Abu Jor

Plantar pressure measurement is an essential and effective strategy in the assessment of foot musculoskeletal safety and footwear comfort. It is commonly applied in clinical gait analysis, sports and foot biomechanical studies. But most of the devices used for plantar pressure measurement are high cost and not readily available for the research. This study aims to present a low cost foot plantar pressure measurement system based on force sensitive resistor (FSR). The system is composed of low cost electronic instrumentation through FSR, arduino, LCD display, baseboard and a power bank. To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the system, a linear load vs. pressure calibration test was made and a group of female participants performed static trials on heels of three different heights. Experimental results and comparative analysis showed that this system has stable performance in static measurements of plantar pressure.

The asymmetrical gait of individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation has been well documented. However, there is not a wealth of investigation into asymmetries during the double limb stance depending on whether the intact or prosthetic limb is leading. The first aim of this study was to compare ground reaction forces during the double limb stance of individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation depending on whether their intact (initial double limb stance) or prosthetic (terminal double limb stance) limb was leading. The second aim of this study was to compare the asymmetry ratio of ground reaction forces during the double limb stance between individuals with and without unilateral transfemoral amputation. Thirty individuals, fifteen with unilateral transfemoral amputation and fifteen who were able-bodied, were recruited for this study. Each individual walked on an instrumented treadmill for 30 s at eight different speeds, ranging from 2.0 km/h to 5.5 km/h with .5 km/h increments. Ground reaction force parameters, temporal parameters, and asymmetry ratios of all parameters were computed from the data collected. The appropriate statistical analyses of all data based on normality were conducted to investigate the aims of this study. Significant main effects of speed, double limb stance, and their interactions were found for most parameters ( p < .01 or p < .05). Individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation spent a longer duration in terminal double limb stance than initial double limb stance at all tested speeds. They also experienced significantly higher peak vertical ground reaction force during initial double limb stance compared to terminal double limb stance with increasing walking speed. However, during terminal double limb stance, higher anteroposterior ground reaction force at initial contact was found when compared to initial double limb stance. Significant differences between individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation and able-bodied individuals were found in asymmetry ratios for peak vertical ground reaction force, anteroposterior ground reaction force, anteroposterior shear, and mediolateral shear at all tested speeds. Asymmetrical loading persists in individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation during double limb stance. Increasing walking speed increased ground reaction force loading asymmetries, which may make individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation more susceptible to knee osteoarthritis or other musculoskeletal disorders. Further study is necessary to develop ideal gait strategies for the minimization of gait asymmetry in individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation.

This systematic review aimed to explore comprehensive evidence on the efficacy of the 3D-printed ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) on gait parameters in individuals with neuromuscular and/or musculoskeletal ankle impairments. Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, ProQuest, Cochrane, and EBSCOhost were searched from inception to August 2023. Ten studies that had participants with ankle impairments, as a result of stroke, cerebral palsy, mechanical trauma, muscle weakness, or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, investigated the immediate effects of the 3D-printed AFOs on gait parameters were included. Methodological rigor was evaluated using the modified Downs & Black index. The gait parameters included lower extremity joint angles, moments, and work/power, plantar pressures, spatiotemporal measures, and patient satisfaction were improved with the 3D-printed AFOs when compared to the no-AFO (i.e. barefoot, or shoe-only) conditions. 3D-printed AFOs revealed similar functional efficacy as conventional AFOs. Notably, the level of patient satisfaction regarding fitting and comfort was higher with the 3D-printed AFOs. Although the study on the effects of the 3D-printed AFOs are limited, emerging evidence indicates their effectiveness in improving gait biomechanics and functions. To further confirm their effects, rigorous randomized control studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-ups on the effects are warranted in the future.

This article has focused on gaseous air pollutants and its environmental effect-emitted from tanning industry during leather processing, especially in unhairing & liming, deliming, pickling and finishing operations in which hydrogen sulphide (H2S), ammonia (NH3), chlorine (Cl2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted respectively at Hazaribagh, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The toxic hydrogen sulphide (H2S) gas has negative effect at atmosphere by the process of photochemical reaction; it increases the greenhouse methane gas. In atmosphere, gaseous form of ammonia (NH3) reacts with available acids and form their corresponding salts cause cloudiness and finally they return to earth surface by wet or dry deposition which effects on aquatic life. Workers in tanning industries are directly inhaled toxic chlorine gas suffers withvarious health complexities. Emission of VOCs isthe mostly formaldehyde and it is captured in photochemical oxidation by ozone as well as UV radiation. It's an important precursor of smog formation where it reacts with oxides of nitrogen (NOx) including peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN); smog decreases the visibility in the urban area.