Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Activation Force and Travel effects on Overexertion in Repetitive Key Tapping

Key switch design parameters, including make force, make travel, and over travel, were investigated for minimizing operator-exerted force while maximizing key-tapping speed. A mechanical apparatus was designed, constructed, and used for independently controlling key switch parameters and for directly measuring finger exertions during repetitive key tapping using strain gauge load cells. The task for the 25 participants involved using the index finger of the dominant hand to repeatedly depress a single key as rapidly as possible. Participants received visual and auditory feedback upon a successful keystroke. Peak force exerted decreased 24% and key-tapping rate increased 2% when over travel was distended from 0.0 to 3.0 mm. Although peak force exerted was not significantly affected by make point travel, key-tapping rate increased 2% when make point travel was reduced from 4.0 to 1.0 mm. These results indicate that key switch mechanisms that provide adequate over travel might enable operators to exert less force during repetitive key tapping without inhibiting performance
Development of a questionnaire to assess the determinants of exercise among breast cancer survivors in Puerto Rico

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) serves to understand determinants that predict the intention to exercise. According to this theory, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceptions of behavioral control determine intention. This is the first theory-based tool designed to measure the determinants of exercise among women in Puerto Rico who are breast cancer survivors. Understanding the determinants will assist in planning theory based interventions. The purpose of this study was to develop a TPB-based questionnaire to assess the determinants of exercise of breast cancer survivors in Puerto Rico and to evaluate its psychometric properties. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used for questionnaire development and psychometric testing. Three independent samples were recruited for the phases of item generation, pilot testing, and evaluation of psychometric properties. An initial 97-item questionnaire was constructed. Test-retest reliability was assessed for the indirect subscales; six items were found unreliable and removed. For the direct subscales, seven items with item-to-total correlations <0.30 were removed. The final version consisted of 84 items, with Cronbach's α ranging from 0.65 to 0.89. Construct validity was demonstrated by significant, fair-to-moderate correlations of all but one of the direct subscales and the multiplied scores of the indirect subscales of similar constructs.
Aurally and Visually Guided Visual Search in a Virtual Environment

We investigated the time participants took to perform a visual search task for targets outside the visual field of view using a helmet-mounted display. We also measured the effectiveness of visual and auditory cues to target location. The auditory stimuli used to cue location were noise bursts previously recorded from the ear canals of the participants and were either presented briefly at the beginning of a trial or continually updated to compensate for head movements. The visual cue was a dynamic arrow that indicated the direction and angular distance from the instantaneous head position to the target. Both visual and auditory spatial cues reduced search time dramatically, compared with unaided search. The updating audio cue was more effective than the transient audio cue and was as effective as the visual cue in reducing search time. These data show that both spatial auditory and visual cues can markedly improve visual search performance. Potential applications for this research include highly visual environments, such as aviation, where there is risk of overloading the visual modality with information.
Effects on centre-based training and home-based training on physical function, quality of life and fall incidence in community dwelling older adults

Abstract This was a quasi-experimental study to compare the effects of center-based training with home-based training on physical function, quality of life and fall incidence in older adults. Fifty older adults were recruited to receive exercise training for 6 months. Participants in the center-based group received training under supervision of a physiotherapist at the day training center. Those in the home-based group received training assisted by a care worker at home. The outcome measures were the Elderly Mobility Scale (EMS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Short-form 12 (SF-12) and fall incidence. Assessments were performed on all participants before and after the 6-month intervention period. Center-based training supervised by a physiotherapist was found to have beneficial effects on physical function, quality of life and fall incidence while home-based training assisted by a care worker had no effect on physical condition and self-rated health status in community dwelling older adults. Service agents should provide center-based or home-based training to the ageing population in a user-friendly way with consideration of factors such as rehabilitation potential and accessibility of transportation.
Head Up versus Head Down: The Costs of Imprecision, Unreliability, and Visual Clutter on Cue Effectiveness for Display Signaling

We conducted 2 experiments to investigate the clutter-scan trade-off between the cost of increasing clutter by overlaying complex information onto the forward field of view using a helmet-mounted display (HMD) and the cost of scanning when presenting this information on a handheld display. In the first experiment, this tradeoff was examined in terms of the spatial accuracy of target cuing data in a relatively sparse display; in the second, the spatial accuracy of the cue was varied more radically in an information-rich display. Participants were asked to detect and identify targets hidden in the far domain while performing a monitoring task in the near domain using either an HMD or a handheld display. The results revealed that on a sparse display, the reduced scanning from the HMD presentation of cuing outweighed the costs of clutter for cued targets, regardless of cue precision, but no benefit was found for uncued targets. When the HMD displayed task-irrelevant information, however, target detection was hindered by the extraneous clutter in the forward field of view relative to the handheld display condition, and this cost of clutter increased as the amount of data that needed to be inspected increased. Potential applications of this research include the development of design considerations for head-up displays for aviation and military applications.
Predicting Practical Fitness to Drive in Drivers With Visual Field Defects Caused by Ocular Pathology

