Deterministic or probabilistic: U.S. children's beliefs about genetic inheritance.

Do children think of genetic inheritance as deterministic or probabilistic? In two novel tasks, children viewed the eye colors of animal parents and judged and selected possible phenotypes of offspring. Across three studies (N = 353, 162 girls, 172 boys, 2 non-binary; 17 did not report gender) with predominantly White U.S. participants collected in 2019-2021, 4- to 12-year-old children showed a probabilistic understanding of genetic inheritance, and they accepted and expected variability in the genetic inheritance of eye color. Children did not show a mother bias but they did show two novel biases: perceptual similarity and sex-matching. These results held for unfamiliar animals and several physical traits (e.g., eye color, ear size, and fin type), and persisted after a lesson.

Like mother, like daughter: Adults' judgments about genetic inheritance.

Do adults think about genetic inheritance as a deterministic or probabilistic process? Do adults display systematic biases when reasoning about genetic inheritance? Knowing how adults think about genetic inheritance is valuable, both for understanding the developmental end point of these concepts and for identifying biases that persist even after formal education. In two studies, we examined adults' reasoning about genetic inheritance for familiar animals (Study 1) and unfamiliar animals (Study 2). First, participants were presented with animals that varied in eye color and were asked to judge whether each could be the offspring of a particular set of animal parents that had either the same or different eye colors. The potential offspring had eye colors that were either identical to the parents, blended the parents' eye colors, or differed from the parents. Next, participants predicted how six offspring of the animal parents would look. Participants judged a variety of choices as possible-not only the ones resembling the parents-suggesting that they thought genetic inheritance was a probabilistic process. Additionally, many participants thought that female offspring would look more like their mothers and male offspring would look more like their fathers. Thus, systemic biases in reasoning about inheritance persist into adulthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Is a substitute the same? Learning from lessons centering different relational conceptions of the equal sign.

Understanding of the equal sign is associated with early algebraic competence in the elementary grades and equation-solving success in middle school. Thus, it is important to find ways to build foundational understanding of the equal sign as a relational symbol. Past work promoted a conception of the equal sign as meaning "the same as". However, recent work highlights another dimension of relational understanding-a substitutive conception, which emphasizes the idea that an expression can be substituted for another equivalent one. This work suggests a substitutive conception may support algebra performance above and beyond a sameness conception alone. In this paper, we share a subset of results from an online intervention designed to foster a relational understanding of the equal sign among fourth and fifth graders (n = 146). We compare lessons focused on a sameness conception alone and a dual sameness and substitutive conception to each other, and we compare both to a control condition. The lessons influenced students' likelihood of producing and endorsing sameness and substitutive definitions of the equal sign. However, the impact of the lessons on students' approaches to missing value equations was less clear. We discuss possible interpretations, and we argue that further research is needed to explore the roles of sameness and substitutive views of the equal sign in supporting structural approaches to algebraic equation solving.

A Phase IV Study of Thromboembolic and Bleeding Events Following Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Using Oral Factor Xa Inhibitor.

BACKGROUND: Multiple randomized controlled trials have documented the effectiveness of rivaroxaban in the prevention of venous thromboembolism up to 1-month following total joint arthroplasty. However, the effectiveness and safety of rivaroxaban in the real-world setting, outside of the strict protocols used by randomized clinical trials, are unknown. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational, noninterventional, phase IV study of 3914 consecutive patients who underwent total joint arthroplasty from June 2010 to December 2012. Patients were treated with rivaroxaban 10 mg by mouth daily starting postoperative day 1 and continued for 15 days. Participants were followed up in clinic at 6 weeks and contacted by telephone at 12 weeks. The primary outcome of interest was symptomatic venous thromboembolism; secondary outcomes included bleeding events, transfusion requirements, and death. RESULTS: The incidence of symptomatic deep venous thrombosis at 3 months was 0.5% (n = 18). Only 1 deep venous thrombosis event occurred within 7 days of surgery. The incidence of symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) at 3 months was 0.7% (n = 28). Thirteen PEs (46%) occurred within 7 days of surgery. The rate of major bleeding while on prophylaxis was 0.1%. Only 5% of patients received a blood transfusion. No deaths were attributed to thromboembolic events. CONCLUSION: This prospective, observational, phase IV study demonstrates that rivaroxaban appears to protect patients against symptomatic PE and is not associated with major bleeding events when used in a real-world setting as described.

