Advancements in assistive technologies promise greater independence for wheelchair users; however, lived realities reveal a complex interplay of empowerment, dependency, and unmet needs. Accessibility discourse still leans heavily on clinical or technical perspectives, underweighting the lived expertise of powered-wheelchair users. From 55 in-depth interviews, we demonstrate that independence is fluid and continually negotiated across various contexts, including caregiving dynamics, privacy trade-offs, and structural barriers. Technologies that reduce frequent “ask-points” (e.g., retrieving objects, opening doors) deliver disproportionate autonomy gains, while caregiver shortages and insurance denials persist. Dependency was experienced as intimacy, gratitude, frustration, and loss of dignity, underscoring the emotional stakes of technology adoption. Participants also heavily relied on peer networks and custom solutions to navigate technology choices. Based on our insights, we introduce an ecosystem-oriented framework and user-led directory (Assistive-Tech Commons), positioning wheelchair users as co-designers. Centering emotional well-being, household ecologies, and community knowledge enables more sustainable, dignity-preserving assistive technologies.

Objectives To assess the ergonomics and usability of wheelchair-mounted assistive robot interfaces for improving the daily living activities of those with mobility impairments. The study evaluates interface designs through usability tests to find optimal elements that meet user needs and preferences, aiming to refine the interface for better user experience and increased autonomy. Design A mixed-method research design. Setting In the BioRobotics Lab. Participants Six healthy participants with a mean age of 30.50. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures The study's main outcomes are the usability score from the System Usability Scale (SUS) for interface effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction; task completion time and error rate to measure interface efficiency and intuitiveness; and user satisfaction assessed through postinteraction feedback, emphasizing comfort, and ease of use. Results The user interface (UI) evaluation for the wheelchair-mounted assistive robot, designed to enhance the independence and quality of life for individuals with mobility impairments, yielded promising results. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the UIs focus on accessibility, intuitiveness, and adaptability, particularly praising its key features such as individual on/off buttons for each joint, reset functionality, and the “Home” button for returning the robotic arm to a reliable starting position. The integration of the robot with the wheelchair's control systems via a built-in joystick, operating in Cyclic Synchronous Position (CSP) mode for precise movement control, was noted as a significant advantage, alongside the comprehensive options for gripper control, and the clarity of joint status displays. The inclusion of joint-based control through a custom-made keypad, as well as alternative control methods such as chin joystick and eye gaze systems, was highly valued for accommodating a wide range of physical abilities, ensuring the robot's accessibility. The ability to adjust safety parameters directly through the UI was also a critical feature, allowing users to customize settings for a secure interaction experience. The findings indicate that the UI effectively meets user needs and preferences, significantly enhancing user experience and autonomy for individuals with mobility challenges, highlighting the impact of user-centered design in developing assistive technologies. Conclusions The study finds that user-centered UI design enhances interaction and autonomy for those with mobility impairments. Key features such as adaptive controls and customizable safety settings effectively meet varied needs. It underscores the importance of user feedback in developing assistive robots that improve quality of life, advocating for a user-focused approach in assistive technology development. Disclosures none.

Robotic-assisted therapy is an increasingly vital approach for upper-limb rehabilitation, offering consistent, high-intensity training critical to neuroplastic recovery. However, current control strategies often lack robustness against uncertainties and external disturbances, limiting their efficacy in dynamic, real-world settings. Addressing this gap, this study proposes a novel control framework for the iTbot—a 2-DoF end-effector rehabilitation robot—by integrating differential flatness theory with a derivative-free Kalman filter (DFK). The objective is to achieve accurate and adaptive trajectory tracking in the presence of unmeasured dynamics and human–robot interaction forces. The control design reformulates the nonlinear joint-space dynamics into a 0-flat canonical form, enabling real-time computation of feedforward control laws based solely on flat outputs and their derivatives. Simultaneously, the DFK-based observer estimates external perturbations and unmeasured states without requiring derivative calculations, allowing for online disturbance compensation. Extensive simulations across nominal and disturbed conditions demonstrate that the proposed controller significantly outperforms conventional flatness-based control in tracking accuracy and robustness, as measured by reduced mean absolute error and standard deviation. Experimental validation under both simple and repetitive physiotherapy tasks confirms the system’s ability to maintain sub-millimeter Cartesian accuracy and sub-degree joint errors even amid dynamic perturbations. These results underscore the controller’s effectiveness in enabling compliant, safe, and disturbance-resilient rehabilitation, paving the way for broader deployment of robotic therapy in clinical and home-based environments.

