Body Parts Research Articles

Pediatric Dog Bite Injury Trends During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

To examine differences between dog bite injuries among below 18-year-old patients seen in pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic to those seen before the pandemic. This is a subanalysis of a cross-sectional study of injured children below 18 years old seen in 40 PEDs, from January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2020. Patients studied had an ICD-10 code for dog bite (W54.0XXA). Cases before the pandemic (March 17, 2019, to December 31, 2019) were compared with cases during the pandemic (March 15, 2020, to December 31, 2020). In total, 3891 dog bites occurred during the pandemic, and 3696 occurred before the pandemic. The proportion of dog bites to all injuries was greater during the pandemic than before (1.6% vs. 1.1%, P< 0.001). Children aged 5 to 9 years represented a higher proportion of cases during the pandemic than before (36.3% vs. 33.0%, P<0.05). More dog bites occurred during daytime hours (8:00 am to 4 pm) during the pandemic (26.1% vs. 24.3%, P<0.05). During the pandemic, the admission rate for dog bites was higher (12.9% vs. 11.4%, P<0.05). More injuries to the head, face, or neck occurred during the pandemic than before (62.8% vs. 58.3%, P< 0.01). Pediatric dog bites accounted for a significantly higher number and proportion of injuries seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay-at-home orders may have had some influence on pediatric dog bite demographics, as evidenced by more bites occurring from 8 am to 4 pm and more school-aged children 5 to 9 years old sustaining dog bites. Location of body parts injured and increased admissions suggest more severe injuries occurred during the pandemic.

Prevalence, clinical features, and diagnostic methods of dermatophyte skin infection in Korea

Cutaneous dermatophyte infections, dermatophytosis, are common worldwide, affecting various age groups and body parts. Despite advancements in antifungal therapies, the prevalence of dermatophytosis continues to increase, posing significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. This review provides an overview of the prevalence, clinical features, and diagnostic methods for dermatophytosis in Korea. A comprehensive review of domestic reports and research on dermatophytosis in Korea was conducted using data from KoreaMed. This study covers the various clinical presentations, age distributions, seasonal trends, and types of dermatophytes identified in different body areas. Dermatophytosis in Korea have shown changing patterns in terms of prevalence and causative species. Trichophyton rubrum remains the most common causative organism, with varying presentations depending on the site of infection, such as tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea capitis, tinea faciei, and onychomycosis. Diagnostic practices largely depend on the potassium hydroxide smear test, which has limited sensitivity, particularly for onychomycosis. Recent trends indicate an increase in the incidence of dermatophytosis among older adults, which may be linked to underlying health conditions and lifestyle changes. Dermatophytosis in Korea exhibit diverse clinical manifestations influenced by factors such as patient age, body site, and seasonal variation. Improved diagnostic methods are needed to enhance the accuracy and guide appropriate treatment, especially with the emergence of antifungal-resistant strains. This review aims to provide a better understanding of the current state of dermatophytosis in Korea and contribute to more effective management and prevention strategies.

A Narrative Review of Bioactive Hydrogel Microspheres: Ingredients, Modifications, Fabrications, Biological Functions, and Applications.

Hydrogel microspheres are important in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, acting as cargos of cells, drugs, growth factors, bio-inks for 3D printing, and medical devices. The antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory characteristics of hydrogel microspheres are good for treating injured tissues. However, the biological properties of hydrogel microspheres should be modified for optimal treatment of various body parts with different physiological and biochemical environments. In addition, specific preparation methods are required to produce customized hydrogel microspheres with different shapes and sizes for various clinical applications. Herein, the advances in hydrogel microspheres for biomedical applications are reviewed. Synthesis methods for hydrogel precursor solutions, manufacturing methods, and strategies for enhancing the biological functions of these hydrogel microspheres are described. The involvement of bioactive hydrogel microspheres in tissue repair is also discussed. This review anticipates fostering more insights into the design, production, and application of hydrogel microspheres in biomedicine.

