The Social context of motorcycle riding and the key determinants influencing rider behavior: A qualitative investigation

Objective: Given the increasing popularity of motorcycle riding and heightened risk of injury or death associated with being a rider, this study explored rider behaviour as a determinant of rider safety and, in particular, key beliefs and motivations which influence such behaviour. To enhance the effectiveness of future education and training interventions, it is important to understand riders’ own views about what influences how they ride. Specifically, this study sought to identify key determinants of riders’ behaviour in relation to the social context of riding including social and identity-related influences relating to the group (group norms and group identity) as well as the self (moral/personal norm and self-identity). ----- ----- Method: Qualitative research was undertaken via group discussions with motorcycle riders (n = 41). Results: The findings revealed that those in the group with which one rides represent an important source of social influence. Also, the motorcyclist (group) identity was associated with a range of beliefs, expectations, and behaviours considered to be normative. Exploration of the construct of personal norm revealed that riders were most cognizant of the “wrong things to do” when riding; among those issues raised was the importance of protective clothing (albeit for the protection of others and, in particular, pillion passengers). Finally, self-identity as a motorcyclist appeared to be important to a rider’s self-concept and was likely to influence their on-road behaviour. ----- ----- Conclusion: Overall, the insight provided by the current study may facilitate the development of interventions including rider training as well as public education and mass media messages. The findings suggest that these interventions should incorporate factors associated with the social nature of riding in order to best align it with some of the key beliefs and motivations underpinning riders’ on-road behaviours

Abrasion resistance of motorcycle protective clothing worn by Australian motorcyclists

Motorcycle crashes represent a significant health burden to the community, accounting for 22% of serious casualties on Australian roads each year. In addition, it is well known and accepted that motorcyclists are significantly overrepresented in crashes given that motorcycle usage accounts for only one percent of vehicle kilometres travelled (ATC, 2011; BITRE, 2009). Soft tissue injuries are the most common injuries experienced by crashed motorcyclists (NSAI, 1998, 2003, 2010). Protective clothing has been developed to help prevent these injuries, yet the performance of protective clothing in Australia is still variable (de Rome et al., 2011). In Australia, while there are no design standards for motorcycle protective clothing, there are non-mandatory Australian Guidelines for manufacturing. However, the guidelines specify the use of an abrasion testing machine which is not designed for the purpose of testing motorcycle protective clothing. Therefore, at present in Australia, there are no mechanisms in place to help maintain a high quality of performance. There is a European Standard for motorcycle protective clothing and this Standard specifies the general requirements for clothing intended to protect the rider against mechanical injury. This Standard (EN13595) was developed from work undertaken by Woods who examined crash damage to 100 motorcycle suits (99 leather and 1 Kevlar) and observed where damage most frequently occurred as well as the type of damage. Based on the damage distribution, a clothing template was developed that specified four zones, each with different levels of protection dependent upon the clothing’s ability to resist the main types of damage: burst, cut, abrasion and tear. (Woods, 1996a, 1996b). It is still unknown how well the performance of materials in the laboratory tests of EN13595 relates to the performance of clothing in real world motorcycle crashes. With a larger variety of fabrics currently available to motorcycle riders, the performance of clothing in the real world may have varied since Woods developed the Cambridge Abrasion machine in 1996. There is a need to validate the observations on which the EU Standard requirements are based, particularly using a greater range of materials and more modern materials. Additionally, there has been no study since the work of Woods (Woods, 1996b) that examines the adequacy of the test methods. The objective of this study was to address this gap and, as abrasion resistance is considered to be the highest priority compared to other damage types (Meredith, Brown, Ivers, & de Rome, 2013), this study set out to determine whether the approach taken to assess abrasion resistance in the EU Standard is appropriate. Specifically, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the abrasion resistance performance of the clothing worn by the motorcycle riders when tested as required in EN13595 and the probability of real world injury outcome.Lauren Meredith, Elizabeth Clarke, Michael Fitzharris, Matthew Baldock, Liz de Rome and Julie Brow

The NBD-NBD interface is not the sole determinant for transport in ABC transporters

International audienceOne of the most exciting scientific challenges in functional genomics concerns the discovery of biologically relevant patterns from gene expression data. For instance, it is extremely useful to provide putative synexpression groups or transcription modules to molecular biologists. We propose a methodology that has been proved useful in real cases. It is described as a prototypical KDD scenario which starts from raw expression data selection until useful patterns are delivered. Our conceptual contribution is (a) to emphasize how to take the most from recent progress in constraint-based mining of set patterns, and (b) to propose a generic approach for gene expression data enrichment. The methodology has been validated on real data sets

Surface functionalized metal-organic frameworks for binding coronavirus proteins

This work was supported by University of St Andrews Restarting Research Funding Scheme (SARRF), funded through the SFC grant reference SFC/AN/08/020 (XRR064) and European Research Council grant ADOR (Advanced Grant 787073). The authors acknowledge the EPSRC Light Element Analysis Facility Grant (EP/T019298/1) and the EPSRC Strategic Equipment Resource Grant (EP/R023751/1).Since the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, a multitude of strategies have been explored for the means of protection and shielding against virus particles: filtration equipment (PPE) has been widely used in daily life. In this work, we explore another approach in the form of deactivating coronavirus particles through selective binding onto the surface of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) to further the fight against the transmission of respiratory viruses. MOFs are attractive materials in this regard, as their rich pore and surface chemistry can easily be modified on demand. The surfaces of three MOFs, UiO-66(Zr), UiO-66-NH2(Zr), and UiO-66-NO2(Zr), have been functionalized with repurposed antiviral agents, namely, folic acid, nystatin, and tenofovir, to enable specific interactions with the external spike protein of the SARS virus. Protein binding studies revealed that this surface modification significantly improved the binding affinity toward glycosylated and non-glycosylated proteins for all three MOFs. Additionally, the pores for the surface-functionalized MOFs can adsorb water, making them suitable for locally dehydrating microbial aerosols. Our findings highlight the immense potential of MOFs in deactivating respiratory coronaviruses to be better equipped to fight future pandemics.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

