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Abstract Introduction: Community health workers and promotoras (CHW/Ps) increasingly support research conducted in communities but receive variable or no training. We developed a culturally and linguistically tailored research best practices course for CHW/Ps that can be taken independently or in facilitated groups. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the facilitated training. Methods: CHW/Ps were recruited from communities and partners affiliated with study sites in Michigan, Florida, and California. They participated in virtual or in-person training facilitated by a peer in English or Spanish and then completed a survey about their abilities (i.e., knowledge and skills for participating in research-related work) and perceptions of the training. Linear regression analyses were used to examine differences in training experience across several factors. Results: A total of 394 CHW/Ps, mean age 41.6 ± 13.8 years, completed the training and survey (n = 275 English; 119 Spanish). Most CHW/Ps were female (80%), and 50% identified as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish. Over 95% of CHW/Ps rated their abilities as improved after training; 98% agreed the course was relevant to their work and felt the training was useful. Small differences were observed between training sites. Discussion: Most CHW/Ps rated the training positively and noted improved knowledge and skills for engaging in research-related work. Despite slight site differences, the training was well received, and CHW/Ps appreciated having a facilitator with experience working in community-based settings. This course offers a standard and scalable approach to training the CHW/P workforce. Future studies can examine its uptake and effect on research quality.

BackgroundCommunication is a critical component of the patient-provider relationship; however, limited research exists on the role of nonverbal communication. Virtual human training is an informatics-based educational strategy that offers various benefits in communication skill training directed at providers. Recent informatics-based interventions aimed at improving communication have mainly focused on verbal communication, yet research is needed to better understand how virtual humans can improve verbal and nonverbal communication and further elucidate the patient-provider dyad. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to enhance a conceptual model that incorporates technology to examine verbal and nonverbal components of communication and develop a nonverbal assessment that will be included in the virtual simulation for further testing. MethodsThis study will consist of a multistage mixed methods design, including convergent and exploratory sequential components. A convergent mixed methods study will be conducted to examine the mediating effects of nonverbal communication. Quantitative (eg, MPathic game scores, Kinect nonverbal data, objective structured clinical examination communication score, and Roter Interaction Analysis System and Facial Action Coding System coding of video) and qualitative data (eg, video recordings of MPathic–virtual reality [VR] interventions and student reflections) will be collected simultaneously. Data will be merged to determine the most crucial components of nonverbal behavior in human-computer interaction. An exploratory sequential design will proceed, consisting of a grounded theory qualitative phase. Using theoretical, purposeful sampling, interviews will be conducted with oncology providers probing intentional nonverbal behaviors. The qualitative findings will aid the development of a nonverbal communication model that will be included in a virtual human. The subsequent quantitative strand will incorporate and validate a new automated nonverbal communication behavior assessment into the virtual human simulation, MPathic-VR, by assessing interrater reliability, code interactions, and dyadic data analysis by comparing Kinect responses (system recorded) to manually scored records for specific nonverbal behaviors. Data will be integrated using building integration to develop the automated nonverbal communication behavior assessment and conduct a quality check of these nonverbal features. ResultsSecondary data from the MPathic-VR randomized controlled trial data set (210 medical students and 840 video recordings of interactions) were analyzed in the first part of this study. Results showed differential experiences by performance in the intervention group. Following the analysis of the convergent design, participants consisting of medical providers (n=30) will be recruited for the qualitative phase of the subsequent exploratory sequential design. We plan to complete data collection by July 2023 to analyze and integrate these findings. ConclusionsThe results from this study contribute to the improvement of patient-provider communication, both verbal and nonverbal, including the dissemination of health information and health outcomes for patients. Further, this research aims to transfer to various topical areas, including medication safety, informed consent processes, patient instructions, and treatment adherence between patients and providers. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/46601

This article discusses a case of a 35-year-old woman who was referred for an ultrasound examination of her left calf, which had become atrophic over the past five months. The woman had a history of cerebral sinus venous thrombosis and was taking clopidogrel. Previous tests had suggested chronic axonal injury of the left tibial nerve. The ultrasound examination revealed denervation atrophy of the left gastrocnemius muscle and intraneural hemorrhage of the left sciatic nerve. The patient was diagnosed with hemorrhagic sciatic/tibial neuropathy, likely caused by antiplatelet medication and lower limb strain. The article emphasizes the potential contribution of ultrasound examination in the management of peripheral nerve disorders. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a case study of a 19-year-old woman who experienced drop foot and lower limb weakness after undergoing bilateral total hip replacement surgery. The patient had a history of corticosteroid use and was also receiving dialysis for end-stage renal disease. Ultrasound examination revealed sciatic nerve entrapment caused by a cerclage wire used during the surgery. The patient underwent revision surgery to remove the wire, and follow-up examinations are being conducted. The article emphasizes the usefulness of diagnostic ultrasound in identifying perioperative complications and highlights the importance of consulting practitioners proficient in ultrasound for accurate diagnosis. [Extracted from the article]

Video-based rehabilitation programs, which are also used in the treatment of neurological disorders, could be a beneficial treatment option for patients who cannot receive treatment. To determine the efficacy of video-based rehabilitation program in the conservative treatment of partial rotator cuff tears in comparison to a physiotherapist-supervised rehabilitation program. A randomized controlled clinical trial. Thirty-three voluntary patients with partial rotator cuff tear were randomized into two groups: video-based rehabilitation (VBR) group and physiotherapist-supervised rehabilitation (PSR) group, for a common 6 weeks rehabilitation program. After drop outs, thirty participants (mean ± SD age, 50.60 ± 8.54 years; 10 female) were finally completed the trial. Active shoulder range of motion, pain, functional status, and health-related quality of life of the patients were assessed before and after treatment. Also, treatment satisfaction level was assessed at the end of the treatment. There was statistically significant improvement in terms of active shoulder range of motion values (mean differences at 95% confidence interval for abduction: 30.75-51.37 in the VBR group, 34.20-54.45 in the PSR group, P =.001 in both groups) and secondary outcome measures within both groups (P <.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in terms of all outcome measures between groups (P >.05). The level of satisfaction from treatment in the PSR group was higher than that in the VBR group. A video-based rehabilitation program is an effective option in terms of shoulder range of motion, pain, functionality, and quality of life and has a comparable success level with a PSR program in the conservative treatment of partial rotator cuff tears. • Video-based rehabilitation program is an effective treatment option to improve shoulder range of motion, pain, functionality, and quality of life in the conservative treatment of partial rotator cuff tears. • It was found that there was no statistically significant difference between video-based and physiotherapist-supervised rehabilitation programs in the conservative treatment of partial rotator cuff tears. • The physiotherapist-supervised rehabilitation group had a better satisfaction level than the video-based rehabilitation program in terms of effect sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to translate and culturally adapt the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot scale (AOFAS-AHFS) into Turkish and determine the selected psychometric properties of the translated version. The AOFAS-AHFS is widely used to evaluate disability associated with foot and ankle injuries but has not yet been translated or culturally adapted for Turkish-speaking individuals. The AOFAS-AHFS was translated into Turkish using the Beaton guidelines. The measurement properties of the Turkish AOFAS-AHFS (internal consistency, construct validity, and floor and ceiling effects) were tested in 72 patients (94 feet, 50 [69.4%] females; average ± SD age 44.88 ± 16.30 years) with a variety of foot and ankle pathologic features. Construct validity was analyzed using the Turkish version of the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) and the Medical Outcomes Study short-form 12-item survey (SF-12). The Turkish version of the AOFAS-AHFS showed excellent test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.91). The correlation coefficients between the AOFAS-AHFS and the FAAM activities of daily living and FAAM sport were r = 0.41, p = .01 and r = 0.37, p = .03, respectively. The correlation coefficients between the AOFAS-AHFS and the SF-12 physical component scale was r = 0.27, p = .08. The weakest correlation was found between the AOFAS-AHFS and the SF-12 mental component scale (r = −0.03, p = .73). The Turkish version of the AOFAS-AHFS has sufficient reliability and validity to measure patient-reported outcomes for Turkish-speaking individuals with a variety of foot and ankle disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Physiatrists are facing with survivors from disasters in both the acute and chronic phases of muscle and nerve injuries. Similar to many other clinical conditions, neuromusculoskeletal ultrasound can play a key role in the management of such cases (with various muscle/nerve injuries) as well. Accordingly, in this article, a recent single-center experience after the Turkey-Syria earthquake will be rendered. Methods Ultrasound examinations were performed for various nerve/muscle lesions in 52 earthquake victims referred from different cities. Demographic features, type of injuries, and applied treatment procedures as well as detailed ultrasonographic findings are illustrated. Results Of the 52 patients, 19 had incomplete peripheral nerve lesions of the brachial plexus (n=4), lumbosacral plexus (n=1), and upper and lower limbs (n=14). Conclusion The ultrasonographic approach during disaster relief is paramount as regards subacute and chronic phases of rehabilitation. Considering technological advances (e.g., portable machines), the use of on-site ultrasound examination in the (very) early phases of disaster response also needs to be on the agenda of medical personnel.

La teoría de los conjuntos aproximados ha abierto nuevas tendencias en el desarrollo de las técnicas de análisis de datos. Dentro de estas es significativo el concepto de reducto, cuya obtención en un sistema de decisión es un proceso computacionalmente costoso aunque importante en análisis de datos y nuevo conocimiento. Debido a esto, se ha hecho necesario desarrollar diferentes variantes para calcular reductos. El presente trabajo investiga la utilidad que ofrece el modelo de los conjuntos aproximados en selección de rasgos y se presenta un nuevo método con el propósito de calcular un buen reducto. Este nuevo método consiste en un algoritmo glotón que usa heurísticas para encontrar un buen reducto en tiempos aceptables. Se presentan, además, los resultados experimentales obtenidos usando diferentes conjuntos de datos.