Current implementations of leader-follower systems in multi-robot environments typically separate path planning and formation control, often leading to inefficiencies in execution speed, path quality, and system stability. These systems rely on complex control strategies that struggle to adapt to dynamic and challenging environments, resulting in sub-optimal performance and potential collisions. This paper presents a novel approach to enhancing the path planning and formation control of multi-robot leader-follower systems by integrating neural fields and novel potential field modeling. The primary focus is on developing a unified platform that addresses the challenges of maintaining formation integrity, optimizing path quality, and ensuring real-time responsiveness. Neural Fields, which has gained significant traction in the past few years, utilizes fully connected neural networks to effectively encode continuous signals across various dimensions and resolutions. This growing interest in neural fields has highlighted their potential to provide solutions that are not only more precise and high-fidelity but also highly expressive and efficient in terms of memory usage. Thus, this work proposes leveraging neural fields to achieve high-quality path planning in significantly reduced time. By utilizing the expressiveness and memory efficiency of neural fields, the suggested approach aims to generate optimized paths quickly, making it well-suited for real-time applications where both accuracy and speed are critical. On the other hand, the follower robots are equipped with an auto-switching potential method, which intelligently toggles between attractive forces guiding the followers toward the leader and repulsive forces preventing collisions based on a mathematical model. The effectiveness of this approach is validated through experiments, demonstrating significant improvements in execution speed, path smoothness, and overall system stability compared to competitive methods including well-known techniques such as A*, Probabilistic RoadMap (PRM), Rapidly-exploring Random Tree Star (RRT*), and also against recent optimization techniques including Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) and Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA).

Robot-Assisted Gait Training (RAGT) has emerged as a promising approach to improve motor recovery for stroke survivors. Among RAGT devices, exoskeletons offer precise joint actuation, but they are costly, mechanically complex and present risks related to joint misalignment. End-effector systems present a more affordable and simpler alternative, but face limitations in workspace and adaptability for assist-as-needed therapy. Cable-Driven End-Effector Gait Rehabilitation Robots (CDEGRs) combine the strengths of both approaches, offering low inertia, flexible configurations, and scalable designs. This review systematically examines the current landscape of CDEGRs, encompassing their kinematic classifications, control strategies, and platform configurations. Unlike previous reviews that broadly addressed exoskeletons or upper-limb rehabilitation devices, this work provides a focused and detailed analysis of lower-limb end-effector systems. In doing so, it identifies persistent gaps in design and control frameworks and highlights future research directions toward more efficient and clinically validated CDEGR architectures.

