Search

Recreational use of natural freshwater bodies poses a risk to human health, although the risks associated with different types of exposure in freshwater are not clear. A systematic review was carried out to identify the risks of adverse health outcomes among individuals exposed through primary contact recreation compared to minimal contact recreation in different types of freshwater bodies. Among 5858 potentially relevant titles and abstracts, 35 were eligible for final inclusion. We included studies that reported the type of freshwater exposure and health outcomes, were peer-reviewed, and had full-text articles available in English. Across all studies, general gastrointestinal illness was the most commonly reported (77.1%), followed by skin (37.1%) and ear-related infection (34.3%), respiratory illness (31.4%), and eye-related illness (25.7%). Most studies reported adverse health outcomes from primary contact recreation (85.7%) in comparison to secondary contact activities (17.1%) and no-contact recreation (2.9%). More than half of the included studies (54.3%) focussed on lakes. The continued focus on primary contact recreation in lakes is a concern, given the growing global trend in secondary and non-contact recreation associated with urban wetlands. A better understanding of risks associated with recreational contact with freshwater in these settings is needed.

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, often disabling gastrointestinal (GI) disorder for which there is no satisfactory medical treatment but is responsive to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Purpose To evaluate the costs and cost-effectiveness of a minimal contact version of CBT (MC-CBT) condition for N = 145 for IBS relative to a standard, clinic-based CBT (S-CBT; N = 146) and a nonspecific comparator emphasizing education/support (EDU; N = 145). Method We estimated the per-patient cost of each treatment condition using an activity-based costing approach that allowed us to identify and estimate costs for specific components of each intervention as well as the overall total costs. Using simple means analysis and multiple regression models, we estimated the incremental effectiveness of MC-CBT relative to S-CBT and EDU. We then evaluated the cost-effectiveness of MC-CBT relative to these alternatives for selected outcomes at immediate posttreatment and 6 months posttreatment, using both an intent-to-treatment and per-protocol methodology. Key outcomes included scores on the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement Scale and the percentage of patients who positively responded to treatment. Results The average per-patient cost of delivering MC-CBT was $348, which was significantly less than the cost of S-CBT ($644) and EDU ($457) (p < .01). Furthermore, MC-CBT produced better average patient outcomes at immediate and 6 months posttreatment relative to S-CBT and EDU (p < .01). The current findings indicated that MC-CBT is a cost-effective option relative to S-CBT and EDU. Conclusion As predicted, MC-CBT was delivered at a lower cost per patient than S-CBT and performed better over time on the primary outcome of global IBS symptom improvement.

Ultrasonic-assisted enzymolysis is the application of ultrasound technology to enhance the process of enzymolysis. Traditional enzymolysis has been met with certain limitations which includes uneven stirring, decreased enzyme activity and protein accumulation as a result of minimal contact between the enzyme and substrate. Ultrasound assisted enzymolysis is based on the potential for cell molecule modification by ultrasound to improve bioavailability of nutrients while retaining the original quality, and the potential use of radical sonochemistry to achieve targeted hydroxylation of polyphenols and carotenoids. The cavitation effects and mechanical action of ultrasound can be advantageous during enzymolysis when applied appropriately. Ultrasound pretreatment of substrates can boost biological activity, alter protein structure, enhance protein conversion rate and accelerate enzyme hydrolysis. This review therefore, explored the principle of ultrasonic-assisted enzymolysis and its effects on protein extraction, biological activity and enzyme hydrolysis as reported by different researchers. Ultrasonic-assisted enzymolysis shows great potentials in enzyme hydrolysis and can be employed as a processing tool by the food and pharmaceutical industries.

For the monotone symmetric threshold Boolean functions $$ f^n_2(\widetilde x\mspace{2mu})=\bigvee_{1\le i

Purpose Distal radius fractures are the most common upper-extremity fracture and are increasingly being treated surgically with precontoured volar locking plates. It is not currently known whether existing implant designs are anatomically accurate and whether this has clinical implications. The objective of this study was to determine whether anatomic alignment of the distal radius corresponds accurately to modern volar locking plate designs, including any sex-linked differences in morphology of the distal radius. It was hypothesized that the 2 plates examined would show differences in watershed line (WSL) overlap and that female specimens would have a larger overlap compared with males owing to a decrease in plate-WSL border distances. Methods We used 3-dimensional models of 20 cadaver arms (10 female: mean age, 88.7 ± 4.6 years [range, 82–97 years]; and 10 male: mean age, 86 ± 3.6 years [range, 81–91 years]) to create 3-dimensional computed tomography models of the distal radius. Virtual models of 2 common volar plates were created and were used to place the plate virtually onto the distal radii. Outcome measures included the volar cortical angle of the bone and plate, the definition of the WSL subsequently followed by quantitative distance and overlap measures, and percent contact between the plate and the distal radius. Results Both sexes showed an decrease (approximately 7°) in average volar cortical angle measure from medial to lateral columns that was statistically significantly smaller on the lateral column (males: 38°; females: 29°) compared with the medial column (males: 45°; females: 36°). Watershed line overlap ranged from 0% to 34.8% with statistically significant differences between sexes. Average border distance for females was 2.7 mm, compared with 3.8 mm for males. Maximum percent contact of 22.0% was observed at a 0.3-mm threshold. Conclusions Distal radius fractures are common in elderly female patients, yet clinically available plates have important differences in WSL overlap between sexes, and with minimal contact. Female specimens had more WSL overlap than did males. This indicates the need for volar locking plates to be redesigned to factor in anatomical features of individual patients with a particular focus on sex differences. Clinical relevance New plate designs should focus on providing smaller head sizes that are more accurately tailored to the natural contours of the volar distal radius. It is recommended that future studies incorporate expertise from multiple surgeons to diversify and further understand plate placement strategies.

