bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Persepsi Pelajar Tahun Akhir Bidang TVET Terhadap Penggunaan Media Sosial dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran
Authors: Mohd Ahyan Nurul Aini , Mazni Muhamad Musyrif , Jambari Hanifah , Noh@Seth Nur Hazirah , Pairan Mohamad Rasidi
Published: July 2023

Nowadays, the use of social media is increasingly widespread and pervasive, especially among students. Various useful information and resources can be obtained quickly due to the existence of social media. Recognizing the importance and the need for social media usage, this study aims to identify the perceptions of final-year students in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) field at the School of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, regarding the use of social media in teaching and learning, specifically Twitter, Youtube, and Instagram. A quantitative approach was employed in this study, involving a sample of 75 respondents who completed a questionnaire to answer the research questions. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26 to obtain minimum values, percentages, and frequencies for the research questions. Regression analysis was also utilized to examine the effects of social media usage on students' skills, communication, and instructional content. Overall, the findings indicate that the 'Youtube' platform had a more positive perception in its use as a teaching media compared to 'Facebook' and 'Twitter' platforms. Additionally, the study reveals that the use of social media has a positive impact on improving students' skills (42.9%), communication (60.7%), and instructional content (51.5%).
Abstrak:
Penggunaan media sosial pada masa kini semakin luas dan menyeluruh terutamanya di kalangan pelajar. Pelbagai maklumat dan informasi yang bermanfaat boleh diperolehi dalam masa singkat setelah kewujudan media sosial ini. Melihat kepada kepentingan dan keperluan penggunaan media sosial, kajian ini dijalankan bagi mengenalpasti persepsi pelajar tahun akhir bidang pendidikan teknikal dan vokasional (TVET) di Sekolah Pendidikan, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia terhadap penggunaan media sosial dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran yang merangkumi Twitter, Youtube dan Instagram. Pendekatan kuantitatif telah digunakan dalam kajian ini yang melibatkan sampel seramai 75 responden melalui satu soal selidik bagi menjawab persoalan kajian. Penganalisisan data dibuat dengan menggunakan perisian Statistical Package for Social Science SPSS Statistics (SPSS) versi 26 bagi mendapatkan nilai min, peratusan dan kekerapan bagi persoalan. Analisis regresi pula telah digunakan bagi melihat kesan penggunaan media sosial kepada kemahiran pelajar, komunikasi pelajar dan kandungan pelajaran. Secara keseluruhannya, dapatan kajian mendapati bahawa platform ‘Youtube’ mempunyai persepsi yang lebih baik dalam penggunaannya sebagai media pengajaran berbanding platform ‘Facebook’ dan ‘Twitter’. Selain itu, kajian juga menunjukkan bahawa, penggunaan media sosial memberikan impak positif terhadap peningkatan kemahiran pelajar (42.9%), komunikasi pelajar (60.7%) dan kandungan pelajaran (51.5%).
JOB INSECURITY AS A BARRIER TO WORK ENGAGEMENT DURING PANDEMIC COVID-19: WORK-FAMILY INTERFACE AS A MODERATOR
Authors: Ooh Seow Ling , Tan Soon Aun , Teoh Xi Yao
Published: July 2023

The upheaval induced by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in job insecurity, which may lead employees to have less engagement with their work. Drawing upon the role stress theory and role enhancement theory, we postulated that the detrimental impact of job security on employee engagement can be further attenuated or strengthened by the employee’s work-family interfaces. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between job insecurity and job engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study further aimed to examine the moderating role of the work-family interface in the relationship between job insecurity and job engagement. Data was obtained from 284 employees in Malaysia via a self-administered questionnaire. Out of the total, 43% were male, whereas 57% were female. The average age of the participants was 38 years old. Three instruments were used in this study, namely the job insecurity scale, job engagement scale, and work-family interface scale (WFIS). The empirical data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28 software. Two main results were found. First, job insecurity negatively affected job engagement (B= -.735, SE= .189, t= -3.895, p<.001). Second, the negative impact of job insecurity on job engagement can be attenuated by the negative work-to-family interface (B= .131, SE= .064, t= 2.041, p=.042), positive work-to-family interface (B= .179, SE= .063, t= 2.829, p=.005), and the positive family-to-work interface ((B= .130, SE= .065, t= 2.003, p=.046). Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been moved to an endemic, employees' job insecurity remains high due to Malaysia's unstable economic and political conditions. Based on the study's findings, we found that effective work-family inferences can minimise the negative impact of job insecurity on job engagement. This paper will provide greater detail on how work-family inferences can attenuate the negative association between job security and employee engagement.
TRANSLANGUAGING: CO-CONSTRUCTING MEANINGS IN A MULTILINGUAL SETTING
Authors: Fabellon Samantha Mae
Published: July 2023

Being an expatriate teacher in Brunei made me consider different strategies and techniques in language teaching. This paper attempts to discuss my reflections on the use of translanguaging as a pedagogical tool in a student-centered learning environment with multilingual learners whose native languages are beyond my linguistic repertoire. Translanguaging has gained a lot of attention since its coinage in Southeast Asia, but there appears to be a paucity of this concept in language research specifically in Brunei context. In the same vein, Barr and Tagg’s learning paradigm was used to frame the discussion and expound on how translanguaging as a pedagogy could be a powerful tool in an environment where students are expected to co-construct knowledge with their teacher. In doing so, I posit that translanguaging empowers both teachers and students in constructing meanings however, if the teacher is not in any way familiar of their first language, students’ communicative competence might also be at risk.
SOPHOMORE CRISIS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN JAKARTA
Authors: Astilla Raffel James , Sulaeman Budi
Published: July 2023

