432,061 research outputs found
The effectiveness of origami on overall hand function after injury: A pilot controlled trial
No full textThis pilot study measured the effectiveness of using origami to improve the overall hand function of outpatients attending an NHS hand injury unit. The initiative came from one of the authors who had used origami informally in the clinical setting and observed beneficial effects. These observed effects were tested experimentally. The design was a pilot non-randomised controlled trial with 13 participants. Allocation of the seven control group members was based on patient preference. The experimental group members attended a weekly hour of origami for six weeks, in addition to their conventional rehabilitation.
Hand function of all participants was measured using the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test before and after the six-week period, and additional qualitative data were gathered in the form of written evaluations from patients. The quantitative data were analysed using the Mann Whitney U test or Fisher’s exact test. Themes were highlighted from the qualitative data.
The results show that there was a greater difference in the total score of the experimental group using the impaired hand between pre- and post-intervention of 11.8 seconds, compared with 4.3 seconds in the control group, but this was not statistically significant at the 5% level (p=0.06). Additionally, differences in the sub-test scores show a markedly larger improvement in the experimental group. Qualitative data indicate that the experimental group experienced the origami sessions as being enjoyable and beneficial. Further research with a larger sample and randomised group allocation is recommended to verify and expand these preliminary findings
Thick-film force, slip and temperature sensors for a prosthetic hand
No full textThick-film static and dynamic force sensors have been investigated for their suitability to measure the grip forces exerted upon an object held by a prosthetic hand, and to detect and correspondingly react to the possible slip of a gripped item. The static force sensors exploit the piezoresistive characteristics of commercially available thick-film pastes whilst the dynamic slip sensors utilise the piezoelectric behaviour of proprietary PZT pastes (lead zirconate titanate). The sensors are located upon stainless steel cantilever type structures that will be placed at the fingertips of each digit of the prosthetic hand. Temperature sensors are also included to provide temperature compensation for the force sensors and to prevent accidental thermal damage to the prosthesis. Results have shown that the static force sensor is capable of measuring fingertip forces in excess of 100 N, with an electrical half-bridge configuration sensitivity approaching 10 ?V/V•N (with scope for improvement) and maximum hysteresis below 4% of full scale, depending on the manner by which the cantilever sensor array is attached to the finger. Failure in the bonding mechanism that secures the PZT layer to the stainless steel cantilever meant that the proposed dynamic force sensor could not be evaluated. However, investigations using the same sensor design fabricated on an alumina substrate have shown the potential of the PZT dynamic force sensor to measure vibration and hence potentially operate as a slip sensor
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Risks of occupational exposures to hand-transmitted vibration: VIBRISKS
No full textVIBRISKS seeks to improve understanding of the risk of injury from hand-transmitted vibration and whole-body vibration by means of epidemiological studies supported by fundamental laboratory
research. VIBRISKS is a consortium of six partners from six European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, The Netherlands, UK). The four-year research project, which commenced in 2003, involves three work packages devoted to hand-transmitted vibration and three work packages devoted to whole-body vibration. This paper summarizes the hand-transmitted vibration research. Work package 1 defines methods to be used in studies of disorders caused by hand-transmitted
vibration in work package 2 and integrates the results of the epidemiological studies in work package 2 with the results of experimental and modeling studies in WP3 so as to define procedures that can be applied by occupational health workers for minimizing risk, screening exposed individuals and managing individuals with symptoms. Work package 2 involves longitudinal studies in workers
exposed to hand-transmitted vibration. Work package 3 involves experimental studies of the acute effects of hand-transmitted vibration on vascular and neurological function and the development of a finite element model of the biodynamic responses of the finger to vibration and force
Coming clean on hand hygiene
No full textIntroduction: Hand hygiene is universally recognized as one of the most effective ways to reduce the cross-transmission of hospital acquired infections. Successful strategies to improve hand hygiene compliance require a baseline knowledge of hand hygiene practices. Methodology: A direct observational method was used to collect data about hand hygiene practices amongst medical doctors by a group of trained medical students during their clinical assignments. To prevent any bias during the observation, the purpose of the study was not disclosed to the doctors; they only knew that they were being observed for infection control practices. A structured data collection sheet was used to direct the observations. Data on hand hygiene practices was collected during routine clinical work over a number of weeks. Observers recorded the professional grade of physician observed, speciality, location, activity performed, method used, and facilities available. Results: A total of 898 observations were recorded. Overall compliance before and after doctor-patient contact was 22.7% and 33.5% respectively. Within specialties, hand hygiene practices were lowest in obstetrics and gynaecology and highest in specialized surgical units. Poorest compliance was evident in house officers before patient contact, while the most compliant was the registrar group, following examination. Alcohol hand rub was the preferred method in the wards whilst hand washing was mainly utilised in the outpatient setting. Conclusion: Hand hygiene amongst doctors in St Luke's Hospital is low and could be a factor in the high MRSA endemicity.peer-reviewe
Improving the functionality of a prosthetic hand through the use of thick film force sensors
No full textA prosthetic hand has been instrumented with a range of sensors to measure grip force with the primary objectives of detecting touch and the onset of slippage of an item grasped by the hand. Two types of sensor have been used for this purpose: piezoresistive sensors to measure and monitor static forces and piezoelectric sensors to measure and monitor dynamic forces. All sensors have been fabricated using thick film printing techniques and their location and placement upon the prosthetic hand has been chosen for optimal performance
Quantitative sensory testing in painful hand osteoarthritis demonstrates features of peripheral sensitisation.
