Individual Benefits Research Articles

What is value in Higher Education? Studying scientific production through co-word analysis

ABSTRACT The concept of applied value in Higher Education has sparked extensive debate, focusing on its societal and individual benefits. This study explores four key approaches to value in scientific research: co-creation of value, social value, novel teaching techniques and technology, and the perceived value of universities among students and graduates. Using bibliometric analysis, the research examines the dominant perspectives in the literature and the multifaceted understanding of value in Higher Education. The study aims to (i) analyze the structural dynamics of research themes from 1979 to 2023 and (ii) identify emerging trends in the field over time. A sample of 848 papers from the Web of Science database was analyzed using SciMAT software, employing co-word analysis to assess keyword co-occurrence. Findings reveal that service and marketing paradigms dominate the literature, alongside substantial research on perceived value and its relationship with satisfaction. Additionally, recent trends highlight the increasing importance of technologies such as artificial intelligence, the dynamics of co-creation, and the effects of marketization, including pricing and resource allocation. This research offers insights into the evolving concept of value in Higher Education, emphasizing its complexity and ongoing transformation.

Striving for early effective glycaemic and weight management in type 2 diabetes: A narrative review.

Despite the recognition by key guidelines that achieving early glycaemic control has important benefits in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and that addressing excess adiposity is one of the central components of comprehensive person-centred T2D care, a substantial proportion of individuals with T2D do not meet their metabolic treatment goals. Prior treatment paradigms were limited by important treatment-associated risks such as hypoglycaemia and body weight gain. Therefore, a more conservative, sequential approach to treatment was typically utilized. One potential consequence of this approach has been a missed opportunity to achieve a 'legacy effect', where early treatment to reach glycaemic targets is associated with enduring long-term benefits in T2D. Additionally, while previous treatment approaches have addressed core defects in T2D, including insulin resistance and β-cell function decline, they have been unable to address one of the underlying causal abnormalities-excess adiposity. Here, we review currently available evidence for the beneficial long-term effects of early glycaemic control and management of body weight in people with T2D and discuss potential next steps.

Patient and tumour characteristics in older patients (70 years or older) undergoing transperineal prostate biopsy: a retrospective cohort study.

PSA screening is advocated in men with a life expectancy of >10 years. With a rising mean life expectancy of 81 years in Australia, many men in their 70s have life expectancies of >10 years. Additionally, advanced age is an independent risk factor for high grade prostate cancer. Hence, we aimed to identify patient and disease characteristics and outcomes of men >70 years undergoing transperineal prostate biopsies (TPB) for suspected prostate cancer. All patients aged 70 years old and above who underwent TPB for suspected prostate cancer between 1st January 2019 and 1st July 2022 at a large tertiary centre were identified. Data including patient Charlson Comorbidity Indices (CCI), pre-operative PSA, Multiparametric prostate MRI (mpMRI), histopathological results, subsequent intervention, and treatment intent (curative vs palliative) were obtained via scanned and electronic medical records. Of 229 patients, median age was 74 years and 72.5% patients had a CCI of ≤4 (>53% estimated 10-year survival). 80.8% were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 65.9% had ISUP ≥ 2 disease. 86.4% of patients with PIRADS 4 or 5 lesions resulted in clinically significant prostate cancer. 3.9% had mild biopsy complications. 76.8% of those with prostate cancer underwent treatment with curative intent. Men >70 years of age have a higher risk of clinically significant prostate cancer and low biopsy risk. Hence, many may benefit from early diagnosis and treatment. Decision on screening and further investigation should be based on assessment of individual risks, benefits and life expectancy.