Plantar tendons of the foot: MR imaging and US.

Tendon disorders along the plantar aspect of the foot may lead to significant symptoms but are often clinically misdiagnosed. Familiarity with the normal anatomy of the plantar tendons and its appearance at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and ultrasonography (US) is essential for recognizing plantar tendon disorders. At MR imaging, the course of the plantar tendons is optimally visualized with dedicated imaging of the midfoot and forefoot. This imaging should include short-axis images obtained perpendicular to the long axis of the metatarsal shafts, which allows true cross-sectional evaluation of the plantar tendons. Normal plantar tendons appear as low-signal-intensity structures with all MR sequences. At US, accurate evaluation of the tendons requires that the ultrasound beam be perpendicular to the tendon. The normal tendon appears as a compact linear band of echogenic tissue that contains a fine, mixed hypoechoic and hyperechoic internal fibrillar pattern. Tendon injuries can be grouped into six major categories: tendinosis, peritendinosis, tenosynovitis, entrapment, rupture, and instability (subluxation or dislocation) and can be well assessed with both MR imaging and US. The radiologist plays an important role in the diagnosis of plantar tendon disorders, and recognizing their imaging appearances at MR imaging and US is essential.

Methotrexate-induced pulmonary toxicity.

Methotrexate is a widely used medication with an array of recognized side effects. The present report describes a case of methotrexate-induced pneumonitis in a patient with psoriasis, and demonstrates the hallmark clinical and investigational findings that support this infrequently encountered diagnosis. The ensuing discussion reviews the pathogenesis, management and prevention of this adverse drug reaction.

Correlation between Rotator Cuff Tears and Systemic Atherosclerotic Disease.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of aortic arch calcification, a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis, with rotator cuff tendinosis and tears given the hypothesis that decreased tendon vascularity is a contributing factor in the etiology of tendon degeneration. A retrospective review was performed to identify patients ages 50 to 90 years who had a shoulder MRI and a chest radiograph performed within 6 months of each other. Chest radiographs and shoulder MRIs from 120 patients were reviewed by two sets of observers blinded to the others' conclusions. Rotator cuff disease was classified as tendinosis, partial thickness tear, and full thickness tear. The presence or absence of aortic arch calcification was graded and compared with the MRI appearance of the rotator cuff. The tendon tear grading was positively correlated with patient age. However, the tendon tear grading on MRI was not significantly correlated with the aorta calcification scores on chest radiographs. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between aorta calcification severity and tendon tear grading. In conclusion, rotator cuff tears did not significantly correlate with aortic calcification severity. This suggests that tendon ischemia may not be associated with the degree of macrovascular disease.

Radiology resident teaching skills improvement: impact of a resident teacher training program.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Teaching is considered an essential competency for residents to achieve during their training. Instruction in teaching skills may assist radiology residents in becoming more effective teachers and increase their overall satisfaction with teaching. The purposes of this study were to survey radiology residents' teaching experiences during residency and to assess perceived benefits following participation in a teaching skills development course. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study participants were radiology residents with membership in the American Alliance of Academic Chief Residents in Radiology or the Siemens AUR Radiology Resident Academic Development Program who participated in a 1.5-hour workshop on teaching skills development at the 2010 Association of University Radiologists meeting. Participants completed a self-administered, precourse questionnaire that addressed their current teaching strategies, as well as the prevalence and structure of teaching skills training opportunities at their institutions. A second postcourse questionnaire enabled residents to evaluate the seminar and assessed new knowledge and skill acquisition. RESULTS: Seventy-eight residents completed the precourse and postcourse questionnaires. The vast majority of respondents indicated that they taught medical students (72 of 78 [92.3%]). Approximately 20% of residency programs (17 of 78) provided residents with formal didactic programs on teaching skills. Fewer than half (46.8%) of the resident respondents indicated that they received feedback on their teaching from attending physicians (36 of 77), and only 18% (13 of 78) routinely gave feedback to their own learners. All of the course participants agreed or strongly agreed that this workshop was helpful to them as teachers. CONCLUSIONS: Few residency programs had instituted resident teacher training curricula. A resident teacher training workshop was perceived as beneficial by the residents, and they reported improvement in their teaching skills.

