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Newborn screening (NBS) dramatically improves outcomes in severe childhood disorders by treatment before symptom onset. In many genetic diseases, however, outcomes remain poor because NBS has lagged behind drug development. Rapid whole-genome sequencing (rWGS) is attractive for comprehensive NBS because it concomitantly examines almost all genetic diseases and is gaining acceptance for genetic disease diagnosis in ill newborns. We describe prototypic methods for scalable, parentally consented, feedback-informed NBS and diagnosis of genetic diseases by rWGS and virtual, acute management guidance (NBS-rWGS). Using established criteria and the Delphi method, we reviewed 457 genetic diseases for NBS-rWGS, retaining 388 (85%) with effective treatments. Simulated NBS-rWGS in 454,707UK Biobank subjects with 29,865 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants associated with 388 disorders had a true negative rate (specificity) of 99.7% following root cause analysis. In 2,208 critically ill children with suspected genetic disorders and 2,168 of their parents, simulated NBS-rWGS for 388 disorders identified 104 (87%) of 119 diagnoses previously made by rWGS and 15 findings not previously reported (NBS-rWGS negative predictive value 99.6%, true positive rate [sensitivity] 88.8%). Retrospective NBS-rWGS diagnosed 15 children with disorders that had been undetected by conventional NBS. In 43 of the 104 children, had NBS-rWGS-based interventions been started on day of life 5, the Delphi consensus was that symptoms could have been avoided completely in seven critically ill children, mostly in 21, and partially in 13. We invite groups worldwide to refine these NBS-rWGS conditions and join us to prospectively examine clinical utility and cost effectiveness.

To estimate effects of potentially modifiable risk factors for self-harm among adolescents in the Child Protective Services (CPS) system.Data came from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being, a nationally representative longitudinal survey. Candidate risk factors included child's feelings of worthlessness, the presence of supportive adults in the child's life, and parental psychological aggression. Propensity score weighting (PSW) was used to control for observed confounders, and the average effect of experiencing the risk factor among those who did was estimated using weighted logistic regression.Odds ratios for self-harm comparing youth with low and high parental psychological aggression to none were 0.93 (0.35-2.45) and 1.25 (0.55-2.82), respectively. The OR for feelings of worthlessness was 1.73 (0.70-4.27), and for supportive adults 0.58 (0.28-1.19). The combination of survey and propensity score weights may have affected statistical power.Preventing self-harm in adolescents requires a multifaceted approach given the existing evidence base and lack of strong associations with individual risk factors. Fostering supportive relationships with adults merits future research given the observed, non-significant 42% reduction in odds of self-harm among CPS involved youth who had a supportive relationship with an adult, compared to those who did not.

In this integrative literature review, we synthesize the scant literature from the last 40 years of educational research on how school principals make difficult decisions. Reviewing 15 peer-reviewe...

Patients with cancer are known to be at increased risk for suicide but little is known about the interaction between cancer and psychiatric diagnoses, another well-documented risk factor.Electronic medical records from nine healthcare systems participating in the Mental Health Research Network were aggregated to form a retrospective case-control study, with ICD-9 codes used to identify diagnoses in the 1 year prior to death by suicide for cases (N = 3330) or matching index date for controls (N = 297,034). Conditional logistic regression was used to assess differences in cancer and psychiatric diagnoses between cases and controls, controlling for sex and age.Among patients without concurrent psychiatric diagnoses, cancer at disease sites with lower average 5-year survival rates were associated with significantly greater relative risk, while cancer disease sites with survival rates of70% conferred no increased risk. Patients with most psychiatric diagnoses were at higher risk, however, there was no additional risk conferred to these patients by a concurrent cancer diagnosis.We found no evidence of a synergistic effect between cancer and psychiatric diagnoses. However, cancer patients with a concurrent psychiatric illness remain at the highest relative risk for suicide, regardless of cancer disease site, due to strong independent associations between psychiatric diagnoses and suicide. For patients without a concurrent psychiatric illness, cancer disease sites associated with worse prognoses appeared to confer greater suicide risk.

Non-canonical DNA structures that retain programmability and structural predictability are increasingly being used in DNA nanotechnology applications, where they offer versatility beyond traditional Watson-Crick interactions. The d(CGA) triplet repeat motif is structurally dynamic and can transition between parallel-stranded homo-base paired duplex and anti-parallel unimolecular hairpin in a pH-dependent manner. Here, we evaluate the thermodynamic stability and nuclease sensitivity of oligonucleotides composed of the d(CGA) motif and several structurally related sequence variants. These results show that the structural transition resulting from decreasing the pH is accompanied by both a significant energetic stabilization and decreased nuclease sensitivity as unimolecular hairpin structures are converted to parallel-stranded homo-base paired duplexes. Furthermore, the stability of the parallel-stranded duplex form can be altered by changing the 5′-nucleobase of the d(CGA) triplet and the frequency and position of the altered triplets within long stretches of d(CGA) triplets. This work offers insight into the stability and versatility of the d(CGA) triplet repeat motif and provides constraints for using this pH-adaptive structural motif for creating DNA-based nanomaterials.STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEThis article addresses the stability of the d(CGA) triplet motif and variants in solution. Our study reveals changes in thermodynamic stability and nuclease resistance in response to pH. The identity of the 5′-nucleobase within each triplet and the position and frequency of different triplets within stretches of d(CGA) triplets can tune parallel-stranded duplex stability. This tunability can be used for nanotechnological applications where the specificity of the 5′-nucleobase pairing interaction is used to order of long stretches of d(CGA) triplets. These results can inform the rational design of pH-sensitive structurally switchable DNA-based nanomaterials.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory has developed the latest variant of the Close-In Covert Autonomous Disposable Aircraft (CICADA) micro unmanned glider, the CICADA mk5. Navigation, guidance, and c...

Russian membership in the Council of Europe is a function of two threats: isolation internationally and too much democratization/liberalization domestically. These concerns conditioned Russia’s hal...

This article is based on a keynote address given at the 10th Annual Conference on the Development of Russian Law held at the Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki, on 20–21 November 2017, by Professor Marianna Muravyeva. The article, which reflects political developments at the time of its delivery, explores the origins and consequences of the decision to accept Russia’s application for membership in the Council of Europe.

Russia eagerly ratified the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in 1998. Twenty years later, the chair of its Constitutional Court now expresses resentment at the subordination of Russian sovereignty. A new law expands his Court’s jurisdiction to deny effect to judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, an unprecedented power that has already been used twice. This article analyses this law and its application in its first two years. Both the claim of ‘subordination’ and the Russian response to it, in law and practice, rest on weak legal ground. But Russia’s action also raises deeper theoretical and practical questions for the ECHR as a ‘living instrument’ subject to the ‘evolutive’ interpretations of the Strasbourg Court. If other member states mimic Russia’s response to these issues, a European human rights system premised on the final interpretive authority of an international court could come to its end.

Date Presented 04/01/2022 School trips present challenges for the inclusion and participation of students with disabilities. School trips provide expanded learning opportunities and real-world learning experiences. This research presentation will provide an overview of the challenges, barriers, supports, and strategies reported by parents of children with disabilities in qualitative interviews. OTs, as part of the interdisciplinary team, can facilitate increased school trip participation and inclusion. Primary Author and Speaker: Ann Potter Contributing Authors: Kimberly D. Wynarczuk, Laurie D. Kahn, Eric Sanders, Brenna M. Curley, Lauren Kresge, Corinne Jean-Louis

Background: Human resources are the backbone of health-care delivery systems and the lack of surgical workforce in developing countries is often the greatest challenge to providing surgical care. The workforce availability and composition is an important indicator of the strength of the health system. This study aimed to analyse the distribution of general surgeons within South Africa. Methods: A descriptive analysis of the general surgical workforce in South Africa was performed. The total number of specialist and non-specialist general surgeons working in the public sector in South Africa was documented between the periods from the 1 October 2014 until 31 December 2014. Results: There were significant disparities in the number and distribution of general surgeons in South Africa. There were 1.78 specialist general surgeons per 100 000, of which 0.69 per 100 000 specialist general surgeons were working in the public sector. There were 2.90 non-specialist general surgeons per 100 000. There were 6 specialist general surgeons per 100 000 insured population working in the private sector, which is comparable with the United States (US). Urban provinces such as Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal had the largest number of specialist general surgeons per 100 000. These areas had the largest number of medical aid beneficiaries and nearly 60% of specialist general surgeons were estimated to work exclusively in the private sector. Conclusion: There was a major shortage of surgical providers in South Africa, and in particular the public sector.

A technique for finding and estimating the locations of atmospheric thermals for the purpose of exploiting the updraft energy to enable the aircraft to remain aloft while reducing or eliminating the need to expend fuel or energy and operational regardless of whether the aircraft is under powered flight or is gliding.

