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Neonatal and maternal dietary interventions driving microbiota and functionality in piglet gut compartments

Effects of electroporation on Acanthamoeba Polyphaga

Background Species of the genus Acanthamoeba spp. are ubiquitous and can cause Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), a serious corneal infection. Due to the toxicity and ineffectiveness of currently available prolonged therapies, we investigated electroceutical treatment aimed at facilitating the permeation of molecules through the membrane of cysts and trophozoites, which allows for faster elimination of the parasite. Methods Cysts and trophozoites of Acanthamoeba polyphaga (ATCC® 30461TM) were exposed in vitro to an electric field with intensities of 2,000 volts and 2,500 volts. Viability after electroporation was assessed by the exclusion method with 0.4% trypan blue dye, while permeabilization was assessed by fluorescence microscopy using propidium iodide (PI), since both are impermeable to the membrane of viable and intact cells. The images were acquired on a Nikon Eclipse TI-U microscope and analyzed using ImageJ software. Results With regard to viability, 40% of the trophozoites electroporated at 2,000 V and 42% of those electroporated at 2,500 V were lost, while for cysts the loss was 13% and 16% respectively. Considering permeabilization, 55% of trophozoites and cysts were permeabilized at 2,000 V (p ≤ 0.05); and 59% at 2,500 V for both (p ≤ 0.05). Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Conclusion The voltages tested were effective for both cysts and trophozoites, since the percentages of permeabilization were close, with no statistical significance between them, only with the control groups. These results suggest the possibility that an electroceutical treatment could be applied as a complement to the standard treatment for AK.

Exploring the nexus between hypothyroidism and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a UK biobank cohort study

Prevalence and determinants of effective breastfeeding technique among early postpartum mothers in Fuzhou, China: A cross-sectional study

Background Breastfeeding technique (BFT) is determined by the mother’s and infant’s positioning, the infant’s attachment to the breast, and the infant’s suckling behavior. Understanding breastfeeding mothers’ skills is crucial for clinical practice and for designing interventions to improve breastfeeding practices. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of effective BFT among early post-partum mothers. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study among 415 early post-partum mothers in Fuzhou, China. Participants were recruited using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and a standardized observational checklist (WHO B-R-E-A-S-T Feed observation form). Descriptive statistics were used to assess the prevalence of effective BFT, and logistic regression was applied to identify its determinants. Results The overall prevalence of effective BFT was 70.4%. After adjusting for potential confounders, the prevalence ratio (PR) of effective BFT was greater among participants with college (PR = 1.20) and postgraduate education (PR = 1.41) compared to those with a technical education or lower. Participants who attended antenatal care (ANC) (PR = 1.04) and those with BFT knowledge (PR = 1.37) were more likely to practice effective BFT compared to participants who did not attend ANC and without such knowledge respectively. Similarly, those who received BFT counseling during pregnancy or immediately after delivery were 25% and 30%, respectively, more likely to practice effective EBT than those who did not. Conversely, experiencing breast problems was associated with a 42% lower likelihood of practicing effective BFT than those without breast problems. Conclusion Effective BFT is prevalent among early postpartum mothers in Fuzhou, China, with education level, antenatal care attendance, knowledge, and counseling playing significant roles in its practice. Efforts to improve breastfeeding outcomes should focus on enhancing educational interventions and providing targeted counseling during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period, while addressing breast health issues to mitigate their impact on breastfeeding effectiveness.

Antinutritional and insecticidal potential of Chenopodium quinoa saponin rich extract against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and its action mechanism

Optimizing success rate with Nonlinear Mapping Control in a high-performance raspberry Pi-based light source target tracking system

This study addresses the limitations of linear mapping in two-dimensional gimbal control for moving target tracking, which results in significant control errors and slow response times. To overcome these issues, we propose a nonlinear mapping control method that enhances the success rate of light source target tracking systems. Using Raspberry Pi 4B and OpenCV, the control system performs real-time recognition of rectangular frames and laser spot images. The tracking system, which includes an OpenMV H7 Plus camera, captures and processes the laser spot path. Both systems are connected to an STM32F407ZGT6 microcontroller to drive a 42-step stepper motor with precise control. By adjusting the parameter c of the nonlinear mapping curve, we optimize the system's performance, balancing the response speed and stability. Our results show a significant improvement in control accuracy, with a miss rate of 3.3%, an average error rate of 0.188% at 1.25 m, and a 100% success rate in target tracking. The proposed nonlinear mapping control method offers substantial advancements in real-time tracking and control systems, demonstrating its potential for broader application in intelligent control fields.

