Toy Balls Research Articles

Sports ball projectile ocular trauma in dogs

To describe the clinical features, management, and outcome of dogs presenting with sports ball projectile ocular injuries. Eighteen dogs. A retrospective study reviewing cases of ocular injury due to a sports ball projectile that presented to the Cornell University ophthalmology service between 2004 and 2021. Dog age, type of sports ball, initial ocular lesions, eye affected, clinical management, and visual outcome were recorded. Sports ball projectile ocular injuries were identified in 18 eyes of 18 dogs. The median age of the dogs was 1.0 years old, ranging from 0.3- to 9-years- old. Nine dogs were male, and 9 were female. Ocular injuries were caused by small, dense balls (e.g., golf balls, baseballs) in 11 dogs; small, light balls (e.g., tennis balls, toy balls) in 5 dogs; and large, soft balls (e.g., soccer ball, football) in 2 dogs. Closed-globe injuries (12 of 18 eyes) presented with traumatic uveitis (91%), hyphema (45%), and subconjunctival hemorrhage (18%). All 12 closed-globe injury cases were medically managed, eight dogs remained visual. Open-globe injuries (6 of 18 dogs) presented with three corneal lacerations and three scleral ruptures. Five open-globe injuries required enucleation, and one was medically managed and maintained vision. Sports ball projectile ocular injuries in dogs can result in substantial ocular morbidity and in loss of vision. Small, dense balls were associated with injuries that carried the most guarded prognosis and required more aggressive management. Small and large lighter projectiles were associated with less serious ocular injuries and visual outcomes.

Menentukan Koefisien Restitusi Tumbukan dengan Analisis Konversi Sudut Penyimpangan

Physical practicum-based learning on collision was been carried out with the aim of knowing the magnitude of the coefficient of restitution of collision of 2 toy balls that are hung on station with a rope by analyzing the conversion of angle of the deviation before and after collision to the magnitutde of velocity. The instruments used in the practicum were“ tek-tek” balls, “ping-pong” balls, clear rubber ball, bow, stationary. Data collection was taken from the 8 practicum groups each of which consists of 4 students in class X IPA 1 of Senior High School 2 Kebumen in the 2nd semester of the school year 2017/2018. Conclusions obtained from data analysis are the conversion of angle of deviation before and after collision to the magnitude of velocity, average collision coefficient; between “tek-ball” was 0.18, “tek-tek” ball with clear rubber ball was 0.26, “tek-tek” ball with “pingpong” ball was 0.64. So that the three collisions include a partially resilient collision which has a range of restitution coefficients 0 ˂ e ˂ 1.Students did the practicum carefully, students had fun learning while playing and collision. This practicum can be done as an alternative to teach the competency on KI-4

Effect of Neighborhood Sanitation Coverage on Fecal Contamination of the Household Environment in Rural Bangladesh.

Enteric pathogens can be transmitted within the household and the surrounding neighborhood. The objective of this study was to understand the effect of neighborhood-level sanitation coverage on contamination of the household environment with levels of fecal indicator bacteria in rural Bangladesh. We conducted spot-check observations of sanitation facilities in neighboring households (NHs) within a 20-m radius of target households with children aged 6-24 months. Sanitation facilities were defined as improved (a private pit latrine with a slab or better) or unimproved. Fecal coliforms (FCs) on children's hands and sentinel toy balls were measured and used as indicators of household-level fecal contamination. We visited 1,784 NHs surrounding 428 target households. On average, sentinel toy balls had 2.11(standard deviation [SD] = 1.37) log10 colony-forming units (CFUs) of FCs/toy ball and children's hands had 2.23 (SD = 1.15) log10 CFU of FCs/two hands. Access to 100% private improved sanitation coverage in the neighborhood was associated with a small and statistically insignificant difference in contamination of sentinel toy balls (difference in means = -0.13 log10 CFU/toy ball; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: -0.64, 0.39; P = 0.63) and children's hands (difference in means = -0.11 log10 CFU/two hands; 95% CI: -0.53, 0.32; P = 0.62). Improved sanitation coverage in the neighborhood had limited measurable effect on FCs in the target household environment. Other factors such as access to improved sanitation in the household, absence of cow dung, presence of appropriate water drainage, and optimal handwashing practice may be more important in reducing FCs in the household environment.

