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This outlines the design, methodology, and evaluation of a 3D printed robotic upper-limb exoskeleton to assist in stroke rehabilitation. This paper provides a general background of strokes and current approaches that helped guide the design of the exoskeleton. In the design, soft pneumatic actuators and motors guide patients through selective therapeutic arm motions. 3D printing accommodates an open source, lightweight design, and rapid prototyping. The final design is cost effective and produces repeatable therapeutic motion for patient rehabilitation. In the United States, privacy advocates and data collectors compete to influence the privacy standards that govern data collection. To promote stricter regulations, privacy advocates such as the American Civil Liberties Union argue that privacy is a right. Tech companies and their trade associations, however, contend that data collection is essential to innovation.

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often have changes in proximal femoral geometry. Neck-shaft angle (NSA), Hilgenreiner epiphyseal angle (HEA) and head-shaft angle (HSA) are used to measure these changes. The impact of femoral rotation on HEA/HSA and of ab/adduction on HEA/HSA/NSA is not well known. This study aimed to determine and compare the effect of rotation, ab/adduction and flexion/extension on HEA/HSA/NSA. Radiographic measurements from 384 patients with Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-V were utilized. NSA/HSA for affected hips were used with femoral anteversion averages to create three-dimensional models of 694 hips in children with CP. Each hip was rotated, ab/adducted and flexed/extended to simulate malpositioning. HEA/HSA/NSA of each model were measured in each joint position, and differences from correct positioning were determined. Mean HEA error at 20° of internal/external rotations were -0.60°/3.17°, respectively, with the NSA error of -6.56°/9.94° and the HSA error of -3.69°/1.21°. Each degree of ab/adduction added 1° of the HEA error, with no NSA/HSA error. NSA was most sensitive to flexion. Error for all measures increased with increasing GMFCS level. HEA/HSA were minimally impacted by rotation. NSA error was much higher than HEA/HSA in internal rotation and flexion whereas HEA was sensitive to changes in ab/adduction. Given abduction is more easily detectable on imaging than rotation, HEA may be less affected by positioning errors that are common with children with CP than NSA. HSA was least affected by position changes. HEA/HSA could be robust, complementary measures of hip deformities in children with CP.

Introduction Abnormal kinematics have been implicated as one of the major risk factors for lower limb tendinopathy (LLT). Objective To systematically review evidence for kinematic risk factors for LLT in runners. Methods Individual electronic searches in PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science were conducted. Two reviewers screened studies to identify observational studies reporting kinematic risk factors in runners with LLT compared to healthy controls. The Down and Black appraisal scale was applied to assess quality. A meta-analysis was performed provided that at least two studies with similar methodology reported the same factor. Results Twenty-eight studies were included: Achilles tendinopathy (AT) (9), iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) (17), plantar fasciopathy (PF) (2), patellar tendinopathy (PT) (1), posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) (1). Eighteen studies were rated high-quality and ten medium-quality. The meta-analyses revealed strong evidence of higher peak knee internal rotation, moderate evidence of lower peak rearfoot eversion and knee flexion at heel strike and greater peak hip adduction in runners with ITBS. Very limited evidence revealed higher peak ankle eversion in runners with PF and PTTD or higher peak hip adduction in PT. Significance Peak rearfoot eversion was the only factor reported in all included LLTs; it is a significant factor in ITBS, PT and PTTD but not in AT and PF. More prospective studies are needed to accurately evaluate the role of kinematic risk factors as a cause of LLT. Taken together, addressing rearfoot kinematic and kinematic chain movements accompanied by peak eversion should be considered in the prevention and management of LLT.

