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International Perspectives on the Management of Acute Mallet Finger Injuries: A Cross-Sectional Survey
No full textBackground: Mallet fingers are common injuries with management often being guided by presence of fracture, joint subluxation, chronicity and patient requirements and surgeon preferences. The purpose of this study was to understand current trends of management of mallet finger injuries.Methods: This study surveyed an international group of English-speaking hand surgeons (n = 244) with different types of mallet finger injury patterns to assess current trends and identify any regional variations in practice.Results: Nonoperative management with extension splinting was the preferred treatment for soft tissue (93%) and congruent bony (87%) mallet finger injuries amongst surgeons from all regions. Similarly, most surgeons (76%) preferred operative treatment for incongruent bony injuries. The management of subtle joint subluxation was contentious with 36% recommending splinting and the rest opting for closed reduction and wiring or open reduction.Conclusions: While there is no consensus on treatment, surgeons seem to prefer nonoperative treatment for most soft tissue mallet injuries. Surgeon preference seems to dictate the management of bony mallet injuries especially with incongruent joints. Prospective randomised studies would be beneficial in providing evidence-based guidelines for management of this common injury.<br/
Automated Kinect-based posture evaluation method for work-related musculoskeletal disorders of construction workers
Full text linkConstruction workers often suffer from musculoskeletal disorders due to awkward postures and weight-carrying in hot environments. Previous studies have focused on posture, neglecting weight-carrying or the environment. This study develops an automated real-time version of the RULA-based posture assessment method, identifying a worker’s posture and load weight using an RGB-D Microsoft Kinect sensing camera. The method includes ambient workplace temperature and is tested on a small-scale bricklaying and reinforcement task. Laboratory tests show the method improves assessment efficiency significantly. This is the first of its kind to fully automate the assessment of construction worker WMSD propensity, providing a continuous warning system to replace manual supervision.</p
Applying a layered approach to data protection in an emerging metaverse
No full textOur online environment is changing rapidly. As a result, much attention is being directed at a development referred to as the "Metaverse". This Metaverse may, somewhat crudely, be described as digital platforms that offer immersive environments. Such platforms present a combination of new and well-known data privacy challenges. This article seeks to provide an accessible and useful starting point to form an understanding of those data privacy challenges. To uncover the true nature of personal data regulation for users of such platforms, we ought to recall both the role of law, and the role of contracts. Consequently, this article begins by providing a solid overview of what is meant by the "Metaverse". It then proceeds to examine the extent to which data privacy laws claim to apply to an immersive platform that has the features of a Metaverse. The paper further examines whether a layered approach could address data protection issues arising out of a metaverse. In this context, the paper considers the data privacy laws of Australia, the European Union, and Singapore that may apply to immersive platforms
Heart rate variability changes on tactical police candidate training: Assessment in the nonlinear and frequency domain
No full textReorienting frailty in clinical practice, public health, and policy: the Lancet Commission on Frailty
No full textWHO's policy framework for healthy ageing from the World Report on Ageing and Health recognises frailty as the foremost geriatric syndrome in older adults and a key determinant of functional ability.1 Frailty poses a major public health challenge, with a substantial impact on the people living with it, their families, health-care systems, and social support services.1,2 However, frailty is a poorly understood condition globally. Without an adequate understanding of frailty and its causal pathways, policy makers cannot develop effective preventive strategies to reduce frailty prevalence and its associated burden. Moreover, there is an urgent need for pragmatic strategies to integrate public health approaches with wider health, social, and long-term care systems to improve the support for older adults living with frailty.3,
Robotic Winding and Structural Testing of Carbon Fibre Composite Panels
No full textWhile Carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) is a well researched area in material science and engineering, its construction applications remain limited, with only 3.6% of global applications. However, recent research has explored core-less filament winding to create novel forms and fabrication processes with robotics. This paper outlined the fabrication of lattice CFRP panels from manual operation to robotic set-up. The research is part of an ongoing investigation to create lightweight composite panels as building components. The studyinvestigates corresponding patterns and their structural performance in compression to provide insight into how material distribution affects the structural efficiency of the panels. The paper discusses the translational workflow from manual winding to the computationalalgorithm for the robotic winding routine and how learning from the physical prototypes informs the robotic workflow. The paper's significance lies in the coupling of informatic embedded in the winding routine with physical prototypes. The research develops the experiment into a parametric model to compute the routine for variable array andpanel sizes
Good Faith and Relational Contracts Volume 2: Application to Specific Principles
No full textThis book considers the application of good faith to specific existing contract law principles including liquidated damages, contract termination, duress, unconscionability, undue influence, relief against forfeiture and remedies
Corporate governance and liquidity creation in a duality banking system
