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Self-management is generally considered a dynamic and collaborative process by individuals and caregivers to manage a chronic condition. Self-management has recently emerged as a promising strategy for stroke rehabilitation. This scoping review aims to examine and summarize self-management strategies utilized by stroke survivors for stroke rehabilitation. PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL (EBSCO), Embase, and ProQuest were searched for articles published between January 2010 and December 2021. Studies were selected if they were published in English in a peer-reviewed journal, utilized a non-experimental research design, and focused on adult stroke survivors. All relevant information from the included articles was extracted in a systematic way using a pre-developed data extraction form. Two authors performed data extraction and quality evaluation independently. All issues were resolved through discussion among the authors. We narratively summarized the findings of 15 quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies, including a total of 1,494 stroke survivors. The stroke survivors used a range of self-management strategies for their stroke rehabilitation, including domains related to lifestyle, social support, communication, knowledge and information, and goal-setting. Gender, age, stroke-related disability, fatigue, self-management education, social support, and communication with others were found to be associated with self-management use in stroke rehabilitation. This scoping review provides an important overview on stroke survivors' use of self-management strategies and their experience. Their use of self-management strategies is complicated and multifaceted, comprising several domains and involving a diverse range of approaches and personal experiences. However, we identified several gaps in the literature and more research is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photodiode, a semiconductor device, is designed to convert light into an electric current. The piezo-phototronic effect, arising from the interplay of semiconductor properties, piezoelectric polarizations, and photo-excitations, presents a promising avenue for enhancing photodiode performance. This research is dedicated to analyzing the impact of the piezo-phototronic effects on p-Si/n-ZnO heterojunction photodiodes when subjected to 365 nm illumination, a situation more intricate than the commonly studied 648 nm illumination. Employing numerical simulation methods, we systematically investigated the influence of varying ZnO and Si lengths on the piezo-phototronic effect, with a focus on the depletion region and neutral region current perspectives. Our findings reveal that adjusting these lengths can heighten sensitivity at low currents or lead to increased base currents. Additionally, the study delves into the effects of doping concentration, minority carrier lifetime, and mobility on device characteristics. This investigation contributes essential insights for a comprehensive understanding of piezo-phototronic effects and establishes a foundational framework for the design of industrial devices. [Display omitted] • Optimal ZnO thickness is crucial for piezo-phototronic effect in photodiode. • Short Si thickness limits the exertion of piezo-phototronic effect. • Semiconductor properties (e.g., doping, absorption) have a significant impact on piezo-phototronic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fatigue is a common and often debilitating symptom experienced by many stroke survivors. Significant post stroke fatigue may predispose individuals to other health complications, such as falls, which can lead to fractures and soft tissue injuries. Only limited research has examined the association between fatigue and falls in stroke survivors. Methods: Data were obtained from the Sax Institute's 45 and Up Study, from a subset of individuals who had experienced a stroke. The Modified Fatigue Impact Scale—5-item version (MFIS-5) was used to measure the level of fatigue. A logistic regression model, adjusted for stroke characteristics and comorbidities, was used to determine the magnitude of association between change in fatigue score and odds of having had a fall. Results: A total of 576 participants completed the questionnaire. A total of 214 (37.2%) participants reported having had a fall in the previous 12 months. There was a statistically significant association between fatigue scores and fall status (p < 0.001). Specifically, for every 1-point increase in the fatigue score (MFIS-5) (i.e. higher level of fatigue), the odds of a person having a fall is 1.10 times greater (AOR = 1.10; 95% CI 1.05, 1.15; p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study revealed an association between an increasing risk of falls with increasing severity of post stroke fatigue. Accurate detection and management of fatigue may help reduce the risk of falls and should be the focus of future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterojunction photodiodes based on p-n junction with enhanced piezo-phototronic effect have been extensively studied. However, the photoresponsivity of conventional photodiodes is small due to the natural zero current gain. Heterojunction phototransistor usually has greater photoresponsivity due to the non-zero current gain. More importantly, heterojunction phototransistor owns two interfaces, offering the opportunity to introduce the bilateral piezoelectric charge modulation effect for further performance enhancement compared to the conventional single-interface piezo-phototronic effect in photodiode. In this work, a base-floating heterojunction bipolar phototransistor (FHPT) based on n-ZnO/p-Si/n-ZnO structure with a spectral detection range from ultraviolet (UV)–visible is demonstrated. The positive piezoelectric charge generated at the two interfaces of the