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Purpose. The most common methods of delivering assistive technology in developing countries are charitable donation and workshops. This describes a new approach to solving the problem, a collaboration undertaken by a US-based lab and a manufacturer in India to produce quality wheelchairs. One goal is to publicize the design free of charge to manufacturers and interested parties world-wide. The process, a demonstration of a new technology transfer method, and the product, an adult manual wheelchair, are described. Method. An iterative process occurred over four years to design and produce the wheelchair. This consisted of prototypes, small production runs, ANSI/RESNA testing, hardness and tensile testing and informal user testing. Results. The design is a manual folding cross-brace design with several points of adjustability. Final pre-production prototypes experienced fastener failures during durability testing. Higher grade bolts were specified. Trial-run production has begun. An ANSI/RESNA wheelchair test lab was constructed in India. Subsequent projects include power and pediatric tilt-in-space wheelchairs. Conclusions. The approach seems promising as a method to improve the quality of assistive technology available in India and begin to meet the vast need in India. Pitfalls encountered throughout the collaboration are described in this paper along with solutions to remedy these problems for future projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Training of appropriate wheelchair propulsion methods may be beneficial to the individual who uses wheelchair by reducing the incidence of pain and improving one's quality of life. This paper discusses the development and initial testing of training device that was developed to aid in wheelchair propulsion techniques: GAME[Wheels] System. Methods. Two separate models of GAME[Wheels] have been developed: GAME[Wheels] Clinical and GAME[Wheels] Trainer. Details of the development process and the refinement have been included in this manuscript. To verify and compare the practicality and functionality of the two GAME[Wheels] systems, several focus groups were conducted: first to determine whether the systems could be set-up with informational materials and second to determine if the systems could be taught to novice users. Results. Results from the focus group indicate that the overall impressions of the systems were that they were 'fun' to play. Suggestions were raised to improve the design, which have been incorporated into further refinement of the GAME eels systems.Conclusions. This paper provides an overview of the development of wheelchair-training device. Valuable information was gained to improve the design of the GAME[Wheels] systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: College students frequently use social media sites to connect with friends. Increasingly, research suggests college students and other young adults seek mental health-related support on social media, which may present a unique venue for intervention., Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine college students' perceptions about displaying feelings of depression on Facebook and, in turn, how their social media friends responded., Methods: A primarily quantitative online survey with open response questions was distributed to students at four US universities. Qualitative responses were analyzed using content analysis., Results: A total of 34 students provided qualitative responses for analysis, these students were 85.3% female, mean age 20.2 (SD=1.4) and 20.6% racial/ethnic minority. Students who reported posting about depression often expressed an emotion or feeling but did not use the word "depression" in the post. Approximately 20% posted language about a bad day, and 15% posted a song or music video. Only one person reported posting a statement that directly asked for help. When friends responded to the posts, students generally perceived the responses as supportive or motivating gestures. Nearly 15% of friends contacted the individual outside of Facebook. One individual received a negative response and no responses suggested that the individual seek help., Conclusions: This study found that college students who post about depression often do so without directly referencing depression and that friends were generally supportive. However, no participants reported their social network suggested they seek help, which may suggest increasing mental health literacy, for both support seekers and responders, would be an opportunity to improve online mental health-related support., (©Scottye Cash, Laura Marie Schwab-Reese, Erin Zipfel, Megan Wilt, Megan Moreno. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (http://formative.jmir.org), 17.07.2020.)

Purpose: This paper describes the design, manufacture and evaluation of a custom hand-cycle with a Delta-style frame and fork steering. The state of hand-cycle design and future design directions are also examined., Method: The design of the custom hand-cycle was based on these criteria: Light weight, aerodynamics, climbing ability, ergonomic fit and the user's specific needs. We designed and built a custom hand-cycle for one expert user, therefore, the user's personal needs were key design drivers. The hand-cycle was evaluated by the user over three years of use., Results: During three years of evaluation and over 8000 km of use there were two frame failures: (i) A crack propagated around one of the tubes connecting the mainframe tube to the headset tube; and (ii) a crack propagated around the circumference of the curved part of the main frame tube directly behind the seat. The first failure was repaired and after the second, the device was retired. The evaluation of this design serves as a basis for a new set of design criteria., Conclusions: Large amounts of frame flexion can indicate eventual plastic deformation and failure. Future hand-cycle designs should see the use of more advanced materials, finite element analysis software, and continued incorporation of bicycle technology and design innovation.

Purpose: And estimated 20-100 million wheelchairs are needed in developing countries. Efforts to provide wheelchairs either through donations or by starting small-scale workshops have been made for decades, but estimates suggest that less than 1 million wheelchairs have been provided. We undertook this study to better understand why these efforts have not met the need, and to investigate if other technology transfer models may be successful for wheelchair provision., Methods: We performed a literature review, discussed our own experiences with wheelchair technology transfer, and used our expertise to develop a model for wheelchair technology transfer., Results: Previous efforts have not met the need because: (1) donated wheelchairs were typically inappropriate for the user, and (2) small-scale workshops are not easily scalable for the large-scale production needed. Three additional technology transfer models exist-manufacturing, globalization, and multi-modal-that have not been widely demonstrated or discussed in the literature. Our experience with the manufacturing model suggests that it could potentially provide the large volumes of appropriate wheelchairs needed in certain regions. Lastly, we present a framework comparing the important characteristics of each model: required input, sustainability, appropriateness, and the potential impact., Conclusions: While most efforts to provide wheelchairs to developing countries are helpful, we show that expansion of the manufacturing and globalization model to provide wheelchairs may be necessary if the supply will meet the demand.