Unidimensionality and local independence are two common assumptions of item response theory. The former implies that all items measure a common latent trait, while the latter implies that responses are independent, conditional on respondents’ location on the latent trait. Yet, few tests are truly unidimensional. Unmodeled dimensions may result in test items displaying dependencies, which can lead to misestimated parameters and inflated reliability estimates. In this article, we investigate the dimensionality of interim mathematics tests and evaluate the extent to which modeling minor dimensions in the data change model parameter estimates. We found evidence of minor dimensions, but parameter estimates across models were similar. Our results indicate that minor dimensions outside the primary trait have negligible consequences on parameter estimates. This finding was observed despite the ratio of multidimensional to unidimensional items being above previously recommended thresholds.

Background: An audit of the Fellowship of the College of Surgeons (FCS) of South Africa examination results has not been previously performed. The purpose of this study was to review and determine any predictors of outcome (pass or fail). Methods: The results of the FCS(SA) final examinations from October 2005 to and including October 2014, were retrieved from the College of Medicine of South Africa database. The current format of the examinations consists of two written essay question papers, an objectively structured clinical examination (OSCE), two clinical cases and two oral examinations. These were retrospectively reviewed and analysed. Predictors of failure or success were determined. Results: During the 10-year study period, 472 candidates attempted the examinations. A total of 388 (82%) candidates were successful in the written component of the examination and were subsequently invited to participate in the clinical component of the examinations. Overall, 296 (63%) candidates passed and 176 (37%) failed. There were 51 candidates who were invited to the oral examinations despite an average of less than 50% in the two papers, and 34 (67%) failed the overall examination. Similarly, 126 candidates were invited having failed one of the two papers of which 81 (64%) ultimately failed. A total of 49 candidates failed the OSCE, 82% of these candidates failed overall. There were strong correlations between the averages of the papers versus the orals (Spearman ρ = 0.51), the papers versus the cases (Spearman ρ = 0.50), and the papers versus the OSCE (Spearman ρ = 0.55). Conclusion: The written papers are the main determinant of invitation to the second part of the examination. Candidates with marginal scores in the written component had an overall failure rate of 67%. Failing one paper and passing the other, resulted in an overall failure rate of 64%. Failing the OSCE resulted in an overall 82% failure rate. With the high failure rate of candidates with marginal scores and with the inter-examination variability of the papers, it might be prudent to revisit both the process of invitation selection and the decision to continue with the long-form of the written component.&nbsp

An audit of the Fellowship of the College of Surgeons (FCS) of South Africa examination results has not been previously performed. The purpose of this study was to review and determine any predictors of outcome (pass or fail).The results of the FCS(SA) final examinations from October 2005 to and including October 2014, were retrieved from the College of Medicine of South Africa database. The current format of the examinations consists of two written essay question papers, an objectively structured clinical examination (OSCE), two clinical cases and two oral examinations. These were retrospectively reviewed and analysed. Predictors of failure or success were determined.During the 10-year study period, 472 candidates attempted the examinations. A total of 388 (82%) candidates were successful in the written component of the examination and were subsequently invited to participate in the clinical component of the examinations. Overall, 296 (63%) candidates passed and 176 (37%) failed. There were 51 candidates who were invited to the oral examinations despite an average of less than 50% in the two papers, and 34 (67%) failed the overall examination. Similarly, 126 candidates were invited having failed one of the two papers of which 81 (64%) ultimately failed. A total of 49 candidates failed the OSCE, 82% of these candidates failed overall. There were strong correlations between the averages of the papers versus the orals (Spearman ρ = 0.51), the papers versus the cases (Spearman ρ = 0.50), and the papers versus the OSCE (Spearman ρ = 0.55).The written papers are the main determinant of invitation to the second part of the examination. Candidates with marginal scores in the written component had an overall failure rate of 67%. Failing one paper and passing the other, resulted in an overall failure rate of 64%. Failing the OSCE resulted in an overall 82% failure rate. With the high failure rate of candidates with marginal scores and with the inter-examination variability of the papers, it might be prudent to revisit both the process of invitation selection and the decision to continue with the long-form of the written component.