The sophomore crisis is one of the five existential crises that can occur in adolescence to young adulthood. This crisis is related to identity issues about the future. This research aims to determine the description of the sophomore crisis among college students in Jakarta. This research is descriptive quantitative research. The sampling technique used is convenience sampling. In this study, there were 51 respondents consisting of 20 males and 31 females who were students with an age range between 18 years and 24 years. Data collection techniques were carried out using measuring instruments compiled by research based on three domains of the Sophomore crisis: commitment to sources of meaning in life, difficulty in choosing a career path, and fear of the need for a safe plan to reach the highest potential. Data analysis in this study used a descriptive statistical approach. The results of this study showed that 27 respondents experienced a sophomore crisis with a high category. Meanwhile, 24 respondents were classified as experiencing a crisis with a low category. This research also showed that male and female respondents have a second-year crisis stage in the same category, which is classified as high. The researcher suggests strengthening the academic guidance process with lecturers, and the department can carry out monitoring activities based on semesters.
THE ROLE OF QUALITY OF WORK-LIFE AS MEDIATOR IN EFFECT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL ON WORK ENGAGEMENT AMONG EMPLOYEES IN COMPANY X IN BATAM, INDONESIA
Authors: Jalil Hudznuza , Ibrahim Amalina
Published: July 2023

Today workforces encounter challenging situations. Experts and leaders stated that we currently live in a volatile, unstructured, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. Moreover, external factors outside organizational circumstances including psychological and emotional state might influence work engagement. However, PsyCap was found to buffered and combat these negative reactions in the workplace. Quality of Work Life (QWL) was also found to be affecting work engagement. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the role of QWL among the effects between PsyCap and work engagement among employees in Company X in Batam, Indonesia. This cross-sectional study used a quantitative design and obtained the data using questionnaires. The data was analyzed using PROCESS Version 4.1. by Hayes (2020) in SPSS Version 25.0. The result shows PsyCap and QWL effects work engagement positively. Moreover, PsyCap was also found to positively effects QWL. Lastly, the result also shows that QWL partially mediated the effect between PsyCap and work engagement.
Political Communication in Social Media: A Bibliometrics Analysis
Authors: Subekti Dimas , Mutiarin Dyah , Nurmandi Achmad
Published: July 2023

This study aims to explain the development of research on political communication in social media indexed by Scopus from 2013 to 2023. The scoping review method is employed in this investigation. The main finding of this study is that there has been little growth in the number of publications for research on political communication on social media over the past ten years that Scopus has indexed. This has an inverse relationship with the importance of social media in politics today. Additionally, all nations that contribute the most to the publication of research on this subject hold elections as part of their democratic systems. Further, politics, communication, campaigns, and social media are four crucial topic components for studying political communication in social media. Likewise, in terms of narratives, political communication by political actors in the social media aims to launch the dissemination of information to the public to increase electoral engagement. Then, Facebook has become the most used social media lately in political communication by politicians and political parties in a democratic country. Although this social media is not so popular among young people, it is still loved by many elderly voters who are new to the internet.
Una escena musical sentipensante en la transición posacuerdo en Colombia: el caso de la Casa de la Paz
Authors: Barbosa dos Santos Fernanda , Roux Clément , Saldarriaga Cardona Carolina , Youkhana Eva
Published: July 2023

Situada en el centro de Bogotá (Colombia), la Casa de la Paz es un proyecto productivo creado por antiguos guerrilleros de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), tras la firma del acuerdo con el Gobierno colombiano en noviembre de 2016. La iniciativa empezó con la venta de una cerveza artesanal y se ha ido convirtiendo en uno de los ejemplos más simbólicos de los progresos de la implementación del acuerdo. El objetivo de este artículo fue analizar cómo se promulgaron narrativas en la transición posacuerdo en la Casa de la Paz entre 2021 y 2022. Esta investigación fue desarrollada a partir del método etnográfico, con observaciones participantes, entrevistas, análisis del ámbito sonoro y del espacio. Los hallazgos indican que la Casa de la Paz se ha convertidoen uno de los lugares emblemáticos de una escena musical local sentipensante, un centro cultural en el que el gusto compartido no se define por un único género o estilo musical, sino por narrativas comunes de transición en el marco del posacuerdo. Concluimos que, en la Casa de la Paz, la música y el espacio son la expresión de una solución creativa para hacer circular y construir colectivamente narrativas con sentidos políticos compartidos. Son el sostén que mantiene unido lo que se piensa y lo que se siente. El aporte es haber develado que el espacio y la música se constituyen en el tejido conectivo de las narrativas comunes, que seestablecen a partir de conexiones sentipensantes.
Teatro de grupo na Colômbia Parte II: pelas aldeias dos Andes
Authors: Trotta Rosyane
Published: July 2023

O artigo dá continuidade à sistematização do material colhido em pesquisa de campo realizada pela autora junto a grupos de teatro colombianos, com o objetivo de investigar seu modo de produção e criação. O estudo, concebido e preparado remotamente, teve suas primeiras questões de pesquisa e hipóteses publicadas pela revista Urdimento em 2022. No texto que agora apresentamos, parte-se de uma análise comparativa do campo temático e metodológico dos espetáculos que estavam em cartaz, em fevereiro e março de 2022, nas cidades de Bogotá e Medellín. Em seguida, é abordado o Teatro Tespys, sediado na cidade de El Carmen de Viboral, a 50 quilômetros de Medellín. Além da observação direta, utilizaram-se entrevistas, consulta ao acervo do grupo e páginas virtuais, com o objetivo de reunir informações que permitissem uma análise sobre sua atuação a partir das práticas concebidas e realizadas pelo coletivo. O estudo se concentra sobre o projeto de circulação do Tespys pelas aldeias do interior de sua região, com obras e práticas criativas voltadas para a descolonização. A partir da crônica escrita por Flora Quijano Upegui, integrante do grupo, o artigo identifica as condições de produção e os procedimentos pedagógicos praticados pelo grupo junto a populações isoladas, a maioria com memória viva do terror vivido nos anos 1980, e reflete sobre a noção de teatro comunitário no Brasil.
Handheld chromatic pupillometry can reliably detect functional glaucomatous damage in eyes with high myopia
Authors: Finkelstein Maxwell Toan , Nongpiur Monisha Esther , Husain Rahat , Perera Shamira , Baskaran Mani , Wong Tina T , Aung Tin , Milea Dan , Najjar Raymond P
Published: July 2023

Background/aims

To assess pupillary light responses (PLRs) in eyes with high myopia (HM) and evaluate the ability of handheld chromatic pupillometry (HCP) to identify glaucomatous functional loss in eyes with HM.

Methods

This prospective, cross-sectional study included 28 emmetropes (EM), 24 high myopes without glaucoma (HM) and 17 high myopes with confirmed glaucoma (HMG), recruited at the Singapore National Eye Center. Monocular PLRs were evaluated using a custom-built handheld pupillometer that recorded changes in horizontal pupil radius in response to 9 s of exponentially increasing blue (469.1 nm) and red (640.1 nm) lights. Fifteen pupillometric features were compared between groups. A logistic regression model (LRM) was used to distinguish HMG eyes from non-glaucomatous eyes (EM and HM).

Results

All pupillometric features were similar between EM and HM groups. Phasic constriction to blue (p<0.001) and red (p=0.006) lights, and maximum constriction to blue light (p<0.001) were reduced in HMG compared with EM and HM. Pupillometric features of melanopsin function (postillumination pupillary response, PIPR area under the curve (AUC) 0–12 s (p<0.001) and PIPR 6 s (p=0.01) to blue light) were reduced in HMG. Using only three pupillometric features, the LRM could classify glaucomatous from non-glaucomatous eyes with an AUC of 0.89 (95% CI 0.77 to 1.00), sensitivity 94.1% (95% CI 82.4% to 100.0%) and specificity 78.8% (95% CI 67.3% to 90.4%).

Conclusion

PLRs to ramping-up light stimuli are unaltered in highly myopic eyes without other diagnosed ocular conditions. Conversely, HCP can distinguish glaucomatous functional loss in eyes with HM and can be a useful tool to detect/confirm the presence of glaucoma in patients with HM.
Self-Help Plus for refugees and asylum seekers: an individual participant data meta-analysis
Authors: Karyotaki Eirini , Sijbrandij Marit , Purgato Marianna , Acarturk Ceren , Lakin Daniel , Bailey Della , Peckham Emily , Uygun Ersin , Tedeschi Federico , Wancata Johannes , Augustinavicius Jura , Carswell Kenneth , Välimäki Maritta , van Ommeren Mark , Koesters Markus , Popa Mariana , Leku Marx Ronald , Anttila Minna , Churchill Rachel , White Ross G , Al-Hashimi Sarah , Lantta Tella , Au Teresa , Klein Thomas , Tol Wietse A , Cuijpers Pim , Barbui Corrado
Published: July 2023

Question

Refugees and asylum seekers are at high risk of mental disorders due to various stressors before, during and after forceful displacement. The WHO Self-Help Plus (SH+) intervention was developed to manage psychological distress and a broad range of mental health symptoms in vulnerable populations. This study aimed to examine the effects and moderators of SH+ compared with Enhanced Care as Usual (ECAU) in reducing depressive symptoms among refugees and asylum seekers.

Study selection and analysis

Three randomised trials were identified with 1795 individual participant data (IPD). We performed an IPD meta-analysis to estimate the effects of SH+, primarily on depressive symptoms and second on post-traumatic stress, well-being, self-identified problems and functioning. Effects were also estimated at 5–6 months postrandomisation (midterm).

Findings

There was no evidence of a difference between SH+ and ECAU+ in reducing depressive symptoms at postintervention. However, SH+ had significantly larger effects among participants who were not employed (β=1.60, 95% CI 0.20 to 3.00) and had lower mental well-being levels (β=0.02, 95% CI 0.001 to 0.05). At midterm, SH+ was significantly more effective than ECAU in improving depressive symptoms (β=−1.13, 95% CI −1.99 to −0.26), self-identified problems (β=−1.56, 95% CI −2.54 to −0.59) and well-being (β=6.22, 95% CI 1.60 to 10.90).

