Interstep Variations of Stairways and Associations of High-Contrast Striping and Fall-Related Events: Observational Study.

Background: Interstep variations in step riser height and tread depth within a stairway could negatively impact safe stair negotiation by decreasing step riser height predictability and, consequently, increasing stair users' fall risk. Unfortunately, interstep variations in riser height and depth are common, particularly in older stairways, but its impact may be lessened by highlighting steps' edges using a high-contrast stripe on the top front edge of each step.

Objective: This study aimed to determine (1) if fall-related events are associated with greater interstep riser height and depth variations and (2) if such fall-related events are reduced in the presence of contrast-enhanced step edges compared with a control stairway.

Cognitive Predictors of Perception and Adaption to Dysarthric Speech in Older Adults.

Purpose: In effortful listening conditions, speech perception and adaptation abilities are constrained by aging and often linked to age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline. Given that older adults are frequent communication partners of individuals with dysarthria, the current study examines cognitive-linguistic and hearing predictors of dysarthric speech perception and adaptation in older listeners.

Method: Fifty-eight older adult listeners (aged 55-80 years) completed a battery of hearing and cognitive tasks administered via the National Institutes of Health Toolbox.

: A Python Package for Polymer Chain Orientation and Microstructure Evolution Monitoring.

In the pursuit of informing experimental techniques with in silico optimizations, we propose a pip deployable Python package, , to easily determine polymer crystallites within molecular dynamic melts and the chain orientation parameters of atomistic and coarse-grained simulations. The package supports the commonly used ⟨⟩, ⟨⟩, and ⟨⟩ order parameters based on the chain chord vector and utilizes a modified DBSCAN algorithm to determine crystalline regions. The results of analysis are written to text and LAMMPS dump files for visualization and analysis.

Surface-Based Ultrasound Scans for the Screening of Prostate Cancer.

Surface-based ultrasound (SUS) systems have undergone substantial improvement over the years in image quality, ease-of-use, and reduction in size. Their ability to image organs non-invasively makes them a prime technology for the diagnosis and monitoring of various diseases and conditions. An example is the screening/risk- stratification of prostate cancer (PCa) using prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD).