Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experiences of poverty amongst low-income older adults living in a high-income country: A qualitative study.

AIM To understand the experience of low-income older adults living in poverty in a high-income country. DESIGN A qualitative study based on Gadamer's hermeneutic phenomenology. METHODS A convenience sample of twenty-seven low-income older adults were interviewed in-depth between September 2021 and January 2022. Fleming's method for conducting phenomenological qualitative studies was followed and ATLAS.ti software was used for data analysis. RESULTS Three main themes were extracted from the analysis: (i) 'living in the shadow of poverty', (ii) 'unprotected by the 'social shield' of the welfare state' (iii) 'the struggle to attain good health'. CONCLUSION Living in poverty affects all spheres of life. Older adults living in poverty feel excluded from social support policies and laws. This has a negative impact on the older adults' mental health and can lead to social isolation. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE Nursing interventions to promote health amongst older adults living in poverty should include an assessment of the patient's social determinants and a focus on increasing social participation. Older people living in poverty experience difficulties accessing formal social support so nurses should implement patient navigation interventions that aim to help them overcome the complexities of the system. Nursing interventions to improve mental health amongst older adults living in poverty are much needed. IMPACT Living in poverty increases older adults' vulnerability. Older adults living in poverty suffer from mental health issues as they live under constant pressure to meet their basic needs and lack formal social support. These findings are important for nurses, who play a pivotal role in the design, implementation and evaluation of policies and interventions that promote health equity. REPORTING METHOD The study has been conducted following the COREQ guidelines. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION There has been no public or patient involvement in the design or development of the study.
Human milk immune factors, maternal nutritional status, and infant sex: The INSPIRE study

Breastfeeding is an energetically costly and intense form of human parental investment, providing sole‐source nutrition in early infancy and bioactive components, including immune factors. Given the energetic cost of lactation, milk factors may be subject to tradeoffs, and variation in concentrations have been explored utilizing the Trivers‐Willard hypothesis. As human milk immune factors are critical to developing immune system and protect infants against pathogens, we tested whether concentrations of milk immune factors (IgA, IgM, IgG, EGF, TGFβ2, and IL‐10) vary in response to infant sex and maternal condition (proxied by maternal diet diversity [DD] and body mass index [BMI]) as posited in the Trivers‐Willard hypothesis and consider the application of the hypothesis to milk composition.
A method for testing interaction in unreplicated two-way tables: using all pairwise interaction contrasts

Several methods exist for testing interaction in unreplicated two-way layouts. Some are based on specifying a functional form for the interaction term and perform well provided that the functional form is appropriate. Other methods do not require such a functional form to be specified but only test for the presence of non-additivity and do not provide a suitable estimate of error variance for a non-additive model. This paper presents a method for testing for interaction in unreplicated two-way tables that is based on testing all pairwise interaction contrasts. This method (i) is easy to implement, (ii) does not assume a functional form for the interaction term, (iii) can find a sub-table of data which may be free from interaction and to base the estimate of unknown error variance, and (iv) can be used for incomplete two-way layouts. The proposed method is illustrated using examples and its power is investigated via simulation studies. Simulation results show that the proposed method is competitive with existing methods for testing for interaction in unreplicated two-way layouts.
Optimization of the Simple One-Step Stool Processing Method to Diagnose Tuberculosis: Evaluation of Robustness and Stool Transport Conditions for Global Implementation

The manuscript will support the global implementation and scale-up of the SOS stool method in routine settings. It also provides important insights on the optimal stool transport conditions and robustness of the SOS method, which can be used for bacteriological diagnosis of TB in children at the lowest levels of the healthcare system, avoiding lengthy healthcare-seeking pathways and additional costs. ABSTRACT Stool is recommended as an alternative specimen for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in young children, as they cannot easily produce sputum. The Simple One-Step (SOS) stool processing method is a new and simple stool processing method for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) using Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert-Ultra). We determined the robustness of the SOS stool processing method and stool specimen transport conditions in participants with confirmed TB. We processed stool using the standard protocol after simulated “transport,” varying time, and temperature, and experimented with slightly modified processing steps. We included 2,963 Xpert-Ultra test results from 132 stool specimens of 47 TB participants, including 11 children aged <10 years. We compared Xpert-Ultra processing errors and MTB positivity rates between standard and modified procedures. Minor deviations from the standard SOS protocol did not significantly impact the Xpert-Ultra test outcomes. The rate of Xpert-Ultra processing errors significantly increased with noncold-chain transport, exposure of stool to sample reagent at room temperature or beyond 12 h, and adding >0.8 g of stool. We found that almost all steps in the current SOS stool processing method provide optimal Xpert-Ultra results but recommend an adjustment to use a wider range of stool amounts (0.3 to 0.8 g) than advised previously (0.8 g). With this adaptation, stool-based diagnosis of TB using the SOS stool processing method can be scaled-up. IMPORTANCE The manuscript will support the global implementation and scale-up of the SOS stool method in routine settings. It also provides important insights on the optimal stool transport conditions and robustness of the SOS method, which can be used for bacteriological diagnosis of TB in children at the lowest levels of the healthcare system, avoiding lengthy healthcare-seeking pathways and additional costs.
Factors influencing drink driving intention among motorcyclists in Vietnam

Abstract Objective Reducing drink driving amongst motorcyclists has been deemed as a potential area for improving road traffic safety in most developing countries. However, research efforts paid on determining the underlying factors of drink driving intention amongst this road user group has been still scant. To fill this gap, this study explored the factors influencing motorcyclists’ intention to drink and drive in Vietnam. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted with a sample of 451 Vietnamese motorcycle riders. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was utilized as a frame of reference to address this issue. Apart from the TPB standard variables (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control) and extended TPB variables which have been previously investigated in literature (i.e., descriptive norm, past behavior, and risk perception), the present research introduced four extended factors to TPB including social sanctions, physical loss, perception of drink driving enforcement, and perceived ability to influence traffic police to avoid punishment. Results The results showed significant effects of attitudes toward drink driving, perceived behavioral control, past behavior and social sanctions on motorcyclists’ drink driving intention. In addition, the data showed that both new context-based variables (i.e., “perception of drink driving enforcement” and “perceived ability to influence traffic police to avoid punishment”) were significantly related to drink driving intention. Conclusions Various underlying factors of motorcyclists’ intention to drink and drive were identified under the TPB framework. The findings provide useful information for road safety interventions in Vietnam. In particular, making enforcement activities more visible to motorcyclists and putting more effort into reducing corruption and other illegal activities in the traffic police sector could be effective measures for obtaining desirable drink driving behaviors.
How the bereaved behave: a cross-cultural study of emotional display behaviours and rules

ABSTRACT Cultural norms may dictate how grief is displayed. The present study explores the display behaviours and rules in the bereavement context from a cross-cultural perspective. 86 German-speaking Swiss and 99 Chinese bereaved people who lost their first-degree relative completed the adapted bereavement version of the Display Rules Assessment Inventory. Results indicated that the German-speaking Swiss bereaved displayed more emotions than the Chinese bereaved. The Chinese bereaved, but not the German-speaking Swiss bereaved, thought that bereaved people should display more emotions than they actually did when they were with their close others (but not when they were alone). Bereaved people endorsed more emotional expression “when alone” than “when with close others”, demonstrating a social disconnection tendency, which was more evident in the Chinese sample. Bereaved people endorsed more expression of positive emotions (e.g. affection/love) and less expression of powerful negative emotions (e.g. blame/guilt, anger) across cultures. Compared to their Chinese counterparts, the German-speaking Swiss sample indicated more actual expressions for most emotion types (i.e. joy/happiness, affection/love, sadness, anger, and denial) but thought bereaved people should express more joy/happiness and less blame/guilt. The results suggest that bereaved people’s display behaviours and rules are influenced by culture, situation, and type of emotion.
Implementation of Binary to Gray Code Converters in Quantum Dot Cellular Automata

Quantum dot cellular automaton (QCA) are dominant nanotechnology which has been used extensively in digital circuits and systems. It is a promising alternative to complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology with many enticing features such as high-speed, low power consumption and higher switching frequency than transistor based technology. The code converters are the basic unit for transformation of data to execute arithmetic processes. In this paper, QCA based 2-bit binary-to- gray; 3-bit binary-to-gray and 4-bit binary-to-gray code converter have been proposed. The proposed design reduces the number of cells, area and raises switching speed. The simulations are completed using QCADesigner and Microwindlite tool which is widely used for simulation and verification.
Diagnostics of low-pressure hydrogen discharge created in a 13.56 MHz RF plasma reactor

