Using software specification methods for measurement instruments: Part II - formal methods

In the second part of the paper, we investigate the applicability of formal methods to the specification of measuring instrument systems. We then conduct a case study in the widely used Z method. Using formal methods for specification purposes, one can obtain a clear understanding of user’s problems, especially the aspects of functional behaviour, and therefore produce a correct specification document based on this understanding

An investigation to assess ankle mobility in healthy individuals from the application of multi-component compression bandages and compression hosiery

Background An investigation was undertaken to compare the effect of multi-component compression bandages and compression hosiery kits on individuals’ range of ankle motion whilst wearing typical and medical footwear, and barefoot. Methods A convenience sample of 30 healthy individuals recruited from the staff and student population at the University of Huddersfield, UK. Plantarflexion/dorsiflexion range of ankle motion (ROAM) was measured in participants over 6 steps in every combination of typical, medical and no footwear; and multi-component bandages, compression hosiery and no garments. Results Controlling for age, gender and garments, the use of typical footwear was associated with a mean increase in ROAM of 2.54° at best estimate compared with barefoot; the use of medical footwear was associated with a mean decrease in ROAM of 1.12° at best estimate compared with barefoot. Controlling for age, gender and footwear, the use of bandaging was associated with a mean decrease in ROAM of 2.51° at best estimate compared with no garments. Controlling for age, gender and footwear, the use of hosiery was not associated with a significant change in ROAM compared with no garments. Conclusions Bandages appear to restrict ROAM more than hosiery when used in conjunction with a variety of footwear types

Dagstuhl-Manifest zur Strategischen Bedeutung des Software Engineering in Deutschland

Im Rahmen des Dagstuhl Perspektiven Workshop 05402 "Challenges for Software Engineering Research" haben führende Software Engineering Professoren den derzeitigen Stand der Softwaretechnik in Deutschland charakterisiert und Handlungsempfehlungen für Wirtschaft, Forschung und Politik abgeleitet. Das Manifest fasst die diese Empfehlungen und die Bedeutung und Entwicklung des Fachgebiets prägnant zusammen

Apicotomy: a root apical fracture for surgical treatment of impacted upper canines

Impacted canines, due to systemic or local factors, represent a frequent problem in most populations. Surgical intervention usually involves exposure for spontaneous eruption, exposure for orthodontic traction or extraction. The author presents the apicotomy technique, which has been successfully used during the past twenty years for conservative intervention in cases of impacted upper canines with dilaceration or apical root-ankylosis. This original method involves surgical fracture of the root apex, followed by orthodontic traction of the corono-radicular region

Examination of the effects of a new compression garment on skin tissue oxygenation in healthy volunteers

Objective: Compression devices have been shown to reduce venous stasis, increase blood flow and skin tissue oxygenation (StO2), promoting healthy tissue. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of a new compression garment in three different positions in healthy adults. Methods: In this quantitative study, potential participants were screened and recruited using the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q, Canada). Participants attended three separate, one-hour sessions to evaluate StO2 in supine-lying, chair-sitting and long-sitting positions. StO2 was recorded for 20 minutes pre-, during and post- a 20-minute intervention using a compression garment, TributeWrap (Lohmann-Rauscher, Germany). A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was followed by post-hoc pairwise comparisons. Results: A total of 28 healthy volunteers took part (aged 24.6 ±8.4years; 13 males, 15 females). A significant difference was seen between the three positions (p<0.001). Chair-sitting had the lowest StO2 pre-intervention, increasing StO2 significantly (32.25%, p<0.001) during wear of the compression garment (24.8% higher than baseline post-intervention). No significant difference was seen between long sitting and supine-lying (p=1.000). In contrast, long-sitting and supine-lying StO2 was higher pre-intervention compared with chair-sitting and only increased post-intervention (11% and 16.8% respectively, p<0.001) compared with baseline. Conclusion: The compression garment significantly increased StO2 levels in both seating positions. Further studies are required to determine if increasing StO2 through short intervention sessions with this device has the potential to improve self-management of tissue health in individuals with reduced mobility, oedema or venous insufficiency

The effects of knee joint angle on neuromuscular activity during electrostimulation in healthy older adults

Introduction Electrostimulation devices stimulate the common peroneal nerve, producing a calf muscle-pump action to promote venous circulation. Whether knee joint angle influences calf neuromuscular activity remains unclear. Our aim was to determine the effects of knee joint angle on lower limb neuromuscular activity during electrostimulation. Methods Fifteen healthy, older adults underwent 60 min of electrostimulation, with the knee joint at three different angles (0°, 45° or 90° flexion; random order; 20 min each). Outcome variables included electromyography of the peroneus longus, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medialis and lateralis and discomfort. Results Knee angle did not influence tibialis anterior and peroneus longus neuromuscular activity during electrostimulation. Neuromuscular activity was greater in the gastrocnemius medialis (p = 0.002) and lateralis (p = 0.002) at 90°, than 0° knee angle. Electrostimulation intensity was positively related to neuromuscular activity for each muscle, with a knee angle effect for the gastrocnemius medialis (p = 0.05). Conclusion Results suggest that during electrostimulation, knee joint angle influenced gastrocnemii neuromuscular activity; increased gastrocnemius medialis activity across all intensities (at 90°), when compared to 0° and 45° flexion; and did not influence peroneus longus and tibialis anterior activity. Greater electrostimulation-evoked gastrocnemii activity has implications for producing a more forceful calf muscle-pump action, potentially further improving venous flow

Parent-of-origin-specific allelic associations among 106 genomic loci for age at menarche.

Age at menarche is a marker of timing of puberty in females. It varies widely between individuals, is a heritable trait and is associated with risks for obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer and all-cause mortality. Studies of rare human disorders of puberty and animal models point to a complex hypothalamic-pituitary-hormonal regulation, but the mechanisms that determine pubertal timing and underlie its links to disease risk remain unclear. Here, using genome-wide and custom-genotyping arrays in up to 182,416 women of European descent from 57 studies, we found robust evidence (P < 5 × 10(-8)) for 123 signals at 106 genomic loci associated with age at menarche. Many loci were associated with other pubertal traits in both sexes, and there was substantial overlap with genes implicated in body mass index and various diseases, including rare disorders of puberty. Menarche signals were enriched in imprinted regions, with three loci (DLK1-WDR25, MKRN3-MAGEL2 and KCNK9) demonstrating parent-of-origin-specific associations concordant with known parental expression patterns. Pathway analyses implicated nuclear hormone receptors, particularly retinoic acid and γ-aminobutyric acid-B2 receptor signalling, among novel mechanisms that regulate pubertal timing in humans. Our findings suggest a genetic architecture involving at least hundreds of common variants in the coordinated timing of the pubertal transition

Earthworm and belowground competition effects on plant productivity in a plant diversity gradient

Diversity is one major factor driving plant productivity in temperate grasslands. Although decomposers like earthworms are known to affect plant productivity, interacting effects of plant diversity and earthworms on plant productivity have been neglected in field studies. We investigated in the field the effects of earthworms on plant productivity, their interaction with plant species and functional group richness, and their effects on belowground plant competition. In the framework of the Jena Experiment we determined plant community productivity (in 2004 and 2007) and performance of two phytometer plant species [Centaurea jacea (herb) and Lolium perenne (grass); in 2007 and 2008] in a plant species (from one to 16) and functional group richness gradient (from one to four). We sampled earthworm subplots and subplots with decreased earthworm density and reduced aboveground competition of phytometer plants by removing the shoot biomass of the resident plant community. Earthworms increased total plant community productivity (+11%), legume shoot biomass (+35%) and shoot biomass of the phytometer C. jacea (+21%). Further, phytometer performance decreased, i.e. belowground competition increased, with increasing plant species and functional group richness. Although single plant functional groups benefited from higher earthworm numbers, the effects did not vary with plant species and functional group richness. The present study indicates that earthworms indeed affect the productivity of semi-natural grasslands irrespective of the diversity of the plant community. Belowground competition increased with increasing plant species diversity. However, belowground competition was modified by earthworms as reflected by increased productivity of the phytometer C. jacea. Moreover, particularly legumes benefited from earthworm presence. Considering also previous studies, we suggest that earthworms and legumes form a loose mutualistic relationship affecting essential ecosystem functions in temperate grasslands, in particular decomposition and plant productivity. Further, earthworms likely alter competitive interactions among plants and the structure of plant communities by beneficially affecting certain plant functional groups