bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Educational Game to Learn Picking Techniques in Warehousing – WareMover
Authors: Franke Sven , Hermes Sandro , Roidl Moritz
Published: May 2024

Background

Serious games and game-based learning are widely used in education. Gaming in logistics education relies on serious gaming with no or less consideration on enjoyment.

Intervention

This study examines in a first step whether and if so, how (serious) games are used as part of logistics majors’ curricula at German universities. Based on the findings, an entertainment game about warehousing is developed and validated.

Methods

Warehousing is an application-based discipline in which the operation of different picking techniques has an impact on the order picking. To help students understand the impact of such techniques, the 2D game WareMover was developed. The open-access game combines education and entertainment with different gamification objects and can be played in singleplayer or multiplayer mode. In this competitive 2D game, the objective is to pick orders by navigating around the warehouse towards the right shelf and to click on the correct storage compartment. The player has to achieve the highest score, which is determined by the fastest and least erroneous delivery. Four different picking techniques can be used in two game modes.

Results

The results of a 14-player game session are presented. All players played both game variants with all picking techniques and completed a questionnaire. The players rated the game as user-friendly, entertaining, didactically useful, suitable for teaching and education, and engaging. In addition, the majority of players would play the game again and recommend it to others.

Conclusion

The open-source game WareMover can contribute to studies in the field of warehousing by teaching students about picking techniques and the differences between these techniques. The novel game approach of interpreting a serious game as an entertainment game can increase the enjoyment and motivation of the players.
Cognitive and Metacognitive Skills, Maternal Involvement in Education and Mother–Child Relationship Among Mothers of Children With and Without Learning Disabilities
Authors: Asayesh Mohammad Hassan , Rezapour-Mirsaleh Yasser , Ebrahimi Kiyasari Hajar , Smaeilbeigi Monire
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to compare the relationship between cognitive and metacognitive skills, involvement in education and mother–child relationship of mothers of children with learning disabilities (LD) and mothers of non-LD children. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, a total of 280 mothers were selected by convenience sampling method. The results showed mothers of children with LD had less cognitive and metacognitive skills, school involvement and quality of mother–child relationship than the mothers of non-LD children. The metacognitive skills play a mediating role in the relationship between cognitive skills and mother–child relationship in mothers of children with LD. Maternal involvement in education also has a mediating role in the relationship between metacognitive skills and the mother–child relationship in both groups of mothers with and without LD students. However, these relationships have more support in mothers of children with LD than in mothers of non-LD children.
Anatomy of the Flexor Hallucis Longus and Its Relationship With Hallux Valgus: A Cadaveric Study
Authors: Ahumada Ximena , Ortiz Cristián , Carcuro Giovanni , Pellegrini Manuel , Butteri Ana , Albarrán Carlos , Chaparro Felipe
Published: May 2024

Background:

Hallux valgus (HV) is a complex deformity, with many associated risk factors. The flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon is a dynamic and potentially deforming force as it bowstrings laterally with HV. We hypothesized that FHL is more laterally inserted in the distal phalanx in cadavers with HV; therefore, it might be also a primary destabilizing force. We aim to compare the FHL distal insertion morphology and its relationship with osseous structures in cadavers with and without HV.

Methods:

Sixteen cadaver specimens, 8 with HV and 8 without (N-HV) were dissected. We evaluated FHL distal morphology in terms of its insertional footprint location and FHL long-axis position in relation to osseous anatomy.

Results:

Both the HV and N-HV groups displayed a laterally inserted footprint at the distal phalanx, with the HV group exhibiting median lateral translation of the footprint 6% greater than the N-HV group ( P < .01). Both groups also demonstrated a laterally displaced position for the FHL long axis. The median FHL long axis for HV vs N-HV specimens 1 cm proximal to the IP joint was 9% more laterally displaced from the midaxis ( P < .01), and at 1 cm proximal to the MTP joint was measured to be 15% more laterally displaced from the midaxis ( P < .01).

Conclusion:

FHL demonstrated an eccentric position in terms of insertion and trajectory in both the HV and N-HV groups, with greater lateralization in specimens exhibiting HV deformity. This eccentricity potentially creates a greater deforming force vector contributing to the development of HV.