Desde el siglo xvi la monarquía prohibió a los magistrados de las Audiencias americanas y a sus familiares contraer matrimonio en su distrito sin licencia, con el fin de aislarlos socialmente y conseguir así su imparcialidad. Esta prohibición, que fue muy controvertida en la época, ya que iba contra la libertad de matrimonio reconocida por el derecho canónico, no impidió sin embargo que lo ministros y sus hijos se casaran en el territorio de su jurisdicción. De hecho, la corona concedió y vendió muchas licencias y, además, hubo magistrados que celebraron sus bodas sin las debidas dispensas y no fueron castigados por ello. En este trabajo estudiaré el proceso contra cuatro jueces de las Audiencias de Panamá, Charcas, Lima y Chile, que sí fueron condenados por sortear la prohibición. Me centraré especialmente en sus estrategias de defensa, para lo que analizaré las alegaciones jurídicas (porcones), que hicieron circular en el transcurso de la causa judicial Dès le xvie siècle, la monarchie interdit aux magistrats des audiences américaines et à leurs familles de se marier sans une autorisation dans leur district afin de les isoler socialement et dʼobtenir ainsi une justice impartiale. À lʼépoque, ces lois concernant le mariage des juges et leur application soulevaient des controverses parce qu’elles étaient contraires à la liberté de mariage, reconnue par le droit canonique. Néanmoins, en dépit de l’interdiction, les juges et leurs enfants se sont mariés dans leur district. En fait, la Couronne a accordé et vendu beaucoup d’autorisations. De plus, certains magistrats se sont mariés sans cette autorisation et nʼont pas été punis. Dans cet article, je vais étudier la procédure judiciaire contre quatre juges des Audiences de Panama, Charcas, Lima et Chili qui ont été condamnés pour avoir transgressé la loi. Je vais me concentrer sur leur stratégie de défense, en analysant les allégations juridiques (porcones) que les juges ont fait circuler au cours des procès From the 16th century, the Monarchy banned officers at Courts in the Americas from marrying in their own district without a license, in order to socially isolate them and gain their unbiasedness. Notwithstanding, such ban, very controversial at the time as it opposed the freedom of wedlock already recognized by Canon Law, did not prevent many ministers and their offspring from getting married within their jurisdiction grounds. In fact, the Crown granted and sold multiple licenses and, in addition, a number of ministers celebrated their weddings without due dispensations and without any punishment. This paper addresses the cases against four officers from Courts in the Americas in Panama, Charcas, Lima and Chile, who were convicted for challenging the ban. I will specially focus on their defense strategies, examining the legal claims (porcones or adductions), circulated in the course of the legal case

Purpose In order to clarify the role of the optic nerve (ON) as a load on ocular rotation, we developed a finite element model (FEM) of incremental adduction induced by active contractility of extraocular muscles (EOMs), with and without tethering by the ON. Methods Three-dimensional (3-D) horizontal rectus EOM geometries were obtained from magnetic resonance imaging of five healthy adults, and measured constitutive tissue properties were used. Active and passive strain energies of EOMs were defined using ABAQUS (Dassault Systemes) software. All deformations were assumed to be caused by EOM twitch activation that rotated the eye about a fixed center. The medial rectus (MR) muscle was commanded to additionally contract starting from 26 degrees adducted position, and the lateral rectus (LR) to relax, further adducting the eye either with or without loading by the ON. Tridimensional heat maps were generated to represent the stress and strain distributions. Results Tensions in the EOMs were physiologically plausible during incremental adduction. Force in the MR increased from 10 gm at 26 degrees adduction to approximately 28 gm at 32 degrees adduction. Under identical MR contraction, adduction with ON loading reached 32 degrees but 36 degrees without it. Maximum and minimum principal strains within the MR were 16% and 22%, respectively, but when ON loading was included, resulting stress and strain were concentrated at the optic disc. Conclusions This physiologically plausible method of simulating EOM activation can provide realistic input to model biomechanical behavior of active and passive tissues in the orbit to clarify biomechanical consequences of ON traction during adduction.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a class 1 carcinogen and prominent food contaminant, is highly linked to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and plays a causative role in a large portion of global HCC cases. We have demonstrated that a mixture of common organic acids (citric and phosphoric acid) along with arginine can eliminate >99% of AFB1 in solution as well as on corn kernels and convert it to the AFB2a-Arg adduct, acting as a potential detoxification process for contaminated foods. Evaluation of toxicokinetic changes after AFB2a-Arg formation show that the product is highly stable in biological fluids, is not metabolized by P450 enzymes, is highly plasma protein bound, has low lipid solubility, and has poor intestinal permeability/high intestinal efflux compared to AFB1. Ames’ test results show that at mutagenic concentrations of AFB1, AFB2a-Arg does not have any measurable mutagenic effect which was confirmed by DNA adduct identification by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Evaluation in HepG2 and HepaRG cells showed that AFB2a-Arg did not cause any significant decreases in cell viability nor did it increase micronuclei formation when administered at toxic concentrations of AFB1. These results show that conversion of AFB1 to AFB2a-Arg is a potential strategy to detoxify contaminated foods.