Nightmare distress mediated the correlation between autobiographical memory specificity and depression

In this study, we explored whether nightmare distress mediated the correlation between autobiographical memory specificity and depression. 112 participants provided their most recent dreams that happened within one month, and finished some scales that measured depression, autobiographical memory specificity, and nightmare distress. In line with our hypothesis, nightmare distress was the mediator that played a role in the relationship between autobiographical memory specificity and depression. In addition, we found that both nightmare distress and autobiographical memory specificity were correlated with the impact of a dream on one’s life story. By contrast, contrary to our hypothesis, we did not find any correlation between autobiographical memory specificity, or nightmare distress, and dream bizarreness. Potential implications from these results were discussed.

Effect of rabbit gastrointestinal stasis (RGIS) on the fecal microbiota of pet rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) gastrointestinal stasis syndrome (RGIS) is defined as reduced motility of any part of the digestive tract that can lead to impaction and death if left untreated. This study aimed to describe the effect of RGIS on the fecal microbiota of client-owned pet rabbits. Fecal samples from healthy rabbits and rabbits displaying RGIS were obtained and the symptomology of the rabbits was recorded along with any medical intervention. The health outcomes were as follows: 1) Healthy rabbits (Healthy, n = 21), and 2) Rabbits that displayed symptoms of RGIS, were treated, and recovered (RGIS, n = 22). The fecal samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to characterize the bacterial and eukaryotic microbial communities, respectively. In the 16S rRNA amplicon dataset, two bacterial genera were found in higher abundance in rabbits with RGIS: Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and an unclassified genus in the Enterobacteriaceae family. Likewise, five genera were found in higher abundance in healthy rabbits. The yeast Cyniclomyces guttulatus dominated the eukaryotic microbiota in all rabbits. RGIS is one of the most common issues in clinical practice. This study is the first to perform detailed characterization of the effects of RGIS on the domestic rabbit’s bacterial and eukaryotic fecal microbiota. The results demonstrate a significant change in the relative abundance of seven bacterial genera associated with RGIS. Future research is necessary to elucidate the potential role of these microorganisms in RGIS. In the long-term, treatments targeting the restoration of the physiological gastrointestinal microbiota should be developed.

The ancient and helical architecture of Elasmobranchii’s spermatozoa enables progressive motility in viscous environments

Subclass Elasmobranchii belongs to an old evolutionary class of Chondrichthyes that diverged 450 mya, presenting a wide diversity of reproductive strategies while preserving the ancient mode of internal fertilization. Despite such evolutionary success, many species in this group are at serious risk of extinction. Understanding the principles of sperm progressive motility and physiology of such an ancient group of vertebrates is crucial for advancing future assisted reproductive techniques to safeguard this species and for deepening our understanding of the evolution of reproduction. Elasmobranchii species possess big spermatozoa (compared to bony fishes) with an elongated helical head and tail similar to one currently existing (but later diverged) in birds, reptiles, and amphibians, which can be considered an evolutionary ancient. These structures may be associated with the necessity to penetrate viscous ovarian fluid or the jelly layer of eggs, suggesting environmental viscosity as the driving pressure shaping large-sized sperm heads into helical shapes through evolution. We observed spermatozoa motility with high-speed video microscopy to capture sperm and flagellar motion in three Elasmobranchii species: the freshwater ray Potamotrygon motoro, the marine skate Raja asterias and the shark Scyliorhinus canicula. We investigated the effect of viscosity on spermatozoa motility parameters and its ability to break free from spermatozeugmata, move progressively, and perform directional changes. After 20 min of observation, the spermatozeugmata conserved their structure in a low viscosity media of 1000 mOsm/kg osmolality. In comparison, no remaining structure of spermatozeugmata could be found in high-viscosity media with 2% methylcellulose (MC) in all three species due to progressive spermatozoa motion. We find that spermatozoa’s unique helical head-to-flagellum architecture is specific to promote locomotion in high-viscosity fluid; they cannot move progressively in low viscosity. The highest velocity for shark sperm was observed at 0.75% MC and 1% MC for ray and skate sperm. Viscosity stabilizes the flagellar propagation, producing rotational forces and allowing the helical head to “screw” into the media. Our observations suggest that the surrounding viscosity is critical to allowing spermatozoa progressive motility and enabling spermatozoa to control direction via newly observed head buckling in high viscosity. As such, the viscosity may be a key element controlling and regulating sperm performance and navigation during fertilization in the Elasmobranchii species.

