Are older people putting themselves at risk when using their walking frames?

Background Walking aids are issued to older adults to prevent falls, however, paradoxically their use has been identified as a risk factor for falling. To prevent falls, walking aids must be used in a stable manner, but it remains unknown to what extent associated clinical guidance is adhered to at home, and whether following guidance facilitates a stable walking pattern. It was the aim of this study to investigate adherence to guidance on walking frame use, and to quantify user stability whilst using walking frames. Additionally, we explored the views of users and healthcare professionals on walking aid use, and regarding the instrumented walking frames (‘Smart Walkers’) utilized in this study. Methods This observational study used Smart Walkers and pressure-sensing insoles to investigate usage patterns of 17 older people in their home environment; corresponding video captured contextual information. Additionally, stability when following, or not, clinical guidance was quantified for a subset of users during walking in an Activities of Daily Living Flat and in a gait laboratory. Two focus groups (users, healthcare professionals) shared their experiences with walking aids and provided feedback on the Smart Walkers. Results Incorrect use was observed for 16% of single support periods and for 29% of dual support periods, and was associated with environmental constraints and a specific frame design feature. Incorrect use was associated with reduced stability. Participants and healthcare professionals perceived the Smart Walker technology positively. Conclusions Clinical guidance cannot easily be adhered to and self-selected strategies reduce stability, hence are placing the user at risk. Current guidance needs to be improved to address environmental constraints whilst facilitating stable walking. The research is highly relevant considering the rising number of walking aid users, their increased falls-risk, and the costs of falls. Trial Registration Not applicable

Quantitative risk assessment for aflatoxin M1 associated with the consumption of milk and traditional dairy products in Argentina

A quantitative risk assessment for exposure to aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) related to the consumption of milk and traditional dairy products of Argentina was developed. The frequency and concentration of AFM1 was modelled at various stages through the milk processes, considering Argentinean practices. Concentration of AFM1 (0.046 μg/l, 95%CI = 0.002?0.264 μg/l) in raw milk was estimated. The AFM1 concentration in milk was sensitive to the carry-over rate (r = 0.80), and milk yield in the first third of lactation during the spring?summer season (r = 0.11). AFB1 levels in silage (r = 0.22), pasture during the spring?summer season (r = 0.11), concentrate (r = 0.08), and cotton seed (r = 0.05) were the factors most correlated with AFM1 concentrations. Although the results showed that MoE values for the mean and median exposure to AFM1 were 1) for exposure to AFM1 for infants, toddlers, and other children were 45%, 49.1%, and 40.6%, respectively. Under this scenario, the most susceptible population at risk was children < 10 years old; therefore, it is necessary to establish measures to prevent contamination of AFM1 in milk and milk products.Fil: Costamagna, D.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigacion de la Cadena Lactea. - Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigacion de la Cadena Lactea.; ArgentinaFil: Gaggiotti, M.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigacion de la Cadena Lactea. - Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigacion de la Cadena Lactea.; ArgentinaFil: Signorini Porchietto, Marcelo Lisandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigacion de la Cadena Lactea. - Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigacion de la Cadena Lactea.; Argentin

‘Buscamos una voz que nos reciba’. Narrativa chilena reciente: lecturas cómplices

