Cartesian sti ness is usually described by a 6 6 matrix which is vital in the study of rigid body grasping by multiple robot ngers. In this thesis, a closed form expression is derived for evaluating the grasped object sti ness based on the contact geometry and sti ness properties of individual robot ngers. The kinematics of manipulation by elastic ngers is also developed which describes the in ...

BACKGROUND Although antiretroviral treatment (ART) has led to a decline in morbidity and mortality of HIV-infected patients in developed countries, it has also presented challenges. These challenges include increases in pill burden; adherence to treatment; development of resistance and treatment failure; development of drug toxicities; and increase in cost of HIV treatment and care. These issue...

Despite research documenting the potentially positive impacts of research-based instructional reforms in physics, few high school physics teachers in the US enact them. One of the more successfully disseminated reforms is Modeling Instruction. To discern aspects of this reform that afforded or constrained its dissemination, we analyzed the interviews of five people involved in the development o...

OBJECTIVES To better understand the sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV dynamics in an urban west African setting in order to adapt STI/HIV control efforts accordingly. METHODS Review of STI and HIV epidemiological studies performed over the past decade in Bobo-Dioulasso, the second city of Burkina Faso. Trends in STI prevalence among commercial sex workers and the general population wer...

BACKGROUND Individuals entering jails have high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI), but there are few data on STI in the postincarceration period. This study aimed to describe rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis infection among individuals released from Marion County (Indianapolis), Indiana jails. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of individuals incarcerate...

Background Sexually transmitted infection (STI) is a major global cause of acute illness, infertility, long-term disability and death, with serious medical and psychological consequences to millions of men, women and infants. Moreover, in Ethiopia, epidemiological studies on STI among STI clinic clients are limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated...

OBJECTIVES The objective was to describe the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and blood-borne viruses (BBV), and prophylactic treatment offered to female postpubertal patients attending a Norwegian Sexual Assault Centre (SAC). We wanted to evaluate whether STIs diagnosed at the initial visit could have been assault-transmitted, and to explore whether background and assault ch...

BACKGROUND Ensuring rapid access to high quality sexual health services is a key public health objective, both in the United Kingdom and internationally. Internet-based testing services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are considered to be a promising way to achieve this goal. This study will evaluate a nascent online STI testing and results service in South East London, delivered alo...

<p>Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) is popular worldwide. One related issue under discussion how to effectively harness mobile devices help English writers. This paper first unpacks writing as a meaning making process from the perspective of systemic functional linguistics. It then summarizes major MALL-based studies on instruction, including affordances and challenges instruction...