Question: During isometric shoulder adduction in normal subjects, do the rotator cuff muscles activate more than other shoulder muscles? Are the activation patterns influenced by shoulder abduction angle or load? Design : A within-participant, repeated measures experimental study. Participants: 15 healthy adults. Intervention: Participants performed an isometric adduction exercise at 30°, 60°, and 90° abduction in the scapular plane and at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% load. Outcome measures: During the exercises, a combination of indwelling and surface electromyographic recordings were taken from 11 shoulder muscles: supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, pectoralis major, teres major, latissimus dorsi, rhomboid major, serratus anterior, lower trapezius, upper trapezius, and deltoid. Results: At 100% load, mean rotator cuff activation levels were low (supraspinatus at 3% of its maximum voluntary contraction, infraspinatus 27%, and subscapularis 27%) and significantly less than the activation levels of rhomboid major (81%), latissimus dorsi (103%), and teres major (76%) (F 10,140 = 15.5, p 0.89). Among the muscles activated above minimum levels (> 10% of maximum voluntary contraction), mean activation levels increased as load increased (F 3,42 = 72.0, p < 0.01) Conclusion: Since isometric adduction in normal subjects does not produce moderate to high activation levels in any of the rotator cuff muscles tested, these results do not support the use of shoulder adduction to identify rotator cuff muscle dysfunction or strengthen the rotator cuff muscles. [Reed D, Halaki M, Ginn K (2010) The rotator cuff muscles are activated at low levels during shoulder adduction: an experimental study. Journal of Physiotherapy 56: 259–264]

National audience; Scholars usually explain the spectacular increase in the number of water supply projects in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Paris by calling attention to Paris' water problems at the time. This article sets out to interrogate the evidence for such problems, especially those concerning water quality. It aims to show that these problems were largely constructed by those involved in the projects in order to justify their specific choices (be they technical, economical or social) or in order to compete in cut-throat and controversial situations. The paper will show how the preoccupation with water quality emerged in water supply projects in the 1760s and became a central concern. It will present the various methods used to assess water quality, and show that these approaches (scientific or not) were part of strategies for convincing a larger public for or against a given scheme.; On interprète généralement la multiplication des projets d'aménagement hydraulique à Paris à la fin du XVIIIe et au début du XIXe siècle comme une réponse à une série de problèmes d'eau. Cet article voudrait interroger ces évidences, en particulier celle d'une mauvaise qualité de l'eau à Paris, pour montrer que ces problèmes ont été élaborés dans le cadre de ces nombreux projets, de manière à correspondre chaque fois précisément aux choix techniques, économiques et sociaux qu'ils promouvaient, ou pour répondre à des opposants dans des situations très concurrentielles et polémiques. Après avoir présenté le contexte d'émergence conjointe de ces projets et de cette question de la qualité de l'eau, l'article propose un tour d'horizon des différentes méthodes utilisées pour évaluer celle-ci : savantes ou non, ces approches s'inscrivent toujours étroitement dans des stratégies publicitaires visant à accréditer ou discréditer une entreprise.

Revolutionary proteomic strategies have enabled rapid profiling of the cellular targets of electrophilic small molecules. However, precise means to directly interrogate how these individual electrophilic modifications at low occupancy functionally reshape signaling networks have until recently been largely limited. We highlight here new methods that transcend proteomic platforms to forge a quantitative link between protein target-selective engagement and downstream signaling. We focus on recent progress in the study of non-enzyme-assisted signaling mechanisms and crosstalk choreographed by native reactive electrophilic species (RES). Using this as a model, we offer a long-term vision of how these toolsets together with fundamental biochemical knowledge of precision electrophile signaling may be harnessed to assist covalent ligand-target matching and ultimately amend disease-specific signaling dysfunction.