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Breast cancer treatment may cause unfavourable side effects that directly or indirectly influence the cardio-respiratory capacity among breast cancer survivors, thus affecting physical functioning and the quality of life. Mounting evidence supports that Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) is a strong predictor of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease, and low VO2max is associated with increased mortality from breast cancer. The aim of the study was to measure cardio-respiratory fitness in breast cancer survivors and determine to what extent VO2max levels are lower compared with healthy counterparts from population. The study included 11 women with a history of breast cancer, the average time after breast surgery being 2–3 years. Aerobic capacity was determined by the Cardiopulmonary exercise test. HUNT3 study was used to define aerobic capacity for healthy women in population. Mean Age for participatns 50 ± 4 years (M ± SD). The comparison of the results from Cardiopulmonary exercise test indicated that breast cancer survivors display VO2max values significantly lower 27.1 ml/kg/min (27%) than healthy counterparts from population, i.e., 34.4 ml/kg/min (P = 0.001). Recognizing the increasing number of breast cancer patients worldwide and the physical reconditioning among the survivors, aerobic exercise training is suitable for improving cardio-respiratory health, functionality, and quality of life.

Transition from paediatric to adult health care services is a crucial process for young adults with long-term medical conditions and well organized and coordinated transition process has been strongly highlighted. The aims of this research were to assess the young adults with cerebral palsy overall readiness for adult life, the independency in health care management and independency impacting factors. Eighty young adults (age range 16–21 years) with CP and normal or slightly decreased mental function participated. There were done “face-to-face” structured interviews using the Rotterdam Transition Profile and the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire also the characteristics of participants were obtained. It was revealed that young adults with cerebral palsy show low levels of participation in almost all domains of transition to adult life, the level of attendance of rehabilitation services is not sufficient, and the level of independency for young adults with CP in health care management is between phases of preparation and action. The most impacting factor for independency in health care management was found to be the cognitive status.

The article The Role of the Occupational Court of Latvian Medical Association in the System of Legal Liability of Medical Practitioners describes the system of professional liability of medical practitioners, analyzing in details one of the institutions, which ensures professional liability of doctors and dentists – the Occupational Court of Latvian Medical Association. The article characterizes the position and role of the Occupational Court in the system of legal liability of medical practitioners, researches legal regulation for operations of the Occupational Court, the essence of the Occupational Court proceedings and the legal nature of decisions made in the Occupational Court. The article identifies potential problems in operations of the Occupational Court, making proposals how to eliminate the problems found out. The authors offer to expand the competence of the Occupational Court in the future. The article also touches upon such problematic issues relating to legal liability of medical practitioners as doctor's errors and medical errors, causality, etc.

The objective is to examine and compare the usability of two physiotherapy programmes, analyzing respiratory function in patients before and after cardiac surgery in hospital during seven postoperative days (POD). Quantitative randomized prospective study of 157 patients before and after the valve replacement surgery, coronary artery bypass graft and combined surgeries, who moved independently. Participants were randomized into two groups (1 and 2) with different physiotherapy programmes. The routine physiotherapy of breath-enhancing techniques, micro-circulation improvement were used for the first group, for the second group - modified physiotherapy – the improvement of inspiration muscles, mm. quadriceps. gluteus max strength. Anthropometric measurements were defined for both groups on the day before surgery and during spirography - dynamic indicators - forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the 2nd second (FEV1), Tiffeneau index (FEV1 / VC (%)), peak expiratory flow (PEF), operation parameters. By comparing the postoperative respiratory parameters between the two groups and using independent samples t test, it was found out that the difference in FVC between groups is 1.71 [95% CI: −8.25 to 4.8] and it is not statistically significant (t (155) = −0.52; p = 0.60). Based on the Leuven test results FVC the distribution variance is not statistically notably different for group 1 and group 2 (F = 0.27, p=0.60). Using routine and modified physiotherapy and comparing postoperative dynamic respiratory performance of the two groups, there was no statistically significant difference, proving that the two models are equally effective.

An understanding of predictors of family needs for the families of preschool children with cerebral palsy (CP) is important for provision of efficient and cost-effective services. The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of children, families and services that are risk factors to meeting family needs for community and financial resources. 234 parents of pre-school children with CP completed a modified version of the Family Needs Survey (FNS), the Measure of Processes of Care (MPOC-20), and a demographic questionnaire. The gross motor function level and communication function level of children were classified on the basis of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) respectively. Two hierarchical multiple regression models were generated to determine the predictors of unmet family needs. The socialisation and communication skills of children, as well as caregiver employment and family income levels were significant predictors of family needs for community resources (adjusted R2=0.44). Significant risk factors in terms of family needs for financial resources included the child's gross motor limitations, caregiver employment, low levels of family income and no ability to receive services on the basis of enabling and partnership principles (adjusted R2=0.51). A child's limitations in terms of communication, gross motor functions and socialisation, as well as the socioeconomic status of the child's family, must be taken into account when planning services for families with preschool children with CP.

There are many clinical and objectively defined parameters that are used to evaluate a person's disability. Since the World Health Organisation has presented the WHODAS II as a means of objectively measuring subjectively defined functions, greater attention has been focused on self-rated health. Only a few studies, however, have been conducted about differences between self-rated health and objectively defined parameters. The survey for this study was conducted on the basis of WHODAS II and the population in Latvia with spinal cord injury. Respondents were between 18 and 65, and 98 questionnaires were analysed. The results show that people with spinal cord injury on average rate their functioning as limited (33–40 points of 100). Most respondents have been declared to be disabled, which is defined as very serious or severe functional disorders. More than 40% have paid jobs, while one-third do not work for reasons of health. The research shows that there is a close coherence (p< 0.05) between individual, objectively and clinically defined indicators on the one hand and the aspects of the questionnaire in which physical functioning was an important factor on the other hand. In order to understand the real functional abilities of patients and the individual factors that influence those abilities, it is necessary to define functional self-rated health in addition to objectively defined indicators.

In the world's developed countries, demographic changes, such as aging societies and increased numbers of diabetes patients, have led to an increase in amputations (11), and it is believed that as society ages, the number of people who are older than 65 will face as much as two times more amputations [3]. Of great importance after the amputation of a lower limb is the selection and adaptation of prostheses that allow patients to move around, thus achieving rehabilitation goals much more quickly [5]. A 20090-study of the rehabilitation of people with lower limb amputations in Latvia found that among 183 patients, 50% use their prostheses actively for more than 6 hours a day, 30% did not use them at all or used them for less than 3 hours a day, and 20% used them for 3-6 hours a day. The study included 173 patients with lower limb amputations who were evaluated in 2012 in relation with whether primary prosthesis should be provided. Of 173 patients who were evaluated, only 109 received a decision on primary prostheses, while in 51 cases the process was delayed for 1–3 months, in 12 cases, it was decided that prostheses would not be purposeful. More than 25% of those who followed the recommended treatment and rehabilitation programme to prepare the amputation stump, reduced contracture and enhanced physical working abilities were declared to be appropriate for further prostheses. This indicates serious shortcomings in medical treatments during the early post-amputation period.

