Assessing the Potential for Error in Investigating Intraneural Vascularity: A Need for a Standardized Imaging Protocol.

Objective: This study examined the implementation of a Doppler sonography imaging protocol to assess intraneural blood flow, within the median nerve, in healthy individuals.

Materials And Methods: A total of 176 participants were examined, and this involved 717 retrospective observations of the images collected. The implemented imaging protocol was assessed, and the data that were collected were cleaned and checked for fidelity and validity.

A Pilot Study Comparing Aortic Sonography, Flow Cytometry, and Coronary CT.

Purpose: To improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction by combining screening techniques and to determine whether the combination of sonographic aortic calcification quantification, measurement of aortic intimal thickness, and monocyte laboratory values provides improved diagnostic detection compared with computed tomography (CT) calcium scoring.

Methods: A pre-experimental design was used to collect imaging, demographic, and biometric data. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 11 volunteers aged 40 to 60 years, including 6 men and 5 women.

Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Radiographers: An Exploration of Self-reported Symptoms.

Purpose: To explore self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms in radiographers registered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) in the United States. There is a gap in the literature focusing on the unique set of risk factors for radiographers.

Methods: A subset of ARRT radiographers received an email invitation to complete an online survey that included questions about their experience with musculoskeletal symptoms and their exposure to potential risk factors for those symptoms.

Uncovering the Value of a Historical Paper-Based Collaborative Artifact: The Nursing Unit's Kardex System.

We identify useful functions and usability characteristics of a historical cognitive artifact used by nurses working in a hospital unit, the Kardex. By identifying aspects of a widely used artifact, we uncover opportunities to improve the usefulness of current systems for hospital nurses. We conducted semi-structured interviews with registered nurses about their prior experience with the Kardex.

Collaborating with radiographers to address their work-related musculoskeletal discomfort.

The prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) symptoms in radiographers is high, similar to other healthcare occupations that involve high levels of physical exertion (e.g. patient handling; grasping and moving equipment).

Change in Drop-Landing Mechanics Over 2 Years in Young Athletes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background: While between-limb landing asymmetries after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are linked with poor function and risk of additional injury, it is not currently understood how landing symmetry changes over time after ACLR.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose was to investigate how double-legged drop vertical jump (DVJ) landing and single-legged drop-landing symmetry changed from the time of return-to-sport (RTS) clearance to 2 years later in a prospective cohort of young athletes after ACLR. It was hypothesized that double-legged DVJ landing and single-legged drop-landing symmetry would improve from the time of RTS to 2 years later.

Developing Evidence-Based Design Guidelines for Medical/Surgical Hospital Patient Rooms That Meet the Needs of Staff, Patients, and Visitors.

Objectives: This research investigated medical/surgical (Med/Surg) patient room design to accommodate the needs of hospital staff, while at the same time accommodating the needs of patients and their visitors.

Background: Designing hospital patient rooms that provide a comfortable healing experience for patients, while at the same time meeting the needs of the hospital staff, is a challenging process. Prior research has shown that many hospital patient room designs adversely affect the ability of hospital staff to perform their tasks effectively, efficiently, and safely.

Value and Usage of a Workaround Artifact: A Cognitive Work Analysis of "Brains" Use by Hospital Nurses.

We identify the value and usage of a cognitive artifact used by hospital nurses. By analyzing the value and usage of workaround artifacts, unmet needs using intended systems can be uncovered. A descriptive study employed direct observations of registered nurses at two hospitals using a paper workaround ("brains") and the Electronic Health Record.

Clinical measures associated with knee function over two years in young athletes after ACL reconstruction.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate how patient-reported knee function changed over a two-year period in young athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and return-to-sport (RTS), and to determine the impact of clinical measures, after controlling for demographic and surgical covariates.

Methods: At the time of RTS after primary, unilateral ACLR, the following data were collected in 67 young athletes: Quadriceps (QF), hamstring (HS), and hip abduction (HA) strength; knee range-of-motion, effusion, and anterior laxity; and patient-reported function using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). At two years post-RTS, patient-reported function was reevaluated using the KOOS.