Evaluation of Object Surface Edge Profiles Detected with a 2-D Laser Scanning Sensor.

Canopy edge profile detection is a critical component of plant recognition in variable-rate spray control systems. The accuracy of a high-speed 270° radial laser sensor was evaluated in detecting the surface edge profiles of six complex-shaped objects. These objects were toy balls with a pink smooth surface, light brown rectangular cardboard boxes, black and red texture surfaced basketballs, white smooth cylinders, and two different sized artificial plants. Evaluations included reconstructed three-dimensional (3-D) images for the object surfaces with the data acquired from the laser sensor at four different detection heights (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 m) above each object, five sensor travel speeds (1.6, 2.4, 3.2, 4.0, and 4.8 km h−1), and 8 to 15 horizontal distances to the sensor ranging from 0 to 3.5 m. Edge profiles of the six objects detected with the laser sensor were compared with images taken with a digital camera. The edge similarity score (ESS) was significantly affected by the horizontal distances of the objects, and the influence became weaker when the objects were placed closer to each other. The detection heights and travel speeds also influenced the ESS slightly. The overall average ESS ranged from 0.38 to 0.95 for all the objects under all the test conditions, thereby providing baseline information for the integration of the laser sensor into future development of greenhouse variable-rate spray systems to improve pesticide, irrigation, and nutrition application efficiencies through watering booms.

Detection of 3-D objects with a 2-D laser scanning sensor for greenhouse spray applications

Precise measurement of plant dimensions can provide essential information for variable-rate spray application technologies to discharge the amounts of chemicals actually needed by the plants. The accuracy of a 270° radial laser scanning sensor combined with a specially-designed plant surface mapping algorithm was evaluated in detection of complex-shaped object surfaces and sizes. Data acquisition and three-dimensional (3-D) image construction were supported with the specially-designed algorithm. The objects in the test were toy balls with a pink smooth surface, light brown rectangular cardboard boxes, black and red texture surfaced basketballs, white smooth cylinders, and two different sized artificial plants. Test variables included four different detection heights (0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 m) above each object, five sensor travel speeds (1.6, 2.4, 3.2, 4.0 and 4.8 km h−1), and 8–15 horizontal distances to the sensor ranging from 0 to 3.5 m. Horizontal distances of the objects to the laser sensor influenced the accuracy significantly, and the influence became weaker when the objects were closer to each other. The color and finish of object surfaces did not apparently affect the sensor detection accuracy. The average root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of variation (CV) in the laser sensor travel direction and object height direction varied slightly with detection heights, travel speeds, and object positions. The highest RMSE and CV were 83 mm and 50.9% in the horizontal direction, 41 mm and 15.2% in the travel direction, and 16 mm and 14.0% in the height direction, respectively. These tests demonstrated the potential adaptation of the laser scanning sensor and the specially-designed algorithm to measure complex-shaped targets for future development of automatic spray systems to achieve variable-rate functions in greenhouse applications.

A Cross Sectional Study of the Association between Sanitation Type and Fecal Contamination of the Household Environment in Rural Bangladesh.

We conducted a cross sectional study to assess 1) the association between access to basic sanitation and fecal contamination of sentinel toy balls and 2) if other sanitation factors such as shared use and cleanliness are associated with fecal contamination of sentinel toy balls. We assessed sanitation facilities in 454 households with a child aged 6-24 months in rural Bangladesh. We defined "basic" sanitation as access to improved sanitation facilities (pit latrine with a slab or better) not shared with other households. In each household, an identical toy ball was given to the target child. After 24 hours, the balls were rinsed to enumerate fecal coliforms as an indicator of household fecal contamination. Households with basic sanitation had lower fecal coliform contamination than households with no access to basic sanitation (adjusted difference in means: -0.31 log10 colony forming units [CFU]/toy ball; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.61, -0.01). Shared sanitation facilities of otherwise improved type were more likely to have visible feces on the latrine slab compared with private facilities. Among households with access to improved sanitation, households with no visible feces on the latrine slab had less toy ball contamination than households with visible feces on the latrine slab (adjusted difference in means: -0.38 log10 CFU/toy ball; 95% CI: -0.77, 0.02). Access to basic sanitation may prevent fecal contamination of the household environment. An Improved sanitation facility used by an individual household may be better in preventing household fecal contamination compared with improved facilities shared with other households.