Correlation of computed tomography imaging features with pain response in patients with spine metastases after radiation therapy.

PURPOSE: To correlate computed tomography (CT) imaging features of spinal metastases with pain relief after radiotherapy (RT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Thirty-three patients receiving computed tomography (CT)-simulated RT for spinal metastases in an outpatient palliative RT clinic from January 2007 to October 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Forty spinal metastases were evaluated. Pain response was rated using the International Bone Metastases Consensus Working Party endpoints. Three musculoskeletal radiologists and two orthopaedic surgeons evaluated CT features, including osseous and soft tissue tumor extent, presence of a pathologic fracture, severity of vertebral height loss, and presence of kyphosis. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 69 years; 24 were men and 9 were women. The mean worst pain score was 7/10, and the mean total daily oral morphine equivalent was 77.3 mg. Treatment doses included 8 Gy in one fraction (22/33), 20 Gy in five fractions (10/33), and 20 Gy in eight fractions (1/33). The CT imaging appearance of spinal metastases included vertebral body involvement (40/40), pedicle involvement (23/40), and lamina involvement (18/40). Soft tissue component (10/40) and nerve root compression (9/40) were less common. Pathologic fractures existed in 11/40 lesions, with resultant vertebral body height loss in 10/40 and kyphosis in 2/40 lesions. At months 1, 2, and 3 after RT, 18%, 69%, and 70% of patients experienced pain relief. Pain response was observed with various CT imaging features. CONCLUSIONS: Pain response after RT did not differ in patients with and without pathologic fracture, kyphosis, or any other CT features related to extent of tumor involvement. All patients with painful spinal metastases may benefit from palliative RT.

MRI of ankle and lateral hindfoot impingement syndromes.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to review the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of impingement syndromes at the ankle joint (anterolateral, anterior, anteromedial, posteromedial, and posterior) and the role of MRI in evaluating impingement at the ankle joint and at extraarticular locations, lateral to the ankle joint (talocalcaneal and calcaneofibular). CONCLUSION: MRI is valuable in assessing both osseous and soft-tissue abnormalities associated with impingement syndromes.

MR imaging of entrapment neuropathies of the lower extremity. Part 2. The knee, leg, ankle, and foot.

Entrapment neuropathies of the knee, leg, ankle, and foot are often underdiagnosed, as the results of clinical examination and electrophysiologic evaluation are not always reliable. The causes of most entrapment neuropathies in the lower extremity may be divided into two major categories: (a) mechanical causes, which occur at fibrous or fibro-osseous tunnels, and (b) dynamic causes related to nerve injury during specific limb positioning. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, including high-resolution MR neurography, allows detailed evaluation of the course and morphology of peripheral nerves, as well as accurate delineation of surrounding soft-tissue and osseous structures that may contribute to nerve entrapment. Familiarity with the normal MR imaging anatomy of the nerves in the knee, leg, ankle, and foot is essential for accurate assessment of the presence of peripheral entrapment syndromes. Common entrapment neuropathies in the knee, leg, ankle, and foot include those of the common peroneal nerve, deep peroneal nerve, superficial peroneal nerve, tibial nerve and its branches, and sural nerve.

Use of MR imaging in diagnosing diabetes-related pedal osteomyelitis.

The clinical diagnosis of diabetes-related osteomyelitis relies on the identification and characterization of an associated foot ulcer, a method that is often unreliable. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the modality of choice for imaging evaluation of pedal osteomyelitis. Because MR imaging allows the extent of osseous and soft-tissue infection to be mapped preoperatively, its use may limit the extent of resection. At MR imaging, the simplest method to determine whether osteomyelitis is present is to follow the path of an ulcer or sinus tract to the bone and evaluate the signal intensity of the bone marrow. Combined findings of low signal intensity in marrow on T1-weighted images, high signal intensity in marrow on T2-weighted images, and marrow enhancement after the administration of contrast material are indicative of osteomyelitis. Secondary signs of osteomyelitis include periosteal reaction, a subtending skin ulcer, sinus tract, cellulitis, abscess, and a foreign body. The location of a marrow abnormality is a key distinguishing feature of osteomyelitis: Whereas neuroarthropathy most commonly affects the tarsometatarsal and metatarsophalangeal joints, osteomyelitis occurs distal to the tarsometatarsal joint, in the calcaneus and malleoli. In the midfoot, secondary signs of infection help differentiate between neuroarthropathy and a superimposed infection.