Conclusions

Although SH+ did not differ significantly from ECAU in reducing symptoms of depression at postintervention, it did present benefits for particularly vulnerable participants (ie, unemployed and with lower mental well-being levels), and benefits were also evident at midterm follow-up. These results are promising for the use of SH+ in the management of depressive symptoms and improvement of well-being and self-identified problems among refugees and asylum seekers.
Improving the quality of rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery, in an outpatient physiotherapy department
Authors: Henning Michael , Henning Rose , Dummett Joe
Published: July 2023

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is a type of orthopaedic knee surgery and physiotherapy rehabilitation is undertaken for several months postoperatively, often with the aim of returning the patient to sport. Variations in postoperative protocols to guide rehabilitation exist between National Health Service (NHS) Trusts. Although there is no single guideline to guide clinicians, strong evidence does support several clinical measures to be included post-ACLR, to improve outcomes and reduce the need for revision surgery. This project aimed to align our NHS Trust’s ACLR physiotherapy care with best-evidence.

A literature review was completed to establish key quality standards for ACLR rehabilitation. A retrospective notes audit was then undertaken to quantify the baseline quality of care, measured against these standards. Quality improvement methods were used to improve the quality of care and postoperative rehabilitation processes for ACLR patients. A new evidence-based, postoperative rehabilitation protocol was created, a core group of clinicians was formed to see ACLR patients and a rehabilitation class, solely for ACLR patients was also implemented.

The key process measure for the project was patients engaging in ‘criteria-driven progressions of rehabilitation’. This ‘criteria-driven progressions’ rate increased from 0% at baseline to 100% during the project period. Overall, non-attendance rates maintained at a similar level from 5.4% at baseline to a final rate of 4.8%. There was also an increase in mean ‘return to sport’ times, from 6 to 9.9 months, which is in line with best-evidence recommendations.

The previous rehabilitation provided in our trust was not aligned with current evidence. This quality improvement project has led to improvements in patient care and lessons from the project will allow other trusts to learn from the changes made, to improve their own care pathways.
Training for managing impacted fetal head at caesarean birth: multimethod evaluation of a pilot
Authors: van der Scheer Jan W , Cornthwaite Katie , Hewitt Pauline , Bahl Rachna , Randall Wendy , Powell Alison , Ansari Akbar , Attal Bothaina , Willars Janet , Woodward Matthew , Brown Imogen A F , Olsson Annabelle , Richards Natalie , Price Evleen , Giusti Alessandra , Leeding Joann , Hinton Lisa , Burt Jenni , Dixon-Woods Mary , Maistrello Giulia , Fahy Nick , Lyons Oscar ,   ABC Contributor Group, Draycott Tim
Published: July 2023

Background

Implementation of national multiprofessional training for managing the obstetric emergency of impacted fetal head (IFH) at caesarean birth has potential to improve quality and safety in maternity care, but is currently lacking in the UK.

Objectives

To evaluate a training package for managing IFH at caesarean birth with multiprofessional maternity teams.

Methods

The training included an evidence-based lecture supported by an animated video showing management of IFH, followed by hands-on workshops and real-time simulations with use of a birth simulation trainer, augmented reality and management algorithms. Guided by the Kirkpatrick framework, we conducted a multimethod evaluation of the training with multiprofessional maternity teams. Participants rated post-training statements about relevance and helpfulness of the training and pre-training and post-training confidence in their knowledge and skills relating to IFH (7-point Likert scales, strongly disagree to strongly agree). An ethnographer recorded sociotechnical observations during the training. Participants provided feedback in post-training focus groups.

Results

Participants (N=57) included 21 midwives, 25 obstetricians, 7 anaesthetists and 4 other professionals from five maternity units. Over 95% of participants agreed that the training was relevant and helpful for their clinical practice and improving outcomes following IFH. Confidence in technical and non-technical skills relating to managing IFH was variable before the training (5%–92% agreement with the pre-training statements), but improved in nearly all participants after the training (71%–100% agreement with the post-training statements). Participants and ethnographers reported that the training helped to: (i) better understand the complexity of IFH, (ii) recognise the need for multiprofessional training and management and (iii) optimise communication with those in labour and their birth partners.

Conclusions

The evaluated training package can improve self-reported knowledge, skills and confidence of multiprofessional teams involved in management of IFH at caesarean birth. A larger-scale evaluation is required to validate these findings and establish how best to scale and implement the training.
Comprehensive diagnostic testing identifies diverse aetiologies of acute febrile illness among hospitalised children and adults in Sri Lanka: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Bodinayake Champica K , Nagahawatte Ajith , Devasiri Vasantha , Arachichi Wasantha Kodikara , Kurukulasooriya Ruvini , Sheng Tianchen , Nicholson Bradly P , Ostbye Truls , Reller Megan , Woods Christopher W , Tillekeratne L Gayani
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Acute febrile illness (AFI) is a common cause of hospital admissions in tropical settings. Identifying AFI aetiology is essential for guiding clinicians’ diagnoses and developing diagnostic and management guidelines. We used rigorous, gold-standard testing for diverse viral and bacterial pathogens to confirm the aetiology of AFI in southern Sri Lanka.

