bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impulsivity as a Risk Factor for Addictive Disorder Severity during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Results from a Mixed Quantitative and Qualitative Study
Authors: Pautrat Maxime , Le Guen Antoine , Barrault Servane , Ribadier Aurélien , Ballon Nicolas , Lebeau Jean-Pierre , Brunault Paul
Published: January 2023

Interindividual differences in personality traits, especially impulsivity traits, are robust risk factors for addictive disorders. However, their impact on addictive disorders during the COVID-19 lockdown remains unknown. This study assessed patients being followed for addictive disorders before the lockdown. We aimed to determine whether impulsivity traits (i.e., negative- and positive urgency) were associated with addictive disorders severity during the lockdowns. We also explored the patients’ subjective experiences, focusing on high versus low impulsivity. The quantitative study assessed 44 outpatients consulting for addictive disorders, for impulsivity, emotion regulation, anxiety/depression, and their addictive disorder characteristics, using self-administered questionnaires. In the qualitative study, six patients from the quantitative study were assessed using guided interviews. We observed that higher negative and positive urgencies were associated with addictive disorder severity. The subjective experiences of patients during the lockdowns differed according to their emotion-related impulsivity: high versus low. Low impulsive patients used online technologies more effectively to maintain follow-up, with more positive reappraisal. In contrast, highly impulsive patients reverted more frequently to self-medication with substances and/or behaviors, more social isolation, and found coping with negative emotions more challenging. Overall, the patient’s ability to cope with stressful events, like the COVID-19 lockdown, depended on their emotion-related impulsivity.
Acute Appendicitis in COVID-19-Positive Children: Report of 4 Cases from an Endemic Area in Northeastern Romania
Authors: Filip Florin , Terteliu Baitan Monica , Avramia Ramona , Filip Roxana
Published: January 2023

Acute appendicitis (AA) is one of the most common surgical emergencies in children. Some reports have suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic was responsible for delays in the diagnostic and proper treatment of AA in pediatric patients. The aim of our study was to perform a retrospective study of cases of AA in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection treated in a highly endemic area for COVID-19 in Romania during a 2-year time interval. The SARS-CoV-2 infection had no unfavorable impact on children who presented with AA. Further data analysis should clarify the overall influence of COVID-19 on the management of surgical pediatric patients in such endemic areas.
The Acoustic Environment and University Students’ Satisfaction with the Online Education Method during the COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Puyana-Romero Virginia , Díaz-Márquez Angela María , Ciaburro Giuseppe , Hernández-Molina Ricardo
Published: January 2023

The acoustic environment has been pointed out as a possible distractor during student activities in the online academic modality; however, it has not been specifically studied, nor has it been studied in relation to parameters frequently used in academic-quality evaluations. The objective of this study is to characterize the acoustic environment and relate it to students’ satisfaction with the online learning modality. For that, three artificial neural networks were calculated, using as target variables the students’ satisfaction and the noise interference with autonomous and synchronous activities, using acoustic variables as predictors. The data were obtained during the COVID-19 lockdown, through an online survey addressed to the students of the Universidad de Las Américas (Quito, Ecuador). Results show that the noise interference with comprehensive reading or with making exams and that the frequency of noises, which made the students lose track of the lesson, were relevant factors for students’ satisfaction. The perceived loudness also had a remarkable influence on engaging in autonomous and synchronous activities. The performance of the models on students’ satisfaction and on the noise interference with autonomous and synchronous activities was satisfactory given that it was built only with acoustic variables, with correlation coefficients of 0.567, 0.853, and 0.865, respectively.
Evaluating the Impact of Institutional Performance and Government Trust on Farmers’ Subjective Well-Being: A Case of Urban–Rural Welfare Gap Perception and Family Economic Status in Shaanxi, Sichuan and Anhui, China
Authors: Ding Xiuling , Lu Qian , Li Lipeng , Sarkar Apurbo , Li Hua
Published: January 2023

In the modern world, fostering comprehensive social sustainability has become one of the major concerns. Interestingly, rural livelihood may significantly comprise the compelling performance evaluations of governmental institutions’ performances. Governmental institutions’ performances in rural areas largely depend on whether they can gain relatively higher trust levels of marginal farmers. However, the critical interaction between these two prospects may foster farmers’ subjective well-being (SWB). Therefore, the study aims to model and test institutional performance, government trust, and farmers’ subjective well-being by utilising a survey of data from 963 farmer households in Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Anhui provinces, China. We have adopted structural equation modelling (SEM) to craft the study’s findings. However, in the literature, political performance is widely quantified by the urban–rural welfare and economic status gap; thus, in the core model, we have incorporated and measured the mediating role of the urban–rural welfare gap and household economic status. The results show that institutional performance, social insurance performance, and ecological livability performance have a significant and positive impact on institutional performance and government trust and eventually derive farmers’ SWB. However, the role of environmental livability performance is more substantial than social insurance performance in quantifying governmental trust and institutional performance. Moreover, it has a significant positive impact on the subjective well-being of farmers, and the effect of policy trust is not substantial. The results of further mediation and moderation effects show that social insurance performance and ecological livability performance can enhance the subjective well-being of farmers through the indirect transmission of institutional trust. In contrast, the mediating impact of policy trust is not significant. For farmers with higher economic status, institutional performance has a more substantial effect on the subjective well-being of farmers with a relatively smaller perception of the urban–rural welfare gap and lower family economic status.
An SCM-G2SFCA Model for Studying Spatial Accessibility of Urban Parks
Authors: Zhou Zexu , Zhang Xuedong , Li Mengwei , Wang Xuedi
Published: January 2023

