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Influence of pre-surgery characteristics and sports practice level on return to sport after ACL reconstruction
No full textObjectives
1) To compare pre-surgery characteristics, pre-injury sports level, and 6-month recovery outcomes between patients with successful (sRTS) and unsuccessful (noRTS) return to sport at 24 months post-ACLR; 2) To identify whether pre-surgical characteristics or pre-injury sports level predict noRTS.
Design
Longitudinal cohort study.
Participants
40 patients with ACLR.
Main outcome measures
Pre-surgery characteristics were collected and the level of sports practice was assessed using Tegner and Marx questionnaires, and the Noyes Sports Activity Rating Scale (NSARS). At 6 months a second evaluation was conducted. At 24 months, patients were divided into two groups: sRTS and noRTS.
Results
Pre-injury NSARS score was higher in noRTS (92.5 [80; 100]) compared to sRTS group (85 [72.5; 86.2]; p = 0.03). The multivariate model that best predicts noRTS (AUC = 0.83; p = 0.011) combines a higher pre-injury NSARS (AOR = 1.07 [1.01–1.14]; p = 0.001), more associated injuries (AOR = 1.55 [0.98–2.42]; p = 0.043), and longer injury to surgery time interval (AOR = 1.15 [0.91–1.46]; p = 0.21).
Conclusion
Clinicians should consider key risk factors (e.g. high pre-injury NSARS score, multiple associated injuries, delayed surgery) to tailor rehabilitation and improve return to pre-injury sports level 24 months post-ACLR.The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors
Exploring risky riding behaviors and road safety outcomes among motorcycle taxi riders in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
No full textMotorcycle taxi riders (MTRs) are central to urban mobility in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) but experience a disproportionate burden of traffic injuries. In Dar es Salaam (DSM), Tanzania, motorcycle-related crashes remain persistently high. Yet, empirical studies on behavioral risk factors among MTRs are limited. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Motorcycle Rider Behavior Questionnaire (MRBQ) and examine associations between self-reported risky riding behaviors and road safety outcomes among MTRs in DSM. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 463 MTRs using an interviewer-administered, Swahili-translated version of the MRBQ, expanded with nine context-specific items. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation identified five behavioral domains: stunt behaviors, safety equipment use, traffic errors, traffic violations, and contextual risky behaviors. A multivariate probit model showed that traffic errors and contextual risky behaviors were strongly associated with crashes and near-crash involvement. Stunt behaviors were also positively associated with crash risk, while consistent use of safety equipment was linked to a reduced likelihood of being fined. Descriptive findings revealed near-universal helmet use but inconsistent adoption of other protective gear. Riders frequently engaged in locally common behaviors such as overloading passengers and riding on unauthorized roads. These practices appear to reflect adaptive responses to poor infrastructure, limited enforcement, and economic pressure. The findings support targeted, context-sensitive interventions aligned with Safe System principles. Future research should replicate this approach in other LMIC urban settings and explore behavior change strategies to reduce crash risk.Funding
This research was funded by VLIR-UOS (Belgium) through the Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) partnership between Hasselt University (Belgium) and Ardhi University (Tanzania) under Grant ID: TZ2022IUC042A104.
Acknowledgements
The authors express their sincere appreciation to the motorcycle taxi riders (MTRs) for their participation and to the research assistants who supported the data collection process. The team further acknowledges the institutional support provided by Ardhi University and Hasselt University, facilitated through the VLIR-UOS Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) partnership between the two universities
The association between muscle fiber typing and physical performance in cachectic and non-cachectic colorectal cancer patients compared to healthy individuals
No full textKanker-cachexie is een multifactorieel syndroom dat ongeveer 50% van de patiënten met colorectale kanker treft
en wordt gekenmerkt door onvrijwillig gewichtsverlies, spieratrofie en verminderde
fysieke prestaties. Deze aandoening heeft aanzienlijke gevolgen voor de behandelingsuitkomsten,
kwaliteit van leven en algemene prognose. Hoewel de klinische manifestaties goed bekend zijn, blijft de
onderliggende spierfysiologie, met name de rol van specifieke spiervezeltypes in fysieke
prestaties, slecht begrepen.
Deze masterthesis onderzoekt veranderingen in skeletspieren bij kankergerelateerde cachexie, wat
valt binnen het onderzoeksdomein van spier-, orgaan- en celfysiologie. Deze cross-sectionele
studie heeft tot doel de biologische en functionele gevolgen te onderzoeken van veranderingen in de spiervezelsamenstelling bij patiënten met colorectale kanker, met of zonder cachexie, in vergelijking met gezonde
individuen.
Vroegtijdige identificatie van deze veranderingen kan leiden tot effectievere revalidatiestrategieën. Deze bevindingen zijn met name relevant voor de ontwikkeling van op maat gemaakte (pre-)revalidatie- en bewegingsinterventies die gericht zijn op het behoud van spiermassa en fysieke functie bij kankerpatiënten, waardoor de klinische resultaten en de kwaliteit van leven mogelijks verbeterd kunnen worden
Experimental Preservation as a Social Practice: Special Issue As Found International Colloquium
No full textBook : ISBN 978151792022
Bedrijfsoverdracht versus liquidatie: waarom kiezen 55+ ondernemers voor liquidatie van hun bedrijf ?