Sustainable care: How CSR shapes wellbeing in healthcare organizations in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou

This article investigates the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) perceptions of employees and employee burnout, from a sustainable development point of view, in the healthcare system of China. It fills the void in conventional literature by analyzing the indirect effect of CSR on the health and well-being of health workers aligning with SDGs focused on health and wellbeing. To be able to address the crux of healthcare professionals’ burnout which can have far-reaching negative consequences for individual welfare and healthcare delivery, this research explores the linkages between CSR perceptions, employee burnout, happiness, psychological safety, and altruistic behavior. Data were obtained from 392 health care workers in three Chinese cities through a thrice-administered questionnaire that measures CSR perceptions of employees, burnout levels, happiness, safety perceptions, and altruistic motivations. It is seen that results show a strong link between CSR perceptions of employees and burnout reduction. Furthermore, the happiness and psychological safety of workers were expressed as mediators, with altruism playing the role of moderator. The above points highlight the need to adopt CSR strategies to promote employee well-being and combat burnout in the healthcare sector, which plays a vital role in global initiatives to attain SDGs related to good health and well-being, and sustainable development. Additionally, this research increases the debate on employee burnout based on their organization’s CSR perceptions and positive psychology theory as a lens, bringing up CSR as the key factor in the achievement of sustainable development and the improvement of well-being within healthcare settings.

What women want to hear: the helpful and unhelpful comments reported by women struggling with infertility amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction Many women struggling with infertility report that they frequently experience unhelpful social interactions with well-meaning loved ones and healthcare providers, contributing to a reluctance to confide in others about their infertility and emotional distress. However, it remains unclear what interaction content women experience as ‘helpful’ versus ‘unhelpful,’ making it difficult to provide concrete recommendations to the public about how best to support individuals struggling with infertility. Methodology Eighty women from Canada and the United States (ages 20–45 years) whose fertility treatments had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic were recruited via social media to complete an online survey, which included two open-ended questions about the most helpful and unhelpful social interactions they had had about their infertility. Two independent researchers conducted content analysis to identify categories of helpful and unhelpful social interactions. Results The following six categories were identified by women as helpful: 1) Listening, 2) Fostering hope, 3) Talking to individuals with lived experience, 4) Distraction, 5) Validating emotions, and 6) Tangible support. Responses about unsupportive interactions fell into four categories: 1) Toxic positivity, 2) Advice-giving, 3) Invalidation, and 4) Intruding. Sample quotes from each category are provided. Conclusion These findings provide valuable insights that can be used to develop future educational materials for the general public on how to interact with individuals experiencing infertility.

Cardiology involvement and mortality in adult patients with advanced solid cancer complicated by atrial fibrillation

Background The association between comorbid atrial fibrillation (AF) and survival in adult patients with advanced solid cancer, as well as the impact of cardiology involvement in such patients, remains unclear. Methods This retrospective cohort study included adult patients diagnosed with advanced solid cancers. We calculated prevalence of AF in different cancer types and compared all-cause mortality between patients with and without AF. We further examined the association between cardiology involvement and mortality in the subset of participants with AF. Results Among the 1,349 adult patients with advanced solid cancer, 122 (9.0%) had AF. The risk of AF was the highest in lung and mediastinal cancer (15.6%). AF was associated with higher all-cause mortality, which became neutral after adjustment for age, sex, comorbidities, cancer types and cancer treatments (crude hazard ratio [HR] 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–1.75, p =  0.004; adjusted HR 1.08, 95%CI 0.84–1.39, p =  0.552). In those with AF, cardiology involvement was independently associated with lower all-cause mortality (age, sex, comorbidities, cancer types and cancer treatments-adjusted HR 0.50 [95%CI 0.28–0.88], p =  0.017), though the cumulative incidence of neither cardiovascular nor non-cardiovascular death differed significantly between patients who received cardiology care and those who did not. Conclusions In adult patients with advanced solid cancer, AF per se was not independently associated with increased mortality. Cardiology involvement in patients with advanced solid cancer and AF was linked to a better overall survival, but with low certainty that this finding is not attributable to unmeasured confounding.

Structure-activity studies of bispyridinium antinicotinics to select candidates to treat soman intoxication as part of a combined therapy

The standard treatment of atropine and oximes is insufficiently effective against all organophosphorus nerve agents. Bispyridinium non-oxime nicotinic antagonists are promising components to add to treatments. One of these, MB327, improves the survival of guinea-pigs after intoxication with tabun, sarin or soman. We extend our previous study of unsubstituted bispyridinium non-oximes with C1 to C10 alkane linkers to analogues having 4-tert-butylpyridinium rings and the same linker range. We report their effects on nicotinic-mediated calcium responses in muscle-derived (CN21) cells where nicotinic responses were inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner. A clear structure-activity relationship resulted: the inhibitory potency increased as the linker lengthened. Previous data showed the inhibition of human acetylcholinesterase in vitro increased similarly and that in general the toxicity to mice increased accordingly. However, the shorter analogues MB327 (4-tert-butyl C3) and MB442 (unsubstituted C5) compared favourably in toxicity to some oximes used to treat nerve agent poisoning. Like MB327, the non-oxime MB442, selected by the process described, improved the survival of guinea-pigs intoxicated with soman when combined with hyoscine and physostigmine or atropine and avizafone. Our research has now afforded two compounds able to protect guinea-pigs against nerve agent toxicity through a mechanism not previously exploited deliberately for this purpose.

Accurate and efficient insulator maintenance: A DETR algorithm for drone imagery

With the increasing demand for electricity, the safety and stability of power grids become paramount, highlighting the critical need for effective maintenance and inspection. Insulators, integral to power grid maintenance as protective devices on outdoor high-altitude conductors, are often subject to suboptimal image quality during drone-based inspections due to adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, fog, and the challenges posed by sunlight, high-speed movement, and long-distance imaging. To address these challenges and achieve a more accurate inspection system, this manuscript introduces an insulator defect detection algorithm tailored for the low-quality images collected by drone-based imaging systems. Utilizing a patch diffusion model, high-quality images are obtained, enhancing the precision of insulator defect detection methods. Furthermore, to improve detection accuracy, we introduce an optimized DETR method that incorporates a Spatial Information Interaction Module to further strengthen the characteristics of minor defects. Additionally, a special convergence network is employed to augment the detection capabilities of the DETR. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed insulator detection technique has achieved a detection accuracy of 95.8%, significantly outperforming existing defect detection methods in complex environments. It overcomes the drawbacks of traditional methods by employing sophisticated computational models, leading to more efficient, economical, and secure maintenance and inspection of power grids.

Identifying unmet palliative care needs of nursing home residents: A scoping review

Introduction Many nursing home residents do not receive timely palliative care despite their need and eligibility for such care. Screening tools as well as other methods and guidelines can facilitate early identification of nursing home residents unmet palliative care needs. Aim To map and summarise the evidence on identifying unmet palliative care needs of nursing home residents. Methods Any paper reporting on nursing home residents’ unmet palliative care needs were eligible for inclusion. CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, and APA PsycArticles and grey literature were systematically searched over two months, February and March 2024. Data were extracted using data extraction forms. Data were synthesised using descriptive analysis and basic content analysis. Results Forty six records were included in this review. Nineteen methods, five screening tools, and four guidelines related to identifying residents unmet palliative care needs were identified. Most methods such as the Minimum Data Set and Palliative Care Needs Rounds were implemented as part of an intervention. Limited evidence was identified on what methods healthcare professionals use in daily practice. In total, 117 non-disease specific indicators for identifying residents unmet palliative care needs were identified, with physical indicators such as pain and weight loss being the most represented. Conclusion While developments have been made related to the concept of ‘unmet palliative care needs’, a clear definition is required. Evidence-based standardisation of methods for identifying unmet palliative care needs would ensure timely and equitable access to palliative care for nursing home residents worldwide. Achieving this goal requires incorporating screening for unmet palliative care needs into routine care.

Adapting C ₄ photosynthesis to atmospheric change and increasing productivity by elevating Rubisco content in sorghum and sugarcane

Meta-analyses and theory show that with rising atmospheric [CO 2 ], Rubisco has become the greatest limitation to light-saturated leaf CO 2 assimilation rates ( A sat ) in C 4 crops. So would transgenically increasing Rubisco increase A sat and result in increased productivity in the field? Here, we successfully overexpressed the Rubisco small subunit ( RbcS ) with Rubisco accumulation factor 1 ( Raf1 ) in both sorghum and sugarcane, resulting in significant increases in Rubisco content of 13 to 25% and up to 90% respectively. A sat increased 12 to 15% and Rubisco enzyme activity ~40% in three independent transgenic events of both species. Sorghum plants also showed increased speeds of photosynthetic induction and decreased bundle sheath leakiness. These improvements translated into average increases of 15.5% in biomass in field-grown sorghum and a 37 to 81% increase in greenhouse-grown sugarcane. This suggests a potential opportunity to achieve substantial increases in productivity of this key economically important clade of C 4 crops, future proofing their value under global atmospheric change.

The relationship between social participation and cognitive function early after surgery of glioma patients

Objective Social Participation (SP) is known to benefit cognitive function. However, whether this positive relationship holds across the people with glioma has not been studied. The present study aimed to investigate the current status of SP and cognitive function of patients early after surgery with glioma, and therefore, explore the associations between cognitive function and SP. Methods This study included 179 postoperative patients with gliomas within 6 months of surgery. Cognitive functioning was measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) including orientation, attention, learning and memory, executive functioning and verbal fluency. Social participation was obtained also by questionnaire survey with the Impact on Participation and Autonomy Questionnaire (IPA). The Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relation between cognitive functioning and social participation, and the efficacy of social participation in predicting cognitive functioning was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Results The prevalence of cognitive impairment in early postoperative glioma patients was 77.65%. The mean level of social participation was 37.96 ± 26.85 points, with poorer scores in the autonomy participation of family role and outdoor engagement dimensions. Patients’ cognitive functioning was positively correlated with social participation (r = −0.64, P < 0.001). And The areas under the ROC curve for social participation predicting cognitive function were 0.884. Conclusion Early post-operative cognitive impairment was more common in glioma patients, which was positively correlated with social participation. Social rehabilitation programs for glioma patients should be actively constructed to promote the social participation of patients early after surgery in order to protect their cognitive function.

A life course study of genetic and environmental influences on sustainable working life

Genetics plays a role in short- and long-term sustainable working life (i.e., not having interruptions due to sickness absences (SA), disability pensions (DP), or unemployment), but the life course effects are not known. Thus, we aimed to investigate the age-specific genetic and environmental influences on sustainable working life from young adulthood until old-age pension. We used classical twin modeling based on the genetic relatedness of mono- and dizygotic twins in a longitudinal design. The final sample (n =  49 372) of Swedish same-sex twins with known zygosity born between 1929 and 1990 (52.8% women) with detailed national register data of employment, SA, DP, unemployment, old-age pension, emigration, and death. Genetic influences for sustainable working life were 54% at ages 18–27 years, 59% at 28–37 years, 37% at 38–47 years, 69% at 48–57 years, and 34% at 58–65 years. We observed genetic influences transferred from 18–27 years to 28–37 years and to 38–47 years explaining 28% and 17% of the variance, respectively, from 28–37 years to 38–47 years 60%, and from 48–57 years to 58–65 years 47%. Unique environmental influences were 57–72% in five age groups. Age group-specific common environment explained 63% of the variance for 18–27 years, 27% for 28–37 years, 12% for 48–57 years, and 25% for 58–65 years (none for 38–47 years). From age 48–57 years, the common environment explained 24% of the variance among those aged 58–67. To conclude, stability and change in genetic effects are important for a sustainable working life across the life course. The unique environmental effects were important for the middle age groups between 28 and 57 years. Thus, society and workplaces should support health and well-being to promote a sustainable working life.