Rough Sets Theory has opened new trends for the development of data analysis techniques. In this theory, the notion of reduct is very significant, but obtaining a reduct in a decision system is an expensive computing process although very important in data analysis and new discoveries. Because of this, it has been necessary to develop different variants to calculate reducts. The present work looks into the utility that offers Rough Sets in feature selection and a new method is presented with the purpose of calculate a good reduct. This new method consists of a greedy algorithm that uses heuristics to work out a good reduct in acceptable times. Experimental results obtained by using different data sets are presented.

Introduction: Although different dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanners provide different bone mineral density (BMD) values, there is not a gold standard DXA scanner. T-score is used to facilitate the interpretation of BMD, and osteoporosis (OP) is diagnosed based on T-scores. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the BMD and T-score differences between Lunar Prodigy and Hologic Horizon DXA scanners., Methodology: Data were collected for patients with previous BMD measurement on Lunar Prodigy and Hologic Horizon DXA scanners within one year in the same medical center., Results: In a total of 55 patients, BMD values of femoral neck/total, and lumbar vertebrae were all lower at Hologic than Lunar (all p < 0.01). The mean T-score difference at the lumbar spine was 0.74 ± 0.42 (p < 0.001). Of the 49 patients diagnosed as OP (T-score ≤-2.5) with the Hologic, the diagnoses were changed for 25 individuals (51.0 %) with Lunar (p < 0.001). Herewith, although the diagnoses of OP did not change by the repeat technique in other 24 patients (49 %), 13 of them (26.5 %) were categorized as having "high fracture risk" instead of "very high fracture risk" group (i.e., T-score <-3.0). We observed moderate-to-good reliabilities (with an intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] of 0.633-0.878 and 0.733-0.842 for BMD and T-scores, respectively) between measurements with the Lunar and Hologic scanners. Except for one measurement in L3, L4, L1-4 vertebrae, the Bland-Altman plot did not reveal any consistent bias between the measurements of the Lunar and Hologic scanners., Conclusions: The consistency between different DXA scanners (especially for Hologic vs. Lunar) is important for proper management, especially in patients with low T-scores and OP., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The management of chronic migraine (CM) underwent a significant shift with the introduction of onabotulinumtoxin A (BoNT-A) injections following the landmark PREEMPT trial in 2010. Despite its efficacy, the existing injection protocol lacks precision, prompting a call for revision in light of modern ultrasound (US)-guided techniques. This article highlights the potential of US-guided injections to enhance accuracy, safety, and efficacy in CM treatment. By providing real-time visualization and addressing anatomical variations, US guidance offers a promising avenue for optimizing BoNT-A delivery, minimizing adverse effects, and ensuring therapeutic success., (© 2024 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None.

Background: Physiatrists are facing with survivors from disasters in both the acute and chronic phases of muscle and nerve injuries. Similar to many other clinical conditions, neuromusculoskeletal ultrasound can play a key role in the management of such cases (with various muscle/nerve injuries) as well. Accordingly, in this article, a recent single-center experience after the Turkey-Syria earthquake will be rendered., Methods: Ultrasound examinations were performed for various nerve/muscle lesions in 52 earthquake victims referred from different cities. Demographic features, type of injuries, and applied treatment procedures as well as detailed ultrasonographic findings are illustrated., Results: Of the 52 patients, 19 had incomplete peripheral nerve lesions of the brachial plexus (n=4), lumbosacral plexus (n=1), and upper and lower limbs (n=14)., Conclusion: The ultrasonographic approach during disaster relief is paramount as regards subacute and chronic phases of rehabilitation. Considering technological advances (e.g., portable machines), the use of on-site ultrasound examination in the (very) early phases of disaster response also needs to be on the agenda of medical personnel.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to investigate the relationship between sarcopenia and renin-angiotensin system-related disorders and to explore the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers on muscle mass/function and physical performance., Design: This multicenter, cross-sectional study was performed using ISarcoPRM algorithm for the diagnosis of sarcopenia., Results: Of the 2613 participants (mean age = 61.0 ± 9.5 yrs), 1775 (67.9%) were hypertensive. All sarcopenia-related parameters (except chair stand test in males) were worse in hypertensive group than in normotensive group (all P < 0.05). When clinical/potential confounders were adjusted, hypertension was found to be an independent predictor of sarcopenia in males (odds ratio = 2.403 [95% confidence interval = 1.514-3.813]) and females (odds ratio = 1.906 [95% confidence interval = 1.328-2.734], both P < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, we found that all sarcopenia-related parameters (except grip strength and chair stand test in males) were independently/negatively related to hypertension (all P < 0.05). In females, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors users had higher grip strength and chair stand test performance values but had lower anterior thigh muscle thickness and gait speed values, as compared with those using angiotensin II receptor blockers (all P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Hypertension was associated with increased risk of sarcopenia at least 2 times. Among antihypertensives, while angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors had higher muscle function values, angiotensin II receptor blockers had higher muscle mass and physical performance values only in females., Competing Interests: Financial disclosure statements have been obtained, and no conflicts of interest have been reported by the authors or by any individuals in control of the content of this article., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)