Synthetic nucleobases presenting non-Watson-Crick arrangements of hydrogen bond donor and acceptor groups can form additional nucleotide pairs that stabilize duplex DNA independent of the standard A:T and G:C pairs. The pair between 2-amino-3-nitropyridin-6-one 2'-deoxyriboside (presenting a {donor-donor-acceptor} hydrogen bonding pattern on the Watson-Crick face of the small component, trivially designated Z) and imidazo[1,2-a]-1,3,5-triazin-4(8H)one 2'-deoxyriboside (presenting an {acceptor-acceptor-donor} hydrogen bonding pattern on the large component, trivially designated P) is one of these extra pairs for which a substantial amount of molecular biology has been developed. Here, we report the results of UV absorbance melting measurements and determine the energetics of binding of DNA strands containing Z and P to give short duplexes containing Z:P pairs as well as various mismatches comprising Z and P. All measurements were done at 1 M NaCl in buffer (10 mM Na cacodylate, 0.5 mM EDTA, pH 7.0). Thermodynamic parameters (ΔH°, ΔS°, and ΔG°

Introduction Osteosarcoma overall survival has plateaued around 70%, without meaningful improvements in over 30years. Outcomes for patients with overt metastatic disease at presentation or who relapse are dismal. In this study we investigated a novel osteosarcoma therapy utilizing radioimmunotherapy (RIT) targeted to IGF2R, which is widely expressed in OS. Methods Binding efficiency of the Rhenium-188(188Re)-labeled IGF2R-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) to IGF2R on OS17 OS cells was assessed with Scatchard plot analysis. Biodistribution studies were performed in heterotopic murine osteosarcoma xenografts. Tumor growth was compared over a 24-day period post-treatment between mice randomized to receive 188Re-labeled IGF2R-specific murine mAb MEM-238 (188Re-MEM-238) or one of three controls: 188Re-labeled isotype control mAb, unlabeled MEM-238, or no treatment. Results Results demonstrate that the radioimmunoconjugate had a high binding constant to IGF2R. Both 188Re-MEM-238 and the isotype control had similar initial distribution in normal tissue. After 48h 188Re-MEM-238 exhibited a 1.8 fold selective uptake within tumor compared to the isotype control (p=0.057). Over 24days, the tumor growth ratio was suppressed in animals treated with RIT compared to unlabeled and untreated controls (p=0.005) as demonstrated by a 38% reduction of IGF2R expressing osteosarcoma cells in the RIT group (p=0.002). Conclusions In conclusion, given the lack of new effective therapies in osteosarcoma, additional investigation into this target is warranted. Advances in knowledge High expression of IGF2R on osteosarcoma tumors, paired with the specificity and in vivo anti-cancer activity of 188Re-labeled IGF2R-specific mAb suggests that IGF2R may represent a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of osteosarcoma. Implications for patient care This targeted approach offers the benefits of being independent of a specific pathway, a resistance mechanism, and/or an inherent biologic tumor trait and therefore is relevant to all OS tumors that express IGF2R.

This study investigates maximizing net power input from a solar-photovoltaic array and/or a thermal updraft while performing constant bank angle, circular flight-path turns (that is, an orbit). The process inputs are the aircraft sink polar (or, equivalently, the power required curve), the date, the time, the location, and the flight altitude. A solar insolation model is combined with a best-turn performance calculation to determine the bank angle that maximizes power input from a solar-photovoltaic array at varying sun elevation angles. In general, for low sun elevation angles, the maximum net power gain from solar input and drag output is found at higher bank angles and shows 15% (absolute) gain over the limiting case of wings-level orbits in the same conditions. For high sun elevation angles, the maximum net power is found at low bank angles. The break point between high and low sun elevation angles varies with aircraft parameters and is approximately 25 deg for the example aircraft in this paper. The ...

This article introduces the construct of indeterminacy and describes its effects on transfer in adult education. Indeterminacy is characterized as a type of stimulus-response relationship in which the stimulus evokes a response that requires secondary and/or ongoing judgments as opposed to evoking a concrete, predetermined response. Following a brief overview of research on transfer in which we highlight the neglect of a systematic study of the construct, we review extant literature from different disciplines in which indeterminacy has been recognized as playing an important role. During this process, we distinguish it from uncertainty and ambiguity. Based on the review, we hypothesize and provide empirical evidence suggesting that indeterminacy diminishes transfer. On this basis, we argue that understanding, measuring, and controlling indeterminacy is important for the study and design of effective adult education programs.

DNAzymes with nucleic acid-cleaving catalytic activity are increasing in versatility through concerted efforts to discover new sequences with unique functions, and they are generating excitement in the sensing community as cheap, stable, amplifiable detection elements. This review provides a comprehensive list and detailed descriptions of the DNAzymes identified to date, classified by their associated small molecule or ion needed for catalysis; of note, this classification clarifies conserved regions of various DNAzymes that are not obvious in the literature. Furthermore, we detail the breadth of functionality of these DNA sequences as well as the range of reaction conditions under which they are useful. In addition, the utility of the DNAzymes in a variety of sensing and therapeutic applications is presented, detailing both their advantages and disadvantages.

