Proposal of orientation-independent measure of intensity for earthquake-resistant design

A new measure of ground motion intensity in the horizontal direction is proposed. Similarly to other recently proposed measures of intensity, the proposed intensity measure is also independent of the as-installed orientation of horizontal sensors at recording stations. This new measure of horizontal intensity, referred to as MaxRotD50, is defined using the maximum 5%-damped response spectral ordinate of two orthogonal horizontal directions and then computing the 50th percentile for all non-redundant rotation angles, that is, the median of the set of spectral ordinates in a range of 90°. This proposed measure of intensity is always between the median and maximum spectral ordinate for all non-redundant orientations, commonly referred to as RotD50 and RotD100, respectively. A set of 5065 ground motion records is used to show that MaxRotD50 is, on average, approximately 13%–16% higher than Rot50 and 6% lower than RotD100. The new measure of intensity is particularly well suited for earthquake-resistant design where a major concern for structural engineers is the probability that the design ground motion intensity is exceeded in at least one of the two principal horizontal components of the structure, which for most structures are orthogonal to each other. Currently, design codes in the United States are based on RotD100, and hence using MaxRotD50 for structures with two orthogonal principal horizontal components would result in a reduction of the ground motion intensities used for design purposes.

TeamTree analysis: A new approach to evaluate scientific production

Advances in science and technology depend on the work of research teams and the publication of results through peer-reviewed articles representing a growing socio-economic resource. Current methods to mine the scientific literature regarding a field of interest focus on content, but the workforce credited by authorship remains largely unexplored. Notably, appropriate measures of scientific production are debated. Here, a new bibliometric approach named TeamTree analysis is introduced that visualizes the development and composition of the workforce driving a field. A new citation-independent measure that scales with the H index estimates impact based on publication record, genealogical ties and collaborative connections. This author-centered approach complements existing tools to mine the scientific literature and to evaluate research across disciplines.

Ethical imperative of psychological safety in healthcare: in response to the Manifesto for healthcare simulation practice

Psychological safety is valued in other high-risk industries as an essential element to ensure safety. Yet, in healthcare, psychological safety is not mandatorily measured, quantified, or reported as an independent measure of safety. All members of the healthcare team’s voice and safety are important. Calls for personal, physical or patient safety should never be disregarded or met with retaliation.

Mental Fatigue Over 2 Elite Netball Seasons: A Case for Mental Fatigue to be Included in Athlete Self-Report Measures

Purpose: Mental fatigue is emerging as an important consideration for elite sporting performance, yet it is rarely monitored. The present study assessed changes in mental fatigue in professional team-sport athletes across 2 seasons and examined the relationship between mental fatigue and other athlete self-report measures of well-being. Methods: Elite netballers contracted to all teams competing in Australia’s premier professional netball competition during the 2018 and 2019 seasons (N = 154) participated. Using 5-point Likert scales, mental fatigue, fatigue (physical), tiredness, sleep quality, stress, mood, and motivation were assessed daily across 2 seasons composed of 14 round and finals series. Results: The ratings of mental fatigue significantly changed during both seasons. In 2018, lower ratings of mental fatigue were reported in round 1 versus 3, 4, 6, 8, and 14; round 7 versus 6; and round 6 versus 10 (P < .05). In 2019, lower ratings of mental fatigue were identified for round 1 versus 3, 9, 10 to 14, and semifinal; round 2 versus 10 to 13; and 5 versus 10 to 12 (P < .05). Ordinal regression revealed significant differences between mental fatigue and physical fatigue (P < .001), tiredness (P < .001), stress (P < .001), mood (P < .001), and motivation (P < .05). Conclusions: The present study found mental fatigue to significantly fluctuate across a season in elite netballers. Moreover, perceived mental fatigue differed from physical fatigue, tiredness, stress, mood, and motivation. The data impress the need for mental fatigue to be included as an independent measure of athlete well-being. Monitoring of mental fatigue can allow practitioners to implement strategies to manage its influence on performance.

Improvement of Tetraplegia and Respiratory Symptoms with Complex Korean Medicine Treatment After Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Report

This study reports the effectiveness of traditional Korean medicine in treating tetraplegia and respiratory symptoms (including dyspnea) after traumatic cervical spinal cord injury surgery. The patient was treated with complex Korean medical treatment including electroacupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine. The manual muscle test (expanded Medical Research Council system) was used to measure the patient’s muscle strength. The Korean version of the modified Barthel index and the functional independent measure were used to evaluate the patient’s independence in performing daily activities. Following 2 hospitalizations and treatments, the patient’s muscle strength improved > 4+ score for all joints, and the Korean version of the modified Barthel index and functional independent measure scores increased from 26 to 79 and 56 to 95, respectively. Symptoms of dyspnea, coughing, and sputum gradually improved and finally disappeared during hospitalization. This study suggests complex Korean medicine treatment may be effective in the rehabilitation of post-surgical cervical spinal cord injury patients.

Effectiveness of Mirror Therapy on Upper Limb Motor Functions Among Hemiplegic Patients

Background: 80% of people with a stroke have impairment of the upper limb (UL). The hemiparetic arm is one of the most devastating consequences after stroke. Improving use of the affected UL is important however, because difficulty in using this UL in daily tasks has been related to lower quality of life. Design: A prospective randomized control trial type study. Setting: Malaysia Government and Private Hospitals and also in private Physiotherapy Centre’s. Population: A total of 25 subjects post stroke were randomly assigned to either in experimental group (n=13) and control group (n=12). Methods: Control group received 45 minutes of treatment session and therapy consisted of conventional therapy only with the affected upper extremity whereas experimental group also received 45 minutes of treatment session and therapy consisted of conventional therapy along with mirror therapy for three days/week. Outcome measures used were Fugl-meyer assessment and Functional independent measure. Results: Comparison of the changes in the Fugl-meyer assessment and Functional independent measure from baseline to six weeks between control and experimental group, revealed that significant improvement were in experimental group which was (p<0.05). Conclusion: Combination of conventional and mirror therapy is an effective method on restoring upper limb motor function among hemiplegic patients. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.19(2) 2020 p.208-213