Each year, around 15 million people globally, including 795,000 Americans, experience a stroke. Nearly half of stroke survivors face persistent upper limb motor impairments, limiting daily activities and quality of life. This underscores the need for early, intensive, and function-focused rehabilitation. This study explores the effectiveness of integrating game-based tasks into a 3DoF end-effector robotic system to enhance upper limb rehabilitation. By incorporating an engaging "Apple Picking" game into active therapy sessions, we aim to assess improvements in motor function, reaction time, and coordination among individuals undergoing upper limb recovery. This experimental study was conducted in the BioRobotics Laboratory, involving a diverse group of participants, including post-stroke individuals (n=3) and occupational therapists (n=2). Participants engaged in active rehabilitation exercises by controlling a 3DoF robotic arm to interact with a 2D computer-based game. The robotic system, equipped with force sensors, provided adaptive guided movements, enabling participants to manipulate an on-screen basket and catch falling apples. This interactive setup was designed to enhance motor recovery by fostering active engagement and responsive control. Key outcomes included improvements in motor skills, coordination, and reaction times, as assessed through metrics like movement accuracy, response times to in-game prompts, and task completion rates. Post-session evaluations included the System Usability Scale (SUS) to gauge platform usability questionnaire to measure participant engagement and motivation. Preliminary findings suggest that the game-based rehabilitation approach significantly improves participants' motor control and coordination. The engaging nature of the apple-picking game contributed to increased motivation and participation, with participants showing enhanced ability to coordinate movements and respond promptly to game challenges.

PURPOSE:The increasing prevalence of upper limb dysfunctions due to stroke, spinal cord injuries, and multiple sclerosis presents a critical challenge in assistive technology: designing robotic arms that are both energy‑efficient and capable of effectively performing activities of daily living (ADLs). This challenge is exacerbated by the need to ensure these devices are accessible for non‑expert users and can operate within the spatial constraints typical of everyday environments. Despite advancements in wheelchair‑mounted robotic arms (WMRAs), existing designs do not achieve an optimal balance-minimizing energy consumption and space while maximizing kinematic performance and workspace. Most robotic arms can perform a range of ADLs, but they do not account for outdoor environments where energy conservation is crucial. Furthermore, the need for WMRAs to be compact in idle configurations-essential for navigating through doors or between aisles-adds another layer of complexity to their design. This paper addresses these multifaceted design challenges by proposing a novel objective function to optimize the link lengths of WMRAs, aiming to reduce energy consumption without compromising the robots' operational capabilities. MATERIALS AND METHODS:To achieve this optimization, the scatter search method was employed, incorporating considerations of collision and singularity avoidance while ensuring the arm remains compact when not in use. The proposed design was evaluated through simulations and experimental validation with both healthy subjects and individuals with lower limb dysfunctions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS:The optimized WMRA demonstrated significant improvements in energy efficiency and spatial adaptability while maintaining the required kinematic performance for ADLs. The validation process confirmed the practical applicability of the proposed design, highlighting its potential to enhance mobility and independence for individuals with upper limb impairments. This study contributes to the field of disability and rehabilitation by providing a structured approach to designing assistive robotic arms that better align with real‑world constraints and user needs.

Individuals with upper limb dysfunction face significant challenges in performing everyday tasks, often depending on healthcare professionals, caregivers, or family members. Such reliance places a continuous burden on helpers who must remain available for assistance. To address these challenges, this study investigated a virtual hybrid brain–computer interface (BCI) system that integrates gaze tracking with motor imagery (MI) to control a robotic arm, potentially reducing the dependency on human support. Twenty healthy, right-handed participants took part in a virtual game environment where they controlled a robotic arm using both gaze tracking and MI. During an initial training phase, participants’ electroencephalography (EEG) signals were recorded with an EEG cap. These signals were then processed and classified using the common spatial pattern (CSP) algorithm and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). In parallel, a webcam was used for real-time gaze calibration to enable accurate target selection. In the subsequent testing phase, MI commands directed the virtual robot toward predetermined targets in a Unity-based game. Training accuracy consistently outperformed online testing accuracy. The MI signal classification achieved a true positive (TP) rate of approximately 75.5

