Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Women's Perceptions on Managing Chronic Arthritis

The development of self-management strategies is an important aspect of living with chronic arthritis and an intervention to which occupational therapists devote a significant amount of time. Within this context, the evidence base is informed predominantly by research undertaken from a psychological perspective. Sociological approaches to living with chronic illness provide valuable insights into the personal perspectives of living with and managing chronic illness. Located within a sociological perspective and focusing on women with chronic arthritis, this study aimed to gain a greater understanding of the strategies that the women used to maintain activity and the integration of such strategies into their lifestyles. A longitudinal qualitative study using interviews, diaries and focus groups was conducted over a period of 2 years. The interviews and focus groups were recorded, transcribed and analysed to identify key themes and concepts. The diaries were analysed to provide insights into the daily activities of the women. Three interrelated themes were identified: the embodied experience of living with chronic arthritis, the development and use of strategies and the integration of the strategies into the women's evolving personal context. This paper explores these themes and discusses their implications for the development of self-management programmes informed by the experiences of people living with these impairments.
A Comparison of Torque Generated by Knee Extension With a Maximal Voluntary Muscle Contraction vis-a-vis Electrical Stimulation

In view of the Russian's claim that electrical stimulation can be used to increase muscle tension above the values generated by a maximum voluntary muscle isometric contraction, two experiments were conducted. Both compared torque values generated around the knee by a maximal voluntary isometric contraction first, to stimulation on its own and second, stimulation in conjunction with voluntary effort. Both experiments contrasted low and medium frequency currents. The first experiment used machines commonly available in therapy departments (N = 12). The second experiment used machines which approximate the Soviets' apparatus (N = 14). Comparisons which were made include: 1) Maximum voluntary contraction. 2) Low frequency current stimulation. 3) Medium frequency current stimulation. 4) “1” plus “2”. 5) “1” plus “3”. Results showed that no method was superior to maximal voluntary contraction. In each instance, the torque generated solely by any of the electrical devices was significantly inferior to voluntary.
Exploring Perceived Enablers and Barriers to Social Marketing Use in Public Health Nursing

Public health managers' perceptions of enablers and barriers to social marketing use among public health nurses were examined. Employing qualitative, action research methods, this study incorporated focus groups using nominal group process and group discussion. Eleven public health managers from large urban, small urban, and rural Canadian public health departments participated. Content analysis was conducted on the focus group transcripts, and trustworthiness was strengthened through independent review by participants and subject experts. Several enablers to social marketing use were identified in the areas of educational preparation of nurses and the nature of public health nursing practice. The majority of barriers to social marketing use related to human and financial resources at the system level. In addition, we identified as imperative that managers at those levels responsible for budgetary planning understand the principles of social marketing more fully if they are to be expected to support its use. Social marketing has the potential to positively influence the health behavior of populations. However, if public health nurses and other health-promotion professions are to incorporate this health-promotion strategy more effectively into their practice, issues related to its use must be addressed.
Architecture of the nuclear pore complex coat

A closeup view of the nuclear pore's coat The precise molecular architecture of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), which mediates traffic between the cytoplasm and the nucleus, has been difficult to ascertain owing to the size and complexity of this subcellular structure. Now, Stuwe et al. describe the crystal structure of the intact ç400-kD coat nucleoporin complex (CNC) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of an engineered antibody fragment. Docking the crystal structure into an electron tomography reconstruction of the human NPC established the presence of 32 copies of the CNC arranged in four stacked rings and revealed the details of higher-order CNC oligomerization at the near-atomic level. Science, this issue p. 1148 The structure of the ~400-kD coat nucleoporin complex of yeast is Y-shaped. The nuclear pore complex (NPC) constitutes the sole gateway for bidirectional nucleocytoplasmic transport. Despite half a century of structural characterization, the architecture of the NPC remains unknown. Here we present the crystal structure of a reconstituted ~400-kilodalton coat nucleoporin complex (CNC) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae at a 7.4 angstrom resolution. The crystal structure revealed a curved Y-shaped architecture and the molecular details of the coat nucleoporin interactions forming the central “triskelion” of the Y. A structural comparison of the yeast CNC with an electron microscopy reconstruction of its human counterpart suggested the evolutionary conservation of the elucidated architecture. Moreover, 32 copies of the CNC crystal structure docked readily into a cryoelectron tomographic reconstruction of the fully assembled human NPC, thereby accounting for ~16 megadalton of its mass.
The nonmagnetic nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Knowledge of the magnetization of planetary bodies constrains their origin and evolution, as well as the conditions in the solar nebular at that time. On the basis of magnetic field measurements during the descent and subsequent multiple touchdown of the Rosetta lander Philae on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P), we show that no global magnetic field was detected within the limitations of analysis. The Rosetta Magnetometer and Plasma Monitor (ROMAP) suite of sensors measured an upper magnetic field magnitude of less than 2 nanotesla at the cometary surface at multiple locations, with the upper specific magnetic moment being <3.1 × 10−5 ampere–square meters per kilogram for meter-size homogeneous magnetized boulders. The maximum dipole moment of 67P is 1.6 × 108 ampere–square meters. We conclude that on the meter scale, magnetic alignment in the preplanetary nebula is of minor importance.
Aggravation of Fatigue by Steroid Therapy in Terminally Ill Patients With Cancer

Steroids are commonly used for fatigue relief in terminally ill cancer patients. However, steroid-induced adverse effects including depression, myopathy, and hyperglycemia may contribute to fatigue. We report our experiences with aggravation of fatigue with steroid use in three cases. Case 1 was a 65-year-old man with advanced gastric cancer. He was started on betamethasone (2 mg/d) for fatigue, but the fatigue worsened due to steroid-induced depression. Discontinuation of steroids and initiation of an antidepressant ameliorated the fatigue. Case 2 was a 68-year-old man with advanced lung cancer. He complained of fatigue. Betamethasone (1 mg/d) was started and alleviated the fatigue. However, when the betamethasone dose was increased to 2 mg/d, the fatigue, with muscle weakness and myalgia, worsened due to steroid-induced myopathy. We therefore switched from betamethasone (2 mg/d) to prednisolone (10 mg /d). The fatigue resolved and the patient returned to his previous condition. Case 3 was a 73-year-old man with recurrent bile duct cancer. He also had diabetes mellitus. He developed fatigue, anorexia and fever. We started betamethasone (1.5 mg/d) for these symptoms, but the fatigue and anorexia worsened due to steroid-induced hyperglycemia. Blood glucose rose to 532 mg/dL. Therefore, insulin therapy was started, and the dose of betamethasone was reduced to 0.5 mg/d. His glucose level decreased to less than 320 mg/dL and he recovered from the fatigue while achieving moderate oral intake. In conclusion, the possibility of steroid-induced secondary fatigue in terminally ill cancer patients should be taken into consideration.
Molecular nitrogen in comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko indicates a low formation temperature

Making comets in the cold The speciation of nitrogen compounds in comets can tell us about their history. Comets are some of the most ancient bodies in the solar system and should contain the nitrogen compounds that were abundant when they formed. Using the ROSINA mass spectrometer aboard the Rosetta spacecraft orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Rubin et al. found molecular nitrogen at levels that are depleted compared to those in the primordial solar system. Depletion of such a magnitude suggests that the comet formed either from the low-temperature agglomeration of pristine amorphous water ice grains or from clathrates. Science, this issue p. 232 Direct measurements of N2 by instruments aboard the Rosetta spacecraft provide clues about the comet’s long history. Molecular nitrogen (N2) is thought to have been the most abundant form of nitrogen in the protosolar nebula. It is the main N-bearing molecule in the atmospheres of Pluto and Triton and probably the main nitrogen reservoir from which the giant planets formed. Yet in comets, often considered the most primitive bodies in the solar system, N2 has not been detected. Here we report the direct in situ measurement of N2 in the Jupiter family comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, made by the Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis mass spectrometer aboard the Rosetta spacecraft. A N2/CO ratio of (5.70±0.66)×10−3 (2σ standard deviation of the sampled mean) corresponds to depletion by a factor of ~25.4 ± 8.9 as compared to the protosolar value. This depletion suggests that cometary grains formed at low-temperature conditions below ~30 kelvin.
Group Reflective Supervision: Thinking with Theory to Develop Practice

This paper presents a scholarship of practice development, that is, an academic/practice partnership, within a participatory action research study. Three teams of mental health occupational therapists and an occupational therapy academic used a group reflective supervision process to support the development of the skills and tools needed to integrate a conceptual practice model. Some of the opportunities and challenges experienced as a result of using this approach are highlighted. The preliminary findings demonstrate that group reflective supervision has provided a valuable space for reflection on practice and enabled therapists to change aspects of their practice as a consequence of thinking with theory.
Investigating an alternative ring design of transducer arrays for tumor treating fields (TTFields)

Tumor treating fields (TTFields) is a therapy that inhibits cell proliferation and has been approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme. This anti-mitotic technique works non-invasively and regionally, and is associated with less toxicity and a better quality of life. Currently a device called Optune™ is clinically used which works with two perpendicular and alternating array pairs each consisting of 3×3 transducers. The aim of this study is to investigate a theoretical alternative array design which consists of two rings of 16 transducers and thus permits various field directions. A realistic human head model with isotropic tissues was used to simulate the electric field distribution induced by the two types of array layouts. One virtual tumour was modelled as a sphere in the white matter close to one lateral ventricle. Four alternative ring design directions were evaluated by activating arrays of 2×2 transducers on opposite sides of the head. The same amount of current was passed through active transducer arrays of the Optune system and the ring design. The electric field distribution in the brain differs for the various array configurations, with higher fields between activated transducer pairs and lower values in distant areas. Nonetheless, the average electric field strength values in the tumour are comparable for the various configurations. Values between 1.00 and 1.91 V/cm were recorded, which are above the threshold for effective treatment. Increasing the amount of field directions could possibly also increase treatment efficacy, because TTFields' effect on cancer cells is highest when the randomly distributed cell division axis is aligned with the field. The results further predict that slightly changing transducer positions only has a minor effect on the electric field. Thus patients might have some freedom to adjust array positions without major concern for treatment efficacy.
Understanding the Views of Those Who Care for Patients With Cancer on Advance Care Planning and End-of-life Care

An electronic survey was used to assess the views of a diverse nationwide cohort of health care professionals regarding advance care planning and end-of-life care. A total of 645 responses were received. If diagnosed with a serious incurable illness with limited life expectancy, 97% would want to discuss their prognosis, 74% would refuse cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and 72% favored supportive/comfort care to more aggressive life-prolonging treatments. However, prognosis was thought to be discussed with only 52% of such patients, and just 5% thought doctors were either very or extremely successful at explaining advanced life-sustaining treatments to patients. Greater than 90% believed these discussions should best occur when a patient is thought to have one or more years to live and 80% thought they are best initiated in the outpatient setting.
ARTSENS® mobile: A portable image-free platform for automated evaluation of vascular stiffness

Vascular stiffness is a key physiological marker significant in screening and early diagnosis of vascular disease. However, state of art techniques for vascular stiffness evaluation are not suited for field deployment. We present ARTSENS® Mobile, a portable, image-free ultrasound technology platform for automated evaluation of carotid artery stiffness, amenable for field deployment. The technology utilises a single element ultrasound transducer operated in pulse echo modality to investigate arterial wall dynamics, assisted by intelligent algorithms for wall identification and motion tracking to completely automate the measurement. The ARTSENS Mobile is built around the NI sbRIO 9651 embedded SOM which runs all algorithms for pulsed transducer excitation, high speed synchronised ultrasound echo capture, real-time signal processing and automated measurement. The system is designed to communicate wirelessly with any smart tablet for data display and wire-free control. The accuracy of automated arterial dimension measurements made by ARTSENS Mobile was verified by phantom studies using a reference ultrasound imaging system. The ability of the system to reliably perform automated measurements was verified by a systematic in-vivo study on 21 volunteers. The intra-operator and inter-operator variability of stiffness index β, was found to be good with a coefficient of variation (CoV) less than 12% and 16 % respectively. The ARTSENS® Mobile can provide accurate and repeatable measures of arterial stiffness in an easy manner and has strong potential in large scale vascular screening.
Attitudes of Medical Students Toward the Care of the Dying in Relation to Personality Traits

Caring for dying patients requires specific attitudes. Medical students often feel unprepared to cope with issues related to end-of-life care. Little is known about the relationships between personality and attitudes toward the dying; consequently, it is difficult for medical educators to devise training that is best suited to prepare students for practicing palliative medicine. The study aimed to investigate the role of personality in predicting students’ attitudes toward the care of the dying. The study findings suggest a significant link between more self-directed and less harm-avoidant personality profiles and more developed attitudes toward the dying. Personality assessment in medical curricula is important, not merely to help teachers plan tailored training but also to foster in future doctors the propensity to develop a patient-centered practice.
Iris authentication in handheld devices - considerations for constraint-free acquisition

As a near ideal biometric, iris authentication is widely used and mobile acquisition techniques are known. But iris acquisition on handheld imaging devices, such as smartphones, poses multiple, unique challenges. In this paper, a range of factors that affect the quality of iris images are reviewed. Iris size, image quality and acquisition wavelength are found to be key factors. Experimental results are presented confirming the lower limits of iris size for useful authentication performance. The authentication workflow for handheld devices is described. A case study on a current smartphone model is presented, including calculation of the pixel resolution that can be achieved with a visible-only optical system. Based on these analyses, system requirements for unconstrained acquisition in smartphones are discussed. Several design strategies are presented and key research challenges are outlined together with potential solutions.
Heart rate reactivity associated to positive and negative food and non-food visual stimuli

