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Objectives: This study aimed to assess membrane use with a bone substitute graft for guided bone regeneration (GBR) in experimental dehiscence defects. Materials and methods: Maxillary second incisors (I2) in 9 dogs were extracted. Six weeks later, implants were inserted and experimental dehiscence defects (5 × 3 mm) created on the buccal aspect. The defects and surrounding bone were grafted with deproteinized bovine bone mineral. One side (test) was covered with a resorbable collagen membrane whereas the contralateral side (control) was not. After 6 weeks, histomorphometrical analysis was performed to evaluate: (a) first bone-to-implant contact (fBIC), (b) buccal bone thickness at 1 mm increments from implant shoulder, (c) regenerated area (RA), (d) area and percentages of new bone (B), bone substitute (BS) and mineralized tissue (MT). Results: The histological appearance was similar between test and control sites. At central and lateral sections, there were no differences between groups for fBIC, buccal bone thickness, RA, BS, B, %B, MT and %MT. At central sections, membrane use favoured more %BS and %MT (p = 0.052). There was significantly more B, %B and MT at lateral compared to central sections. Conclusions: Membrane use tended to retain more bone substitute, but had no effect on new bone ingrowth. Lateral sections showed significantly more bone ingrowth and mineralized tissue compared to central sections, confirming that new bone ingrowth takes place mainly from the lateral walls of the defect. Clinical relevance: Preclinical research to clarify the dynamics of bone regeneration in GBR procedures is relevant in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychologist resourcing across the United Kingdom (UK) spinal cord injury centres (SCICs) varies considerably, which has detrimentally impacted standardising service provision for people with spinal cord injuries/disorders (PwSCI/D) compared with other nations. This paper presents the outcome of a project involving the Spinal Cord Injury Psychology Advisory Group (SCIPAG) and NHS England Clinical Reference Group/SCI transformation groups to agree upon screening and standards and shares data from the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) and the Yorkshire and Midlands Regional SCICs. Inpatients completed the GAD-7, the PHQ-9, and the short form of the Appraisals of DisAbility: Primary and Secondary Scale (ADAPSSsf), assessing adjustment. A total of 646 participants were included, with 43% scoring above the clinical threshold on at least one of the measures on admission. A subset of 272 participants also completed discharge measures and 42% remained above the threshold on discharge, demonstrating sustained psychological need. This paper provides support for services to move to a screen-and-assessment model supplemented by referral options for those with changing needs or who present with difficulties outside the remit of screening. The findings also support the efficacy of universal screening across the system and consideration of screening and standards for psychological care by the wider psychology community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This innovative academic-practice partnership applied user-centered design, resulting in a new clinical model, the “Harm Prevention Partners Program.” The model engaged students working as teams with faculty to intervene on nurse-sensitive indicators by documenting care on a novel smartphone tool and generating an intervention dashboard to visualize impact. Faculty utilized the dashboard to guide postclinical debriefing and highlight students' impact on patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism is a normal part of cognitive diversity, resulting in communication and sensory processing differences, which can become disabling in a neurotypical world. Autistic people have an increased likelihood of physical and mental co-occurring conditions and die earlier than neurotypical peers. Inaccessible healthcare may contribute to this. Autism Health Passports (AHPs) are paper-based or digital tools which can be used to describe healthcare accessibility needs; they are recommended in UK clinical guidance. However, questions remained as to the theoretical underpinnings and effectiveness of AHPs. Methods: We undertook a systematic literature search identifying studies focused on AHPs for adults (aged over 16 years) from five databases. Included literature was subjected to realist evaluation. Data were extracted using a standardised form, developed by the research team, which considered research design, study quality for realist review and the Context, Mechanisms and Outcomes (CMOs) associated with each AHP tool. Findings: 162 unique records were identified, and 13 items were included in the review. Only one item was considered high quality. Contextual factors focused on the inaccessibility of healthcare to Autistic patients and staff lack of confidence and training in supporting Autistic needs. Interventions were heterogeneous, with most sources reporting few details as to how they had been developed. The most frequently included contents were communication preferences. Mechanisms were often not stated or were inferred by the reviewers and lacked specificity. Outcomes were included in four studies and were primarily focused on AHP uptake, rather than Outcomes which measured impact. Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to conclude that AHPs reduce the health inequalities experienced by Autistic people. Using an AHP tool alone in a healthcare Context that does not meet Autistic needs, without the inclusion of the local Autistic community developing the tool, and a wider intervention to reduce known barriers to health inequality, may mean that AHPs do not trigger any Mechanisms, and thus cannot affect Outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity has well-known benefits for older adults' mood and cognitive functioning; however, it is not clear whether risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) affect the relationships of physical activity with these health outcomes among diverse older adults. This study investigated the impact of CVD risk burden on the relationships among self-reported physical activity, mood, and cognitive functioning in a diverse sample of 62 adults age 45 and older. We found that higher physical activity was associated with better attention and verbal working memory at lower CVD risk, but with worse attention and verbal working memory at higher CVD risk levels. Thus, higher CVD risk might limit the effectiveness of exercise interventions for mood and cognitive functioning. Future studies are needed to further clarify individual differences that impact the relationships among physical activity, CVD risk, and cognitive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Before the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruptions it brought, medication adherence was already a challenging and complex health behavior. The purpose of this study was to describe patients' interactions in clinic, pharmacy, and home contexts and associated medication management and adherence during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients and Methods: A survey questionnaire was developed using the Medication Adherence Context and Outcomes framework and distributed via social media between May and July 2020 targeting adults taking a daily prescribed medication. Survey questions assessed sociodemographics, interactions with healthcare providers, clinics, pharmacies, medication management experiences, habit strength, and life chaos perceptions during the pandemic. Medication adherence was assessed by the self-report BAASIS© scale to measure implementation, discontinuation, and overall nonadherence. Results: A total of 134 adults from the United States, mean age 50.0 (SD 16.1) years were included in this analysis. Respondents took a median of 3.50 (interquartile range 4) daily medications. Delays in seeing a provider were reported by 47 (35.1%). Pharmacy encounters were impacted; 25 (18.7%) indicated their method for obtaining medication changed. Medication nonadherence was reported among 62 (46.3%) and was significantly greater among those who delayed prescription refills (p=0.032), pillbox users (p=0.047), and those who experienced greater life chaos (p=0.040) and lower habit strength (p< 0.001) in the early phase of the pandemic. Conclusion: Although the early phase of the pandemic affected access to care for nearly one-third of the sample, distance-accessible care options and strategies to obtain needed services without being in-person supported respondents medication management. Helpful strategies included provider accessibility, telehealth, home delivery/mail-order, drive-thru's, 90-day supplies, and online/automatic refills. Methods to develop and reestablish habits are critical. Care providers in clinic and pharmacy settings can educate and remind patients about services like distance-accessible technologies and online ordering of medications and establishing routines to support medication adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolution is often challenging for high school students to understand because it encompasses an array of interlinked processes that occur across a broad swath of biological scales. To help address this, we have developed a set of freely accessible, online, and interactive lessons that focus on the evolution of sweet garden peas from their starchy tasting ancestors. Gregor Mendel first explored the genetics of garden peas in the mid-1800s; our materials help students explore the basis of the R and r alleles from genetic, protein, cell function, artificial selection, and population genetics perspectives. These Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)–linked lessons integrate concepts across scales and are designed to be used in a flexible order, with support provided to teachers on how to choose a sequence that meets their students’ needs. Throughout, students act as scientists as they uncover how multiple processes at disparate scales all worked together in the evolution of sweet and wrinkled peas from ancestors that were starchy and round. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor medication adherence is a significant problem, yet interventions to improve it have been largely ineffective. Existing ecological models indicate that adherence is multi-dimensional; however, they do not reflect understanding of context-specific processes and how they lead to adherence outcomes. A framework that reflects context-specific processes is important because it could be used to inform context-specific intervention delivery and measure associated adherence outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Medication Adherence Context and Outcomes (MACO) framework, which includes contexts (ie, clinics, pharmacies, and home) and context-specific processes (ie, shared decision-making, prescription filling strategies, home medication management) that lead to adherence outcomes (initiation, implementation, discontinuation, and persistence). The Medication and Adherence Contexts and Outcomes (MACO) framework was iteratively developed between 2015 and 2018 based on theory, practice, and research and combining patient experience journey mapping to chronologically describe the environmental contexts and actions (processes) that occur within the contexts and how they contribute to medication adherence as outcome. The three distinct yet interrelated contexts described in the MACO framework are 1) clinical encounters, 2) pharmacy encounters, and 3) day-to-day home management. Within these contexts are specific medication management actions that occur (processes) in order to produce adherence-related outcomes (initiation, implementation, and discontinuation/persistence). The MACO framework distinguishes context-specific processes and outcomes. The MACO framework may be useful to understand at which point(s) along the continuum people experience problems with managing medications. This understanding is potentially useful for developing and delivering context-specific interventions that are based on processes that underlie nonadherence and selecting adherence measures appropriate for the contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism health passports (AHPs) have been endorsed by the UK government and recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, but are they working in practice? As autistic researchers, we want to share what we have discovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes and reflects on the first six meetings of a newly established Autistic community council, founded to steer a participatory, longitudinal qualitative study investigating the reproductive health of Autistic people with wombs. The two key aims of these initial six meetings – involving four Autistic community leader members and three Autistic researchers – was to (1) guide the start of the project and the development of accessible recruitment materials for the future eight lay members and (2) establish a safe space and a model of accessible communication. We draw on extracts from transcripts made during meetings, member ‘field’ notes and a reflexive co-writing practice to identify the ways in which a sense of safety was built during these first community council meetings. We explore what it means to be an insider-only Community Partnered Participatory Research Council and reflect on the praxis we developed to facilitate Autistic knowledge production.In recent years, there has been a growing call for participatory Autism research (i.e. research that meaningfully involves Autistic people in its design and delivery). Community Partnered Participatory Research is a research methodology that aims to share power between researchers and members of the researched community. There is some precedent for Community Partnered Participatory Research in Autism research, but it is still quite uncommon. At the start of our new research study (called Autism: From Menstruation to Menopause), we created a community council. For the first six meetings, our council was made up of four Autistic community members who were experienced in Autism advocacy and activism and three Autistic researchers. We seven are the authors of this article. In these first six meetings, we made plans for recruiting a larger number of lay community members who would join us later for the rest of the project (8 years in total). In this article, we describe and reflect what it felt like during these first six meetings to be part of a community research council where everybody is Autistic. We discuss how we co-created a safe space, how we helped each other feel valued and how we worked together to support each other’s sometimes-differing access needs so that everyone could fully participate. We provide recommendations for how to support Autistic people to lead research on their own terms with their unique insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Prior work with older adults has shown that participating in a range of physical, social, and cognitive activities provides great benefits, such as improved mood and cognitive functioning. These activities can protect against common cognitive problems associated with aging (e.g., poor working memory and processing speed) and lower the risk of developing dementia, thus supporting the cognitive reserve hypothesis. Cognitive reserve refers to the preservation of an individual's cognitive abilities over time despite changes in the brain that allows them to be resilient in performing daily and complex tasks (Stern, 2012). Historical factors such as education, life experiences, and occupational complexity, as well as current lifestyle behaviors such as cognitive and social activities may serve as proxies for cognitive reserve. It is not clear whether historical proxies of cognitive reserve (e.g., educational attainment) interact with more proximal lifestyle factors (e.g., recent cognitive stimulation) to impact cognitive functioning. In this study, we examined if education, recent cognitive activity, and their interaction predicted enhanced immediate memory and visual and verbal working memory in middle-aged to older adults. Participants and Methods: Participants were 62 middle-aged to older adults (age 45-93; mean age = 65.9 years; 80.6% female; 70.9% Black; ∼75.0% with high school education or higher) recruited from a Louisiana housing facility for seniors with low or fixed incomes and a local community center. Data collection included the CHAMPS Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Adults, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale subtests (Digit Span Forward and Digit Span Backward), and the Size Judgment Span Task. Mixed-effects regression analyses were performed with education (less than high school, high school, college), the CHAMPS cognitive activity composite (Weaver & Jaeggi, 2021), and an education * cognitive activity interaction term as independent variables and cognitive test scores as the outcome variables. All models controlled for age and race/ethnicity. Results: Significant education by cognitive activity effects were observed for Digit Span Backward and Size Judgment Span, but not for Digit Span Forward. The interactions reflected a positive association between cognitive activity and cognitive functioning in people with at least a high school education, but not in people with less than a high school education. Conclusions: Our results support previous findings that education level and engagement in cognitive activity may serve as protective factors against cognitive decline in later life. The finding that cognitive activity was not associated with better cognitive functioning at lower levels of education suggest that earlier life experiences may moderate the benefit of lifestyle interventions later in life. Future studies should examine whether other lifestyle interventions, such as exercise, are more beneficial for people with less cognitive reserve from earlier life experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching and understanding evolution is challenging because students must synthesize several biological processes that are traditionally taught separately. We developed a set of free online lessons and activities centered on a single evolutionary phenomenon - why deer mice have different fur colors in different subpopulations - to help high school students better understand how these different biological processes, operating at different scales, work together to influence a single organismal trait. Through scaffolded investigations, guiding questions, model building, and pointed analysis, students learn how ecology, cellular biology, molecular biology, genetic inheritance, and population genetics all work together to influence a shift in fur color over time. Using an innovative multilevel simulation, students manipulate and examine these different processes from the population level all the way down to the DNA level. In this article, we describe the lessons and materials we have developed for high school biology students. We outline the learning goals and highlight the major components of the technology and activities in each lesson. We then provide information on how to access our curricular and support materials, and conclude with user feedback from our pilot testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of Desire2Move (D2M) implementation fidelity by Wellness Champions on program effectiveness. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Years 1, 3, and 5 of D2M; an annual peer support health and well-being initiative for university employees. Participants: D2M participants included 422 employees from 28 teams; however, only 144 provided survey data (34.1% response rate). Intervention: During the 8-week program, departments competed as teams to accumulate the greatest average physical activity (PA) minutes. Each team selected a Wellness Champion who delivered program information. Each team member recorded PA minutes with MapMyFitnes s. Measures: An electronic survey assessed program implementation fidelity and program satisfaction. Analysis: Median split (median [Mdn] = 21.2) categorized teams into "high" (n = 14; Mdn = 24.0, range = 21.4-25.0) and "low" (n = 14; Mdn = 19.4, range = 14.3-21.0) implementation groups. Independent samples t tests evaluated differences between groups on program satisfaction and team program average PA minutes. Results: Groups were significantly different for program satisfaction, t(26) = −2.76, P =.011, and team program average PA minutes, t(26) = −2.40, P =.024. The "high" implementation group reported greater program satisfaction (mean [M] = 12.6, standard deviation [SD] = 1.8) and team program average PA minutes (M = 2104.4, SD = 807.4) than the "low" implementation group (program satisfaction M = 11.1, SD = 1.1; team program average minutes M = 1340.8, SD = 875.8). Conclusion: Wellness Champions positively impacted employee PA participation and program satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent systematic reviews have questioned the ability of psychosocial intervention to add substantive benefit to buprenorphine therapy. Objectives: The purpose of the present meta-analysis was to test the random effects model (REM) null hypothesis that, for opioid use disorder (OUD) and opioid biological sample outcomes, the summary effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) + buprenorphine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) = 0. Methods: A systematic review was conducted searching electronic databases and the reference lists of included studies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) criteria were used to guide this review and the REM meta-analysis. Results: The initial meta-analytic model (k = 4) was insignificant (REM Hedges' g =.22, Z = 1.27, p =.206, 95% CI: −0.12–0.56) and heterogeneous (I2 = 53.47). A pre-specified categorical moderator analysis explained the heterogeneity via CBT modality. Categorical moderator analysis (k = 4) showed non-individual CBT RCTs (k = 2) to have a REM Hedges' g summary effect of.598 (p =.006) and individual-CBT RCTs (k = 2) to have a REM Hedges' g summary effect of −0.010 (p =.936). The difference between these two subgroups was significant (Q = 5.85, df = 1, p =.016). Conclusion: The evidence cautiously suggests that for OUD, there may be some benefit to adding non-individual CBT to buprenorphine therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the stability of apically tapered and straight (non‐tapered cylindrical) implants at the time of immediate placement and to histologically evaluate the healing outcomes after 6 weeks. Materials and Methods: The second maxillary incisors were extracted bilaterally in nine dogs. After randomization, apically tapered and straight implants with a 3.3 mm shoulder diameter were inserted into the extraction sockets. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) of the implants was recorded after placement. Peri‐implant defects on the buccal aspect were filled with deproteinized bovine bone mineral and covered with resorbable type I/III porcine collagen matrix. After 6 weeks of healing, sections were prepared for histological and morphometric analysis. Results: All implant sites healed uneventfully. The apically tapered implants had significantly higher ISQ values compared to straight implants at placement (p =.009). The histomorphometric outcomes 6 weeks following implant placement in both experimental groups were similar, except in the apico‐palatal region. Apically tapered implants demonstrated significantly less percentage bone‐to‐implant contact (p =.035) in the apico‐palatal region. At both implant types, substantial corono‐apical resorption of the buccal bone wall was noted in the coronal 2 mm of the implant. Conclusion: Apically tapered implants had significantly higher ISQ values at immediate placement compared to straight implants. The healing outcomes and remodelling of the buccal bone wall were similar for both implant designs. In the apico‐palatal region, there was less %BIC at the implant surface at apically tapered implants compared to straight implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing crisis of bee health has shone a spotlight on the problems facing pollinator populations in many parts of the world, the worrying implications for agriculture and ecosystems, and some of the risks of pesticides. Although this attention is important and can open a range of critical vistas, the threats to bees, other pollinators, and the future of pollination are too often framed in narrow ways. The goal of this paper is to provide a systematic way of thinking about the crisis of bee populations by examining the changing dynamics of pollination within industrial agriculture, drawing heavily on transformations in the United States and Canada. We set out a case for understanding pollination as a biophysical barrier to industrial organization and the rise of pollination services as a response that temporarily fixes (or overrides) this barrier, while containing an internal set of contradictions and overrides. We argue that these dialectic relations are continually generating further problems and hope that this lens can help inform critical education, outreach, and movement building with respect to the urgent problems of bee and pollinator health. In particular, we stress the need to connect growing bee‐related advocacy with struggles to confront industrial capitalist agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Medication nonadherence is a significant and multidimensional problem contributing to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Inconveniences in pharmacy and home contexts may increase nonadherence. This research examined inconveniences in pharmacy and home contexts associated with self-reported nonadherence, controlling for demographic and medication-taking covariates. Methods: Data from 4682 individuals who reported self-managing medications in an online marketing survey between October and December 2017 were analyzed in this secondary analysis. Nonadherence was dichotomized using a single question about likelihood to take medications as prescribed (adherence=always; nonadherence=most of the time, some of the time, never). Multivariable logistic regression with backwards elimination was used to examine the pharmacy (use of home delivery, number prescriptions picked up and visits to pharmacy) and home context (method used to organize/manage medications, satisfaction, and bother with management) variables and the demographic (age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, insurance) and medication (number of oral medications, medication changes and frequency of taking) covariates associated with nonadherence. Results: Overall, 25.8% of the responses indicated nonadherence. Nonadherence was more likely for individuals making fewer separate pharmacy trips (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.97– 0.99); picking up fewer prescriptions (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.93– 0.99); never, rarely or sometimes using mail order compared with always (OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.30– 2.26); not satisfied with managing medications (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.42– 3.19); and using pill pouches and being bothered by them (OR 8.28; 95% CI 1.83– 37.31). Using pill pouches or a pillbox and not being bothered by them significantly decreased nonadherence likelihood. Younger and female respondents and those reporting medication changes in the last year were also more likely to report nonadherence. Conclusion: Though reasons for nonadherence are multidimensional, this study suggests that inconveniences in both the pharmacy and home context are important. Improving adherence requires addressing issues of inconvenience across the care continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this review was to systematically review the published research on the effect of self-compassion interventions on health behaviors. A self-regulation intervention was defined as participants engaged in goal-setting behavior, goal-directed behavior, monitoring, and/or adjusting health behavior. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in this review. Self-compassion interventions were just as effective as other behavior change techniques at improving self-regulation of health behavior. The review discusses sample characteristics, study design, health behavior measures, self-compassion intervention implementation, and the theoretical frameworks of the studies, along with limitations of the research and suggestions for future researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I argue that the role of values in theory selection is an important issue within medical education. I review the underdetermination argument, which is the idea within philosophy of science that the data serving as evidence for theories are by themselves not sufficient to support a theory to the exclusion of alternatives. There are always various explanations compatible with the data, and we ultimately appeal to certain values as our grounds for choosing one theory over another. I explore some of the ways contemporary feminist philosophers have chosen to grapple with the problem of underdetermination and proposed solutions to systematize how values might be incorporated into theory choice, drawing primarily from the work of Helen Longino and Elizabeth Anderson. I conclude by discussing how value‐laden inquiry should be incorporated within medical education to promote reflection towards medicine's normative underpinnings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although physical activity interventions have been shown to effectively modify behavior, little research has examined the potential of these interventions for adoption in real-world settings. The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate the external validity of 57 theory-based physical activity interventions using the RE-AIM framework. The physical activity interventions included were more likely to report on issues of internal, rather than external validity and on individual, rather than organizational components of the RE-AIM framework, making the translation of many interventions into practice difficult. Furthermore, most studies included motivated, healthy participants, thus reducing the generalizability of the interventions to real-world settings that provide services to more diverse populations. To determine if a given intervention is feasible and effective in translational research, more information should be reported about the factors that affect external validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study's purpose was to identify the mediating role of intention and the stages of change (SOC) in physical activity (PA) over a 6-month period using two models (theory of planned behavior [TPB] and TPB/SOC). Participants were 143 adults with physical disabilities (70.68% response rate; M age = 46.03). The TPB constructs, SOC (time 1), and PA (time 2) were assessed using standardized self-report questionnaires. Based on path analyses, attitude had the highest effect on intention and SOC followed by perceived behavioral control within both well-fit models. The variance in PA explained by the first (TPB) and second (TPB/SOC) models was 16% and 28% respectively. In the just identified model of TPB/SOC, the direct effect of SOC on physical activity remained strong (gamma(soc.pa) = .45) and SOC approached full mediation through attitude. Health promotion interventions need to include both intention and behavior elements (SOC) reinforcing increased PA value and barrier elimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke survivors increasingly use the internet to access health information. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of online information about anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication in stroke. 100 online information sources and 50 online news articles about anticoagulants and antiplatelets after stroke were accessed using Google in June-July 2016. Readability, overall quality, and language about prevention, risk, emotive terms, and shared decision-making were evaluated using SMOG and DISCERN tools. Most online information was from national health service (27/100) or charitable (24/100) sources, or from tabloid newspapers' websites (25/50). Median reading age for materials was 17–18 years. Quality scores were typically 3/5 with only 5 of 16 criteria scoring highly. Stroke risk reduction was typically described in absolute terms with little use of numerical or graphical data. Emotive language was frequently used, particularly in news articles. Shared decision-making was supported mainly by materials from charitable sources. This study has shown that online information about anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication after stroke requires high levels of literacy, and is often unreliable, poor quality and emotionally laden. People working with stroke survivors should facilitate access to accurate, unbiased and readable materials to promote shared decision making about medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the various sources and consequences of opioid use disorder (OUD) stigma, the mechanisms by which stigma occurs becomes more important. Educational deficits regarding OUD as a disease and treatment influence OUD stigma. The purpose of the study was to develop, pilot test and psychometrically evaluate the Opioid-Knowledge (O-Know) test in a community setting. A social media strategy was used to recruit 294 participants, in 2019, from a midwestern region experiencing an HIV epidemic, stemming from opioid and injection drug use. The Factor analysis used a tetrachoric correlation matrix, with principal axis factor extraction and Promax rotation. Horn's parallel analysis supported the factorial validity of a two-factor model representing OUD as a Disease (Cronbach's alpha =.57) and OUD Treatment and Recovery (Cronbach's alpha =.62). The reliability estimates were deemed adequate given the intended group-level uses for the instrument. Convergent construct validity was partially supported via the OUD Treatment and Recovery factor's negative correlation with personal opioid stigmatization (B = −.29, p =.001). OUD research must produce measures that convert observations to empirical generalizations. The psychometric analysis of the O-Know scale demonstrated progress in reducing measurement error to facilitate that conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The RE-AIM framework was used to evaluate the impact of a written workplace physical activity (PA) policy. Methods: Sixty-five employees from one company were assigned to an intervention or control group. The intervention group received a written policy that provided time during the workday to walk. Physical activity was measured with pedometers and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Results: Findings revealed that reach and adoption were low, effectiveness was mixed, and implementation was good. Conclusions: Few workplace PA interventions provide information about external validity. Findings can inform the translation of a PA policy to other real word companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To identify behaviours associated with taking medications and medication adherence reported in qualitative studies of adults with chronic kidney disease and coexisting multiple chronic conditions. Background To inform medication adherence interventions, information is needed to clarify the nature of the relationships between behaviours that support medication-taking and medication adherence in multiple chronic conditions. Design Meta-ethnographic review and synthesis. Methods CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE and Psyc INFO databases were searched. Five qualitative studies met the inclusion criteria. A meta-ethnographic approach was used for synthesis. Medication-taking behaviours were abstracted from study findings and synthesised according to the contexts in which they occur and interpreted within a new developing framework named the Medication-taking Across the Care Continuum and Adherence-related Outcomes. Results Twenty categories of medication-taking behaviours occurred in three main contexts: (1) patient-provider clinical encounters, (2) pharmacy encounters and (3) day-to-day management. These behaviours are distinctly different, multilevel and interrelated. Together they represent a process occurring across a continuum. Conclusions Future medication adherence research should consider using a multilevel ecological view of medication management. Clinical practice and policy development can benefit from further understanding socio-contextual behaviours that occur across the continuum. Nurses should have greater presence in chronic disease management and be positioned to support the day-to-day home management of patients' medications. Relevance to clinical practice Healthcare professionals can partner with patients to elucidate how these behaviours are enacted across the care continuum and in day-to-day management to identify opportunities to intervene on specific behaviours and promote medication adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge is a prerequisite for changing behavior, and is useful for improving outcomes and reducing mortality rates in patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The purpose of this article is to describe baseline CKD knowledge and awareness obtained as part of a larger study testing the feasibility of a self-management intervention. Thirty patients were recruited who had CKD Stage 3 with coexisting diabetes and hypertension. Fifty-four percent of the sample were unaware of their CKD diagnosis. Participants had a moderate amount of CKD knowledge. This study suggests the need to increase knowledge in patients with CKD Stage 3 to aid in slowing disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examined provider and hospital factors associated with patients’ perceptions of how often explanations of new medications were “always” given to them, using Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores. HCAHPS results were obtained for October 2012 to September 2013, from 3,420 hospitals and combined with a Magnet-designated hospital listing. Multiple regression examined correlates of new medication communication, including health care provider factors (perceptions of nurse and physician communication) and health care system factors (magnet designation, hospital ownership, hospital type, availability of emergency services, and survey numbers). Nurse and physician communication was strongly associated with new medication communication (r = .819, p < .001; r = .722, p < .001, respectively). Multivariable correlates included nurse communication (p < .001), physician communication (p < .001), hospital ownership, availability of emergency services, and survey numbers. There was a significant relationship between patients’ perceptions of nurse and physician communication and the explanations they had received about their new medications during hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This review is intended to 1) describe the construct of immediacy by analyzing how immediacy is used in social relational research and 2) discuss how immediacy behaviors can be incorporated into patient-provider interventions aimed at supporting patients' medication management. Methods: A literature search was conducted using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Google Scholar, OVID, PubMed, and Education Resource Information Center (ERIC) EBSCO with the keyword "immediacy". The literature was reviewed and used to describe historical conceptualizations, identify attributes, examine boundaries, and identify antecedents and consequences of immediacy. Results: In total, 149 articles were reviewed, and six attributes of immediacy were identified. Immediacy is 1) reciprocal in nature and 2) reflected in the communicator's attitude toward the receiver and the message, 3) conveys approachability, 4) respectfulness, 5) and connectedness between communicators, and 6) promotes receiver engagement. Immediacy is associated with affective learning, cognitive learning, greater recall, enhanced relationships, satisfaction, motivation, sharing, and perceptions of mutual value in social relationships. Conclusion: Immediacy should be further investigated as an intervention component of patient- provider relationships and shared decision making in medication management. Practice implications: In behavioral interventions involving relational interactions between interveners and participants, such as in medication management, the effects of communication behaviors and immediacy during intervention delivery should be investigated as an intervention component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topics associated with the biological sciences form a significant fraction of the curriculum in science at primary school level in the U.K. In this methodology paper we demonstrate how a wide range of research articles associated with the biological sciences can be disseminated to a primary school audience and how children can carry out investigations associated with cutting-edge research in the classroom. We discuss how the articles and accompanying Teacher Guides benefit children, primary teachers and other stakeholders including the researchers themselves. We define four types of research articles; ones that can be used in the primary school setting without much adaptation, others where an aspect can be used and some where an analogy can be used. For other research papers, it is not possible to mirror the research at all, but the area of the research is interesting to primary aged children and can be adapted so that they can see the impact of the science on real life. We provide exemplars of each type and some preliminary feedback on articles written. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Testicular survival following second-stage Fowler-Stephens (FS) procedure depends upon adequate arterial supply. There is evidence that testicular survival rates are greater following gubernaculum-sparing second-stage FS procedure. The importance of collateral vessels in preservation of the testis has been hypothesised, but never shown in the literature. We aim to map the collateral blood supply to the testicle in gubernaculum-sparing, laparoscopic-assisted, second-stage FS procedure for intra-abdominal testicles. Methods: Selected patients undergoing a second-stage FS procedure were photographed prior to pexy in the Dartos pouch. Photographs were evaluated for the extent of vascular collateralisation between gubernacular, deferential and the ligated spermatic artery. Research: Twenty-five patients with 28 undescended testicles underwent staged FS procedure over a 7.5-year period between 2005 and April 2013. Mean age at operation was 2.44 years, and all testicles were delivered to the scrotum. Mean follow-up was 3.29 years, and all patients were reviewed by the operating consultant. Testicular survival rate was 100 %. Representative photographs clearly demonstrate substantial cremasteric vessels running along the gubernaculum with robust collateralisation to the deferential vessel and the spermatic arterial stump. Conclusion: These images confirm the presence of robust collateral between the cremasteric and deferential vessels at second-stage FS procedure. Preservation of these collaterals in a gubernaculum-sparing approach may explain the excellent results seen in this series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study evaluated the feasibility of developing linguistically tailored educational messages designed to match the linguistic styles of patients segmented into types with the Descriptor™, and to determine patient preferences for tailored or standard messages based on their segments. Patients and methods: Twenty patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) were recruited from a diabetes health clinic. Participants were segmented using the Descriptor™, a language-based questionnaire, to identify patient types based on their control orientation (internal/external), agency (high/low), and affect (positive/negative), which are well studied constructs related to T2DM self-management. Two of the seven self-care behaviors described by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (healthy eating and taking medication) were used to develop standard messages and then linguistically tailored using features of the six different construct segment types of the Descriptor™. A subset of seven participants each provided feedback on their preference for standard or linguistically tailored messages; 12 comparisons between standard and tailored messages were made. Results: Overall, the tailored messages were preferred to the standard messages. When the messages were matched to specific construct segment types, the tailored messages were preferred over the standard messages, although this was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Linguistically tailoring messages based on construct segments is feasible. Furthermore, tailored messages were more often preferred over standard messages. This study provides some preliminary evidence for tailoring messages based on the linguistic features of control orientation, agency, and affect. The messages developed in this study should be tested in a larger more representative sample. The present study did not explore whether tailored messages were better understood. This research will serve as preliminary evidence to develop future studies with the ultimate goal to design intervention studies to investigate if linguistically tailoring communication within the context of patient education influences patient knowledge, motivation, and activation toward making healthy behavior changes in T2DM self-management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intertidal epilithic bacteria communities are important components of coastal ecosystems, yet few studies have assessed their diversity and how it may be affected by changing environmental parameters. Submarine CO2 seeps produce localised areas of CO2-enriched seawater with reduced pH levels. We utilised the seawater pH/CO2 gradient at Levante Bay (Italy) to test the hypothesis that epilithic bacteria communities are modified by exposure to seawater with the varying chemical parameters. Biofilms were sampled from three sites exposed to seawater with different pH/CO2 levels and diversity determined using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Seawater pCO2 concentrations were increased from ambient at site 1 to 621 μatm at site 2 and 1654 μatm site 3, similar to the predicated future oceans beyond 2050 and 2150, respectively. Alpha diversity of total bacteria communities and Cyanobacteria communities was significantly different between sites ( anova P < 0.05). Comparison between sites showed that bacteria communities and Cyanobacteria communities were significantly different ( anosim P < 0.01; permanova P < 0.01). Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria dominated all communities; however, there were differences between sites in the relative abundance of specific orders. This study provides the most detailed assessment of intertidal epilithic bacteria diversity and shows that diversity is significantly different along a seawater pH/CO2 gradient. This information supports the evaluation of the impacts of future ocean acidification on coastal marine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes an innovative approach to using national measures of patients' perspectives of quality health care. Nurses from a regional simulation consortium designed and executed a simulation using the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey to prepare nurses to improve care and, in turn, enhance patients' perceptions of care. The consortium is currently revising the reporting mechanism to collect data about specific learning objectives based on national quality indicator benchmarks, specifically HCAHPS. This revision reflects the changing needs of health care to include quality metrics in simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this investigation was to determine associations among race, education, and income and falls risk scores from the Comprehensive Falls Risk Screening Instrument (CFRSI). Participants (N = 626) were Black (n = 318) and White (n = 308) older adults (M age = 72.62, SD = 9.31). The CFRSI assessed history, physical functioning, medication, vision, and home environment, and produced an average total falls risk score. A 3 (Income) × 3 (Education) × 2 (Race) MANCOVA showed main effects for income and race. Univariate tests revealed that low-income participants had greater scores for history, physical functioning, and total falls risk than high income participants. Similarly, Black participants had greater scores on history, physical functioning, medication, and total falls risk than White participants. Low income and Black race were associated with greater falls risk, and professionals should consider these disparities when designing community-based falls prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ABSTRACT Statement of the Problem: Ultrasonic instruments have recently been developed for finishing crown preparations. They are successful in accessing difficult areas on the preparation margin, but their effects on the dentin surface and on bond strength are contradictory. Purpose: The aim was to evaluate the condition of crown preparation margins finished using new ultrasonic instruments and to assess their effects on dentin bond strength. Methods: Characteristics of tooth surfaces prepared using two different ultrasonic protocols were compared; Perfect Margin Shoulder (PMS®) (PMS 3, Satelec, Merignac, France) 1, 2, and 3 (complete finishing) versus PMS 1 and 2 (partial finishing). They were assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface roughness analysis. Bonding of composite resin to dentin surfaces prepared with the complete PMS kit was compared with dentin surfaces prepared with finishing diamond burs, using micro-tensile testing. Results: SEM images revealed a clear difference between the two preparation sequences (PMS 1, 2 versus PMS 1, 2, and 3). Surfaces finished using the PMS tips 1, 2, and 3 appeared continuous, even, and smooth compared with PMS tips 1 and 2 only. The additional use of the PMS 3 uncoated tip enhanced smear layer removal. There was no significant difference when comparing the surface roughness obtained with the PMS 1, 2, and 3 protocol with the PMS 1 and 2 only ( p > 0.05). Micro-tensile bond strength was not significantly different between the surfaces prepared with the ultrasonic instruments and the surfaces prepared with the diamond burs ( p > 0.05). Conclusion: The use of the complete PMS finishing kit (PMS 1, 