The Newcastle disease virus (NDV) poses a significant threat to commercial chicken operations and is prevalent in Bangladesh. This rapidly spreading viral illness has severe economic implications for the poultry industry globally. In Bangladesh, the velogenic strain of NDV is particularly widespread. This study utilized primers from the Fusion (F) and Matrix (M) genes along with haemagglutination (HA) testing and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to isolate and identify NDV. Post-mortem examinations provided 12 samples (from brain, trachea, and proventriculus) taken from four birds suspected of having NDV from Trishal and Mymensingh Sadar. The samples were injected into 10-day-old embryonated chicken eggs using the chorioallantoic membrane technique. Embryos and allantoic fluid (AF) were collected at 48 and 96 hours post-infection. NDV-infected embryos showed edema and hemorrhage. Significant hemagglutination was observed in the allantoic fluid tested with HA. Through the HA test and lesion observation, four NDV isolates were identified. Pathotypic characterization of the field isolates using the Intracerebral Pathogenicity Index (ICPI) and Mean Death Time (MDT) indicated velogenic strains (ICPI: 1.5–2.0, MDT: <60). RT-PCR confirmed the NDV status of all four isolates using primers for partial amplification of the F gene (839 bp) and the common sequence of the ‘F-M’ genes (970 bp). This study demonstrates that RT-PCR is an effective molecular technique for the rapid and confirmatory identification of velogenic NDV strains, particularly prevalent in Mymensingh at the field level.

In this article, we present a new fixed-time observer (FTO) with time delay estimation (TDE)-based model-free fixed-time sliding mode for the problem of robust walking of the NAO robot. The proposed technique ensures convergence in fixed time, regardless of initial conditions, thereby enhancing both convergence speed and robustness. This method allows for precise tracking of the joint angles’ positions without depending on the robot’s dynamic models while reducing the chattering via a modified exponential reaching law (MERL). To address the complexities of stabilizing the walking dynamics of the NAO robot, which include highly nonlinear dynamics and limited computational process, the proposed strategy utilizes the TDE technique for system model estimation. To mitigate estimation errors, a novel observer with guaranteed fixed-time stability is proposed. This last helps to enhance the tracking performance. Using the Lyapunov theory and experimental validation, within the proposed composite control method, the proposed nonsingular terminal sliding surface’s fixed-time stability along with the system state’s stability is verified. Significantly improved stability and accuracy in the robot’s joint movements are demonstrated through experimental results, validating the efficacy of the tracking trajectory for robotic systems such as the NAO humanoid robot.

Recently, there has been widespread and vital adoption of flexible manipulators due to their increased prevalence. This is attributed to the growing demand for flexibility in various tasks like refueling operations, inspections, and maintenance activities. Nevertheless, these robots are under-actuated systems characterized by a nonlinear behavior and present dynamic coupling interactions that contribute to the complexity of the control process. The main control objective is to achieve an accurate tracking of the desired position while simultaneously reducing oscillations occurring in the link. Therefore, this paper proposes integrating the tuning and adaptive control by employing fuzzy logic methodology in conjunction with internal model control (IMC). The suggested controller takes advantage of intelligent techniques, simple structure, robustness, and easy tuning of the conventional IMC. Both triangular and trapezoidal Membership Functions (MFs) are applied in this study to create a pair of Fuzzy Logic Controllers (FLCs) based on the Mamdani method. These controllers are employed to dynamically adjust the parameters of the IMC, in contrast to the fixed parameters used in the conventional IMC approach. The effectiveness of the suggested Adaptive-based Fuzzy IMC (AFIMC) is showcased through simulation and practical experimentation, in scenarios both with and without disturbances. Results indicate that this technique outperforms conventional IMC in achieving control objectives and rejecting disturbances.