When longing goes wrong: Nostalgia can cause a preference for harmful aspects of the past

AbstractNostalgia has many benefits for individuals; it can increase meaning, well‐being, and belongingness. In contrast, we show in six studies the harmful policy implications of nostalgia. We propose that nostalgia can lead people to appreciate negative aspects of the past and oppose modern measures to reduce them, with negative implications for health, safety, and well‐being. Four correlational studies (Ntotal = 3081) show that nostalgia proneness correlates with opposition to smoke‐free laws, discounting of car‐safety, opposition to gender equality, and enjoyment of politically incorrect humor. Two experimental studies (Ntotal = 1004) causally link nostalgia to these beliefs. Speaking to their irrational nature, these effects occurred even among people who are aware of the negative consequences of these aspects of the past for health, safety, and well‐being. For example, even nostalgic non‐smokers longed back to the smoke‐filled bars of the past. Given the noted rise in nostalgia in Western society in response to societal change, these findings have important policy implications.Public Significance Statement: We show that people who are more likely to experience nostalgia tend to redefine negative elements of the past as positive. For example, they oppose smoke‐free laws or discount car‐safety. Given that nostalgia is commonly experienced when people feel lost in a fast‐changing world, these findings suggest a need to provide consistency and meaning, especially during times of rapid societal change.

Selective Activation of the Infraspinatus During External Rotation Exercises in Participants with Rounded Shoulder Posture: Comparison of Three Common Exercises and Muscle Architecture-Based Exercise

Background and Objectives: The infraspinatus muscle is critical for shoulder stability and external rotation, yet achieving selective activation during exercises remains challenging. This study explores the effectiveness of a novel muscle architecture-based position (MABER) compared to traditional exercises in individuals with rounded shoulder posture. Materials and Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study evaluated the selective activation of the infraspinatus during external rotation exercises in participants with rounded shoulder posture. Thirty-two participants (17 males and 15 females) were recruited. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the middle trapezius, posterior deltoid, and infraspinatus muscles in the dominant limb was recorded during four exercise positions: standing external rotation (SER), side-lying external rotation (SDER), scapular plane external rotation (SPER), and MABER. Results: MABER produced the highest infraspinatus activity (p < 0.001), while the lowest activity was observed during SPER (p < 0.001). The SER position generated higher posterior deltoid activity compared to other positions (p < 0.001). The SDER position demonstrated the highest infraspinatus/posterior deltoid activity ratio (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The MABER position can be used as an effective exercise to strengthen the infraspinatus muscle. This study contributes to the literature by comparing MABER with traditional exercises and highlights its potential benefits for individuals with rounded shoulder posture.

Prediction of tissue and clinical thrombectomy outcome in acute ischaemic stroke using deep learning.

The advent of endovascular thrombectomy has significantly improved outcomes for stroke patients with intracranial large vessel occlusion, yet individual benefits can vary widely. As demand for thrombectomy rises and geographic disparities in stroke care access persist, there is a growing need for predictive models that quantify individual benefits. However, current imaging methods for estimating outcomes may not fully capture the dynamic nature of cerebral ischemia and lack a patient-specific assessment of thrombectomy benefits. Our study introduces a deep learning approach to predict individual responses to thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke patients. The proposed models provide predictions for both tissue and clinical outcomes under two scenarios: one assuming successful reperfusion and another assuming unsuccessful reperfusion. The resulting simulations of penumbral salvage and difference in NIHSS at discharge quantify the potential individual benefits of the intervention. Our models were developed on an extensive dataset from routine stroke care, which included 405 ischemic stroke patients who underwent thrombectomy. We used acute data for training (n = 304), including multimodal CT imaging and clinical characteristics, along with post hoc markers like thrombectomy success, final infarct localization, and NIHSS at discharge. We benchmarked our tissue outcome predictions under the observed reperfusion scenario against a thresholding-based clinical method and a generalised linear model. Our deep-learning model showed significant superiority, with a mean Dice score of 0.48 on internal (n = 50) and 0.52 on external (n = 51) test data, versus 0.26/0.36 and 0.34/0.35 for the baselines, respectively. The NIHSS sum score prediction achieved median absolute errors of 1.5 NIHSS points on the internal test dataset and 3.0 NIHSS points on the external test dataset, outperforming other machine learning models. By predicting the patient-specific response to thrombectomy for both tissue and clinical outcomes, our approach offers an innovative biomarker that captures the dynamics of cerebral ischemia. We believe this method holds significant potential to enhance personalised therapeutic strategies and to facilitate efficient resource allocation in acute stroke care.