The urban park is the main leisure and entertainment place in residents’ daily lives. The accessibility of parks is closely related to the physical and mental health of the residents. Although many scholars have conducted a great deal of research on the spatial accessibility of urban parks, they have rarely considered the supply competition among different parks and the impact of multiple travel modes on the spatial accessibility of parks. Therefore, based on Baidu map navigation data, in this paper, the park Baidu score is used to represent the competitive relationship among different parks, and the impact of multiple travel modes on the spatial accessibility of parks is considered. A supply competition and multiple travel modes Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (SCM-G2SFCA) model is established to evaluate the spatial accessibility of the parks in the Wuhou District, Chengdu, China. The results show that (1) compared with traditional methods, the SCM-G2SFCA model can obtain more accurate results using Baidu map navigation data. (2) There are obvious spatial differences in the accessibility distribution of the parks in the Wuhou District, Chengdu, with high accessibility in the south and low accessibility in the north. The Jinyang and Huaxing sub-districts in the southern suburbs have the highest park accessibility and can obtain more adequate park services. The Fangcaojie and Cujin sub-districts in the northern urban areas have the lowest park accessibility and are relatively lacking in park services. The research results of this study have important reference value for the rational planning of urban parks and the improvement of the spatial accessibility of urban parks in the Wuhou District of Chengdu and similar urban areas.
Distorted Body Image and Mental Pain in Anorexia Nervosa
Authors: Ciwoniuk Natalia , Wayda-Zalewska Magdalena , Kucharska Katarzyna
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: Body image is being defined as the picture of our own body in our mind with its size and shape, and with a perceptive and attitudinal evaluation of this body. It appears to be a complex clinical construct predisposing an individual to developing and maintaining anorexia nervosa (AN), as well as having considerable impact on prolonging the duration of this illness and its relapse risk. The aim of the research work was to assess whether the symptomatology of eating disorders, level of depression, and mental pain are associated with body image, and examine the influence of a distorted body image as well as eating disorders and depression symptoms on mental pain in AN; (2) Methods: A total of 36 women diagnosed with AN and 69 healthy controls (HC) participated in this study. All participants completed a battery of the following scales: EAT-26, BSQ-34, BIDQ, BDD-YBOCS, CESDR, and the Mental Pain Scale; (3) Results: Results show statistically significantly greater body image disturbances and higher level of depression and mental pain intensity in the AN compared to the HC group. Regression analysis indicates a greater impact of distorted body image, eating disorders, and depression symptoms on mental pain in AN; (4) Conclusions: As assumed, distorted body image and mental pain are central components of AN that should be especially emphasized in the therapeutical process of treating AN. Future research should focus on the etiopathogenesis of distorted body image in relation to the chronicity of mental pain and depression in AN, and address these outcomes in clinical practice to minimize suicide risk in this high-risk group of patients.
The Influence of Stud Characteristics of Football Boots Regarding Player Injuries
Authors: Castillo-Domínguez Alejandro , Torrontegui-Duarte Marcelino , Páez-Moguer Joaquín , Gómez-del-Pino Álvaro , Cervera-Garvi Pablo , Mainer-Pardos Elena , Lozano Demetrio , García-Romero Jerónimo
Published: January 2023

Background: the main aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between sole pattern parameters of football boots with the frequency of injuries that occur in semiprofessional and amateur footballers. Methods: The study sample was composed of 77 male football players. All were at least 18 years old, played at least 10 h per week, gave signed informed consent to take part and properly completed the Visual Analogue Scale. This study analysed data from each player’s medical history, including age, injuries, years of practice, field type and surface condition information. Results: The visual analogic score in semiprofessional players was higher (2.05 ± 2.43) than in amateur players (1.00 ± 1.1). A total of 141 lesions were collected, equivalent to 1.81 injuries for each football player studied (n = 77). The result of the ROC curve indicated that the player’s years of practice could predict significantly (p < 0.05) the presence of lower limb injuries, with an area under the curve of 0.714. Conclusions: This study described the predictive capacity of sole pattern characteristics concerning lower limb injuries in amateur and semiprofessional footballers. Football boot variables associated with the number of studs were associated with foot and ankle overload injuries.
Determination of Water-Soluble Trace Elements in the PM10 and PM2.5 of Palermo Town (Italy)
Authors: Varrica Daniela , Alaimo Maria Grazia
Published: January 2023

