Quantification and reliability of hip internal rotation and the FADIR test in supine position using a smartphone application in an asymptomatic population

Objective: The purpose of this study was to quantify and report the intrarater and interrater reliability of hip internal rotation (IR) range of motion supine with the hip and knee at 90° of flexion and for the flexion-adduction-internal rotation (FADIR) test. Hip internal rotation measured in a lying supine position with the hip and knee at 90° of flexion revealed information on hip impairments. To date no simple quantification approach has been presented in this position; therefore, the FADIR test has not been quantified yet. Methods: Twenty participants (mean ± standard deviation [SD] age, 24.0 ± 2.1 years; 10 women and 10 men) without lower-limb or back pain were recruited. Three raters evaluated each participant during 2 testing sessions, 1 day apart. A built-in smartphone compass application was used to obtain the hip IR range of motion in both procedures. Results: Mean (± SD) supine IR was 51.7° (± 9.7°) and 62.6° (± 11.4°) for men and women, respectively. Concerning the FADIR test, mean values were 41.8° (± 9.64°) and 50.1° (± 8.0°) for men and women, respectively. The mean intrarater and interrater reliability coefficients were 0.80 and 0.72 for hip IR and 0.75 and 0.40 for the FADIR test. The standard error of the mean ranged from 4.8° to 8.3° (minimal detectable difference [MDD], 13.3° to 22.9°) for hip IR and from 4.6° to 10.3° (MDD, 12.8° to 28.6°) for the FADIR test. Conclusion: Overall, the smartphone compass application is adequate to quantify hip IR in a lying supine position. However, the poor to moderate interrater reliability in the FADIR test and the size of the MDD values suggest that the FADIR test should be standardized. © 202

Influence of standardized procedures on the reliability of hip clinical assessment

Objective: This study evaluated a standardized and personalized approach to verify the effects of conditions on intrarater and interrater reliability, standard error of measurement, and minimal detectable difference for provocative tests and range-of-motion (ROM) tests used in hip pain assessment: flexion-adduction-internal rotation (FADIR), flexion-abduction-external rotation-extension (FABER), and hip internal rotation with 90° of hip flexion (hip IR). Methods: Nineteen participants (mean [± SD] age = 24 ± 2 years; 10 women and 9 men) without lower limb or back pain were recruited. Three raters evaluated each participant during 2 testing sessions, 1 day apart. Raters performed the 3 tests in 4 conditions: classic (C), controlled pressure duration (CPD), subject-specific position (SSP), and mixed (M = CPD + SSP). Results: For intrarater reliability, the CPD condition showed the highest intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs; mean and 95% confidence interval [CI]) for hip IRROM (0.83; 95% CI, 0.53-0.94) and FADIRROM (0.75; 95% CI, 0.60-0.89). The SSP condition showed the highest ICCs for FABERheight (0.71; 95% CI, 0.42-0.87) and FABERROM (0.62; 95% CI, 0.27-0.83). Concerning interrater reliability, the classic condition presented the highest ICCs for FABER variables (height: 0.54; 95% CI, 0.28-0.76; ROM: 0.58; 95% CI, 0.32-0.79) and hip IR ROM (0.72; 95% CI, 0.51-0.87). The CPD condition showed the highest ICC for FADIRROM (0.57; 95% CI, 0.32-0.78). Conclusion: In the conditions of this study, CPD showed the highest ICCs for hip IRROM and FADIRROM, and SSP showed the highest ICCs for FABERheight and FABERROM. © 202

Examining the moderating effect of individual-level cultural values on users’ acceptance of E-learning in developing countries: a structural equation modeling of an extended technology acceptance model

In this study, we examine the effects of individual-level culture on the adoption and acceptance of e-learning tools by students in Lebanon using a theoretical framework based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). To overcome possible limitations of using TAM in developing countries, we extend TAM to include subjective norms (SN) and quality of work life constructs as additional constructs and a number of cultural variables as moderators. The four cultural dimensions of masculinity/femininity (MF), individualism/collectivism, power distance and uncertainty avoidance were measured at the individual level to enable them to be integrated into the extended TAM as moderators and a research model was developed based on previous literature. To test the hypothesised model, data were collected from 569 undergraduate and postgraduate students using e-learning tools in Lebanon via questionnaire. The collected data were analysed using the structural equation modelling technique in conjunction with multi-group analysis. As hypothesised, the results of the study revealed perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), SN and quality of work life to be significant determinants of students’ behavioural intention (BI) towards e-learning. The empirical results also demonstrated that the relationship between SN and BI was particularly sensitive to differences in individual-cultural values, with significant moderating effects observed for all four of the cultural dimensions studied. Some moderating effects of culture were also found for both PU and PEOU, however, contrary to expectations the effect of quality of work life was not found to be moderated by MF as some previous authors have predicted. The implications of these results to both theory and practice are explored in the paper

