Background and Purpose: Walking difficulties are defined as any reduction in speed, balance, or change of gait, causing limited ambulation. These difficulties are a common problem in older adults and may greatly affec...Background and Purpose: Walking difficulties are defined as any reduction in speed, balance, or change of gait, causing limited ambulation. These difficulties are a common problem in older adults and may greatly affect their quality of life (QOL) and restrict their personal independence and participation. This study aimed to determine the effect of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) on lower leg pain, walking capacity, functional mobility, ankle range of motion (AROM), and QOL of community-dwelling older people with walking difficulties. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 34 eligible participants with self-reported lower limb pain and limited ambulation were randomized either to the intermittent pneumatic compression intervention group (IPCIG) or static compression control group (SCCG). The IPCIG and SCCG were trained to receive IPC and SC respectively for both lower legs and instructed to continue the application independently at home for 15 minutes per session, 2 sessions a day, 7 days per week for 4 weeks independently at the home. Outcome measures of lower leg pain, AROM, walking capacity, and functional mobility were assessed at baseline and at the first, second, third, and fourth weeks after randomization. Quality of life was assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention. Results and Discussion: IPCIG showed a more significant improvement compared to the SCCG at the post-interventional stage for QOL and all the subscales. The findings show that “80% improved QOL” is 53% higher with the application of IPC than with SC for 4 weeks. The IPCIG showed a more significant improvement in the 6-minute walk test (6 MWT) at the third and fourth weeks compared to the SCCG. A pairwise comparison of mean values of 6 MWT over 4 weeks within the IPCIG showed a significant difference between all the weeks. Pairwise comparisons between groups at each time point showed that the IPCIG showed a more significant improvement in the timed up and go (TUG) test at the third and fourth weeks compared to the SCCG. Pairwise comparison of mean values of TUG test within the IPCIG showed a significant difference over 4 weeks, except between the second and third weeks, fourth week, and third and fourth weeks. The IPCIG showed a more significant improvement in lower leg pain between all weeks except the first week compared to the SCCG. Pairwise comparison of mean values of lower leg pain over 4 weeks within the IPCIG showed a significant difference among all weekly outcomes except between 1 and 2 weeks. The IPCIG showed a more significant improvement in left and right ankle dorsiflexion ROM at the third and fourth weeks compared to the SCCG. Conclusions: The IPC was effective in reducing lower leg pain and increasing the AROM and improving the walking capacity, functional mobility level, and QOL of community-dwelling older people with walking disabilities. Walking disability in old age is a common condition requiring physical therapy. Intermittent pneumatic compression can be used as a physical therapy modality for this patient group.展开更多
Recovery of under-sampled seismic data is a critical problem,in oil and gas exploration,therefore recovery algorithms with iterative shrinkage based on compressed sensing have been recently proposed. However most of t...Recovery of under-sampled seismic data is a critical problem,in oil and gas exploration,therefore recovery algorithms with iterative shrinkage based on compressed sensing have been recently proposed. However most of these algorithms usually adopt a soft shrinkage function,which assumes that all of the sparse coefficients are independent of each other in curvelet or other domains,little attention has so far been devoted to the inter-dependencies of coefficients. In this paper,the dependencies of parent-child curvelet coefficients of seismic data are exploited by Bayesian estimation,moreover the new seismic data recovery algorithm via curvelet-based bivariate shrinkage function is proposed. First the respective parent-child curvelet coefficients joint distribution models of fully-sampled seismic data and noise signal caused by missing traces are established,then the bivariate shrinkage function according to the Bayesian maximum posterior probability estimation is obtained,finally the Landweber iterative shrinkage algorithm is used in the recovery process.When compared with existing recovery algorithms,it is proved that the proposed algorithm can obtain higher PSNR performance,and maintains the texture details better in events of seismic data展开更多
Büeckner Rice weight function method was used to analyse mixed mode fracture of center cracked circular disk subjected to uniaxial compression. Based on Wu Carlsson procedure semi analytical modes Ⅰ and Ⅱ weigh...Büeckner Rice weight function method was used to analyse mixed mode fracture of center cracked circular disk subjected to uniaxial compression. Based on Wu Carlsson procedure semi analytical modes Ⅰ and Ⅱ weight functions were derived from corresponding reference displacement fields and stress intensity factors calculated by finite element method. Normalized mode Ⅰ and mode Ⅱ stress intensity factors, f Ⅰ, f Ⅱ , were derived from the obtained semi analytical weight functions. The results were then fitted into polynomials, the precision is within 0.5%. It is interesting to note that when the inclined angle θ of a crack is less than 15°, the f Ⅰvalues are positive. when θ =15°, the f Ⅰ values are positive for the crack length a varying from 0.1 to 0.7, but when a =0.8, the f Ⅰ takes the negative value -0.51. When θ >15°, all the f Ⅰ values become negative, which denotes that the compression shear mode is achieved at crack tips. These results are very useful in the investigation of mixed mode fracture of brittle materials.展开更多