Background The perioperative management of antiplatelet therapy in noncardiac surgery patients who have undergone previous percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a dilemma. Continuing dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) may carry a risk of bleeding, while stopping antiplatelet therapy may increase the risk of perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Methods Occurrence of Bleeding and Thrombosis during Antiplatelet Therapy In Non-Cardiac Surgery (OBTAIN) was an international prospective multicentre cohort study of perioperative antiplatelet treatment, MACE, and serious bleeding in noncardiac surgery. The incidences of MACE and bleeding were compared in patients receiving DAPT, monotherapy, and no antiplatelet therapy before surgery. Unadjusted risk ratios were calculated taking monotherapy as the baseline. The adjusted risks of bleeding and MACE were compared in patients receiving monotherapy and DAPT using propensity score matching. Results A total of 917 patients were recruited and 847 were eligible for inclusion. Ninety-six patients received no antiplatelet therapy, 526 received monotherapy with aspirin, and 225 received DAPT. Thirty-two patients suffered MACE and 22 had bleeding. The unadjusted risk ratio for MACE in patients receiving DAPT compared with monotherapy was 1.9 (0.93–3.88), P=0.08. There was no difference in MACE between no antiplatelet treatment and monotherapy 1.03 (0.31–3.46), P=0.96. Bleeding was more frequent with DAPT 6.55 (2.3–17.96) P=0.0002. In a propensity matched analysis of 177 patients who received DAPT and 177 monotherapy patients, the risk ratio for MACE with DAPT was 1.83 (0.69–4.85), P=0.32. The risk of bleeding was significantly greater in the DAPT group 4.00 (1.15–13.93), P=0.031. Conclusions OBTAIN showed an increased risk of bleeding with DAPT and found no evidence for protective effects of DAPT from perioperative MACE in patients who have undergone previous PCI.

Background: The full extent of the global burden of surgical disease is largely unknown, however, the scope of the problem is thought to be large. Despite the substantial burden of surgical disease, surgical services are inaccessible to many of those who need them most. There are disparities between public and private sectors in South Africa, which compound inequitable access to surgical care. This study forms part of a series analysing surgical resources in South Africa.Methods: This study involved a descriptive analysis of surgical resources and included the total number of hospitals, of hospital beds, the number of surgical beds, the number of general surgeons (specialist and non-specialist), and the number of functional operating theatres in South Africa. A comparison was performed between the public and private sectors. Hospitals were contacted during the period from 1 October 2014 until 31 December 2014.Results: Surgical resources were concentrated in metropolitan areas of urban provinces. There were striking differences between the public and private sectors, where private resources were comparable to those available in high income countries (HICs).Conclusion: Improving access to surgical services in lower middle income countries (LMICs) requires addressing gaps between the public and private sector regarding infrastructure, personnel, as well as equipment. These data identified disparities between geographic regions which may be contributing to ongoing inequity in South Africa, and by doing so allows for evidence-based planning towards improving surgical infrastructure and workforce.Keywords: Global surgery, Surgical Resources

Surgery has previously been neglected as a development initiative, despite the obvious effect of surgical illnesses on morbidity and mortality. Recently, greater attention has been given to surgical services, as there is growing evidence of cost-effectiveness of surgical interventions. Operating theatre numbers have been used as a measure of surgical capacity, despite there being limitations associated with this use of this metric. This study aims to analyse part of the surgical resources in South Africa.A descriptive analysis of surgical infrastructure in all nine provinces was performed. The total number of functional operating theatres was documented for all public and private hospitals in South Africa. Hospitals were contacted during the period from 1 October 2014 until 31 December 2014.The results showed 3.59 operating theatres per 100 000 population. This fell below the global average of 6.2 operating theatres per 100 000 as well as other developed countries. Theatres were concentrated in metropolitan areas, and there were a greater number of private operating theatres per insured population than in the uninsured public sector.Strengthening surgical systems will reduce the surgical burden of disease and improve health outcomes globally. Little is known about the available surgical resources such as operating theatre density, although using this metric to evaluate surgical capacity has its limitations.

