A novel affordable user interface for robotic surgery training: design, development and usability study.

Introduction: The use of robotic systems in the surgical domain has become groundbreaking for patients and surgeons in the last decades. While the annual number of robotic surgical procedures continues to increase rapidly, it is essential to provide the surgeon with innovative training courses along with the standard specialization path. To this end, simulators play a fundamental role. Currently, the high cost of the leading VR simulators limits their accessibility to educational institutions. The challenge lies in balancing high-fidelity simulation with cost-effectiveness; however, few cost-effective options exist for robotic surgery training. Methods: This paper proposes the design, development and user-centered usability study of an affordable user interface to control a surgical robot simulator. It consists of a cart equipped with two haptic interfaces, a VR visor and two pedals. The simulations were created using Unity, which offers versatility for expanding the simulator to more complex scenes. An intuitive teleoperation control of the simulated robotic instruments is achieved through a high-level control strategy. Results and Discussion: Its affordability and resemblance to real surgeon consoles make it ideal for implementing robotic surgery training programs in medical schools, enhancing accessibility to a broader audience. This is demonstrated by the results of an usability study involving expert surgeons who use surgical robots regularly, expert surgeons without robotic surgery experience, and a control group. The results of the study, which was based on a traditional Peg-board exercise and Camera Control task, demonstrate the simulator's high usability and intuitive control across diverse user groups, including those with limited experience. This offers evidence that this affordable system is a promising solution for expanding robotic surgery training.

Presencia de COVID-19 en Argentinos menores de 65 años / Presence of COVID-19 in Argentines under 65 years of age

Antecedentes: la presencia del virus COVID-19 se ha asociado con adultos de 65 años o más. Sin embargo, poco se ha destacado en los jóvenes. Objetivos: determinar la asociación de COVID-19 positivo y edad, sexo, índice de masa corporal (IMC), condiciones de salud subyacentes, hospitalización y muerte.Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio transversal en individuos de 18 a 65 años que fueron evaluados para COVID-19 en el Hospital de Agudos Carlos G. Durand de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, en julio de 2020, durante 15 días. Se calcularon datos sobre sexo, edad, tabaquismo, asma e hipertensión. Se utilizó reacción en cadena de la polimerasa con transcriptasa inversa (RT-PCR, del inglés reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) para la detección del ácido ribonucleico ARN de SARS-CoV-2 (en inglés, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). Resultados: se incluyó en el estudio un total de 407 (225 femenino, 55,3%) individuos de 37,5±11,4 años. El 48,6% (189) fue confirmado COVID-19. El IMC promedio fue 27,5±5,2. El 37,1% (151) tenía sobrepeso y el 26,8% (109) era obeso. Hubo una prevalencia significativamente mayor de COVID-19 confirmada en personas con asma (7,9% vs 2,5%; p=0,01). El resultado COVID-19 confirmado se asoció con el sexo masculino (r=-0,12; p=0,02) y la presencia de asma (r=0,11; p=0,02). Los análisis de regresión logística múltiple mostraron que la COVID-19 confirmada se asoció con el sexo masculino (OR 0,62; IC del 95%: 0,42-0,93; p 0,02) y el asma (OR3,30; IC del 95%: 1,17-9,34; p 0,02) ajustado por variables de confusión. Hubo una mayor prevalencia de hipertensión (21,1% vs 5,4%; p=0,024) entre quienes fueron hospitalizados. La hospitalización se asoció con hipertensión (OR5,71 IC del 95%: 1,43-22,75; p 0,014) ajustada por variables de confusión. Conclusiones: la COVID-19 se diagnosticó en individuos menores de 65 años, que es un grupo de edad diferente al reportado habitualmente. La COVID-19 confirmada se asoció con el sexo masculino y el asma. La tasa de individuos hospitalizados fue del 4,4% y se asoció con hipertensión. La tasa de mortalidad de los examinados fue del 0%. Deben realizarse estudios longitudinales futuros para confirmar estos hallazgo

Background: the presence of the COVID-19 virus has been associated with adults aged 65 years and older. However, little has been highlighted in younger people. Objectives: to determine the association of positive COVID-19 and age, sex, body mass index (BMI), underlying health conditions, hospitalization, and death. Materials and methods: a cross-sectional study was performed in individuals aged 18 to 65 who were tested for COVID-19 at a Hospital in Buenos Aires in July 2020 over 15 days. Data on sex, age, smoking, asthma, and hypertension were assessed. RT-PCR was used for the detection of the RNA of SARS-CoV-2. Results: a total of 407 (225 female, 55.3%) individuals aged 37.5±11.4 were included in the study. 48.6% (189) were confirmed COVID-19. The average BMI was 27.5±5.2; 37.1% (151) were overweight and 26.8% (109) obese. There was a significantly higher prevalence of confirmed COVID-19 in individuals with asthma (7.9% vs 2.5%; p=0.01). Confirmed COVID-19 was associated with the male sex (r=-0.12; p=0.02) and the presence of asthma (r=0.11; p=0.02). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that confirmed COVID-19 was associated with male sex (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.42-0.93; p 0.02) and asthma (OR3.30, 95% CI 1.17-9.34; p 0.02) adjusted for confounding variables. There was a higher prevalence of hypertension (21.1% vs 5.4%; p=0.024) among those who were hospitalized. Hospitalization was associated with hypertension (OR5.71 95% CI 1.43-22.75; p 0.014) adjusted for confounding variables. Conclusions: we found that COVID-19 was diagnosed in individuals younger than 65 years, which is a different age group than the usually reported. Confirmed COVID-19 was associated with male sex and asthma. The rate of hospitalized individuals was 4.4% and was associated with hypertension. The mortality rate for those tested was 0%. Future longitudinal studies should be performed to confirm these findings