STRUCTURED ABSTRACT: PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and characterize the severity of iatrogenic cartilage injuries. METHODS: Technique videos of arthroscopic femoral acetabular impingement (FAI) procedures and meniscus repairs on VuMedi (n=85) and Arthroscopy Techniques (n=45) were reviewed and iatrogenic cartilage injuries were identified and graded (minor, intermediate, and major injury) by two independent reviewers. In order to demonstrate that even minor injuries on a cellular scale result in damage, a bovine osteochondral explant was used to create comparable minor iatrogenic injuries at varied forces that do not disrupt the articular surface (1.5 N, 2.5 N, and 9.8 N). Dead chondrocytes at the site of injury were stained with ethidium homodimer-2 and imaged with an Olympus FV1000 confocal microscope. Chi squared tests were used for analysis; all results with p < 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: 130 videos of arthroscopic meniscus and FAI procedures were analyzed and the incidence of iatrogenic cartilage injury was 73.8%. There were 110 (70.0%) minor, 35 (22.3%) intermediate, and 11 (7.0%) major iatrogenic injuries. All forces tested in the minor injury bovine model resulted in chondrocyte death at the site of contact. CONCLUSIONS: Iatrogenic articular cartilage injuries are common in arthroscopy, occurring in more than 70% of the surgeon-published instructional videos analyzed. At least some chondrocyte death occurs with minor simulated iatrogenic injuries (1.5 N). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The high rate of cartilage damage during arthroscopic technique videos likely under-represents the true incidence in clinical practice. Cell death occurs in the bovine minor injury model with minimal contact forces. This suggests iatrogenic cartilage damage during arthroscopy could contribute to clinical outcomes.

In this study, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of the device VitaLog (SWG Sportwerk GmbH & Co. KG, Dortmund, Germany) for estimation of respiratory rate (RR) variability. VitaLog is a minimal-contact biomotion device that is placed under the mattress topper. It senses respiratory effort and body movement using a piezoelectric sensor. Diagnostic accuracy was determined in 103 patients referred to our sleep laboratory for suspected sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). SDB was defined by AHI ≥ 15/h. Results provided by VitaLog were compared with nasal flow measurement obtained by polysomnography (PSG). Diagnostic accuracy of VitaLog was excellent. We obtained a correlation of r = 0.99 and a bias of 0.2 cycles per minute (cpm) between VitaLog and PSG-provided nasal flow. Detection RR variability worked nearly identically in patients with and without SDB. VitaLog is an appropriate method for determination of RR variability based on a minimal-contact biomotion sensor. This device is easy to handle, available at low cost, and suitable for long-term monitoring in the hospital or at home.

The article reveals the concept of the economy of minimal contact, analyzes the period of business functioning under quarantine conditions in 2020 in Ukraine, considers the main indicators of the retail market in Ukraine and the world, and also identifies the main players in the global and Ukrainian retail markets, which are topical issues of our time, which is why the relevance of the research topic is determined. The article considers the modern processes taking place in the global retail market. The analysis of the world’s purchase behaviour tendencies has been conducted.The purpose of the article is to substantiate and identify the advantages and obstacles of the ways of trade progress in the low touch economy in conditions of global competition.The study revealed the transformation of consumer behavior due to the economy of minimal contact, which provokes changes in the business model of enterprises, the value of their goals, focuses on reducing costs and increasing the influence of consumers. In accordance with this, key global retail trends and its future in the next 5-10 years were predicted.

OBJECTIVE The aim: To conduct a comparative analysis of clinical data, laboratory results, and pain intensity in patients using developed by us device for offloading the foot and plaster splint during inpatient treatment of purulent-necrotic complications of diabetic foot syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS Materials and methods: We examined 76 patients with purulent-necrotic complications of diabetic foot syndrome, who used a plaster splint and a device for offloading the foot. We evaluated the clinical indicators of the healing process, laboratory data and pain intensity. RESULTS Results: Comparing the results of using the device for offloading the foot and the plaster splint showed that the developed by us device had a positive effect on the dynamics of the healing process: the edema disappeared on average 1.5 days earlier; the redness vanished on average 2.5 days earlier. We observed granulation and epithelialization significantly earlier (p

The efficacy of prolonged exposure (PE) on suicide ideation (SI) as a secondary outcome among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of PE in two formats (spaced, S-PE, 10 sessions over 8 weeks, and massed, M-PE, 10 sessions over 2 weeks) to Present Centered Therapy (PCT) and minimal contact control (MCC) on SI exacerbation among patients without suicide intent or plans. Active duty military personnel (n = 335) were randomized to: (1) S-PE vs. PCT and (2) M-PE vs. MCC. All participants completed the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation and the Beck Depression Inventory (Suicide item) at baseline, posttreatment, and follow-ups. S-PE and PCT had significant and comparable reductions in SI during treatment. M-PE had significantly steeper reductions in SI during treatment compared to MCC. Specifically, more participants in M-PE compared to MCC had reliable improvement versus reliable exacerbation. Reduction in PTSD symptoms was significantly associated with reduction of SI. PE was associated with significant reductions in SI over time that were comparable to PCT and superior to MCC. These findings suggest that both trauma- and non-trauma-focused treatments are associated with reductions in SI, and that trauma-focused treatments improve SI relative to waitlist.

Introduction Around 23% of adults worldwide are insufficiently active. Wearable devices paired with virtual coaching software could increase physical activity. The effectiveness of 3 minimal contact interventions (paper-based physical activity diaries, activity trackers, and activity trackers coupled with virtual coaching) in increasing physical activity energy expenditure and cardiorespiratory fitness were compared over 12 weeks among inactive adults. Methods This was an open label, parallel-group RCT. Inactive adults (aged ≥18 years, N=488) were randomized to no intervention (Control; n=121), paper-based diary (Diary; n=124), activity tracker (Activity Band; n=122), or activity tracker plus virtual coaching (Activity Band PLUS; n=121) groups. Coprimary outcomes included 12-week changes in physical activity energy expenditure and fitness (May 2012–January 2014). Analyses were conducted in 2019–2020. Results There were no differences between groups overall (physical activity energy expenditure: p=0.114, fitness: p=0.417). However, there was a greater increase in physical activity energy expenditure (4.21 kJ/kg/day, 95% CI=0.42, 8.00) in the Activity Band PLUS group than in the Diary group. There were also greater decreases in BMI and body fat percentage in the Activity Band PLUS group than in the Control group (BMI= −0.24 kg/m2, 95% CI= −0.45, −0.03; body fat= −0.48%, 95% CI= −0.88, −0.08) and in theActivity Band PLUS group than in the Diary group (BMI= −0.30 kg/m2, 95% CI= −0.50, −0.09; body fat= −0.57%, 95% CI= −0.97, −0.17). Conclusions Coupling activity trackers with virtual coaching may facilitate increases in physical activity energy expenditure compared with a traditional paper‒based physical activity diary intervention and improve some secondary outcomes compared with a traditional paper‒based physical activity diary intervention or no intervention. Trial registration This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov ISRCTN31844443.

Highlights • Latinas received an Original or Enhanced physical activity (PA) intervention. • Gains in PA at six months were maintained at 12 months for both interventions. • Minutes of PA did not significantly differ between the two conditions over time. • The Enhanced group was more likely to meet national PA guidelines at 12 months. • Enhancements (theory, texting) can help high risk populations meet PA guidelines., Latinas report disproportionately low physical activity (PA) levels and related health conditions. Reducing chronic disease in Latinas requires interventions to increase and maintain health-enhancing PA levels; yet limited intervention studies have examined PA maintenance among Latinas. The present study evaluated the efficacy during the maintenance phase (months 6–12) of the Enhanced PA intervention for Latina adults in Seamos Activas II compared to the Original PA Intervention. Seamos Activas II was conducted in San Diego, California from 2015 to 2020. Underactive adult Latina women (N = 199), mainly of Mexican descent (89%) were randomized to the original intervention or a theory- and technology-enhanced intervention. Their PA was measured objectively (via accelerometers) and via self-report at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Quantile regression models assessed treatment effects on min/week of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) at 12 months. Generalized linear models examined treatment effects on indicators of meeting 2008 National PA Guidelines. Both groups maintained the significant gains in MVPA they had made during the first 6 months of the intervention, neither increasing nor decreasing their MVPA over the maintenance period, with no significant between-group differences. At 12 months, 46.3% of Enhanced Intervention participants were meeting self-reported PA guidelines (vs 35.6 % of the Original PA Intervention arm, p = .02). Even with minimal contact throughout the maintenance phase, participants maintained their MVPA, which underscores the importance of continued use of evidence-based behavior change tools and techniques to reinforce newly established habits. Theoretical and technological enhancements may help Latinas to continue meeting PA guidelines during maintenance periods.

The importance of this study is to develop handling strategies for human lens studies, aiming at eye health. The aim of this study was to develop a lens holder to facilitate handling lenses having minimal contact with different surfaces while developing experimental protocols. We devised a dissection technique to harvest the lens together with the iris and ciliary body, avoiding any contact with the lens. We also made a specific holder for the lens. Five human lenses were used and preserved in TC199 solution at 4 °C. To test the practicality of the new tool, we weighed the lenses and performed transmission spectroscopy to evaluate the holder’s interference during measurements. The lens holder consists of a pair of anodized plaques with eight pins attached to one of the plaques. The lens is accommodated in the holder by attaching the ciliary muscle to the pins. The holder allows the lens to float inside it, preventing it from deforming, and keeping it intact during the experiment. Overall, the lens holder showed suitable handling in repeated measurement experiments of spectral transmission and daily measurement of the lens mass. In both analyses, the lenses were kept inside the holder without needing to remove them. The novelty of this new lens holder is that it prevents the lens from touching hard surfaces, which can damage the lens. Moreover, the differential of this holder is the possibility of carrying out analyzes on different pieces of equipment without needing to handle the lens.

Easy Street is a fictional place where life is carefree. Many doctors and patients are finding simplified, less demanding treatments more appealing, especially in these infectious times that encourage approaches involving minimal contact. In orthodontics, the move to perform more clear aligner therapy may be a faulty step toward Easy Street. A case is made against further trivialization of our specialty.

BackgroundIsolation of infected people and their contacts may be an effective way to control outbreaks of infectious disease, such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2. Models can provide insights into the efficacy of contact tracing, coupled with isolating or quarantining at risk people.MethodsWe developed an agent-based model and simulated 15, 000 short term illnesses, with varying characteristics. For each illness we ran ten simulations on the following scenarios: (1) No tracing or isolation (None), (2) isolation of agents who have tested positive (Isolation), (3) scenario 2 coupled with minimal contact tracing and quarantine of contacts (Minimum), (4) scenario 3 with more effective contact tracing (Moderate), and (5) perfect isolation of agents who test positive and perfect tracing and quarantine of all their contacts (Maximum).ResultsThe median total infections of the Isolation, Minimum, Moderate and Maximum scenarios were 80%, 40%, 17% and 4% of the no intervention scenario respectively.ConclusionsIsolation of infected patients and quarantine of their contacts, even if moderately well implemented, is likely to substantially reduce the number of infections in an outbreak. Randomized controlled trials to confirm these results in the real world and to analyse the cost effectiveness of contact tracing and isolation during coronavirus and influenza outbreaks are warranted.

During the nineteenth century, linguistics and aphasiology both underwent rapid, but allegedly unrelated developments. In this article, I present a somewhat more differentiated picture of their relationship. In linguistics, interest in aphasiology was almost, but not altogether absent. And despite a general lack of linguistic interest in medical circles, aphasiologists occasionally appealed to linguistic ideas. This appeal was scarce and variable, however. The situation of predominant disconnectedness raises some questions: why was there only a minimal contact between disciplines in a situation of spectacular scientific developments at their intersection? And how can exceptions to this general pattern be explained?A closer look at the intellectual situation in both disciplines will yield some clues to answering these questions. Special attention will be paid to Steinthal’s contribution to aphasiology. His chapter on language disorders has been referred to as the great exception: a unique and promising example of interdisciplinary neurolinguistics-avant-la-lettre. I will argue that this is an overstatement. Steinthal’s text bears witness of linguistic-psychological sophistication, but is not a programmatic plea for a new linguistically-informed approach to aphasiology.

Chinese tongue diagnosis was initially developed to quickly and efficiently diagnose and prescribe medicine, while at the same time allowing the doctor to have minimal contact with the patient. At the time of its compiling, the spread of Yersinia pestis, often causing septicaemia and gangrene of the extremities, may have discouraged doctors to come in direct contact with their patients and take the pulse. However, in recent decades, modern developments in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as the spread of antibiotics in conjunction with the advancements of microbiology, have overshadowed the original purpose of this methodology. Nevertheless, the fast approaching post-antibiotic era and the development of artificial intelligence may hold new applications for tongue diagnosis. This article focuses on the historical development of what is the world's earliest tongue diagnosis monograph, and discusses the directions that such knowledge may be used in future clinical research.

Objectives: To evaluate patient`s satisfaction, efficacy and adherence to CPAP with a hybrid nasal mask (DW) we tested patients with OSA in unattended setting under real-life conditions. Material and Methods: Prospective, comparative study using DW mask 7 days against habitual mask in patients adapted to CPAP therapy. Results: We analyzed 52 patients: 35 men (67%) with IAH mean; 24.3±12.3 events/hour. At baseline mean compliance of 5.42±1.83 hours/night. After using DW mask, patients reported fewer marks, more comfort, greater partners acceptance, easier to use and was ranked higher to preventing leaks; p0.0042). Differences were not found in pressure 90th-95th percentile (9.6±9.2 cm of H2O, p

Results are presented for physical and mathematical modeling of the operation of different mixing chambers with a multiple jets inlet of a heat carrier in pneumatic conveying driers for potassium chloride. The influence of the shape of the chamber and the spacing of holes for heat carrier input on temperature inhomogeneity of the resulting mixture, particulates temperature and contact intensity of particulates with the chamber walls are considered. A mixing chamber design providing minimal contact intensity and sticking of the dryable particulates with the walls is recommended.

Many public venues such as farms, fairs, and petting zoos encourage animal contact for both educational and entertainment purposes. However, healthy farm animals, including cattle, small ruminants, and poultry, can be reservoirs for enteric zoonotic pathogens, with human infections resulting in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in some cases, severe complications that can lead to death. As animals shed these organisms in their feces, contamination of themselves and their surroundings is unavoidable. The majority of North Americans reside in urban and suburban settings, and the general public often possess limited knowledge of agricultural practices and minimal contact with farm animals. Furthermore, there is a lack of understanding of zoonotic pathogens, particularly how these pathogens are spread and the human behaviors that may increase the risk of infection. Human risk behaviors include hand-to-mouth contact immediately after physical contact with animals and their environments, a practice that facilitates the ingestion of pathogens. It is often young children who become ill due to their under-developed immune systems and poorer hygienic practices compared with adults, such as more frequent hand-to-mouth behaviors, and infrequent or improper hand washing. These illnesses are often preventable, simply through adequate hygiene and hand washing. Our objective was to use a structured approach to review the main causal organisms responsible for human illnesses acquired in petting zoo and open farm environments, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, nontyphoidal Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Cryptosporidium. Notable outbreaks involving direct contact with farm animals and farm, fair, or petting zoo environments are discussed and recommendations for how public venues can increase safety and hand hygiene compliance among visitors are proposed. The most effective protective measures against enteric illnesses include education of the public, increasing overall awareness of the risks and the importance of hand hygiene, as well as access to hand-washing facilities.

Migration of acetyltributyl citrate (ATBC) into a diverse range of foods during domestic use of plasticized PVDC/PVC co-polymer film has been determined using a stable isotope dilution GC/MS approach. Aspects of home use reported in this study include lining and covering both containers and food during microwave cooking, covering food during microwave re-heating and use of the film for wrapping food during storage. Both indirect and intimate contact between film and fatty or aqueous-type foods for differing times and exposure temperatures were tested. The results showed migration levels ranging from 0.4 mg/kg where there was minimal contact during microwave cooking of a soup, to levels of 79.8 mg/kg for use of the film in intimate contact as a liner to a container during the microwave cooking of biscuits.

Background: Touch (rugby/football) is a minimal contact sport for which the type and incidence of injuries remains unknown in Europe. Objectives: To establish the incidence, severity and nature of injuries sustained during a four-day European Touch Championship competition. Methods: A prospective cohort design was adopted to record match-related injuries during the European Touch Championships 2016. Injuries were collected from five countries and classified using the Orchard Sports Injury Classification (OSICS-10). Data were combined from all participating countries and injury incidence was recorded as number of injuries/1000 player hours. Results: A total of 135 injuries were recorded during the tournament with injury incidence calculated as 103.5 injuries per 1000 player match hours. Injuries were mainly recorded as transient (76%) occurring most frequently in the lower limb (69%). Injuries occurred more frequently on successive days, with exception to the final day of the tournament. The number of injuries was not different between the first and second half of matches and there was no relationship between the day of the tournament and the half of the match that injury occurred. Conclusion: Match injury incidence was 103.5 injuries per 100 player match hours. The most injured site was that of the lower limb, with the most common injury type reported as muscle/tendon injury. It is postulated that fatigue plays a role in injury incidence during a multiday tournament.

Minimal contact lifestyle interventions with multiple components coupled with health screening have the potential to improve worker health. The purpose of this study was to test a minimal contact multiple component lifestyle diet and exercise intervention. The multiple components that were included in this project included a worksite health screening, brief counseling session, emailed newsletter, and a pedometer. In response to the intervention, participants reported an increase in green salad, fruit, and vegetable consumption as well as an increase in self-efficacy for consuming three servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Study participants also demonstrated a significant increase in physical activity as shown by their responses to the question, “During leisure time I walk.” A minimal contact multiple component worksite health promotion program with relatively high feasibility and low cost can improve workers’ health-related behaviors, and participants can become more aware of their health.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Prolonged surgical procedures have an increased risk of pressure and nerve injuries. Lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) procedures require patient positioning with tape to secure and minimize movement of the patient. Decreased interface pressures have previously been attributed to increased patient comfort. We assessed the preoperative interface pressures for a LLIF procedure. PURPOSE Lateral peak interface pressures on a flat surgical table is increased with taping during patient positioning. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Prospective. PATIENT SAMPLE Peak pressures were measured in four phases of patient positioning: lateral (n=93 frames), lateral + axilla pad (n=43 frames), lateral + axilla pad + taping (n=506 frames), and lateral + axilla pad + taping + draping (n=414 frames). Peak pressure measurements were captured over a timeframe of minimal contact to the patient. Four regions were assessed: the shoulder, right thorax, hip and leg. OUTCOME MEASURES Peak pressures (mmHg) for the shoulder, right thorax, hip, and leg regions. METHODS Pressure sensors were placed on a flat surgical table. A patient was positioned laterally according to Association of Surgical Technologists Standards of Practice for Surgical Positioning. An axilla pad was placed to support the right thorax and egg crate foam were used to support the lateral side of the right knee. Peak pressures were measured in four phases of patient positioning: lateral (n=93 frames), lateral + axilla pad (n=43 frames), lateral + axilla pad + taping (n=506 frames), and lateral + axilla pad + taping + draping (n=414 frames). Peak pressure measurements were captured over a timeframe of minimal contact to the patient. Four regions were assessed: the shoulder, right thorax, hip and leg. RESULTS Before taping to secure the patient, peak pressures for the shoulder, right thorax, hip, and leg regions were 33.4±0.5 mmHg, 59.5±0.6 mmHg, 68.4±1.0 mmHg, and 50.8±0.8 mmHg. After taping, peak pressures were significantly increased in all regions except the shoulder and legs. Peak pressures were 35.0±0.4 mmHg, 71.1±0.5 mmHg (p CONCLUSIONS Pressure sensors can provide real-time feedback during patient positioning. Securing a patient with tape increases the static pressure applied to a patient in a single position procedure. Optimal techniques to minimize excessive pressure can be identified. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs.

The Social Network Analysis offers a view of social phenomena based on interactions. The aim of this study is to compare social reality through the cohesion variable and analyse its relationship with the resilience of university students. This information is useful to work with the students academically and to optimise the properties of the network that have an influence in academic performance. This is a descriptive transversal study with 90 students from the first and third year of the Nursing Degree. Cohesion variables from the support and friendship networks and the level of resilience were gathered. The UCINET programme was used for network analysis and the SPSS programme for statistical analysis. The students&rsquo, friendship and support networks show high intra-classroom cohesion although there are no differences between the support networks and friendship or minimal contact networks in both of the courses used for the study. The network cohesion indicators show less cohesion in the third year. No correlations were found between cohesion and resilience. Resilience does not appear to be an attribute related to cohesion or vice versa.

The current study examined the role of trauma-related guilt on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom change during prolonged exposure therapy (PE) as well as the efficacy of PE in reducing three dimensions of guilt (responsibility, wrongdoing, and lack of justification) during treatment. Participants were 331 active duty U.S. military personnel seeking treatment for PTSD who were randomized to one of four groups: massed PE (10 sessions delivered over 2 weeks), spaced PE (10 sessions delivered over 8 weeks), present-centered therapy (PCT; 10 sessions delivered over 8 weeks), or minimal contact control (MCC; weekly therapist phone check-in for 4 weeks). The results showed that baseline guilt did not predict reductions in PTSD symptoms for spaced PE or for PCT, ps = .178-.387, ds = -0.02-0.07. Treatment condition (massed PE vs. MCC; spaced PE vs. PCT) did not moderate reductions in guilt for spaced PE versus PCT. Guilt decreased significantly over treatment in all groups, p < .001 to p = .038, ds = -0.19 to -0.42, except concerning justification in the spaced PE and PCT groups, p = .140, d = -0.10. The findings suggest that guilt may be reduced significantly following active PTSD treatment and attention control and that PTSD recovery is not impacted by baseline levels of trauma-related guilt in military personnel with PTSD, although reported levels of guilt were low to moderate in this sample.

In-bed motion monitoring has become of great interest for a variety of clinical applications. Image-based approaches could be seen as a natural non-intrusive approach for this purpose; however, video devices require special challenging settings for a clinical environment. We propose to estimate the patient’s posture from pressure sensors’ data mapped to images. We introduce a deep learning method to retrieve human poses from pressure sensors data. In addition, we present a second approach that is based on a hashing content-retrieval approach. Our results show good performance with both presented methods even in poses where the subject has minimal contact with the sensors. Moreover, we show that deep learning approaches could be used in this medical application despite the limited amount of available training data. Our ConvNet approach provides an overall posture even when the patient has less contact with the mattress surface. In addition, we show that both methods could be used in real-time patient monitoring. We have provided two methods to successfully perform real-time in-bed patient pose estimation, which is robust to different sizes of patient and activities. Furthermore, it can provide an overall posture even when the patient has less contact with the mattress surface.

Strategies to increase the availability of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for severe health anxiety (SHA) are needed, and this study investigated the cost-effectiveness and long-term efficacy of three forms of minimal-contact CBT for SHA. We hypothesised that therapist-guided internet CBT (G-ICBT), unguided internet CBT (U-ICBT), and cognitive behavioural bibliotherapy (BIB-CBT) would all be more cost-effective than a waiting-list condition (WLC), as assessed over the main phase of the trial. We also hypothesised that improvements would remain stable up to one-year follow-up. Adults (N = 132) with principal SHA were randomised to 12 weeks of G-ICBT, U-ICBT, BIB-CBT, or WLC. The primary measure of cost-effectiveness was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, or the between-group difference in per capita costs divided by the between-group difference in proportion of participants in remission. The Health anxiety inventory (HAI) was the primary efficacy outcome. G-ICBT, U-ICBT, and BIB-CBT were more cost-effective than the WLC. Over the follow-up period, the G-ICBT and BIB-CBT groups made further improvements in health anxiety, whereas the U-ICBT group did not change. As expected, all three treatments were cost-effective with persistent long-term effects. CBT without therapist support appears to be a valuable alternative to G-ICBT for scaling up treatment for SHA.

In-bed motion monitoring has become of great interest for a variety of clinical applications. In this paper, we introduce a hashbased learning method to retrieve human poses from pressure sensors data in real time considering temporal correlation between poses. The basis of our approach is a multimodal database describing different in-bed activities. Database entries have been created using an array of pressure sensors and an additional motion capture system. Our results show good performance even in poses where the subject has minimal contact with the sensors

Currently, there are three official AOCS indirect methods for the detection and quantification of 2- and 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol-(2-MCPDe/3-MCPDe) and glycidyl esters (GE). The complete analysis for methods which allow separate detection and quantification of these three analytes is time consuming (>16 h) and because of extensive manual sample preparation, the chances for error are significant and well-trained analysts are required for correct and reproducible results. We developed a new automated indirect method for sample preparation and quantification of these three analytes in oils and fats based on the relatively fast AOCS Official Method Cd 29c-13 (alkaline transesterification, differential method, no 2-MCPDe quantification). The method is adapted to ensure separate glycidol detection and correction for possible overestimation due to conversion of 3-MCPD to glycidol during alkaline transesterification using a carbon-13 labeled internal standard. Furthermore, the total analysis time is reduced significantly to less than 5 h per series of four samples with minimal contact time. The exclusion of manual sample preparation reduces the need for dedicated well-trained lab technicians and eliminates variance between technicians. This makes the automated method a suitable tool to integrate in operational Quality Control services without specialized lab technicians. The method has been validated against AOCS Official Method Cd 29b-13 using different types of edible oils. Practical application: The use of an autosampler for sample preparation simplifies the parallel analysis of MCPD and glycidyl esters to a method which can be applied in any quality control or research laboratory without the need for multiple specialized technicians while optimizing sample throughput. It minimizes analysis errors by removing the human factor during sample preparation and allows for far shorter analysis times, allowing much faster optimization of production processes and food safety quality control practices. Correction of the glycidol overestimation caused by 3-MCPD conversion to glycidol during alkaline transesterification during sample preparation using a 3-MCPD-13C3 ester as internal standard.

To estimate the prevalence of β-haemolytic Lancefield group C streptococci in healthy dogs, cats and horses; to determine if frequent contact with horses was associated with isolation of these species from dogs and cats; and to characterise recovered S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolates by multilocus sequence typing.Oropharyngeal swabs were collected from 197 dogs and 72 cats, and nasopharyngeal swabs from 93 horses. Sampling was carried out at the Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, on sheep and beef farms or on premises where horses were present. All animals were healthy and were categorised as Urban dogs and cats (minimal contact with horses or farm livestock), Farm dogs (minimal contact with horses) and Stable dogs and cats (frequent contact with horses). Swabs were cultured for β-haemolytic Streptococcus spp. and Lancefield group C streptococcal subspecies were confirmed by phenotypic and molecular techniques.Of the 197 dogs sampled, 21 (10.7 (95% CI= 4.0-25.4)%) tested positive for S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis and 4 (2.0 (95% CI=0.7-5.5)%) tested positive for S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus. All these isolates, except for one S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis isolate in an Urban dog, were from Stable dogs. S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis was isolated from one Stable cat. Of the 93 horses, 22 (23.7 (95% CI=12.3-40.6)%) and 6 (6.5 (95% CI=2.8-14.1)%) had confirmed S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis and S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolation respectively. Isolation of S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis from dogs was associated with frequent contact with horses (OR=9.8 (95% CI=2.6-72.8)). Three different multilocus sequence type profiles of S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus that have not been previously reported in dogs were recovered.Subclinical infection or colonisation by S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus and S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis occurs in dogs and further research on inter-species transmission and the pathogenic potential of these Lancefield group C streptococci is needed. Complete speciation of β-haemolytic streptococci should be recommended in clinical cases and the possible exposure to horses and their environment should be considered in epidemiological investigations.

Water distribution systems are liable to be contaminated. Depending on the nature of the contamination the cleaning process may include disinfection. The common requirement for disinfection is that the disinfectants will have a minimal contact time and a predefined minimum concentration with the pipe. The regulations consider disinfection of a single main but no specific procedures are given for larger portions of the network. This paper presents a multi-objective optimal operation plan for disinfection of water systems. The objective functions are to minimize the disinfection time and minimize the disinfectant quantities used while keeping the required regulations.

Depression is a highly prevalent psychological disorder experienced disproportionately by college student military veterans with many deleterious effects including risk for suicide. Treatment can help, but the debilitating nature of depression often makes seeking in-person treatment difficult and many are deterred by stigma, inconvenience, concerns about privacy, or a preference to manage problems themselves. The current study examines the efficacy of a computer-guided Problem-Solving Treatment (ePST®) for reducing symptoms of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and insomnia in student military veterans. Twenty-four student veterans (Meanage = 32.7) with symptoms of depression were randomly assigned either to a treatment group receiving six weekly sessions of ePST or to a minimal contact control group (MCC). Participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression scale at baseline and then weekly through post-ePST or post-MCC. PTSD and insomnia questionnaires were also completed at baseline and posttreatment. A linear mixed model regression showed a statistically significant Group (ePST vs. MCC) × Time (pretreatment through posttreatment) interaction for depression, with the ePST showing substantial improvements in depressive symptoms over the 6-week period. Significant improvements were also seen in PTSD and insomnia symptoms. Results suggest that ePST can effectively treat depression, PTSD, and insomnia symptoms in student military veterans and may be a viable alternative for those who are not able to access live therapy. Future work should examine the durability of treatment effects and utility for more severe depression and suicide prevention.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and short- and long-term effects of two 10-wk structured ergometer-cycling programs among elderly in assisted-living residences. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Eight assisted-living residences (N=95; age=81.2±5.9years) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: 1) ergometer-cycling with strict coach-supervision (STRICT, N=3; n=35); 2) ergometer-cycling with autonomy-supportive minimal contact coach-supervision (AUT; N=3; n=36); or 3) control condition (CON; N=2, n=24). INTERVENTION: Three-weekly progressive ergometer-cycling sessions for 10 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Feasibility, physical activity (PA), muscular strength, functional performance and quality of life (baseline, post-intervention (10weeks) and 6-month follow-up). RESULTS: 83 participants were analyzed post-intervention, 75 at follow-up. Adherence was higher in STRICT than AUT during the intervention (p=0.001), but not during follow-up. Compared with CON, both programs showed positive short- and long-term effects on moderate-intensity PA (p=0.034). With regard to strength, functional performance and well-being, no time-by-group interaction effects were found. When comparing high-adherers (adherence≥80%) to low-adherers, a greater increase in functional performance and in well-being and a trend towards a lower decrease in strength were found in the short-term (p=0.047, p