This chapter discusses the assumption that siblings have a negligible influence on self-development. It examines the premise that siblings are inherently rivalrous. The chapter offers evidence of the biological utility of having a sibling. It focuses on the phenomenology of siblings through the analytic endeavour. Siblings are self-objects, sometimes mirroring, merging, and twinning permanent companions and confidants, and sometimes reviled and rejected repositories of the “not-me”, the other, the disaffected and the disavowed aspects of one’s own self. With siblings with a wider age range there is less intensity, but the eldest can become an unheralded place-holder of the strained emotions of the younger, a parentified child, a few of whom work this through by becoming therapists. A quantum stance is required by patient and analyst, on whether or how the brother or sister is important. In instances where the analyst has suffered the impact of a seriously compromised brother or sister, countertransference phenomena can be more easily grasped.

Human resources are the backbone of health-care delivery systems and the lack of surgical workforce in developing countries is often the greatest challenge to providing surgical care. The workforce availability and composition is an important indicator of the strength of the health system. This study aimed to analyse the distribution of general surgeons within South Africa.A descriptive analysis of the general surgical workforce in South Africa was performed. The total number of specialist and non-specialist general surgeons working in the public sector in South Africa was documented between the periods from the 1 October 2014 until 31 December 2014.There were significant disparities in the number and distribution of general surgeons in South Africa. There were 1.78 specialist general surgeons per 100 000, of which 0.69 per 100 000 specialist general surgeons were working in the public sector. There were 2.90 non-specialist general surgeons per 100 000. There were 6 specialist general surgeons per 100 000 insured population working in the private sector, which is comparable with the United States (US). Urban provinces such as Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal had the largest number of specialist general surgeons per 100 000. These areas had the largest number of medical aid beneficiaries and nearly 60% of specialist general surgeons were estimated to work exclusively in the private sector.There was a major shortage of surgical providers in South Africa, and in particular the public sector.

Analogical reasoning is common in legal writing, just as analogies are a part of everyday life. Indeed, they may be inescapable features of human cognition. Used well, analogies illuminate the writer’s reasons and persuade the reader. Used poorly, however, they may obscure or even replace the precision and detail in reasoning that is crucial to the development of law. Without entering the ongoing debate about the nature of human thought, this article explores some of the dangers present in the relationship that analogy maintains with law. In particular, the article examines the risks inherent in analogizing across a technological or social divide. The article concludes by noting the long-term consequences of analogies and metaphors in shaping thought and, therefore, society.

Schistosomiasis is a waterborne trematode with numerous subtypes affecting different areas of the body. Rob Ferreira Hospital is located in an endemic area for schistosomiasis in the Lowveld region of South Africa. We set out to determine the prevalence of Sch istosoma in appendicitis. From 2009 to 2013, all appendix samples removed in theatre were reviewed. A total of 304 cases were retrieved. Viable ova, calcified ova, or schistosomal granulomas was considered proof of exposure. Thirty-one out of the 304 cases revealed evidence of schistosomal exposure, equating to 10.2 %. A prevalence of more than 10 % is truly significant seeing as how a delayed diagnosis can lead to serious complications, or how a misdiagnosis can result in unnecessary and often protracted treatment with harmful drugs.

With many anatomy courses within the medical curriculum suffering reductions in lecture and dissection time, supplementary programs in anatomy have shown to improve performance of medical students. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of anatomy workshops on undergraduate anatomy grade performance.From 2012 to 2014, mean anatomy and physiology scores of medical students who attended anatomy workshops were compared to those who did not attend. Furthermore, mean scores in anatomy were also compared between students who attended one workshop to those who attended multiple workshops. Data analyses included comparing mean test scores using Student's t-test for normally distributed data.A total of 55 medical students were included in this study. Significant differences in both anatomy (p0.0001) and physiology (p = 0.0113) scores were found between medical students who attended the anatomy workshops versus those who did not. Similarly, medical students who attended multiple workshops, compared to those that attended a single workshop, obtained significantly higher anatomy grade performance (p = 0.0043).The results of this study are supported by comparable studies that have shown similar improvements in grade performance. In a time where reduced undergraduate medical teaching time is prevalent, supplementary education in the basic sciences, with an emphasis on anatomy, may prove a successful adjunct to the medical curriculum.

The UCT Student Surgical Society is an undergraduate surgical society based at the University of Cape Town (UCT) which aims to promote surgical education amongst medical students early in their medical careers. Founded in 2006, this was Africa's first student surgical society and has been joined by other medical schools in Africa also establishing their own undergraduate student surgical societies. In this review of the first 10 years of the society, we describe its objectives, its evolution and its international role.