This study contributes to the current knowledge on the solubility of trace elements in the atmospheric particulate matter of the urban area of Palermo. Daily sample filters of PM10 and PM2.5 were collected in monitoring stations within and outside the urban area, characterized by variable traffic density. The bulk of compositions in PM10 and PM2.5 were determined by ICP-MS. The water-soluble trace elements (WSTE) and major ion components of particulate matter were determined by ICP-MS and ion chromatography, respectively. A significant difference in the metals content was observed between the samples taken in urban areas and those from suburban areas. The calculated enrichment factor highlights the high values for Cu, Mo, Sb, V, and Zn, confirming the contribution of human activities. The leaching test was applied to PM10 and PM2.5 filters and showed different behaviors and transport of metals and metalloids. The calculated leaching coefficient highlights the metals typically produced by anthropic activities, compared to those of geogenic origin, are much more soluble in water and have greater mobility. The factor analysis was used to identify the sources of water-soluble ions. The main sources are anthropic, geogenic, and sea spray. The final objective of this study is to obtain, with the aid of leaching experiments on PM2.5 and PM10 filter samples, information about the bioavailability and mobility of the different metals and metalloids that could be used as the scientific basis for public health intervention and to raise the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution in the urban environment, especially in densely populated areas.
Developing a Scale Using Item Response Theory of the Self-Resilience in Taekwondo Players
Authors: Kim Hyun-Bin , Nam Jung-Hun , Chung Dong-Hwa , Cho Eun-Hyung
Published: January 2023

The purpose of this study was to identify the ego-resiliency of Taekwondo athletes and to develop a scale measuring such skills. We collected preliminary data using an open-ended online survey targeting Taekwondo athletes from nine countries (South Korea, China, Malaysia, United States, Spain, France, Brazil, United Kingdom, and Taiwan) who participated in international competitions between 2019 and 2020. We extracted participants’ ego-resiliency from 48 survey responses, guided by expert meetings and a thorough literature review. We verified our Taekwondo ego-resiliency scale’s construct validity using 741 survey responses. We utilized V coefficients, parallel analysis, an exploratory structural equation model, maximum likelihood, confirmatory factor analysis, and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis for data analysis. We identified four core ego-resiliency types: “empathy,” “coach support,” “care,” and “parent support/effort”. Our final measure, which demonstrated evidence of reliability and validity, comprises 18 items spanning 4 factors, with each item rated on a 3-point Likert scale.
Music Therapy in Preterm Infants Reduces Maternal Distress
Authors: Kobus Susann , Diezel Marlis , Dewan Monia Vanessa , Huening Britta , Dathe Anne-Kathrin , Marschik Peter B. , Felderhoff-Mueser Ursula , Bruns Nora
Published: January 2023

Preterm delivery is a stressful event for mothers, posing them at risk for post-traumatic stress reactions. This study examined the degree of depressive symptoms and post-traumatic stress in mothers of preterm infants born before 32 gestational weeks depending on whether the infant received music therapy in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or not. We included 33 mothers of preterm infants enrolled in a previously described prospective randomized controlled trial, of whom 18 received music therapy (mean mothers’ age 34.1 ± 4.6 years) and 15 did not (mean mothers’ age 29.6 ± 4.2). The degree of depressive symptoms, anxiety and acute stress reactions of these mothers were measured by using the German version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) one week after birth (T1) and at infants’ hospital discharge (T2). 605 music therapy sessions with a mean duration of 24.2 ± 8.6 min (range 10 to 50 min) were conducted two times a week from the second week of life (T1) until discharge (T2) to the infants from the intervention group. The infants from the control group received standard medical care without music therapy. The mean total CES-D score decreased from T1 (mean 34.7, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 31.1–38.1) until T2 in all mothers (mean 16.3, 95% CI 12.6–20.1). Mothers whose infants received music therapy showed stronger declines of depressive and stress symptoms (with music therapy: CES-D mean difference of total score 25.7, 95% CI 20.0–31.3, IES-R mean difference of total score 1.7, 95% CI 0.9–2.5, IES-R mean difference of subcategory hyperarousal 10.2, 95% CI 6.2–14.3; without music therapy: CES-D mean difference of total score 9.5, 95% CI 3.8–15.3, IES-R mean difference of total score 0.1, 95% CI −1.0–1.2, IES-R mean difference of subcategory hyperarousal 1.6, 95% CI −4.7–7.9). Effect sizes were strong for CES-D, IES-R, and the hyperarousal subcategory, moderate for intrusion, and low for avoidance. These findings show that mothers of preterm infants are highly susceptible to supportive non-medical interventions such as music therapy to reduce psychological symptoms and distress during their infants’ NICU stay.
Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Bacterial Effects of Mouthwashes in Intensive Care Units: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xiang Yong , Ren Xiaolin , Xu Ye , Cheng Li , Cai He , Hu Tao
Published: January 2023

Mouthwashes are used as oral care for critical care patients to prevent infections. However, there are conflicting data concerning whether mouthwashes are needed as a part of daily oral care for critical care patients. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects of mouthwashes for critical care patients. The PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and grey literature databases were searched by descriptors combining population (intensive care unit patients) and intervention (mouthwashes). After the screening, only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects of mouthwashes in patient critical care were included. From the 1531 articles, 16 RCTs satisfied the eligibility criteria for systematic review and 10 were included in the meta-analyses. A significant difference was found in the incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) (odds ratio [OR] 0.53, 95% confidential interval [95% CI] 0.33 to 0.86) between the mouthwash and placebo groups, while no significant difference was found in the mortality (OR 1.49, 95%CI 0.92 to 2.40); the duration of mechanical ventilation (weighted mean difference [WMD] −0.10, 95%CI −2.01 to 1.81); and the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus (OR 0.88, 95%CI 0.34 to 2.30), Escherichia coli (OR 1.19, 95%CI 0.50 to 2.82), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (OR 1.16, 95%CI 0.27 to 4.91) between the two groups. In conclusion, mouthwashes were effective in decreasing the incidence of VAP. Thus, mouthwashes can be used as part of daily oral care for critical care patients.
Subjective Overview of Accelerated Aging in Schizophrenia
Authors: Seeman Mary V.
Published: January 2023

Schizophrenia, like many other human diseases, particularly neuropsychiatric diseases, shows evidence of accelerated brain aging. The molecular nature of the process of aging is unknown but several potential indicators have been used in research. The concept of accelerated aging in schizophrenia took hold in 2008 and its timing, pace, determinants and deterrents have been increasingly examined since. The present overview of the field is brief and selective, based on diverse studies, expert opinions and successive reviews. Current thinking is that the timing of age acceleration in schizophrenia can occur at different time periods of the lifespan in different individuals, and that antipsychotics may be preventive. The majority opinion is that the cognitive decline and premature death often seen in schizophrenia are, in principle, preventable.
Relationship between Built-Up Environment, Air Pollution, Activity Frequency and Prevalence of Hypertension—An Empirical Analysis from the Main City of Lanzhou
Authors: Zhao Haili , Wu Minghui , Du Yuhan , Zhang Fang , Li Jialiang
Published: January 2023

In the process of promoting the strategy of a healthy China, the built environment, as a carrier of human activities, can effectively influence the health level of residents in the light of its functional types. Based on the POI data of four main urban areas in Lanzhou, this paper classifies the built environment in terms of function into four types. The association between different types of built environments and the prevalence of hypertension was investigated by using the community as the study scale, and activity frequency, air pollution and green space were used as mediating variables to investigate whether they could mediate the relationship between built environments and hypertension. The results indicate that communities with a high concentration of commercial service facilities, road and traffic facilities and industrial facilities have a relatively high prevalence of hypertension. By determining the direct, indirect and overall effects of different functional types of built environment on the prevalence of hypertension, it was learned that the construction of public management and service facilities can effectively mitigate the negative effects of hypertension in the surrounding residents. The results of the study contribute to the rational planning of the structure of the built environment, which is beneficial for optimizing the urban structure and preventing and controlling chronic diseases such as hypertension.
Qualitative Evaluation of YouTube Videos on Dental Fear, Anxiety and Phobia
Authors: Wong Natalie Sui Miu , Yeung Andy Wai Kan , McGrath Colman Patrick , Leung Yiu Yan
Published: January 2023

The aim of this study was to review the health information of dental fear-, dental anxiety-, and dental phobia-related videos on YouTube. The 100 most widely viewed videos for the keywords “dental fear”, “dental anxiety”, and “dental phobia” were chosen for evaluation. Out of the 300 videos, 145 videos met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. It was found that most of them were produced by the professions, with a dentist delivering the key messages or with patients giving testimonials. Many etiological factors and symptoms were described. Many pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions were recommended to the audience, such as sedation and distraction, respectively. However, there was a lack of information on the definition or diagnostic criteria of dental fear, dental anxiety, and dental phobia. Videos with high views had a higher ratio of misleading information. Videos with a dentist being the informant had a similar ratio of misleading information compared to other videos. Without adequate information on how to diagnose, it would be very difficult for the audience to determine if the video content was relevant or useful. The dental profession can work together with psychologists or psychiatrists to produce authoritative videos with accurate content.
Public Space Satisfaction Evaluation of New Centralized Communities in Urban Fringe Areas—A Study of Suzhou, China
Authors: Song Yukang , Wang Yong , Zhou Min
Published: January 2023