Frequency of educational computer use as a longitudinal predictor of educational outcomes in young people with specific language impairment

Computer use draws on linguistic abilities. Using this medium thus presents challenges for young people with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and raises questions of whether computer-based tasks are appropriate for them. We consider theoretical arguments predicting impaired performance and negative outcomes relative to peers without SLI versus the possibility of positive gains. We examine the relationship between frequency of computer use (for leisure and educational purposes) and educational achievement; in particular examination performance at the end of compulsory education and level of educational progress two years later. Participants were 49 young people with SLI and 56 typically developing (TD) young people. At around age 17, the two groups did not differ in frequency of educational computer use or leisure computer use. There were no associations between computer use and educational outcomes in the TD group. In the SLI group, after PIQ was controlled for, educational computer use at around 17 years of age contributed substantially to the prediction of educational progress at 19 years. The findings suggest that educational uses of computers are conducive to educational progress in young people with SLI

Cloud Computing As a Tool for Enhancing Ecological Goals?

Cloud computing has been introduced as a promising information technology (IT) that embodies not only economic advantages in terms of increased efficiency but also ecological gains through saving energy. The latter has become particularly important in view of the rising energy costs of IT. The present study analyzes whether necessary preconditions for accepting cloud computing as a new infrastructure, such as awareness and perceived net value, exist on the part of the users. The analysis is based on a combined research framework of the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) in a cloud computing setting. Two consumer surveys, the one to elicit beliefs and the second to gain insight into the ranking of the variables, are employed. This study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the hypotheses. The results indicate support for the proposed research framework. Surprisingly however, the ecological factor does not play a role in forming cloud computing intentions, regardless of prior knowledge or experience. Empirical evidence of this study suggests increasing efforts for informing actual and potential users, particularly in respect to possible ecological advantages through applying the new IT infrastructure

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Lung Infection Subverts Lymphocytic Responses through IL-23 and IL-22 Post-Transcriptional Regulation

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a) is a pathogen causing significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in hospital patients undergoing ventilation and in individuals with cystic fibrosis. Although we and others have investigated mechanisms used by P.a to subvert innate immunity, relatively less is known about the potential strategies used by this bacterium to fight the adaptive immune system and, in particular, T cells. Here, using RAG KO (devoid of ‘classical’ αβ and γδ TCR T lymphocytes) and double RAG γC KO mice (devoid of T, NK and ILC cells), we demonstrate that the lymphocytic compartment is important to combat P.a (PAO1 strain). Indeed, we show that PAO1 load was increased in double RAG γC KO mice. In addition, we show that PAO1 down-regulates IL-23 and IL-22 protein accumulation in the lungs of infected mice while up-regulating their RNA production, thereby pointing towards a specific post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism not affecting other inflammatory mediators. Finally, we demonstrate that an adenovirus-mediated over-expression of IL-1, IL-23 and IL-7 induced lung neutrophil and lymphocytic influx and rescued mice against P.a-induced lethality in all WT, RAG γC KO and RAG γC KO RAG-deficient mice, suggesting that this regimen might be of value in ‘locally immunosuppressed’ individuals such as cystic fibrosis patients

The Effect of Stress on Cognitive Load Measurement

Abstract. Human physiological signals have been widely used to non‐invasively measure cognitive load (CL) during task execution. A major challenge for CL detection is the presence of stress, which may affect physiological measurements in ways that confound reliable detection of CL. In this experiment we investigated the effect of stress on cognitive load measurement using galvanic skin response (GSR) as a physiological index of CL. The experiment utilized feelings of lack of control, task failure and social‐evaluation to induce stress. Mean GSR values were shown to be significantly different between CL levels in the „no‐stress ‟ condition, but not when including the „stress‟ condition. On the other hand, features extracted from GSR signals based on peak detection exhibited consistent behaviour under both conditions, demonstrating the usefulness of the features as cognitive load index even when a person‟s stress level is fluctuating