No full textPurpose: This study aims to investigate the factors influencing liquidity creation in banks, particularly focusing on the role of bank governance. Using a unique panel data set, it compares Islamic and conventional banks to discern governance’s impact on liquidity creation, offering insights for policymakers and bank managers. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative analysis is used on a panel data set to assess liquidity creation determinants in banks. A governance index is constructed, analyzing metrics such as risk management, audit committee effectiveness and Shariah board presence. Regression models identify significant relationships between governance factors and liquidity creation. Findings: This study reveals a positive relationship between governance index and liquidity creation, especially in banks with better performance, higher credit risk, smaller size and lower equity, particularly in low-inflation environments. Specific governance practices significantly impact liquidity creation, alongside a positive relationship with Tier1 ratio, supporting the risk absorption hypothesis. Originality/value: This research offers empirical evidence on the relationship between bank governance and liquidity creation, highlighting its significance for both Islamic and conventional banks. It provides valuable insights for policymakers and bank managers aiming to enhance banking sector stability and efficiency
Identifying and Mitigating Injuries in Female Soldiers
No full textGlobally, the range of military roles open to female personnel are increasing, with clear benefits for defence forces. However, injury risk management through this transition is limited and more needs to be done to ensure the wellbeing of female (and male) personnel. Overall, per capita, female military personnel are reportedly injured more frequently than male personnel in most areas of the body, particularly during basic training. As an example, a study of injuries derived from Australian Army workplace health and safety data over a two-year period found that minor injuries were reported more frequently by female soldiers than by male soldiers and that the most common locations of minor injuries were the ankle in female soldiers and the knee in male soldiers. More serious injuries were reported at similar rates in female and male soldiers and both sexes had similar distributions of injuries across body regions. It should also be noted that female personnel have been found to seek treatment sooner and are more likely to report injuries they experience than male personnel and this may account for some, but not all, of the differences in overall reported rates of injuries to specific body regions. When specific natures of injuries are considered, a volume of research literature suggests there are some sex-specific nuances in the nature of injuries. For example, male personnel are considered to experience more traumatic knee meniscal tears, shoulder dislocations, and traumatic fractures than their female counterparts while female personnel suffer more chondromalacia patella, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and stress fractures than their male counterparts. Differences in reported injury rates between female and male personnel are suggested to decrease after basic training, culminating in minimal sex-specific differences at later stages of the military career path. However, findings in these regards may be confounded by injury identification and reporting methods, as well as sex-related differences in physical fitness levels. With female personnel, in general, presenting with lower aerobic fitness than male personnel, and aerobic fitness associated with injury risk, lower fitness levels (as opposed to sex) may be an underpinning cause of a higher injury presentation by female personnel. Apart from lower aerobic fitness levels, push-up performance, smoking, previous injury, no history of physical deployment, and heavy occupational tasks, appear to be risk factors for injury in military women. As such, smoking cessation, prevention of first-time injury occurrence, optimal rehabilitation following injury, enhanced risk management in relation to soldier load carriage and fatigue, enhancement of aerobic fitness, and upper limb endurance training are all strategies which may decrease injury risk in female personnel. To address the higher rate of injury in female personnel undertaking initial training, and to concomitantly optimise outcomes for both female and male personnel, several key recommendations should be considered. First, ensuring new recruits have a history of regular physical training (including aerobic and strength training) prior to commencing initial training. Second, ensuring periodised aerobic and strength training is performed at a level which is appropriate (and not excessive) for all individuals during initial and subsequent training. Third, ensuring that equipment provided to females is suitable for them and not simply designed for males without adequate consideration of sex-related differences in morphology. This third recommendation relates to packs (e.g., pack strap widths), boots (e.g. limited size width and upper lengths), general clothing (e.g. PT shorts, fatigue shirts, etc.,) and potentially other equipment. Fourth, ensuring any previous injuries have been adequately rehabilitated prior to commencement or return to training. Fifth, ensuring optimal risk management for both soldier load carriage and fatigue during, and after, initial training
Identification of Relevant Occupational Tasks Performed by the Brazilian Air Force Firefighters
No full textIntroduction:This study aimed to identify content-valid occupational tasks performed by Brazilian Air Force (BAF) firefighters to support the development of Physical Employment Standards (PES).Materials and Methods:A 3-step validation process was applied: (1) scenario development, (2) subject matter expert (SME) judgment, and (3) task quantification. Seven SMEs identified 5 operational scenarios and 33 critical tasks, which were rated based on importance, frequency, and physical demand. Tasks with a Content Validity Index above 0.86 were retained. In the final step, 164 active duty firefighters rated 27 tasks using a Likert scale.Results:Tasks involving victim removal and load carriage were rated among the most important and physically demanding, and forest firefighting tasks were the most frequently performed. Inter-rater reliability was high across all domains.Conclusion:This systematic approach provides a foundation for future PES development, contributing to improved readiness, safety, and targeted physical training programs for BAF firefighters.<br/