Activity

Interface pressure measuring devices are used to assess the pressures exerted by compression. Their performance, however, has not been considered as a contributing factor to reported inconsistences in the application of compression. A systematic review was undertaken to investigate the performance of commercially available devices used to measure interface pressure.

Six databases were searched identifying 17 devices, grouped into five sensor categories.

A range of methodologies assessed the devices’ accuracy and precision, including method of pressure application, device calibration and type of surface used. No sensor category outperformed the others, however some individual sensors showed higher accuracy and/or precision compared to others. Two major factors influenced the performance of a number of sensors the amount of applied pressure and the calibration method used.

Inconsistences in the application of compression may reflect, in part, issues related to accuracy and precision of the devices used to assess compression.

Inconsistences in the application of compression may reflect, in part, issues related to accuracy and precision of the devices used to assess compression.

The aim of this report was to describe the clinical signs, diagnostic imaging findings, surgical management, histopathological findings, outcome and possible risk factors for cats that developed retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) following renal transplantation.

Medical records of cats that underwent renal transplantation and developed clinically significant RPF between 1995 and 2019 were reviewed.

Eighty-one cats underwent 83 renal transplantations. Of these 81 cats, six developed clinically significant RPF. For all six cats, renal transplantation was performed using cold organ preservation solution and ureteral papilla implantation. Immunosuppression protocol included ciclosporin and prednisolone. All cats had at least one subtherapeutic trough ciclosporin level (<250 ng/ml) in the postoperative period. Cats presented with moderate-to-severe azotemia 39-210 days following renal transplantation. Abdominal ultrasonography and contrast pyelography revealed various degrees of hydroureter and hydronephrosis potential cause for local rejection reaction is warranted.

The incidence of RPF in this population of cats was relatively low (7%), but still represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The cause of RPF remains unknown, although investigation into suboptimal immunosuppression as a potential cause for local rejection reaction is warranted.

Personality disorders (PD) lead to frequent emergency department (ED) visits. Existing studies have evaluated high-risk ED populations in Western settings. PD screening tools, such as the Standardized Assessment of Personality – Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS), have thus far only been validated in Western populations.

This study aimed to establish the screened prevalence of PD, and to evaluate the performance of the SAPAS as a screening tool within an ED setting in India.

The study took place in the ED of a private multi-speciality hospital in Kolkata, India. All attendees were approached during two days per week over three months, except those who were medically unfit to participate. The SAPAS and the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE) were translated into Bengali and then used as screening tools for PD and as the reference standard for PD diagnosis.

Out of 120 ED attendees approached, 97 participated (48 men and 49 women), of whom 24% met the criteria for a diagnosis of PD. A cut-off score of 4 on the SAPAS provided the best trade-off between sensitivity and specificity for detecting PD.

The prevalence of PD was similar to Western samples, and the SAPAS showed promise for use in a non-Western setting.

The prevalence of PD was similar to Western samples, and the SAPAS showed promise for use in a non-Western setting.Casper’s sign refers to the absence of external signs of trauma despite severe and often lethal internal injuries. It occurs because the elasticity and resilience of the skin results in it deforming and moving rather than sustaining injuries from being tethered and relatively immobile. Given the known increase in skin and soft-tissue fragility in the elderly with a greater vulnerability for bruising and skin tears, a study was undertaken to determine whether Casper’s sign may be present or not in older populations. A review of autopsy files at Forensic Science SA over a 20-year period from January 2000 to December 2019 was performed in individuals ≥80 years of age where death involved blunt chest trauma, blunt abdominal trauma or multiple blunt-force injuries. Four cases were identified. All of the decedents were males aged 82-89 years (Mage=86 years) with deaths associated with a fall (n=1) and vehicle impacts (n=3). Despite significant and often lethal internal chest/abdominal injuries, none of the cases had external injuries to their torsos. Thus, as Casper’s sign may be present at all ages, the absence of external injury in the elderly may be no reflection of the force of the impact or the degree of resultant skeletal and/or internal organ disruption. This may be pertinent in cases of elder abuse.This research followed students over their first 2 years of college. During this time, many students lose sight of their goals, leading to poor academic performance and leaving STEM and business majors. This research was the first to examine longitudinal changes in future vividness, how those changes impact academic success, and identify sex differences in those relationships. Students who started college with clear pictures of graduation and life after graduation, and those who gained clarity, were more likely to believe in their academic abilities, and, in turn, earn a higher cumulative GPA, and persist in STEM and business. Compared to men, women reported greater initial vividness in both domains. In vividness of graduation, women maintained their advantage with no sex differences in how vividness changed. However, men grew in vividness of life after graduation while women remained stagnant. YM201636 ic50 These findings have implications for interventions to increase academic performance and persistence.