Lower patient-reported function at 2 years is associated with elevated knee cartilage T1rho and T2 relaxation times at 5 years in young athletes after ACL reconstruction.

Purpose: The purpose was to test the following hypotheses: (1) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of early knee cartilage degeneration would be present in the involved limb of young athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and (2) poor knee function would be associated with MRI markers of cartilage degeneration.

Methods: Twenty-five young athletes after primary, unilateral ACLR (mean age, 16.7 years) were followed to 5-year post-return-to-sport (RTS) clearance, as a part of a larger, prospective cohort study in young athletes post-ACLR.

A Grounded Theoretical Analysis of Room Elements Desired by Family Members and Visitors of Hospitalized Patients: Implications for Medical/Surgical Hospital Patient Room Design.

Objective:: To identify family members' and visitors' needs with relation to the design of a hospital room.

Background:: There is a trend toward incorporating family zones in hospital patient rooms in order to improve patient satisfaction and encourage family caregivers to stay longer and overnight.

Method:: A mixed-method study was employed.

Hypoxia compounds exercise-induced free radical formation in humans; partitioning contributions from the cerebral and femoral circulation.

This study examined to what extent the human cerebral and femoral circulation contribute to free radical formation during basal and exercise-induced responses to hypoxia. Healthy participants (5♂, 5♀) were randomly assigned single-blinded to normoxic (21% O) and hypoxic (10% O) trials with measurements taken at rest and 30 min after cycling at 70% of maximal power output in hypoxia and equivalent relative and absolute intensities in normoxia. Blood was sampled from the brachial artery (a), internal jugular and femoral veins (v) for non-enzymatic antioxidants (HPLC), ascorbate radical (A, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation (spectrophotometry).

Conceptual frameworks for the workplace change adoption process: elements integration from decision making and learning cycle process.

Unlabelled: Sound workplace ergonomics and safety-related interventions may be resisted by employees, and this may be detrimental to multiple stakeholders. Understanding fundamental aspects of decision-making, behavioural change, and learning cycles may provide insights into pathways influencing employees' acceptance of interventions. This manuscript reviews published literature on thinking processes and other topics relevant to decision making and incorporates the findings into two new conceptual frameworks of the workplace change adoption process.

Meeting Patient Expectations During Hospitalization: A Grounded Theoretical Analysis of Patient-Centered Room Elements.

Objectives: To identify patient needs and expectations that can be utilized to inform the design or renovation of medical-surgical patient rooms in a hospital.

Background: There is an increased interest in supportive room design to increase patient satisfaction and improve the healing process.

Methods: Patients' and family caregivers' reactions were elicited to intentional room elements embedded in a set of five full-scale simulated room prototypes.

Nitrite and S-Nitrosohemoglobin Exchange Across the Human Cerebral and Femoral Circulation: Relationship to Basal and Exercise Blood Flow Responses to Hypoxia.

Background: The mechanisms underlying red blood cell (RBC)-mediated hypoxic vasodilation remain controversial, with separate roles for nitrite () and S-nitrosohemoglobin (SNO-Hb) widely contested given their ability to transduce nitric oxide bioactivity within the microcirculation. To establish their relative contribution in vivo, we quantified arterial-venous concentration gradients across the human cerebral and femoral circulation at rest and during exercise, an ideal model system characterized by physiological extremes of O tension and blood flow.

Methods: Ten healthy participants (5 men, 5 women) aged 24±4 (mean±SD) years old were randomly assigned to a normoxic (21% O) and hypoxic (10% O) trial with measurements performed at rest and after 30 minutes of cycling at 70% of maximal power output in hypoxia and equivalent relative and absolute intensities in normoxia.

Collaborating with mammographers to address their work-related musculoskeletal discomfort.

Mammographers are an understudied group of health care workers, yet the prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) symptoms in mammographers appears to be elevated, similar to many occupations in health care. In this study, we used a participatory approach to identify needs and opportunities for developing interventions to reduce mammographers' exposures to risk factors that lead to the development of MSK symptoms. In this paper, we present a number of those needs and several intervention concepts along with evaluations of those concepts from experienced mammographers.

