ULTRASOUND IMAGING AS A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL FOR MUSCLE, TENDON AND FASCIA PATHOLOGIES: AN EMERGING PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE

poster abstractObjective: Ultrasonography (US) is a front-runner for diagnostic imaging in musculoskeletal pathologies associated with muscle, tendon and fascia. The objective of this review was to systematically identify and summarize the literature on current trends of diagnostic ultrasonography in physical therapy. In addition, we expect to establish the merit, validity, and reliabil-ity of diagnostic ultrasonography. Method: A literature search was conducted using: PubMed, ProQuest, Science Direct, Thompson, EMBASE, OVID, CINAHL, and MEDLINE data-bases. Keywords that were used: diagnostic ultrasound, musculoskeletal conditions, rehabilitation, physical therapy. Findings: The current applications for US involving muscle, includes identifying superficial muscles, such as transversus abdominis and multifidus, to provide biofeedback for muscle re-education and measuring cross-sectional area to predict force generation. For tendons, US provides high-resolution images of inflammation, blood flow, and tendon width that assists in diagnosing pathologies such as Achilles tendonitis. US yields clear visualization of fascial thickness and is used to help determine potential eti-ology, confirm clinical diagnosis, and gauge the efficacy of intervention in plantar fasciitis. Research shows that the overall accuracy of US in musculoskeletal medi-cine is significantly similar to the gold standard of diagnostic imaging- MRI. Compared to MRI, US is safer, more convenient, less expensive, non-invasive, and dynamic. Limiting aspects of US include being restricted to su-perficial structures and a lack of minimum clinically important difference val-ues (MCID). Conclusion: Overall, there is a convincing body of evidence supporting the use of US in diagnosis and assessment of muscle, tendon and fascia conditions. Taking into consideration the surplus of clinical applications and advantages over other imaging tools, US is becoming a promising primary instrument for diagnosing and assessing musculoskeletal disorders in physi-cal rehabilitation. The results from this literature review will be used to sup-port the design of clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of manual therapy techniques

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operators’ accuracy and confidence of decisions:Professional pilots or video game players?

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) operations have outpaced current training regimes resulting in a shortage of qualified UAS pilots. Three potential UAS operator groups were explored for suitability (i.e. video game players [VGP]; private pilots; professional pilots) and examined to assess levels of accuracy, confidence and confidence-accuracy judgements (W-S C-A) during a simulated civilian cargo flight. Sixty participants made 21 decision tasks, which varied across three levels of danger/risk. Scales of Tolerance of Ambiguity, Decision Style and NEO-PIR were also completed. Professional pilots and VGPs exhibited the highest level of decision confidence, with VGPs maintaining a constant and positive W-S C-A relationship across decision danger/risk. As decision danger/risk increased, confidence, accuracy and W-S C-A decreased. Decision danger also had a role to play in the confidence expressed when choosing to intervene or rely on automation. Neuroticism was negatively related, and conscientiousness positively related, to confidence. Intolerance of ambiguity was negatively related to W-S C-A. All groups showed higher levels of decision confidence in decisions controlled by the UAS in comparison to decisions where the operator manually intervened. VGPs display less overconfidence in decision judgements. Findings support the idea that VGPs could be considered a resource in UAS operation

Deletion of the Notch ligand Jagged1 during cochlear maturation leads to inner hair cell defects and hearing loss

The mammalian cochlea is an exceptionally well-organized epithelium composed of hair cells, supporting cells, and innervating neurons. Loss or defects in any of these cell types, particularly the specialized sensory hair cells, leads to deafness. The Notch pathway is known to play a critical role in the decision to become either a hair cell or a supporting cell during embryogenesis; however, little is known about how Notch functions later during cochlear maturation. Uniquely amongst Notch ligands, Jagged1 (JAG1) is localized to supporting cells during cell fate acquisition and continues to be expressed into adulthood. Here, we demonstrate that JAG1 in maturing cochlear supporting cells is essential for normal cochlear function. Specifically, we show that deletion of JAG1 during cochlear maturation disrupts the inner hair cell pathway and leads to a type of deafness clinically similar to auditory neuropathy. Common pathologies associated with disruptions in inner hair cell function, including loss of hair cells, synapses, or auditory neurons, were not observed in JAG1 mutant cochleae. Instead, RNA-seq analysis of JAG1-deficient cochleae identified dysregulation of the Rho GTPase pathway, known to be involved in stereocilia development and maintenance. Interestingly, the overexpression of one of the altered genes, Diaph3, is responsible for autosomal dominant auditory neuropathy-1 (AUNA1) in humans and mice, and is associated with defects in the inner hair cell stereocilia. Strikingly, ultrastructural analyses of JAG1-deleted cochleae revealed stereocilia defects in inner hair cells, including fused and elongated bundles, that were similar to those stereocilia defects reported in AUNA1 mice. Taken together, these data indicate a novel role for Notch signaling in normal hearing development through maintaining stereocilia integrity of the inner hair cells during cochlear maturation

Phylogeny and taxonomy of Ophiognomonia (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales), including twenty-five new species in this highly diverse genus

Species of Ophiognomonia are leaf-inhabiting endophytes, pathogens, and saprobes that infect plants in the families Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Lauraceae, Malvaceae, Platanaceae, Rosaceae, Salicaceae, and Sapindaceae. Based on extensive collecting, this speciesrich genus is now known to have a world wide distribution in primarily temperate areas, although some species are known from the subtropics. Analyses of DNA sequences from three markers including guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit beta-like protein (MS204), translation elongation factor 1α (tef-1α), and the ITS region including ITS1, 5.8 S rDNA and ITS2 regions (ITS) were used to define phylogenetic species in Ophiognomonia. Host plant association correlated with these species. Twenty-five new species of Ophiognomonia and two new combinations are proposed with descriptions and illustrations. In addition, descriptions and illustrations are provided for 12 other species of Ophiognomonia. A key is provided to the 45 currently accepted species of Ophiognomonia. The disposition of additional names in Ophiognomonia is also discussedSpecies of Ophiognomonia are leaf-inhabiting endophytes, pathogens, and saprobes that infect plants in the families Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Lauraceae, Malvaceae, Platanaceae, Rosaceae, Salicaceae, and Sapindaceae. Based on extensive collecting, this speciesrich genus is now known to have a world wide distribution in primarily temperate areas, although some species are known from the subtropics. Analyses of DNA sequences from three markers including guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit beta-like protein (MS204), translation elongation factor 1α (tef-1α), and the ITS region including ITS1, 5.8 S rDNA and ITS2 regions (ITS) were used to define phylogenetic species in Ophiognomonia. Host plant association correlated with these species. Twenty-five new species of Ophiognomonia and two new combinations are proposed with descriptions and illustrations. In addition, descriptions and illustrations are provided for 12 other species of Ophiognomonia. A key is provided to the 45 currently accepted species of Ophiognomonia. The disposition of additional names in Ophiognomonia is also discusse

All hands on deck”: administrator perspectives on managing COVID-19 outbreaks in U.S. nursing homes

Context: Managing COVID-19 outbreaks at U.S. nursing homes highlight the structural weaknesses of pre-pandemic long-term care emergency preparedness protocols. Objective: To understand how nursing home administrators managed staffing and facility operations during an active COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: This descriptive qualitative study conducted semi-structured interviews with administrators at 40 U.S. nursing homes from July 2020–December 2021. Interview questions focused on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing home operations and staffing, among other topics. Interview transcripts were qualitatively analysed to identify overarching themes using modified grounded theory and thematic analysis. Findings: Four major themes emerged from analysis. (1) Administrators described the rapidity of viral infection of staff and residents as overwhelming and long-lasting; (2) a COVID-19 outbreak had an immediate impact on staffing levels; (3) administrators implemented short-term compensatory strategies to manage staffing shortages during COVID-19 outbreaks; and (4) administrator and staff roles and responsibilities expanded in order to maintain facility operations during, and post-COVID-19 outbreak. Limitations: Findings may not be generalizable to all U.S. nursing homes and may not reflect current COVID-19 mitigation protocols and perspectives as interviews concluded in December 2021. Implications: U.S. nursing home administrators used crisis-management strategies to sustain facility operations during active COVID-19 outbreaks. This approach highlights on-going weaknesses in the long-term care infrastructure at U.S. nursing homes. Learning from administrator experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic is critical for the development of robust emergency preparedness plans and the improvement of state and federal resource coordination efforts to support U.S. nursing homes during future public health emergencies

RE: How the Coronavirus Disease-2019 May Improve Care: Rethinking Cervical Cancer Prevention

Feldman and Haas have written a timely piece on the potential to enhance cancer prevention and cancer care delivery in the COVID-19 era. Using cervical cancer prevention as a use case, the commentary describes clinical care provided via virtual platforms and in nontraditional settings, such as the patient’s home, as areas needing creative approaches to ensure care is provided safely and efficiently. As we consider factors that are relevant to delivering effective cancer prevention and cancer care post-COVID, we suggest that addressing social determinants of health, an often forgotten dimension of lived experience, should be prioritized as a strategy to enhance the equity of care provision. Social determinants of health, including food and housing insecurity have been shown to impact outcomes of patients with cancer, through a number of mechanisms including delays and incomplete care

Utility of Two iPhone Device Apps in Assessing Heart Rate at Rest and During Activity

Heart rate (HR) is a critical physiological variable used for prescribing exercise, assessing fitness level and tracking fitness improvements. Electrocardiography (ECG) stands as the criterion measure of HR. While recent development of HR-detecting mobile device applications (apps) has made evaluating HR more convenient; their degree of accuracy is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this current study was to examine the accuracy and reliability of two-iPhone applications to detect HR at rest and during low-intensity exercise conditions. Eighteen female and 22 male subjects (26 + 9.5 yrs) were prepped for simultaneous detection of HR via three methods: ECG and two HR-detecting apps. App 1, a camera-based app called Azumio Instant Heart Rate (CAM), was used by placement of a finger over the camera lens of the mobile device. App 2, a microphone-based app called Heart Monitor by Bluespark, was employed via placement of an external microphone over the radial pulse. The participants underwent a series of 5-minute stages: seated rest followed by cycle then treadmill walking at low intensities. HR was recorded concurrently, at several time intervals from the three methods once a steady-state HR was reached. The means of the three devices were compared via ANOVA with the significance level set, a priori, at 0.05. Correlation analysis was employed to investigate relationships between the apps and ECG. No statistical difference was found between the CAM and ECG HR (p \u3e 0.05) during the resting and cycle stages. However, during the treadmill phase, there was a significant difference (p = 0.018) between CAM and ECG. Nevertheless, there was a significant (p \u3c 0.05), positive correlation between CAM and ECG under the resting, cycle and treadmill conditions (r = .966, r = .984, r = .877, respectively). Significant differences (p \u3c 0.05) were found for each condition when comparing ECG and MIC HR. Data also revealed poor correlations (p \u3e 0.05; r between -.004 and -.136) between MIC and ECG. The utility of CAM and MIC-based apps to detect HR remains in question as evidence appears to indicate exercise mode and app specificity. Caution should be shown when using these devices. The CAM-based app may accurately detect HR during resting and seated cycling but not during treadmill activity. The MIC-based app is not recommended for use in any condition. Of note, statistical significance may not mitigate usefulness when considering the accuracy of palpation. Additional research is necessary

Committing to Anti-Bias Anti-Racist Teaching: From Activity to Habits of Mind

With the need to prepare teacher candidates to work with an increasingly diverse student body in U.S. schools, a multi-institutional collaborative self-study group was formed to examine ways in which teacher educators could expand beyond practice-based literacy preparation to support candidates’ understanding and implementation of critical pedagogies. The self-study served as a catalyst for interrogating the identities the teacher educators brought to their practice and began a journey that transformed a focus on critical literacies into a commitment to action for change through anti-bias anti-racist work. This paper draws from group dialogue and reflective journals to examine specific practices implemented with teacher candidates to transform their practice by considering critical literacies, asset- and deficit-based language, and the identity work of teachers and students. Insights of the self-study suggest that attention to critical pedagogies must go beyond instructional activity to consider the habits of mind essential for cultivation to support a commitment to action for anti-bias anti-racist education. The paper concludes by examining these core habits of mind and their impact on the trajectory of the group’s work toward leveraging language and literacy for activism and justice in teacher education contexts

Powder-Bot: A Modular Autonomous Multi-Robot Workflow for Powder X-Ray Diffraction

Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) is a key technique for the structural characterisation of solid-state materials, but compared with tasks such as liquid handling, its end-to-end automation is highly challenging. This is because coupling PXRD experiments with crystallisation comprises multiple solid handling steps that include sample recovery, sample preparation by grinding, sample mounting and, finally, collection of X-ray diffraction data. Each of these steps has individual technical challenges from an automation perspective, and hence no commercial instrument exists that can grow crystals, process them into a powder, mount them in a diffractometer, and collect PXRD data in an autonomous, closed-loop way. Here we present an automated robotic workflow to carry out autonomous PXRD experiments. The PXRD data collected for polymorphs of small organic compounds is comparable to that collected under the same conditions manually. Beyond accelerating PXRD experiments, this workflow involves 13 component steps and integrates three different types of robots, each from a separate supplier, illustrating the power of flexible, modular automation in complex, multitask laboratories.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures plus Supporting Information (2 videos, 13 supporting figures and one table

The Second-Generation Guide Star Catalog: Description and Properties

The GSC-II is an all-sky database of objects derived from the uncompressed DSS that the STScI has created from the Palomar and UK Schmidt survey plates and made available to the community. Like its predecessor (GSC-I), the GSC-II was primarily created to provide guide star information and observation planning support for HST. This version, however, is already employed at some of the ground-based new-technology telescopes such as GEMINI, VLT, and TNG, and will also be used to provide support for the JWST and Gaia space missions as well as LAMOST, one of the major ongoing scientific projects in China. Two catalogs have already been extracted from the GSC-II database and released to the astronomical community. A magnitude-limited (R=18.0) version, GSC2.2, was distributed soon after its production in 2001, while the GSC2.3 release has been available for general access since 2007. The GSC2.3 catalog described in this paper contains astrometry, photometry, and classification for 945,592,683 objects down to the magnitude limit of the plates. Positions are tied to the ICRS; for stellar sources, the all-sky average absolute error per coordinate ranges from 0.2" to 0.28" depending on magnitude. When dealing with extended objects, astrometric errors are 20% worse in the case of galaxies and approximately a factor of 2 worse for blended images. Stellar photometry is determined to 0.13-0.22 mag as a function of magnitude and photographic passbands (B,R,I). Outside of the galactic plane, stellar classification is reliable to at least 90% confidence for magnitudes brighter than R=19.5, and the catalog is complete to R=20.Comment: 52 pages, 33 figures, to be published in AJ August 200