Methods

We prospectively enrolled children and adults with AFI admitted to Teaching Hospital Karapitiya, Galle, the largest tertiary care hospital in Southern Province, Sri Lanka from June 2012 to May 2013. We obtained sociodemographic and clinical data, an acute blood sample, a nasopharyngeal sample, and a urine sample at enrolment and a convalescent blood sample 2–4 weeks later. Laboratory testing was conducted for dengue, respiratory viruses, leptospirosis, scrub typhus, spotted fever group (SFG) and typhus group (TG) rickettsioses and Q fever.

Results

A total of 976 patients were enrolled and a convalescent visit was completed in 878 (90.0%). Median age was 26.9 (14.2–41.4) years and the majority were male (628, 64.3%). A viral or bacterial aetiology was identified in 660 (67.6%). A viral aetiology was identified in 534 (54.7%), including 388 (39.8%) with dengue and 171 (17.5%) with respiratory viruses. Bacterial infection was found in 138 (14.1%) and included leptospirosis (79, 8.1%), SFG (17, 1.7%), TG (7, 0.7%), scrub typhus (53, 5.4%) and Q fever (5, 0.5%). Antibiotics were prescribed at enrolment for 45.5% with viral infections and 62.3% with bacterial infection. Overall, sensitivity of clinical diagnosis was low at approximately 50%.

Conclusion

We identified an aetiology of AFI in two-thirds of patients in a setting where malaria is non-endemic. Sensitivity of clinical diagnosis was low, with overuse of antibiotics for viral infections and underuse of antibiotics for bacterial infections. Diagnostic algorithms for AFI may help improve clinical management in this and comparable settings with diverse AFI aetiologies.
Comparing postacute care healthcare charges after hospitalisation due to influenza or COVID-19 infection in an all-payer administrative dataset in the USA: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Bailey Joseph , Alexandria Shaina J , Hu Blair , Wolfe Lisa F , Welty Leah J , Kruser Jacqueline M , Kalhan Ravi
Published: July 2023

Objective

SARS-CoV-2 infection often causes a persistent syndrome of multiorgan dysfunction with symptoms that may be debilitating. Individuals seeking care for this syndrome are likely to generate significant healthcare utilisation and spending. It is unknown if healthcare costs after SARS-CoV-2 infection differ from those after influenza infection.

Methods and analysis

We used an all-payer administrative dataset comprised coding and billing data from 446 hospitals in the USA that use a financial analytics platform by Strata Decision Technology. The deidentified analytical sample included patients aged 18 years or older who were admitted to a hospital between July 2018 and May 2021 with an International Classification of Disease-10 code for COVID-19 or influenza. Analyses were stratified by age (18–44, 45–64 and 65+) and need for ventilation during acute hospitalisation. Linear regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between infection type (COVID-19 or influenza) and cumulative charges between 1 and 5 months after hospitalisation. Independent variables included medical comorbidities, health system classification and prehospitalisation charges, among others.

Results

Of 110 381 patients included in our analysis, 94 927 (86.0%) were hospitalised for COVID-19 and 15 454 (14.0%) were hospitalised for influenza. Patients hospitalised for COVID-19 generated a median of US$5248 (inter-quartile range (IQR) US$25693) in postacute healthcare charges, whereas patients hospitalised for influenza generated a median of US$8463 (IQR US$41063). Compared with influenza, linear model results demonstrated no significant differences in postacute charges among patients hospitalised with COVID-19.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that individual healthcare expenditures after acute COVID-19 infection are not significantly different from those after influenza infection.
Golf participants in Australia have a higher lifetime prevalence of skin cancer compared with the general population
Authors: Stenner Brad , Boyle Terry , Archibald Daryll , Arden Nigel , Hawkes Roger , Filbay Stephanie
Published: July 2023

Objective

To estimate the age-specific lifetime prevalence of skin cancer in a sample of Australian golf participants and estimate skin cancer risk in golf participants compared with a general population-based sample.

Methods

Golf participants in Australia (n=336) completed the Australian Golf Health Survey which collected data on skin cancer diagnosis (self-reported history), physical activity levels and participant demographics. Data were compared with a sample of the Australian general population (n=15780, Australian Health Survey). Age-specific lifetime prevalence of skin cancer in golf and general population-based samples was determined, and modified Poisson regression (adjusted for age, sex, education and smoking status) was used to estimate the association between playing golf and the risk of a current or past skin cancer diagnosis.

Results

One in four golf participants (n=91; 27%) had received a skin cancer diagnosis compared with 7% (n=1173) of the general population. Golf participants were 2.42 (2.01 to 2.91) (relative risk (95% CI)) times more likely to report a skin cancer diagnosis than the general population after adjusting for age, sex, education and smoking status.