The following conclusions were drawn from analysis of 292 specimens of amputated female breasts and statistical evaluation of the clinical data: Preparation of lymph nodes from unfixed material should be left to medical preparation engineers. All data on sizes and numbers should be recorded for documentation with high accuracy. Communication of clinical data has often been insufficient. It has happened all too often that no diagnostic extirpation was undertaken, and the time interval between such extirpation and radical surgery was found to be too long in some hospitals.

The statistical investigation of fibrosis of the spleen capsule and of perisplenitis cartilaginea in 444 consecutive autopsy cases revealed a significant correlation between the changes of the spleen capsule and cor pulmonale, but no significant correlation to hypertension was detected. Therefore, fibrosis of the spleen capsule and perisplenitis cartilaginea can be used as a criterion for the postmortem diagnosis of cor pulmonale.

Analytically pure samples of the Romanowsky dyes eosin y, erythrosin b and tetrachlorofluorescein are prepared. DC of the dye samples shows no contaminations. We measured the absorption spectra of the dye dianions in alkaline aqueous solution and of the dye acids in 95% ethanol at very low dye concentrations. The molar extinction coefficients of the long wavelength absorption of the monomeric dye species are determined (Table 1). The extinction coefficients may be used for standardisation of dye samples. The absorption spectra of eosin y in aqueous solution are dependent on concentration. Using a new very sensitive method it was possible to identify two association equilibria from the concentration dependency of the spectra. Dimers are formed even in very dilute solutions, at higher concentrations tetramers. The dissociation constant of the dimers D in monomers M at 293 K, pH = 12, is K21 = 2,9 X 10(-5) M; of the tetramers Q in dimers D K42 = 2,4 X 10(-3) M. From the experimental spectra of eosin solutions at various concentrations, pH = 12, and the equilibrium constants K21, K42 the absorption spectra of the pure monomers, dimers and tetramers are calculated. M has one long wavelength absorption band, VM = 19300 cm-1, epsilon M = 1,03 X 10(5) M-1 cm-1; D also one absorption band, VD = 19300 cm-1, epsilon D = 1,74 X 10(5) M-1 cm-1; Q two absorption bands, VQ1 = 19100, VQ2 = 20200 cm-1, epsilon Q1 = 1,65 X 10(5), epsilon Q2 = 1,96 X 10(5) M-1 cm-1. The absorption spectrum of the dimers is discussed by quantum mechanics.

The morphologic and spectroscopic characteristics of a new and reproducible modification of the Papanicolaou stain are briefly described. The main features of this modification are (1) replacement of the natural dye hematoxylin by the synthetic and chemically well defined dye thionin, (2) introduction of an alcoholic counterstain consisting of eosin gamma and fast green FCF only and (3) employment of alcoholic solutions only. The absorption characteristics of hematoxylin and thionin bound to chromatin are influenced by the cytoplasmic counterstaining, especially by the two green dyes, the absorption peaks of which are close to those of the nuclear stains. The implications of these results for visual and automated cytologic diagnosis are briefly discussed.

In 1974 we published the "method of differentiated relative heart weight" for the evaluation of the postmortem heart weight. It is not the simple relation of heart to body weight of 1/200 that is used, but--depending on the body weight--1/175 for normal weight, 1/150 for underweight and 1/200 for overweight. This method is now submitted a test by means of 218 exactly diagnosed cases and the heart weights are compared with the mean values of Linzbach. If the weight of a heart is lower than the weight estimated by our method one can conclude, that the patient did not suffer from hypertension and/or from cor pulmonale. If the heart weight is higher than the estimated value a pathological heart weight is to be supposed, but normotension cannot be excluded, especially in women. In those cases the comparison of the heart weight with the mean values of Linzbach is recommended.

A statistically significant relationship between renomedullary fibrosis of various degrees and hypertension (196 autopsy cases examined) could be proven. The investigation revealed that the higher degrees of renomedullary fibrosis are to be regarded as a diagnostic sign of hypertension in deceased.

The postmortem diagnosis of hypertension is of importance both for the determination of basic disease or terminal cause of death and for statistical investigations based on autopsy material or for comparisons between clinical and epidemiological data as well. The analysis of our autopsy records revealed: 1. The most important macroscopical findings are an increased weight of the heart, an arteriosclerosis of the peripheral extracerebral arteries of the brain, and an adenomatous hyperplasia or adenomas of the suprarenal cortex, they should be looked for at autopsy. 2. A microscopical finding of a hypertension is in the first place the arteriolosclerosis of kidneys followed by that of the pancreas, myocardium, liver, and brain. In practice, a specimen of kidney and pancreas should be investigated histologically in each case of a possible hypertension.

FAZYTAN, a system for fast automated cell segmentation, cell image analysis and extraction of nuclear features, was used to analyze cervical cell images variously stained by the conventional Papanicolaou stain, the new Papanicolaou stain and hematoxylin and thionin only; the last two dyes are used as the nuclear stains in the two versions of the Papanicolaou stain. Other dyes were also tried in cell classification experiments. All cell images in the variously stained samples could be described by the same nuclear features as had been adapted for the discrimination of conventional-Papanicolaou-stained cells. Variances were lower for thionin-stained cells as compared with hematoxylin-stained cells. By application of spectrophotometry, it was confirmed that the spectra of the cytoplasmic counterstains are superimposed on those of the nuclear stains. It appears that a variety of dyes are suitable as cytologic stains for cell classification by the FAZYTAN system, provided that they achieve sufficiently strong nuclear-cytoplasmic contrast by precisely delineating the chromatin texture.