collector junction and the emitter junction, combined with the optimal base width and low resistance base doping concentration of the FHPT, leads to an excellent photoresponsivity (18046 A/W, 365 nm), high detectivity (5.7×1012 Jones), and a wider modulation (7120 %). The physical mechanism leading to the ultrahigh performance is attributed to the cooperative positive piezoelectric charge at the two interfaces, simultaneously reducing the effective base width and lowering the emitter junction barrier. This work illustrates the regulation of heterojunction phototransistor performance by the bilateral piezoelectric charge modulation effect, providing insightful guidance to high-performance phototransistor design. [Display omitted] • A floating base heterojunction bipolar phototransistor based on n-ZnO/p-Si/n-ZnO structure is demonstrated. • Bilateral piezoelectric charge modulation in n-ZnO/p-Si/n-ZnO phototransistor is systematically studied. • Responsivity of 18046 A/W (365 nm), high detectivity (5.7×1012 Jones), and wider modulation (7120 %) are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

buried interfaces are crucial for achieving efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, studying and optimizing buried interfaces remains a challenging issue due to its non-exposed characteristics. Here, a simple and effective targeting strategy is proposed to regulate the NiOx/perovskite buried interface by passivating buried defects in perovskite and adjusting the growth of perovskite crystals through modifying multifunctional molecules (DTD) on the surface of NiOx. DTD has multifunctional targeting groups that enable it to interact strongly with both perovskite and NiOx simultaneously, thereby building a molecular bridge at the NiOx/perovskite buried interface, enabling high-quality upper perovskite films, excellent interface contact and more matched energy levels between perovskite and NiOx. As a result, the modification of DTD significantly improves the efficiency of perovskite devices from 22.19 % to 25.00 % (certified value of 24.12 %), along with excellent long-term and operational stability. This strategy provides a simple and effective targeted therapy for the buried interface in PSC, achieving high efficiency and stability. [Display omitted] • Regulate the NiOx/perovskite buried interface through modifying multifunctional molecules (DTD). • DTD modification significantly improves the efficiency of devices from 22.19 % to 25.00 % (certified value 24.12 %). • The DTD-modified PSC devices exhibit enhanced long-term stability and improved operational stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-related injuries constitute a significant proportion of osteopaths' practice. This study was designed to determine the practitioner and practice characteristics of osteopaths who treat people with work-related injuries and to identify the impact of workers' compensation scheme status on the use of osteopathic medicine. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to a nationally-representative sample of 992 Australian osteopaths. Multivariate logistic regression modelling was performed to identify the practitioner and practice characteristics of osteopaths that were statistically significantly associated with the treatment of work-related injuries. A total of 847 osteopaths (86%) at least sometimes treated people with work-related injuries within the previous 12-months. One hundred and three participating osteopaths indicated they often treated people with work-related injuries who were covered by a workers' compensation scheme and 341 participating osteopaths indicated they often treated people with work-related injuries who were not covered by a workers' compensation scheme. Osteopaths who often treated work-related injuries were also more likely to often treat people with sports-related injuries, often treat people with traffic-related injuries, and/or often discuss medications with patients. A large proportion of Australian osteopaths treat people with work-related injuries. Further examination of osteopathic medicine use for work-related injuries is warranted. • More than 85% of osteopaths at least sometimes treated people with work-related injuries within the previous 12 months. • A total of 35% of osteopaths often treated injured workers who were not covered by the Workers' Compensation Scheme. • Numerous variations exist in osteopathic treatments for injured workers with and without a Workers' Compensation Scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Approximately one in four adults do not meet the World Health Organisation physical activity recommendations. While health promotion (i.e., physical activity) is common within chiropractic settings, little is known about chiropractors discussing this public health issue with their patients. The aim of our study is to examine the prevalence and characteristics of Australian chiropractors who frequently discuss patient physical activity.Methods: A national cross-sectional survey of chiropractors focusing upon practitioner characteristics, practice settings and clinical management characteristics. Regression analyses were conducted on 1924 survey respondents to identify factors associated with practitioners who frequently discuss physical activity with patients.Results: Eighty-five percent of Australian chiropractors reported 'often' discussing physical activity as part of their patient management. The strongest factors associated with chiropractors who frequently discuss physical activity obtained from the multivariate analysis include: often discussing occupational health and safety (odds ratio [OR] = 6.10; 95%CI: 3.88, 9.59), often discussing diet/nutrition (OR = 4.56; 95%CI: 3.12, 6.66), often discussing smoking/drugs/alcohol (OR = 4.41; 95%CI: 2.06, 9.40), often use of specific exercise therapy/rehabilitation/injury taping (OR = 3.76; 95%CI: 2.62, 5.39) and often caring