Background: Post-operative swelling following open reduction and internal fixation for ankle fracture is a common complication that delays return to function. Compressive stockings have been employed in most centres i...Background: Post-operative swelling following open reduction and internal fixation for ankle fracture is a common complication that delays return to function. Compressive stockings have been employed in most centres in Africa to help resolve such complications but there is a dearth of information regarding its clinical effectiveness. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of compressive stockings in the management of post-operative ankle swelling. Methodology: A prospective cohort hospital-based study was employed in the present study to assess the effectiveness of compressive stocking in reducing post-op swelling following ORIF for ankle fractures compared to a control group who had no compressive stocking using a convenient sampling method. Data collected include age, sex, and ankle circumference at 2, 6 and 12 weeks post op. Based on the x-rays, the ankle fractures were categorized according to the Lauge-Hansen classification. Student t-test was used in all statistical analyses p-value Results: A total of 85 patients (40 test and 45 control) including 54% males and 46% females between the ages of 18 - 78 years with a mean age of 44.8 + 14.9 years were recruited for the present study. The most common fracture pattern was supination external rotation (74.1%). Post op swelling was significantly lower in the compressive stocking group compared to the control group at 6 weeks [0.53 cm (95% CI: 0.05 - 1.01), p Conclusion: Compressive stocking can be used effectively to reduce post op swelling following open reduction and internal fixation for ankle fractures.展开更多
文摘Background and Purpose: Walking difficulties are defined as any reduction in speed, balance, or change of gait, causing limited ambulation. These difficulties are a common problem in older adults and may greatly affect their quality of life (QOL) and restrict their personal independence and participation. This study aimed to determine the effect of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) on lower leg pain, walking capacity, functional mobility, ankle range of motion (AROM), and QOL of community-dwelling older people with walking difficulties. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 34 eligible participants with self-reported lower limb pain and limited ambulation were randomized either to the intermittent pneumatic compression intervention group (IPCIG) or static compression control group (SCCG). The IPCIG and SCCG were trained to receive IPC and SC respectively for both lower legs and instructed to continue the application independently at home for 15 minutes per session, 2 sessions a day, 7 days per week for 4 weeks independently at the home. Outcome measures of lower leg pain, AROM, walking capacity, and functional mobility were assessed at baseline and at the first, second, third, and fourth weeks after randomization. Quality of life was assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention. Results and Discussion: IPCIG showed a more significant improvement compared to the SCCG at the post-interventional stage for QOL and all the subscales. The findings show that “80% improved QOL” is 53% higher with the application of IPC than with SC for 4 weeks. The IPCIG showed a more significant improvement in the 6-minute walk test (6 MWT) at the third and fourth weeks compared to the SCCG. A pairwise comparison of mean values of 6 MWT over 4 weeks within the IPCIG showed a significant difference between all the weeks. Pairwise comparisons between groups at each time point showed that the IPCIG showed a more significant improvement in the timed up and go (TUG) test at the third and fourth weeks compared to the SCCG. Pairwise comparison of mean values of TUG test within the IPCIG showed a significant difference over 4 weeks, except between the second and third weeks, fourth week, and third and fourth weeks. The IPCIG showed a more significant improvement in lower leg pain between all weeks except the first week compared to the SCCG. Pairwise comparison of mean values of lower leg pain over 4 weeks within the IPCIG showed a significant difference among all weekly outcomes except between 1 and 2 weeks. The IPCIG showed a more significant improvement in left and right ankle dorsiflexion ROM at the third and fourth weeks compared to the SCCG. Conclusions: The IPC was effective in reducing lower leg pain and increasing the AROM and improving the walking capacity, functional mobility level, and QOL of community-dwelling older people with walking disabilities. Walking disability in old age is a common condition requiring physical therapy. Intermittent pneumatic compression can be used as a physical therapy modality for this patient group.