Using food as a stimuli is known to cause multiple psychophysiological reactions. Heart rate variability (HRV) is common tool for assessing physiological reactions in autonomic nervous system. However, the findings in HRV related to food stimuli have not been consistent. In this paper the quick changes in HRV related to positive and negative food and non-food visual stimuli are investigated. Electrocardiogram (ECG) was measured from 18 healthy females while being stimulated with the pictures. Subjects also filled Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire to determine their eating behavior. The inter-beat-interval time series and the HRV parameters were extracted from the ECG. The quick change in HRV parameters were studied by calculating the change from baseline value (10 s window before stimulus) to value after the onset of the stimulus (10 s window during stimulus). The paired t-test showed significant difference between positive and negative food pictures but not between positive and negative non-food pictures. All the HRV parameters decreased for positive food pictures while they stayed the same or increased a little for negative food pictures. The eating behavior characteristic cognitive restraint was negatively correlated with HRV parameters that describe decreasing of heart rate.
Statistics requantitates the central dogma

Transcription, not translation, chiefly determines protein abundance in mammals [Also see Research Article by Jovanovic et al.] Mammalian proteins are expressed at ∼103 to 108 molecules per cell (1). Differences between cell types, between normal and disease states, and between individuals are largely defined by changes in the abundance of proteins, which are in turn determined by rates of transcription, messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation, translation, and protein degradation. If the rates for one of these steps differ much more than the rates of the other three, that step would be dominant in defining the variation in protein expression. Over the past decade, system-wide studies have claimed that in animals, differences in translation rates predominate (2–5). On page 1112 of this issue, Jovanovic et al. (6), as well as recent studies by Battle et al. (7) and Li et al. (1), challenge this conclusion, suggesting that transcriptional control makes the larger contribution.
End-of-Life Vignette Acceptability and Feasibility of a Meaning-Based Intervention for Patients With Advanced Cancer and Their Spouses : A Pilot Study

Background: Constructing meaning in cancer leads to improved psychosocial outcomes for patients and survivors. Aim: We tested the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a meaning-based intervention for couples. Design: The single-arm pilot study tested a 4-session, tailored, activities-based couple’s intervention. Setting/Participants: Twelve adults with incurable cancer and their partners participated either in a university office or at the couple’s home. Results: The study showed good feasibility. One of the two patients depressed at baseline was no longer depressed at postintervention. Patients’ threat appraisals decreased and transcendence increased. In partners, depression, anxiety, and challenge appraisal decreased; threat and secondary appraisals and peace with illness increased. Conclusions: Our findings suggest feasibility and efficacy, and further research and continued evaluation of this intervention are warranted.
Rapid nitrous oxide cycling in the suboxic ocean

More N2O is no laughing matter Because N2O is a potent greenhouse gas, tracking its sources and sinks—including those from natural processes—is imperative. Babbin et al. developed an isotopic tracer method to measure biological N2O reduction rates directly in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific Ocean. Incomplete denitrification results in the rapid cycling and net accumulation of N2O. As oxygen minimum zones expand in the global ocean, more N2O may enter the atmosphere than previously expected. Science, this issue p. 1127 Nitrous oxide undergoes rapid biological cycling in the ocean’s oxygen minimum zones. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a powerful greenhouse gas and a major cause of stratospheric ozone depletion, yet its sources and sinks remain poorly quantified in the oceans. We used isotope tracers to directly measure N2O reduction rates in the eastern tropical North Pacific. Because of incomplete denitrification, N2O cycling rates are an order of magnitude higher than predicted by current models in suboxic regions, and the spatial distribution suggests strong dependence on both organic carbon and dissolved oxygen concentrations. Furthermore, N2O turnover is 20 times higher than the net atmospheric efflux. The rapid rate of this cycling coupled to an expected expansion of suboxic ocean waters implies future increases in N2O emissions.
Identifying montages that best detect the electroencephalogram power spectrum alteration during freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease patients

Our research team has previously used four Electroencephalography (EEG) leads to successfully detect and predict Freezing of Gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, it remained to be determined whether these four sensor locations that were arbitrarily chosen based on their role in motor control are indeed the most optimal for FOG detection. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the most optimal location and combination of sensors to detect FOG amongst a 32-channel EEG montage using our EEG classification system. EEG measures, including power spectral density, centroid frequency and power spectral entropy, were extracted from 7 patients with PD and FOG during a series of Timed up and Go tasks. By applying a feed-forward neural networks to classify EEG data, the obtained results showed that even a small number of electrodes suffice to construct a FOG detector with expected performance, which is comparable to the use of a full 32 channels montage. This finding therefore progresses the realization of a FOG detection system that can be effectively implemented on a daily basis for FOG prevention, improving the quality of life for many patients with PD.