Research ObjectivesThis research proposes a digital rehabilitation framework with a developed 3-DOF exoskeleton type Lower-Limb Rehabilitation Robot (LLRR) and Twin-CAT industrial platform to control the robot and to provide passive-based rehabilitation therapies to individuals with lower limb dysfunctions.DesignExperimental Study.SettingIn the BioRobotics Lab.ParticipantsAn experiment performed a passive rehabilitation mode in core muscles and lower limb on three healthy male human subjects (age: 25-35 years, weights: 65–80 kg, and height: 1.6–1.7 m).InterventionsIn the experimental session of robot-aided therapy, the exoskeleton rehab robot data (for example, joint angle, Joint position, velocity, and torque) are evaluated by a developed HMI through PLC in Twin-CAT which is then processed to get information through GUI, such as achievement of cures. Participants were lying on a robot-mounted patient bed, wearing an LLRR rehab robot. The therapist/individual leveraged the LLRR structure, facilitated by HMI and GUI, to visualize the robot's and patient's information.Main Outcome MeasuresIn the experiment, we evaluated the exoskeleton device and the ability of its rehabilitation, meaning how well the patient's leg followed the trajectory directed by the Twin-CAT PLC commands. In additional measure was the latency, the time difference between sending joint angle parameters, and the movement of physical joints of the network. And also, the developed LLRR robot is user-friendly because of the digital GUI.ResultsThe developed exoskeleton type of therapeutic robot for lower limb rehabilitation results showed that the LLRR was 100% trajectory movement of the patient's leg to provide therapy in core and lower-limb muscles, with a Twin CAT network latency of approximately 0.1 seconds.ConclusionsThe research has shown that the developed LLRR rehab robot for lower limb rehabilitation framework will make therapies/ individuals more approachable, convenient, and burdenless for treatment in the lower limb and core muscles to achieve the desired goal.Author(s) DisclosuresThe authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Research ObjectivesThis study evaluates 3-finger adaptive robotic grippers for handling everyday objects. The experiments examine how object shape, size, weight, and texture affect gripper performance. The grippers' efficacy for people with different physical abilities and disabilities and their potential to improve the quality of life and independence of those who need help handling objects will also be examined. These goals aim to improve daily living robotics.DesignExperimental study.SettingIn the Biorobotics Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.ParticipantsSix healthy participants with a mean (SD) age of 26.3 (2.6) years old. Participants operated an assistive robotic arm mounted on a wheelchair to grasp 81 objects that are commonly used in housekeeping. Finally, the participants provided their user experience in using the 3-finger gripper.InterventionsSix participants picked and placed 81 essential daily objects using an assistive robotic gripper. The robotic hand was mounted on a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm on a wheelchair. The gripper was controlled by a joystick. After the study, the participants were asked to fill out a user satisfaction survey.Main Outcome MeasuresThe primary outcome measure for this study is how many objects have been successfully picked and placed out of 81 daily things by six participants.ResultsThe 3-finger gripper grasped and placed 63 (78%) household items 98% of the time. Success rates of grasping, manipulating, and releasing objects of varying shapes, sizes, weights, and textures are compared. The gripper can hold 2000 grams and manipulate objects up to 80 mm in at least one dimension. Finally, subjects find it an easy user experience.ConclusionsThis study found that 3-finger adaptive robotic grippers can handle many objects for ADL assistance. High gripping and manipulation success rates demonstrate the grippers' user-friendliness and accessibility. These findings may improve everyday robotic technologies. This research can help people who need help manipulating objects and advance daily living robotics, though it needs further study for real-world usability.Author(s) DisclosuresThe authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Physiotherapists are autonomous health professionals and they have to deal with familiar and unfamiliar cases in clinical practice in musculoskeletal area. Based on the patients complains and evaluation of complaints, Physiotherapists select different treatment approaches. The aim of the study was to describe the clinical decision as well as treatment of a single case suffering from cervical spine problem. Mrs. X is a 47 years old housewife complained of occasional mild posterior and right lateral neck and right shoulder pain. The intensity of pain was moderately higher in right shoulder than neck. She has been suffering from this problem for last six months. The patient rated her neck pain 3/10 and right shoulder pain as a 6/10 on a numeric pain rating (NPR) scale. Patient also had history of hypertension and taking medication for it. Physician initially diagnosed her as right frozen shoulder and he referred to Physiotherapist for better management. Cervical muscle strengthening exercise, Mulligan and Maitland mobilization applied 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks. Each session consists of 30 minutes. The outcome of this case study would strengthen Physiotherapy practitioners, academicians and researchers knowledge on chronic neck pain management.

