Pedometer Accuracy in Lower Limb Amputees: A Pilot Study

To date there have been no studies examining the accuracy of the pedometer on lower limb amputees. PURPOSE: To measure the accuracy of pedometers in lower limb amputees. METHODS: Four participants (Table 1) had their height and weights measured and were then fitted with a Velcro Walk4Life™ pedometer belt (Walk4Life Inc, Plainfield, IL) around the waistline at the hip. They were then fitted with two pedometers: a SW-701 Digiwalker™ (NEW-LIFESTYLES, Inc., Lee\u27s Summit, MO) spring-levered pedometer on the anterior mid-line of the right hip and a New-Lifestyles® NL-800 (NEW-LIFESTYLES, Inc., Lee\u27s Summit, MO) piezoelectric pedometer just laterally to the SW-701. They then engaged in three walking trials, two on the treadmill at a slower and faster tolerable walking speed for three minutes each, and one over ground for 200m at a self-selected pace. At the end of each trial pedometer counts and actual step counts from a hand tally were recorded. Pedometer error was calculated as [((pedometer steps-actual steps)/actual steps) * 100]. RESULTS: Error was highest in the SW during the slowest walking speeds (14.5 % and 14.6% lower than actual counts in two participants) and was lowest in the NL at the higher walking speeds (3.7% and no error in two participants) during the treadmill trials. Ground walking trials produced least error in all subjects (~1.5%). Subject four was not able to walk at speeds above 2. 5 mph and thus walked on the treadmill at 1.0 and 1.5 mph. Participant two was not able to walk on the treadmill at 3 mph and rain kept participant four from performing the ground-walking trial. CONCLUSION: This pilot study suggests the potential of the pedometer in accurately counting steps in lower limb amputees. There is clearly some discrepancy in those who cannot walk at faster speeds, as indicated by subject four. Research is continuing to examine if right or left amputation, above or below knee amputation, and if prosthetic type affects the pedometer accuracy

Pengantar Pemikiran Tokoh-Tokoh Antropologi Marxis

Antropologi Marxis lahir sebagai reaksi atas kegagalan teoretis dan kebutaan politis antropologi yang dominan sebelumnya, terutama pada watak konservatf dan anti teori yang menjangkitinya. Tokoh-tokoh yang diulas di buku ini seperti: Maurice Godelier, Claude Meillassoux, Michael Taussig, Marshall Sahlins, Claude Levi-Strauss, dipilih karena orientasi teoretis mereka, yang meskipun tidak bisa secara bulat dimasukkan ke dalam satu aliran yang sama, tetapi secara garis besar memiliki kesamaan utama yang terpenting: bahwa mreka semua terilhami oleh Marx dan menggunakan konsep secara analisis Marx secara baru dan bukan secara vulgar-tekstual. Mereka semua menawarkan suatu cara pandang baru dalam upaya memahami apa yang tersembunyi di balik dinamika realitas empiris kemasyarakatan dan kebudayaan

Implementation Research for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission in Sub-Saharan Africa: Existing Evidence, Current Gaps, and New Opportunities

Tremendous gains have been made in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) in sub-Saharan Africa. Ambitious goals for the “virtual elimination” of pediatric HIV appear increasingly feasible, driven by new scientific advances, forward-thinking health policy, and substantial donor investment. To fulfill this promise, however, rapid and effective implementation of evidence-based practices must be brought to scale across a diversity of settings. The discipline of implementation research can facilitate this translation from policy into practice; however, to date, its core principles and frameworks have been inconsistently applied in the field. We reviewed the recent developments in implementation research across each of the four “prongs” of a comprehensive PMTCT approach. While significant progress continues to be made, a greater emphasis on context, fidelity, and scalability – in the design and dissemination of study results – would greatly enhance current efforts and provide the necessary foundation for future evidence-based programs