A 13.56 MHz RF discharge in hydrogen was studied within the pressure range of 1–10 Pa, and at a power range of 400–1000 W. The electron energy distribution function and electron density were measured by a Langmuir probe. The gas temperature was determined by the Fulcher-α system in pure H2, and by the second positive system of nitrogen using N2 as the probing gas. The gas temperature was constant and equal to 450 ± 50 K in the capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) mode, and it increased with pressure and power in the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mode. Also, the vibrational temperature of the ground state of hydrogen molecules was determined to be around 3100 and 2000 ± 500 K in the ICP and CCP mode, respectively. The concentration of atomic hydrogen was determined by means of actinometry, either by using Ar (5%) as the probing gas, or by using H2 as the actinometer in pure hydrogen (Q1 rotational line of Fulcher-α system). The concentration of hydrogen density increased with pressure in both modes, but with a dissociation degree slightly higher in the ICP mode (a factor 2).
Telemedicine for follow-up of systemic lupus erythematosus during the 2019 coronavirus pandemic: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial

Introduction Patients with systemic lupus erythematous were vulnerable to severe coronavirus disease 2019 infection and the negative impact of disrupted healthcare delivery. Telemedicine has been a popular alternative to standard in-person care during the pandemic despite the lack of evidence. Methods This was a 1-year pragmatic randomized-controlled trial. Patients followed at the lupus nephritis clinic were randomized to either telemedicine or standard follow-up in a 1:1 ratio. Patients in the telemedicine group were followed up via videoconferencing. Standard follow-up group patients continued conventional in-person outpatient care. The primary outcome of the study was the proportion of patients in low disease activity after 1 year. Secondary outcomes included cost-of-illness, safety, and various patient-reported outcomes. Results From 6/2020 to 12/2021, 144 patients were randomized and 141 patients (telemedicine: 70, standard follow-up: 71) completed the study. At 1 year, 80.0% and 80.2% of the patients in the telemedicine group and standard follow-up group were in lupus low disease activity state or complete remission, respectively (p = 0.967). Systemic lupus erythematous disease activity indices, number of flares and frequency of follow-ups were also similar. There were no differences in the cost-of-illness, quality of life or mental health scores. However, significantly more patients in the telemedicine group (41.4% vs 5.6%; p < 0.001) required switch of mode of follow-up and higher proportion of them had hospitalization during the study period (32.9% vs 15.5%; p = 0.016). Being in the telemedicine group or not in low disease activity at baseline were the independent predictors of hospitalization (odds ratio: 2.6; 95% confidence interval: 1.1–6.1, odds ratio: 2.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.1–6.7, respectively) in the post hoc analysis. Conclusions In patients with systemic lupus erythematous, telemedicine predominant follow-up resulted in similar 1-year disease control compared to standard care. However, it needed to be complemented by in-person visits, especially in patients with unstable disease.
Reproductive health education in the schools of the four UK nations: is it falling through the gap?

Abstract Reproductive health education is crucial to ensure young people understand their reproductive system and can make informed decisions about their sexual lives and fertility, including whether they want to have children or not. This study involved an investigation of the intended UK school curricula for 14–18 year-olds as they relate to reproductive health. Analysis revealed substantial differences. Most, but not all, specifications include sexually transmitted infections, hormonal aspects of reproduction, contraception, the menstrual cycle and assisted reproductive technology (ART). Important topics, such as endometriosis, fertility, preconception health, pregnancy, miscarriage, menopause and infertility (except in the context of ART) are missing from examination specifications and/or the RSE/RSHP curricula. We conclude that many young people in the UK are at risk of leaving school with inadequate understanding of concepts that have important implications for their reproductive health. There are differences between nations, with Scotland having the most comprehensive coverage of topics in its curriculum. High-quality reproductive health education should be an entitlement for all young people. It should give young people accurate and up-to-date information and enable them to discuss issues and develop their own thinking. Ideally, sex and reproductive health education would be taught comprehensively across the RSE/RSHP and science curricula.
Clinicopathological analysis of the periprosthetic tissue of revision total hip and knee arthroplasty

