Changes to Biceps and Supraspinatus Tendons in Response to a Progressive Maximal Treadmill-Based Propulsion Aerobic Fitness Test in Manual Wheelchair Users: A Quantitative Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate if the completion of a recently developed treadmill-based wheelchair propulsion maximal progressive workload incremental test alters the integrity of the long head of the biceps and supraspinatus tendons using musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging biomarkers. METHOD: Fifteen manual wheelchair users completed the incremental test. Ultrasound images of the long head of the biceps and supraspinatus tendons were recorded before, immediately after, and 48 hours after the completion of the test using a standardized protocol. Geometric, composition, and texture-related ultrasound biomarkers characterized tendon integrity. RESULTS: Participants propelled during 10.2 ± 2.9 minutes with the majority (N = 13/15) having reached at least the eighth stage of the test (speed = 0.8 m/s; slope = 3.6°). All ultrasound biomarkers characterizing tendon integrity, measured in the longitudinal and transversal planes for both tendons, were similar (p = 0.063 to 1.000) across measurement times. CONCLUSION: The performance of the motorized treadmill wheelchair propulsion test to assess aerobic fitness produced no changes to ultrasound biomarkers of the biceps or supraspinatus tendons. Hence, there was no ultrasound imaging evidence of a maladaptive response due to overstimulation in these tendons immediately after and 48 hours after the performance of the test.

Collaboration between family physicians and nurse clinicians: opinions of graduates in family medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether graduating family physicians are exposed to collaboration between family physicians and nurse clinicians during their training, as well as their opinions about shared care between doctors and nurse clinicians in the delivery of patient care. DESIGN: Anonymous online survey. SETTING: Two French-Canadian university family medicine residency programs. PARTICIPANTS: The 2010 and 2011 graduating family physicians (N = 343) from the University of Montreal and Laval University in Quebec. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The extent to which nurse clinicians in graduating family physicians' training milieu were involved in preventive and curative patient care activities, and graduates' opinions about nurse clinicians sharing care with physicians. RESULTS: Of 343 graduates, 186 (54.2%) participated in the survey. Although as residents in family medicine their exposure to shared care with nurse clinicians was somewhat limited, respondents indicated that they were generally quite open to the idea of sharing care with nurse clinicians. More than 70% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that nurse clinicians could adjust, according to protocols of clinical guidelines, the treatment of patients with diabetes, hypertension, and asthma, as well as regulate medication for pain control in terminally ill patients. By contrast, respondents were less favourable to nurse clinicians adjusting the treatment of patients with depression. More than 80% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that nurse clinicians could initiate treatment via a medical directive for routine hormonal contraception, acne, uncomplicated cystitis, and sexually transmitted infections. Respondents' opinions on nurse clinicians initiating treatment for pharyngitis and otitis were more divided. CONCLUSION: Graduating family physicians are quite open to collaborating with nurse clinicians. Although they have observed some collaboration between physicians and nurses, there are areas of shared clinical activities in which they would benefit from further exposure and training.

Interobserver agreement and diagnostic accuracy of brain magnetic resonance imaging in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate interobserver agreement and diagnostic accuracy of brain MRI in dogs. DESIGN: Evaluation study. ANIMALS: 44 dogs. PROCEDURES: 5 board-certified veterinary radiologists with variable MRI experience interpreted transverse T2-weighted (T2w), T2w fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), and T1-weighted-FLAIR; transverse, sagittal, and dorsal T2w; and T1-weighted-FLAIR postcontrast brain sequences (1.5 T). Several imaging parameters were scored, including the following: lesion (present or absent), lesion characteristics (axial localization, mass effect, edema, hemorrhage, and cavitation), contrast enhancement characteristics, and most likely diagnosis (normal, neoplastic, inflammatory, vascular, metabolic or toxic, or other). Magnetic resonance imaging diagnoses were determined initially without patient information and then repeated, providing history and signalment. For all cases and readers, MRI diagnoses were compared with final diagnoses established with results from histologic examination (when available) or with other pertinent clinical data (CSF analysis, clinical response to treatment, or MRI follow-up). Magnetic resonance scores were compared between examiners with κ statistics. RESULTS: Reading agreement was substantial to almost perfect (0.64 < κ < 0.86) when identifying a brain lesion on MRI; fair to moderate (0.14 < κ < 0.60) when interpreting hemorrhage, edema, and pattern of contrast enhancement; fair to substantial (0.22 < κ < 0.74) for dural tail sign and categorization of margins of enhancement; and moderate to substantial (0.40 < κ < 0.78) for axial localization, presence of mass effect, cavitation, intensity, and distribution of enhancement. Interobserver agreement was moderate to substantial for categories of diagnosis (0.56 < κ < 0.69), and agreement with the final diagnosis was substantial regardless of whether patient information was (0.65 < κ < 0.76) or was not (0.65 < κ < 0.68) provided. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The present study found that whereas some MRI features such as edema and hemorrhage were interpreted less consistently, radiologists were reasonably constant and accurate when providing diagnoses.

A primitive neuroectodermal tumor with extension into the cranial vault in a dog.

This paper reports the clinical findings, cytology, diagnostic imaging, and necropsy of an unusual case of a peripheral nervous system neoplasm which, subsequent to a 6-month clinical history, extended into the cranial vault. Necropsy and histology confirmed the diagnosis of a peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor.