bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Classroom Management Perspective of Teachers
Authors: Dönmez Usta Necla , Ültay Neslihan , Ültay Eser
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study is to evaluate the views of teachers about classroom management in terms of some variables. These variables are defined as "motivation", "time", "communication" and "management of special students’ behaviours ". This study is a case study conducted in accordance with the qualitative approach. The study group was 50 teachers from different regions of Turkey. Data collection tool was a semi-structured interview form consisted of nine open-ended questions developed by the researchers. The data were collected by the interviews through face to face and/or the internet. These interviews lasted about 20-25 minutes. Data were analyzed by using content analysis technique. According to the results of the analysis, it can be said that the teachers know the motivational behaviors in learning environments, take precautions against time traps to use time effectively, care about communication and are aware of how the behavior of special students should be managed in the classroom.
Recent Advances in Peptide Nucleic Acids as Antibacterial Agents
Authors: Chen Wei , Dong Bo , Liu Wenen , Liu Zhengchun
Published: June 2020

:

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the slow progress in searching for new
antimicrobial agents makes it hard to treat bacterial infections and cause problems for the healthcare
system worldwide, including high costs, prolonged hospitalizations, and increased mortality. Therefore,
the discovery of effective antibacterial agents is of great importance. One attractive alternative
is antisense peptide nucleic acid (PNA), which inhibits or eliminates gene expression by binding to
the complementary messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence of essential genes or the accessible and functionally
important regions of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Following 30 years of development, PNAs
have played an extremely important role in the treatment of Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and acidfast
bacteria due to their desirable stability of hybrid complex with target RNA, the strong affinity for
target mRNA/rRNA, and the stability against nucleases. PNA-based antisense antibiotics can
strongly inhibit the growth of pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in a sequence-specific and
dose-dependent manner at micromolar concentrations. However, several fundamental challenges,
such as intracellular delivery, solubility, physiological stability, and clearance still need to be addressed
before PNAs become broadly applicable in clinical settings. In this review, we summarize
the recent advances in PNAs as antibacterial agents and the challenges that need to be overcome in
the future.
Oleophylic Nanospheres Self-Assembly by Emulsion Technique Utilizing the Automatic Nanoscalar Interfacial Alternation (ANIAE)
Authors: Ran Hao , Liu Weibin , Pan Xin , Wu Chuanbin , Quan Guilan , Huang Ying , Cui Yingtong
Published: June 2020

Background:

The administration of many pharmaceutical active ingredients is often performed
by the injection of an aqueous-based solution. Numerous active ingredients are however, insoluble
in water, which complicates their administration and restricts their efficacy.

Objective:

The current solutions are hindered by both, a time-consuming manufacturing process and
unsuitability for hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials.

Method:

Emulsions of oleophilic active ingredients and polyprotein microspheres are an important
step to overcome insolubility issues.

Results:

Polyprotein microspheres offer a versatile modifiable morphology, thermal responsivity, and
size variation, which allows for the protection and release of assembled biomaterials. In addition, nanospheres
present promising cell phagocytosis outcomes in vivo.

Conclusion:

In this research, a reproducible multifunctional approach, to assemble nanospheres in one
step, using a technique termed “automatic nanoscalar interfacial alternation in emulsion” (ANIAE) was
developed, incorporating a thermally controlled release mechanism for the assembled target active ingredients.
These results demonstrate a viable, universal, multifunctional principal for the pharmaceutical
industry.
Enhance the Quality of Collaborative Filtering Using Tagging
Authors: Banda Latha , Singh Karan
Published: June 2020

Background:

Due to enormous data on web sites, recommending users for every item
is impossible. For this problem, Recommender Systems (RS) are introduced. RS is categorized into
Content-Based (CB), Collaborative Filtering (CF) and Hybrid RS. Based on these techniques,
recommendations are made to the user. In this, CF is the recent technique used in RS in which
tagging features also provided.

Objective:

Three main issues occur in RS are scalability problem which occurs when there is a
huge data, sparsity problem occurs when rating data is missing and cols start user or item problem
occurs when new user or new item enters in the system. To avoid these issues, here we have proposed
Tag and Time weight model with GA in Collaborative Tagging.

Methods:

Here we have proposed a method Collaborative Tagging (CT) with Tag and Time
weight model with real value genetic algorithm which enhances the recommendation quality by
removing the issues of sparsity and cold start user problems with the help of missing value prediction.
Here in this system, the sparsity problem can be removed using missing value prediction and
cold start problems are removed using tag and time weight model using GA.

Results:

In this study, we have compared the results of Collaborative Filtering with Cosine Similarity
(CF-CS), Collaborative Filtering with Diffusion Similarity (CF-DS), Tag and Time Weight
Model with Diffusion Similarity (TAW-TIW-DS) and Tag and Time Weight Model Using Diffusion
Similarity and Genetic Algorithm (TAW-TIW-DS-GA).

Conclusion:

Here we have compared the proposed approach with the baseline approaches and the
metrics are used MAE, prediction percentage, Hit-rate and Hit-rank. Based on these metrics for
every split, TAW-TIW-DS-GA showed best results as compared to the existing approach.
The Development of Shariah Risk Management Model (SRM-i) for the Use of Shariah Compliance Organizations
Authors: Ahmad Mohd Helmi , Lateh Najahudin
Published: June 2020

The Bank Negara Malaysia introduced Shariah Governance Framework (SGF) in 2011, does not state the needs to have proper risk management. The personal observation as a Shariah Manager and at the same time as the Shariah auditor, the experience has taken me to the other side of the world. Throughout the journey, I found that risk management has been dependent and assigned to the conventional risk management team as well as to the risk coordinator. Concludes that no qualified Shariah risk officer has been given to do so because according to what has been depicted from IFSA or SGF, Shariah risk is something that was co-existing along with the conventional risk. There is not acceptable because Shariah risk has its unique criteria and terminologies despite the use of normal risk appetites. This issue has become an Area of Concern (AOC) in the recent audit finding in a few organizations. There is no proper Shariah risk management in place and deemed the important Shariah Risk Management model (SRM-i) to rectify the non-compliance recorded.
Keywords: Shariah risk, Shariah risk model, SRM-i, rectification plan
eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5iSI1.2301
The Rohingya Crisis: Demand for international pressure for a change in Myanmar
Authors: Ibrahim @ Musa Hariati , Mohd Akahsah Namirah
Published: June 2020

The notorious violation of the human rights of ethnics in Myanmar has attracted the attention of the international community. Such abuse is threatening the South East Asia peace and security. This article unravels the legal and historical nexus between the Rohingya and Myanmar, supporting their claim for the rights of citizenship. This article suggests a tripartite model of which involves cooperation between the government of Myanmar, ASEAN and, the United Nations. The collective efforts from these three parties are vital to ensure a change in the crisis.
Keywords: ASEAN, Human rights, Rohingya, United Nations.   
eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.   DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5iSI1.2302
Modifications to Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems: Content Analysis of YouTube Videos (Preprint)
Authors: Massey Zachary B , Li Yachao , Holli Jessica , Churchill Victoria , Yang Bo , Henderson Katherine , Ashley David L , Huang Jidong , Popova Lucy
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

As user modification can alter the addictiveness and toxicity of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), more research is needed to understand the types, motivations, risks, and information sources that lead to these product alterations. YouTube has been identified as a major platform where ENDS users obtain and share information about ENDS products and modifications. However, a comprehensive study of ENDS modification videos on YouTube is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to analyze the content of YouTube videos depicting modifications of ENDS.

METHODS

YouTube was searched in March 2019 to identify videos depicting ENDS modifications. Search terms were derived from interviews with ENDS users and current literature. We used 28 search phrases that combined the words vape and vaping with modification-related key terms (eg, custom build, modification, and dripping). The final sample included 168 videos.

RESULTS

Videos were 1 to 108 min long (median 9.55). Presenters were largely male (117/168, 69.6%), white (94/168, 56.0%), and older than 25 years (94/168, 56.0%). Most videos gave how to instructions (148/168, 88.1%), but few offered warnings (30/168, 17.9%) or mentioned commercial alternatives to modifications they presented (16/168, 9.5%). The ENDS devices most often featured were drippers (63/168, 37.5%) and refillable tanks (37/168, 22.0%). The most often modified ENDS components were coils (82/168, 48.8%) and e-liquids (34/168, 20.2%), which included adding other substances, such as cannabis, to the e-liquids (6/168, 3.6%). Most videos portrayed ENDS modifications positively (106/168, 63.1% positive; 60/168, 35.7% neutral; and 2/168, 1.2% negative) and were either neutral or positive in their overall portrayal of ENDS devices (78/168, 46.4% positive; 89/168, 53.0% neutral; and 1/168, 0.6% negative).

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified several concerning trends in popular YouTube videos on ENDS modifications, including lack of warnings, the addition of marijuana derivatives to e-liquids, and the positive portrayal of ENDS devices and modifications. By identifying the types of modifications (coil and e-liquid being the most prevalent), this study sets an agenda for research on the effects of modifications.
A Snapshot of SARS-CoV-2 Genome Availability up to April 2020 and its Implications: Data Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Mavian Carla , Marini Simone , Prosperi Mattia , Salemi Marco
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has been growing exponentially, affecting over 4 million people and causing enormous distress to economies and societies worldwide. A plethora of analyses based on viral sequences has already been published both in scientific journals and through non–peer-reviewed channels to investigate the genetic heterogeneity and spatiotemporal dissemination of SARS-CoV-2. However, a systematic investigation of phylogenetic information and sampling bias in the available data is lacking. Although the number of available genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 is growing daily and the sequences show increasing phylogenetic information, country-specific data still present severe limitations and should be interpreted with caution.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the quality of the currently available SARS-CoV-2 full genome data in terms of sampling bias as well as phylogenetic and temporal signals to inform and guide the scientific community.

METHODS

We used maximum likelihood–based methods to assess the presence of sufficient information for robust phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies in several SARS-CoV-2 sequence alignments assembled from GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data) data released between March and April 2020.

RESULTS

Although the number of high-quality full genomes is growing daily, and sequence data released in April 2020 contain sufficient phylogenetic information to allow reliable inference of phylogenetic relationships, country-specific SARS-CoV-2 data sets still present severe limitations.

CONCLUSIONS

At the present time, studies assessing within-country spread or transmission clusters should be considered preliminary or hypothesis-generating at best. Hence, current reports should be interpreted with caution, and concerted efforts should continue to increase the number and quality of sequences required for robust tracing of the epidemic.
Ease of Use of the Electroconvulsive Therapy App by Its Users: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study (Preprint)
Authors: Khan Kinza , Basavarajappa Chethan , Kunigiri Girish
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the oldest, most effective, and potentially life-saving noninvasive brain stimulation treatments for psychiatric illnesses such as severe depression, mania, and catatonia. The decision-making process to use ECT involves well-informed discussion between the clinician and the client. A platform, like an app, which provides this information in an easy-to-understand format may be of benefit to various stakeholders in making an informed decision. Apps developed by clinicians/hospitals taking into consideration user perspectives will filter and provide trustworthy information to the users. In this regard, the ECT app, an app which is freely available for download at the Apple Store, was developed by the Leicestershire Partnership National Health Service (NHS) Trust and Leicestershire Health Informatics Service (LHIS).

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to evaluate and demonstrate the accessibility of the ECT app to the chosen audiences it was created for, via a paper and electronic questionnaire.

METHODS

A survey was conducted between January 2017 and March 2019. A survey questionnaire designed for the study was sent to mental health professionals, medical students, patients, carers, and members of the public via post, email, and SurveyMonkey or informed via posts shared in Psychiatry online groups and face-to-face contact. All participants who were willing to participate in the study were included.

RESULTS

Results were collected via paper forms, email responses, and SurveyMonkey and all were inputted into SurveyMonkey to facilitate analysis. A total of 20 responses were received during the study period (January 2017 to March 2019). The participants of the survey, which included a mixed group of professionals (12/20, 60%), patients (3/20, 15%), and carers (1/20, 5%), opined that the app was easy to download (14/20, 70%) and use (9/20, 45%); contained adequate information (19/20, 95%); they felt more informed after having used the app (9/20, 45%); and they would recommend it to others (19/20, 95%). The participants of the survey also provided suggestions on the app (10/20, 50%).

CONCLUSIONS

The ECT app can be beneficial in sharing appropriate information to professionals and the public alike and help in gathering unbiased and nonjudgmental information on the current use of ECT as a treatment option.
Effects of Self-Service Blood Pressure Measurement in Outpatient Obstetrics Clinics on waiting time, satisfaction of pregnant women in a tertiary hospital: Cross-sectional Survey (Preprint)
Authors: Xie Wanhua , Gao Yunhe , Tan Weichi
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

In the conventional method, the blood pressure values of pregnant women were measured by nurses in the obstetrics outpatient clinics, and then were entered into the computer system.The pregnant women should wait for long time to complete this process.We hypothesized that the self-service blood pressure measurement by pregnant women could be a better option rather than measuring the blood pressure by nurses.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to analyze the effect of self-service blood pressure measurement in obstetrical outpatient clinic on waiting time, satisfaction of pregnant women and outpatient volume, and provide reference for the optimization of outpatient service processes.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study. The waiting time and satisfaction degree of pregnant women, as well as the outpatient volume in the Obstetrics Outpatient Clinic were compared on the use of self-service blood pressure measurement system with the conventional method. A total of 519 pregnant women in the obstetrics outpatient clinics of Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center in China participated in the satisfaction survey. The sample means were compared with t-test.

RESULTS

Compared to wait a longer queue for blood pressure measured by nurses, after using the self-service blood pressure measurement system, the waiting time of pregnant women for blood pressure measurement was significantly reduced from (18.57±9.68) min to (2.39±1.96) min (P<0.001). In addition, the satisfaction degree of pregnant women was significantly increased (P<0.001), and the monthly outpatient volume was significantly increased (P=0.02,P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that after implementation of self-service blood pressure measurement, the waiting time of the pregnant women for blood pressure measurement was decreased significantly, while the satisfactory degree and outpatient flow were increased significantly, improving the cost-effectiveness.Therefore, this method is worth to be popularized in clinical practices.
Relevance to clinical practice: How to use medical intelligence in clinical practices, replace manual works by self-service devices to address the high outpatient flow, high work load of medical personnel, and improve the experience of patients in seeking medical services are the most concerned issues by both patients as well as hospital managers.This study demonstrated that the self-service blood pressure measurement as a promising strategy in clinical practices and provided reference for the optimization of outpatient service processes.

CLINICALTRIAL

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center (approval number:SFE-KL-46401; Supplementary file 4). All the pregnant women included in this study signed the informed consent form.
In silico Proteome analysis of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Preprint)
Authors: Baruah Chittaranjan , DEVI PAPARI , SHARMA DHIRENDRA K
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA coronavirus. The virus is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is contagious through human-to-human transmission. The RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2 encodes 29 proteins, though one may not get expressed. 15 proteins are not yet having experimental structures for investigation on possible drug targets.

OBJECTIVE

The present study reports sequence analysis, complete coordinate tertiary structure prediction and in silico sequence-based and structure-based functional characterization of full SARS-CoV-2 proteome based on the NCBI reference sequence NC_045512 (29903 bp ss-RNA).

METHODS

A total of 25 polypeptides have been analyzed out of which 15 proteins are not yet having experimental structures and only 10 are having experimental structures with known PDB IDs. Out of 15 newly predicted structures six (6) were predicted using comparative modeling and nine (09) proteins having no significant similarity with so far available PDB structures were modeled using ab-initio modeling. QMEANDisCo 4.0.0 and ProQ3 for global and local (per-residue) quality estimates is used for structure verification.

RESULTS

The all-atom model of tertiary structure of high quality and may be useful for structure-based drug designing targets. The study has identified along with nine major targets sixteen nonstructural proteins (NSPs), which may be equally important from the drug design angle. Tunnel analysis revealed the presence of large number of tunnels in NSP3, ORF 6 protein and membrane glycoprotein indicating a large number of transport pathways for small ligands influencing their reactivity.

CONCLUSIONS

The 15 theoretical structures would perhaps be useful for the scientific community for advanced computational analysis on interactions of each protein for detailed functional analysis of active sites towards structure based drug designing or to study potential vaccines, if at all, towards preventing epidemics and pandemics in absence of complete experimental structure.

CLINICALTRIAL

The protein structures have been deposited to ModelArchive.
Real-Time Digital Contact Tracing: Development of a System to Control COVID-19 Outbreaks in Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care Facilities (Preprint)
Authors: Wilmink Gerald , Summer Ilyssa , Marsyla David , Sukhu Subhashree , Grote Jeffrey , Zobel Gregory , Fillit Howard , Movva Satish
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can spread rapidly in nursing homes and long-term care (LTC) facilities. Symptoms-based screening and manual contact tracing have limitations that render them ineffective for containing the viral spread in LTC facilities. Symptoms-based screening alone cannot identify asymptomatic people who are infected, and the viral spread is too fast in confined living quarters to be contained by slow manual contact tracing processes.

OBJECTIVE

We describe the development of a digital contact tracing system that LTC facilities can use to rapidly identify and contain asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infected contacts. A compartmental model was also developed to simulate disease transmission dynamics and to assess system performance versus conventional methods.

METHODS

We developed a compartmental model parameterized specifically to assess the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) transmission in LTC facilities. The model was used to quantify the impact of asymptomatic transmission and to assess the performance of several intervention groups to control outbreaks: no intervention, symptom mapping, polymerase chain reaction testing, and manual and digital contact tracing.

RESULTS

Our digital contact tracing system allows users to rapidly identify and then isolate close contacts, store and track infection data in a respiratory line listing tool, and identify contaminated rooms. Our simulation results indicate that the speed and efficiency of digital contact tracing contributed to superior control performance, yielding up to 52% fewer cases than conventional methods.

CONCLUSIONS

Digital contact tracing systems show promise as an effective tool to control COVID-19 outbreaks in LTC facilities. As facilities prepare to relax restrictions and reopen to outside visitors, such tools will allow them to do so in a surgical, cost-effective manner that controls outbreaks while safely giving residents back the life they once had before this pandemic hit.
Smart Pooled Sample Testing for COVID-19: A Possible Solution For Sparcity of Test Kits (Preprint)
Authors: Bukhari Syed Usama Khalid , Khalid Syed Safwan , Syed Asmara , Shah Syed Sajid Hussain
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Corona virus disease (COVID-19) has severely affected a large number of people from all over the world. At present, there is no medicine available for its treatment. Adopting preventive measures to limit the spread of infection among the people is the best solution to this global health issue. The identification of infected cases and their isolation from healthy people is one of the essential preventive measures. In this regard, screening of the samples from a large number of people is needed, which requires many reagent kits for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Data of COVID-19 testing for the screening purposes from various countries revealed that most of the tests were negative. Based on this data, the smart pooling of samples will reduce the kit consumption without affecting the outcome.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective is to find out an effective method for the conduction of maximum testing for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis with less utilization of reagent kits.

METHODS

The available data of COVID-19 testing from different countries were evaluated by applying the simulators for the calculation of smart pooled sample testing size.

RESULTS

The simulation results show that the Test to Positive Ratio (TPR) is directly linked with the number of tests needed to test a population of 10,000. It TPR is low, the required number of tests will be low, and if TPR is high, then the required tests will be high. If the TPR is below 30, a significant optimization can be achieved, resulting in performing fewer tests for every 10,000 population. The results also show that if the TPR is below or close to 10, a higher group size is more beneficial. Whereas a group size of 2 might be a better choice if TPR is 15 or above.

CONCLUSIONS

The smart pooled sample testing may be a useful strategy in the current prevailing scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic. The application of algorithms to determine the appropriate number of specimens to be pooled for a single test would be a cost-effective solution for the screening of the community.

CLINICALTRIAL
Remote Assessment of Functional Mobility and Strength in Older Cancer Survivors: Protocol for a Validity and Reliability Study (Preprint)
Authors: Blair Cindy K , Harding Elizabeth , Herman Carla , Boyce Tawny , Demark-Wahnefried Wendy , Davis Sally , Kinney Anita Y , Pankratz Vernon S
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Older cancer survivors, faced with both age- and treatment-related morbidity, are at increased and premature risk for physical function limitations. Physical performance is an important predictor of disability, quality of life, and premature mortality, and thus is considered an important target of interventions designed to prevent, delay, or attenuate the physical functional decline. Currently, low-cost, valid, and reliable methods to remotely assess physical performance tests that are self-administered by older adults in the home-setting do not exist, thus limiting the reach, scalability, and dissemination of interventions.

OBJECTIVE

This paper will describe the rationale and design for a study to evaluate the accuracy, reliability, safety, and acceptability of videoconferencing and self-administered tests of functional mobility and strength by older cancer survivors in their own homes.

METHODS

To enable remote assessment, participants receive a toolkit and instructions for setting up their test course and communicating with the investigator. Two standard gerontologic performance tests are being evaluated: the Timed Up and Go test and the 30-second chair stand test. Phase 1 of the study evaluates proof-of-concept that older cancer survivors (age ≥60 years) can follow the testing protocol and use a tablet PC to communicate with the study investigator. Phase 2 evaluates the criterion validity of videoconference compared to direct observation of the two physical performance tests. Phase 3 evaluates reliability by enrolling 5-10 participants who agree to repeat the remote assessment (without direct observation). Phase 4 enrolls 5-10 new study participants to complete the remote assessment test protocol. Feedback from participants in each phase is used to refine the test protocol and instructions.

RESULTS

Enrollment began in December 2019. Ten participants completed the Phase 1 proof-of-concept. The study was paused in mid-March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

CONCLUSIONS

This validity and reliability study will provide important information on the acceptability and safety of using videoconferencing to remotely assess two tests of functional mobility and strength, self-administered by older adults in their homes. Videoconferencing has the potential to expand the reach, scalability, and dissemination of interventions to older cancer survivors, and potentially other older adults, especially in rural areas.

CLINICALTRIAL

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04339959; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04339959

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

DERR1-10.2196/20834
Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic Burnout on Cardiovascular Risk in Healthcare Professionals Study Protocol: A Multicenter Exploratory Longitudinal Study (Preprint)
Authors: Al Tunaiji Hashel , Al Qubaisi Mai , Dalkilinc Murat , Campos Luciana Aparecida , Ross Ramzy , Almahmeed Wael , Constantin Ovidiu
Published: June 2020

UNSTRUCTURED

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created new and unpredictable challenges for healthcare systems. Healthcare professionals are heavily affected by this rapidly changing situation. They may experience psychological burden, especially nurses, women, and frontline health care professionals directly engaged in the diagnosis, treatment, and care for patients with COVID-19. The objective of this study is to investigate the evolution of psychosocial, cardiovascular and immune markers in healthcare professionals with different levels of exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of the pandemic work burden on psychological, cardiovascular and immune biomarkers will be stratified per level of exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic, positive diagnosis to COVID-19, profession, sex, age and already existent cardiovascular risk.
Methods: A STROBE compliant, blended exploratory study involving online and onsite approach with wearable monitoring will be implemented. A planned random probability sample of residents, staff physicians, nurses and auxiliary healthcare professionals will be recruited from both inpatient and outpatient medicine services will be stratified by exposure to COVID-19 pandemic (frontline versus second line). In a first step, will be an online recruitment with e-consent and e-survey with Maslach Burnout Inventory, Fuster-BEWAT score and sociodemographic characteristics, and planning for onsite visit; in a second step, will be a setup for wearable monitoring of heart rate, actimetry and sleep quality together with blood sampling for immune biomarkers; steps 1 & 2 will be repeated at 2-3 months, 6 months. Power BI & Tableau will be used for data visualization purposes, while the front-end data capture application will be used for data collection and will be built using specific survey/questionnaire related tools for healthcare usage data linkage.
Ethics and dissemination: Institutional Review Board approval has been obtained from Khalifa University (protocol # CPRA-2020-034) and Department of Health-Abu Dhabi (protocol # CVDC-20-05/2020-8). Data analysis, release of results and publication of manuscripts are scheduled to start in early 2021. Data and findings may be useful to healthcare policymakers for developing preventive strategies to reduce or prevent burnout, cardiovascular risk and immune dysfunction.
Epistemic responsibilities in the age of COVID-19: Is Google a friend or a foe? (Preprint)
Authors: Curkovic Marko , Kosec Andro , Curkovic Danijela
Published: June 2020

UNSTRUCTURED

not applicable.
Citizen Responses to Government Restrictions in Switzerland During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)
Authors: Selby Kevin , Durand Marie-Anne , Gouveia Alexandre , Bosisio Francesca , Barazzetti Gaia , Hostettler Maxime , D'Acremont Valérie , Kaufmann Alain , von Plessen Christian
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

The success of government-recommended mitigation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic depends largely on information uptake and implementation by individual citizens.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to assess citizens’ knowledge and perceptions about COVID-19 recommendations in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland.

METHODS

A cross-sectional electronic survey with open and closed questions was disseminated by community-based partners prior to the relaxation of government restrictions. Outcomes included citizen knowledge (9-question measure) and worry about the virus, perception of government measures, and recommendations for improvements. Comparisons used linear regression, controlling for age, sex, education, and health literacy. Free-text answers were analyzed thematically.

RESULTS

Of 807 people who accessed the survey, 684 (85%) completed all questions and 479 (60%) gave free-text recommendations. Overall, 75% were female, the mean age was 48 years, and 93% had high health literacy. Knowledge scores were high, with a median score of 8 out of 9. Mean levels of worry about the COVID-19 pandemic were higher in women than men (55/100 versus 44/100, P<.001), and in respondents with lower health literacy (57/100 versus 52/100, P=.03). Self-reported adherence to recommendations was high (85%) and increased with age and worry (both P<.001). Respondents rated their own adherence higher than others (85% versus 61%, P<.001). Moreover, 34% of respondents reported having self-quarantined; this rose to 52% for those aged ≥75 years. Those who had self-quarantined reported higher levels of fear. Nearly half (49%) of respondents felt the government response had been adequate, though younger age and higher levels of worry were associated with considering the response to be insufficient (both P<.001). Analysis of open-text answers revealed 4 major themes: access to and use of masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer; government messaging; lockdown and lockdown exit plan communication; and testing for COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

Knowledge, adherence, and satisfaction regarding government recommendations and response were high in this sample, but many desired greater access to personal protective equipment. Those with lower health literacy and those who have been in self-isolation reported greater concerns about the pandemic.
What Factors Increase the Risk of Complications in SARS-CoV-2–Infected Patients? A Cohort Study in a Nationwide Israeli Health Organization (Preprint)
Authors: Yanover Chen , Mizrahi Barak , Kalkstein Nir , Marcus Karni , Akiva Pinchas , Barer Yael , Shalev Varda , Chodick Gabriel
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Reliably identifying patients at increased risk for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) complications could guide clinical decisions, public health policies, and preparedness efforts. Multiple studies have attempted to characterize at-risk patients, using various data sources and methodologies. Most of these studies, however, explored condition-specific patient cohorts (eg, hospitalized patients) or had limited access to patients’ medical history, thus, investigating related questions and, potentially, obtaining biased results.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify factors associated with COVID-19 complications from the complete medical records of a nationally representative cohort of patients, with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

METHODS

We studied a cohort of all SARS-CoV-2–positive individuals, confirmed by polymerase chain reaction testing of either nasopharyngeal or saliva samples, in a nationwide health organization (covering 2.3 million individuals) and identified those who suffered from serious complications (ie, experienced moderate or severe symptoms of COVID-19, admitted to the intensive care unit, or died). We then compared the prevalence of pre-existing conditions, extracted from electronic health records, between complicated and noncomplicated COVID-19 patient cohorts to identify the conditions that significantly increase the risk of disease complications, in various age and sex strata.

RESULTS

Of the 4353 SARS-CoV-2–positive individuals, 173 (4%) patients suffered from COVID-19 complications (all age ≥18 years). Our analysis suggests that cardiovascular and kidney diseases, obesity, and hypertension are significant risk factors for COVID-19 complications. It also indicates that depression (eg, males ≥65 years: odds ratio [OR] 2.94, 95% CI 1.55-5.58; P=.01) as well as cognitive and neurological disorders (eg, individuals ≥65 years old: OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.69-4.17; P<.001) are significant risk factors. Smoking and presence of respiratory diseases do not significantly increase the risk of complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis agrees with previous studies on multiple risk factors, including hypertension and obesity. It also finds depression as well as cognitive and neurological disorders, but not smoking and respiratory diseases, to be significantly associated with COVID-19 complications. Adjusting existing risk definitions following these observations may improve their accuracy and impact the global pandemic containment and recovery efforts.
Use of Telemedicine for Chronic Liver Disease at a Single Care Center During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prospective Observational Study (Preprint)
Authors: Guarino Maria , Cossiga Valentina , Fiorentino Andrea , Pontillo Giuseppina , Morisco Filomena
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 outbreak has overwhelmed and altered health care systems worldwide, with a substantial impact on patients with chronic diseases. The response strategy has involved implementing measures like social distancing, and care delivery modalities like telemedicine have been promoted to reduce the risk of transmission.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to analyze the benefits of using telemedicine services for patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) at a tertiary care center in Italy during the COVID-19–mandated lockdown.

METHODS

From March 9 to May 3, 2020, a prospective observational study was conducted in the Liver Unit of the University Hospital of Naples Federico II to evaluate the impact of (1) a fully implemented telemedicine program, partially restructured in response to COVID-19 to include video consultations; (2) extended hours of operation for helpline services; and (3) smart-working from home to facilitate follow-up visits for patients with CLD while adhering to social distancing regulations.

RESULTS

During the lockdown in Italy, almost 400 visits were conducted using telemedicine; only patients requiring urgent care were admitted to a non–COVID-19 ward of our hospital. Telemedicine services were implemented not only for follow-up visits but also to screen patients prior to hospital admission and to provide urgent evaluations during complications. Of the nearly 1700 patients with CLD who attended a follow-up visit at our Liver Unit, none contracted COVID-19, and there was no need to alter treatment schedules.

CONCLUSIONS

Telemedicine was a useful tool for following up patients with CLD and for reducing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This system of health care delivery was appreciated by patients since it gave them the opportunity to be in contact with physicians while respecting social distancing rules.
Predictive Factors Associated with Fear Faced by Healthcare Workers during Covid-19 Pandemic: A Questionnaire Based Study. (Preprint)
Authors: Kumar Jagdesh , Katto Muhammad Soughat , Sahito Badaruddin , Ahmed Bashir , Siddique Adeel Ahmed , Jamil Muhammad , Ali Maratib
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 and its related threat of death have led to significant fears among health care workers (HCWs) and their families around the world. The latest figures show thousands of HCWs have so for been infected with Covid-19 while interacting the patients, with a large percentage of them dying.

OBJECTIVE

In this survey study, we aimed to explore the predictive factors associated with fear faced by HCWs during covid-19 pandemic and to identify the areas which need to be addressed.

METHODS

On 14th May 2020, we conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire, which consisted of two parts: (1) focussed on factors associated with HCWs fear of getting infection and being a source of carrying infection to whom they care, and (2) focused on factors associated with HCWs fear of uncertainty and lack of support from concerned health authorities. Finally a total of 329 responses were collected and analyzed

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 40.04 years (SD ± 12.92), and around four-fifths of the participants were males 79.3%, and nearly more than half of the participants were consultants 51.1%. The first important factors associated with fear included, getting infected 84.8%, quarantined 69.6%, not get medical treatment 62%, losing life 56.8%, and infecting family members 94.2%. Another major factor associated with HCWs fear was lack of support from concerned health authorities, 80.2% thought of solatium and 71.7% of Job to deceased family members. More than 82.2% thought of health expenses and almost 97.6% thought of additional health risk allowance.

CONCLUSIONS

Our survey findings show the main predictive factors associated fear faced by majority of HCWs in Pakistan was getting infected to themselves and their families. Once diseased, majority of them feared that they may not get medical treatment and end up on ventilator. Another important factors associated with fear were uncertainty and lack of support from concerned health authorities. We hope Government of Pakistan should take note of this and make appropriate policies and measures to make sure, that HCWs and their families are cared for if they get infected.
Evaluating Behavioral and Linguistic Changes During Drug Treatment for Depression Using Tweets in Spanish: Pairwise Comparison Study (Preprint)
Authors: Leis Angela , Ronzano Francesco , Mayer Miguel Angel , Furlong Laura I , Sanz Ferran
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Depressive disorders are the most common mental illnesses, and they constitute the leading cause of disability worldwide. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed drugs for the treatment of depressive disorders. Some people share information about their experiences with antidepressants on social media platforms such as Twitter. Analysis of the messages posted by Twitter users under SSRI treatment can yield useful information on how these antidepressants affect users’ behavior.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to compare the behavioral and linguistic characteristics of the tweets posted while users were likely to be under SSRI treatment, in comparison to the tweets posted by the same users when they were less likely to be taking this medication.

METHODS

In the first step, the timelines of Twitter users mentioning SSRI antidepressants in their tweets were selected using a list of 128 generic and brand names of SSRIs. In the second step, two datasets of tweets were created, the in-treatment dataset (made up of the tweets posted throughout the 30 days after mentioning an SSRI) and the unknown-treatment dataset (made up of tweets posted more than 90 days before or more than 90 days after any tweet mentioning an SSRI). For each user, the changes in behavioral and linguistic features between the tweets classified in these two datasets were analyzed. 186 users and their timelines with 668,842 tweets were finally included in the study.

RESULTS

The number of tweets generated per day by the users when they were in treatment was higher than it was when they were in the unknown-treatment period (P=.001). When the users were in treatment, the mean percentage of tweets posted during the daytime (from 8 AM to midnight) increased in comparison to the unknown-treatment period (P=.002). The number of characters and words per tweet was higher when the users were in treatment (P=.03 and P=.02, respectively). Regarding linguistic features, the percentage of pronouns that were first-person singular was higher when users were in treatment (P=.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Behavioral and linguistic changes have been detected when users with depression are taking antidepressant medication. These features can provide interesting insights for monitoring the evolution of this disease, as well as offering additional information related to treatment adherence. This information may be especially useful in patients who are receiving long-term treatments such as people suffering from depression.
Determinants of Teachers’ Job Satisfaction: School Culture Perspective
Authors: Abdulahi Bahir Adem
Published: June 2020

The main purpose of this paper was to describe the effect of school culture factors on teachers’ job satisfaction. Descriptive correlation design with mixed data approach was employed in four public secondary schools of Harari regional state, Ethiopia. The specific objectives were to describe the status of school culture and teachers job satisfaction, to identify the relationship between teachers’ job satisfaction and school culture, to investigate the effect of school culture on teachers’ job satisfaction and to sort out the determinants. The data information was gathered from teachers and educational leaders using questionnaire and interview guides respectively. Teachers’ level of job satisfaction was low. There was no relationship between teachers’ educational qualifications and their levels of job satisfaction. The relationship of teachers’ job satisfaction in terms age, sex, salary, working experience, and marital status was not significant. There was association between teachers’ job satisfaction and school culture, specifically with teachers’ professional development and collaborative leadership practices. School culture and teachers’ levels of qualification were predictors of job satisfaction in the schools. In order to enhance job satisfaction of teachers, the school leaders should strengthen and improve the existing continuous professional development program and collaborative leadership practices in the schools. Supervisors should support and facilitate professional development opportunities for teachers. Moreover, they should promote collaborative leadership practices in the schools. Future studies need to be considered in order to generalize the findings in different settings. Also undertake studies on the effect of job satisfaction and school culture on the quality of teaching-learning.
Shifting Landscapes: Remapping The Writing Traditions of Islamic Southeast Asia through Digitisation
Authors: Gallop Annabel Teh
Published: June 2020

Studies of the languages and literatures of the Malay world of Nusantara have long been shaped by the collections of manuscripts held in western institutions, which strongly reflect the interests of colonial officials who formed them. A very different picture of the writing traditions of maritime Southeast Asia emerges from a survey of manuscripts still held in local communities digitised through the Endangered Archives Programme and DREAMSEA. Primarily concerned with Islamic topics and often written in Arabic, the study of these newly-accessible collections has the potential to lead to a remapping of the intellectual landscape of the region.