Clinical Relevance:

The etiology and progression of HV deformity may include a lateralized insertion of the FHL tendon. Treatment implications remain unknown at this time.
An Inconvenient Truth: Understanding Service Inconvenience in Digital Platforms
Authors: Amat-Lefort Natalia , Barnes Stuart J.
Published: May 2024

In today’s busy world, convenience is on the rise. On-demand services (e.g., food delivery services) promise swift solutions to our daily needs. However, limited research explores how service inconveniences (e.g., order cancelations and delays) impact consumer satisfaction, and which factors exacerbate such impact. This study addresses this gap by leveraging text analytics on a dataset of 222,371 user-generated reviews in food delivery platforms. Building on the Model of Service Convenience and Attribution Theory, we hypothesize that when consumers experience an inconvenience, it is not only what happened that matters to them, but also why they think it happened (causal attributions). Given that these two models have not been jointly tested, it is unclear how attributions moderate the effect of different service inconveniences on satisfaction. We present a scalable approach to measure service inconvenience attributions, allowing us to identify not only critical inconveniences but also a new construct: remote support inconvenience. Our results show that when stability or responsibility attributions are present, the effect of inconveniences on satisfaction can be over four or eleven times stronger (−426% and −1,140% from baseline, respectively). These insights contribute to the theoretical understanding of service inconveniences and offer actionable guidance for platforms to improve their services.
Rising Unscheduled Healthcare Utilisation of Children and Young People: How Does the Rise Vary Across Deprivation Quintiles in UK Nations?
Authors: Plascevic Josip , Ward Joseph , Viner Russell M. , Hargreaves Dougal , Turner Steve
Published: May 2024

This retrospective population-based analysis assessed variations in urgent healthcare use by children and young people (CYP) across UK nations (England, Scotland and Wales) between 2007 and 2017. The study focused on urgent hospital admissions, short stay urgent admissions (SSUA) and Emergency Department (ED) attendances among CYP aged <25 years, stratified by age groups and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile groups. A linear mixed model was used to assess trends in healthcare activity over time and across deprivation quintiles. Urgent admissions, SSUA and ED attendances increased across all deprivation quintiles in all studied nations. Increasing deprivation was consistently associated with higher urgent healthcare utilisation. In England, the rise in urgent admissions and SSUA for CYP was slower for CYP from the quintile of greatest deprivation compared those from the least deprived quintile (respective mean differences 0.69/1000/y [95% CI 0.53, 0.85] and 0.25/1000/y [0.07, 0.42]), leading to a narrowing in health inequality. Conversely, in Scotland, urgent admissions and SSUA increased more rapidly for CYP from all deprivation quintiles, widening health inequality. Understanding the differences we describe here could inform changes to NHS pathways of care across the UK which slow the rise in urgent healthcare use for CYP.
Unveiling the mystery of the responsiveness of inbound tourism to economic policy uncertainty: New evidence from Australia
Authors: Gong Yuting , Chang Chia-Hsun , Lee Paul Tae-Woo , Yin Jingbo , Shi Wenming
Published: May 2024

Using a time-varying parameter vector autoregressive (TVP-VAR) model, this study analyzes how inbound tourist arrivals (TOUR) respond to EPU in Australia. Empirical results show that EPU can Granger cause TOUR in most cases before COVID-19, whereas little evidence supports this finding after the pandemic. At the national level, it is found that EPU was the net risk transmitter before COVID-19 but became the net risk receiver after COVID-19, while TOUR was the net risk receiver over March 2007-March 2020 but became the net risk transmitter in the remaining months. The impulse response functions reflect that a 2.81% decline in the total TOUR was observed due to a 1% increase in EPU, which gradually decayed within 9 months for the sub-sample before COVID-19. Similar findings hold at the state/territory level. These findings provide profound evidence for the national and state/territory governments to allocate tourism resources and formulate supportive tourism policies.
The relationship between parental obsessive-compulsive disorder and children’s cognitive disengagement syndrome (Sluggish Cognitive Tempo)
Authors: Sevincok Doga , Ozaydin Yigit , Ozgur Borte Gurbuz , Ozbek Muhammed Mutlu , Aksu Hatice , Sevincok Levent
Published: May 2024