Vision, viewing efficiency, visual attention, and on-road driving performance were assessed in 100 participants with central and/or peripheral visual field defects caused by ocular pathology. Driving was evaluated by the Dutch driving license authority making use of the protocol for investigating practical fitness to drive. A smaller percentage of participants with central visual field defects passed the on road driving test, in comparison with participants with peripheral or mild field defects. The predictive power of a model based on the current vision requirements for driving significantly increased when taking compensatory viewing efficiency into account. The results of the latter model were comparable to those of a model based on tests of visual attention and contrast sensitivity. Despite the increased explained variance of practical fitness to drive when taking higher-order visual functions into account, sensitivity and specificity remained quite low, limiting the use of these tests in identifying unfit drivers. Actual or potential applications of this research include the development of training programs to improve practical fitness to drive in drivers with visual field defects.
Grip Strength Values Stratified by Age, Gender, and Chronic Disease Status in Adults Aged 50 Years and Older

Background and Purpose:Grip strength is a measure of overall muscle strength and has been found to be a predictor of disability and mortality. Almost 3 in 4 adults aged 65 years and older have multiple chronic conditions, known as multimorbidity. Normative data for grip strength have commonly been reported on healthy convenience samples that may not accurately represent the population of interest. Grip strength values of US adults, utilizing a nationally representative data set based on the number of chronic diseases, would be beneficial to health care providers who serve adults with multimorbidity. The purpose of this study was to describe grip strength values of adults in the United States, based on gender, age, and the number of chronic diseases. Methods:A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data collected from adults aged 50 years or older (n = 5877) from the Health and Retirement Study survey administered in 2008. Grip strength values (in kilograms) were determined and stratified on the basis of the number of self-reported chronic diseases (0, 1, 2, ≥3) and stratified by age (decades) and gender. Results:Consistent with previously published values, males demonstrated higher mean hand grip strength than females and grip strength values decreased with age. Adults with multimorbidity demonstrated decreased grip strength as compared with those without chronic conditions (males/females with 0 chronic diseases right grip strength = 44.2/26.8 kg as compared with males/females with 3 or more chronic disease right grip strength = 36.1/21.7 kg). Conclusions:The grip strength values presented can serve as a standard of comparison for the large proportion of adults who have multimorbidity. Clinicians should consider grip strength as a component of a comprehensive physical assessment to identify decreased grip strength and recommend increased physical activity as an appropriate intervention.
Costimulatory blockade with belatacept in clinical and experimental transplantation – a review

Background: Current maintenance immunosuppression agents have been critical to the improved graft and patient survival rates in solid organ transplantation observed over the past decade. However, long-term follow-up has revealed that these agents are associated with troublesome side effects and chronic toxicity, contributing to graft loss and death. Objectives: Costimulation blockade has long been recognized as an important target for immunomodulation in solid organ transplantation. Belatacept, a high-affinity chimeric fusion protein that binds to CD80/CD86 on antigen-presenting cells, has shown great promise in renal transplantation and is now in Phase III trials. Methods: This review explores the development and efficacy of belatacept, compared with currently approved immunosuppressive agents used in transplantation. Results: Belatacept seems to be an effective alternative to current maintenance immunosuppressive therapies, with no apparent end organ toxicity and a minimal side-effect profile. This agent works best when used in combination with therapies that target different pathways of T-cell activation, but the optimal regimen has not yet been identified. Data generated in ongoing clinical trials will be essential in validating previous studies and for further development of belatacept-based combinatorial strategies.
Is more better? The value and potential of intensive community supervision

Intensive supervision of persistent and serious offenders in the community has experienced a revival of interest in recent years in England and Wales. Some initiatives, such as the Prolific and other Priority Offenders Programme, and the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme for juveniles, have been adopted on a large scale. These schemes have had two main aims: to reduce re–offending and to provide an alternative to custody. Evaluations of the projects have shown mixed results, however, and not provided robust evidence of success. The article discusses these findings and suggests that it may be more profitable to consider alternative aims for intensive supervision, such as public protection, proportionate punishment, and offender rehabilitation.
Effects of roasting on oil and fatty acid composition of Turkish hazelnut varieties (Corylus avellana L.)

