Spot(ters) the difference: Bringing traditional anatomical examinations online

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in anatomy education forcing institutions to find innovative ways to teach and assess online. This study details the development of an online spotter across multiple modules that allowed students to sit the examination at home whilst still maintaining the integrity of the assessment. The online spotter consisted of individual, Zoom calls between students and examiners whereby slides with images and questions were screen shared. To examine the viability of this spotter in non-lockdown scenarios several parameters were considered. Mean marks were compared to traditional versions and Pearson's r correlation coefficients were calculated between online and traditional spotters and between online spotters and overall performance in anatomy modules. A survey was carried out to determine the students' view of the assessment. Pearson's r was between 0.33 and 0.49 when comparing online spotters to the traditional format, and between 0.65 and 0.75 (p < 0.01) when compared to a calculated anatomy score. The survey indicated overall student satisfaction as 82.5% reported that it was a fair way to test their knowledge and 55% reported the same or lower levels of anxiety when compared to traditional spotters. However, there was nothing to indicate that the students preferred this format over laboratory-based spotters. These results indicate that this new exam format would be useful for small cohorts who are undertaking online or hybrid courses, or in circumstances when running a full spotter is too costly, and represents a fair and robust way to assess practical anatomical knowledge online.

Woodruff's plexus-arterial or venous?

PURPOSE

Woodruff's plexus is a vascular network located on the posterior lateral wall of the inferior meatus of the nasal cavity and it is generally considered to be responsible for posterior epistaxis. Despite being initially identified in 1949 as a venous plexus, discrepancies exist within literature regarding this anatomical structure, particularly its arterial or venous nature and its association with posterior epistaxis. This systematic review aims to collate information pertaining to Woodruff's plexus and evaluate our current understanding of this vascular area.

METHODS

The systematic review was performed using published data in PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, EBSCO and Web of Science platforms using keywords such as 'Woodruff', 'posterior' and 'plexus'. Articles referring to Woodruff's plexus were collected and analysed by independent reviewers.

RESULTS

The search revealed 154 papers, out of which only 40 were included in the review. Out of this number only two papers were anatomical dissection studies, both of which identify the plexus as venous in nature. Seventeen studies describe the plexus as venous by citing these two papers. The remainder of the articles (23) consider Woodruff's plexus as arterial with variability in the reported arteries that supply it.

CONCLUSION

Woodruff's original description of a venous plexus is supported by modern anatomical studies. There are a multitude of reports that Woodruff's plexus is arterial in nature, despite the absence of existing anatomical studies to support this notion. This misconception has likely arisen due to clinical associations in relation to posterior epistaxis.

Direct visualization of shear waves in viscoelastic fluid using microspheres

Wormlike micellar fluids, being viscoelastic, support shear waves. Shear waves in 500 mM CTAB-NaSal micellar fluid were visualized by seeding the fluid with 212-250 μm diameter polyethylene microspheres. This method was compared to visualization through birefringence induced by shear stress in the fluid. Measured shear wave speeds were 733 and 722 mm/s, respectively, for each technique. Particle displacement was a sinusoidal function of time and displacement amplitude decreased quadratically with distance from the source. This supports the possibility of using particle amplitude measurements as a measure of attenuation even at low fluid concentration where birefringence visualization techniques fail.

The marine-derived, multi-mineral formula, Aquamin, enhances mineralisation of osteoblast cells in vitro

Osteoporosis is a global health problem characterized by low bone mass and an increase in bone fragility. It is now well accepted that dietary factors play a central role in bone development and health. Diet that lacks adequate minerals is considered to be a risk factor for osteoporosis. The food supplement, Aquamin, is a natural, multi-mineral derived from the red algae Lithothamnion corallioides, rich in calcium, magnesium and 72 other trace minerals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Aquamin on osteoblastic behaviour and mineralisation in a pre-osteoblastic cell line. Cell number and metabolic activity were assessed using Hoescht DNA and AlamarBlue assays respectively. Osteogenic differentiation was measured using an alkaline phosphatase assay while mineralisation was determined using von Kossa and alizarin red staining. It is reported here that Aquamin promotes increased mineralisation in osteoblast cell culture. These data suggest that the nutritional supplement Aquamin plays an important role in promoting bone formation and may be useful in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis.