The reliability of plantar pressure assessment during barefoot level walking in children aged 7-11 years

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Plantar pressure assessment can provide information pertaining to the dynamic loading of the foot, as well as information specific to each region in contact with the ground. There have been few studies which have considered the reliability of plantar pressure data and therefore the purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of assessing plantar pressure variables in a group of typically developing children, during barefoot level walking.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-five participants, aged 7 to 11 years, were recruited from local primary and secondary schools in East London. Data from three walking trials were collected at both an initial and re-test session, taken one week apart, to determine both the within- and between-session reliability of selected plantar pressure variables. The variables of peak pressure, peak force, pressure-time and force-time integrals were extracted for analysis in the following seven regions of the foot; lateral heel, medial heel, midfoot, 1st metatarsophalangeal joint, 2nd-5th metatarsophalangeal joint, hallux and the lesser toes. Reliability of the data were explored using Intra Class Correlation Coefficients (ICC 3,1 and 3,2) and variability with Coefficients of Variation (CoV's).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The measurements demonstrated moderate to good levels of within-session reliability across all segments of the foot (0.69-0.93), except the lesser toes, which demonstrated poor reliability (0.17-0.50). CoV's across the three repeated trials ranged from 10.12-19.84% for each of the measured variables across all regions of the foot, except the lesser toes which demonstrated the greatest variability within trials (27.15-56.08%). The between-session results demonstrated good levels of reliability across all foot segments (0.79-0.99) except the lesser toes; with moderate levels of reliability reported at this region of the foot (0.58-0.68). The CoV's between-sessions demonstrated that the midfoot (16.41-36.23%) and lesser toe region (29.64-56.61) demonstrated the greatest levels of variability across all the measured variables.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings indicate that using the reported protocols, reliable plantar pressure data can be collected in children, aged 7 to 11 years in all regions of the foot except the lesser toes which consistently reported poor-to-moderate levels of reliability and increased variability.</p

The Burden of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Among Adolescents and Young Adults in 24 Western European Countries, 1990–2019:Results From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Objectives: As little is known about the burden of type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in adolescents in Western Europe (WE), we aimed to explore their epidemiology among 10–24 year-olds. Methods: Estimates were retrieved from the Global Burden of Diseases Study (GBD) 2019. We reported counts, rates per 100,000 population, and percentage changes from 1990 to 2019 for prevalence, incidence and years lived with disability (YLDs) of T1DM and T2DM, and the burden of T2DM in YLDs attributable to high body mass index (HBMI), for 24 WE countries. Results: In 2019, prevalence and disability estimates were higher for T1DM than T2DM among 10–24 years old adolescents in WE. However, T2DM showed a greater increase in prevalence and disability than T1DM in the 30 years observation period in all WE countries. Prevalence increased with age, while only minor differences were observed between sexes. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the substantial burden posed by DM in WE among adolescents. Health system responses are needed for transition services, data collection systems, education, and obesity prevention.</p

The Burden of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Among Adolescents and Young Adults in 24 Western European Countries, 1990–2019:Results From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Objectives: As little is known about the burden of type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in adolescents in Western Europe (WE), we aimed to explore their epidemiology among 10–24 year-olds. Methods: Estimates were retrieved from the Global Burden of Diseases Study (GBD) 2019. We reported counts, rates per 100,000 population, and percentage changes from 1990 to 2019 for prevalence, incidence and years lived with disability (YLDs) of T1DM and T2DM, and the burden of T2DM in YLDs attributable to high body mass index (HBMI), for 24 WE countries. Results: In 2019, prevalence and disability estimates were higher for T1DM than T2DM among 10–24 years old adolescents in WE. However, T2DM showed a greater increase in prevalence and disability than T1DM in the 30 years observation period in all WE countries. Prevalence increased with age, while only minor differences were observed between sexes. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the substantial burden posed by DM in WE among adolescents. Health system responses are needed for transition services, data collection systems, education, and obesity prevention.</p

Hip prostheses computational modeling: Mechanical behavior of a femoral stem associated with different constraint materials and configurations

