The role of 3D digital applications in Manual Therapy Education – A scoping review

Background: Currently, teaching methods for developing complex physical assessment and palpation skills in manual therapy is challenging for both learners and educators. 3D digital technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality may facilitate and/or address these challenges. However, their current usage and/or role in improving learning outcomes in manual therapy education is still largely unknown. Methods: The following electronic databases were searched from Jan 2005 to April 2021: PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Science Direct and Google Scholar. Two independent reviewers reviewed the articles retrieved from the databases to assess for eligibility. Studies of any methodology (quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods) that investigated the use or application of the 3D digital applications were included in the review. Primary outcomes included any outcome related to learning based on the updated Blooms taxonomy. Narrative synthesis was used to synthesise data from the included studies.Results: A total of 4 articles were included in the final review. The main findings were classified into the following key concepts: (1) perception of tissue stiffness, (2) improved student self-efficacy in performing MT techniques, and (3) barriers and facilitators for utilizing 3D technologies. All included outcomes met understanding, applying, analysing and evaluating levels of Blooms taxonomy; however, no outcomes met the ‘creating’ level of Bloom’s taxonomy.Discussion: Our review found that there are no AR, VR or mixed applications that specifically serve the needs of MT education in relation to joint motion assessment, but applications are available that can be readily used or potentially adapted to train skills of tissue palpation. . Therefore, future studies are required to investigate the sophisticated requirements to teach/learn complex manual techniques for which palpation skills may be mandatory.

In Vitro Assessment of 17 Antimicrobial Agents Against Clinical Mycobacterium Avium Complex Isolates

Background: Recently, Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infections have been increasing, especially in immunocompromised and older adults. The rapid increase has triggered a global health concern due to limited therapeutic strategies and adverse effects caused by long-term medication. To provide more evidence for the treatment of MAC, we studied the in vitro inhibitory activities of 17 antimicrobial agents against clinical MAC isolates.Results: A total of 111 clinical MAC isolates were enrolled in the study and they were identified as M. intracellulare, M. avium, M. marseillense, M. colombiense, M. yongonense, M. arosience, and one isolate was undifferentiated at subspecies level. MAC strains had relatively low (0–21.6%) resistance to clarithromycin, amikacin, bedaquiline, rifabutin, streptomycin, and clofazimine, and the resistant rates to isoniazid, rifampin, linezolid, doxycycline, and ethionamide were very high (72.1–100%). In addition, M. avium and M. intracellulare had different resistance profiles for clarithromycin, ethambutol, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, amikacin, linezolid, clofazimine, cycloserine, and ethionamide. Conclusions: Our results supported the current usage of macrolides, rifabutin, and aminoglycosides in the regimens for MAC infection, and also demonstrated the low resistance rate against new drugs, such as clofazimine, tedizolid, and bedaquiline, suggesting the possible implementation of these drugs in MAC treatment.

Assessing Knowledge and Attitude of Healthcare Professionals on Biosimilars: A National Survey for Pharmacists and Physicians in Taiwan

Despite the first approval of biosimilars’ in 2010, biosimilar products usage has remained low in Taiwan. This cross-sectional survey study assessed healthcare professionals’ (HCPs)—hospital pharmacists, oncologists, and rheumatologists—knowledge, and attitudes toward biosimilars. More precisely, their knowledge and attitude towards biosimilars’ current usage and regulations in Taiwan were analyzed. The mean ± standard deviation knowledge score was 2.56 ± 0.86 out of 4 (n = 395), and a difference in knowledge score was determined according to the hospital types (p = 0.004). Rheumatologists possessed significantly higher confidence in their knowledge of biosimilars than other HCPs (p = 0.001). Pharmacists showed the highest acceptance—and rheumatologists the least—for switching patients from reference drugs to biosimilars (p = 0.02). Hospital type was associated with the respondent’s confidence in their knowledge (p = 0.04) and the preference for distinguishable naming of biosimilars (p = 0.007). Their knowledge scores were associated with their confidence in the efficacy and safety of biosimilars (p = 0.02). The study found that the current level of biosimilar knowledge of HCPs in Taiwan is low. The higher the knowledge score, the greater the confidence in biosimilars and the familiarity with relevant regulations.

On being decent. The meaning and axiology of the lexemes przyzwoity ‘decent’ and przyzwoitość ‘decency’ in the history of Polish

This study was inspired by the famous turn of phrase that came from the Polish statesman Władysław Bartoszewski: “It’s good to be decent” (Warto być przyzwoitym). It is frequently quoted in public discourse and invokes decency as a value that is construed intuitively and is difficult to define. The article presents a diachronic analysis of the lexemes przyzwoity ‘decent’ przyzwoitość ‘decency’, and przyzwoicie ‘decently’ since their oldest records until current usage. These lexemes appeared at the beginning of the Middle Polish period but their axiological load was low at that time. The evolution of their meanings – from axiologically neutral to positive – occurred late (in the second half of the 18th c.) and progressed quickly. Their neutral meanings, which were well-documented as late as in the 18th c., disappeared; the lexemes remained in current usage but as axiologically positive ones. Through an analysis of the early contexts an attempt is made to reconstruct of the original sense of decency and to discover its key sense in contemporary Polish.

