Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of pinch strength assessment: a systematic review.

Purpose: To summarize and critically appraise the quality of studies investigating psychometric properties of pinch strength assessment.

Methods: Medical literature up to February 2024 was searched for studies reporting on at least one measurement property of pinch strength assessment. The quality of the evidence and the risk of bias were rated using COSMIN 2018 guidelines.

Checking Contact Tracing App Implementations with Bespoke Static Analysis.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, contact tracing apps have been developed based on digital contact tracing frameworks. These allow developers to build privacy-conscious apps that detect whether an infected individual is in close proximity with others. Given the urgency of the problem, these apps have been developed at an accelerated rate with a brief testing period.

Evaluation of Optimized Preprocessing and Modeling Algorithms for Prediction of Soil Properties Using VIS-NIR Spectroscopy.

The absorbance spectra for air-dried and ground soil samples from Ontario, Canada were collected in the visible and near-infrared (VIS-NIR) region from 343 to 2200 nm. The study examined thirteen combination of six preprocessing (1st derivative, 2nd derivative, Savitzky-Golay, Gap, SNV and Detrend) method included in 'prospectr' R package along with four modeling approaches: partial least square regression (PLSR), cubist, random forest (RF), and extreme learning machine (ELM) for prediction of the soil organic matter (SOM). The 1st derivative + gap, 2nd derivative + gap and standard normal variance (SNV) were the best preprocessing algorithms.

Experiences of primary healthcare professionals and patients from an area of urban disadvantage: a qualitative study.

Background: The health disadvantage in socioeconomically marginalised urban settings can be challenging for health professionals, but strong primary health care improves health equity and outcomes.

Aim: To understand challenges and identify needs in general practices in a socioeconomically marginalised Australian setting.

Design & Setting: Qualitative methodology with general practices in a disadvantaged area of western Sydney.

Beyond diagnosis and survivorship: findings from a mixed-methods study of a community-based cancer support service.

This consumer-led research investigated the client experiences and the individual and community benefits of a community-based cancer support service operating in a regional setting. The study included cross-sectional surveys, focus group discussions and key-informant interviews. In total, 114 clients, 28 carers and 20 therapists were surveyed; three client focus groups were conducted and five directors and staff were interviewed.