Radiology residents as teachers: Current status of teaching skills training in United States residency programs.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Radiology residents often teach medical students and other residents. Workshops developed with the goal of improving resident teaching skills are becoming increasingly common in various fields of medicine. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and structure of resident-teacher training opportunities within radiology programs in the United States. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Program directors with membership in the Association of Program Directors in Radiology (APDR) were surveyed to determine views on a panel of topics related to resident-teacher training programs. RESULTS: A total of 114 (56%) of 205 APDR members completed an online survey. Approximately one-third (32%) stated that their program provided instruction to residents on teaching skills. The majority of these programs (72%) were established within the last 5 years. Residents provided teaching to medical students (94%) and radiology residents (90%). The vast majority of program directors agreed that it is important for residents to teach (98%) and that these teaching experiences helped residents become better radiologists (85%). Ninety-four percent of program directors felt that the teaching skills of their residents could be improved, and 85% felt that residents would benefit from instruction on teaching methods. Only one-third of program directors felt their program adequately recognized teaching provided by residents. CONCLUSION: Program directors identified residents as being active contributors to teaching in most programs. Although teaching was viewed as an important skill to develop, few programs had instituted a resident-teacher curriculum. Program directors felt that residents would benefit from structured training to enhance teaching skills. Future studies are needed to determine how best to provide teaching skills training for radiology trainees.

Views of radiology program directors on the role of mentorship in the training of radiology residents.

OBJECTIVE: The successful mentoring of resident physicians has been linked to several beneficial outcomes for trainees including increased research productivity, improved career satisfaction, and retention in academics. Female residents may have greater difficulty establishing mentoring relationships than male residents. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of radiology residency program directors toward the subject of mentorship, to determine the prevalence of formal mentoring programs, and to evaluate several issues specifically pertaining to the mentoring of female residents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous, voluntary survey was sent to 156 members of the Association of Program Directors in Radiology. The survey assessed views on mentorship during residency training, the potential role of mentorship in resident career development, and the prevalence of mentorship programs in residency programs. Subanalyses evaluated survey responses according to program director sex. RESULTS: Seventy program directors (45%) responded to the survey. The majority of respondents (85%) agreed it is important for residents to have mentors, but only 52% thought that current residents had identified mentors. Compared with male program directors, female program directors differed in their views on the role of mentorship and of the importance of female resident access to female mentors. CONCLUSION: Program directors consider mentoring relationships to be an important resource for resident professional development and a potential resource to increase the proportion of residents pursuing academic careers and positions of leadership. Female residents may have specific mentoring needs that should be explored with further study.

Extraarticular lateral hindfoot impingement with posterior tibial tendon tear: MRI correlation.

OBJECTIVE: Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction with secondary hindfoot valgus can lead to painful extraarticular, lateral talocalcaneal, and subfibular impingements, often necessitating surgical intervention. The purpose of this study was to correlate findings of lateral hindfoot impingement with grading of posterior tibial tendon tears and severity of hindfoot valgus on MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images from 75 patients (45 women and 30 men) with MRI evidence of posterior tibial tendon tears were evaluated for grade of posterior tibial tendon tear, hindfoot valgus angle, osseous contact or opposing marrow signal changes at the talus-calcaneus or fibula-calcaneus, peroneal tendon subluxation-dislocation, and presence of lateral malleolar bursa. Statistical analyses were performed using Cochran-Armitage, Fisher's exact, and Mann-Whitney tests. RESULTS: Twenty-eight cases (37%) of lateral hindfoot impingement were identified, including six talocalcaneal, eight subfibular, and 14 talocalcaneal-subfibular impingements. The prevalence of impingement was significantly increased with greater MRI hindfoot valgus angle (p < 0.001). The prevalence of talocalcaneal-subfibular impingement significantly increased with grading of posterior tibial tendon tear (p = 0.018). Peroneal tendon subluxation was present only with advanced hindfoot valgus (p = 0.010) and impingement (p = 0.004). There was no significant association between the presence of lateral malleolar bursa and hindfoot valgus severity. CONCLUSION: Extraarticular lateral hindfoot impingement is associated with advanced posterior tibial tendon tears and increased MRI hindfoot valgus angle. Peroneal tendon subluxation likely represents an end stage of lateral impingement in patients with posterior tibial tendon dysfunction.