Injury epidemiology of youth cross-country mountain biking coaches: analysis of data from the National Interscholastic Cycling Association injury surveillance system

ABSTRACT To date, no literature exists on mountain biking injuries in coaches. This study described cross-country mountain biking injuries among coaches in National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) sanctioned leagues from 2018 to 2022. Data were collected using the NICA injury surveillance system (ISS), a web-based injury and exposure reporting system for youth mountain biking, and were analysed using descriptive and univariate inferential statistics. A total of 401 injury events, including 661 distinct time-loss injuries, were reported in 59,545 coach-years over five seasons, resulting in an injury event proportion of 0.67%. The median time-loss due to injury was about 31 days for all injured coaches. The most commonly injured body part was shoulder/clavicle (32.7% of all injury events), followed by head/concussion (18.0% of all injury events) and wrist/hand (17.7% of all injury events). Fracture was the most common diagnosis (27.1% of all non-head injuries). Male coaches sustained upper-limb injuries significantly more often than did female coaches (62.9% vs. 51.5%; p = 0.044), whereas the rate of lower-limb injuries was significantly higher among female coaches than male coaches (33.3% vs. 17.9%; p = 0.001). Fractures and concussions are the most common diagnoses. These findings could be used for designing future injury prevention programmes.

Navigating body-part idioms

Abstract Idioms are fixed, non-compositional expressions unique to a particular language whose meanings cannot be translated literally. Due to their opaque nature, idioms are difficult to understand by their constituent units, making translation challenging as the meaning may be incomprehensible. If there is an equivalent idiom in the target language, we use that equivalent. If there is none, it must be paraphrased in a way that preserves its transparent and figurative meaning. Baker’s strategies will be the basis for the translation of English and Arabic idioms. We argue that the conceptual functions of the body part allude to the intended meaning, allowing for an exploration of idioms’ translatability and comprehension.

Weighting analysis of human body parts’ impact on driving posture comfort using the method of removal effects of criteria

Different parts of the human body exhibit varying sensitivities to comfort. This study aims to quantify the effect of each body part on overall comfort. A body pressure measurement system is employed to record pressure values for the shoulders, back, waist, buttocks, and thighs. The collected objective data is then processed using the Method of Removal Effects of Criteria (MEREC) to calculate the weighting coefficients, reflecting the influence of each body part on driving posture comfort. A novel method for defining the weight coefficients of various body parts is proposed by combining subjective and objective perspectives. This method is validated through local stimulation tests conducted both on a bench and in a real vehicle. The results show that this approach avoids the arbitrariness of subjective assignment methods and the susceptibility of the entropy weight method to extreme values. Consequently, the weight coefficients of each body part are determined with greater accuracy, providing a strong theoretical foundation for seat design and evaluation.

Redirection Detection Thresholds for Avatar Manipulation with Different Body Parts.

This study investigates how both the body part used to control a VR avatar and the avatar's appearance affect redirection detection thresholds. We conducted experiments comparing hand and foot manipulation of two types of avatars: a hand-shaped avatar and an abstract spherical avatar. Our results show that, irrespective of the body part used, the redirection detection threshold increased by 21% when using the hand avatar compared to the abstract avatar. Additionally, when the avatar's position was redirected toward the body midline, the detection threshold increased by 49% compared to redirection away from the midline. No significant differences in detection thresholds were observed between the hand and foot manipulations. These findings suggest that avatar appearance and redirection direction significantly influence user perception in VR environments, offering valuable insights for the design of full-body VR interactions and human augmentation systems.

Preparation and Application of Hydrophobic and Breathable Carbon Nanocoils/Thermoplastic Polyurethane Flexible Strain Sensors

The emphasis on physical activity and health monitoring has increased the demand for developing multifunctional, flexible sensors through straightforward methods. A hydrophobic, breathable, and flexible strain sensor was prepared using a filtration method, employing thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as a substrate, carbon nanocoils (CNCs) as conductive fillers, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a binder. The sensing layer, prepared using the unique three-dimensional helical structure of carbon nanocoils, achieved a hydrophobic angle of 143° and rapidly changed the color of the pH test paper in 5 s. The sensor had a strain range of 40% and a gauge factor of 34, and achieved a linear fit of R2 = 0.98 in the 5–35% strain range. The CNCs/TPU sensor exhibits high reliability and stability after 1000 tensile cycle tests. These favorable features ensure that the sensors are comfortable to wear and respond quickly and accurately to movements in all body parts, meeting the need for human motion detection.

Jellyfish shape as a mechanical balance

Why are jellyfish round? Animals get their shapes as they develop. After development, however, how animals keep their shapes is less understood. Moon jellies respond to perturbations to body shape, such as being halved or quartered, by reorganizing existing body parts and regaining radial symmetry, i.e., their round shape. The robust recovery of radial symmetry led us to investigate, in this study, how being round is encoded. We tested perturbing shape by grafting body sections in varying configurations. Testing these perturbations confirms the moon jellies' ability to recover their round shape from many perturbations. However, in response to some perturbations, the jellies can also adopt other stable body shapes, such as oval, quadrilateral, and triangular. Thus, although the jellies are characterized by a radially symmetrical body plan, perturbations can lead to them recovering to bilateral shapes. Employing mathematical modeling, we find that interactions between forces from muscle contractions and viscoelastic tissues can explain the recovery to different shapes. A stable body shape is achieved when the mechanical forces are locally balanced, regardless of symmetry. Consistent with the model prediction that stable shape is the outcome of balancing mechanical forces, modulating the mechanical parameter in the system, i.e., the muscle contraction rate, can produce shape-shifting. Maintaining shapes dynamically as the balance of mechanical forces may enable the animals to readily adapt to changing physical environments.

