Cardiac assessment accuracy by students using palm-held ultrasound compared to physical examination by skilled cardiologists: a pilot study with a single medical student.

Background: Despite the inherent limitations of the traditional cardiac physical examination (PE), it has not yet been replaced by a more accurate method.

Methods: We hypothesized that a single medical student, following a brief training (two academic hours) with the PHU, will better identify abnormal findings including significant valvular diseases, pericardial effusion and reduced LV function, as compared to PE performed by senior cardiologists and cardiology fellows. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) served as a 'gold standard'.

Designing Bacterial Chemotactic Receptors Guided by Photonic Femtoliter Well Arrays for Quantifiable, Label-Free Measurement of Bacterial Chemotaxis.

Whole cell bioreporters, such as bacterial cells, can be used for environmental and clinical sensing of specific analytes. However, the current methods implemented to observe such bioreporters in the form of chemotactic responses heavily rely on microscope analysis, fluorescent labels, and hard-to-scale microfluidic devices. Herein, we demonstrate that chemotaxis can be detected within minutes using intrinsic optical measurements of silicon femtoliter well arrays (FMAs).

In vitro exposure of nasal epithelial cells to atmospheric dust.

Dust storms are common phenomena in many parts of the world, and significantly increase the level of atmospheric particulate matter (PM). The soil-derived dust is a mixture of organic and inorganic particles and even remnants of pesticides from agricultural areas nearby. The risk of human exposure to atmospheric dust is well documented, but very little is known on the impact of inhaled PM on the biological lining of the nasal cavity, which is the natural filter between the external environment and the respiratory tract.

Obsessive-compulsive tendencies are related to indecisiveness and reliance on feedback in a neutral color judgment task.

Background And Objectives: The present study was designed to test whether OC tendencies are associated with indecisiveness and increased need for objective feedback in vague decision situations. This hypothesis was tested using a neutral color judgment task that places minimal demands on working memory.

Methods: Sixty-one participants completed several measures of OC symptoms and tendencies.

An unusual petition for posthumous sperm retrieval? What does it add to the debate?

Posthumous sperm retrieval is still a controversial procedure. The Israel Ministry of Health has recently issued guidelines to regulate the procedure and a recent unusual petition in Israel for posthumous retrieval sheds new and interesting light on the dilemmas involved. This paper examines the petition, both in its own right and by comparing it to the more frequent situation where the surviving partner of a suddenly deceased man petitions for his sperm to be collected for insemination into herself.