Abstract A total of 18 natural and roasted hazelnut varieties (namely, Acı, Cavcava, Çakıldak, Foşa, Ham, İncekara, Kalınkara, Kan, Karafındık, Kargalak, Kuş, Mincane, Palaz, Sivri, Tombul, Uzunmusa, Yassı Badem, and Yuvarlak Badem), grown in the Giresun province of Turkey, were compared for their differences in oil content and fatty acid profiles. The oil content in natural and roasted hazelnut varieties ranged from 57.85% for Kargalak to 68.31% for İncekara and from 61.37% for Kargalak to 71.72% for İncekara, respectively. A total of 20 fatty acids were identified in oils extracted from different varieties of natural and roasted hazelnuts. Among the identified fatty acids in natural hazelnut oils, 18:1ω9 was the dominant fatty acid (ranging from 77.77 to 86.91%). Roasting had minor influence on the fatty acid profiles. These results suggest that semi-commercial hazelnut varieties are as good source of oils and possess valuable fatty acid profiles as commercial varieties (Tombul, Çakıldak, Foşa, Karafındık, Mincane, Palaz, and Sivri).
Comparison of Age-Related, Site-Specific Muscle Loss Between Young and Old Active and Inactive Japanese Women

Purpose:To compare the effect of habitual recreational sports and exercise activity on age-related, site-specific muscle loss in young and old women in Japan. Methods:Participants included 152 young (aged 20–35 years) and 157 old (aged 60–85 years) women who were classified into 4 subgroups on the basis of their habitual (more than once a week) sports and exercise activity: young active (n = 86), young inactive (n = 66), old active (n = 43), and old inactive (n [SUPERSCRIPT EQUALS SIGN] 114). Muscle thickness (MTH) and fat thickness (FTH) were measured by ultrasonography at 8 sites, with MTH expressed in terms relative to limb length (MTH/L) or height (MTH/Ht). Percent fat was estimated from FTH, and fat-free mass was calculated. Results:Fat-free mass was similar between younger and older women and between active and inactive women. MTH/L in the quadriceps (P < .001), abdomen (P < .001), and triceps surae (P < .05) was lower in the older women than in the younger women. In contrast, MTH/L in the hamstrings, subscapula, and biceps was higher (P < .01) in the older women than in the younger women. Compared with the MTH of the young inactive women, the MTH of the young active women was greater (P < .05) in 5 sites. Similarly, MTH/L in the quadriceps and triceps was higher (P < .05) in the old active women than in the old inactive women. However, quadriceps MTH/L and abdomen MTH/Ht were still lower (P < .001) in the old active women than in the young inactive women. Conclusion:Age-related muscle loss remains site-specific in both active and inactive young and old women, even when habitual physical activity has an effect on muscle size.
Monitoring of Heavy Metal Content in Fruits and Vegetables Collected from Production and Market Sites in the Misurata Area of Libya

The content of lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and cadmium (Cd) in some selected fruits and vegetables from the Misurata City Market, Libya, were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results of this study showed that the average concentrations detected ranged from 0.02 to 1.824, 0.75 to 6.21, 0.042 to 11.4, 0.141 to 1.168, 0.19 to 5.143, and 0.01 to 0.362 mg/kg for Pb, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, and Cd, respectively. The highest mean levels of Pb, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni and Cd were detected in mango, melon, spinach, banana, mango, and mango fruits, respectively. The levels of these metals found in our study are compared with those reported for similar fruits and vegetables from some other parts of the world. The daily human intakes of Pb, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, and Cd ascribed to a diet of fruits and vegetables in this region have also been estimated.
Reliability and relative validity of a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire for use among adults in Italian population

Our objective was to assess the reliability and relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) among adult people. In a cross-sectional study carried out in northern Italy, 112 adults were recruited. A total of 189 food and drink items were selected according to those typically consumed by Italians. FFQ reliability was assessed by two repeated administrations at 6 weeks. The FFQ was validated using four 24-h recalls repeated in the same period of time. For the validation study, classification into quartiles from the two methods and Bland–Altman plot were also performed. The reliability study showed a good correlation between the two methods. Bland–Altman plots showed that the two methods are very likely to agree for individual energy and macronutrient intakes. The reliability and relative validity of this FFQ was good, supporting its use in assessing dietary intakes of Italians in nutritional surveillance programs and in epidemiological dietary surveys.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Paramedics