The fast and pronounced changes in dwelling space in urban fringe areas, caused by rapid urbanization, has led to the appearance of new centralized communities. These communities possess characteristics of both urban and rural communities and have been facing great pressure related to the reconstruction of social network relations and the cultivation of a community identity. The outcomes of public space satisfaction evaluations are related to the social functions they fulfill, such as motivating social interaction, cultivating community identity, and integrating social relationships. This study evaluates public space satisfaction based on the study of six new centralized communities in an urban fringe area of Suzhou, using grey relational analysis. The results show that the overall satisfaction value is a standard level. Moreover, public space satisfaction is related to patterns of centralization and factors of social culture; especially the latter has great influence on public space satisfaction. Factors related to public space satisfaction can generally be divided into quadrants of “Low Satisfaction–High Significance” and “High Satisfaction–Low Significance.” According to the inverse correlation between satisfaction level with public space and significance of indexes, we propose that indexes of public space satisfaction in the “Low Satisfaction–High Significance” quadrant should be improved greatly during the process of the optimization and construction of public spaces in new centralized communities.
Positive Impact on Public Perception toward Commune Health Stations (CHSs) in Rural Areas of Tyuen Quang Province, Vietnam, Following the Application of the Development Program for the Capacity-Building of CHSs
Authors: Jeong Yun Ju , Bajgai Johny , Kim Jong Koo , Ahn Dong Won , Kim Young Jae , Kim Hyo-Jin , Kim Yundeok , Kim Cheol-Su , Kim Soo-Ki , Lee Kyu-Jae
Published: January 2023

This study aims to discover whether or not the capacity-building intervention through implementing the “Rural Area Development Program” in Tuyen Quang province, in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Vietnamese Department of Health”, would positively affect the perception of the public toward the communal health stations (CHSs). To address this, three specific indicator-related satisfaction levels were examined regarding the infrastructure, the professional skills, and the service attitude of the medical personnel of the three CHSs toward outpatients. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 participants from three rural CHSs (Binh Yen, Vinh Loi, and Thang Long Communes). As a researcher-directed survey, a structured questionnaire was adopted to gauge the outpatient satisfaction levels in relation to the three indicators from the CHS medical milieu toward the patients and the medical services received. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed to determine the perceptions of outpatient satisfaction relating to the three indicators. A higher satisfaction rate was found (overall 89–100% descriptive data with three indicators, as well as significant satisfaction differences in inferential data based on F-ratio and p-value) between the three regions with the three indicators, and two major data showed that the commune with a higher or more significant satisfaction rate or difference was Binh Yan > Vinh Loi > Thang Long. Collectively, this study clearly indicates the positive impact of CHSs capacity-building by implementing the Development Program in Tuyen Quang province with KOICA in relation to the public perception toward CHSs through significantly increased satisfaction levels—specifically, the infrastructure, the professional skills, and the service attitude of the medical milieu from the three CHSs toward outpatients.
Platform Selling Mode Selection Considering Consumer Reference Effect in Carbon Emission Reduction
Authors: Ma Deqing , Wang Xue , Hu Jinsong
Published: January 2023

Considering the significant impact of the reference effect on consumer purchasing decisions and corporate profits, this paper mainly focuses on the influence of the reference effect of consumers in carbon emission reduction (CER) on the platform selling mode selection. To this end, this paper establishes a two-level supply chain consisting of a manufacturer who decides on CER in the production process and an online platform that conducts low-carbon publicity. Four differential game models in which the platform uses reselling mode or agency selling mode with or without consumer reference effect are established. The long-term stable cooperation relationship between the manufacturer and the platform, as well as the consumer surplus and social welfare under four models are further investigated. It is found that the reference effect on the platform selling mode is related to the low-carbon publicity effect and commission rate. When the reference effect exists, the intuition indicates that the platform will choose the reselling mode when the commission rate is relatively low. We clarify this result under the condition that the publicity effect is high. However, the manufacturer also prefers platform reselling, which is counterintuitive. When the commission rate is in the middle range, the platform chooses the agency selling mode, which is in line with the preference of the manufacturer. Surprisingly, when the platform’s publicity effect is low, the manufacturer and the platform reach stable cooperation in reselling mode when the commission rate is low or high, which is also counterintuitive. When the commission rate is in the middle range, they both prefer the agency selling mode. In addition, it is suggested that the triple benefits in economy, environment, and society are achieved as the optimal selling mode is confirmed in the presence of consumer reference effect in CER.
Minimal Clinically Important Differences (MCID) for the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue Scale in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Kiss Franciska , Farkas Nelli , Nagy Gabriella , Minier Tünde , Kumánovics Gábor , Faludi Réka , Czirják László , Varjú Cecília
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by significant fatigue, causing diminished quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to examine fatigue levels and their associations with clinical factors and determine the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) value for the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue Scale (FACIT-FS). (2) Methods: A total of 160 SSc patients and 62 individuals without SSc were followed-up over a 12-month period by measuring the FACIT-FS and the Visual Analogue Scale and the Short Form 36 Vitality Score analyzing changes in exhaustion. (3) Results: Fatigue was strongly correlated with HRQoL, level of pain, emotional disorders, physical capability and functionality. The MCID values for FACIT-FS were calculated as −3 for deterioration and +4 for improvement after a 12-month follow-up. The predictors of improvement of fatigue from baseline parameters were the significant disease activity, the patients’ poorer functionality and the short disease duration. Patients with scleroderma-related interstitial lung disease at baseline had approximately tripled risks for worsening fatigue. The independent influential factors regarding the changing of FACIT-FS were improving or worsening in the same direction in reference to physical condition, gastrointestinal and emotional factors. (4) Conclusions: Fatigue is a multi-dimensional symptom, which is strongly correlated to HRQoL. MCID values of FACIT-FS can be useful tools in monitoring the changes of HRQoL in clinical trials and in daily practice among patients with SSc.
Effect of Anoxic Atmosphere on the Physicochemical and Pelletization Properties of Pinus massoniana Sawdust during Storage
Authors: Chen Hongli , Zhang Liqiang , Huang Zhongliang , Wu Zijian , Tan Mengjiao , Zhang Xuan , Jiang Longbo , Qin Xiaoli , Huang Jing , Li Hui
Published: January 2023