Research ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the trends and differences in serum total cholesterol-to-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL-C) ratio among U.S. residents.DesignThis is an observational study.SettingGeneral community.ParticipantsBlood lipid measurements, taken from 53,964 noninstitutionalized participants, aged 6 to 80, were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) study. We described the distributions of TC/HDL-C ratio across the life span in four distinct cross-sectional surveys during 2005-2008, 2009-2012, 2013-2016, and 2017-2020, and compared the ratio levels by race/ethnicity, education level, ratio of income to poverty, body mass index (BMI), and general health condition.InterventionsN/A.Main Outcome MeasuresBlood lipid measurements.ResultsBetween 2005 and 2020, favorable trends in lipid ratio levels were observed. In youth aged < 20 years, mean TC/HDL-C ratios were 3.17, 3.15, 3.02, and 3.06 in males; and 3.12, 3.13, 3.03, and 3.02 in females from 2005 to 2020. In adults 20 years old and older, mean TC/HDL ratios declined from 4.30 in 2005-2008, to 4.27 in 2009-2012, 4.17 in 2013-2016, to 3.96 in 2017-2020 in males; while mean TC/HDL-C ratios declined from 3.67 in 2005-2008, to 3.66 in 2009-2012, to 3.54 in 2013-2016, to 3.46 in 2017-2020 in females. Overall, non-Hispanic black individuals tended to have lower mean TC/HDL-C ratio levels than other groups, while Mexican American individuals tended to have higher TC/HDL-C ratio levels on average. Being male, having a lower educational level, being obese or having a higher BMI, and reporting poor health status were associated with higher TC/HDL-C ratio levels. In females, income lower than the poverty level was associated with higher TC/HDL-C levels. However, there was no difference in TC/HDL-C levels in males by poverty level.ConclusionsBetween 2005 and 2020, favorable trends in TC/HDL values were observed among noninstitutionalized residents in the US. Reliable and disaggregated population-based data for cholesterol trends are needed to evaluate overall cardiovascular health, assess the effects of nutritional policies and pharmacological interventions, and guide priority setting.Author(s) DisclosuresThe authors declare no conflict of interest.

The increasing prevalence of upper and lower extremity (ULE) functional deficiencies presents a significant challenge, as it restricts individuals’ ability to perform daily tasks independently. Robotic devices are emerging as assistive devices to assist individuals with limited ULE functionalities in activities of daily living (ADLs). While assistive manipulators are available, manual control through traditional methods like joysticks can be cumbersome, particularly for individuals with severe hand impairments and vision limitations. Therefore, autonomous/semi-autonomous control of a robotic assistive device to perform any ADL task is open to research. This study addresses the necessity of fostering independence in ADLs by proposing a creative approach. We present a vision-based control system for a six-degrees-of-freedom (DoF) robotic manipulator designed for semi-autonomous “pick-and-place” tasks, one of the most common activities among ADLs. Our approach involves selecting and training a deep-learning-based object detection model with a dataset of 47 ADL objects, forming the base for a 3D ADL object localization algorithm. The proposed vision-based control system integrates this localization technique to identify and manipulate ADL objects (e.g., apples, oranges, capsicums, and cups) in real time, returning them to specific locations to complete the “pick-and-place” task. Experimental validation involving an xArm6 (six DoF) robot from UFACTORY in diverse settings demonstrates the system’s adaptability and effectiveness, achieving an overall 72.9% success rate in detecting, localizing, and executing ADL tasks. This research contributes to the growing field of autonomous assistive devices, enhancing independence for individuals with functional impairments.

