BACKGROUND The presence of multiple chronic conditions is associated with lower health related quality of life (HRQOL). Disease severity also influences HRQOL. To analyse the effects of all possible combinations of single diseases along with their severity on HRQOL seems cumbersome. Grouping diseases and their severity in specific organ domains may facilitate the study of the complex relationsh...

A finite strain micromechanical model is generalized in order to incorporate the effect of evolving damage in the metallic and polymeric phases of unidirectional composites. As a result, it is possible to predict the response of composites with ductile and brittle phases undergoing large coupled inelastic-damage and viscoelastic-damage deformations, respectively. For inelastic composites, both ...

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? Musculoskeletal disease is a common condition that affects up to one-quarter of the population over 65 years in many developed countries. Over 6 million Australians (1) and 27 million Americans (2) are affected by some type of musculoskeletal disorder of which osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common. Musculoskeletal disorders account for one-fifth of all consultations with g...