A Mixed Methods Study of Functioning and Rehabilitation Needs Following COVID-19

COVID-19 can lead to a long-term loss of functioning, which may affect activities and participation in daily living in various ways. The extent and characteristics of post-COVID-19 persistent symptoms are currently being studied extensively worldwide. The purpose of this exploratory study is to explore functioning and rehabilitation needs among persons with self-reported disability following COVID-19. This mixed methods study is based on data from patient-reported outcome measures (PRO), tests of body functions, visual drawings and focus groups among persons with self-reported disability after having suffered from COVID-19. PRO covered quality of life, activity and participation. Tests of body functions targeted strength and endurance. Focus groups and visual drawings elaborated on how post COVID-19 persistent symptoms affected functioning, activities and daily living. Data was collected in August and September 2020. The study sample consisted of 11 women, nine men, aged 35–79 years. Self-reported PRO data showed low quality of life and disability among the participants primarily related to fatigue, energy and drive, breathing and concentration. Tests of body functions showed low strength in lower extremities but otherwise no striking limitations on a group level. Analysis of the focus groups generated the following four themes: (1) Persistent symptoms, particularly in regards to concentration, memory, lack of energy, fatigue and headaches. (2) Balancing activities in daily living with fluctuating symptoms. (3) Uncertainty and Powerlessness, which included a need for directional guidance in order to regain functioning and unmet needs regarding further clinical assessment of persistent symptoms, referral to rehabilitation and returning to work. (4) Hope associated with the experiences of recovery - and for the future. This study highlights that persons with persistent symptoms after COVID-19 may experience a range of limitations in their daily living. This points toward a need for individual assessment and guidance to tailor relevant rehabilitation

Sexual Activity in Couples Dealing With Breast Cancer:A Cohort Study of Associations With Patient, Partner and Relationship-Related Factors

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer may profoundly affect a couple’s sex life. The present study examines whether patient-, partner- and relationship-related characteristics are associated with sexual activity of couples following breast cancer diagnosis in the treatment phase and over time. METHODS: Women with breast cancer and their male cohabiting partners participated in a longitudinal study in Denmark. Logistic regression was used to examine associations of patient-, partner- and relationship-related characteristics at baseline (≤4 months following surgery) with couples’ sexual activity at baseline, 5 and 12 months later. The longitudinal analyses were stratified for couples’ sexual activity status at baseline. RESULTS: A total of 722, 533 and 471 couples were included in the analyses at baseline, 5- and 12-months follow-up, respectively. Older age, depressive symptoms and lower vitality of patients were associated with lower odds of couples’ sexual activity at baseline; chemotherapy treatment and older age of patients were associated with lower odds at 5-months follow-up in couples who were not sexually active at baseline. Higher ratings of emotional closeness, affectionate behavior and satisfaction with dyadic coping were associated with higher odds for sexual activity at baseline and over time in couples who were sexually active at baseline. CONCLUSION: Sexual counseling during cancer treatment and rehabilitation should include a couple perspective. Relationship-related variables may be a protective factor for remaining sexually active after breast cancer diagnosis. Interventions could focus on strengthening these factors. Health professionals also need to consider the patients’ breast cancer treatment, vitality, and emotional distress in counselling on sexuality

Efficacy of a web-based healthcare innovation to advance the quality of life and care of patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ACQUIRE-ICD): a randomized controlled trial

AIMS: Modern clinical management of patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) largely consists of remote device monitoring, although a subset is at risk of mental health issues post-implantation. We compared a 12-month web-based intervention consisting of goal setting, monitoring of patients' mental health-with a psychological intervention if needed-psychoeducational support from a nurse, and an online patient forum, with usual care on participants' device acceptance 12 months after implantation.METHODS AND RESULTS: This national, multi-site, two-arm, non-blinded, randomized, controlled, superiority trial enrolled 478 first-time ICD recipients from all 6 implantation centres in Denmark. The primary endpoint was patient device acceptance measured by the Florida Patient Acceptance Survey (FPAS; general score range = 0-100, with higher scores indicating higher device acceptance) 12 months after implantation. Secondary endpoints included symptoms of depression and anxiety. The primary endpoint of device acceptance was not different between groups at 12 months [B = -2.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-5.62, 0.29), P = 0.08]. Furthermore, the secondary endpoint analyses showed no significant treatment effect on either depressive [B = -0.49, 95% CI (-1.19; 0.21), P = 0.17] or anxiety symptoms [B = -0.39, 95% CI (-0.96; 0.18), P = 0.18].CONCLUSION: The web-based intervention as supplement to usual care did not improve patient device acceptance nor symptoms of anxiety and depression compared with usual care. This specific web-based intervention thus cannot be recommended as a standardized intervention in ICD patients.</p

METHODS OF TRANSLATION ON THE MICROSTRUCTURAL LEVEL IN THE SLOVENE TRASLATION OF THE TALE DER BLAUE SIPHON (MODRI SIFON) BY THE SWISS AUTHOR URS WIDMER

