions such as playing musical instruments, buttoning and writing require the action of the long flexor tendons. Repeated movements of these tendons cause inflammatory changes resulting in an increase in the Tendon Cross Sectional Area (TCSA), and, subsequently, tendinous interconnections (occurs in approximately 20% of the general population, commonly between the flexor pollicis longus [FPL] and index finger flexor digitorum profundus [FDP] - Linburg-Comstock syndrome). Coupled with an anatomically congested space at the wrist, such interconnections may compress the median nerve resulting in carpal tunnel syndrome. This study evaluated the prevalence of tendinous interconnection amongst 200 medical students at Cardiff University by a series of structured hand movements (n=12) in controlled setting. The findings were corroborated using Ultrasound Scan (USS) (n=4) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) (n=1). The muscle mass, fibre length, density, angle of pennation and tendon length were ascertained by studying hands and forearms (n=30) of embalmed human cadavers. The data was used to determine the Physiological Cross Sectional Area (PCSA) and calculate the relation between PCSA and TCSA. Simple linear regression established the direct relation of PCSA to TCSA, muscle mass and tendon length. A direct relation between the TCSA of FPL and index finger FDP was identified. The cross sectional area of the median nerve increases as it traverses the carpal tunnel. The PCSA had no bearing on density and angle of pennation. USS was found to be more dynamic and sensitive than MRI in identifying tendinous and tenosynovial interconnections, as the tenosynovial interconnections <1 mm thick could be recognised. The study also (i) identified a lower percentage of tendinous interconnection (compared to the literature) in a randomly selected group of individuals, (ii) detected the limitation of photograpic measurements to study angles of finger movements and (iii) highlighted the disadvantage of calculating PCSA in cadavers

Why primary malignancies of the heart and pericardium are so rare

Primary Malignant Cardiac Tumours (PMCTs) of the heart and pericardium are extremely rare. The incidence rate of both malignant and benign primary tumours is 0.02%, however only one quarter of these are malignant. The reason why these specific malignancies are so uncommon is not yet well understood. This review aims to determine why the heart and pericardium are such inhospitable hosts to PMCTs

Attitude of science students towards Zoom online lectures

Objective: The importance of understanding the effectiveness of online teaching was highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with students more commonly studying remotely, specifically, via Zoom. However, attitudes of science students to online lectures are largely unknown; consequently, understanding attitudes will help develop the most effective ways to deliver lectures, taking into consideration student well-being. The hypotheses were: science students would have a negative perception towards Zoom online lectures; biomedical students would be more negative towards Zoom online lectures than other science students. Materials and methods: To evaluate perceptions of Zoom online lectures, 20 statements were developed utilising the Thurstone and Chave method 1951. Using these statements, an online questionnaire was made, utilising Google Forms. With ethical approval, the questionnaire was sent out to undergraduate bioscience students via university email addresses. Survey responses were collated; based on agreement to the scored statements, mean scores were calculated. The Wilcoxon test was used to identify any significant statistical differences. Results: The mean score for all science students indicated positive perception, with no significant difference between Biomedical science students and other science degrees, such as between Biomedical science and Biochemistry (p=0.3374 U=3527). Males had a more positive perception than females (p=0.02207 W=13946). Between ages 18-19 years and those aged 20+ there was no significant difference (p=0.1719 W=17586). Conclusion: Overall, the perception of science students to Zoom online lectures was positive. There were no significant differences between different degrees: Biomedical science students were not more positive. Significant difference between genders was seen, however, age had no impact

Attitude of medical students towards Zoom online lectures

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of health care professionals; therefore, the education of future Doctors is highly relevant. This year, as medical student lectures have been delivered via online platforms like Zoom, it is important to explore attitudes towards Zoom lectures, to establish their impact on student welfare and education. The attitudes were of 1st year medical students. The hypotheses were: medical students would be negative towards Zoom online lectures; the age of the student would impact the perception of Zoom online lectures; and females would be more positive towards Zoom online lectures compared to males. Methods: 20 randomized statements regarding Zoom online lectures were devised (ten positive and ten negative) and then scored according to the Thurstone and Chave method. An online survey was designed in Google Forms and, following ethical approval, distributed amongst 1st year medical students. Responses from 52.5% of Cardiff University 1st year medical students were received, and mean scores were calculated. The Wilcoxon test evaluated significant differences between groups. Results: Medical students had an overall positive attitude towards Zoom online lectures. There was no significant difference by gender (p=0.8826 W=3257.5). 20+ year old students had the most positive perception which was significantly more positive than 18 (p=0.0002501 W=1625.5) and 19-year-olds (p=0.009936 W=1476.5). Conclusion: 1st year medical students showed a positive perception towards online Zoom online lectures. Gender had no effect; however, age played a significant role, with those aged 20+ having a more positive perception than 18- and 19-year-old

Oracle Database 10g: a platform for BLAST search and Regular Expression pattern matching in life sciences

As database management systems expand their array of analytical functionality, they become powerful research engines for biomedical data analysis and drug discovery. Databases can hold most of the data types commonly required in life sciences and consequently can be used as flexible platforms for the implementation of knowledgebases. Performing data analysis in the database simplifies data management by minimizing the movement of data from disks to memory, allowing pre-filtering and post-processing of datasets, and enabling data to remain in a secure, highly available environment. This article describes the Oracle Database 10g implementation of BLAST and Regular Expression Searches and provides case studies of their usage in bioinformatics. http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/index.htm