Although the impact of parental obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) on children is well known, there is a still need to investigate additional psychopathological effects that parental OCD may have on children. To our knowledge, the relationship between Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS), previously referred to as Sluggish Cognitive Tempo CDS in children and parents’ OCD has not been investigated to date. In this study, we examined the relationship between parental OCD and children’s CDS, while adjusting for parental anxiety, depression, as well as symptoms of internalization, externalization, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in their children. 50 parents with OCD and 45 healthy parents were assessed through Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The children were applied Child Behavior Checklist, Children ADD/ADHD DSM-IV Based Diagnostic Screening, and Barkley Child Attention Scale (BCAS). BCAS showed significant correlations with BAI (r = 0.280, p = .049), child ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity (r = 0.407, p = .003), and ADHD-inattention (r = 0.628, p < .001). The severity of ADHD-inattention (β = 0.618, p = .001) and parental OCD (β = 0.275, p = .016) were significant predictors of CDS severity in the children. Our findings may suggest a significant association between the severity of CDS and ADHD-inattention in children and parental OCD, even after controlling for parental anxiety.
Perceived social support and treatment adherence in Chileans with Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Salinas-Rehbein Belén , Ortiz Manuel S. , Robles Theodore F.
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to determine if greater perceived social support was directly associated with better Type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment adherence and if better T2D treatment adherence was related to lower HbA1c levels in Chilean adults with T2D. For this purpose, 200 adults were recruited from the Chilean Diabetic Association. Participants were asked to complete self-report instruments and provide a capillary blood sample to measure HbA1c. Structural equation model analyses were performed to determine direct associations. The study’s results indicate that greater perceived social support was associated with healthier dietary habits, regular foot care, more frequent physical activity, and lower medication intake. Likewise, blood sugar testing and physical activity were related to HbA1c. These findings provide evidence of how perceived social support relates to T2D treatment adherence behaviors in Latino patients from South America and could be used for interventions to enhance social support from patients’ families, partners, and friends.
“The clock is ticking”: (dis)orientations to ageing and end-of-life care in advanced capitalism and care directives
Authors: Zivkovic Tanya , Marino Simone
Published: May 2024

This article engages Italian migrant experiences and enactments of futurity to problematize neoliberal anticipatory approaches to ageing and care. Stepping beyond the focus on atomized and agentic individuals and a singular imagined future defined by notions of advancement and progress, sistemazione (home, future, and security) offers ways of building alternative and relational futures within times and spaces of shared precarity. We draw on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews with Italian migrant families living in Adelaide, and a critical analysis of objects as “orienting devices,” to consider how a family heirloom, a 26-face handmade Italian clock made from the physical remnants of World War II, offers new ways of imagining care within spaces of ruin.
Snapping the news: Dynamic gatekeeping in a public service media newsroom reaching young people with news on Snapchat
Authors: Røsok-Dahl Heidi , Kristine Olsen Ragnhild
Published: May 2024

The relationship between news media and social media platforms is complex, involving dependencies and conflicts. Being present on these platforms offers benefits, such as increased visibility and engagement, particularly with younger audiences. However, platforms also function as gatekeepers through guidelines and algorithmic filtering, impacting the spreading of news media content. Snapchat, popular among young audiences, has been adopted by many traditional news outlets as a more playful distribution channel. Limited research exists on how newsrooms navigate Snapchat’s guidelines and the consequences of violating these, including practices like “flagging,” and the interplay between editorial decisions and algorithms. This study relies on an ethnographic fieldwork at the Norwegian Public Service Broadcaster’s (NRK) editorial group “NRK UNG” (NRK Youth) publishing news to young audiences on Snapchat. The study expands on gatekeeping theory, incorporating recent advancements, and illustrates how the journalists navigate Snapchat’s algorithmic gatekeeping. The study thus highlights the interplay between human news judgment and algorithmic news dissemination on Snapchat at various stages of the news production process.
Look at what the real facts and experts say! The use of expert references and objectivity claims in disinformation: A qualitative exploration and typology
Authors: Hameleers Michael , van der Goot Emma
Published: May 2024