Physical activity-the past, present and potential future: a state-of-the-art review.

This is a state-of-the-art review of historical developments, current approaches and recommended future directions in physical activity (PA) research, practice and policy. Since the early epidemiological studies in the 1950s, PA research has developed from within a biomedical paradigm. There is now a strong evidence base linking PA with positive health outcomes. PA is currently understood as a multi-sector issue, requiring a multi-sector solution (e.g. transport, urban design, sport), resulting in multiple individual and societal benefits (e.g. addresses multiple Sustainable Development Goals), however, there is a disconnect between interventions, policy and practice. This may be due to limited cross-sector collaboration between, and within, the public and private sectors. Furthermore, the mix of policy instruments employed by governments to implement PA policy to date has been dominated by soft (e.g. communication) rather than hard options (e.g. fiscal). To progress in PA promotion, we need to move beyond health outcome and intervention evidence generation (e.g. focus on testing efficacy in highly controlled settings), to more complex, real world, politically informed, multi-sector, scale-up and policies, while concurrently collecting data to evaluate such efforts (e.g. natural experiments and evaluations of the policy process). PA programs may benefit from greater incorporation of public policy considerations, so that proposed interventions and policies are designed with potential political constraints in mind. We conclude by providing a call to action to advance the understanding of the role of politics in PA, in order to develop politically informed action on PA.

Case for Establishing a National Stroke Activation Fee in the United States: Learning From Trauma Centers.

There is a large burden of stroke in the United States, and extensive systems of care have been established to address it. The resources devoted to stroke centers are analogous to those of trauma centers, both sharing many strict requirements for certification, clinical preparedness, quality improvement, data management, and reporting. However, trauma programs partly defray these costs through a trauma activation billing code, a billable fee that is charged for activation of the trauma team under strict criteria. There are potential benefits to establishing an analogous national stroke code activation fee. Although a billable stroke code activation fee may increase financial burden on patients, this may be counterbalanced by the significant potential for individual and societal benefits. Providing additional financial support for stroke systems of care may improve acute stroke treatment, reduce stroke burden and poststroke disability, and reduce inequality by broadening the reach of stroke systems of care to disadvantaged communities. Further evaluation of the costs and benefits of implementing a stroke code activation fee based on that currently used by trauma centers is needed.

Probiotic characterisation of lactic acid bacteria isolated from pickles and their potential application as presumptive probiotic starter culture in cucumber pickles

Abstract This study aimed to isolate lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from traditional pickles, analyse their probiotic properties, identify them and evaluate their potential use in the production of cucumber pickles. The majority of the isolates (65) demonstrated survival at pH 3.0, while only three isolates exhibited this ability at pH 2.0. All isolates were resistant to 0.3% and 1% bile salts and survived at 1.5% (v/v) NaCl. However, the majority of isolates exhibited survival at 10% (v/v) NaCl (73 isolates), phenol (0.4%) (64 isolates), and pepsin (81 isolates) and pancreatin presence (78 isolates). The majority of the isolates demonstrated susceptibility to antibiotics and exhibited antimicrobial activities. Furthermore, some isolates demonstrated limited proteolytic and β-galactosidase activities, with the limited proteolytic activity being particularly beneficial for contributing to positive sensorial properties in this study. Following the evaluation of the probiotic test results, selected isolates were identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus, Levilactobacillus brevis, Lentilactobacillus parabuchneri and Pediococcus parvulus based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Cucumber pickles were then produced with presumptive probiotics (L. brevis T7, L. parabuchneri T10, L. plantarum T12, and P. parvulus T13) in both single and mixed cell forms, fermented for 15 days and stored at 4 °C for 5 weeks. The results demonstrated that cucumber pickles contained > 6 log CFU/g of presumptive probiotics at the end of fermentation. Sensory analysis results showed that cucumber pickles enriched with presumptive probiotics were acceptable compared to the negative control sample (spontaneously fermented). The findings also highlight the functional potential of the samples, with PS3 offering benefits for lactose-intolerant individuals and PS2 demonstrating antimicrobial activity. It is possible to offer cucumber pickles to consumers as an alternative probiotic product; however, further research is required to ascertain the viability of probiotics over an extended period.