基金Sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant o.61374127)
文摘Recovery of under-sampled seismic data is a critical problem,in oil and gas exploration,therefore recovery algorithms with iterative shrinkage based on compressed sensing have been recently proposed. However most of these algorithms usually adopt a soft shrinkage function,which assumes that all of the sparse coefficients are independent of each other in curvelet or other domains,little attention has so far been devoted to the inter-dependencies of coefficients. In this paper,the dependencies of parent-child curvelet coefficients of seismic data are exploited by Bayesian estimation,moreover the new seismic data recovery algorithm via curvelet-based bivariate shrinkage function is proposed. First the respective parent-child curvelet coefficients joint distribution models of fully-sampled seismic data and noise signal caused by missing traces are established,then the bivariate shrinkage function according to the Bayesian maximum posterior probability estimation is obtained,finally the Landweber iterative shrinkage algorithm is used in the recovery process.When compared with existing recovery algorithms,it is proved that the proposed algorithm can obtain higher PSNR performance,and maintains the texture details better in events of seismic data
文摘Büeckner Rice weight function method was used to analyse mixed mode fracture of center cracked circular disk subjected to uniaxial compression. Based on Wu Carlsson procedure semi analytical modes Ⅰ and Ⅱ weight functions were derived from corresponding reference displacement fields and stress intensity factors calculated by finite element method. Normalized mode Ⅰ and mode Ⅱ stress intensity factors, f Ⅰ, f Ⅱ , were derived from the obtained semi analytical weight functions. The results were then fitted into polynomials, the precision is within 0.5%. It is interesting to note that when the inclined angle θ of a crack is less than 15°, the f Ⅰvalues are positive. when θ =15°, the f Ⅰ values are positive for the crack length a varying from 0.1 to 0.7, but when a =0.8, the f Ⅰ takes the negative value -0.51. When θ >15°, all the f Ⅰ values become negative, which denotes that the compression shear mode is achieved at crack tips. These results are very useful in the investigation of mixed mode fracture of brittle materials.
文摘Background: Post-operative swelling following open reduction and internal fixation for ankle fracture is a common complication that delays return to function. Compressive stockings have been employed in most centres in Africa to help resolve such complications but there is a dearth of information regarding its clinical effectiveness. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of compressive stockings in the management of post-operative ankle swelling. Methodology: A prospective cohort hospital-based study was employed in the present study to assess the effectiveness of compressive stocking in reducing post-op swelling following ORIF for ankle fractures compared to a control group who had no compressive stocking using a convenient sampling method. Data collected include age, sex, and ankle circumference at 2, 6 and 12 weeks post op. Based on the x-rays, the ankle fractures were categorized according to the Lauge-Hansen classification. Student t-test was used in all statistical analyses p-value Results: A total of 85 patients (40 test and 45 control) including 54% males and 46% females between the ages of 18 - 78 years with a mean age of 44.8 + 14.9 years were recruited for the present study. The most common fracture pattern was supination external rotation (74.1%). Post op swelling was significantly lower in the compressive stocking group compared to the control group at 6 weeks [0.53 cm (95% CI: 0.05 - 1.01), p Conclusion: Compressive stocking can be used effectively to reduce post op swelling following open reduction and internal fixation for ankle fractures.