The popular assumption that mis- and disinformation are distinguishable from true information based on easy-to-identify content features is challenged in an online context where multiple claims of truthfulness compete for legitimacy. When conventional and alternative narratives both rely on seemingly objective and fact-based truth claims, it is difficult for citizens to separate false from true information. In this setting, we rely on an inductive qualitative analysis of social media and alternative media platforms to explore how mis- and disinformation refer to expertise and objectivity. Our main findings suggest that expertise and objectivity in mis- and disinformation can be legitimized by (1) quoting or involving message-congruent alternative experts; (2) selectively decontextualizing or quoting established experts; (3) contrasting ‘honest’ alternative experts/critical citizens to ‘dishonest’ established experts; (4) emphasizing people-centric expertise, common sense, and critical thinking as foundations of truth-telling; and (5) referring to visual information and lived experiences as direct reflections of reality. The typology aims to inform empirical research on the detection of mis- and disinformation and can be applied in the design of interventions to raise awareness about how false information signals legitimacy.
Learning from diversity: Public reason and the benefits of pluralism
Authors: Siscoe Laura
Published: May 2024

The New Diversity Theory (NDT) represents a novel approach to public reason liberalism, providing an alternative to the traditional, Rawlsian public reason paradigm. One of the NDT's distinctive features is its emphasis on the potential advantages of a diverse society, with a particularly strong focus on the epistemic benefits of diversity. In this paper, I call into question whether societal diversity has the epistemic benefits that New Diversity theorists claim. I highlight a number of pernicious epistemic phenomena that tend to arise in diverse contexts, ultimately arguing that the only feasible way around these epistemic pitfalls is through widespread convergence on certain intellectual virtues. If these virtues are indeed necessary, then the benefits highlighted by the NDT should only be expected in societies that reflect certain kinds of diversity. More precisely, only the kinds of diversity that can still persist despite homogenization along the lines of certain intellectual virtues are compatible with the NDT's claims. Building upon this insight, I then highlight features of the NDT that require further development in order for it to serve as a compelling alternative to its Rawlsian counterpart.
Quality of work life, cultural values, and Islamic work ethics: The case of the Arab education system in Israel
Authors: Haj Ali Afnan , Abu-Saad Ismael
Published: May 2024

The study focuses on quality of work life (QWL), Islamic work ethics (IWE), and cultural values among employees in a complex organization, with a case study of Arab high-school teachers in the education system in Israel. The sample consisted of 1245 employees. To establish a reliable model of QWL, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were utilized, resulting in six dimensions. A reliable model of IWE was also established, consisting of two dimensions. Employees reported average QWL levels, high IWE levels, low power distance, high uncertainty avoidance, and a tendency toward collectivism and femininity. This study demonstrates a positive relationship between QWL dimensions and IWE, with certain cultural values—such as collectivism and uncertainty avoidance—moderating this relationship.
Deciding Who Is Worthy of Help: Effect of the Probability of Reciprocity on Individuals’ Willingness to Help Others
Authors: Oda Ryo , Hayashi Natsuki
Published: May 2024

In order to explain helping strangers in need in terms of reciprocal altruism, it is necessary to ensure that the help is reciprocated and that the costs of helping are thus compensated. Competence and willingness to make sacrifices for the benefactor of the person being helped are important cues for ensuring a return on help because reciprocity would not be possible if the person being helped had neither the competence nor the inclination to give back in the future. In this study, we used vignettes and manipulated the cause of suffering strangers’ difficulties and prosociality to investigate participants’ compassion for and willingness to help the stranger. In Study 1, we measured willingness to help by using hypothetical helping behaviors that were designed to vary in cost. In Study 2, we measured willingness to help by using the checkbox method in which participants were asked to sequentially check 10 × 10 checkboxes on a webpage, which asked the participants to pay a small but real cost. In both studies, the controllability of the cause and the prosociality were found to independently affect compassion. These two factors also independently affected willingness to help, as measured by both the hypothetical questions and the checkbox method. We consequently discussed the reasons for the independent processing of the competence and behavioral tendency cues.
Optimization and development of workwear fabric coated with TiO2 nanoparticles in order to improve thermal insulation properties and air permeability
Authors: Akhlaghi Pirposhteh Elham , Mortazavi Seyyed Bagher , Farhang Dehghan Somayeh , Khaloo Shokooh Sadat , Montazer Majid
Published: May 2024