The 34-day anoxic storage of Pinus massoniana sawdust (PS) in a sealed constant temperature and humidity chambers was carried out to simulate the limited-oxygen storage process inside piles at industrial scale. The effects of anoxic storage on feedstock’s properties and pelletization process were investigated with respect to elemental composition, dry matter loss, thermogravimetric characteristics, energy consumption, pellets’ density, and microbial communities, etc. After anoxic storage, the microbial community of PS samples was altered, such as the fungi content (Clonostachys, Strelitziana, and Orbilia, etc.), resulting the elemental composition of PS was altered. Thus, the cellulose and ash content of the stored PS were increased, while the hemicellulose, volatile, and fixed carbon were decreased. The energy consumption was increased 7.85–21.98% with the increase in anoxic storage temperature and with the additive of fresh soil collected from PS field in storage process. The single pellet density was altered slightly. Meanwhile, the moisture uptake of PS pellets was decreased. After anoxic storage, the combustion behavior of the stored PS became more stable. The results can be applied directly to guide the development of commercial PS storage and pelletization process currently under development in Asia, Europe and North America.
The Treatment Experience of Anorexia Nervosa in Adolescents from Healthcare Professionals’ Perspective: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Chang Yu-Shan , Liao Fang-Tzu , Huang Li-Chi , Chen Shu-Ling
Published: January 2023

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious psychiatric illness with a high mortality rate and a poor outcome. AN in adolescents can be difficult to treat. The prognosis of patients with AN depends highly on how early specialized AN treatment starts. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of healthcare professionals in treating adolescents with AN. A qualitative study approach was conducted. Through semi-structured interviews, 16 healthcare professionals, including 10 nurses, 3 dieticians and 3 physicians from the paediatric ward at a university-affiliated medical centre in central Taiwan, shared their experiences. Recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed by content analysis. Five themes and ten subthemes were identified: 1. Building a trusting relationship first: (a) spending time to build trust with the client and (b) establishing a relationship with the client’s parents; 2. The key to treatment success: (a) Clients’ awareness of the illness and (b) parents’ support for clients; 3. Consistency of team treatment goals: (a) maintaining stable vital signs and (b) achieving caloric intake; 4. Empowerment with knowledge about anorexia: (a) continuing education for healthcare professionals and (b) interdisciplinary collaborative care; and 5. Using different interaction strategies: (a) the hard approach and (b) the soft approach. In conclusion, the findings will provide important information for healthcare professionals to apply in monitoring the psychological and emotional states of adolescents with AN. The findings indicate that healthcare professionals should invite parents to participate in the treatment, support and guide them in their adolescent care, develop scales of family stress and support for AN in adolescents, develop interventions, and establish an early therapeutic alliance.
Machine Learning Techniques, Applications, and Potential Future Opportunities in Pressure Injuries (Bedsores) Management: A Systematic Review
Authors: Dweekat Odai Y. , Lam Sarah S. , McGrath Lindsay
Published: January 2023

