A structural analysis of the rail unit of an indoor assistive mobility system.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with gait disturbances, such as that post-stroke, are discharged home to undergo outpatient rehabilitation. Rehabilitation in the community is not as effective as that in hospital, due to long travel times and short program duration. OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed rail unit structure, with the aim of assisting home indoor assistive mobility system (HIAMS) development, allowing patients to undergo gait-related rehabilitation training at home. METHODS: The HIAMS consists of a mobile rail running around the whole room, a turn-table for movement between rails, and a weight-supporting component. Structural analysis was performed using the Abaqus/CAE solution (Version 6.14, Dassault systems, Inc.) to verify device safety, according to the load applied to the rail and turn-table units. The load was applied vertically at 150 kg to reflect the weight of potential users. RESULTS: Structural analysis was performed on the weight-supporting components, which was consist of turn-table case, bearing components (center, left), connective bracket and rail rollers. The safety factors of each components were estimated as 1.31, 5.39 (bearing, center), 8.45 (bearing, left), 1.43 and 3.61 in sequence. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated a safety factor of ⩾ 1.3 for the key system units, suggesting this technology is safe for use in the home rehabilitation training of individuals with gait impairment post-ICU stay.

Assessment of the ergonomic risk from saddle and conventional seats in dentistry: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to verify whether the saddle seat provides lower ergonomic risk than conventional seats in dentistry. METHODS: This review followed the PRISMA statement and a protocol was created and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42017074918). Six electronic databases were searched as primary study sources. The "grey literature" was included to prevent selection and publication biases. The risk of bias among the studies included was assessed with the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool for Systematic Reviews. Meta-analysis was performed to estimate the effect of seat type on the ergonomic risk score in dentistry. The heterogeneity among studies was assessed using I2 statistics. RESULTS: The search resulted in 3147 records, from which two were considered eligible for this review. Both studies were conducted with a total of 150 second-year dental students who were starting their laboratory activities using phantom heads. Saddle seats were associated with a significantly lower ergonomic risk than conventional seats [right side (mean difference = -3.18; 95% CI = -4.96, -1.40; p < 0.001) and left side (mean difference = -3.12; 95% CI = -4.56, -1.68; p < 0.001)], indicating posture improvement. CONCLUSION: The two eligible studies for this review provide moderate evidence that saddle seats provided lower ergonomic risk than conventional seats in the examined population of dental students.

Objective assessment of knife sharpness over a working day cutting meat.

Knife sharpness is one of multiple factors involved in musculoskeletal disorders in industrial meat cutting. The aim of this study was to objectively evaluate, in real working situations, how knife sharpness changed over a working day cutting meat, and to analyse the impact of sharpening, steeling and meat-cutting activities on these variations. Twenty-two meat-cutting workers from three different companies participated in the study. The methods included measurements of knife sharpness in relation to real work situations and consideration of the way meat-cutting and sharpening operations were organised. Results showed that the type of meat-cutting activities, the steeling strategy adopted by the worker, including the types of tool used, and the overall organisation of the sharpening task all had a significant influence on how knife sharpness evolved over a 2-h period and over an entire working day. To improve MSD prevention, sharpening and steeling operations should not be considered as independent activities, but taken into account as a continuity of working actions. Appropriate assessment of knife sharpness by meat cutters affects how they organise meat-cutting and sharpening tasks.

[Incidence of a needle stick injury occurring in a needleless intravenous system].

A needle stick injury occurred with a needleless intravenous system. When a nurse picked up a disposable glove left on the floor of an operating room to discard it, there was an intravenous needle left under the glove and caused a needle stick injury to the nurse. Although the needle was designed as a needleless intravenous system, we found after a close observation that there is a potential hazard for a needle stick injury regarding the needle. The incidence happened due to the negligence of standard precaution by another health care provider (a doctor); leaving the contaminated needle on the floor. Unfortunately, the disposable glove fell on the needle for some reason and concealed it. Should the doctor follow the standard precaution properly, i.e. discard it in a puncture-resistant sharps container immediately, this incidence might not have happened. Any safety device may not prevent incidence 100%, we have to always heed and follow a standard precaution.