No full text
Virtual reality-based postural balance training in autistic children: a pilot randomized controlled trial
No full textThis dataset was collected to investigate the effects of an immersive virtual reality-based training administered with Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab (GRAIL) on postural balance of autistic children. A total of 20 autistic participants (6 -13 y/o) were enrolled in a 5-week RCT and received either balance training with the GRAIL system or no training. Specifically, the dataset includes: -Demographic data collected at baseline (Sheet "Demographic data @ baseline"); -Primary outcomes of the study 1. Static balance assessment (Sheet "Static COP") Center of pressure (CoP) displacement parameters collected with the GRAIL system in four different conditions (standing with eyes open – wide feet (EOWF); standing with eyes (actively) closed – wide feet (ECWF); standing with eyes open – narrowed feet (EONF); standing with eyes (actively) closed – narrowed feet (ECNF)). The following metrics are reported at T0 (at baseline) and T1 (follow-up): the sway path length, the area of the 95% confidence ellipse (area CE), the mean velocity of the CoP both in the ML and AP directions (Vel ML, Vel AP), and the jerk metrics. 2. Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (Sheet "MABC-2") Manual Dexterity, Aiming & Catching, Balance and Total scores are reported both at T0 and T1 for each subject. -Secondary outcomes 1.Parent-report Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire ("Sheet DCDQ") Motor control, Fine motor, General coordination, and the Total score are reported both at T0 and T1 for each subject. 2. Balance assessment overground (Sheet "COM") Center of mass sway path length is reported for the four standing conditions both at T0 and T1 for each subject. 3. Reactive balance assessment (Sheet "Reactive CoP") Reactive postural balance to controlled perturbations was measured by means of CoP range displacement during the active perturbation and during the following recovery time, the peak value of CoP, the time to peak (TTP) and the time of recovery (TOR). Features are reported at T0 and T1 for each subject. 4. Gait parameters (Sheet "Gait parameters (Mean values)" and "Gait parameters (std values)") Gait spatio-temporal, kineamatic (ROM of ankle, knee and hip during flexion) and kinetic (power of ankle, knee and hip) and are reported at T0 and T1 for each subject. The mean and standard deviation of every gait parameter were computed by acquiring several steps during the trial. The standard deviation of the collected features was assessed as a measure of gait pattern variability. If you use this dataset please cite the following manucript: Falivene, A.; Scaccabarozzi, G.; Busti Ceccarelli, S.; Molteni, M.; Klingels, K.; Verbecque, E.; Storm, F.A.; Biffi, E.; Crippa, A. Virtual Reality-Based Postural Balance Training in Autistic Children: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14, 5616. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165616Italian Ministry of Health (Ricerca Corrente 2019/2025 to E. Biffi
Assembly and Interconnection Technologies for 3D Plastic Circuit Carriers: An Overview of Technologies, Materials, and Applications
No full textThis paper aims to present an overview of the state-of-the-art materials and technologies that can be used to create electronic circuits on 3D plastic carriers also known as 3D electronics. Strategies for print-based and laser-based 3D electronics will be discussed as well as the techniques to apply the circuit carrier and the way interconnection technology can be used to combine electronic components on top of the circuit carrier. A basic explanation of the functional principles, materials, and applications is given for different substrate and interconnection technologies. The aim is to make it easier to compare different technologies and its required materials to make the right decisions on what technology is best suited for the job. For this purpose, comparison tables for 3D plastic circuit carrier technologies and substrate materials considering their temperature stability were created. It can be concluded that there are a lot of influencing factors that determine which technologies are best suited for application. The most important factors are the 3D complexity and the field of application, the required structure size of the circuit, and the required production quantity.Funding:
This research was funded by CORNET ACT3D, grant number 301 EN and VLAIO funding via HBC.2020.2996. The state-of-the-art was developed as part of the project and is summarized in this paper.
Acknowledgments:
The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the funding agencies “German Federation of Industrial Research Agencies” (AiF-Germany) and “Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship” (VLAIO-Belgium/Flanders)
High-order multiderivative methods for ordinary and partial differential equations
No full textThis thesis concerns the design, analysis and application of time discretization applied to differential equations. We work with multiderivative techniques for the time
derivatives. We use high-order temporal derivatives to obtain higher-order methods
rather than multiple stages or multiple steps.
First, we shed light on an issue that arises with implicit-explicit multiderivative schemes. We develop and demonstrate that a novel splitting fully preserves
the scheme’s explicitness while not degrading the order of convergence.
Moreover, we enforce the functional preservation in ordinary differential equations
using a relaxation technique. This technique can be implemented with relatively low
computational cost. By doing this, we considerably reduce the error growth for the
numerical method, especially when the simulation time was long.
Additionally, we use an implicit two-derivative temporal discretization scheme for
the Cahn-Hilliard equation. We show analytically and numerically that the multiderivative techniques preserve the energy stability of the system. This is the first
time an energy-stable multiderivative approach is established for the Cahn-Hilliard
equation. Finally, adding stabilization terms, we prove that an implicit two-derivative
approach is energy stable
