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This article presents experiences and reflections from two cases of problem-oriented project work working with action research in bottom-up urban planning and sustainable transition in Copenhagen. The first case concerns the involvement of local residents in the redesign of a public square through a series of aesthetic experiments. The second case concerns an experiment with alternative transport solutions and sustainable street transition through reduction of private car use and the creation of new public spaces on former parking lots. The article concludes that action research seems to be a promising way of involving students in processes of planning and sustainable urban transition. Seen from the perspective of external stakeholders, the students can make valuable contributions to the exploration of the potentials of places and the possible futures of communities, and they can assist in providing a knowledge base for planned experiments and initiatives. Seen from the perspective of the students, doing action research strengthens their understanding of "the logic of practice" and their ability to master practical and ethical judgments in complex real-world empowerment and learning processes.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) offer promise to the play of children with significant physical impairments, as BCI technology can enable disabled children to control computer devices, toys, and robots using only their brain signals. However, there is little research on the unique needs of disabled children when it comes to BCI-enabled play. Thus, this paper explored the lived experiences of play for children with significant physical impairments and examined how BCI could potentially be implemented into disabled children's play experiences by applying a social model of childhood disability. Descriptive qualitative methodology was employed by conducting four semi-structured interviews with two children with significant physical impairments and their parents. We found that disabled children's play can be interpreted as passive or active depending on one's definition and perceptions surrounding play. Moreover, disabled children continue to face physical, economic, and technological barriers in their play, as well as play restrictions from physical impairments. We urge that future research should strive to directly hear from disabled children themselves, as their perspectives may differ from their parents' views. Also, future BCI development should strive to incorporate video games, recreational and entertainment applications/platforms, toys and switch-adapted toys, and power wheelchairs to better support the play of children with significant physical impairments. Implications for Rehabilitation: Assistive technology research should strive to examine the social, infrastructural, and environmental barriers that continue to disable and restrict participation for disabled children and their families through applying a social model of childhood disability and other holistic frameworks that look beyond individual factors Future research that examines the needs and lives of disabled children should strive to directly seek the opinions and perspectives of disabled children themselves Brain-computer interface development should strive to incorporate video games, recreational and entertainment applications/platforms, toys and switch-adapted toys, and power wheelchairs to better support the play of children with significant physical impairments [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to identify clinical and biochemical predictors for future surgical intervention in male LUTS patients. Materials and Methods: In a prospective cohort study, parameters as International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and IPSS "bother question" (IPSS-BQ), prostate volume (PV), maximal urine flow (Qmax), Prostate specific antigen (PSA), post-voidal residual urine (PVR) were assessed alongside comorbidities quantified using Charlson Comorbidity Index without age adjustment and American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score. For the statistical analysis, patients were categorized based on subsequent treatment approaches: Group 1: underwent surgery during follow-up; Group 2: received medical or no treatment. T -test was used to test differences between the groups. Logistic regression models were used to identify independent predictors of the need for future surgery. Following this analysis, we calculated the probability of requiring surgical intervention, with this likelihood being determined based on the accumulation of identified predictive factors. Results: Of 63 patients, 22 underwent surgery over a median follow-up of 42 months. Significant baseline differences were observed in IPSS (p = 0.003), International Prostatic Symptom Score-Voiding subscore (IPSS-VS) (p = 0.002), IPSS-BQ (p = 0.001), Qmax (p = 0.007), and PVR (p = 0.02) between the groups. Higher IPSS-BQ, IPSS-VS, and lower Qmax are emerging as independent surgical treatment predictors in logistic regression analyses. Conclusion: The study identified IPSS-VS, IPSS-BQ, and Qmax as baseline predictors of future surgical intervention. A clear pattern of a gradual increase in the likelihood of requiring surgery was directly proportional to the cumulative number of these identified predictive factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of individuals are living with upper extremity amputations, making them potential beneficiaries of hand and arm prostheses. While myoelectric prostheses have evolved to meet amputees' needs, challenges remain related to their control. This research leverages surface electromyography sensors and machine learning techniques to classify five fundamental hand gestures. By utilizing features extracted from electromyography data, we employed a nonlinear, multiple-kernel learning-based support vector machine classifier for gesture recognition. Our dataset encompassed eight young nondisabled participants. Additionally, our study conducted a comparative analysis of five distinct sensor placement configurations. These configurations capture electromyography data associated with index finger and thumb movements, as well as index finger and ring finger movements. We also compared four different classifiers to determine the most capable one to classify hand gestures. The dual-sensor setup strategically placed to capture thumb and index finger movements was the most effective—this dual-sensor setup achieved 90% accuracy for classifying all five gestures using the support vector machine classifier. Furthermore, the application of multiple-kernel learning within the support vector machine classifier showcases its efficacy, achieving the highest classification accuracy amongst all classifiers. This study showcased the potential of surface electromyography sensors and machine learning in enhancing the control and functionality of myoelectric prostheses for individuals with upper extremity amputations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new experimental system for direct measurements of the absolute saturation vapor pressures of liquid or solid samples. The setup allows the isolation of the sample under steady conditions in an ultra-high vacuum chamber, where the measurement of the sample's vapor pressure as a function of its temperature can be performed in a range around room temperature and in a pressure range defined only by the applied absolute pressure sensor. We characterize the setup and illustrate its capability to measure saturation vapor pressures as well as enthalpies of evaporation around room temperature with explicit measurements on four liquid compounds (diethyl phthalate, 1-decanol, 1-heptanol, and 1-hexanol) for which accurate vapor pressures have previously been reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe the current content of low back pain (LBP) care in Danish general practice, the patients' self‐management activities, and the clinicians' experienced barriers to providing best practice care. Methods: This cross‐sectional observational study included adults with LBP seeking care in Danish general practice from August 2022 to June 2023. Patient‐reported information included demographics, pain intensity, medical history, treatments, and self‐management strategies. Clinicians provided data specific to each consultation, detailing the content of these consultations, and barriers to best practice in the specific cases. Results: The study involved 71 clinicians from 42 general practice clinics, with patient‐reported data from 294 patients, and clinician‐reported data from 283 (95%) consultations. The mean age for the included patients was 53 years, 56% were female, and 31% had been on sick leave for LBP during the previous 3 months. Moreover, 44% had seen two or more healthcare professionals in the previous month, 55% had previously undergone diagnostic imaging for LBP, 81% reported using any type of analgesics, and 14% reported using opioids. The majority (91%) reported engaging in self‐management activities to alleviate pain. Consultations typically included a physical examination (84%), information about the cause of the pain (74%), and management advice (68%), as reported by clinicians or patients. In general, clinicians reported consultation elements more frequently than patients. Clinicians reported providing best practice care in 84% of cases, with time constraints (23%) and patient expectations (10%) being the most common barriers. Conclusions: This study provides detailed insights into the management of LBP in Danish general practice. It reveals a complex landscape of patient engagement, varying management strategies, and differing perceptions of care content between patients and clinicians. Patients were often engaged in self‐management activities and clinicians reported few barriers to providing best practice care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]