Paramedics have the highest rate of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among emergency service workers, higher than police or firefighters. This disorder can be detrimental to their personal and family lives, as well as their careers. Current biomedical, behavioral, and socioenvironmental interventions do not address paramedics' work environment, which contributes to the high rate of PTSD. Occupational health nurses can influence the triad of factors contributing to PTSD among paramedics by facilitating social support and emotional expression while advocating for reduced job exposure to traumatic events. This goal can be accomplished by using a component of the Ottawa Charter, creating a supportive work environment, as a framework. Occupational health nurses, together with management and paramedics, can facilitate a sustainable and supportive work environment that initiates change from within the trauma membrane of paramedics' workplaces to prevent PTSD.
Inequalities in mortality in Scotland 1981-2001

Methods The report combines death records from 1980-2002 with population data from the 1981, 1991 and 2001 Censuses to analyse changes in the pattern of mortality by social class and area-based social deprivation. Both measures of social position have weaknesses, so using the two provides a more detailed and robust picture of changes in inequalities in mortality than either would provide on its own.
Combining Normobaric Hypoxia With Short-term Resistance Training Has No Additive Beneficial Effect on Muscular Performance and Body Composition

Abstract Ho, J-Y, Kuo, T-Y, Liu, K-L, Dong, X-Y, and Tung, K. Combining normobaric hypoxia with short-term resistance training has no additive beneficial effect on muscular performance and body composition. J Strength Cond Res 28(4): 935–941, 2014—The aim of this study was to determine the effects of short-term resistance training combined with systemic hypoxia on muscular performance and body composition. Eighteen resistance-untrained men (21.3 ± 2.0 years, 172.7 ± 5.5 cm, 67.3 ± 9.7 kg) were matched and assigned to 2 experimental groups: performing 6 weeks of squat exercise training under normobaric hypoxia (H, FiO2 = 15%) or normoxia (N). In both groups, subjects performed 3 weekly sessions (a total of 18 sessions) of 3 sets of back squat at 10-repetition maximum with 2 minutes of rest between sets. Dynamic, isometric, and isokinetic leg strength and body composition were measured under normoxia before and after resistance training. Squat 1 repetition maximum (1RM) improved significantly (p ⩽ 0.05) after resistance training in both H and N groups (88.9 ± 16.9 to 109.4 ± 17.0 kg and 90.0 ± 12.2 to 105.6 ± 13.3 kg, respectively). However, there were no changes in maximal isometric and isokinetic leg strength, lean body mass, and fat mass after the resistance training in both groups. In addition, no significant differences were observed between H and N groups in squat 1RM, maximal isometric and isokinetic leg strength, and body composition. The major findings of this study suggest that short-term resistance training performed under normobaric hypoxia has no additive beneficial effect on muscular performance and body composition. In practical terms, our data suggest that the use of systemic hypoxia during short-term resistance training is not a viable method to further enhance muscular performance and body composition in previously resistance-untrained men.
The Reliability and Validity of a Soccer-Specific Nonmotorised Treadmill Simulation (Intermittent Soccer Performance Test)

Abstract Aldous, JWF, Akubat, I, Chrismas, BCR, Watkins, SL, Mauger, AR, Midgley, AW, Abt, G, and Taylor, L. The reliability and validity of a soccer-specific nonmotorised treadmill simulation (intermittent soccer performance test). J Strength Cond Res 28(7): 1971–1980, 2014—This study investigated the reliability and validity of a novel nonmotorised treadmill (NMT)-based soccer simulation using a novel activity category called a “variable run” to quantify fatigue during high-speed running. Twelve male University soccer players completed 3 familiarization sessions and 1 peak speed assessment before completing the intermittent soccer performance test (iSPT) twice. The 2 iSPTs were separated by 6–10 days. The total distance, sprint distance, and high-speed running distance (HSD) were 8,968 ± 430 m, 980 ± 75 m and 2,122 ± 140 m, respectively. No significant difference (p > 0.05) was found between repeated trials of the iSPT for all physiological and performance variables. Reliability measures between iSPT1 and iSPT2 showed good agreement (coefficient of variation: <4.6%; intraclass correlation coefficient: >0.80). Furthermore, the variable run phase showed HSD significantly decreased (p ⩽ 0.05) in the last 15 minutes (89 ± 6 m) compared with the first 15 minutes (85 ± 7 m), quantifying decrements in high-speed exercise compared with the previous literature. This study validates the iSPT as a NMT-based soccer simulation compared with the previous match-play data and is a reliable tool for assessing and monitoring physiological and performance variables in soccer players. The iSPT could be used in a number of ways including player rehabilitation, understanding the efficacy of nutritional interventions, and also the quantification of environmentally mediated decrements on soccer-specific performance.