In this issue, Butcher et al, 1 provide elegant data on the mechanical performance and material properties of stage 17, 21, and 25 chick embryonic atrioventricular (AV) cushions during normal development and following the selective digestion of AV cushion constituents. These data are then interpreted using a strain-energy based pseudoelasticity theory to determine maturational changes in AV cus...

background: classroom behaviors are disturbed in autistic students because of their repetitive, restlessness, and disruptive behaviors. this study aimed to examine the impacts of sitting on a ball, cushion, and/or common chair on classroom behavior of four students with autism spectrum disorder (asd). methods : four children with autism participated in this single-subject study. students’ behav...

The water cushion depth of stilling basin with shallow-water cushion is a key factor that 13 affects the flow regime of hydraulic jump in the basin. However, the specific depth at which the 14 water cushion is considered as “shallow” has not be stated clearly for now, and only conceptual 15 description is provided. This paper attempts to specify the best water cushion depth based on the 16 flow...

A foam cushion was designed for wheelchair users who propel their wheelchairs with the assistance of one lower extremity. It allows users to extend one hip to reach the ground without having to slide forward on the seat, thus maintaining a more erect posture. The cushion was evaluated to identify contraindications for its use. Eleven subjects (10 stroke patients and 1 patient with an above-the-...

Measuring interface pressure (IP) is one way to characterize cushion performance in the clinic and laboratory. This study explored how the presence of four commercially available IP mats affected IP on and immersion of two buttocks models. We loaded seven cushions with each buttocks model and captured pressure data using FSA sensors (Vista Medical Ltd; Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada). Analysis was ...

The adhesion of giant unilamellar phospholipid vesicles to planar substrates coated with extracellular matrix mimetic cushions of hyaluronan is studied using quantitative reflection interference contrast microscopy. The absolute height of the vesicle membrane at the vicinity of the substrate is measured by considering, for the first time, the refractive indices of the reflecting media. The thic...

Lameness is the most significant challenge for the dairy industry to overcome, given its obvious disruption of animal welfare and severe economic losses. Sole ulcers and white line abscesses are ubiquitous chronic diseases with the highest associated economic losses among all foot lesions. Their underlying causes are still not fully understood. An observational cross-sectional study was carried...