Research ObjectivesA bone mineral density (BMD) test measures the amount of bone minerals (mostly calcium and phosphorous) contained in a certain volume of bone. Low BMD is associated with an increased risk of fracture and is a predictor of frailty, pre-frailty, and osteoporosis in older people.DesignThis is an observational study.SettingGeneral community.ParticipantsTotal femur BMD, taken from 28,514 noninstitutionalized participants, aged 6 to 80, were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) study. We described the age-related change of total femur BMD across the life span in four distinct cross-sectional surveys during 2005-2008, 2009-2012, 2013-2016, and 2017-2020, and compared the total femur BMD by sex, survey year, race/ethnicity, education, poverty level, and history of ever served on active duty.InterventionsN/A.Main Outcome MeasuresDual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry - Femur.ResultsThe means of total femur BMD varied by sex and age. The means of total femur BMD were lower for younger children, gradually increased to reach a plateau in early adult life, peaked around 19 years old, and then gradually declined onwards. Males had a higher total femur BMD than females after puberty. The mean of total femur BMD in females was 90% of that of males in middle adult age and 82% of that of males 70-80+ years older. Being male, being non-Hispanic black, having a higher educational level, and having an income higher than the poverty level was associated with higher total femur BMD levels (p< 0.001). Between 2005 and 2020, stable trends in total femur BMD were observed (p = 0.977). While individuals who had served on active duty in the US armed forces had a slightly higher mean total femur BMD than those who did not, the difference was not significant (p=0.170).ConclusionsBetween 2005 and 2020, stable trends in total femur BMD values were observed among noninstitutionalized residents in the US. Targeted educational efforts are warranted to enhance knowledge of personal risk indicators.Author(s) DisclosuresThe authors declare no conflict of interest.

Research ObjectivesThe LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio is a biomarker of the risk of coronary heart disease. This study aimed to examine the trends and differences in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-to-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL/HDL-C) ratio among U.S. residents by survey years, selected demographic, and socioeconomic variables.DesignThis is an observational study.SettingGeneral community.ParticipantsBlood lipid measurements, taken from 21,850 noninstitutionalized participants, aged 6 to 80, were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) study. We described the distributions of LDL/HDL-C ratio across the life span in four distinct cross-sectional surveys during 2005-2008, 2009-2012, 2013-2016, and 2017-2020, and compared the ratio levels by race/ethnicity, education level, ratio of income to poverty, body mass index (BMI), and general health condition.InterventionsN/A.Main Outcome MeasuresBlood lipid measurements.ResultsThe LDL/HDL-C ratio levels varied by sex and age. Between 2005 and 2020, favorable trends in lipid ratio levels were observed. Overall, non-Hispanic black individuals tended to have lower mean LDL/HDL-C ratio levels than other groups, while Mexican American and other Hispanic individuals tended to have higher LDL/HDL-C ratio levels on average. Being male, having a lower educational level, being obese or having a higher BMI, and reporting poor or fair health status were associated with higher LDL/HDL-C ratio levels. In females, income lower than the poverty level was associated with higher LDL/HDL-C levels. However, there was no difference in LDL/HDL-C levels in males by poverty level.ConclusionsBetween 2005 and 2020, favorable trends in LDL/HDL-C values were observed among noninstitutionalized residents in the US. Targeted educational efforts are warranted to enhance knowledge of personal risk indicators.Author(s) DisclosuresThe authors declare no conflict of interest.

The increasing number of powered wheelchair users, driven by an aging global population and advancements in medical care, highlights a critical need to understand their unique experiences and challenges, particularly regarding assistive technologies and caregiver support. Our study, drawing on qualitative data from 11 participants with diverse disabilities, investigates the complex interplay of technology, independence, and socio-economic factors in their lives. It reveals a significant gap between the potential and actual use of assistive technologies, underscoring the importance of innovation in areas where users heavily rely on caregivers. The implication of this study includes emphasizing the necessity for inclusive, adaptable, and economically accessible assistive technologies and highlighting the vital role of human support in augmenting the quality of life for individuals with mobility impairments.