Mentorship in postgraduate training programmes: views of Canadian programme directors.

OBJECTIVES: Many academic training programmes have developed mentorship programmes for postgraduate doctors in training, but little is known about the factors that influence their establishment. METHODS: Canadian postgraduate training directors were surveyed to determine views on mentorship and factors associated with the establishment of these programmes. RESULTS: A total of 199 of 344 (58%) programme directors completed an online survey. Overall, 65% of respondents reported that their training programmes had a mentorship programme and 40% felt there was a need for more structured mentorship in training programmes. Univariate analysis showed that mentorship programmes were present significantly more often in larger programmes, internal medicine-based training programmes, and in programmes where the acting programme director had either been part of a mentorship programme during his or her own training or felt that mentorship had played an important role in his or her professional development. In adjusting for covariates using a logistic regression analysis, only those factors directly attributable to a programme director's personal mentoring experiences remained significantly associated with having a mentorship programme. Those who felt that mentorship had played a role in their own careers (P = 0.008, odds ratio [OR] = 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7-6.6) or who had been part of a mentorship programme during their own training (P = 0.01, OR = 6.6, 95% CI 1.4-30.1) were more likely to have an active mentorship programme at their institution. CONCLUSIONS: A need for more structured mentorship was identified for many training programmes. Overall, programme directors' previous mentoring experiences were independently associated with having a mentorship programme.

Radiological features of superomedial iliac insufficiency fractures: a possible mimicker of metastatic disease.

OBJECTIVE: Pelvic insufficiency fractures are common in elderly patients. Because both osteoporosis and metastatic disease occur in similar patient populations, insufficiency fractures may be mistaken for metastatic foci. Although the ilium is not an uncommon location for metastases, insufficiency fractures rarely involve the ilium. The radiological features of insufficiency fractures adjacent to the sacroiliac joint (superomedial ilium) have not been well described. We describe the computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging findings of these rare fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six patients (five female, one male; mean age 66 years, age range 47-83 years) with iliac insufficiency fractures adjacent to the sacroiliac joint were identified following retrospective review of a clinical database. Imaging studies, including CT (n = 4), MR (n = 3), and PET (n = 2) were reviewed by two radiologists. Tissue biopsy result was available in one patient. RESULTS: CT demonstrated subtle fracture lucency (n = 2) or linear sclerosis (n = 3) adjacent to the sacroiliac joint; MR marrow changes adjacent to the sacroiliac joint demonstrated a low T1, high T2 signal intensity line (n = 2), or a low T1 and low T2 signal intensity line (n = 1). Fractures were fluorodeoxyglucose avid (n = 2) with average SUV(max) 2.2. Iliac fractures were bilateral in three patients; additional pelvic insufficiency fractures were present in one patient. In one patient, CT-guided biopsy showed no evidence of malignancy. CONCLUSION: Recognition of the radiological characteristics of iliac insufficiency fractures is important in order to distinguish them from malignancy. The presence of additional pelvic fractures in characteristic locations in the setting of osteoporosis may help to confirm the diagnosis.

Current concepts in imaging diabetic pedal osteomyelitis.

Diabetic pedal osteomyelitis is primarily a manifestation of vascular insufficiency with resultant tissue ischemia, neuropathy, and infection. Nearly all cases of pedal osteomyelitis arise from a contiguous ulcer and soft tissue infection. MR imaging is the modality of choice to assess for the presence of osteomyelitis and associated soft tissue complications, to guide patient management, and to aid in limited limb resection.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma presenting as septic arthritis of the shoulder.

We report a case of a 53-year-old man presenting with shoulder pain mimicking septic arthritis. Laboratory findings were atypical. Biopsy performed to assess for possible osteomyelitis demonstrated chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. Intra-articular lymphoma is a rare but important consideration in patients with atypical clinical presentation. Imaging alone may be insufficient to render diagnosis as lymphoma can mimic infection, synovial hypertrophic processes, and depositional arthropathy.