Investigating the parent-child interactive behavior of autistic children by using composite light-emitting or reflective toys

Abstract A toy is a valuable medium for promoting parent-child interaction. This study selected six light-emitting or reflective materials to produce composite toy balls, and conducted tests on 15 families with preschool-aged high-functioning autistic children. Quantification method I analysis was employed in the study, and the experimental results indicated that (a) the metal ball (reflective and dynamic light) was the representative sample that elicited many smiles or laughs and much finger pointing as well as high levels of pleasure and activeness.; (b) the mitball (static light) was the representative sample that provoked much eye contact, produced satisfactory reactions to activities,; (c) the quality of fluorescence enhanced the levels of pleasure and the reactions to the activity. We propose that dynamic and reflective materials can be adopted to divert the attention of children, and fluorescent toys can then employed to sustain parent-child interaction.

Laboratory development and field testing of sentinel toys to assess environmental faecal exposure of young children in rural India.

Sentinel toys are increasingly used as a method of assessing young children's exposure to faecal pathogens in households in low-income settings. However, there is no consensus on the suitability of different approaches. We evaluated three types of toy balls with different surfaces (plastic, rubber, urethane) in the laboratory to compare the uptake of faecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli) on their surface. We performed bacteria survival analysis under different environmental conditions and tested laboratory methods for bacteria removal and recovery. In a field study we distributed sterile urethane balls to children <5 from 360 households in rural India. After 24 hours, we collected and rinsed the toys in sterile water, assayed for thermotolerant coliforms (TTC) and explored associations between the level of contamination and household characteristics. In the laboratory, urethane foam balls took up more indicator bacteria than the other balls. Bacteria recovery did not differ based on mechanic vs no agitation. Higher temperatures and moisture levels increased bacterial yield. In the field, the only factor associated with a decreased recovery of TTC from the balls was having a soil (unpaved) floor. Sentinel toys may be an effective tool for assessing young children's exposure to faecal pathogens. However, even using methods designed to increase bacterial recovery, limited sensitivity may require larger sample sizes.

Toys and toilets: cross‐sectional study using children's toys to evaluate environmental faecal contamination in rural Bangladeshi households with different sanitation facilities and practices

To evaluate household faecal contamination using children's toys among 100 rural Bangladeshi households categorised as 'cleaner' (toilet that reliably separates faeces from the environment and no human faeces in/around living space) or 'less clean' (no toilet or toilet that does not reliably separate faeces from the environment and human faeces in/around living space). We distributed toy balls to each household and rinsed each study toy and a toy already owned by the household in 200 ml of Ringer's solution. We enumerated faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci from each rinse using membrane filtration methods. Study toys from 39 cleaner households had lower mean faecal coliform contamination than toys from 61 less clean households (2.4 log10 colony-forming units (CFU)/200 ml vs. 3.2 log10 CFU/200 ml, P = 0.03). However, wealth measures explained a portion of this relationship. Repeat measures were moderately variable [coefficient of variation (CV) = 6.5 between two toys in the household at the same time, CV = 37.6 between toys in the household at two different times 3-4 days apart]. Too few households owned a non-porous toy to compare groups without risk of bias. In rural Bangladesh, improved sanitation facilities and practices were associated with less environmental contamination. Whether this association is independent of household wealth and whether the difference in contamination improves child health merit further study. The variation found was typical for measures of environmental contamination, and requires large sample sizes to ascertain differences between groups with statistical significance.

Ion Adventure in the Heartland, vol 1 (review)

