Characteristics and Applications of Technology-Aided Hand Functional Assessment: A Systematic Review

Technology-aided hand functional assessment has received considerable attention in recent years. Its applications are required to obtain objective, reliable, and sensitive methods for clinical decision making. This systematic review aims to investigate and discuss characteristics of technology-aided hand functional assessment and their applications, in terms of the adopted sensing technology, evaluation methods and purposes. Based on the shortcomings of current applications, and opportunities offered by emerging systems, this review aims to support the design and the translation to clinical practice of technology-aided hand functional assessment. To this end, a systematic literature search was led, according to recommended PRISMA guidelines, in PubMed and IEEE Xplore databases. The search yielded 208 records, resulting into 23 articles included in the study. Glove-based systems, instrumented objects and body-networked sensor systems appeared from the search, together with vision-based motion capture systems, end-effector, and exoskeleton systems. Inertial measurement unit (IMU) and force sensing resistor (FSR) resulted the sensing technologies most used for kinematic and kinetic analysis. A lack of standardization in system metrics and assessment methods emerged. Future studies that pertinently discuss the pathophysiological content and clinimetrics properties of new systems are required for leading technologies to clinical acceptance.

Variety testing of new head lettuce hybrids

The growing demand of the country’s population for head lettuce is met, according to various authors’s estimates, by no more than 30-35%. The mains suppliers from Iran, Israel, and Uzbekistan are actively involved in the import of green crops in Russian Federation. One of the existing levers of increasing the production of head lettuce is the introduction of new high-yielding and complex-resistant hybrids into production and the development of varietal agricultural techniques for their cultivation. The article presents an agro-technology evaluation of new hybrids of head lettuce F1 Serena and F1 LE 10585 of the company “Sakata” according to the main economically valuable indications (productivity, yield, biochemical analysis) in the conditions of the Anapa-Taman zone.

Performance evaluation of waste management in MRF-3R (case study Sukoharjo District)

Independent waste management system based on the community with the implementation of Material Recovery Facilities with reduce, reuse, recycle principles (MRF 3R) has been widely applied in various places, including Sukoharjo District. Based on data from DLH Sukoharjo District, currently in Sukoharjo District there are 6 MRF-3R. The current condition of MRF-3R still cannot be monitored optimally, so the performance of each MRF-3R is not yet known. This study aims to evaluate the performance of waste management in MRF-3R by taking a case study in Sukoharjo District. This research was conducted based on the 2017 MRF-3R Technical Guidelines. This study will evaluate aspects of supporting regulatory products and technical technology. Based on evaluation results of supporting regulatory product aspects, the final value for 5 MRF-3R can be categorized as medium. Meanwhile, evaluation results of technical and technology aspects of each MRF-3R have a different categorization result. Following are the technical and technology evaluation results from each MRF-3R, MRF-3R Gonilan is categorized as a medium, MRF-3R Gumpang is categorized as not good, MRF-3R Ngabeyan is categorized as good, MRF-3R Kwarasan is categorized as not good, and MRF-3R Sanggrahan is categorized as medium.

Encapsulation of Lutein via Microfluidic Technology: Evaluation of Stability and In Vitro Bioaccessibility

Inadequate intake of lutein is relevant to a higher risk of age-related eye diseases. However, lutein has been barely incorporated into foods efficiently because it is prone to degradation and is poorly bioaccessible in the gastrointestinal tract. Microfluidics, a novel food processing technology that can control fluid flows at the microscale, can enable the efficient encapsulation of bioactive compounds by fabricating suitable delivery structures. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the stability and the bioaccessibility of lutein that is encapsulated in a new noodle-like product made via microfluidic technology. Two types of oils (safflower oil (SO) and olive oil (OL)) were selected as a delivery vehicle for lutein, and two customized microfluidic devices (co-flow and combination-flow) were used. Lutein encapsulation was created by the following: (i) co-flow + SO, (ii) co-flow + OL, (iii) combination-flow + SO, and (iv) combination-flow + OL. The initial encapsulation of lutein in the noodle-like product was achieved at 86.0 ± 2.7%. Although lutein’s stability experienced a decreasing trend, the retention of lutein was maintained above 60% for up to seven days of storage. The two types of device did not result in a difference in lutein bioaccessibility (co-flow: 3.1 ± 0.5%; combination-flow: 3.6 ± 0.6%) and SO and OL also showed no difference in lutein bioaccessibility (SO: 3.4 ± 0.8%; OL: 3.3 ± 0.4%). These results suggest that the types of oil and device do not affect the lutein bioaccessibility. Findings from this study may provide scientific insights into emulsion-based delivery systems that employ microfluidics for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds into foods.

Social and economic actors in the evaluation of translation technologies. Creating meaning and value when designing, developing and using translation technologies

Evaluation of translation technologies is a social activity, which involves the establishment of knowledge communities as well as the creation of competition to produce better tools. Companies developing translation technologies need to encourage the evaluation of their tools (through online forums, discussion lists, blogs, product communities, community translation, etc.), since evaluating the technology implies spreading and sharing knowledge about it; and sharing the same knowledge or the same modes of thinking and operation, rather than sharing the same material resources, represents the basis of future economic competition. When exchanging knowledge about technologies, translators engage in social activity: they express their opinions and feelings about the technologies they are using, they make judgments about the worth or value of a specific technology, they influence others’ decisions or they believe their thoughts will have an impact on decisions companies will make. This article investigates the use of translation technology evaluation criteria as they are represented in several translators’ communities and it calls for a multidisciplinary approach when analysing translation technologies adoption, use and evaluation.

Hardware in the loop simulation technology evaluation method for power steering systems

In the paper, the method of measuring and assessing of steering systems with the help of test benches with HILS technology implementation is justified in part of the adaptive algorithms of the regulation of the assistant steering torque. In the article, overall principal of creating virtual – physical system using as a physical part the rack and pinion steering system with electromechanical assistant is described. Interaction of the physical and virtual parts and fields of usage are described. Development, calibration and tweaking of the newly designed ECU and adaptive algorithms suppose a lot of testing. Time consumption and difficultness can be reduced only by the way of carrying out bench tests with usage of HILS technology.