Craniofacial development is a critical aspect of pediatric growth, influencing fields such as physical anthropology, pediatrics, forensic sciences, and clinical practice. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the trends in craniofacial measurements and indices in Latvian children aged 1–15. Methods: The anthropometrical measurements (head circumference, length, width, facial length, and width) were conducted on 375 children according to the guidelines by R. Martin, K. Saller, and J. Prīmanis at the Anthropology laboratory at the Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology, Rīga Stradiņš University. The cephalic index (CI) and the facial or prosopic index (PI) were calculated, allowing for a detailed examination of cranial and facial proportions. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including the Pearson Chi-square test and the Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: The findings revealed a consistent increase in head circumference with age, with boys generally having slightly larger heads than girls. The boys and girls exhibited growth in head length and width, particularly noticeable between 1 and 2 years of age. Facial length and width increased with age, with boys typically having longer facial lengths and broader faces than girls. The most common cephalic index category is mesocephaly, which accounts for 52.85% of the population, followed by dolichocephaly at 32.94%. Brachycephaly and hyperbrachycephaly are less prevalent, representing 11.36% and 2.86% of the population. Regarding the facial index categories, hypereuryprosopic is the most prevalent, representing 45.54% of the population, closely followed by euryprosopic at 43.74%. Mesoprosopic is significantly less common, representing only 9.95%. The least common categories are leptoprosopic and hyperleptoprosopic, with prevalences of 0.64% and 0.12%, respectively. The indices analysis showed variations across age groups, with dolichocephaly being more common at younger ages and decreasing over time. Brachycephaly and hyperbrachycephaly remained relatively stable or decreased slightly with age, while mesocephaly displayed less variation. The relationship between the FI and CI in younger age groups was typically weak to moderate and inverse, with a significance level of p < 0.001 or p < 0.01. However, no meaningful correlation was observed in older children aged 14–15. Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into the craniofacial development of Latvian children, highlighting the measurements, cranial and facial types, and their variations across age groups.

The aim of the study was to perform treatment of juniper wood to obtain wood material with a density and mechanical properties comparable to bone, thus producing a potential material for use in osteosynthesis bone implants. In the first step, partial delignification of wood sample was obtained by Kraft cooking. The second step was extraction with ethanol, ethanol–water mixture, saline, and water to prevent the release of soluble compounds and increase biocompatibility. In the last step, the thermal densification at 100 °C for 24 h was implemented. The results obtained in the dry state are equivalent to the properties of bone. The swelling of chemically pre-treated densified wood was reduced compared to chemically untreated densified wood. Samples showed no cytotoxicity by in vitro cell assays. The results of the study showed that it is possible to obtain noncytotoxic wood samples with mechanical properties equivalent to bones by partial delignification, extraction, and densification. However, further research is needed to ensure the material’s shape stability, water resistance, and reduced swelling.

Background/Objective: Shoulder overuse due weight-bearing loads – wheelchair propulsion and transfers – are supposed to cause shoulder pain in active wheelchair users. Consequently, shoulder pain has been found to have a high prevalence in the spinal cord-injured population. Severity of pain levels in individuals with spinal cord injury has been shown to impact quality of life. Aim of this study was to describe the consequences of shoulder pain intensity on quality of life, physical activity, and community activities in spinal cord-injured paraplegic wheelchair users. Materials and Methods: It was a qualitative, analytical one moment study where was involved persons after spinal cord injury below Th1 with lower paraplegia, who used manually operated wheelchairs for mobility at least 50% of the time. Main outcomes measure: SF-36textregistered Health Survey, Physical Activity Scale for Individuals With Physical Disabilities, Community Activities Checklist, Wheelchair User’s Shoulder Pain Index, Functional Independence Measure, Goniometry for shoulder joint. Results and analysis: 40 participants (9 female, 31 male) after spinal cord injury (SCI), mean age – 30,8 years, one to twenty years after spinal cord injury. 20 participants had pain in shoulder, 20 participants without pain in shoulder. The intensity of shoulder pain was not related to duration of SCI or the duration of shoulder pain. Shoulder pain intensity scores were inversely related to quality of life. There was a moderate, inverse relationship between shoulder pain intensity and physical activity. There was no relationship, however, between shoulder pain intensity and community activities. The level of community activity was positively related to quality of life. Conclusions: Persons with spinal cord injury who reported lower subjective quality of life and physical activity scores experienced significantly higher levels of shoulder pain. Shoulder pain intensity did not relate to their participation in community activities.