Vocational rehabilitation for people with multiple sclerosis in the national health service of the United Kingdom: A realist evaluation

Background There is limited evidence about how vocational rehabilitation (VR) for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) can be delivered through the United Kingdom’s (UK) National Health Service (NHS) and how it works. Aim To understand the mechanisms and context for implementing a VR intervention for people with MS in the NHS and develop an explanatory programme theory. Methods A realist evaluation, including a review of evidence followed by semi-structured interviews. A realist review about VR for people with MS in the NHS was conducted on six electronic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, and EMBASE) with secondary purposive searches. Included studies were assessed for relevance and rigour. Semi-structured interviews with people with MS, employers, and healthcare professionals, were conducted remotely. Data were extracted, analysed, and synthesised to refine the programme theory and produce a logic model. Results Data from 13 studies, and 19 interviews (10 people with MS, five employers, and four healthcare professionals) contributed to producing the programme theory. The resulting programme theory explains the implementation of VR in the NHS for MS populations, uncovering the complex interplay between the healthcare and employment sectors to influence health and employment outcomes. VR programmes that offer timely support, tailored to the needs of the person with MS, and that support and empower the employee beyond the healthcare context are most likely associated with improved employment outcomes, for example, job retention. Conclusion Embedding VR support within the NHS requires substantial cultural and organisational change (e.g., increased staff numbers, training, and awareness about the benefits of work). This study emphasises the need to routinely identify people with MS at risk of job loss and follow a collaborative approach to address employment issues. This realist evaluation provides insight on how to improve the quality of care available to people with MS.

Self-rehabilitation strategy for rural community-dwelling stroke survivors in a lower-middle income country: a modified Delphi study

Background More than half of stroke survivors in lower-middle income countries lack access to stroke rehabilitation services. The promotion of self-rehabilitation could be promising for addressing stroke rehabilitation inadequacies in lower-middle income countries. Self-rehabilitation interventions are more readily acceptable to community-dwelling stroke survivors, and therefore, have the potential to boost the successful realization of the Sustainable Development Goals and other WHO rehabilitation goals. We report a consensus-building process that sought to identify which task trainings are relevant to include in a task-specific self-rehabilitation strategy for rural community-dwelling stroke survivors. Methods An iterative two-stage mixed-method consensus-building approach was used: (1) focus group discussions (n =  5) with rural community-dwelling chronic stroke survivors were conducted to explore personal life experiences in performing daily activities, and the results were used to develop a list of candidate task trainings that could be included in a task-specific self-rehabilitation intervention model for improving functional ability of survivors; (2) a three-round Delphi exercise with a panel of stroke rehabilitation experts to establish consensus on the importance/relevance of the developed task trainings. Consensus was pre-defined to be the point where the proportion of items given a rating of 3 (quite relevant) or 4 (highly relevant) by expert panellists is ≥  0.8. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (W) was used to assess the level of agreement among the expert panellists. Results A list of 74 task trainings was generated from the results of the focus group discussions involving 29 chronic stroke survivors. The tasks were classified as follows: training for the upper extremity (37); lower extremity training (21); trunk training (7); and balance training (9). A panel of 13 stroke rehabilitation experts reviewed these task trainings using the Delphi method and consensus was reached on keeping 28 task trainings in the first round (Kendall’s W =  0.252, p <  0.001) and an additional 7 in the second round (Kendall’s W =  0.409, p <  0.001). In the study team’s analysis of open text responses, several areas of debate were identified and some task trainings were modified. The exercise yielded 49 task trainings (66% of 74) on which there was consensus (the mean proportion of items given a rating of 3 or 4 by panellists was 0.93; Kendall’s W =  0.291, p <  0.001) to keep 3 task training groups relating to: upper extremity (27), lower extremity/balance (8), trunk strength (4) as well as warm up exercises (10). Conclusion The study provides a consensus-based view of the features of a task-specific self-rehabilitation training strategy to improve outcomes following a stroke. This self-rehabilitation training strategy can be used as an intervention approach to augment and promote stroke rehabilitation among rural community-dwelling stroke survivors, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.