'A good fit?' Bringing the Sociology of Footwear to the Clinical Encounter in Podiatry Services : A Narrative Review

Background: This narrative review explores the ways in which drawing on theories and methods used in sociological work on footwear and identity can contribute to healthcare research with podiatrists and their patients, highlighting recent research in this field, implications for practice and potential areas for future development. Traditionally, research within Podiatry Services has tended to adopt a quantitative, positivist focus, developing separately from a growing body of sociological work exploring the importance of shoes in constructing identity and self-image. Bringing qualitative research drawing on sociological theory and methods to the clinical encounter has real potential to increase our understanding of patient values, motivations and – crucially – any barriers to adopting ‘healthier’ footwear that they may encounter. Such work can help practitioners to understand why patients may resist making changes to their footwear practices, and help us to devise new ways for practitioners to explore and ultimately break down individual barriers to change (including their own preconceptions as practitioners). This, in turn, may lead to long-term, sustainable changes to footwear practices and improvements in foot health for those with complex health conditions and the wider population. Conclusion: A recognition of the complex links between shoes and identity is opening up space for discussion of patient resistance to footwear changes, and paving the way for future research in this field beyond the temporary ‘moment’ of the clinical encounter

The role of non-medical therapeutic approaches in the rehabilitation of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Purpose of the review: Non-medical therapeutic approaches are fundamental to the management of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) in order to promote the best outcome for patients. This review focuses on three key approaches underpinning CRPS rehabilitation, namely: physiotherapy and occupational therapy, psychological approaches and education and self-management. Recent Findings: Recently published European standards outline the quality of therapeutic care that people with CRPS must receive. Early initiated therapy is essential to optimise outcomes, underpinned by patient education. Therapists should promote early movement of the affected limb and encourage re-engagement with usual activities as immobilisation is known to have negative outcomes. There is evidence to support the possible long-term benefit of graded motor imagery and mirror therapy. Psychological assessment should include identification of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, as treatment of these conditions may improve the trajectory of CRPS. Novel therapies include neurocognitive approaches and those addressing spatial bias, both of which should provide a focus for future research.Summary: There exists a broad range of non-medical therapeutic approaches to rehabilitation for CPRS that are thought to be important. However, the evidence for their efficacy is limited. Further research using standardised outcomes would be helpful in developing targeted therapies for the future

Moderate performance of serum S100A12, in distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease from irritable bowel syndrome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>S100A12, a calcium-binding proinflammatory protein secreted by granulocytes, has been associated with different diseases of inflammatory origin, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study, the utility of serum S100A12, in discriminating IBD from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), was tested.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>S100A12 serum levels were determined in 64 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 64 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 73 with IBS, by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. S100A12 serum levels were evaluated with respect to the levels of known inflammatory markers and patients' characteristics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median values of serum S100A12 levels were 68.2 ng/mL (range: 43.4-147.4) in UC, 70 ng/mL (41.4-169.8) in CD and 43.4 ng/mL (34.4-74.4) in IBS patients. UC and CD patients had significantly higher serum S100A12 levels compared to IBS patients (<it>P </it>= 0.001 for both comparisons). Moreover, a cut-off for serum S100A12 levels of 54.4 ng/mL could predict both UC and CD with a 66.7% sensitivity and a 64.4% specificity. The area under curve was estimated at 0.67 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.60-0.75 (<it>P </it>< 0.001). Considering standard activity indices, higher serum S100A12 levels in active compared to inactive IBD were observed, although the recorded difference did not reach statistical significance. C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) levels, showed a statistically significant positive correlation with S100A12 (r = 0.39, <it>P </it>= 0.001 and r = 0.23, <it>P </it>= 0.02 respectively).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Increased levels of circulating S100A12 are found in IBD, compared to IBS. When used to distinguish IBD from IBS adult patients, serum S100A12 levels exhibit moderate performance. On the other hand, serum S100A12 may serve as an inflammatory marker in IBD, since it is well correlated with CRP and SAA.</p

Developing an Observing Air–Sea Interactions Strategy (OASIS) for the global ocean

The Observing Air–Sea Interactions Strategy (OASIS) is a new United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development programme working to develop a practical, integrated approach for observing air–sea interactions globally for improved Earth system (including ecosystem) forecasts, CO2 uptake assessments called for by the Paris Agreement, and invaluable surface ocean information for decision makers. Our “Theory of Change” relies upon leveraged multi-disciplinary activities, partnerships, and capacity strengthening. Recommendations from >40 OceanObs’19 community papers and a series of workshops have been consolidated into three interlinked Grand Ideas for creating #1: a globally distributed network of mobile air–sea observing platforms built around an expanded array of long-term time-series stations; #2: a satellite network, with high spatial and temporal resolution, optimized for measuring air–sea fluxes; and #3: improved representation of air–sea coupling in a hierarchy of Earth system models. OASIS activities are organized across five Theme Teams: (1) Observing Network Design & Model Improvement; (2) Partnership & Capacity Strengthening; (3) UN Decade OASIS Actions; (4) Best Practices & Interoperability Experiments; and (5) Findable–Accessible–Interoperable–Reusable (FAIR) models, data, and OASIS products. Stakeholders, including researchers, are actively recruited to participate in Theme Teams to help promote a predicted, safe, clean, healthy, resilient, and productive ocean.publishedVersio