The goal of this paper is to give a short review of recent results of the authors concerning classical Hamiltonian many-particle systems. We hope that these results support the new possible formulation of Boltzmann’s ergodicity hypothesis which sounds as follows. For almost all potentials, the minimal contact with external world, through only one particle of N, is sufficient for ergodicity. But only if this contact has no memory. Also new results for quantum case are presented.

The interfacial tension (IFT) and contact angles of different oil/solutions were compared to unveil the influence of Mg2+on oil/NaOH interfacial properties. The results demonstrate that adding Mg2+to NaOH solution cannot change the oil/NaOH interfacial tension when enough OH-is provided. While for NaOH-surfactant solution, adding Mg2+changes the IFT dramatically. Adding NaOH to oil/water produces a minimal contact angle at NaOH of 0.02wt%. Adding surfactant or MgCl2alone increases the contact angles. Adding them together produces a synergism to bringing down contact angles gradually with the increase of NaOH concentration. The change of salinity and the reaction among them may be responsible for the influence and synergism.

This experimental study investigates the low-speed impact behavior of adhesively bonded similar (Al-Al, St-St) and dissimilar (Al-St, St-Al) plates. The after-impact geometries of the front and back faces of the bonded plates, which were visualized by measuring the displacements, were in good agreement with the simulated surface geometries obtained by using explicit finite element method. The plate stiffness was affective on the deflections of the bonded plates; thus, the bonded Al-Al plates exhibited maximum deflections, contact durations, and minimal contact force levels, whereas the bonded St-St plates had minimum deflections, contact durations, and maximum contact force levels. As the impact energy is increased, the impact forces, durations, and deflections increased naturally; however, the impact force-time histories were not affected evidently. The bonded Al-Al plates can dissipate the impact energy more effectively than the bonded St-St plates. The experimental and simulated contact force-time histories were generally in good agreement. Based on the cross-section photographs of the damaged impact regions the bonded Al-Al plates with low stiffness can deform plastically and dissipate most of the impact energy, and the adhesive layer remains compatible with the deformation of the plates. The interfacial fractures appear along the back plate-adhesive interface for the low impact energy but along both front and back plate-adhesive interfaces and cracks propagated to the back interface to lower interface through the adhesive thickness near the boundaries of the impactor trace. The bonded St-St plates behave more rigid, transmit the impact energy directly to the adhesive layer and the high impact force distributions result severe fractures not only interfacially but also through the adhesive thickness. The color transformations, which are indications of fracture formation and propagation speed in some way, were observed around the adhesive fractures. Although the bonded St-Al and Al-St plates had a fracture mechanism similar to those of the bonded Al-Al plates but the color transformation near the fractures and the crack opening displacement levels were more evident. The existence of a stiffer plate affects considerably the damage formation in the adhesive layer and in the plates, whereas the less stiff plates can dissipate the impact energy by deforming plastically and the adhesive layer experiences less local damages.

Chota Valley Spanish (CVS) is an Afro-Hispanic dialect spoken in the provinces of Imbabura and Carchi, Ecuador. The structure of CVS is relatively similar to Spanish, even though the conditions that characterized colonial Chota Valley seem — at a first glance — to have been ideal for a creole language to develop: a low white/black ratio, harsh working conditions on sugarcane plantations, massive introduction of African-born workers, and minimal contact with the outside Spanish speaking world (Schwegler 1999: 240; McWhorter 2000: 10–11). Two main hypotheses have been proposed to account for this fact: (a) the Monogenesis Hypothesis (Schwegler 1999); (b) the Afrogenesis Hypothesis (McWhorter 2000).In the present paper, the linguistic and sociohistorical evidence available for CVS is analyzed. Findings indicate that the long assumed creolizing conditions for CVS were not in place in colonial Chota Valley and therefore hypotheses (a) and (b) do not accurately explain the true nature and evolution of this language. The present study suggests that CVS can be better analyzed as the result of intermediate and advanced second language acquisition processes, which do not imply a previous creole stage.