Prevalence and determinants of Musculoskeletal Disorders among quarry workers in The Gambia: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are common work-related conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system owing to poor ergonomic practices, overexertion, and repetitive motions. Globally, MSDs account for a significant proportion of disabilities due to the physical tasks and demanding nature of jobs. Despite global efforts to reduce occupational hazards, little information is available on MSDs among quarry workers in Gambia. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the prevalence of MSDs and their associated factors in quarry workers in Gambia.MethodsThis study adopted an analytical cross-sectional design that was conducted in 2023. A total of 258 quarry workers were selected from 4 quarries in the West Coast Region. Participants were randomly selected and the Standardised Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ) was modified and used with additional structured questionnaires. Data were collected using the Kobo Collect App and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 27.0. Bivariate analysis was conducted using binary logistic regression, Pearson’s chi-square test, point-biserial correlation, and Fisher’s exact test to identify the association between predictors and outcome variables. Statistical significance was considered at a p-value < 0.05, and the significance was also reported using an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI).ResultsThe study revealed a high MSD prevalence of 93% among quarry workers, with the most affected body parts being the lower back (90.3%), shoulders (68.1%), and upper back (61.3%). Significant associations were observed between MSDs and factors such as nationality (p = 0.048), job description (p = 0.047), BMI score (p < 0.001), periodic health examination (p = 0.031), years of experience (p = 0.029), health and safety training (p = 0.044), and lifting or carrying weights (p = 0.044). Quarry workers whose nationality was Gambian had 82.8% (aOR = 0.172; 95% CI = 0.048–0.619) reduced odds of sustaining MSDs when compared to respondents whose nationality was non-Gambian. Increasing years of experience had 15.0% (aOR = 0.850; 95% CI = 0.725–0.997), increase in hours of daily work had 40.3% (aOR = 0.597; 95% CI = 0.386–0.925), and increasing BMI score had 29.9% (aOR = 0.701; 95% CI = 0.584–0.841) reduction in the odds of sustaining MSDs. However, increasing household size among quarry workers had 1.26 (aOR = 1.261; 95% CI = 1.015–1.566) higher odds of sustaining MSDs.ConclusionThis study underscores a critical public health concern with the high prevalence of MSDs among quarry workers in The Gambia, which is associated with poor ergonomic training and inadequate safety training. Reducing the burden of MSDs in this population requires interventions that focus on better working conditions, ergonomic training, and regular health evaluations.

A Bifunctional Organic Hydrogel‐Based Standalone Self‐Powered Hybrid Strain Sensor Band for Rehabilitation Monitoring and Human–Machine Interfacing

AbstractTriboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) are widely adopted as self‐powered strain sensors in wearable applications. However, the reported designs are limited to achieving fully standalone and stretchable all‐directional strain sensors capable of generating voltage signals during stretching‐releasing operations. Herein, the bifunctional (conductive and tribopositive) property of highly stretchable and shape‐adaptable organic hydrogel (BOH) is investigated to develop standalone self‐powered strain sensors (SPSS) having directional and omnidirectional features. The tribopositive property of BOH is verified through surface potential analyzer (0.25 kV) and Fourier‐transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). While pairing with Ecoflex, BOH demonstrates comparable performance (peak power 0.522 mW at 18 MΩ) with commercially available positive materials. Therefore, BOH is strategically patterned and encapsulated within the Ecoflex to realize standalone directional and omnidirectional SPSSs. This strategy allows multiple instances of internal contact separation between pairs while stretching, owing to their elastic modulus differences. The developed SPSSs are attached to various body parts for monitoring high‐range linear‐rotatory joint movements to low‐range verbal exercises and several rehabilitation activities without skin‐induced triboelectrification. Finally, a hybridized SPSS‐integrated smart band is developed and demonstrated for multipurpose real‐time applications such as interactive rehabilitation, grip strength monitoring, and human–machine interfacing (HMI), highlighting its potential in next‐generation wearable electronics.

