Older workers spend less time in extreme trunk and upper-arm postures during order-picking tasks: Results from field testing.

Order picking tasks require repetitive trunk and upper arms movements that may increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders, particularly among older workers due to the decline of their physical capabilities with aging. We proposed an approach based on a limited number of wearable inertial sensors to assessed exposures to non-neutral trunk and upper arms postures among both older and young workers during their regular work-shifts. The obtained data were processed accordingly to international standards (ISO 11226 and EN 1005-4) to detect the existence of possible differences associated with age-specific working strategies.

Landscape metrics as predictors of water-related ecosystem services: Insights from hydrological modeling and data-based approaches applied on the Arno River Basin, Italy.

The study addresses the challenge of integrating complex landscape-hydrological interactions into predictive models for improved water resource management. The aim is to investigate the effectiveness of landscape metrics-quantitative indices measuring landscape composition and configuration-as predictors of WES in the Arno River Basin, Italy. Utilizing two hydrological models alongside a random forest algorithm, we assessed spatial and temporal variations in water yield, runoff, and groundwater recharge.

Suitability of different machine learning algorithms for the classification of the proportion of grassland-based forages at the herd level using mid-infrared spectral information from routine milk control.

As the call for an international standard for milk from grassland-based production systems continues to grow, so too do the monitoring and evaluation policies surrounding this topic. Individual stipulations by countries and milk producers to market their milk under their own grass-fed labels include a compulsory number of grazing days per year (ranging from 120 d for certain labels to 180 d for others), a specified amount of herbage in the diet, or a prescribed dietary proportion of grassland-based forages (GBF) fed and produced on-farm. As these multifarious policy and label requirements are laborious and costly to monitor on-farm, fast economical proxies would be advantageous to verify the proportion of GBF consumed by the cows in the final product.

Shoulder kinematics during cyclic overhead work are affected by a passive arm support exoskeleton.

Purpose: We investigated the influence of passive arm-support exoskeleton (ASE) with different levels of torque (50, 75, and 100%) on upper arm osteokinematics.

Methods: Twenty participants completed a cyclic overhead drilling task with and without ASE. Task duration, joint angles, and angular acceleration peaks were analyzed during ascent and descent phases of the dominant upper arm.

Left ventricular structure and function following renal sympathetic denervation in patients with HFpEF: an echocardiographic 9-year long-term follow-up.

Background: High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiac remodeling and left ventricular hypertrophy, increasing cardiovascular risk and leading to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Since renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) reduces blood pressure in the long term, we aimed to investigate the long-term effect of RDN in patients with HFpEF in the present analysis.

Methods: Patients previously enrolled in a local RDN registry who underwent high-frequency RDN with the use of the Symplicity Flex® renal denervation system between 2011 and 2014 were followed up.

Evaluation of a passive arm-support exoskeleton for surgical team members: Results from live surgeries.

Background: Musculoskeletal symptoms and injuries adversely impact the health of surgical team members and their performance in the operating room (OR). Though ergonomic risks in surgery are well-recognized, mitigating these risks is especially difficult. In this study, we aimed to assess the impacts of an exoskeleton when used by OR team members during live surgeries.

Application of Laser-Induced Acoustic Desorption for Molecular Rotational Resonance Spectroscopy.

Molecular Rotational Resonance (MRR) spectroscopy is a uniquely precise tool for the determination of molecular structures of volatile compounds in mixtures, as the characteristic rotational transition frequencies of a molecule are extremely sensitive to its 3D structure through the moments of inertia in a three-dimensional coordinate system. This enables identification of the compounds based on just a few parameters that can be calculated, as opposed to, for example, mass spectrometric data, which often require expert analysis of 10-20 different signals and the use of many standards/model compounds. This paper introduces a new sampling technique for MRR, laser-induced acoustic desorption (LIAD), to allow the vaporization of nonvolatile and thermally labile analytes without the need for excessive heating or derivatization.

Wearing a back-support exoskeleton alters lower-limb joint kinetics during single-step recovery following a forward loss of balance.

We assessed the effects of a passive, back-support exoskeleton (BSE) on lower-limb joint kinetics during the initiation and swing phases of recovery from a forward loss of balance. Sixteen (8M, 8F) young, healthy participants were released from static forward-leaning postures and attempted to recover their balance with a single-step while wearing a BSE (backX) with different levels of support torque and in a control condition. The BSE provided ∼ 15-20 Nm of external hip extension torque on the stepping leg at the end of initiation and beginning of swing phases.

Disparities in Mentorship and Implications for US Surgical Resident Education and Wellness.

Importance: Many surgeons cite mentorship as a critical component of training. However, little evidence exists regarding factors associated with mentorship and the influence of mentorship on trainee education or wellness.

Objectives: To evaluate factors associated with surgical trainees' perceptions of meaningful mentorship, assess associations of mentorship with resident education and wellness, and evaluate programmatic variation in mentorship.

Teleoperator-Robot-Human Interaction in Manufacturing: Perspectives from Industry, Robot Manufacturers, and Researchers.

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSIndustrial robots have become an important aspect in modern industry. In the context of human-robot collaboration, enabling teleoperated robots to work in close proximity to local/onsite humans can provide new opportunities to improve human engagement in a distributed workplace. Interviews with industry stakeholders highlighted several potential benefits of such (tRHC), including the application of tRHC to tasks requiring both expertise and manual dexterity (e.

Trunk postural control during unstable sitting among individuals with and without low back pain: A systematic review with an individual participant data meta-analysis.

Introduction: Sitting on an unstable surface is a common paradigm to investigate trunk postural control among individuals with low back pain (LBP), by minimizing the influence lower extremities on balance control. Outcomes of many small studies are inconsistent (e.g.

