Military medicine
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Powered prostheses are a promising new technology that may help people with lower-limb loss improve their ability to perform locomotion tasks. Developing active prostheses requires robust design methodologies and intelligent controllers to appropriately provide assistance to the user for varied tasks in different environments. The purpose of this study was to validate an impedance control strategy for a powered knee and ankle prosthesis using an embedded sensor suite of encoders and a six-axis load cell that would aid an individual in performing common locomotion tasks, such as level walking and ascending/descending slopes. ⋯ This work presents a strategy that requires minimal tuning for a powered knee & ankle prosthesis that scales across a nominal range of both walking speeds and ramp slopes.
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Musculoskeletal overuse injuries are a serious problem in the military, particularly in basic combat training, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars lost because of limited duty days, medical treatment, and high rates of reinjury. Injury risk models have been developed using peripheral computed tomography (pQCT)-based injury correlates. However, pQCT image capture on large number of recruits is not practical for military settings. Thus, this article presents a method to derive spatial density pQCT images from much lower resolution but more accessible dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). ⋯ High potential exists to create a practical protocol using DXA in place of pQCT to assess stress fracture risk and aid in mitigating musculoskeletal injuries seen in military recruits.
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Point-of-injury extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (eFAST) may identify life-threatening torso hemorrhage and expedite casualty evacuation. The purpose of this study was to compare combat medic eFAST performance between the novel and conventional ultrasound (US) transducers. ⋯ Extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma exam times was faster with the conventional transducers. Combat medics performed diagnostically accurate eFASTs with both transducer types in a simulated aid station setting after a brief training intervention. Conventional transducers were rated higher for ease-of-use.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A Randomized Trial of Mentored vs Nonmentored Military Medics Compared in the Application of a Wound Clamp Without Prior Training: When to Shut Up and Just Watch!
Hemorrhage control is a basic task required of first responders and typically requires technical interventions during stressful circumstances. Remote telementoring (RTM) utilizes information technology to guide inexperienced providers, but when this is useful remains undefined. ⋯ Thirty-three medics participated (16 mentored and 17 nonmentored). All (100%) successfully applies the WC to arrest the simulated hemorrhage. RTM significantly slowed hemorrhage control (P = 0.000) between the mentored (40.4 ± 12.0 seconds) and nonmentored (15.2 ± 10.3 seconds) groups. On posttask questionnaire, all medics subjectively rated the difficulty of the wound clamping as 1.7/10 (10 being extremely hard). Discussion: WC application appeared to be an easily acquired technique that was effective in controlling simulated extremity exsanguination, such that RTM while feasible did not improve outcomes. Limitations were the lack of true stress and using simulation for the task. Future research should focus on determining when RTM is useful and when it is not required.
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To characterize and compare the scholarly activity of applicants to Army First Year Graduate Medical Education (FYGME) general surgery positions over the course of a residency. ⋯ The majority of applications for general surgery residencies have no prior research publications. However, after 6 years, graduates of a general surgery residency have significantly published out those not selected for training.