Klippel-Trénaunay Syndrome: Need for Careful Clinical Classification.

Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome (KTS) is a rare congenital malformation characterized by a triad of clinical presentations: (1) capillary malformations manifesting as a "port wine stain"; (2) limb hypertrophy; and (3) venous varicosities. It is distinguished from Parkes-Weber syndrome by the absence of substantial arteriovenous shunting. Due to the clinical implications of an arteriovenous fistula, differentiation between the two syndromes is important, as the prognosis and treatment greatly differ.

Detection of Intraneural Median Nerve Microvascularity Using Contrast-Enhanced Sonography: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: Demonstrating vascularity within the human median nerve may be difficult using power Doppler sonography. To this end, a pilot study documenting contrast-enhanced vascularity of the median nerve was conducted.

Methods: Patients undergoing contrast-enhanced transthoracic echocardiography were recruited for this study (n = 24).

Collaborating with cardiac sonographers to develop work-related musculoskeletal disorder interventions.

For more than two decades, surveys of imaging technologists, including cardiac sonographers, diagnostic medical sonographers and vascular technologists, have consistently reported high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal discomfort (WRMSD). Yet, intervention research involving sonographers is limited. In this study, we used a participatory approach to identifying needs and opportunities for developing interventions to reduce sonographers' exposures to WRMSD risk factors.

Hospital Patient Room Design: The Issues Facing 23 Occupational Groups Who Work in Medical/Surgical Patient Rooms.

Objective: The aim of this study was to learn from a wide range of hospital staff members about how the design of the patient room in which they work adversely affects their ergonomics or hinders their job performance.

Background: In addition to providing a healing space for patients, hospital patient rooms need to serve as functional workplaces for the people who provide clinical care, to clean, or to maintain room functions. Therefore, from a design perspective, it is important to understand the needs of all the users of hospital patient rooms with regard to room design.

Arterial hypoxaemia and its impact on coagulation: significance of altered redox homeostasis.

Aims: Arterial hypoxaemia stimulates free radical formation. Cellular studies suggest this may be implicated in coagulation activation though human evidence is lacking. To examine this, an observational study was designed to explore relationships between systemic oxidative stress and haemostatic responses in healthy participants exposed to inspiratory hypoxia.

Carpal tunnel syndrome severity staging using sonographic and clinical measures.

Introduction: Ultrasonography may be valuable in staging carpal tunnel syndrome severity, especially by combining multiple measures. This study aimed to develop a preliminary severity staging model using multiple sonographic and clinical measures.

Methods: Measures were obtained in 104 participants.

Diagnostic ultrasound imaging of mouse diaphragm function.

Function analysis of rodent respiratory skeletal muscles, particularly the diaphragm, is commonly performed by isolating muscle strips using invasive surgical procedures. Although this is an effective method of assessing in vitro diaphragm activity, it involves non-survival surgery. The application of non-invasive ultrasound imaging as an in vivo procedure is beneficial since it not only reduces the number of animals sacrificed, but is also suitable for monitoring disease progression in live mice.

Transcompartmental inflammatory responses in humans: IV versus endobronchial administration of endotoxin*.

Objectives: Transcompartmental signaling during early inflammation may lead to propagation of disease to other organs. The time course and the mechanisms involved are still poorly understood. We aimed at comparing acute transcompartmental inflammatory responses in humans following lipopolysaccharide-induced pulmonary and systemic inflammation.

Use of contrast-enhanced sonography to investigate intraneural vascularity in a cohort of Macaca fascicularis with suspected median mononeuropathy.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to provide clinical evidence of the use of contrast-enhanced sonography in detecting and quantifying changes in intraneural vascularity due to median mononeuropathy.

Methods: Five Macaca fascicularis monkeys were exposed to 20 weeks of repetitive work to increase their risk of developing median mononeuropathy. Contrast-enhanced sonograms were obtained in 30-second increments for 7 minutes while a contrast agent was being delivered.