for athletes or sports people (OR = 2.18; 95%CI: 1.56, 3.06) within their practice setting.Conclusion: Discussing physical activity is a frequent feature of patient management among most chiropractors in Australia. The association between these practitioners and discussion of other costly public health burdens could suggest chiropractors have a valuable role to play in chronic disease prevention. Given the growing need for practitioner-led promotion of patient physical activity further research examination of the role and contribution of chiropractors in promoting this important public health topic among patients and communities is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-23 recommended evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) education for traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) professionals, including Chinese medicine practitioners (CMPs). We evaluated the impact of a customized educational workshop on Hong Kong CMPs' knowledge, attitude and practice of EBHC. Two validated instruments, Evidence-based Practice Questionnaire (EPQ) and Evidence-based Practice Inventory (EPI), were used to assess the impact of EBHC education. Paired t-tests were used to compare scores before and after the workshop. Multiple linear regression was performed to explore the associations between changes in EPQ/EPI scores and CMPs' characteristics. CMPs who completed the workshop (n = 59) demonstrated significant improvements in the attitude (p = 0.013) and knowledge domains of the EPQ (p = 0.005). Significant improvements were also observed in the attitude, perceived behavioural control, decision making, and intention and behaviour domains of the EPI. CMPs who had never received prior EBHC training showed a larger magnitude of improvement in the EPI attitude (p = 0.032), decision making (p = 0.015), and intention and behaviour (p = 0.015) domains post-workshop. Our findings suggest that tailored workshop is effective in strengthening knowledge and in improving attitudes towards EBHC. Future RCTs should be conducted to affirm our findings. Future initiatives may consider incorporating this education approach into CMP curricula, as well as facilitating implementation of EBHC in routine Chinese medicine practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the characteristics of the Australian osteopathy workforce who participate in the management of older patients with musculoskeletal complaints.Design: Secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey of osteopaths.Setting: The Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION), an Australian practice-based research network.Main Outcome Measures: The demographic, practice and treatment characteristics of osteopaths who identify as 'always'or 'often' treating patients aged 65 years or over.Results: Over half (58%) of total participants (n = 992) indicated often treating older people and this was associated with referral patterns with other health professionals and a non-urban practice location. Osteopaths providing care to older people were more likely to discuss diet/nutrition and medications, and provide pain counselling. Osteopaths who treated older adults were more likely to treat shoulder musculoskeletal disorders, degenerative spine disorders, chronic or persistent pain, and tendinopathies.Conclusions: A substantial proportion of Australian osteopaths treat older adults frequently. The potential value and impact of osteopathy in managing the health needs of an ageing population warrants close examination from both researchers and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To provide a critical analysis of peer-reviewed literature reporting research from practice-based research networks (PBRNs) relating to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).Methods: A comprehensive literature search of peer-reviewed literature reporting PBRN research focusing upon CAM was conducted in PubMed, Ovid Medline, EMBASE, and CINAHL from their inceptions to June 2017. PBRN registry and websites of relevant PBRNs were also searched for further information. With regards to the nested PBRN studies included in our review, no study design restrictions were imposed and both empirical research and relevant methodologically-focused manuscripts were included. Methodological quality was evaluated via a number of established tools.Results: A total of 51 articles reporting upon CAM research in PBRNs including six articles outlining CAM-focused PBRN establishment were included in the review. The findings of the literature were categorised as either: health services research (including work examining characteristics of patients and practices, doctor-patient communication, and CAM prevalence); effectiveness/safety research; or feasibility research. While 19 studies from non-CAM focused PBRNs tended to report on CAM prevalence and doctor-patient communication about CAM use, 26 articles from CAM-focused PBRNs reported on the characteristics of CAM users, practice patterns, and effectiveness/safety of CAM practice.Discussion and Conclusion: PBRNs - both CAM-focused and non-CAM focused - have provided a useful platform for research investigations around a number of core CAM-related issues. Given the increasing popularity of CAM use in healthcare and the identified benefits of practice-relevant research, further in-depth CAM research nested within PBRN designs is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Little is known about women's use of health services affected by headache or migraine during pregnancy. This paper directly addresses the research gap reporting on the healthcare utilization among Australian pregnant women experiencing headache or migraine.Design and Setting: In this retrospective observational study, data on 1,835 Australian pregnant women were obtained from the nationally-representative Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Information