Pressure Injuries (PI) are one of the most common health conditions in the United States. Most acute or long-term care patients are at risk of developing PI. Machine Learning (ML) has been utilized to manage patients with PI, in which one systematic review describes how ML is used in PI management in 32 studies. This research, different from the previous systematic review, summarizes the previous contributions of ML in PI from January 2007 to July 2022, categorizes the studies according to medical specialties, analyzes gaps, and identifies opportunities for future research directions. PRISMA guidelines were adopted using the four most common databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Science Direct) and other resources, which result in 90 eligible studies. The reviewed articles are divided into three categories based on PI time of occurrence: before occurrence (48%); at time of occurrence (16%); and after occurrence (36%). Each category is further broken down into sub-fields based on medical specialties, which result in sixteen specialties. Each specialty is analyzed in terms of methods, inputs, and outputs. The most relevant and potentially useful applications and methods in PI management are outlined and discussed. This includes deep learning techniques and hybrid models, integration of existing risk assessment tools with ML that leads to a partnership between provider assessment and patients’ Electronic Health Records (EHR).
A Systematic Review of Compensation and Technology-Mediated Strategies to Maintain Older Adults’ Medication Adherence
Authors: Pratiwi Hening , Kristina Susi Ari , Widayanti Anna Wahyuni , Prabandari Yayi Suryo , Kusuma Ikhwan Yuda
Published: January 2023

Elderly medication adherence is a challenge in health care. The elderly are often at higher risk for non-adherence, and more likely to be on multiple prescription medications for many comorbidities. This systematic review aimed to explore the current strategies for maintaining older adults’ medication adherence with compensation and technology-mediated strategies. We conducted a systematic review to examine related articles published in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, as well as Google Scholar for additional reference sources by cross-reference review. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to guide this review. A total of 217 articles were screened, and 27 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Older adults applied a variety of methods to maintain or enhance their medication adherence. Three studies indicated compensation strategies, 19 studies reported technological assistance, two studies used other strategies (community-offered help or caregivers help), and three studies used a combination of compensation with another strategy or technology. Studies identified various compensation- and technology-based strategies carried out by older adults to help remind them to take medication. This review identified potential benefits of technology and compensation strategy implementation in older adults to increase medication adherence. Although we are conscious of the heterogeneity of the included studies, it remains challenging to determine which elements underpin the most effective approaches.
Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Pig Manure and Rice Straw: Optimization of Process Parameters for Enhancing Biogas Production and System Stability
Authors: Tian Pengjiao , Gong Binbin , Bi Kaijian , Liu Yuxin , Ma Jing , Wang Xiqing , Ouyang Zhangsun , Cui Xian
Published: January 2023

The objective of this study was to optimize the process parameters of the anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure and rice straw to maximize methane production and system stability. In this study, batch experiments were conducted with different mixing ratios of pig manure and rice straw (1:0, 1:1, 1:5, 1:10, and 0:1), total solid concentrations (6%, 8%, 10%, 12%, and 14%), and inoculum accounts (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%). The results show that a 1:5 mixing ratio of pig manure to rice straw, a 12% total solid content, and a 15% inoculum account yielded biogas up to 553.79 mL/g VS, which was a result of co-digestion increasing the cooperative index (CPI > 1). Likewise, the evolution of the pH and VFAs indicated that the co-digestion system was well-buffered and not easily inhibited by acidification or ammonia nitrogen. Moreover, the results of the Gompertz model’s fitting showed that the cumulative methane production, delay period, effective methane production time, and methane production rate under optimal conditions were significantly superior compared to the other groups employed.
Work-Related Stress of Polish School Principals during the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Risk Factor for Burnout
Authors: Leksy Karina , Wójciak Mirosław , Gawron Grzegorz , Muster Rafał , Dadaczynski Kevin , Okan Orkan
Published: January 2023

Background: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has influenced educational systems worldwide. School principals coped with numerous significant challenges regarding school management during the epidemiological crisis that could generate a lot of work-related stress. Thus, the presented study examines Polish school principals’ perceived stress and its association with exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints as burnout risk indicators. Principals’ gender and age as sociodemographic control variables were also considered in this paper. Methods: A cross-sectional online study was conducted in eight provinces of Poland from June to December 2021. The study was part of a global COVID-HL school principal survey under the global COVID-Health Literacy Research Network. Two subscales of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) (perceived helplessness [PH] and perceived self-efficacy [PSE]) were considered independent variables in relation to school principals’ mental and physical exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints. Regression models consisting of two equations were used to test the relationship between variables. The first equation consists of the control variables (age, gender), and in the second equation, the independent variables (PH and PSE) were included in addition to the control variables. Results: Almost 50% of school principals experienced a lack of control that caused anger and stress. Mental and physical exhaustion during the pandemic was often or always felt by 30% of respondents. Nearly half of Polish school principals experienced psychosomatic complaints in the form of muscle pain and headaches. PH, to a greater extent than PSE, was associated with mental and physical exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints. With age, the level of psychosomatic complaints and mental and physical exhaustion decreases, but it was higher among women. Regression analysis revealed significant associations between exhaustion and mental health outcomes, even after controlling for demographic variables Conclusion: This study showed that almost half of Polish school principals indicated a high frequency of perceived stress during the pandemic. PH was more substantially associated with mental and physical exhaustion in younger female principals than PSE. Younger female school principals reported more exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints. This finding should be the baseline information for policymakers to improve the wellbeing of Polish school principals and prevent the risk of burnout.
Conventional and Zero Tillage with Residue Management in Rice–Wheat System in the Indo-Gangetic Plains: Impact on Thermal Sensitivity of Soil Organic Carbon Respiration and Enzyme Activity
Authors: Dutta Asik , Bhattacharyya Ranjan , Jiménez-Ballesta Raimundo , Dey Abir , Saha Namita Das , Kumar Sarvendra , Nath Chaitanya Prasad , Prakash Ved , Jatav Surendra Singh , Patra Abhik
Published: January 2023