No full textHand osteoarthritis (HOA) is a prevalent condition for which treatments are based on analgesia and physical therapies. Our primary objective was to evaluate pain perception in participants with HOA by assessing the characteristics of nodal involvement, pain threshold in each hand joint, and radiological severity. We hypothesised that inflammation in hand osteoarthritis joints enhances sensitivity and firing of peripheral nociceptors, thereby causing chronic pain. Participants with proximal and distal interphalangeal (PIP and DIP) joint HOA and non-OA controls were recruited. Clinical parameters of joint involvement were measured including clinical nodes, VAS (visual analogue score) for pain (0-100 mm scale), HAQ (health assessment questionnaire), and Kellgren-Lawrence scores for radiological severity and pain threshold measurement were performed. The mean VAS in HOA participants was 59.3 mm ± 8.19 compared with 4.0 mm ± 1.89 in the control group (P < 0.0001). Quantitative sensory testing (QST) demonstrated lower pain thresholds in DIP/PIP joints and other subgroups in the OA group including the thumb, metacarpophalangeal (MCPs), joints, and wrists (P < 0.008) but not in controls (P = 0.348). Our data demonstrate that HOA subjects are sensitised to pain due to increased firing of peripheral nociceptors. Future work to evaluate mechanisms of peripheral sensitisation warrants further investigation
Functional results following surgical repair of post-traumatic hand tendon injuries
No full textIntroduction: The study aims to determine whether early physical therapy following hand tendon repair gives better results and to look at any possible limiting factors locally.
Methods: Twenty adults were selected from those admitted to Mater Dei Hospital, with traumatic tendon injuries to the wrist and hand during the year 2014. Their medical records were reviewed and details on surgical repair and postoperative rehabilitation noted. Participants completed QuickDASH outcome measure questionnaires assessing their situation both on initial presentation to hand therapy and six months later. The range of motion in all joints of the injured digits, six months after commencement of therapy, was measured by manual hand goniometry and the Total Active Motion (TAM) score calculated.
Results: A negative correlation was found between delay in starting hand therapy and both TAM score (r=-0.650, N=20, p<0.001) and QuickDASH score (r=-0.650, N=20, p<0.002). Comparison of the two outcome measures resulted in a strong negative correlation (r=-0.831, N=20, p<0.0005). Conclusion: These findings support current literature confirming that a shorter delay in starting hand therapy following tendon repair is associated with a better outcome for the patient. Better documentation and interdisciplinary handover is required, and a new operation report template is being put forward.peer-reviewe
Discomfort Threshold Evaluation for Hand and Elbow Regions: A Basis for Hand-Held Device Design
No full textThis study aimed to analyse the discomfort threshold (that could be linked to sensitivity or sensation) of different regions in hand and elbow to support hand-held devices' design. Indeed, there are no studies regarding the hand and elbow discomfort threshold or sensitivity. To overcome these literature gaps, the discomfort threshold of hand and elbow were recorded at 24 spots by pushing a cylinder with a diameter of 10 mm until the participants reported not to be longer comfortable. Experiments were performed with 24 participants, 13 females and 11 males. The results showed the map of discomfort threshold (or sensitivity) for the hand and elbow. The olecranon, situated at the ulna's upper (proximal) end, one of the two bones in the forearm, could withstand more pressure than the elbow area surrounding it. The fingertips and the area close to the metacarpals were most sensitive (lower discomfort threshold).Accepted Author ManuscriptMaterials and Manufacturin
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