Determinants of wearer satisfaction factors for harnesses in upper-limb assistive wearable robots.

Wearable robots are increasingly being deployed for use in industrial fields. However, only a few studies have focused on the usability of wearable robots. The present study evaluated the factors affecting the usability of a harness in securing a wearable robot to the body because the harness directly affects the work efficiency, and thus its design and use require careful consideration. A comparative evaluation of the arrangement of the Vest Exoskeleton before and after improvements was conducted, in which participants performed a benchmark assembly task while wearing the robot. Results showed that wearability decreased after the improvements due to the additional straps and buckles used, but the overall wearing satisfaction improved as a result of increased stability. Stability and convenience were the main factors affecting the overall wearing satisfaction, while sub-indicators included wearing comfort and tactile sensation. Therefore, improvements in stability, such as those related to fixation strength and tactile sensation, had a direct positive impact on the overall wearing satisfaction.

IDH2-deficient mice develop spinal deformities with aging.

Spinal deformities such as scoliosis and kyphosis are incurable, and can lead to decreased physical function, pain, and reduced quality of life. Despite much effort, no clear therapies for the treatment of these conditions have been found. Therefore, the development of an animal model for spinal deformity would be extremely valuable to our understanding of vertebral diseases. In this study, we demonstrate that mice deficient in the mitochondrial enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2) develop spinal deformities with aging. We use morphological analysis as well as radiographic and micro-CT imaging of IDH2-deficient mice to characterize these deformities. Histological analysis showed increased abnormalities in IDH2-deficient mice compared to wild type mice. Taken together, the results suggest that IDH2 plays a critical role in maintaining the spinal structure by affecting the homeostatic balance between osteoclasts and osteoblasts. This indicates that IDH2 might be a potent target for the development of therapies for spinal deformities. Our findings also provide a novel animal model for vertebral disease research.

Meningeal Solitary Fibrous Tumors with Delayed Extracranial Metastasis.

BACKGROUND: The term solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is preferred over meningeal hemangiopericytoma (HPC), because NAB2-STAT6 gene fusion has been observed in both intracranial and extracranial HPCs. HPCs are now considered cellular variants of SFTs. METHODS: This study analyzes 19 patients with STAT6-confirmed SFTs, who were followed for over 11 years in a single institution. Ten patients (10/19, 56.2%) had extracranial metastases (metastatic group), while the remainder (9/19) did not (non-metastatic group). These two groups were compared clinicopathologically. RESULTS: In the metastatic group, the primary metastatic sites were the lungs (n = 6), bone (n = 4), and liver (n = 3). There was a mean lag time of 14.2 years between the diagnosis of the initial meningeal tumor to that of systemic metastasis. The median age at initial tumor onset was 37.1 years in the metastatic group and 52.5 in the non-metastatic group. The 10-year survival rates of the metastatic- and non-metastatic groups were 100% and 33%, respectively. The significant prognostic factors for poor outcomes on univariate analysis included advanced age (≥45 years) and large initial tumor size (≥5 cm). In contrast, the patients with higher tumor grade, high mitotic rate (≥5/10 high-power fields), high Ki-67 index (≥5%), and the presence of necrosis or CD34 positivity showed tendency of poor prognosis but these parameters were not statistically significant poor prognostic markers. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with SFTs, younger patients (<45 years) experienced longer survival times and paradoxically had more frequent extracranial metastases after long latent periods than did older patients. Therefore, young patients with SFTs require careful surveillance and follow-up for early detection of systemic metastases.