on quality of life and health seeking behaviors regarding conventional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine providers was identified among these participants. Factors associated with healthcare use were analyzed using regression analyses.Results: A total of 16% of the pregnant women surveyed experienced headache or migraine, and over 20% sought help from more than two types of healthcare practitioners for their headache or migraine. General practitioners (37.8%) were the most commonly consulted providers of pregnant women for their headache or migraine. Women with headache or migraine during pregnancy had worse health-related quality of life than those without. Education level and private health insurance status of pregnant women are the predictors of the use of healthcare practitioners for their management of headache or migraine (both p < 0.05).Conclusions: Headache or migraine during pregnancy significantly impacts upon pregnant women's quality of life. The use of multiple healthcare practitioners, including conventional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, highlights the need for further research investigating health services utilization of pregnant women with headache or migraine in different severity and frequency to help inform effective and safe treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical stimulus produced piezoelectric charges could modulate the local energy band near interface to control the performances of electronics and optoelectronics, whereas almost half of the piezoelectric charges are electrostatically screened by the Ohmic contact and not effectively utilized. Multi-layer structured devices should be adopted to introduce multiple interfaces, so that most or even all of the piezoelectric charges could be effectively utilized. Such piezoelectric charge modulation on the multi-layer structured devices is proposed as Bilateral Piezoelectric Charge Modulation (BPCM). In this work, the concept of BPCM is illustrated and explained in detail and we further demonstrate the BPCM on the performances of a floating-base PNP heterojunction bipolar phototransistor (HBPT). The results indicate an interesting optimization modulation behavior. The working mechanism of BPCM in PNP HBPT is carefully illustrated and thoroughly discussed by analyzing the piezoelectric charges induced modulation of energy band near the two interfaces of PNP HBPT and its effects on photo-carriers' dynamics. This work not only proposes the BPCM and further demonstrates it in a floating-base PNP HBPT successfully, but also presents the BPCM's huge potential in advanced electronics and optoelectronics as a perspective of piezo-phototronic effect in multi-layer structured piezoelectric semiconductor devices. [Display omitted] • Bilateral piezoelectric charge modulation (BPCM) is proposed. • Piezoelectric charges utilization efficiency is improved by BPCM. • BPCM in floating-base heterojunction bipolar phototransistor is demonstrated. • Promising perspective of BPCM in multi-layer devices is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: A range of health-care professionals including chiropractors provide treatment for sports-related health problems. This study reports analyses from the first national workforce survey to determine practitioner and practice-related factors associated with the frequent treatment of athletes or sports people by Australian chiropractors.Design and Setting: A 21-item questionnaire collecting information pertaining to practitioner and practice-related characteristics was distributed to all Australian registered chiropractors, as part of the Australian Chiropractic Research Network (ACORN) project and attracted a response rate of 43% (n = 2005). Statistical analyses compared the frequency of treating athletes or sports people against a wide range of relevant practitioner and practice characteristics.Results: Of the respondents, 49.5% (n = 936) reported frequently treating athletes or sports people, and these chiropractors were more likely to be male as well as report more patient care hours and patient visits per week than those chiropractors who did not frequently treat athletes or sports people. Chiropractors who frequently treat athletes or sports people were also more likely to perform multi-modal management, have multi-disciplinary practitioner relations, use diagnostic equipment and discuss nutrition and medication use as part of their patient care than those chiropractors who did not frequently treat athletes or sports people.Conclusions: Nearly half of participating Australian chiropractors treat athletes or sports people frequently. The current and potential role of chiropractors in sports medicine appears significant. Further research is needed to examine the role, practices and outcomes of such chiropractic care helping to, provide treatment and policy development in this area of clinical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effects have been confirmed as promising methodologies to optimize the performances of electronic/optoelectronic devices. Here, the carrier concentration dependence of both the piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effects are systematically investigated in ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs) that fabricated by high-concentration solution hydrothermal method (ZnO NW TFT) and radio frequency magnetron sputtering (ZnO seed TFT) method. Significant performance improvement is achieved in the ZnO NW TFT with moderate carrier concentration by the piezotronic effect, whereas the photoresponse performance of the ZnO NW TFT to 365 nm UV illumination shows no modulation by the piezo-phototronic effect. In contrast, the performance of the ZnO seed TFT with ultra-low carrier concentration almost keeps unchanged when introducing the piezotronic effect, while significant photoresponse improvement of the ZnO seed TFT to 365 nm UV illumination is obtained by the piezo-phototronic effect. After careful analysis and comparation, the different influences of piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effects in the ZnO NW TFT and the ZnO seed TFT are resulted from the different carrier concentrations in ZnO NW film and ZnO seed film with or without UV illumination. This study not only presents in-depth understanding about carrier concentration dependence of the piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effects in ZnO TFTs, but also provides feasible, compatible and adjustable methodologies to enhance/optimize the performances of electronic/optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezo-phototronic effect has been extensively introduced to improve the performances of optoelectronic devices by utilizing external-strain-induced positive or negative piezoelectric charges (piezo-charges) to modulate the generation, separation, transportation, and recombination of charge carriers. However, in most cases till today, only the piezo-charges with one polarity ( i.e. , positive or negative) are effectively utilized. In this work, we fabricated an n-Si/n-ZnO/p-PEDOT:PSS tri-layer heterojunction photodetector (HPD) and systematically investigated the piezo-phototronic effect on its performances simultaneously utilizing both positive and negative piezo-charges for the first time. The photoresponsivity to 405 and 648 nm laser illuminations can be gigantically optimized, with astonishing enhancement of over 3000% and 1800% compared to that under strain free condition, respectively. The in-depth working mechanisms is systematically investigated by carefully analyzing the strain-induced variations in energy band diagrams of the HPD, which is further validated by finite element analysis simulations. This work not only presents the utilization of both positive and negative piezo-charges to optimize the performances of HPD by the piezo-phototronic effect, but also provides a deep understanding of how the piezo-charges of two opposite polarities work together in one optoelectronic device, hopefully proposing the idea of introducing the piezo-phototronic effect into three-/multi-layer devices in future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the compatibility with the traditional integrated circuit technology, it is of great significance to enhance the photoresponse performance of Silicon (Si)-based photodetectors (PDs) in the near-infrared (NIR) wavelength. Here, by introducing the piezo-phototronic effect, the photoresponsivity and the specific detectivity of the p-Si/n-CdS heterojunction NIR PD are enhanced by 966 times and two orders of magnitude with a 1064 nm illumination of 0.35 mW cm −2 power density under - 0.50‰ compressive strain, which is even better than those of commercial Si PDs. The piezo-phototronic effect is a three-way coupling effect of piezoelectricity, semiconductor and optical excitation in piezoelectric semiconductors, such as wurtzite structured CdS. Alternatively, the performance enhancement of the n-Si/n-CdS heterojunction PD by the piezo-phototronic effect is much less than that of the p-n heterojunction PD under the same compressive straining conditions, due to their different energy band structures near the Si/CdS heterojunction. This work provides not only a facile solution-processed fabrication for high-performance Si-based NIR PDs, but also a deep understanding about the piezo-phototronic effect on the performance enhancement of Si/CdS heterojunction NIR PDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Little research has been conducted regarding the comprehensive health service utilisation in constipation care. This study investigates the comprehensive health service utilisation amongst Australian women with constipation. Methods This study draws upon data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. A total of 8074 young women were asked about their frequency of constipation, measures of quality of life, and use of a range of health services and self-prescribed treatments via two postal surveys conducted in 2006 and 2009, respectively. Results The prevalence of constipation was 18.5% amongst women in 2009. Constipated women had poorer quality of health than women without constipation. Women who sought help for constipation were more likely to visit multiple groups of conventional and complementary health practitioners compared to women who did not experience constipation ( p < 0.005). However, women were less likely to visit a specialist for the management of constipation over time (2006 to 2009). There was an increase in the proportion of women with constipation who self-prescribed vitamins/minerals over time ( p < 0.001). Conclusion Although only 4.5% of women sought help for their constipation, given the increasing use of multiple health services across time, more studies are required regarding the optimal treatment in constipation care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photo-voltage field-effect transistor (FET), consisting of one semiconductor as conduction channel and another semiconductor as light absorber, utilizes photo-generated charges induced photo-voltage at the heterojunction interface originated from photovoltaic effect to change the conduction channel thickness and thus the conduction current. Despite of the illumination induced photo-voltage, applied strain can also produce piezoelectric polarization charges and hence a piezo-voltage at the heterojunction interface to modulate the conduction channel thickness. Here we theoretically study the basic characteristics of an n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunction FET, successfully demonstrate the modulation behaviors of FET's characteristics by both piezo-voltage and photo-voltage, and explain the physical principles that govern the piezo-voltage and photo-voltage modulation. With a tensile strain of ε = 0.15‰ or