This research explores certain suggested ways of reading recent Chilean narratives, focusing particularly on a corpus of works by four authors: Alvaro Bisama, Alejandra Costamagna, María José Viera-Gallo and Alejandro Zambra. It is proposed that from reception it is possible to specify certain ways of reading that manifest themselves in the degree of complicity achieved between the reader and the works, where this is defined by the reader’s cooperation or participation in the act of reading. The reader is drawn into the work by following the signs given in it, shifting from a critical to emotional reading by updating the stories through a close link between writer, the work and the reader. Thus the works are always read in a complicit way, but from different viewpoints and on different levels. Taking these nuances into account we aim to revise three ways of complicit reading: a) through appropriation of the past, b) politically and c) dynamically.<br><br>Esta investigación centra su estudio en algunas propuestas de lectura para la narrativa chilena reciente, especialmente un corpus compuesto por un conjunto de obras de cuatro autores: Álvaro Bisama, Alejandra Costamagna, María José Viera-Gallo y Alejandro Zambra. Se propone que desde la recepción es posible precisar algunas formas de lectura que se concretan pensando en el grado de complicidad que logra el lector con estas obras, determinada por su relación de colaboración o participación en el acto de leer. El lector se acercará más o menos a la obra siguiendo las señas propuestas en ella, así las formas de leer irán desde lo crítico hasta lo afectivo, actualizando los relatos a partir de un estrecho vínculo entre escritor, obra y lector. De esta forma la lectura siempre será cómplice, pero desde diferentes aspectos y en distintos grados. Teniendo en cuenta estos matices revisaremos tres formas de lectura cómplice: a) de apropiación del pasado, b) política y c) dinámica

Enteroscopic Balloon Dilation of Multiple Ileal Strictures in Suspected Crohn's Disease

AbstractWith the advent of small bowel enteroscopy, the limits to the endoscopic access to the small bowel have been further exceeded, allowing histology sampling and therapeutical maneuvers. This conquest is of crucial meaning in small bowel inflammatory diseases. In this setting, enteroscopy may lead to a definite diagnosis, overcoming the limits of the anatomic disease location and of other (radiological and endoscopic imaging) techniques. Furthermore, enteroscopy permits strictures visualization and dilation, reducing or postponing the need for surgery. In this article the authors demonstrate the technique of hydrostatic balloon dilation of small bowel strictures suggestive of Crohn's disease in a patient suffering from persistent obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. This article is part of an expert video encyclopedia

Objective measures of rollator user stability and device loading during different walking scenarios

Walking aids are widely used by older adults, however, alarmingly, their use has been linked to increased falls-risk, yet clinicians have no objective way of assessing user stability. This work aims to demonstrate the application of a novel methodology to investigate how the type of walking task, the amount of body weight supported by the device (i.e., device loading), and task performance strategy affect stability of rollator users. In this context, ten users performed six walking tasks with an instrumented rollator. The combined stability margin “SM” was calculated, which considers user and rollator as a combined system. A Friedman Test was used to investigate the effects of task on SM and a least-squares regression model was applied to investigate the relationship between device loading and SM. In addition, the effects of task performance strategy on SM were explored. As a result, it was found that: the minimum SM for straight line walking was higher than for more complex tasks (p&lt;0.05); an increase in device loading was associated with an increase in SM (p&lt;0.05); stepping up a kerb with at least 1 rollator wheel in ground contact at all times resulted in higher SM than lifting all four wheels simultaneously. Hence, we conclude that training should not be limited to straight line walking but should include various everyday tasks. Within person, SM informs on which tasks need practicing, and which strategy facilitates stability, thereby enabling person-specific guidance/training. The relevance of this work lies in an increase in walking aid users, and the costs arising from fall-related injuries. Supplementary data is available in Figshare

Melting of Partially Fluorinated Graphene: From Detachment of Fluorine Atoms to Large Defects and Random Coils

The melting of fluorographene is very unusual and depends strongly on the degree of fluorination. For temperatures below 1000 K, fully fluorinated graphene (FFG) is thermo-mechanically more stable than graphene but at T$_m\approx$2800 K FFG transits to random coils which is almost twice lower than the melting temperature of graphene, i.e. 5300 K. For fluorinated graphene (PFG) up to 30 % ripples causes detachment of individual F-atoms around 2000 K while for 40-60 % fluorination, large defects are formed beyond 1500 K and beyond 60% of fluorination F-atoms remain bonded to graphene until melting. The results agree with recent experiments on the dependence of the reversibility of the fluorination process on the percentage of fluorination.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure

Zeb2 regulates myogenic differentiation in pluripotent stem cells

Skeletal muscle differentiation is triggered by a unique family of myogenic basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, including MyoD, MRF-4, Myf-5, and Myogenin. These transcription factors bind promoters and distant regulatory regions, including E-box elements, of genes whose expression is restricted to muscle cells. Other E-box binding zinc finger proteins target the same DNA response elements, however, their function in muscle development and regeneration is still unknown. Here, we show that the transcription factor zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 (Zeb2, Sip-1, Zfhx1b) is present in skeletal muscle tissues. We investigate the role of Zeb2 in skeletal muscle differentiation using genetic tools and transgenic mouse embryonic stem cells, together with single-cell RNA-sequencing and in vivo muscle engraftment capability. We show that Zeb2 over-expression has a positive impact on skeletal muscle differentiation in pluripotent stem cells and adult myogenic progenitors. We therefore propose that Zeb2 is a novel myogenic regulator and a possible target for improving skeletal muscle regeneration. The non-neural roles of Zeb2 are poorly understood

Acute ischaemic stroke in active cancer versus non-cancer patients: stroke characteristics, mechanisms and clinical outcomes.

Demographics, clinical characteristics, stroke mechanisms and long-term outcomes were compared between acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) patients with active cancer (AC) versus non-cancer patients. Using data from 2003 to 2021 in the Acute STroke Registry and Analysis of Lausanne, a retrospective cohort study was performed comparing patients with AC, including previously known and newly diagnosed cancers, with non-cancer patients. Patients with inactive cancer were excluded. Outcomes were the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months, death and cerebrovascular recurrences at 12 months before and after propensity score matching. Amongst 6686 patients with AIS, 1065 (15.9%) had a history of cancer. After excluding 700 (10.4%) patients with inactive cancer, there were 365 (5.5%) patients with AC and 5621 (84%) non-cancer AIS patients. Amongst AC patients, 154 (42.2%) strokes were classified as cancer related. In multivariable analysis, patients with AC were older (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-1.03), had fewer vascular risk factors and were 48% less likely to receive reperfusion therapies (aOR 0.52, 95% CI 0.35-0.76). Three-month mRS scores were not different in AC patients (aOR 2.18, 95% CI 0.96-5.00). At 12 months, death (adjusted hazard ratio 1.91, 95% CI 1.50-2.43) and risk of cerebrovascular recurrence (sub-distribution hazard ratio 1.68, 95% CI 1.22-2.31) before and after propensity score matching were higher in AC patients. In a large institutional registry spanning nearly two decades, AIS patients with AC had less past cerebrovascular disease but a higher 1-year risk of subsequent death and cerebrovascular recurrence compared to non-cancer patients. Antithrombotic medications at discharge may reduce this risk in AC patients

A generalizable methodology for stability assessment of walking aid users

To assist balance and mobility, older adults are often prescribed walking aids. Nevertheless, surprisingly their use has been associated with increased falls-risk. To address this finding we first need to characterise a person’s stability while using a walking aid. Therefore, we present a generalizable method for the assessment of stability of walking frame (WF) users. Our method, for the first time, considers user and device as a combined system. We define the combined centre of pressure (CoPsystem) of user and WF to be the point through which the resultant ground reaction force for all feet of both the WF and user acts if the resultant moment acts only around an axis perpendicular to the ground plane. We also define the combined base of support (BoSsystem) to be the convex polygon formed by the boundaries of the anatomical and WF feet in contact with the ground and interconnecting lines between them. To measure these parameters we have developed an instrumented WF with a load cell in each foot which we use together with pressure-sensing insoles and a camera system, the latter providing the relative position of the WF and anatomical feet. Software uses the resulting data to calculate the stability margin of the combined system, defined as the distance between the CoPsystem and the nearest edge of the BoSsystem. In addition, our software calculates the weight supported through the frame and when the feet (user and/or frame) are on the floor. Our pilot work showed feasibility for our approach