The NICA injury surveillance system: results from five years of student-athlete injury data

ABSTRACT The National Interscholastic Cycling Association Injury Surveillance System was implemented in 2018 to characterize acute traumatic injuries and identify associated risk factors in interscholastic youth cross-country mountain bike racing in the United States. Designated reporters collected data weekly during the 2018–2022 seasons. Variables collected included demographic information, injury characteristics, and other associated factors. In 119,098 student-athlete years, there were 2,655 injury events (injury event proportion = 2.23%). The wrist/hand was the most common body part injured (23.2%), followed by head/brain (23.0%), and shoulder/clavicle (15.9%). Males experienced a higher proportion of upper limb injuries than females (57.6% and 49.6%, respectively; p < 0.001); females experienced a higher proportion of lower limb injuries than males (29.5% and 24.8%, respectively; p = 0.020). Injury event proportion decreased by 27% (p < 0.001) during the study period. Acute traumatic injuries are common but injury proportion is low. Most injuries are minor but serious injuries do occur, resulting in time-loss from riding.

EXPRESS: Tactile Distance Anisotropy on the Tongue.

A large literature has described illusions of tactile distance perception. Across many body parts, there is an anisotropic bias for tactile distances to be perceived as larger when oriented across body part width than when oriented along body part length. This study investigated whether there is a similar bias on the tongue. A forced-choice judgment task was used in which participants judged which of two tactile distances felt larger either on the tongue or on the hand dorsum, a region for which anisotropy is well established. Anisotropy was measured using the method of constant stimuli. Clear anisotropy was found on both body parts, with distances oriented with body part width overestimated compared to those oriented with body part length. These results provide further evidence the tactile distance anisotropy is widespread across the body.

Machine Learning-Driven Analysis of Suspension Parameter Effects on Two-Wheeler and rider Vibrations on Class C Roads

The dynamic behavior of a two-wheeler suspension system significantly affects ride comfort, stability, and human body vibrations, especially on uneven road surfaces. This study offers a mathematical modeling and simulation analysis of a two-wheeler with a seated rider navigating a Class C road profile, in accordance with ISO 8608 requirements. The model integrates essential suspension characteristics, such as tire stiffness (both front and rear), suspension spring stiffness (both front and rear), and damping coefficients (both front and rear), which were methodically altered to examine their effects on vehicle and rider dynamics. A Simulink-based multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) system was created to mimic vertical acceleration and displacement reactions across many body parts, including the head, upper torso, lower torso, viscera, and seat. A parameter sweep was performed across 729 distinct suspension configurations, and the resulting time-domain responses were analyzed to determine the maximum acceleration and displacement magnitudes for each body location. Multiple regression-based modeling techniques were utilized to numerically describe the impact of suspension parameters on the observed biomechanical responses. The efficacy of many regression models was assessed to determine a precise predictive correlation among suspension stiffness, damping characteristics, and the resulting rider acceleration and displacement. The established models offer a computational framework for analyzing two-wheeler ride dynamics and serve as a basis for future research in suspension tuning, optimization, and human-centric ride comfort assessment.

Measurement Of Intensive Care Nurses' Musculoskeletal System Disorders with Quick Exposure Check Method

Musculoskeletal disorders are health problems that individuals are exposed to in the long term while performing their professions. These problems are caused by repetitive work by employees or incorrect positions. Ergonomists or occupational health and safety specialists have developed various methods to identify employee ailments and make improvements to them. The quick exposure check method is one of them. The quick exposure check method detects deficiencies in the workplace by measuring the employee's exposure to different body parts and work stress. In doing so, it is both fast and reliable. In this study, the reason for applying the scale to intensive care nurses is that society is aware that healthcare workers work under heavy workload. Additionally, it is believed that they play an important role in human health, aiming to measure the stress levels of employees in this profession. In this context, a training and research hospital was chosen for the implementation of this scale. The results obtained showed that the neck exposure level and stress levels of the nurses were very high. According to the rapid exposure assessment method, the risk was high for waist, shoulder/arm, wrist/hand body regions and for the working speed factor. The opinions of the nurses participating in the observation were taken and suggestions were made to reduce the workload. The results of the rapid exposure assessment method support the discomfort expressed by the nurses.

Technological interventions for the suppression of hand tremors: A literature review.