a 0.5 μW/cm2 UV illumination, the saturation drain current I Dsat of FET is enhanced by about 25%. Besides, the influences of structural parameters and doping concentrations on piezo-voltage modulation behavior are systematically studied and the guidance for piezo-voltage FET design is given. We also propose a piezo- and photo-voltage field-effect transistor by combining the piezo-voltage and photo-voltage together and illustrate the cooperation of them. Our results show that not only electric gate voltage V GS , but also strain induced piezo -voltage and illumination induced photo -voltage, can effectively control the conduction channel thickness and current of heterojunction FET, and present the potential of piezo- and photo-voltage field-effect transistor in the fields of piezotronics and piezo-phototronics. [Display omitted] • An n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunction FET controlled by strain induced piezo-voltage and light induced photo-voltage is demonstrated theoretically. • The underlying physical principles that govern the modulation of piezo-voltage and photo-voltage are carefully revealed. • The influences of structural parameters and doping concentrations on piezo-voltage modulation behavior are systematically studied and the guidance for piezo-voltage FET design is given. • A piezo- and photo-voltage FET combining the piezo-voltage and photo-voltage together is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is commonplace in Australia with massage being a popular CAM modality. Methods This is a sub-study from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH). A total of 2120 mid-age (56–61 year old) women who consulted a CAM practitioner were invited to participate in this study. The Short-Form (SF-36) questionnaire was used to measure women's health-related quality of life. Results A total of 1800 women returned the questionnaire generating a response rate of 85.0%. Overall, 912 (50.7%) women visited a massage therapist in the previous 12 months. Women with lower quality of life scores in terms of bodily pain (p = 0.012) and/or emotional health (p = 0.029) were more likely to consult a massage therapist than those with higher scores. Conclusion The implications of these associations are important for informing healthcare providers in providing effective and coordinated care for patients with pain and mood symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open circuit voltage of a conventional H 2 -O 2 fuel cell is limited to ~1.23 V under atmospheric pressure, which limits the efficiency of the system. Here, we reported a dual-electrolyte microfluidic fuel cell system (DEFC), which could stably deliver an open circuit voltage up to 1.76 V at room temperature under atmospheric pressure, and a peak power density of 145 mW/cm 2 , improved by 3 times compared with that in single electrolyte mode. When operated in the reverse mode, the microfluidic cell can be used for water electrolysis, demonstrating a water split voltage of ~0.74 V and a round trip voltage efficiency of 83.5% at a current density of 100 mA/cm 2 . The neutralization energy of the two electrolytes, which could be wasted as heat, can be directly utilized to produce electricity or split water with high efficiency. Given the DEFC's features of high open-circuit voltage, low water splitting voltage, and room-temperature operation condition, the reported DEFCs technology presents a superior route for high-efficiency energy conversion and storage system that could revolutionize the fields of large-scale energy storage and portable power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The increasing acceptance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) worldwide has highlighted the importance of ensuring the provision of high-quality TCM clinical education. This clinical training should be partly guided by a robust assessment of patient data outcomes in TCM teaching clinics. We undertook a comprehensive literature review to examine the data evaluation in TCM teaching clinics outside China and its implications for TCM education.Methods: Literature was retrieved via MEDLINE (from 1946 to January 2015), EMBASE (from 1980 to February 2015), and Google Scholar for studies conducted outside China. The search was restricted to English articles reporting empirical findings related to the assessments of patient data in TCM teaching clinics, with implications for TCM education in countries other than China.Results: Only seven articles from six studies met the inclusion criteria. The characteristics and main symptoms of patients who received any TCM treatment in the context of teaching clinics among all included studies were similar. Symptom relief as well as a high level of patient satisfaction with TCM treatment were found in TCM teaching clinics. Conventional healthcare providers and other complementary practitioners were not the main source of referral to TCM practitioners but rather patients׳ friends/relatives. Patients received acupuncture treatment more frequently than treatments utilizing Chinese herbal medicine in teaching clinics. A standardized and consistent framework for patient records within TCM teaching clinics is currently lacking. There was no robust study which "translated" TCM clinic data evaluation findings into implications for TCM education and clinical training.Conclusions: Recognizing that TCM evolves over time and its practice varies in different settings, there is an urgent need to conduct large-scale, rigorous evaluations of TCM clinic data to address the findings of our review, with the purpose of better informing TCM education and clinical training in countries beyond China. Expansions for scientific efforts supporting TCM education are essential to ensure that qualified TCM practitioners are able to provide safe, efficacious, and cost-effective TCM treatment modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]