Publications by authors named "R D Lowe"

Objectives: To systematically map the entry-level competencies of rehabilitation professions to the World Health Organization's Rehabilitation Competency Framework (RCF) to identify overlapping commonalities and gaps across available rehabilitation frameworks.

Design: The competence frameworks of audiology, occupational therapy, physical and rehabilitation medicine, psychology, physiotherapy, prosthetics and orthotics, rehabilitation nursing, and speech and language therapy were researched online. In cases where international standards or competencies were unavailable online, expert colleagues in the related field were consulted to confirm the absence of an international document.

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Photocurable self-healing elastomers are promising candidates for producing complex soft devices that can mend damage. However, the practicality of these materials is limited by reliance on external stimuli, custom synthesis, manual realignment, and multihour healing cycles. This paper introduces a tough 3D-printable hybrid acrylate/thiol-ene elastomer (prepared with commercially available precursors) that exhibits nearly instantaneous damage repair in the absence of external stimuli.

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Equestrian sports are associated with high rates of major injury compared to collision and powered two-wheel sports. Advancements in rider and horse safety equipment and the implementation of comprehensive emergency action planning standards may help mitigate injuries, particularly in regard to the Olympic disciplines of dressage, show jumping, and three-day eventing covered in this review. Personal safety equipment to consider includes helmets, safety and air vests, and horse tack including safety stirrups, acoustic dampeners, and breakaway reins.

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Background: In recent years, Europe has experienced several outbreaks of West Nile Virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne pathogen. This study aims to quantify the impact of weekly mean temperature and cumulative precipitation on human cases of West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease (WNND), to assess the feasibility of climate-informed early warning systems for severe forms of WNV infection.

Methods: Using a space-time-stratified case-crossover design, the short-term effects of meteorological factors on WNND cases reported in Europe from 2014 to 2022 were examined.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on the CAD-RADS system to standardize CTCA reporting and explored how coronary calcification affects the assessment of stenosis in patients.
  • Researchers hypothesized that the Fractional Flow Reserve (FFRCT) would be lower for calcified stenoses (Ca+) compared to non-calcified ones (Ca-) in the same CAD-RADS categories.
  • Results showed that there was no significant difference in FFRCT values between Ca+ and Ca- stenoses for most categories, but CAD-RADS 3 Ca+ had lower FFRCT readings, suggesting possible underestimation that was not confirmed with invasive tests.
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