Conclusion

Playing golf in Australia is associated with a higher age-specific lifetime prevalence of skin cancer compared with the general population. Golf organisations, clubs and facilities should inform golf participants about the risk of skin cancer and promote preventive strategies including use of high-Sun Protection Factor (SPF) sunscreen, appropriate hats and clothing.
Cost-effectiveness of endoscopic, surgical and pharmacological obesity therapies: a microsimulation and threshold analyses
Authors: Saumoy Monica , Gandhi Devika , Buller Seth , Patel Shae , Schneider Yecheskel , Cote Gregory , Kochman Michael L , Thiruvengadam Nikhil R , Sharaiha Reem Z
Published: July 2023

Objective

Weight loss interventions to treat obesity include sleeve gastrectomy (SG), lifestyle intervention (LI), endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) and semaglutide. We aimed to identify which treatments are cost-effective and identify requirements for semaglutide to be cost-effective.

Design

We developed a semi-Markov microsimulation model to compare the effectiveness of SG, ESG, semaglutide and LI for weight loss in 40 years old with class I/II/III obesity. Extensive one-way sensitivity and threshold analysis were performed to vary cost of treatment strategies and semaglutide adherence rate. Outcome measures were incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), with a willingness-to-pay threshold of US$100 000/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY).

Results

When strategies were compared with each other, ESG was cost-effective in class I obesity (US$4105/QALY). SG was cost-effective in class II obesity (US$5883/QALY) and class III obesity (US$7821/QALY). In class I/II/III, obesity, SG and ESG were cost-effective compared with LI. However, semaglutide was not cost-effective compared with LI for class I/II/III obesity (ICER US$508 414/QALY, US$420 483/QALY and US$350 637/QALY). For semaglutide to be cost-effective compared with LI, it would have to cost less than US$7462 (class III), US$5847 (class II) or US$5149 (class I) annually. For semaglutide to be cost-effective when compared with ESG, it would have to cost less than US$1879 (class III), US$1204 (class II) or US$297 (class I) annually.

Conclusions

Cost-effective strategies were: ESG for class I obesity and SG for class II/III obesity. Semaglutide may be cost-effective with substantial cost reduction. Given potentially higher utilisation rates with pharmacotherapy, semaglutide may provide the largest reduction in obesity-related mortality.
Pontine ischaemic stroke syndromes
Authors: Ground Marcus , Punter Martin N M , Rosemergy Ian
Published: July 2023

Classic Raymond syndrome is a rare neurological presentation comprising ipsilateral abducens palsy, contralateral facial paresis and contralateral hemiparesis. We present a man in his late 60s who presented with diplopia, dysarthria and right-sided limb weakness. This syndrome is one of a group of ‘crossed paralyses’ of the caudal pons.
Algorithms for the Truss Maintenance Problem on Edge-Weighted Graphs
Authors: Liu Bin , Liu Zhenming , Zhang Feiteng
Published: July 2023

The [Formula: see text]-truss was proposed by Jonathan Cohen in 2008, and it is a widely used as index in graph analysis for cohesive subgraph mining. There are two basic problems in this area. One is the truss decomposition problem, which is to compute the truss number of every edge; the other is the truss maintenance problem, which is to update the truss numbers of the affected edges in a dynamic graph while avoiding the truss number recomputation of all edges. However, few results are known on edge-weighted graphs. In this paper, we focus on the truss maintenance problem on edge-weighted graphs. Firstly, we propose a basic algorithm for the truss decomposition problem on edge-weighted graphs. Then we propose two indices, weighted growth potential support (WGPS) and weighted remaining potential support (WRPS), to help find the edges with potential changes on their truss numbers. Finally, we propose algorithms for the truss maintenance problem on edge-weighted graphs.
IL-10-dependent Effect of Chinese Medicine Abelmoschus manihot on Alleviating Intestinal Inflammation and Modulating Gut Microbiota
Authors: Li Cheng-Xi , Wang Yu-Meng , Zhang Wen-Jing , Zhang Shu , Li Jian-Ping , Zhou Tong , Duan Jin-Ao , Guo Jian-Ming
Published: July 2023

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a recurrent disease associated with a potential risk of colorectal cancer. Abelmoschus manihot (AM), a Chinese herbal medicine, is known to alleviate IBD. However, its mechanism of action requires further clarification. Here, we focused on the role of IL-10 and the gut microbiota in the mechanism of action of AM. The effects of AM on intestinal inflammation, mucus production, and gut microbes were evaluated in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced acute and chronic IBD models and in IL-10-deficient mice (IL-10[Formula: see text]). AM exhibited protective effects on acute and chronic models of IBD in wild-type mice by restoring body weight and colon length, promoting IL-10 secretion, and decreasing TNF-[Formula: see text] levels. Moreover, AM alleviated inflammatory infiltration, increased mucin 2 transcription, and increased the number of goblet cells in the colon. On the contrary, these effects were diminished in IL-10[Formula: see text] mice, which implied that the effect of AM on intestinal inflammation is IL-10-dependent. A gut microbial sequencing analysis showed that gut microbial dysbiosis was modulated by AM intervention. The regulatory effects of AM on Eggerthellaceae, Sutterellaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Burkholderiaceae, Desulfovibrionaceae, and Enterococcaceae were dependent on IL-10. These results revealed that AM ameliorated IBD and modulated gut microbes by promoting IL-10 secretion, indicating that AM has the potential to improve IBD and that AM is IL-10-dependent.
Entropy analysis of Casson nanofluid flow across a rotating porous disc with nonlinear thermal radiation and magnetic dipole
Authors: Ragupathi E. , Prakash D. , Muthtamilselvan M. , Ahn Kyubok
Published: July 2023

