Predictive models for perceived convenience of accessing outdoor activities among elderly with physical disabilities in rural China.

BACKGROUND: The elderly, especially those with physical disabilities, often encounter barriers that prevent them from accessing outdoor activities. Their perceptions of the convenience of accessing outdoor activities may be influenced by various factors including their health, the social context, and/or planned behavior. This study aimed to develop predictive models that identify the principal determinants of perceived convenience among this demographic, and it also examined the disparities observed between genders. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey of 1216 community-dwelling older people with physical disabilities in rural China. Grounded on the rehabilitation concepts and the theory of planned behavior, structural equation models integrated health and social behavior factors were constructed to predict perceived convenience of accessing outdoor activities. The standardized coefficients explained the contributions of various factors to the variance. RESULTS: The final structural models demonstrated good fit for both female and male participants. Perceptions of the convenience of accessing outdoor activities among both women and men were directly impacted by their physical functioning and their intention to participate, and indirectly by medical expenditure, subjective norms, pain, and role limitation in emotional interactions. Positive mental health was more influential for women, while men were more influenced by subjective norms. CONCLUSIONS: Structural equation models have effectively predicted the self-reported convenience of accessing outdoor activities, underscoring the importance of functional and behavioral rehabilitation. Furthermore, gender-sensitive rehabilitation programs are advised to promote engagement in outdoor activities among elderly individuals with physical disabilities.

Measurement of Thermal Stress by X-ray Nano-Diffraction in (111)-Oriented Nanotwinned Cu Bumps for Cu/SiO2 Hybrid Joints.

X-ray nanodiffraction was used to measure the thermal stress of 10 µm nanotwinned Cu bumps in Cu/SiO2 hybrid structures at -55 °C, 27 °C, 100 °C, 150 °C, and 200 °C. Bonding can be achieved without externally applied compression. The X-ray beam size is about 100 nm in diameter. The Cu bump is dominated by (111) oriented nano-twins. Before the hybrid bonding, the thermal stress in Cu bumps is compressive and remains compressive after bonding. The average stress in the bonded Cu joint at 200 °C is as large as -169.1 MPa. In addition, using the strain data measured at various temperatures, one can calculate the effective thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) for the 10 µm Cu bumps confined by the SiO2 dielectrics. This study reports a useful approach on measuring the strain and stress in oriented metal bumps confined by SiO2 dielectrics. The results also provide a deeper understanding on the mechanism of hybrid bonding without externally applied compression.

Flexible Optogenetic Transducer Device for Remote Neuron Modulation Using Highly Upconversion-Efficient Dendrite-Like Gold Inverse Opaline Structure.

A remote optogenetic device for analyzing freely moving animals has attracted extensive attention in optogenetic engineering. In particular, for peripheral nerve regions, a flexible device is needed to endure the continuous bending movements of these areas. Here, a remote optogenetic optical transducer device made from a gold inverse opaline skeleton grown with a dendrite-like gold nanostructure (D-GIOF) and chemically grafted with upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) is developed. This implantable D-GIOF-based transducer device can achieve synergistic interaction of the photonic crystal effect and localized surface plasmon resonance, resulting in considerable UCNP conversion efficiency with a negligible thermal effect under low-intensity 980 nm near-infrared (NIR) light excitation. Furthermore, the D-GIOF-based transducer device exhibits remarkable emission power retention (≈100%) under different bending states, indicating its potential for realizing peripheral nerve stimulation. Finally, the D-GIOF-based transducer device successfully stimulates neuronal activities of the sciatic nerve in mice. This study demonstrates the potential of the implantable device to promote remote NIR stimulation for modulation of neural activity in peripheral nerve regions and provides proof of concept for its in vivo application in optogenetic engineering.