Development and Evaluation of a Bariatric Mannequin Simulation System.

Physical assessment of obese patients is an essential clinical skill for identifying the numerous health problems of obese patients and monitoring treatment effectiveness. Use of simulation mannequins facilitates teaching and learning of physical assessment. Available bariatric simulation mannequins have poor functional design, unrealistic appearance, and limited assessment functions.

Comparison of Laboratory Confirmed Drugs in Acute Recreational Drug Toxicity Presentations to an Urban Hospital in London, UK, 2016/17 versus 2019/20.

Introduction: Novel Psychoactive Substance (NPS) use is increasingly prevalent and is often associated with severe acute recreational drug toxicity (ARDT). 258 UK deaths were attributed to NPS use in 2021. Confirmatory testing which identifies NPS is limited by expense and timeliness.

The Emerging Cloud: a survey of vapers, their health and utilization of healthcare within the UK.

Background: Recent work in the UK estimated the prevalence of current cannabinoid-based vaping to be higher than in the USA, a factor previously associated with e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI). Research in the USA has demonstrated that attendances to emergency departments relating to e-cigarettes began to rise before the EVALI outbreak, suggesting that vapers also experience milder forms of vaping-related illness.

Aim: Quantify symptom prevalence and healthcare utilization amongst current UK vapers.

A Machine-Learning Algorithm for the Automated Perceptual Evaluation of Dysphonia Severity.

Objectives: Auditory-perceptual assessments are the gold standard for assessing voice quality. This project aims to develop a machine-learning model for measuring perceptual dysphonia severity of audio samples consistent with assessments by expert raters.

Methods: The Perceptual Voice Qualities Database samples were used, including sustained vowel and Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice sentences, which were previously expertly rated on a 0-100 scale.

Cannabinoid Use in the Treatment of Laryngeal Dystonia and Vocal Tremor: A Pilot Investigation.

Objectives/hypothesis: Laryngeal dystonia and vocal tremor can be debilitating conditions with suboptimal treatment options. Botulinum toxin chemodenervation is typically the first-line treatment and is considered the gold standard. However, patient response to botulinum toxin varies widely.