The theme of the current effort is to theoretically analyze the entropy generation and heat transfer aspects of Casson nanofluid flow triggered by rotating porous disc with the presence of magnetic dipole, nonlinear thermal radiation, viscous dissipation and Joule heating. The modeling of the nanofluid can be described with the combination of Brownian motion and thermophoresis by incorporating the passive control boundaries, and the governing PDEs are transformed into a set of highly nonlinear ODEs. The resulting equations are then solved analytically using HAM technique. The present results are compared with previously published results, which are in excellent agreement. The effect of pertinent nondimensional parameters on the entropy generation, hydrodynamic, heat and mass transport aspects is discussed via graphical illustrations. Both radial and tangential velocities are affected by accelerating the values of Hartmann number and porosity parameter. The temperature profile is upsurged by improving the radiation and thermal ratio parameter. Increasing the Casson parameter and Brinkman number leads to improved entropy generation rate. Moreover, skin friction, heat and mass transfer rates are examined with the help of the tables. It is believed that this study can be utilized as coolants by numerous automotive and engineering industries, namely the electronic devices, electrical motor, spin coating, fabrication of spacecraft, thermal insulation, nuclear reactors, etc.
Towards a Simplified View of Data Management Maturity Models
Authors: Harguem Saida , Boubaker Karim Ben
Published: July 2023

During the last 30 years, a proliferation of Data Management Maturity Models has been observed. Most of this proliferation was driven by consulting companies that used existing models and tried to differentiate their offerings by renaming the concepts. This has created confusion that led organisations to have difficulty selecting a Maturity Model and applying it. This paper proposes a simpler and more Integrative Framework to help the organisation assess and sustainably enhance its data management. To do so, in-depth academic papers and professional documents have been gathered following a structured approach. The outcome of the paper is an Integrative Framework and a Data Maturity Evaluation and Enhancement Process that tries to simplify Data Management Maturity Models.
ODD-VGAN: Optimised Dual Discriminator Video Generative Adversarial Network for Text-to-Video Generation with Heuristic Strategy
Authors: Mehmood Rayeesa , Bashir Rumaan , Giri Kaiser J.
Published: July 2023

Generating videos is a novel area of computer vision research that is still far from being addressed. The reason for the same being that videos are very complex in nature where both spatial and temporal coherence needs to be taken care of. Compared to the unconditional video generation, an automated video generation from the text description is an even more difficult task, in which maintaining semantic consistency and visual quality are very crucial. The video generation from the text description seems to be non-trivial owing to the intrinsic complexity that occurs in the frames and video framework. The conditional generative models are required to be implemented for this challenging task of text-to-video generation. “Generative adversarial networks (GANs)” have had a lot of success in producing images conditioned over the natural language description. But, it is yet to be employed for producing realistic videos from text that are temporally and spatially coherent and semantically consistent with the text descriptions. Thus, a new Optimised Dual Discriminator Video Generative Adversarial Network (ODD-VGAN) for text-to-video generation is suggested in this paper. The hyper-parameters of ODD-VGAN are optimised using the improved reptile search algorithm (IRSA). The efficiency of the proposed approach is demonstrated by both qualitative and quantitative experimental results.
Single and Hybrid-Ensemble Learning-Based Phishing Website Detection: Examining Impacts of Varied Nature Datasets and Informative Feature Selection Technique
Authors: Adane Kibreab , Beyene Berhanu , Abebe Mohammed
Published: July 2023

To tackle issues associated with phishing website attacks, the study conducted rigorous experiments on RF, GB, and CATB classifiers. Since each classifier was an ensemble learner on their own; we integrated them into stacking and majority vote ensemble architectures to create hybrid-ensemble learning. Due to ensemble learning methods being known for their high computational time costs, the study applied the UFS technique to address these concerns and obtained promising results. Since the scalability and performance consistency of the phishing website detection system across numerous datasets is critical to combating various variants of phishing website attacks, we used three distinct phishing website datasets (DS-1, DS-2, and DS-3) to train and test each ensemble learning method to identify the best-performed one in terms of accuracy and model computational time. Our experimental findings reveal that the CATB classifier demonstrated scalable, consistent, and superior accuracy across three distinct datasets (attained 97.9% accuracy in DS-1, 97.36% accuracy in DS-2, and 98.59% accuracy in DS-3). When it comes to model computational time, the RF classifier was discovered to be the fastest when applied to all datasets, while the CATB classifier was discovered to be the second quickest when applied to all datasets.
White Supremacy and the Making of Anthropology
Authors: Beliso-De Jesús Aisha M. , Pierre Jemima , Rana Junaid
Published: July 2023

This review presents a historical and contemporary view of white supremacy as an entrenched global system based on presumed biological and cultural difference, related practices of racism, the valorization of whiteness, and the denigration of nonwhiteness. We center the role of the discipline of anthropology, and contend that the discipline is shaped by, and shapes, structures of white supremacy. In this article, we detail anthropology's role in the development of racial science and the subsequent placement of whiteness at the top of the world's global political and cultural systems of power. We examine the early critiques of anthropology's racializing practices by Black and Indigenous anthropologists, which set the stage for an anti-imperial analysis that addressed how white power was entrenched within the discipline and broader society. Last, we discuss emerging scholarship on the anthropology of white supremacy and the methodological and theoretical shifts that push the discipline and refine the concept.
Smart Contracts and Decentralized Finance
Authors: John Kose , Kogan Leonid , Saleh Fahad
Published: July 2023