Parental Evaluation of a Responsive Parenting Program for Infants with Hearing Loss.

Parental satisfaction is an important factor in the evaluation of early intervention programs but is rarely investigated. The Muenster Parental Program (MPP) is a short, evidence-based early intervention program that focuses on parental responsiveness. It is a family-centered intervention for parents of infants aged 3-18 months who have recently been diagnosed with hearing loss and fitted with hearing devices, including prior to or following cochlear implant surgery. We aim to receive feedback from parents regarding the process and outcomes of their participation in the MPP. Following their participation, all participants of the MPP were asked to complete an evaluation questionnaire. This article reports feedback from the first 52 participants (44 mothers, 7 fathers, and 1 godmother). Their infants (N = 45) had moderate to complete hearing loss, they were aged 2-20 months, and 40% of them had an additional disease, disorder, and/or developmental delay. Parents reported high levels of satisfaction with the content, didactics, setting, and individual benefits of the intervention, and a high recommendation rate (92%). The aspects most appreciated were meeting other affected parents and the concrete individual support of parent-child communication, including video feedback. Almost all parents (96%) reported a change in their communication style with their child. This confirms the results of a previous controlled intervention study on the enhancement of parental responsiveness via the MPP. This evaluation of the MPP from a parental point of view has revealed equally high satisfaction with the content, setting, and didactics amongst all parents regardless of any potentially influential parent or child variables. The MPP is well suited to a wide range of close caregivers' needs despite the known diversity of children with hearing loss and their parents or families.

Exploring the Intersection of ADHD and Music: A Systematic Review.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder, affecting both children and adults, which often leads to significant difficulties with attention, impulsivity, and working memory. These challenges can impact various cognitive and perceptual domains, including music perception and performance. Despite these difficulties, individuals with ADHD frequently engage with music, and previous research has shown that music listening can serve as a means of increasing stimulation and self-regulation. Moreover, music therapy has been explored as a potential treatment option for individuals with ADHD. As there is a lack of integrative reviews on the interaction between ADHD and music, the present review aimed to fill the gap in research. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across PsychInfo (Ovid), PubMed, and Web of Science. A narrative synthesis was conducted on 20 eligible studies published between 1981 and 2023, involving 1170 participants, of whom 830 had ADHD or ADD. The review identified three main areas of research: (1) music performance and processing in individuals with ADHD, (2) the use of music listening as a source of stimulation for those with ADHD, and (3) music-based interventions aimed at mitigating ADHD symptoms. The analysis revealed that individuals with ADHD often experience unique challenges in musical tasks, particularly those related to timing, rhythm, and complex auditory stimuli perception, though these deficits did not extend to rhythmic improvisation and musical expression. Most studies indicated that music listening positively affects various domains for individuals with ADHD. Furthermore, most studies of music therapy found that it can generate significant benefits for individuals with ADHD. The strength of these findings, however, was limited by inconsistencies among the studies, such as variations in ADHD diagnosis, comorbidities, medication use, and gender. Despite these limitations, this review provides a valuable foundation for future research on the interaction between ADHD and music.

Designing community-based strategies to reach non-household contacts of people with tuberculosis in Lusaka, Zambia: a rapid qualitative study among key stakeholders.

