Tool actuation and force feedback on robot-assisted microsurgery system

An input control device with force sensors is configured to sense hand movements of a surgeon performing a robot-assisted microsurgery. The sensed hand movements actuate a mechanically decoupled robot manipulator. A microsurgical manipulator, attached to the robot manipulator, is activated to move small objects and perform microsurgical tasks. A force-feedback element coupled to the robot manipulator and the input control device provides the input control device with an amplified sense of touch in the microsurgical manipulator

The effects of supervision upon effort during resistance training: A Bayesian analysis of previous observational data and an experimental study of private strength clinic members

Supervision during resistance training (RT) may enhance strength gains by optimizing trainee effort. We investigated supervision’s role in effort during RT in a unique setting with private strength clinics, where members train either unsupervised (“Core” membership) or supervised by a qualified exercise scientist (“Assisted” membership). Using both retrospective analysis of member training records and a prospective experimental study, we examined supervision’s impact on exercise performance, measured as time under load (TUL), rating of perceived effort (RPE), and rating of perceived discomfort (RPD). Bayesian methods were applied, using empirically informed prior distributions from retrospective data to model the experimental study. The previous observational sample included ~1000 members training sessions from each membership type, while the experimental study involved 45 Core members performing both supervised and unsupervised sessions in randomized order, using their current training loads to momentary failure. Our findings suggest that, in real-world settings (in situ), exercise performance differed little between supervised and unsupervised training. However, in our experimental study, supervision improved TUL (Core = 125.12 [95%QI: 113.70, 131.90] sec; Assisted = 147.35 [95%QI: 134.29, 154.81] sec; contrast = -22.10 [95%QI: -26.60, -17.61] sec). In percentage points RPE was slightly higher with supervision in both previous observational real-world (Core = 53% [95%QI: 51%, 55%]; Assisted = 59% [95%QI: 57%, 61%]; contrast = -6% [95%QI: -8%, -4%]) and experimental settings (Core = 81% [95%QI: 75%, 86%]; Assisted = 87% [95%QI: 83%, 91%]; contrast = -6% [95%QI: -10%, -4%]), suggesting trainees push closer to failure under supervision. This was further supported by higher RPD during the experimental study (Core = 6.3 [95%QI: 5.1, 7.3]; Assisted = 7.5 [95%QI: 6.5, 8.3]; contrast = -1.2 [95%QI: -1.6, -0.9]). Overall, these results reinforce research on the benefits of supervision in RT, indicating that unsupervised trainees—especially in real-world conditions—likely train with suboptimal effort

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

A comparison of career satisfaction amongst dental healthcare professionals across three health care systems: Comparison of data from the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Trinidad & Tobago

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to compare the expressed levels of career satisfaction of three groups of comparable dental healthcare professionals, working in Trinidad, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Methods Three questionnaire surveys were carried out of comparable dental healthcare professionals. Dental nurses in Trinidad and dental therapists in the UK and New Zealand. Questionnaires were sent to all registered dental nurses or dental therapists. Results Career satisfaction was lowest amongst Dental Therapists working in Trinidad and Tobago. Approximately 59% of the Therapists working in New Zealand reported stated that they felt they were not a valued member of the dental team, the corresponding proportion in the United Kingdom was 32%, and for Trinidad 39%. Conclusion Dental therapists working in different healthcare systems report different levels of satisfaction with their career.</p