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This paper presents Mixed Reality Humans (MRHs), a new type of embodied agent enabling touch-driven communication. Affording touch between human and agent allows MRHs to simulate interpersonal scenarios in which touch is crucial. Two studies provide initial evaluation of user behavior with a MRH patient and the usability and acceptability of a MRH patient for practice and evaluation of medical students' clinical skills. In Study I (n=8) it was observed that students treated MRHs as social actors more than students in prior interactions with virtual human patients (n=27), and used interpersonal touch to comfort and reassure the MRH patient similarly to prior interactions with human patients (n=76). In the within-subjects Study II (n=11), medical students performed a clinical breast exam on each of a MRH and human patient. Participants performed equivalent exams with the MRH and human patients, demonstrating the usability of MRHs to evaluate students' exam skills. The acceptability of the MRH patient for practicing exam skills was high as students rated the experience as believable and educationally beneficial. Acceptability was improved from Study I to Study II due to an increase in the MRH's visual realism, demonstrating that visual realism is critical for simulation of specific interpersonal scenarios.

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The elderly are a growing proportion of all-terrain (ATV) drivers. The purpose of this study was to determine if the outcomes of geriatric ATV trauma victims are different from those of their younger counterparts and if age is an independent predictor of mortality. ATV trauma cases in the United States reported to the National Trauma Data Bank between 1989 and 2003 comprised the study population. A logistic regression model was constructed with mortality as the outcome and age as the primary covariate of interest. A total of 6308 ATV-related traumas were reported to the National Trauma Data Bank during the study period. Geriatric victims presented with significantly higher systolic blood pressure (138.6 ± 34.4 vs 131.4 ± 24.8, P < 0.001) and had a significantly longer length of stay (8.3 ± 11.4 vs 4.8 ± 8.8, P < 0.001) and greater number of intensive care unit days (3.1 ± 7.1 vs 1.3 ± 4.0, P < 0.001). In a multivariate model, age older than 60 years was associated with increased risk of mortality (OR, 6.96; 95% CI, 3.75–12.92). Age older than 60 years is an independent predictor of mortality among ATV trauma cases. Improved training on the use of ATVs in this population and better safety features are warranted.

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