The COVID-19 experience of orthodontists in the UK

Objective: To understand and compare the perceived impact and ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on orthodontic clinical services in the UK. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional survey. Setting: Online electronic questionnaire. Participants: Members of the British Orthodontic Society (BOS). Methods: Electronic questionnaires were circulated between March and June 2021. The UK survey was distributed via emails from the BOS, Orthodontic Managed Clinical Networks and WhatsApp groups. Results: A total of 560 unique responses were received. There were more respondents who were aged over 50 years (52%) then respondents who were aged below 50 years (48%) with the median age range being 50–54 years (20%). The main causes of disruption to clinical practice were felt to be national restrictions (85%), increased cross-infection measures (84%), social distancing (80%) and professional guidance (80%). Respondents felt more negatively in their opinions regarding dentistry’s preparedness for the pandemic (5%) and how dentistry coped in the crisis (35%), when compared to orthodontic services specifically (8% and 58%, respectively). The respondents were not confident about the potential beneficial effects of a vaccination programme on orthodontic clinical service provision (21%). Telephone consultations (84%) and video consultations (61%) were the main adaptations used by the respondents during the pandemic. Conclusions: Respondents felt that COVID-19 will have long-term societal, clinical and professional implications. The majority of our respondents supported the vaccination and weekly testing of the orthodontic team. Respondents felt that during the pandemic there had been a deterioration in care provision and were not optimistic about a vaccination programme restoring services to pre-pandemic levels of activity. During the pandemic, patients in active orthodontic treatment have been prioritised but at the expense of new and review patients, and as services recover respondents were concerned about the difficulty of arranging dental extractions.

For Movement

Etude 2 expands the material presented in this book on using movement for musicality. It offers guidance in applying movement specifically for momentum and the energy of the line in the classroom or choral rehearsal. The Etude employs movement in a broad variety of musical challenges to propel momentum, capture musical nuance, and improve performance at every level. Songs and professional guidance in this Etude lead directly to use in the classroom or children’s chorus, as well as providing the opportunity for professional development. The teacher can engage in this Etude without children, as needed, in applying movement to music and becoming more confident and competent in using movement to engage in and invite musicality. Insights gained from this Etude can be applied to all levels and repertoire to improve performance of any choral ensemble.

The effectiveness of telepsychiatry: thematic review

Aims and method This review aims to clarify the evidence on the effectiveness of telepsychiatry following the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a literature review of three databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed and PsycINFO), using the terms virtual consultation/telepsychiatry/video consultation AND psychiatry/mental illness. Results We identified 325 eligible papers and conducted a thematic analysis resulting in five themes: patient and clinical satisfaction, diagnostic reliability, outcomes, technology and professional guidance. The most significant factors linked to effectiveness of telepsychiatry were patient and clinician satisfaction and adequate technology to facilitate examination of the patient. Clinical implications The consistent diagnostic reliability, satisfactory clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction linked to telepsychiatry favour its continued use once the pandemic ends. The main barrier is reluctance among clinicians and lack of professional guidance. We recommend education on the uses of telepsychiatry among clinicians, and the provision of professional guidance for its use from medical bodies and organisations.

Injury Causes and Recovery Management Strategies among Singapore CrossFitters

CrossFit is a combination of movements from various sport disciplines such as Olympic Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Gymnastics executed at high intensity. It has shown to bring about physiological and psycho-social benefits to members, increasing exercise adherence. Established in 2005, CrossFit has seen an exponential growth since, with 13,991 CrossFit affiliates worldwide. The popularity of the program despite its disposition to injury requires greater attention to its safety. This research aims to understand (1) reasons of injury among CrossFitters; (2) Injury management techniques among CrossFitters. In-depth interviews were conducted with nine CrossFitters from five Singapore CrossFit affiliates. Data was transcribed and thematically analyzed. Findings revealed that causes of injury include poor workout program designs, insufficient physiological knowledge passed down from coaches to athletes, athlete’s impatience when learning new skills as well as athletes conforming to performance and peer pressures. Further, Crossfitters manage their injuries through self-care physiological means and with professional guidance. The study concludes that coaches play a vital role in both the prevention and management of injuries. Therefore, they should design their programs with the athlete’s safety in mind and foster an environment that values patience, strength building discipline and safety. Athletes should also pay extra attention to their movement technique and be self-reflective in their physical capabilities. All athletes should regularly practice conservative physiological recovery methods and seek treatment or diagnosis from medical practitioners when necessary.

Perceptions of Successful Veterinary School Applicants: Assessment Data to Improve Student Success

Admission to colleges of veterinary medicine has become increasingly more competitive through the years. The increased number of applicants require students and the programs they are attending to help students distinguish themselves in the applicant pool. Many students understand the importance of the science related coursework early on in their undergraduate career. The soft skills along with mentoring have been shown to be important for applicant success. Time management skills can be some of the most vital skills for undergraduate students to practice before matriculation to veterinary school. In addition, group skills and conflict resolution are perceived as important among veterinary alumni and students. Mentoring is critical throughout the education process. The personal aspects and professional guidance given by professors make for the most successful advising of undergraduate pre-veterinary students. Results indicated that students could benefit from communication skills being included throughout the curriculum, especially in context of veterinary science courses.

Upholding parental responsibility by family mediation: revisiting the role of the law for children in divorce in Hong Kong

PurposeThis paper aims to analyse the different requirements of Practice Direction 15.10 (which governs the process of family mediation in Hong Kong) and Practice Direction 31 (which governs the process of general mediation in Hong Kong), and to highlight the need to incorporate the spirit of family mediation into legislation to better protect children’s interest in a family dispute.Design/Methodology/approachThe paper reviews and compares the content on Practice Direction 15.10 and Practice Direction 31 issued by Chief Justice of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, and adopts interpretative and analytical approaches to evaluate their impact.FindingsIn an effort to promote parental responsibility-based negotiation in divorce proceeding, a missed opportunity in enacting the Children Proceedings (Parental Responsibility) Bill in 2015 might be a blessing in disguise as it offers another chance for policy makers to consider how to direct parties to negotiate and communicate, to seek and benefit from professional guidance on a continuous basis, and to seek alternative channels to resolve disputes other than the court room. The policy and the law advocating a switch from a “rights-based” to “responsibility-based” approach in handling children’s matters should be revisited by incorporating the spirit of family mediation into legislation.Originality/valueAnalyses are conducted through direct contextual review and documentary research. This paper conducts literal analysis of court guidance and unveils policy implications for the general public. It would be of interest to judicial officers, scholars and government officials concerning children’s rights and parental responsibility in divorce proceedings.

A Survey on Self Medication among the General Population in Pondicherry

Although pharmaceuticals have made a main influence to health, a large proportion of the world’s population today are facing problems when consuming and accessing medicines. Healthcare professionals are usually sharing their health decisions with their patients in terms of the availability of medicines and its accessibility. Accordingly, patients are being more involved in taking actions either with or without direct healthcare professional guidance, seeking for other facilities to obtain medicines or tend to self-care. Self medication is becoming common in our routine life. This is actually an unhealthy and risky practices. Present study was done to determine the survey on self medication among the general population. A cross sectional study was conducted among the general population of pondicherry.111 persons took part in this cross sectional study. Data is analysed using suitable statistical methods. Among 111 persons participated in the study the most common reason to take self medication is in case of minor illness and the sources of information about the drug is from the previous prescription and the drugs they get from medical shop. Only 28.4 % visits the qualified medical practioner in case of illness and mostly they have taken medicines for cough, cold, sore throat and followed by that they have taken medications for headache. Out of 111 persons most of them have taken is analgesics followed by allergy medications. The general population has taken the self medication which is a wrong practice.

Morphohistological Studies of Seedlings ofAnnona squamosa Lam

Annona squamosa Lam. is also known as Sugar Apple or Sitaphal plant. It is a small, semi deciduous, which is rich in medicinally and industrially important. Bio-active components present all its parts it belongs to the family Annonaceae. This plant should only be used under professional guidance. The leaves as well as the bark and the fruit and the seeds are used in herbal preparations. This study includes the anatomy of various plants of sapling viz., root, epicotyl, hypocotyl, cotyledons, & leaves. The dermal tissues of leaves also included in the present work.

Compromising Confidentiality: Where to Strike the Balance?

"Patient confidentiality is a central tenet of medical practice, fundamental to ensuring the maintenance of trust in medical professionals. Yet are there any circumstances where a duty of care to others overrides patient confidentiality and allows disclosure of medical information without consent from the index patient? We present the case of a patient with CADASIL (Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy) a progressive, neurodegenerative condition that is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Admitted to ICU with a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), the patient ultimately had withdrawal of life sustaining therapy following discussion with family. The patient never regained capacity following admission and had never disclosed the diagnosis of CADASIL to his daughters. The question of whether to disclose the diagnosis to adult children and alert them to their potential risk of inheriting CADASIL (the knowledge of which could fundamentally affect their life choices) raises tensions around confidentiality and any duty of care to the patient’s daughters. Previously, for inheritable risks, the prevailing discourse gave prominence to patient confidentiality. However, a recent UK court case and professional guidance is challenging this notion. ICU clinicians faced the choice of disclosing the CADASIL diagnosis to the adult children, breaking patient confidentiality or remaining silent so allowing potential harm to befall them and even future generations. We examine the ethical issues this raises and suggest how clinicians, if faced with a similar situation in future, might proceed. "