Re-thinking clinical assessment: What can we learn from the medical literature?

This article explores the literature available in the field of medical education on the topic of clinical assessment, in order to suggest different ways of assessing clinical experience that may not have been considered within undergraduate radiography programmes. The medical literature is contrasted with the clinical assessment currently being used in a medical imaging programme in New Zealand, with the aim of offering suggestions that may benefit the assessment of the clinical and professional elements of radiography programmes more generally.The authors conclude that ideally students need to be assessed in the clinical domain by multiple assessors, with varied assessment methods used repeatedly over a period of time and with the provision of frequent and constructive feedback. Various methods of clinical assessment are suggested and it is emphasised that the methods selected need to be valid, reliable and psychometrically supported. This encourages an evidence-based practice approach that is supportive of on-going programme development and change.     

Time-series classification of Sentinel-1 agricultural data over North Dakota

Accurate measurements of agricultural land cover are important for monitoring global food security, economic stability, and environmental conditions. Since significant portions of global agricultural land are frequently cloud covered, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has been shown to be a reliable form of gathering crop measurements, even in regions where acquiring clear optical imagery is challenging. In this work, repeat coverage from the C-band Sentinel-1 satellite over a portion of North Dakota is used to classify individual agricultural land-cover types. In this approach the times series forms the basis of a classification algorithm, where individual pixels are compared against a model of average crop backscatter response and classified as the crop with the least difference from the model. Multiple variations on the analysis are run to test the influence of polarization, iterations in model building, number of training fields, and validation input on the classification accuracy. It is shown that both VV and VH polarizations individually and combined are routinely able to produce overall accuracies above 90% when using multiple iterations in model building. These results show the potential for SAR-based agricultural land cover classifications built from comprehensive time series data.     

Bridging the Gap: Innovative Approaches to Continuing Education in Rural,Remote, and Isolated First Nation Communities

Access to education, communication, and support is essential for achieving and maintaining a skilled healthcare workforce. Delivering affordable and accessible continuing education for healthcare providers in rural, remote, and isolated First Nation communities is challenging due to barriers such as geography, isolation, costs, and staff shortages. The innovative use of technology, such as on‐line courses and webinars, will be presented as a highly effective approach to increase access to continuing education for healthcare providers in these settings. A case study will be presented demonstrating how a national, not‐for‐profit health care organization has partnered with healthcare providers in these communities to support care at the local level through various technology‐based knowledge exchange activities.     

Examination of the latent factor structure and construct validity of the stigma of suicide scale-short form

A major limitation of research on attitudes toward suicide is that most measures lack evidence of a stable factor structure. To investigate the structure of recently developed stigma of suicide scale-short form (SOSS-SF), we conducted an exploratory factor analysis in a sample of 499 undergraduates. Results revealed a three-factor structure: Stigma, Isolation/Depression, and Glorification/Normalization. We also identified good convergent and discriminant validity between the SOSS-SF and related constructs. In a separate sample of 570 undergraduates, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) demonstrated adequate fit for the three-factor model. In addition, a multiple-group CFA demonstrated invariance across gender.     

Lifetime stress experience: transgenerational epigenetics and germ cell programming

The transgenerational epigenetic programming involved in the passage of environmental exposures to stressful periods from one generation to the next has been examined in human populations, and mechanistically in animal models. Epidemiological studies suggest that gestational exposures to environmental factors including stress are strongly associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorders. Both maternal and paternal life experiences with stress can be passed on to offspring directly during pregnancy or through epigenetic marks in the germ cell. Animal models of parental stress have examined relevant offspring phenotypes and transgenerational outcomes, and provided unique insight into the germ cell epigenetic changes associated with disruptions in neurodevelopment. Understanding germline susceptibility to exogenous signals during stress exposure and the identification of the types of epigenetic marks is critical for defining mechanisms underlying disease risk.     

Lacrimal gland abscess in children: Two case reports and literature review

Acute suppurative bacterial dacryoadenitis (ASBD) with abscess formation is rarely seen in clinical practice. A retrospective review of medical records in the past 8 years identified two unilateral cases in children, one developed presumably after methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) conjunctivitis and the other due to community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infection. Computerized tomography scans showed globe indentation by the enlarged lacrimal glands with rim-enhancing lesions. After failing to respond to intravenous antibiotics, both abscesses resolved promptly with surgical drainage without any long-term sequelae.     

The Fetal 3‐Vessel Views: An Illustrative Case‐Based Tutorial

In 2018, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine revised its obstetric Practice Parameter for the second‐trimester fetal anatomic survey. The 2018 Practice Parameter recommends incorporation of the 3‐vessel view and 3‐vessel and trachea view “if technically feasible.” Sonographers and other medical providers may require additional training and education to develop greater proficiency in obtaining and interpreting these views. This pictorial essay, including ultrasound images alongside their respective schematic diagrams, provides an up‐to‐date, practical, and clinically oriented review of the 3‐vessel view and 3‐vessel and trachea view and their most common presentations in the context of congenital heart disease.     

Tissue engineering: A promising therapeutic approach to necrotizing enterocolitis

Tissue engineering is a promising potential candidate for treating intestinal failure resulting from necrotizing enterocolitis. This requires the acquisition, preparation and implantation of autologous organoid units. This may be affected by the complexities of periods of storage of viable donor tissue and delayed implantation. This chapter addresses the development, methodology, and application of tissue-engineered intestine in the experimental and clinical setting. Tissue engineering has the potential of avoiding the inherent toxicities of intestinal transplantation and prolonged immunosuppression.