In high-burden settings, most tuberculosis (TB) transmission likely occurs outside the home. Our qualitative study in Zambia explored the acceptability and preferences for designing TB active case finding (ACF) strategies to reach non-household contacts of people with TB. We conducted 56 in-depth interviews with persons with TB (n = 12), TB healthcare workers (HCWs) (n = 10), TB lay HCWs (n = 10), and leaders/owners (n = 12) and attendees (n = 12) of community venue types identified as potential TB transmission locations. Interviews explored TB attitudes and beliefs, and perceptions toward two ACF strategies targeting non-household contacts: (1) "social-network strategy"-persons with newly diagnosed TB reach out to their close non-household contacts and (2) "venue-based strategy"-HCWs conduct screening at community venues frequented by persons with newly diagnosed TB. We used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) framework to develop interview topic guides and analyze data using a rapid deductive approach. All participants felt that TB was an important issue in their community and that new detection strategies were needed. A "social-network strategy" was perceived as acceptable and feasible, where participants noted it was a caring act and could facilitate early diagnosis. For a "venue-based strategy," most participants suspected TB transmission occurred at bars/taverns due to heavy alcohol use and prolonged time spent in crowded spaces; churches and betting halls were also commonly mentioned locations. Nearly all owners/leaders and patrons/attendees of bars, churches, and betting halls expressed acceptance of a venue-based strategy. They also indicated an interest in participating, citing many benefits, including increased TB knowledge/awareness, early diagnosis, convenience, and possibly reduced transmission, and recommended that the strategy incorporate sensitization, consent, volunteerism, and respectful, confidential, private services. For both strategies, most participants preferred the use of and being approached by trained peer TB survivors to facilitate ACF, given their prior TB patient experience and trust among community members. Stakeholders found social-network and venue-based TB-ACF strategies highly acceptable, recognizing their potential benefits for individuals and the broader community. Future research should evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of TB ACF strategies for reaching non-household contacts.

Prevalence of Vitamin K2 Deficiency and Its Association with Coronary Artery Disease: A Case-Control Study.

Vitamin K2 analogs are associated with decreased vascular calcification, which may provide protective benefits for individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) by stimulating anti-calcific proteins like matrix Gla protein and adjusting innate immune responses. This study addresses a significant gap in understanding the association between serum levels of vitamin K2 analogs in different CAD types and examines their correlations with clinical risk parameters in CAD patients. This case-control study enrolled CAD patients and healthy controls to assess and compare serum concentrations of two vitamin K2 analogs including menaquinone-4 (MK-4) and menaquinone-7 (MK-7) via ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). CAD risk factors were evaluated and related to serum levels of vitamin K2 analogs. The CAD group was further subdivided into stable angina, STEMI, NSTEMI, and unstable angina groups to investigate potential differences in vitamin K2 analog levels. Patients experiencing acute coronary syndrome exhibited notably reduced serum levels of MK-4 and MK-7 (1.61 ± 0.66, and 1.64 ± 0.59 ng/mL, respectively) in comparison to the control group (2.29 ± 0.54, and 2.16 ± 0.46 ng/mL, respectively), with MK-4 and MK-7 displaying stronger associations with CAD risk indicators. Notable variations in vitamin K2 analog levels were found between CAD patients and control groups (p < 0.001). Unstable angina patients showed the lowest serum levels of MK-4 and MK-7. The present study demonstrated a higher prevalence rate of vitamin K2 deficiency among patients with CAD. The most pronounced decrease in MK-4 and MK-7 was observed in unstable angina patients. Moreover, these outcomes indicate the imperative requirement for an integrative approach that incorporates metabolic, lipid, and vitamin K2-related pathways in the risk stratification and management of CAD.

Multipotent Effect of Clozapine on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acetylcholinesterase, Cyclooxygenase-2,5-Lipoxygenase, and Caspase-3: In Vivo and Molecular Modeling Studies.

Dual inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and lipoxygenase (LOX) is a recognized strategy for enhanced anti-inflammatory effects in small molecules, offering potential therapeutic benefits for individuals at risk of dementia, particularly those with neurodegenerative diseases, common cancers, and diabetes type. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, and the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a key approach in treating AD. Meanwhile, Caspase-3 catalyzes early events in apoptosis, contributing to neurodegeneration and subsequently AD. Structure-based virtual screening of US-FDA-approved molecules from the ZINC15 database identified clozapine (CLOZ) as the dual inhibitor of COX-2 and AChE, with significant binding affinity. Further molecular docking of CLOZ in the active site of LOX and Caspase-3 also showed significant binding potential. Further, the results from molecular docking were validated using molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) studies, confirming the results from molecular docking. The results from MDS showed good binding potential and interactions with key residues. The CLOZ was further assessed using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged rats treated for thirty days at doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg, p.o. The results demonstrated modulation of COX-2, 5-LOX, AChE, Caspase-3, and MDA in LPS-induced brains. Additionally, the expression level of IL-10 was also measured. Our results showed a significant decrease in the levels of COX-2, 5-LOX, AChE, Caspase-3, and MDA. Our results also showed a significant decrement in the pro-inflammatory markers NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-6 and an improvement in the levels of anti-inflammatory markers IL-10 and TGF-β1. Overall, the findings indicate that CLOZ has potential for neuroprotective effects against LPS-treated rats and can be explored.

Redosing with Intralymphatic GAD-Alum in the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes: The DIAGNODE-B Pilot Trial.

Immunotherapies aimed at preserving residual beta cell function in type 1 diabetes have been successful, although the effect has been limited, or raised safety concerns. Transient effects often observed may necessitate redosing to prolong the effect, although this is not always feasible or safe. Treatment with intralymphatic GAD-alum has been shown to be tolerable and safe in persons with type 1 diabetes and has shown significant efficacy to preserve C-peptide with associated clinical benefit in individuals with the human leukocyte antigen DR3DQ2 haplotype. To further explore the feasibility and advantages of redosing with intralymphatic GAD-alum, six participants who had previously received active treatment with intralymphatic GAD-alum and carried HLA DR3-DQ2 received one additional intralymphatic dose of 4 μg GAD-alum in the pilot trial DIAGNODE-B. The participants also received 2000 U/day vitamin D (Calciferol) supplementation for two months, starting one month prior to the GAD-alum injection. During the 12-month follow-up, residual beta cell function was estimated with Mixed-Meal Tolerance Tests, and clinical and immune responses were observed. C-peptide decreased minimally, and most patients showed stable HbA1c and IDAA1c. The mean % TIR increased while the mean daily insulin dose decreased at month 12 compared to the baseline. Redosing with GAD-alum seems to be safe and tolerable, and may prolong the disease modification elicited by the original GAD-alum treatment.

Teaching Walking in Physical Education

This article explores the value of teaching walking within the context of PE. It delves into the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective aspects of walking instruction, highlighting its multifaceted benefits for individuals across the lifespan.

Genetic Analyses on Transgender Individuals: Impact on Physician Attitudes and Surgical Decision-Making.

Genetic studies on the transgender and gender diverse (TGD) community have started to appear in the literature. However, there are limited studies on how genetic data will impact attitudes and perspectives toward TGD individuals. In this study, we investigated the impact of genetic alterations on physicians' attitudes toward TGD individuals and on physicians' decisions concerning gender confirmation surgery (GCS). In this context, we intended to highlight a number of strategies to reduce the inequalities that the TGD community is exposed to in accessing health-care services. An online survey including the Turkish version of the Attitudes Toward Transgendered Individuals Scale (ATTIS) was completed by 224 physicians from relevant specialties. Scheffé and least significant difference (LSD) post hoc analysis methods were used to determine physicians' perspectives on whether genetic findings would cause TGD individuals to feel validated/invalidated. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis was employed to assess their responses concerning the decision to perform GCS when genetic alterations had been identified. More than half of the physicians expressed the view that genetic analyses for TGD individuals would confer benefits (67.1%). Those who thought that the presence of gender-diversity-related genetic alterations would have a "positive impact" on their GCS-related decision to operate were found to have less positive attitudes toward TGD individuals (Bonferroni corrected p < 0.001). Multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that age, presenting the odds ratio as the strongest factor, distinguished the "no impact" group from the reference "positive impact" group, particularly among those aged ≤ 35 years (3.299, 95% CI: 1.355-8.033; p = 0.009). Although genetic analysis of TGD individuals is predicted to have a positive effect on physicians' attitudes toward them and on the GCS decision-making process, it should be emphasized that the benefits for TGD individuals must outweigh the potential harm. The results showed that physicians need "early and continuing education" to develop a comprehensive perspective on gender identity. The most appropriate approach for genetic testing would be to include the TGD community in decision-making processes and to develop guidelines for the interpretation of genetic data.