We explain the mechanics of smart contracts. We then highlight the benefits of smart contracts, such as overcoming commitment problems. We also discuss limitations, such as the difficulty for smart contracts to access information external to the blockchain and the difficulty of integrating smart contract code with traditional legal enforcement. We further highlight how the absence of a trusted intermediary inflates implementation costs for blockchain applications. We conclude with a discussion of the most prominent smart contract applications in decentralized finance: token issuance (e.g., initial coin offerings, nonfungible tokens), decentralized exchanges, and protocols for loanable funds. Our survey covers both institutional details and relevant literature.
The Social Impacts of Supply-Side Decarbonization
Authors: Beckfield Jason , Evrard Daniel Alain
Published: July 2023

From the earliest studies examining the impacts of the coal-powered Industrial Revolution, the field of sociology has possessed an intimate, if often implicit, interest in the interconnectedness of fossil fuels and modernity. With the looming climate crisis, the world must rapidly wean itself from these resources in favor of others that emit little to no greenhouse gasses. And while this energy transition will likely have profound social implications, it has only recently begun to receive sustained attention from sociologists across subfields. Consequently, although debates have emphasized the technological and market dimensions of this shift, its relational dimensions and human aspects have remained relatively marginal. In this article, we review research on the social impacts of fossil fuel production and transitions to renewables. Such work is critical and urgent, since the main barriers to combating the climate crisis are neither technological nor economic; they are, instead, deeply social.
Intestinal Immune Imbalance is an Alarm in the Development of IBD
Authors: Hu Chunli , Liao Shengtao , Lv Lin , Li Chuanfei , Mei Zhechuan
Published: July 2023

Immune regulation plays a crucial role in human health and disease. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic relapse bowel disease with an increasing incidence worldwide. Clinical treatments for IBD are limited and inefficient. However, the pathogenesis of immune-mediated IBD remains unclear. This review describes the activation of innate and adaptive immune functions by intestinal immune cells to regulate intestinal immune balance and maintain intestinal mucosal integrity. Changes in susceptible genes, autophagy, energy metabolism, and other factors interact in a complex manner with the immune system, eventually leading to intestinal immune imbalance and the onset of IBD. These events indicate that intestinal immune imbalance is an alarm for IBD development, further opening new possibilities for the unprecedented development of immunotherapy for IBD.
CALFAN (Low γ-Glutamyl Transpeptidase (GGT) Cholestasis, Acute Liver Failure, and Neurodegeneration) Syndrome: A Case Report with 3-Year Follow-Up after Liver Transplantation in Early Adulthood
Authors: Youssef Mariam , Mascia Katherine L. , McGuire Brendan , Patel Chirag R. , Al Diffalha Sameer , Dhall Deepti , Lee Goo
Published: July 2023

CALFAN syndrome is an extremely rare disease consisting of recurrent pediatric acute liver failure (PALF), neurodegenerative diseases, and skeletal abnormalities associated with SCYL1 gene mutation. To date, three of 18 patients reported underwent liver transplantation in infancy and early childhood (7–23 months). Here, we report a case of CALFAN syndrome with infantile onset, recurrent jaundice/PALF requiring liver transplantation in early adulthood. At the most recent follow-up, 3 years after transplantation, the patient is doing well.
Gas Storage Model of Residual Coal Adsorption in Abandoned Mine
Authors: Zhao San , Chen Xiangjun , Wang Lin , Li Lin
Published: July 2023

Due to the insufficient accurate evaluation model of gas resources in abandoned mines, the development and utilization of abandoned mine gas resources in China are still in the preliminary exploration stage. To this end, in response to the problem of imprecise assessment of gas resource reserves in the adsorbed state of residual coal, the No. 3 coal seam in Jincheng mine was used as the research object, by analyzing the evolution of the ambient gas pressure and temperature of the residual coal in the abandoned mine, and simulating the pressure and temperature environment in which the residual coal is located, the gas adsorption experiment of the residual coal was carried out in this environment, and a gas storage model of the residual coal was constructed with the combination of the adsorption theory. The results show that pressure has a positive effect on gas adsorption by residual coal, while temperature has a negative effect on it. The adsorption potential gradually decreases with increasing pressure and increases with increasing temperature, while the adsorption space increases with increasing pressure and decreases with increasing temperature. The adsorption characteristic curves obtained by the two methods are temperature independent and polynomial in shape, and the fitted correlation coefficient of method 1 is generally higher than that of method 2. The adsorption characteristic curves of two methods are best fitted at [Formula: see text], so the value of [Formula: see text] is most appropriately taken as 2.5 when calculating the virtual saturation vapour pressure. The average relative errors between the predicted and measured values of method 1 and 2 were 2.98% and 7.13%, respectively. The prediction effect of method 1 was significantly better than that of method 2 and met the requirements of engineering applications; therefore, method 1 was used to establish a model for the adsorbed gas storage capacity of residual coal in abandoned mines.