Influences of backpack loading on recovery from anterior and posterior losses of balance: An exploratory investigation.

Backpacks are common devices for carrying external posterior loads. However, relatively little is known about how these external loads affect the ability to recover from balance loss. In this exploratory investigation, 16 young adults (8 female, 8 male) performed forward and backward lean-and-release balance recovery trials, while wearing a backpack that was unloaded or loaded (at 15% of individual body weight).

Perceived benefits, barriers, perceptions, and readiness to use exoskeletons in the construction industry: Differences by demographic characteristics.

Exoskeletons (EXOs) are a promising wearable intervention to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorder risks among construction workers. However, the adoption of EXOs may differ with demographic characteristics. Survey data (n = 361) were collected from construction industry stakeholders and a summation score method was used to summarize respondent's benefits and barriers to EXO use, along with perceptions and readiness to use.

Understanding contributing factors to exoskeleton use-intention in construction: a decision tree approach using results from an online survey.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a major health concern in the construction industry. Occupational exoskeletons (EXOs) are a promising ergonomic intervention to help reduce WMSD risk. Their adoption, however, has been low in construction.

Occupational arm-support and back-support exoskeletons elicit changes in reactive balance after slip-like and trip-like perturbations on a treadmill.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of arm- and back-support exoskeletons on reactive balance after slip-like and trip-like perturbations on a treadmill. Twenty-eight participants used two arm-support exoskeletons and two back-support exoskeletons with support (i.e.

Impact of Standardized Multidisciplinary Critical Care Training on Confidence with Critical Illness and Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Education and Multidisciplinary Care.

Introduction: The Fundamental Critical Care Support Course (FCCS) is a standardized multidisciplinary program designed to educate participants on the basics of identification and management of patients with critical illness. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of FCCS participation on confidence in the assessment and management of critically ill patients and attitudes towards multidisciplinary education and interprofessional care in a multidisciplinary group of participants.

Methods: Participants enrolled in the FCCS course from May 2018 to November 2019 were solicited to participate in a series of surveys evaluating their course experience and confidence in critical care.

Large Temporal Variations of Functional Properties of Outdoor Equestrian Arena Surfaces and a New Concept of Evaluating Reactivity With Light Weight Deflectometer Settlement Curves.

Sports physiological properties of ten sand or sand-mineral outdoor arenas, five with vertical drainage systems and five with an ebb and flow like system were assessed over a period of 8 weeks. For each arena, the riding zone was spatially delineated, nine locations at medium to intensely used zones were selected by simple random sampling and used along the whole measurement period. A total of 72 values for the dynamic deflection modulus (Evd), attenuation (s/v), settlement (s) and moisture content (Vol %) were analyzed for each arena.

Safety and efficacy of renal sympathetic denervation: a 9-year long-term follow-up of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements.

Background: Renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) has been shown to lower arterial blood pressure both in the presence and in the absence of antihypertensive medication in an observation period of up to 3 years. However, long-term results beyond 3 years are scarcely reported.

Methods: We performed a long-term follow-up on patients who were previously enrolled in a local renal denervation registry and who underwent radiofrequency RDN with the Symplicity Flex® renal denervation system between 2011 and 2014.

Combined Interventional Radiology and Surgical Cut-Down Approaches for Retained Gallstones.

Symptomatic retained gallstones are a rare but potentially morbid condition. Post-cholecystectomy patients presenting with vague complaints or perihepatic abscesses should be considered for retained gallstones. Traditional treatment was incision and drainage or exploratory laparotomy with washout.

Issues and Strategies in Training Left-Handed Surgeons.

Left-hand dominance in surgery is a trait historically regarded as disadvantageous to both the trainee and trainer. The aim of this editorial was to identify challenges faced by left-handed trainees and trainers across multiple surgical specialties and to propose strategies that could be implemented during surgical training Multiple themes were identified including left-handed surgeons experiencing discrimination due to their handedness. Additionally, a higher incidence of ambidexterity among left-handed trainees was noted, suggesting that left-handed surgeons may be adapting to a lack of accommodations for left-hand trainees.

An Indoor Fall Monitoring System: Robust, Multistatic Radar Sensing and Explainable, Feature-Resonated Deep Neural Network.

Indoor fall monitoring is challenging for community-dwelling older adults due to the need for high accuracy and privacy concerns. Doppler radar is promising, given its low cost and contactless sensing mechanism. However, the line-of-sight restriction limits the application of radar sensing in practice, as the Doppler signature will vary when the sensing angle changes, and signal strength will be substantially degraded with large aspect angles.

Three passive arm-support exoskeletons have inconsistent effects on muscle activity, posture, and perceived exertion during diverse simulated pseudo-static overhead nutrunning tasks.

Arm-support exoskeletons (ASEs) are an emerging technology with the potential to reduce physical demands during diverse tasks, especially overhead work. However, limited information is available about the effects of different ASE designs during overhead work with diverse task demands. Eighteen participants (gender-balanced) performed lab-based simulations of a pseudo-static overhead task.

A pilot study investigating motor adaptations when learning to walk with a whole-body powered exoskeleton.

Evidence is emerging on how whole-body powered exoskeleton (EXO) use impacts users in basic occupational work scenarios, yet our understanding of how users learn to use this complex technology is limited. We explored how novice users adapted to using an EXO during gait. Six novices and five experienced users completed the study.

A passive leg-support exoskeleton adversely affects reactive balance after simulated slips and trips on a treadmill.

Occupational exoskeletons have become more prevalent as an ergonomic control to reduce the physical demands of workers. While beneficial effects have been reported, there is relatively little evidence regarding potential adverse effects of exoskeletons on fall risk. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a leg-support exoskeleton on reactive balance after simulated slips and trips.