Combined effects of climate stressors and soil arsenic contamination on metabolic profiles and productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Rice productivity and quality are increasingly at risk in arsenic (As) affected areas, challenge that is expected to worsen under changing climatic conditions. Free-Air Concentration Enrichment experiments revealed that eCO2, eO3, and eTemp, whether acting individually or in combination with low and high As irrigation, significantly impact rice yield and grain quality. Elevated CO₂ significantly increased shoot biomass, with minimal impact on root biomass, except under low As irrigation conditions. In contrast, eTemp alone reduced both shoot and root biomass, though the effect was not significant; eO₃ alone had little to no effect. Combined climatic stressors showed slight positive effects on growth. Under low As irrigation, eCO2 and eO3 promoted root growth but reduced shoot growth, while eTemp significantly suppressed both. High As irrigation exacerbated yield reductions, with the most severe decline observed under eTemp (66%), followed by eCO2 (48%), eO3 (36%), and their combination (35%). Arsenic irrigation, whether low or high, reduced macro and micronutrient concentrations in rice grains, with calcium being sole exception, remaining stable or even increasing. Sugar metabolites decreased under eCO2, eO3, and eTemp, but increased with As irrigation. Interestingly, climatic variables generally reduced grain As levels, high As irrigation combined with eCO2 exposure resulted in elevated grain As. This poses a dual concern: increased cancer risk due to As but potential benefit for individuals with diabetes, as the higher amylose content contributes to lower glycemic index. However, rice grown under high As irrigation exhibited significant nutritional imbalances, being rich in maltose and amylose but deficient in organic acids, phytosterols, fatty acids, organosilicons, and carboxylic acids. These findings underscore the dual threat of climate change and As contamination to rice productivity and quality. Developing resilient rice varieties with low grain As content is essential to ensure sustainable agricultural production and nutritional security in As affected regions.

Instructional Insights: Learnings from a Case Study of Collaborating with an Individual with Lived Experience in Occupational Therapy Education

This case study shares the knowledge gained from working with an individual having lived experience of a health condition contributing toward an occupational therapy education module through the reflections of an occupational therapy academic and an individual with lived experience working in a university. The primary goal is to establish an empirical evidence base for involvement of people with lived experience in occupational therapy education and to encourage other educators and individuals with lived experience to follow this model of teaching and learning in their curricula. Based on the belief that teaching and learning through co-production creates a ‘triangle’ of benefit for individuals with lived experience, students and academics. Individuals with lived experience are seen as powerful, independent, and strong despite their medical condition. Students learn more about important aspects of service provision beyond direct medical and therapy knowledge and academics learn about and model this new way of working. The aim is to promote development of co-production learning activities in occupational therapy education.

Effect of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Techniques in COPD patients: A narrative review

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive, incurable lung condition marked by persistent airflow limitation, predominantly affecting smokers. It ranks as the third leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) techniques, involving externally applied proprioceptive and tactile stimuli, can elicit reflex respiratory responses, influencing breathing rate and depth. Aim: To determine the effectiveness of PNF techniques in COPD condition. Results: Several articles are used to discuss the effectiveness of the PNF techniques in COPD. Integrating PNF techniques into pulmonary rehabilitation offers significant benefits for individuals with COPD. These techniques enhance respiratory function by improving air exchange, boosting respiratory parameters, and increasing oxygen saturation levels, all while maintaining a stable respiratory rate. Conclusion: PNF serves as a valuable adjunct or alternative to traditional therapies, effectively improving respiratory function and overall quality of life (QOL) for patients.