Long-term quality of life of children with special needs has not been studied in Latvia, and information on changes of quality of life (QoL) rates during child’s development period is insufficient. The aim of the study was to analyze and compare the QoL related self-reports of school age children with special needs, which were repeatedly carried out once a year (2009–2010), with the proxy reports of their parents, as well as to compare the obtained results with Europe normative data on QoL developed by KIDSCREEN research group; to investigate the provision of social rehabilitation services for such families. The study was carried out in Riga municipality 2009–2010. Altogether 34 families with 8–11 years of age children with developmental disabilities participated in the study. Both parents and children filled KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaire, but a survey developed by a group of researchers “Social services” was used to gather information from the parents about the received children and family centered social services in the period between the both quality of life assessments. Results showed statistically significant changes in the latest quality of life self-assessment rates of school-age boys and girls with special needs in time period 2009–2010. Participants of the study – children with developmental disabilities – in both cases reported a lower QoL in comparison with Europe normative data on QoL developed by KIDSCREEN research group.

Urinary incontinence is one of the medical problems, which may develop as a result of a stroke, and, according to several authors, its occurrence frequency may reach up to 80%. Clinical symptoms of urinary incontinence are considered to be one of the symptoms, which, along with the severity of the stroke and the level of functional limitations, allows to develop reliable predictions and to make targeted use of resources. Aim of the study, materials and methods. The aim of the study is to explore whether post-stroke urinary incontinence correlates with localization of lesion and clinical symptoms. The study includes 180 patients after a stroke, who have received treatment at Riga Eastern Clinic University Hospital Stroke Unit. All had a comprehensive clinical and functional assessment and cerebral computed tomography (CT). The examination took place at the hospital a few days after the stroke had occurred. Results. There are 180 participants to the study. Symptoms of urinary incontinence were reported for 70.6% of study participants. In 64% of cases new incontinence problems had developed, while in 6.5% of cases the previous symptoms of urinary incontinence (prior to the stroke) had worsened. The most common types of urinary incontinence in the acute period were urge and mixed incontinence (functional and urge incontinence). Patients with low Barthel Index showed higher frequency of urinary incontinence. A comparison of patient groups with and without symptoms of urinary incontinence showed that patients older than 75 years showed more symptoms of urinary incontinence (p = 0.013), and the same can be said about patients with low indicators of Barthel (p = 0.001) and patients with cognitive disorders (p = 0.001). Severity of paresis, aphasia and sensory disorders show a reliable correlation with the type of urinary incontinence. Conclusion. Symptoms of post-stroke urinary incontinence are linked both to a person's age, and functional and cognitive disorders. Urinary incontinence develops more frequently among patients with anterior circulation of the brain and subcortical brain lesion. There is a reliable correlation between severity of neurological lesion and urinary incontinence.

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the physical development patterns from birth to adolescence, utilizing a longitudinal dataset of 70 children monitored from birth until 17 years of age. The research focuses on the variability of growth trajectories, emphasizing the role of genetic and environmental factors in influencing these patterns. Key findings indicate that most children undergo one or two periods of accelerated growth, with significant variability in the timing and magnitude of these growth spurts. The study also highlights the adaptive nature of growth changes over generations, influenced by ecological, nutritional, and socio-economic conditions. The longitudinal approach reveals critical insights into the timing of peak growth velocities, demonstrating that girls reach their growth peak approximately one year earlier than boys. The analysis of intergenerational growth patterns suggests a significant increase in average height over the century, attributed to genetic diversity and changes in lifestyle and nutrition. This study’s findings emphasize the importance of updating physical development standards regularly to reflect the changing genetic and environmental landscape. The variability in growth patterns and their correlation with health outcomes in later life highlights the need for targeted public health strategies that address the underlying socio-economic and environmental determinants of health. This research contributes to the understanding of physical development trajectories and provides a foundation for future studies aimed at optimizing health outcomes from early childhood through adolescence. The primary objective of this article is to meticulously analyze the dynamics of height growth and accurately identify the periods of accelerated bodily development within the context of longitudinal research.

