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Bek Rocha posted an update 6 months, 2 weeks ago
Students entering graduate degree programs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields or professional degree programs in the health sciences are expected to have adequate academic preparation in science process skills like the ability to read primary literature effectively. This column scrutinizes this assumption by examining how science is taught to undergraduates, finding that undergraduate STEM curricula rarely prepare students with the mastery of science process skills needed to succeed in graduate school. The column discusses some possible causes of this skill gap and suggests that academic and medical librarians are well-equipped to help students develop primary literature literacy skills. The column closes with a list of practical active reading strategies that librarians can share and model for students.This article reviews genetic and rare disease resources from the National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health that assist patients and their families to decipher the complexity of rare and genetically related diseases. Torkinib Librarians can use these resources to guide those seeking genetic information that encompasses the medical, social, psychological, and financial aspects of living with a rare disease. Physicians and healthcare professionals will find these resources helpful when assisting patients and engaging in genetic research.
The aim of this study was to assess wheelchair skills of persons with physical disabilities who attended the first Wheelchair Skills and Empowerment Camp in Morocco and their satisfaction with manual wheelchairs provided for the camp activities.
19 persons (13 male and 6 female) with physical disabilities took part in the project. The average time since injury or illness was 24 years. To assess wheelchair skills/user satisfaction, the researchers used the Queensland Evaluation of Wheelchair Skills test and the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology.
Study participants improved their overall wheelchair mobility skills (
= 0.002;
= 0.20), especially their ability to ascend and descend a ramp (
= 0.012;
= 0.67). The participants reported significantly greater satisfaction with the new provided wheelchairs in comparison to their own wheelchairs in regard to five satisfaction items; i.e., ease in adjusting (
= 0.011;
= 0.96), safety and security (
= 0.014;
= 0.97hair skills training sessions, which were led by three peer mentors who use a wheelchair two with spinal cord injury, and one with polio complications.The 19 participants, who had lived with their disabilities on average for 24 years, advanced their general wheelchair mobility skills, which was assessed through a practical test.The results confirmed that community peer-based programmes in low-resource countries are important for improving wheelchair skills not only when beginning rehabilitation but even after individuals live many years with a disability.This study explored the relationship between trust in physicians and telehealth use during the COVID pandemic in 162 African Americans with diabetes. More than 90% of patients had internet-capable devices and internet service but only 61 patients (39%) had a telehealth visit. Compared to the latter, participants with no telehealth visits had less trust in physicians’ ability to diagnose COVID, less trust in physicians’ ability to treat via telehealth, and resided in more deprived neighborhoods. There were no differences in age, sex, education, nor literacy. For African Americans with diabetes, health disparities may increase unless fundamental issues such as trust are addressed.Much of the research on bioinspired soft robotics has focused on capturing the interplay of biological form and function. However, existing soft robotic actuators are mostly made with linear or planar fabrication orientations that do not represent the resting geometry of complex biological systems, such as curved musculature. This work introduces the ability to create fiber-reinforced actuators with precurved configurations. By tuning variables such as dimensions and fiber angles, an optimization algorithm can prescribe the mechanical fabrication parameters to create a fiber-reinforced actuator that can generate controlled motion to follow a desired input trajectory. Precurved configurations introduce an additional optimization parameter, the initial bend angle, allowing for a more accurate and robust algorithm and generating a median percent error of less then 1%. With a customized software tool, we can take existing motion data from biological systems-such as medical imaging-and build soft robotic actuators optimized to replicate these trajectories. We can predict the motion of precurved actuators both analytically and numerically and replicate the motion experimentally, with excellent trajectory matching between the three. In constructing actuators that better match the native forms found within biological systems, we find that precurved actuators are more efficient than their initially straight counterparts. This pneumatic efficiency allows for the use of control systems with lower power and precision, lowering the economic cost of the associated control hardware, while more accurately replicating the biological motion. Taking two examples from biology, that of the human diaphragm during respiration and that of a jellyfish bell during locomotion, we design and generate fiber reinforced actuators to mimic these motions.In Canada, Caffeinated Energy Drinks (CEDs) currently sold under Temporary Marketing Authorizations must meet strict eligibility criteria. These criteria, which include compositional and labelling requirements, were developed based on the outcome of a health risk assessment conducted by Health Canada (HC) in 2013. HC updated its assessment by reviewing new information with the focus on potential cardiovascular (CV) effects associated with the consumption of CEDs available for sale in Canada. Due to limited data on CED consumption among Canadians to derive accurate exposure information, the composition of a typical CED was characterized to assess the potential effects of single ingredients and synergistic interactions between ingredients, on the cardiovascular system. Surveillance data on potential adverse effects related to CED consumption was also analysed. After extensive review, HC’s updated assessment confirms the current risk management approach for CEDs is health protective for Canadian consumers, including the potential for cardiovascular effects.
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