Jean-Paul Vinay in Jean Darbelnet sta leta 1958 izdala delo Stylistique comparée du français et de l\u27anglais, v katerem sta predstavila prevajalske postopke na primeru angleškega in francoskega jezika. Predstavila sta sedem prevajalskih postopkov – tri neposredne (sposojenke, kalki in dobesedni prevod) ter štiri posredne (transpozicija, modulacija, ekvivalenca in adaptacija). Njuna teorija zatrjuje, da je vse postopke, uporabljene v prevajanju, mogoče uvrstiti v eno (ali celo več hkrati) od omenjenih sedmih vrst. Omenjeno delo je teoretično izhodišče diplomskega dela. Namen diplomskega dela je bil ugotoviti uporabnost omenjene teorije pri jezikovnem paru nemščina – slovenščina, ali je v praktičnem primeru mogoče najti vseh sedem vrst prevajalskih postopkov in ali je mogoče vse prevajalčeve izbire (v izbranem primeru) kategorizirati glede na teorijo Vinaya in Darbelneta. Uporabljeni vzorec je delo švicarskega avtorja Ursa Widmerja Der blaue Siphon in njegov slovenski prevod z naslovom Modri sifon. V empirični analizi sta bili uporabljeni komparativna metoda (primerjava izvirnika in prevoda) ter metoda klasifikacije (umeščanje najdenih prevodnih postopkov v teorijo Vinaya in Darbelneta). Izkazalo se je, da je teorijo Vinaya in Darbelneta mogoče uporabiti tudi na primeru prevoda iz nemškega v slovenski jezik, da je vseh sedem postopkov njune teorije mogoče najti v prevodu Modri sifon in da je vse analizirane prevajalčeve izbire mogoče umestiti med sedem omenjenih postopkov. Na teh osnovah sklepamo, da je opravljena analiza potrdila empirično utemeljenost teorije prevodnih postopkov po Vinayu in Darbelnetu.Im Jahre 1958 erschien die Stylistique comparée du français et de l\u27anglais von Jean-Paul Vinay und Jean Darbelnet. Darin haben die Autoren Übersetzungsverfahren vorgestellt, die bei dem Übersetzen zwischen der englischen und französischen Sprache entstehen. Dabei handelt es sich um sieben Verfahren bzw. Prozeduren, davon drei Prozeduren der Direktübersetzung (Entlehnung, Lehnübersetzung und wortgetreue Übersetzung) und vier der indirekten Übersetzungen (Transposition, Modulation, Äquivalenz und Adaptation). Die Theorie besagt, dass alle Prozeduren, die im Übersetzungsprozess verwendet werden, anhand dieser sieben Verfahren klassifiziert werden können – entweder entsprechen sie einem Übersetzungsverfahren oder sogar mehreren gleichzeitig. Die Stylistique comparée du français et de l\u27anglais ist der theoretische Ausgangspunkt dieser Diplomarbeit. Die Absicht dieser Diplomarbeit ist es die Verwendbarkeit der erwähnten Theorie von Vinay und Darbelnet an dem Sprachenpaar Slowenisch ̶ Deutsch zu testen, analysieren, ob alle sieben Übersetzungsverfahren im konkreten Beispiel zu finden sind und ob alle Entscheidungen des Übersetzers im gewählten Beispiel anhand der Theorie von Vinay und Darbelnet kategorisiert werden können. Für die Analyse wurde die Erzählung des Schweizer Autors Urs Widmer, Der blaue Siphon, und deren slowenische Übersetzung, Modri sifon, gewählt. In der empirischen Analyse wurden die komparative Methode (Vergleich des Ausgangs- und Zieltextes) und die Methode der Klassifikation (das Einordnen der gefundenen Übersetzungsverfahren in die Theorie von Vinay und Darbelnet) verwendet. Die Analyse ergab, dass die Theorie der Übersetzungsverfahren von Vinay und Darbelnet auch an dem Beispiel der Übersetzung aus der deutschen in die slowenische Sprache zu verwenden ist, dass alle sieben Übersetzungsverfahren in dem Zieltext zu finden sind und dass alle analysierten Entscheidungen des Übersetzers anhand der Theorie der sieben Übersetzungsverfahren kategorisiert werden können. Daraus wird die Schlussfolgerung gezogen, dass die Analyse die empirische Begründetheit der Theorie der sieben Übersetzungsverfahren von Vinay und Darbelnet bestätigt

Dyadic coping within couples dealing with breast cancer:A longitudinal, population-based study

Objective: The way couples deal with stressors is likely to influence their adjustment after breast cancer diagnosis. Based on the systemic-transactional model, this study examined whether the supportive, delegated and negative dyadic coping provided by patients and partners and their common dyadic coping as a couple were associated with change in relationship quality and depressive symptoms over time. Method: Women with breast cancer and their male partners (N = 538 couples) participated in a longitudinal study (Time 1

Effect of Different Natural Fibers on Mechanical and Disintegration Properties of Compostable Biobased Plastics

This study evaluates the economic and degradation properties of natural fiber-reinforced PHBH (Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate)). Compounds containing the compostable biobased plastic PHBH and 30 mass% of cotton, merino wool, wood fibers, and hemp fibers were produced, and 0.4 mm thick foils were manufactured using a laboratory hot press. Samples for mechanical characterization were produced by injection molding and were buried in bioactive soil for 16 weeks to determine the influence of fiber type on the disintegration speed in soil. The disintegration was measured by subsequent excavation, determination of dry mass loss and visual inspection. All kinds of natural fibers generally improve disintegration speed. The most significant improvement was reached by samples containing cotton and wool, respectively, which experienced similar mass loss, followed by the ones containing hemp fibers. The smallest increase in disintegration speed was achieved by samples containing wood fibers. Mechanical properties and cost-saving potential increased in the cotton and hemp samples. * Long version of a presentation at Composites Meet Sustainability – Proceedings of the 20th European Conference on Composite Materials, ECCM20. 26–30 June, 2022, Lausanne, Switzerlan