A core syllabus for the teaching of gross anatomy of the thorax to medical students

Discussion is ongoing concerning the need to ensure the clinical relevance of the biomedical sciences. However, clinical relevance within health care courses presupposes that there is internationally agreed core material to be taught and learned. For anatomy, by the initial use of Delphi Panels that comprise anatomists, scientists, and clinicians, the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAAs) is developing internationally accepted core syllabuses for all anatomical sciences disciplines in the health care professions. In this article, the deliberations of a Delphi Panel for the teaching of thoracic anatomy in the medical curriculum are presented, prior to their publication on the IFAA's website. To develop the syllabus further, it is required that anatomical societies, as well as individual anatomists and clinicians, comment upon, elaborate, and amend this draft recommended syllabus. The aim is to set internationally recognized standards and thus to provide guidelines concerning the knowledge of the human thorax expected of graduating medical professionals. Such information should be borne in mind by those involved in the development of medical courses

A look at the anatomy educator job market: anatomists remain in short supply

In 2002, a widely publicized report projected an anatomy educator shortage based on department chairpersons' perceptions. Now, 17 years later, the question lingers: “Does an anatomy educator shortage persist and, if so, how severe is the shortage?” Trends in the number, type, and fill rate of anatomy educator job openings were explored by analyzing job posting in the United States over the past two years. A survey was distributed to leaders of anatomy‐related departments in the United States, Canada, and European Union. Most departmental leaders who responded (65% or more) from the United States/Canada (n = 81) and the European Union (n = 52) anticipate they will have “moderate” to “great” difficulty hiring anatomy educators in gross anatomy, histology, and embryology over the next five years. Within the United States, the number of anatomy educator job postings at medical schools more than doubled from at least 21 postings in 2017 to 52 postings in 2018. Twenty‐one percent of postings between 2017 and 2018 were never filled. While the number of anatomy educator openings within the United States/Canada is perceived to remain in a steady state for the next five years, the European Union estimates a five‐fold increase in the number of openings. Departmental leaders prioritize anatomy educator applicants who have teaching experience (mean ± SD = 4.64 ± 0.84 on five‐point Likert scale), versatility in teaching multiple anatomy disciplines (3.93 ± 1.07), and flexibility in implementing various teaching pedagogies (3.69 ± 1.17). Collectively, these data suggest the shortage of anatomy educators continues in the United States/Canada and the European Union

The attitudes of European medical students towards the clinical importance of neuroanatomy

The attitudes of medical students towards the clinical importance of neuroanatomy have been little studied. Because it has been reported that medical students find neuroanatomy difficult and can have ‘neurophobia’, here we test the hypothesis that early-stage medical students across Europe have a low regard for neuroanatomy’s clinical relevance. The work was conducted under the auspices of the Trans-European Pedagogic Research Group (TEPARG), with just over 1500 students from 12 European medical schools providing responses to a survey (52% response rate) that assessed their attitudes using Thurstone and Chave methodologies. Regardless of the university surveyed, and of the teaching methods employed for neuroanatomy, our findings were not consistent with our hypothesis. However, the students had a less favourable opinion of neuroanatomy’s importance compared to gross anatomy; although their attitudes were more positive than previously reported for histology and embryology. The extent to which neuroanatomy plays a significant role in the early years of medical education is moot. Nevertheless, we conclude that in addition to newly recruited medical students being informed of the subject’s role in a healthcare profession, we advocate the use of modern imaging technologies to enhance student understanding and motivation and cognisance of the core syllabus for the subject being developed by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA)

Assessing the perceptions of individuals with differing levels and backgrounds of education towards whole-body donation

Introduction The value of learning anatomy through cadaveric dissection is widely acclaimed; however, the demand for cadavers exceeds supply. For the number of donors to increase, there needs to be a broader understanding of what influences an individual’s perception towards whole-body donation. The hypotheses were that individuals with a biomedical background or with higher levels of education would respectively have a more positive perception towards whole-body donation than those with an arts background or less education. Dissection experience was predicted to affect an individual’s perception of whole-body donation negatively. Methods To assess perceptions of whole-body donation, an online questionnaire was created consisting of statements developed using Thurstone and Chave’s method. After ethical approval, the survey was distributed to students, academics, businesses and charities. Responses were allocated a mean score based on agreed statements. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to assess significance. Results Significant difference in scores of individuals with biomedical science education compared to those with an arts education (P = 0.028, U = 39). No significant difference in scores of individuals with and without dissection experience (P = 0.394, U = 654.5). A significant difference in scores of postgraduates compared to graduates (P = 0.036, U = 13.5). Conclusion Individuals with a biomedical science education reflected a significantly higher positive perception of whole-body donation in comparison to individuals with an arts background. Although postgraduates had a significantly higher positive perception of whole-body donation compared to graduates, there was no trend between level of education and score. Individuals with dissection experience didn’t have a more negative perception of whole-body donation. Abbreviations RCSRoyal College of SurgeonsBABachelor of ArtsBScBachelor of ScienceMBBSBachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of SurgeryPhDDoctorateBiomedBiomedical science Keywords Whole-bodyDonationDissectionPerceptionBiomedicalArtsEducatio