The paper deals with finite element (FE) models of femoral stems aimed at supporting fatigue mechanical tests according to Medical Devices Standards. A basic model was created in agreement with the ISO7206-4:2010 requirements and used to investigate a certain number of varied configurations: the abduction and the flexion angle were varied in the range 2° 15° and 2° 13° respectively, and the constraint level in the range (3080)mm. Once the most critical configuration had been identified, femur-like FE models were created to investigate it in a context closer and closer to the in-vivo scenario: the models, in fact, were based on a femur-like fixture, and on various materials to simulate cement and cancellous bone. Both Titanium and Co-Cr-Mo alloys were used for the stem. For both alloys the highest stresses were found in correspondence with a 80mmconstraint and a more soft cancellous bone; higher risky deflection was estimated for theTitanium stem. The great potential of FE methodology and analysis is here commented, as a valid support to experimental tests. © 2012 Taylor & Francis Group

RF-MEMS packaging by using quartz caps and epoxy polymers

This work reports on RF MEMS chip capping to protect sensitive devices by quartz caps having a cavity to enclose MEMS devices and an epoxy film polymer as a sealing ring. Full hermeticity is not possible due to the permeability of polymer but the goal to protect the mobile parts of the devices during dicing and assembling was achieved. Good RF MEMS devices are produced by die-to-die bonding and a reliable fabrication process is defined while wafer-to-wafer process still needs improvement to increase the fabrication yield. In this paper the fabrication process for both die-to-die and wafer-to-wafer 0-level capping is presented. Good adhesion of caps to the substrate is demonstrated by shear tests, while RF measurements on CPW lines indicate a negligible insertion loss increase. Capping of both capacitive and ohmic contact switches is reported showing no loss of functionality but a modification of actuation voltage induced by thermal treatment

Design and Manufacturing of a 5-bit MEMS Phase Shifter at K-band

This work present the design, and manufacturing of a novel K-band 5-bit MEMS phase shifter for applications in reconfigurable antenna systems. A hybrid architecture based on both switched line and loaded line topologies has been adopted. The device has been manufactured in microstrip technology on 200 μm thick high resistivity silicon substrate by using the 8-masks FBK MEMS process. The phase shifter full wave simulations show excellent performance in the frequency band of interest 20.2-21.2 GHz. Return loss and insertion loss better than 17 dB and 2 dB and phase error minor than 2 degrees are obtained for all the 2^5 phase shifter states. The on-wafer measurements of the single bits confirmed such high performance, showing a phase error minor than 2.5 degrees and a return loss better tan 20 dB for all bits. The losses are dominated by the MEMS switch contact resistance, which is about 1.8 Ohm for every MEMS clamped-clamped beam ohmic switch. A low cost plastic package has been designed and manufactured as well. The on-wafer measurements of the complete 5-bit phase shifter are in progress as well as the packaged device

The application of Makyoh (magic-mirror) topography for the study of deformations in dielectric membrane structures

The flatness of membranes for micromachining applications is extremely important. Any deformation is a sign of internal stress that makes the structure susceptible to mechanical damage therefore unsuitable for any practical application. In microwave applications, surface protrusions act as harmful radiating elements. There is therefore a demand for the characterisation of the flatness and surface morphology of such structures. Usual methods are scanning electron microscopy, surface stylus profilometry, atomic force microscopy and various optical methods. One of the potential optical methods is the so-called Makyoh (or magic-mirror) topography, which has proved to be a powerful topographic method for the characterisation of the morphology of mirror-.like surfaces, such as semiconductor wafers and layer structures. In Makyoh topography, the local irregularities of the sample surface act as concave or convex mirrors therefore a collimated light beam impinging on the surface produces an image on a screen that, in a certain extent, reflects the sample morphology. Makyoh topography is advantageous for the studies of membrane structures for the following reasons: (i) Makyoh is contactless, which is important for the delicate structures, (ii) It gives instantaneous results, (iii) The set-up is simple and inexpensive, (iv) The resulting ‘raw’ image is visually informative. However, the quantitative interpretation of Makyoh images is not straightforward. This work firs describes a comprehensive geometrical optical model of the Makyoh image formation mechanism with an aim to provide a basis both for the in-depth quantitative analysis as well as for the quick, qualitative or semi-quantitative visual interpretation of the images. Methods for the measurement of overall curvature and the reconstruction of the surface profile from the observed images are described. One-dimensional simulations of the images of a hillock (or depression) and a periodic (sinusoidal) surface are presented as well. Then, the construction of our Makyoh-topography set-up is detailed. Then, the study of the deformations of dielectric membranes and structures is reported. It is shown that Makyoh is suitable to detect and quantify the deformations of the whole wafer, the individual membranes as well as the substrate areas adjacent to the membranes. For small membranes and strongly patterned structures, the imaging is limited by diffraction effects. However, qualitative study is possible. The results are interpreted qualitatively within the framework of continuum mechanic