Emplacement and Segment Geometry of Large, High-Viscosity Magmatic Sheets

Understanding magma transport in sheet intrusions is crucial to interpreting volcanic unrest. Studies of dyke emplacement and geometry focus predominantly on low-viscosity, mafic dykes. Here, we present an in-depth study of two high-viscosity dykes (106 Pa·s) in the Chachahuén volcano, Argentina, the Great Dyke and the Sosa Dyke. To quantify dyke geometries, magma flow indicators, and magma viscosity, we combine photogrammetry, microstructural analysis, igneous petrology, Fourier-Transform-Infrared-Spectroscopy, and Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS). Our results show that the dykes consist of 3 to 8 mappable segments up to 2 km long. Segments often end in a bifurcation, and segment tips are predominantly oval, but elliptical tips occur in the outermost segments of the Great Dyke. Furthermore, variations in host rocks have no observable impact on dyke geometry. AMS fabrics and other flow indicators in the Sosa Dyke show lateral magma flow in contrast to the vertical flow suggested by the segment geometries. A comparison with segment geometries of low-viscosity dykes shows that our high-viscosity dykes follow the same geometrical trend. In fact, the data compilation supports that dyke segment and tip geometries reflect different stages in dyke emplacement, questioning the current usage for final sheet geometries as proxies for emplacement mechanism.

20G Vitrectomy; Current Usage, Indications, and Practices

Vitreoretinal surgery is evolving to a smaller size since first described. After the first vitrectomy probe defined as 17 Gauge (G), a smaller gauge (20G, 23G, 25G, and 27G) vitrectomy probes and trocars were identified. Even though 20G vitrectomy has been used for many years, thinner and less traumatic vitrectomy systems are developed and 20G has lost popularity. Hybrid use of 20G and other systems remains current, especially in cases such as endophthalmitis, intraocular foreign body removal, and cataract surgery complications.

23 Gauge Vitrectomy: Current Usage, Indications, and Applications.

The development and evolution of pars plana vitrectomy are gorgeous. It is a big evolution like change that was seen in the transition to phacoemulsification surgery from extracapsular cataract surgery. However, improvements are not still over. While the changes and developments in vitrectomy experienced to increase the ease of application, application areas, and success of the surgeries, also offering different alternatives for surgeons. The main one is for different sized vitrectomy systems. Although it is appropriate to prefer smaller cuts at first glance, the difficulties in current use and application cause the necessity to be more conscious and to make preferences depending on the case and data.

Enactment of Sustainable Technovations on Healthcare Sectors

This article discusses the use of innovative technologies and their potential to assist pan-India surveillance systems, including health initiatives. The key goal is to review prior studies on innovative technology and its use for existing healthcare sectors and identify association strength among the selected variables using Vos Viewer software. Information gathered from research on randomized controlled trials, cross-sectional studies, review studies and systematic review studies, meta-analysis, sample, and case series. This article discusses the use of innovative technologies and their potential to assist pan-India surveillance systems, including health initiatives to community based healthcare. This paper discusses the current usage of Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) on health and developments. The findings of the study state the complexities and opportunities of the mentioned technologies on the pan-India health surveillance system and indicates that data management, safety and security regulation gaps need to resolve before enforcing monitoring practices. This paper presents an analysis of recent instances of using IoT technologies centred on remote surveillance and indicate a need for an advanced computing architecture for future integrated with pilot and tracking operations.

Material Flow Analysis and Resource Recovery Potential Analysis of Selected Fruit, Vegetable and Nut Waste in Kenya

In Kenya, agriculture is an important economic activity, which implies that a significant amount of bio-waste is generated. This is on one hand a waste management problem, but on the other hand, it is an opportunity for creating a sustainable bioeconomy. Therefore, this study investigates the potential recovery of bioresources from Kenyan bio-waste. The study first quantifies occurrence, current usage and disposal of three selected biomass types, being banana, potato and coconut waste. Next, material flow analysis (MFA) is used to systematically track the mass flow of these wastes. Finally, the potential of biomolecules, biomaterials and bioenergy from the waste streams is evaluated. The study revealed that 6007, 426 and 49.5 kt of banana, potato and coconut biomass is wasted. All these wastes can be biorefined, offering potential towards recovery of; flavonoids (88.3 kt), starch (377 kt), cellulose (2000.7 kt) and biogas (1757.0 GWh), being the total potential of the main bioresources from the three waste streams. The study therefore, concluded that, with proper waste collection, sorting and valorisation, there is a huge potential for bioeconomy in Kenya, at the same time reducing waste management problems.