A tremor is a neurological disorder that results in trembling or shaking in one or more body parts. A thorough literature review was conducted to investigate the methods for suppressing tremors. We looked for articles published between 1995 and 2024 in the databases CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane. Two thousand two hundred fifty distinct items were discovered after an extensive search. Based only on the title, 250 were included. Two hundred papers were deemed ineligible after the abstracts were assessed. The remaining 26 articles were shortlisted after screening titles and abstracts and categorized based on treatment methods for hand tremors. According to the study's findings, deep brain stimulation (DBS) and electrical stimulation both reduced tremors considerably. It was also evident that attenuation systems and passive devices lessen the effects of tremors; target tracking tasks can lessen physiological tremors in postural posture; ET may have better hand functions after cold water treatment than warm water or at baseline; and targeted ultrasound thalamotomy is an effective treatment for ET, as it improved quality of life (QoL) significantly. Additionally, the design, development, and evaluation of wearable devices and pharmaceutical interventions for tremor suppression were investigated in detail. The main objective was to perform a comparative analysis of the merits and demerits of both treatment methodologies in terms of functional outcomes, users' comfort, and side effects. The review highlights wearable devices as a beneficial option for tremor suppression, offering comfort, safety, and advanced technology over pharmaceutical intervention methodologies.

FlyVISTA, an integrated machine learning platform for deep phenotyping of sleep in Drosophila.

There is great interest in using genetically tractable organisms such as Drosophila to gain insights into the regulation and function of sleep. However, sleep phenotyping in Drosophila has largely relied on simple measures of locomotor inactivity. Here, we present FlyVISTA, a machine learning platform to perform deep phenotyping of sleep in flies. This platform comprises a high-resolution closed-loop video imaging system, coupled with a deep learning network to annotate 35 body parts, and a computational pipeline to extract behaviors from high-dimensional data. FlyVISTA reveals the distinct spatiotemporal dynamics of sleep and wake-associated microbehaviors at baseline, following administration of the sleep-inducing drug gaboxadol, and with dorsal fan-shaped body drivers. We identify a microbehavior ("haltere switch") exclusively seen during quiescence that indicates a deeper sleep stage. These results enable the rigorous analysis of sleep in Drosophila and set the stage for computational analyses of microbehaviors in quiescent animals.

Mapping near metallic implants using turbo spin echo pulse sequences.

To propose a B1 + mapping technique for imaging of body parts containing metal hardware, based on magnitude images acquired with turbo spin echo (TSE) pulse sequences. To encode the underlying B1 +, multiple (two to four) TSE image sets with various excitation and refocusing flip angles were acquired. To this end, the acquired signal intensities were matched to a database of simulated signals which was generated by solving the Bloch equations taking into account the exact sequence parameters. The retrieved B1 + values were validated against gradient-recalled and spin echo dual angle methods, as well as a vendor-provided TurboFLASH-based mapping sequence, in gel phantoms and human subjects without and with metal implants. In the absence of metal, phantom experiments demonstrated excellent agreement between the proposed technique using three or four flip angle sets and reference dual angle methods. In human subjects without metal implants, the proposed technique with three or four flip angle sets showed excellent correlation with the spin echo dual angle method. In the presence of metal, both phantoms and human subjects revealed a narrow range of B1 + estimation with the reference techniques, whereas the proposed technique successfully resolved B1 + near the metal. In select cases, the technique was implemented in conjunction with multispectral metal artifact reduction sequences and successfully applied for B1 + shimming. The proposed technique enables resolution of B1 + values in regions near metal hardware, overcoming susceptibility-related and narrow-range limitations of standard mapping techniques.

The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment Among Traditional Krajood (Lepironia articulata) Handicraft Workers: A Case Study in Southern Thailand

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are associated with awkward postures, causing health problems for workers. MSDs impact physical activity levels and decrease professional work capacity. The objective of this study is to investigate the ergonomic risks in a handicraft community enterprise group using Krajood as the main raw material. The sample group consisted of craftsmen who engage in woven bags, and it was selected using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected with a general information questionnaire, a risk assessment questionnaire for musculoskeletal disorders, and the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) worksheet. The results indicate that musculoskeletal disorders were experienced by all the workers during the past year, with pain or discomfort in all 12 body parts. Moreover, most commonly, the pains were in the shoulders, upper back, lower back, and hands/wrists on both the left and the right side. The lower back exhibited a 100% prevalence of symptoms. The risk assessment by RULA indicated that the jobs had the highest possible total risk score at 7 points (45%), which needs to improve immediately. The top three high-risk work processes were the product line hammering steps, using a sewing machine to form the product, and the weaving and forming stage. Therefore, this study provides critical information for the craftsmen and their employers to improve workers’ health and production efficiency.

Nonfatal hospital-treated pediatric and adolescent burn cases in the United States: A 2019-2022 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System analysis.

Nonfatal hospital-treated pediatric and adolescent burn cases in the United States: A 2019-2022 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System analysis.