The impact of global warming on soil carbon (C) mineralization from bulk and aggregated soil in conservation agriculture (CA) is noteworthy to predict the future of C cycle. Therefore, sensitivity of soil C mineralization to temperature was studied from 18 years of a CA experiment under rice–wheat cropping system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). The experiment comprised of three tillage systems: zero tillage (ZT), conventional tillage (CT), and strip tillage (ST), each with three levels of residue management: residue removal (NR), residue burning (RB), and residue retention (R). Cumulative carbon mineralization (Ct) in the 0–5 cm soil depth was significantly higher in CT with added residues (CT-R) and ZT with added residues (ZT-R) compared with the CT without residues (CT-NR). It resulted in higher CO2 evolution in CT-R and ZT-R. The plots, having crop residue in both CT and ZT system, had higher (p < 0.05) Van’t-Hoff factor (Q10) and activation energy (Ea) than the residue burning. Notably, micro-aggregates had significantly higher Ea than bulk soil (~14%) and macro-aggregates (~40%). Aggregate-associated C content was higher in ZT compared with CT (p < 0.05). Conventional tillage with residue burning had a reduced glomalin content and β-D-glucosidase activity than that of ZT-R. The ZT-R improved the aggregate-associated C that could sustain the soil biological diversity in the long-run possibly due to higher physical, chemical, and matrix-mediated protection of SOC. Thus, it is advisable to maintain the crop residues on the soil surface in ZT condition (~CA) to cut back on valuable C from soils under IGP and similar agro-ecologies.
Relation between Shyness and Music Academic Engagement: The Mediation of Achievement Goals—A Cross-Sectional Survey Study
Authors: Guo Yan , Zhao Yuehan , Yang Xiantong
Published: January 2023

Music discipline that emphasizes expression, performance and collaboration may cause difficulties for shy students who are prone to anxiety about social interaction, which might cause low music academic engagement and achievement. According to Models of Personality and Affect regarding the role of psychological constructs in educational contexts, shyness and academic engagement are the first and third-level variables, respectively. We hypothesized that achievement goals might be the second-level variable between shyness and academic engagement. Two hypotheses were proposed in the study: (1) shyness is negatively related to music academic engagement; (2) the music achievement goals mediate shyness and music academic engagement. The research was conducted in May 2022. A total of 515 college students who major in music were randomly recruited from a public university in Shanxi province, China. A 20 min self-report questionnaire was conducted as the data collection method. The research results revealed the following: (1) shyness was negatively associated with musical academic engagement; (2) the music mastery goals and the music performance avoidance goals (excluding the performance approach goal) partially mediated the association between shyness and music academic engagement in music learning. These findings have implications for the research and practice of music academic engagement of shyness.
Gender and Sex in Medical Practice: An Exploratory Study on Knowledge, Behavior, and Attitude among Sicilian Physicians
Authors: Campisi Giuseppina , Buttacavoli Fortunato , Attanasio Massimo , Milioto Mirella , Radosti Silvia , Amato Salvatore , Panzarella Vera
Published: January 2023

Personalized medicine is a new paradigm in health care, and the concept of socio-cultural gender, as opposed to biological sex, emerged in several medical approaches. This exploratory study aimed to investigate the knowledge of sex and gender in clinical medicine among Sicilian physicians. Data collection was based on an online survey sent to the members of the Medical Councils of Sicily (Italy). The questionnaire included nine specific items about awareness and attitudes regarding gender medicine and its importance in clinical practice. 8023 Sicilian physicians received the solicitation e-mail and only 496 responded. Regarding the knowledge of gender medicine, 71.1% of participants stated that they know it, while 88.5% believe that gender medicine should be included in training programs. Similarly, a high percentage (77.6%) would like to keep up to date on this topic. Physicians sampled seem to understand the importance of gender medicine principles, although their experience of some gender issues (i.e., sex disparities in acute cardiovascular care and smoking cessation strategies) is low (55.44% and 21.57%, respectively). The results of this exploratory study should encourage facing the gender medicine gap in the current curricula of health professionals and should implement the transitional value of sex and gender principles in the clinical setting.