The aim of the study was to perform treatment of juniper wood to obtain wood material with a density and mechanical properties comparable to bone, thus producing a potential material for use in osteosynthesis bone implants. In the first step, partial delignification of wood sample was obtained by Kraft cooking. The second step was extraction with ethanol, ethanol–water mixture, saline, and water to prevent the release of soluble compounds and increase biocompatibility. In the last step, the thermal densification at 100 °C for 24 h was implemented. The results obtained in the dry state are equivalent to the properties of bone. The swelling of chemically pre-treated densified wood was reduced compared to chemically untreated densified wood. Samples showed no cytotoxicity by in vitro cell assays. The results of the study showed that it is possible to obtain noncytotoxic wood samples with mechanical properties equivalent to bones by partial delignification, extraction, and densification. However, further research is needed to ensure the material's shape stability, water resistance, and reduced swelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Craniofacial development is a critical aspect of pediatric growth, influencing fields such as physical anthropology, pediatrics, forensic sciences, and clinical practice. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the trends in craniofacial measurements and indices in Latvian children aged 1–15. Methods: The anthropometrical measurements (head circumference, length, width, facial length, and width) were conducted on 375 children according to the guidelines by R. Martin, K. Saller, and J. Prīmanis at the Anthropology laboratory at the Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology, Rīga Stradiņš University. The cephalic index (CI) and the facial or prosopic index (PI) were calculated, allowing for a detailed examination of cranial and facial proportions. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including the Pearson Chi-square test and the Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: The findings revealed a consistent increase in head circumference with age, with boys generally having slightly larger heads than girls. The boys and girls exhibited growth in head length and width, particularly noticeable between 1 and 2 years of age. Facial length and width increased with age, with boys typically having longer facial lengths and broader faces than girls. The most common cephalic index category is mesocephaly, which accounts for 52.85% of the population, followed by dolichocephaly at 32.94%. Brachycephaly and hyperbrachycephaly are less prevalent, representing 11.36% and 2.86% of the population. Regarding the facial index categories, hypereuryprosopic is the most prevalent, representing 45.54% of the population, closely followed by euryprosopic at 43.74%. Mesoprosopic is significantly less common, representing only 9.95%. The least common categories are leptoprosopic and hyperleptoprosopic, with prevalences of 0.64% and 0.12%, respectively. The indices analysis showed variations across age groups, with dolichocephaly being more common at younger ages and decreasing over time. Brachycephaly and hyperbrachycephaly remained relatively stable or decreased slightly with age, while mesocephaly displayed less variation. The relationship between the FI and CI in younger age groups was typically weak to moderate and inverse, with a significance level of p < 0.001 or p < 0.01. However, no meaningful correlation was observed in older children aged 14–15. Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into the craniofacial development of Latvian children, highlighting the measurements, cranial and facial types, and their variations across age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the physical development patterns from birth to adolescence, utilizing a longitudinal dataset of 70 children monitored from birth until 17 years of age. The research focuses on the variability of growth trajectories, emphasizing the role of genetic and environmental factors in influencing these patterns. Key findings indicate that most children undergo one or two periods of accelerated growth, with significant variability in the timing and magnitude of these growth spurts. The study also highlights the adaptive nature of growth changes over generations, influenced by ecological, nutritional, and socio-economic conditions. The longitudinal approach reveals critical insights into the timing of peak growth velocities, demonstrating that girls reach their growth peak approximately one year earlier than boys. The analysis of intergenerational growth patterns suggests a significant increase in average height over the century, attributed to genetic diversity and changes in lifestyle and nutrition. This study's findings emphasize the importance of updating physical development standards regularly to reflect the changing genetic and environmental landscape. The variability in growth patterns and their correlation with health outcomes in later life highlights the need for targeted public health strategies that address the underlying socio-economic and environmental determinants of health. This research contributes to the understanding of physical development trajectories and provides a foundation for future studies aimed at optimizing health outcomes from early childhood through adolescence. The primary objective of this article is to meticulously analyze the dynamics of height growth and accurately identify the periods of accelerated bodily development within the context of longitudinal research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable technologies provide many possibilities for applications in medicine, and especially in physiotherapy, where tracking and evaluation of body motion are of utmost importance. Despite the existence of multiple smart garments produced for applications in physiotherapy, there is limited information available on the actual impact of these technologies on the clinical outcomes. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact of the Double Aid (DAid) smart shirt, a purely textile-based system, on the training process of patients with subacromial pain syndrome. A randomized controlled trial was performed where patients with subacromial pain syndrome had to perform the assigned training exercises while employing the DAid smart shirt system. The core point of each exercise was to perform a movement while holding the shoulders stationary. The smart shirt was designed to sense even slight shoulder motion thus providing the patient with feedback on the accuracy of the motion, and allowing the patient to adjust the movement. The appropriate muscles should be strengthened through an increased effort to control the shoulder motion. The recovery of patients using the feedback system at the end of the treatment was compared to that of a reference group through standardized tests—the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score (DASH score), Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability test (CKCUES test), and internal/external rotation ratio. The test group that used the DAid system demonstrated significantly better results of the performed tests for all applied outcome measures compared to the reference group (p < 0.001). An overall positive impact on the patient recovery was observed from the DAid smart shirt system when applied for rehabilitation training of patients with subacromial pain syndrome.

Institutional Research Ethics Committees (RECs) play crucial roles in the impartial and competent review of scientific research, particularly during public health emergencies. In this report, we examined their ability and capacity to provide this basic service during public health emergencies and non-emergency situations. Our qualitative documentary analysis revealed that there are currently no legal regulations guiding the activities of Kyrgyz RECs during public health emergencies. In addition, major policy gaps exist in how RECs should operate in non-emergency circumstances. This lack of guidance highlights the urgent need to develop and implement ethical guidelines to meet the evolving needs of such emergencies. Our findings underscore the growing urgency of supporting capacity building of RECs to respond effectively to future pandemics and other public health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's welfare in the health aspect can be seen in the level of growth and development of children. Socio-demographics and family food security are important because they affect the nutritional status of the community. If food security and sociodemographics are lacking, nutritional status will also be lacking and cause a decline in health status. This condition can lead to malnutrition or stunting in the community. This study aims to analyze the influence of socio-demographics and food security on the incidence of stunting in Medan City. This type of research is quantitative observational with a survey research study design using a cross-sectional study design that examines at a certain point in time the entire sample population or predetermined subset. The sample in this study was 266 toddlers from Medan Tuntungan, Medan Maimun, Medan Sunggal, Medan Helvetia and Medan Denai sub-districts. The analytical method used is bivariate analysis using the chi square test and multivariate analysis using logistic regression. The results showed that there was a positive and significant effect of the variables of mother's education, birth spacing and family income on the incidence of stunting in toddlers in Medan City with a p value <0.05. Furthermore, it was found that there was no significant effect of the variable number of children, mother's occupation and family food security on the incidence of stunting in toddlers in Medan City. Mothers should be able to find additional sources of income that can increase family income without neglecting the provision of good parenting for toddlers. This is done to increase the understanding of mothers in providing adequate nutritional intake to children under five. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio occultation (RO) provides a cost-effective component of the overall sensor mix required to characterise the ionosphere over wide areas and in areas where it is not possible to deploy ground sensors. The paper describes the RO constellation that has been developed and deployed by Spire Global. This constellation and its associated ground infrastructure are now producing data that can be used to characterise the bulk ionosphere, lower ionosphere perturbations, and ionospheric scintillation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past research has discussed how the embodiment of an outgroup avatar in virtual reality (VR) can reduce intergroup bias. However, little is known about the mechanisms and boundary conditions that shape this effect. This study examines how the embodiment of both outgroup and ingroup VR avatars in different orders influences attitudes and perceived closeness toward a co-ethnic immigrant outgroup in Singapore. It also investigates the role of empathy and social identity orientation (SIO) in this relationship. An experiment with four avatar embodiment conditions (ingroup-then-outgroup, outgroup-then-ingroup, ingroup-only, and outgroup-only) was carried out with 171 participants from a public university in Singapore. Results showed that embodying an outgroup avatar alone, compared to embodying an ingroup avatar alone, significantly improves both attitudes and closeness toward an immigrant outgroup. The order of embodiment matters to an extent, suggesting the greater effectiveness of outgroup-first over ingroup-first embodiment in reducing bias. Empathy mediates the effect of all three outgroup embodiment conditions on improved attitudes and closeness toward immigrants. It was also found that the stronger one's SIO is, the more effective embodiment is in improving perceived closeness with the outgroup via empathy. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is the most common type of musculoskeletal pain, thus it is one of the most commonly encountered conditions in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. The physicians who are primarily responsible for the nonsurgical management of LBP are physiatrists. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the approaches of physiatrists to low back pain across Europe. Preferences, tendencies, and priorities in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of LBP, as well as the epidemiological data pertaining to LBP in PRM practice were evaluated in this Europe-wide study. METHODS: The study was conducted under the control of the European Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ESPRM) Musculoskeletal Disorders Research Committee. A total of 576 physiatrists from most European countries participated in the survey. RESULTS: The results show that physiatrists frequently deal with patients with LBP in their daily practice. Most patients are not referred to other departments and are treated with various conservative methods. Less than one-fifth of patients are primarily referred for surgery. The physiatrists believe that a clear diagnosis to account for cases of low back pain is rarely established. The most common diagnosis is discopathy. History and physical examination remain the most valuable clinical evaluation tools for low back pain according to physiatrists. Less than half the patients require a magnetic resonance imaging. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the most commonly prescribed drugs for low back pain. Exercise, back care information, and physical therapy are the preferred conservative treatments. More than half of the physiatrists offer interventional treatments to patients with low back pain. CONCLUSION: The present study is a preliminary report that presents the attitudes of European physiatrists in the management of low back pain. Further researches are warranted to standardize the conservative management of LBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares several commonly used state-of-the-art ensemble-based data assimilation methods in a coherent mathematical notation. The study encompasses different methods that are applicable to high-dimensional geophysical systems, like ocean and atmosphere and provide an uncertainty estimate. Most variants of Ensemble Kalman Filters, Particle Filters and second-order exact methods are discussed, including Gaussian Mixture Filters, while methods that require an adjoint model or a tangent linear formulation of the model are excluded. The detailed description of all the methods in a mathematically coherent way provides both novices and experienced researchers with a unique overview and new insight in the workings and relative advantages of each method, theoretically and algorithmically, even leading to new filters. Furthermore, the practical implementation details of all ensemble and particle filter methods are discussed to show similarities and differences in the filters aiding the users in what to use when. Finally, pseudo-codes are provided for all of the methods presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pelvis and the spine form a system balancing human skeleton. Within this system, the pelvis adapts to agerelated changes in the spine. Previous studies were predominantly focused on changes of pelvic parameters in the sagittal plane. The aim of this study was to reveal age-related changes of lesser pelvic dimensions at different levels of the pelvic cavity in the sagittal and coronal planes and to explore sexual dimorphism in age-related tendencies. The computed tomography pelvimetry was performed on the three-dimensional workstation. The research sample included 211 females aged 18 to 84 years and 181 males aged 18 to 82 years, who underwent an examination at the Riga East University Hospital, Clinical Center "Gailezers," Latvia. Three pelvic angles and transverse and sagittal diameters of the lesser pelvis were measured at four levels: the inlet, two axial planes in the mid-cavity, and the outlet. The results demonstrated that more pronounced age-related changes occurred in the inlet and the outlet of the lesser pelvis. The mid-cavity was less changing. The transverse diameter between acetabular centers and the sagittal diameter at the level of ischial spines were independent of age. In general, the common age-related trends were observed for pelvic parameters in females and males. A single exception was the proportion of diameters at the level of ischial spines, which decreased in males only. For parameters associated with pelvic floor diseases, age-related changes occurred in the direction of pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For data assimilation in numerical weather prediction, the initial forecast-error covariance matrix P f is required. For variational assimilation it is particularly important to prescribe an accurate initial matrix P f, since P f is either static (in the 3D-Var case) or constant at the beginning of each assimilation window (in the 4D-Var case). At large scales the atmospheric flow is well approximated by hydrostatic balance and this balance is strongly enforced in the initial matrix P f used in operational variational assimilation systems such as that of the Met Office. However, at convective scales this balance does not necessarily hold any more. Here we examine the extent to which hydrostatic balance is valid in the vertical forecast-error covariances for high-resolution models in order to determine whether there is a need to relax this balance constraint in convective-scale data assimilation. We use the Met Office Global and Regional Ensemble Prediction System (MOGREPS) and a 1.5 km resolution version of the Unified Model for a case study characterized by the presence of convective activity. An ensemble of high-resolution forecasts valid up to three hours after the onset of convection is produced. We show that at 1.5 km resolution hydrostatic balance does not hold for forecast errors in regions of convection. This indicates that in the presence of convection hydrostatic balance should not be enforced in the covariance matrix used for variational data assimilation at this scale. The results show the need to investigate covariance models that may be better suited for convective-scale data assimilation. Finally, we give a measure of the balance present in the forecast perturbations as a function of the horizontal scale (from 3-90 km) using a set of diagnostics. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society and British Crown Copyright, the Met Office [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study represents the comparison of the morphology variation in different planes of female and male pelvis. Anthropological literature represents two different views of the pelvic morphology variation. On the one hand, the variation is considered lower in females than in males. On the other hand, some empirical findings demonstrated no differences in the pelvic morphology variation between sexes. Moreover, some measures of female pelvis demonstrate higher coefficients of variation. Taking into account that previous findings were based on linear measures, it seems important to analyze pelvic proportions and the variation of the inlet, middle, and outlet planes. The study was based on the retrospective pelvimetry of three- dimensional computer tomography of 176 live males and 212 females. Anterioposterior diameters and transverse diameters were measured in four planes, and their ratios were calculated in order to evaluate proportions and variances. The Levene's test for the equality of variances was used to evaluate the observed variation in male and female pelvis morphology. The results confirmed well established sexual dimorphism in the pelvic linear measures -- the anteroposterior diameters of the midplane and the outlet. In addition, this study identified higher variation in the transverse diameter of the inlet in females. The proportions demonstrated no differences in variation in all the planes but the midplane including bispinous diameter (F=11.34; p<.01). It seems important that the female pelvis cavity demonstrated lower variance than the male pelvis cavity in the midplane including bispinous. This finding supports the view of selective pressure on the female pelvis and its intensity in the midplane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remotely sensed flood extents obtained in near real-time can be used for emergency flood incident management and as observations for assimilation into flood forecasting models. High-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors have the potential to detect flood extents in urban areas through clouds during both day- and night-time. This paper considers a method for detecting flooding in urban areas by merging near real-time SAR flood extents with model-derived flood hazard maps. This allows a two-way symbiosis, whereby currently available SAR urban flood extent improves future model flood predictions, while flood hazard maps obtained after the SAR overpasses improve the SAR estimate of urban flood extents. The method estimates urban flooding using SAR backscatter only in rural areas adjacent to urban ones. It was compared to an existing method using SAR returns in both rural and urban areas. The method using SAR solely in rural areas gave an average flood detection accuracy of 94% and a false positive rate of 9% in the urban areas and was more accurate than the existing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to provide targeted support to families who are raising children with developmental disorders, it is important to study the family needs and to understand circumstances that may affect them. The aim of this study was to identify the needs of the families with preschool children with cerebral palsy, and study how these needs relate to factors associated with families, children and rehabilitation services. Descriptive analysis showed that families living in Latvia most often need information, social and financial support and coordination of services, and they also need financial support to cover the costs of child care and treatment. The results of the data analysis support the hypothesis that factors characterising families, children with cerebral palsy and rehabilitation services affect the needs of the families with preschool children with cerebral palsy living in Latvia, and the unique impact of these factors depends on the type of needs. Regression analysis revealed that the most important factors affecting the needs of families were related with the socio-economic situation, as well as the support of peers and professionals. The availability and regularity of rehabilitation services, limitations to the child's functions and health impairments were factors that affected family needs to a lesser extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]