Reviewed by: Ion Adventure in the Heartland, vol 1 Morton F. Arnsdorf Ion Adventure in the Heartland, vol 1. By Dale Dubin. Tampa: Cover Publishing, 2003. Pp. 390. $85. Dale Dubin has written a remarkable book for "the scientifically curious with a compelling passion for new enlightenment." A 17-year labor of love, Ion Adventure in the Heartland deals with the complex issues of what Dubin calls the "heart's ionic-molecular microcosm." Dubin is probably best known as the author of the most widely used book on learning electrocardiography, Rapid Interpretation of EKGs, which is now in its sixth edition. Dubin uses three-dimensionally rendered color illustrations, with little text, to program instruction. Our guide is Dale, Dr. Dubin as a child, which reinforces the manner in which children progress from conceptualization to knowledge. Historical figures, such as Waller's bulldog Jimmy, help to illustrate the points. In the opening figure, a couple of illustrations make clear Galvani's experiment of 1792, in which electrical stimulation caused contraction in the legs, and Kolliker and Mueller's observation in the mid-1800s that a frog's heart could cause rhythmic stimulation of the motor nerve to a frog's leg. For those of us who could never keep cation and anion straight and who therefore never use these terms and refer only to positive and negative charges, Dale shows a picture of his pet cat with three toy balls labeled Ca++, Na+, and K+—hard to forget once you have the image in mind. The concepts become quite complex, but the approach works. As an example, for the spatially challenged Dale presents an ion channel with its four domains sticking through a membrane, then a close-up of the continuous peptide chain of six coiled segments that forms a domain, and finally the ion channel [End Page 461] pore viewed from the extracellular side, showing how the segment ends of the coiled segments are packed. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the segments S1, S2, and S3 are positioned towards the periphery, the positively charged S4 is positioned to act as the voltage sensor, and the S5 and S6 segments of each domain form the lumen of the channel. Once the positions of these segments are clear, the p loop between S5 and S6 is shown to line the pore, and since each p loop has a negative charge positioned near the external pore, positive ions are attracted that line up in the pore of the closed, resting channel. And the story continues, reinforced in a later chapter by looking at the segments and the p loop in more detail and at their role in controlling the flow of ionic currents through the channel. The 12 chapters of volume 1 touch upon the electrocardiogram, the autonomic nervous system, the relationship between ions and molecules, events in the myocytes that lead to contraction and other functions, ion channels and their microanatomy, as well as the electrical consequences of the molecular and ionic events, specialized structures in the heart such as the atrioventricular node, and practical issues underlying conduction and arrhythmias including those caused by abnormal channels as in the long QT-syndrome. Volume 2 promises to be on automaticity. The strategy of transforming the abstract (concepts, equations, ideas) into the concrete (pictures) is not new, but rarely has it been so ambitiously pursued using a very skilled illustrator, Paul Heinrich, and a number of talented people, scientific and not, who helped in the project. The book is comprehensive and profusely illustrated in color. I do not know how they brought the publication price in at $85. A challenge will be updating this book and keeping it current. Thanks are due to the late George C. Griffith, to whom the book is dedicated, who seems to have triggered Dubin's lifelong interest in electrocardiography. I would also like to thank the child Dale and the adult who gave him voice. This is a remarkable publication. Dubin certainly had fun writing it, and I enjoyed reading it. I recommend it most highly. Morton F. Arnsdorf Professor of Medicine University of Chicago arnsdorf@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu Copyright © 2004 The Johns Hopkins...

The Role of Viruses in Gastrointestinal Disease in the Home

Edited transcript of an oral presentation Looking at the survival of viruses on environmental surfaces, most data have come from laboratory studies, from data obtained from outbreaks and from hygiene intervention studies, collected over several years. Consider what happens if we place an object contaminated by a virus in the environment, how quickly will that virus circulate? One recent study looked at this problem. 1 Viruses spread in childcare facilities were studied using modified cauliflower virus DNA as an environmental marker. The viral DNA, introduced through treated toy balls, spread within a few hours of handling. Although the marker treated balls were removed after 1 day, the viral DNA continued circulating in the facilities for up to 2 weeks. The markers could also be detected in the children’s homes, on the hands of family members, and on environmental surfaces within those homes, including toys – this shows the potential for the environment to spread viruses. Many studies have been carried out to determine the level of environmental contamination in the course of rotavirus infections, in childcare centres, paediatric wards and so on. 2–4 Up to 10 12 virus particles, per ml of faeces, are shed when someone has rotavirus diarrhoea, so if we consider splashing effects in toilets, changing nappies and handling young children who are not toilet trained, there is great potential for the virus to spread. In such studies rotavirus was found to be widely disseminated on refrigerator handles, door handles, toilet handles, telephone receivers, toys and in play areas, moist surfaces such as sinks, water play at tables, and so on. Work by Ward et al. 5 examined the role of the environment in the acquisition of rotavirus more critically. The authors looked at surfaces that had been contaminated with rotavirus seeded in non-fat milk and dried onto a surface. They worked with volunteers, males aged 18–45 years, and in a controlled experiment they had the volunteers drink a virus-seeded salt solution, after which increases in the level of viral shedding and antibodies were measured, and found that seven out of eight volunteers became infected. They also looked at how the virus could be transmitted by licking the surface – normally we would not lick surfaces but we do use knives and forks, cups and so on. Eight volunteers became infected from directly licking a contaminated surface. When a surface was wiped with a finger and transferred to the mouth five out of eight volunteers became infected. These adults had no clinical symptoms but became shedders of the virus. Adults do not normally show symptoms; it is only in children and the elderly that rotavirus can become a serious problem. These workers also showed that spraying rotavirus-contaminated surfaces with a disinfectant (79% ethyl alcohol and 0.1% phenylphenol) prevented infection. Volunteers touching the disinfected surfaces with their fingers and then their mouths did not acquire infection. Let us consider environmental contamination with the Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs – also known as small roundstructured viruses) and the use of the reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for detection. As NLV cannot be grown in tissue culture RT-PCR has become an important assay for detection. RT-PCR can be used to determine whether viral nucleic acid is present in the environment. However, the assay does not indicate whether an intact, infectious virus particle is present in the sample, it only detects the nucleic acid component. Nevertheless, RT-PCR is the only way we have of looking for NLV in the environment.

Detection of rotaviruses in the day care environment by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

Group A rotavirus is an important cause of morbidity among infants and toddlers in day care centers. Transmission by the fecal-oral route is well established, but fomites and environmental surfaces may also play an important role in transmission. A highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used to detect rotavirus RNA in day care environments. Areas sampled included floors, diaper change areas, toy balls, and other surfaces. In two centers undergoing outbreaks of rotavirus, 7 (39%) of 18 toy balls had detectable rotavirus as did 8 (21%) of 39 swabs from environmental surfaces. By comparison, only 1 (5%) of 21 toy balls and 1 (2%) of 44 environmental surface swabs had detectable rotavirus in centers without rotavirus outbreaks (P = .0001). Thus, rotaviruses are highly prevalent in day care centers during outbreaks of diarrhea. The monitoring of environments by sensitive nucleic acid amplification techniques may lead to strategies for the diminution of disease transmission within the day care environment.

The Effect of Diaper Type and Overclothing on Fecal Contamination in Day-care Centers

Fecal coliform contamination of environmental surfaces and hands in the day-care center is common. This study evaluated the effect of two diaper types on fecal contamination. Ten rooms in four day-care centers containing 141 children were studied in a prospective, randomized, crossover study. A total of 2946 samples were cultured during the 9-week study. Fecal coliforms were isolated from 307 inanimate objects (15%), 73 toy balls (46%), and 131 hands (17%). The number of contaminated inanimate objects was significantly less in rooms where paper diapers were worn when compared with that in rooms where double cloth diapers with plastic overpants were worn and in rooms where clothes were worn over diapers. Inanimate object cultures had more contamination in rooms in which diarrhea had occurred. Containment of feces by overclothes and diaper type may be important in decreasing transmission of enteric pathogens in day-care environments.

Environmental Contamination in Child Day-Care Centers

Enteropathogens associated with outbreaks of diarrhea in day-care centers are spread by the fecal-oral route through contaminated hands or environmental objects. This prospective study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of fecal coliform contamination in day care. Ten rooms in six centers housing 121 children less than 2 years of age were studied for 13 weeks (February to May 1988). Inanimate objects (n = 1,275), toy balls (n = 724), and hands (n = 954) were cultured 1-3 times per week. Fecal coliform contamination was common and was greater (p less than 0.05) for objects, toy balls, and hands of children in toddler compared with infant rooms. In five rooms in which clothes were worn over diapers, there was a significantly lower prevalence of fecal coliform contamination of toy balls (p less than 0.005), inanimate objects (p less than 0.05), and hands (p less than 0.001) when compared with rooms in which overclothes were not worn. Occurrence of diarrhea was significantly associated with increased contamination of hands (p = 0.001). Stool and environmental isolates from individual rooms had the same plasmid patterns, which were unique to each center. In summary, fecal coliform contamination of environmental objects and hands of children and caregivers in day-care centers is common; toy balls can serve as sentinels of contamination; fecal coliform contamination can be significantly decreased by use of overclothes; and Escherichia coli strains from stool showed the same plasmid patterns.