2, and 3) produced better quality finishing lines than PMS 1 and 2. The use of ultrasonic instruments to prepare dentin resulted in comparable bond strengths to the use of diamond burs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The extremely precise preparation margin possible with ultrasonic instruments improves the quality and accuracy of crown preparations, which may lead to better impressions and closer adaptation of restorations. The complete set of three Perfect Margin Shoulder instruments is recommended, which can produce comparable bond strengths to preparations with rotary instruments. (J Esthet Restor Dent 24:278-285, 2011) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approaches to visual skilling from anthropology and STS have tended to highlight the forces of discipline and control in understanding how shared visual accounts of the world are created in the face of potential differences brought about by multi-sensorial perception. Drawing upon a range of observational and interview material from an immersion in naturalist training and biological recording activities between 2003 and 2009, I focus upon jizz, a distinct form of gestalt perception much coveted by naturalist communities in the UK. Jizz is described as a tacit and embodied way of seeing that instantaneously reveals the identity of a species, relying upon but simultaneously suspending the arduous and meticulous study of an organism’s diagnostic characteristics. I explore the potential and limitations of jizz to allow for both visual precision and an enchanted and varied form of encounter with nature. In so doing, I explore how the specific characteristics of wild, intangible and irreverent virtuoso performance work closely together with disciplining taxonomic standards. As such, discipline and irreverence work together, are mutually enabling, and allow for an accommodation rather than a segregation of potential difference brought about by perceptual variety. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Given projected increases in workplace diversity, an understanding of diversity’s intersection with mentoring is a critical topic in the literature. This article involved an interview with Belle Rose Ragins, one of the world’s leading thinkers on diversity and mentoring in the workplace. After providing an overview of Ragins’ key achievements and contributions to the mentoring literature, the article delved into the interview, which involves four parts: (a) Ragins’ education and early influences; (b) her views on the extant literature as well as insights around future areas for inquiry; (c) her current research interests; and (d) her views on consulting and teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We examined the measurement properties of fall-related psychological instruments with a sample of 133 older adults (M age = 74.4 years, SD = 9.4). Measures included the Comprehensive Falls Risk Screening Instrument, Falls-efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC), modified Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling in the Elderly (mSAFFE), Consequences of Falling (CoF), Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). The FES-I, ABC, mSAFFE, and CoF were significantly correlated with each other, with SF-36, and with mobility. The ABC and mSAFFE were significantly correlated with PASE. The ABC differentiated between fallers and nonfallers and predicted total falls risk. Findings can assist with the selection of psychological instruments in a falls risk screening context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annually, one in three older adults experiences a fall. Falls can lead to death, disability, and/or decreased health-related quality of life (HRQL). Objectives: To validate the Comprehensive Falls Risk Screening Instrument (CFRSI). Methods: Data were collected on 286 older adults ( M age in years = 74.2 ± 10.0). The CFRSI total falls risk score was compared to subscale scores, the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), the Functional Status Index (FSI), and HRQL (SF-36, PCS, and Mental Component Summary (MCS)) scores. Results: The total CFRSI falls risk score was associated with all subscales ( r = 0.25, p < 0.01 to r = 0.69, p < 0.01), PASE ( r = −0.30, p < 0.01), FSI ( r = 0.30, p < 0.01), and SF-36 PCS and MCS scores ( r = −0.44, p < 0.01 to r = −0.24, p = 0.03, respectively). Fallers ( n = 90) had a higher total falls risk score ( M = 41.03 ± 9.38) than nonfallers ( n = 188, M = 34.06 ± 10.05, t [276] = 5.53, p < 0.001). The most important predictor of falling status was only the history risk score ( r = 0.96). Strong association of variables supports the construct validation of the CFRSI. The CFRSI is a valid comprehensive measure of falls risk that allows for identification of older adults who are at risk for falls and the specific areas that should be targeted for falls prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to examine the issue of scale correspondence by testing the theory of planned behavior (TPB) using two models. Participants were 223 adults ( M age = 45.4 years, SD = 10.8) with self-reported physical disabilities who completed an on-line survey. Using a cross-sectional design, participants completed demographic questions, TPB items, and two measures of physical activity. Path analyses, using one model that included a measure of behavior developed according to the TPB recommendations and a second model that used the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities (PASIPD) generally supported the hypotheses of the TPB. Further, the model with the TPB scale ( R2 = .66) accounted for more variance in physical activity than the model using the PASIPD ( R2 = .15). Our findings are consistent with previous research; however, we argue that scale correspondence may not be statistically or philosophically appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Falls and the fall-related psychological concerns associated with these events pose a serious public health problem among aging adults. The measurement of fall-related psychological concerns can serve as important endpoints for fall prevention programs, yet there is some confusion regarding the best method of defining and measuring fall-related psychological constructs. Consequently, greater attention should be devoted to investigating fall-related psychological constructs and their measurement. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to review the published research literature on the measurement of fall-related psychological constructs among independent-living older adults. Method: Electronic searches of PubMed, EBSCO, Academic Search Premier, PsycINFO, CINAHL and online library catalogs were conducted using search terms including but not limited to 'fear of falling', 'falls efficacy', 'fall-related self-efficacy', 'balance confidence', 'fall-related psychological outcome(s)' and 'independent-living'. Results: Each of these constructs is unique, yet instruments are often employed to measure constructs other than those the instruments were designed to assess. Inconsistencies were also revealed both within and across studies in terms of providing evidence of validity for these instruments. Conclusion: Fall-related psychological constructs, although similar in nature, are unique constructs and should be measured as such. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we document current research into new forms of public engagement presently taking place in UK biodiversity policy. This involves locating the main participants in such patterns of engagement; namely nature, amateur naturalists, and professional biologists and conservationists. Two interwoven and mutually interdependent perspectives or `imaginaries' -- the `cartographic' and the `ethnographic' -- are presented in the paper to explore the shaping and interpretation of such new forms of engagement. However, in this context the interest lies in the ways in which either perspective is foregrounded or backgrounded by the different parties involved. The described shifts and movements of a range of actors and processes being studied demonstrate the fluidity and instability of networks of 'knowing nature well', whose stability is often assumed. The tracing of two constants - expertise and exchange - within networks inhabited by nature and by amateur and professional naturalists allows for an exploration of ways in which social/natural inclusions and exclusions occur in new participatory practices designed as part of biodiversity action planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mechanical spinal cord injury (SCI) initiates a cascade of pathochemical and pathophysiological events, collectively known as the secondary injury. There has been a long-standing interest in understanding the activation and involvement of proteases in this secondary injury process. Several proteases including the calpains, caspases and matrix metalloproteinases are activated by perturbations to the spinal cord and have been linked to cell death following SCI and in other models of CNS disease and insult. Cathepsin B (Cath B), a potent lysosomal protease, has also been implicated in the pathology of CNS diseases including brain tumors, Alzheimer''s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and stroke. Previously, we reported significant increases in Cath B mRNA and protein expression following contusion-SCI. This characterization of Cath B continues with the experiments reported herein, which were designed to examine Cath B enzymatic activity and cellular localization following contusion-SCI in the rat. Cath B enzymatic activity was significantly increased in the injury epicenter at 5 and 7 days post-injury and was highly correlated with increases in the active forms of the Cath B protein reported earlier. Furthermore, the immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the post-injury increases in expression and enzymatic activity at the injury epicenter were due to the presence of a large and diverse population of inflammatory cells. However, in areas adjacent to the injury epicenter, it appears that parenchymal neurons may also contribute to these increases. Our findings coupled with the documented role of Cath B in other CNS pathologies make this potent protease an attractive candidate for involvement in the tissue destruction associated with the secondary injury cascade following SCI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper documents research taking place in the midst of a series of shifts in biodiversity policy in the UK. It examines recent attempts to enrol volunteer naturalists and lay citizens into biodiversity action planning, suggesting that such attempts can be seen as a nascent form of environmental citizenship, which is based on the exchange of knowledge of nature among the different communities involved (policy makers, volunteer naturalists and lay citizens). By focusing on a range of knowledge practices, the paper explores the selective appropriation of some ways of knowing over others. It documents ways in which some actors involved are beginning to reflect on what it might mean for biodiversity policy to accommodate each others' knowledge and practices. The paper suggests that an increased sensitivity to the range of practices and knowledges embodied within these different domains may result in a redefinition and expansion of the category of citizen, and may in turn have implications for the way in which 'biodiversity' comes to be defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Falls are serious problems for older adults and they usually result from an interaction of multiple risk factors (AGS, 2001). Unfortunately, older adults who have fallen or who fear falling may restrict activity, thus causing a dangerous cycle of functional decline, future falls, and fear of falling (Friedman et al., 2002). The purpose of this study was to begin to establish the construct validity of a comprehensive falls risk screening instrument by examining the association between falls efficacy (i.e., a measure of fear of falling) and falls risk. Participants were 130 independentliving older adults (M age = 72.5 years, SD = 10.5) who were evaluated using a comprehensive falls risk screening instrument developed according to the AGS risk factors (2001). The screening instrument measures falls risk in five domains, including history of falls, medication management, vision, physical functioning (i.e., mobility and balance), and home environment. These domains are averaged to produce a total falls risk score. The falls risk domains and total score are based on a 0-100 point scale with 100 representing high risk for falls. The participants also responded to the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES; Tinetti et al., 1990). The FES assesses the perceived efficacy for avoiding a fall during 10 activities of daily living. The FES score is the sum of scores on each of the 10 activities with a range of possible values between 10 and 100 and a higher score reflecting lower efficacy. Multiple regressions adjusting for gender, race, marital status, and education were conducted to analyze the relationships between the total FES score, the five falls risk scores, and the total falls risk score. As hypothesized, the total FES score was positively related to the physical functioning (b = .734, p < .01) and total falls risk (b = .297, p < .05) scores. The results provide preliminary evidence of the construct validity of a comprehensive falls risk screening instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autistic people are more likely to experience stigma, communication barriers and anxiety during healthcare. Autism Health Passports (AHPs) are a communication tool that aim to provide information about healthcare needs in a standardised way. They are recommended in research and policy to improve healthcare quality. Aim: To explore views and experiences of AHPs among Autistic people from the UK who have been pregnant. Methods: We developed an online survey using a combination of open and closed questions focused on healthcare impairments and views and experiences of AHPs. Data were anlaysed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and content analysis. Findings: Of 193 Autistic respondents (54% diagnosed, 22% undergoing diagnosis and 24% self-identifying), over 80% reported anxiety and masking during healthcare always or most of the time. Some significant differences were identified in healthcare (in)accessibility by diagnostic status. Only 4% of participants knew a lot about AHPs, with 1.5% of participants using one at least half of the time. Almost three quarters of respondents had not previously seen an AHP. Open text responses indicated that the biggest barrier to using an AHP was a belief that health professionals would discriminate against Autistic patients. Additional barriers included staff lack of familiarity with AHPs and respondents expecting a negative response to producing an AHP. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that AHPs are not reducing health inequalities for Autistic adults who have been pregnant. Alternative solutions are needed to reduce health inequalities for Autistic people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Newly developed wearable fabric sensors (WFS) can increase the ease and accuracy of sweat sodium measurements by performing simultaneous sampling and analysis on the body during exercise. Purpose: Determine the accuracy of a WFS for measurement of sodium concentration in sweat. METHODS: Subjects wore a WFS prototype and sweat collectors on their forearm during cycle ergometry. Subjects exercised at a moderate intensity (~ 65% heart rate reserve) for 30–60 min. Sweat samples were collected and analyzed using a commercial sweat sodium analyzer (SSA) every 10–15 min. WFS were adhered with an armband and connected to custom built electronics. Accuracy was determined by comparing predicted WFS concentration to the actual concentration from the commercial SSA and analyzed statistically using ANOVA and Bland−Altman plots. Results: A total of 19 subjects completed the study. The average sweat sodium concentration was 59 mM ± 22 mM from a SSA compared with 54 mM ± 22 mM from the WFS. Overall, the average accuracy of the WFS was 88% in comparison to the SSA with p = 0.45. A line of best fit comparing predicted versus actual sweat sodium concentration had a slope of 0.99, intercept of – 4.46, and an r2 of 0.90. Bland−Altman analysis showed the average concentration difference between the WFS and the SSA was 5.35 mM, with 99% of data points between ± 1.96 times the standard deviation. Conclusion: The WFS accurately predicted sweat sodium concentration during moderate intensity cycle ergometry. With the need for precise assessment of sodium loss, especially during long duration exercise, this novel analysis method can benefit athletes and coaches. Further research involving longer duration and more intense exercise is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]