To the Editor: In recent years, total joint replacement has become the most effective method to preserve the joint function. However, with the increase in the numbers of surgeries, attention to post-operative complications has increased dramatically. The main complication is loosening of the prosthesis. Loosening can be caused by periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). The histopathology of periprosthetic tissue is one of the commonly used methods for diagnosing PJI. Since neutrophils can reflect the body’s response to infection, the diagnosis of PJI can be determined by the neutrophil counts in the tissues. However, the compliance and standard repeatability of the histological diagnosis and the clinical diagnosis remain to be further analyzed. The loosening of prosthetics can also be an aseptic process. Aseptic loosening is mainly caused by two factors: (1) polyethylene granules, bone cement, ceramics, metal particles, etc., which cause periprosthetic osteolysis; (2) lack of bone and implant stability which results in aseptic loosening. Whether it is infectious or aseptic loosening, connective tissue can wrap around with varying thickness and width, and this is known as the periprosthetic membrane, which can be formed between the prosthesis and the bone. The periprosthetic membrane can be removed by joint revision surgery. Pathological analysis of these membranes can provide an auxiliary diagnostic basis for infection on the one hand and an in-depth study of aseptic loosening on the other hand. In this study, we performed pathological analyses of periprosthetic tissues obtained during revision total hip and knee arthroplasty in our hospital and discussed the diagnostic value of pathologic analysis in PJI in patients with clinical infections. The aseptic lymphocytic vasculitis-associated lesion (ALVAL) score of the aseptic periprosthetic tissue and the observation of the wear particles of the implant provide relevant evidence for the evaluation of the tissue after clinical total joint replacement.
Quasi-brittle failure of heterogeneous materials : damage statistics and localization

We propose a novel approach inspired from non-local damage continuum mechanics to describe damage evolution and quasi-brittle failure of disordered solids. Heterogeneities are introduced at a mesoscopic continuous scale through spatial variations of the material resistance to damage. The central role played by the load redistribution during damage growth is analyzed by varying the interaction function used in the non-local model formulation. The spatio-temporal evolution of the damage field is obtained from energy conservation arguments, so that the formulation is thermodynamically consistent. We analytically determine the onsets of localization and failure that appear controlled by the redistribution function. Damage spreading is characterized through a complete statistical analysis of the spatio-temporal organization of the precursors to failure. The power law increase of the rate of energy dissipated by damage and an extracted correlation length close to failure supports the interpretation of quasi-brittle failure as a critical phenomena. Indeed, we establish a connection between our damage model and the evolution law of an elastic interface driven in a disordered medium. It allows to identify the order and control parameters of the critical transition, and capture the scale-free statistical properties of the precursors within the mean field limit. Finally, we experimentally investigate the coaction of localized dissipative events and elastic redistributions in disordered media via compression experiments of two-dimensional arrays of hollow soft cylinders. Our experimental observations show a quantitative agreement with the predictions derived following our approach.
Cortical and Trabecular Bone Deficit in Middle‐Aged Men Living with HIV

A significant increase in the risk of hip fracture was observed in middle‐aged men living with human immunodeficiency virus (MLWH), almost a decade earlier than those without infection. Data regarding cortical and trabecular bone deficit of hip, an important determinant of bone strength, in MLWH are limited. Quantitative CT was performed in consecutive MLWH aged ≥30 years between November 2017 and October 2018 at Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. Volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and cortical bone mapping parameters of hip (cortical thickness [CTh], cortical bone vBMD [CBMD], cortical mass surface density [CMSD], endocortical trabecular density [ECTD]) were compared to age‐matched and body mass index (BMI)‐matched controls (1:2) using a community‐based healthy adults cohort. Among 83 MLWH and 166 controls (mean age: 47.2 years; BMI: 23.6 kg/m2), MLWH had lower total hip vBMD (280 ± 41 versus 296 ± 41 mg/cm3), CMSD (155 versus 160 mg/cm2), and ECTD (158 versus 175 mg/cm3) than controls that remained robust after adjustment for covariates (adjusted β: total hip vBMD, −18.8; CMSD, −7.3; ECTD, −18.0; p < 0.05 for all). Cortical bone mapping revealed localized deficit of CTh, CBMD, and CMSD in the anterolateral trochanteric region and femoral neck in MLWH compared to controls, with a more extensive ECTD deficit. In MLWH, lower CD4 T‐cell count (/100 cells/mm3 decrement) and protease inhibitor (PI)‐based regimen (versus non‐PI regimen) at the time of antiretroviral treatment initiation were associated with lower total hip vBMD (adjusted β −7.5 for lower CD4 count; −28.3 for PI‐based regimen) and CMSD (adjusted β −2.6 for lower CD4 count; −12.7 for PI‐based regimen; p < 0.05 for all) after adjustment for covariates including age, BMI, smoking, alcohol use, hepatitis C virus co‐infection, tenofovir exposure, and CT scanner types. MLWH had lower hip bone density with cortical and trabecular bone deficit compared to community‐dwelling controls. © 2023 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).