Workwear clothing is one of the essential personal protective equipment for workers and plays a crucial role in preventing the entry of environmental heat into the body and facilitating thermal exchanges between the human body and the environment. Improving the coating of workwear fabrics while maintaining air permeability is considered an engineering control measure to protect workers in environments with thermal stress. This study aimed to optimize the coating of workwear fabrics with TiO2 nanoparticles to enhance thermal insulation properties and air permeability using the response surface methodology (RSM) and MATLAB. The input variables were the titanium isopropoxide volume and reaction time in the ultrasonic, while the output variables were the coating percent, air permeability, and thermal conductivity coefficients. The morphology of TiO2 nanoparticle and coated fabric (FE-SEM, EDS, FTIR, FTIR-ATR, DLS, and XRD), The intrinsic properties of fabrics (Yarn Count, Abrasion Resistance, Tensile, Tearing Strength), the Water Vapor permeability, Surface wetting resistance, and Durability test were evaluated according to the standard methods. No significant differences were observed in the intrinsic properties between the coated and uncoated fabrics. Increasing the coating percent of fabrics with TiO2 nanoparticles was accompanied with a decrease in the thermal conductivity coefficient and an increase in air permeability. The positive effect of nanoparticle coating is a significant step towards introducing a new generation of smart textiles with the potential to improve thermal insulation properties while maintaining air permeability. This advancement aims to preserve and enhance the health and safety of workers exposed to thermal stress.
Evaluating the between-day reliability and likelihood of change of a test battery incorporating vastus lateralis muscle thickness, ankle-brachial pressure index, maximal voluntary torque, and six-minute walk test in patients with claudication
Authors: Parkington Thomas , Broom David , Maden-Wilkinson Thomas , Nawaz Shah , Klonizakis Markos
Published: May 2024

Objective

The study aims to evaluate the between-day reliability of a proposed test battery for patients with claudication that can be used for monitoring the effectiveness of exercise interventions and other therapeutic strategies tailored to this patient population.

Methods

Twenty-five men with claudication were recruited. The test battery consisted of the Vastus Lateralis muscle thickness (VL-MT), ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI), unilateral isometric knee extension maximal voluntary torque (MVT) and 6-minute walk test (6MWT). A single investigator conducted the tests for each patient on two separate testing sessions (T1 and T2) 5–7 days apart.

Results

Good to excellent reliability was observed for VL-MT (ICC = 0.95, 95% LOA = ±3.10 mm, SEM = 0.81 mm), ABI (ICC = 0.97, 95% LOA = ±0.10, SEM = 0.02), MVT (ICC = 0.97, 95% LOA = ±24.0 N·m, SEM = 6.31 N·m), 6MWT distance (ICC = 0.99, 95% LOA = ±39.6 m, SEM = 11.0 m), 6MWT time to claudication (ICC = 0.99, 95% LOA = ±30.8 s, SEM = 7.8 s), and 6MWT ratings of pain (ICC = 0.87, 95% LOA = ±2.4 CR-10+, SEM = 0.7 CR-10+ ). Analysis derived from reliability data indicates a change of 1.4 mm for VL-MT, 0.14 for ABI, 12 N·m for MVT, 25 m for 6MWT distance, 15 s for 6MWT time to claudication and 1 CR-10+ for 6MWT ratings of pain is required to be interpreted as the minimum ‘likely’ change (76% chance).

Conclusions

The test battery provides a reliable assessment of patients with claudication and can be widely used to evaluate the effects of exercise programmes and other therapeutic interventions. For the individual, changes in VL-MT, ABI, MVT, and 6MWT greater than the minimum likely change as a result of an exercise programme or an intervention are likely changes and less influenced by error associated with the test.
Intravascular lithotripsy-assisted percutaneous deep vein arterialization for no-option chronic limb-threatening patients and heavily calcified tibial occlusive disease
Authors: Kapetanios Dimitrios , Czihal Michael , Tsilimparis Nikolaos , Torsello Giovanni , Rieck Julian , Stavroulakis Konstantinos
Published: May 2024

Purpose

To report the first chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) patients who underwent an intravascular lithotripsy (IVL)-assisted percutaneous deep vein arterialization (pDVA).

Case Report 1

An 81-year-old patient presented with CLTI and a heavily calcified lesion of the popliteal artery and tibioperoneal trunk (TPT), with a distal tibial and foot arch occlusion. The patient underwent IVL and drug-coated balloon angioplasty for the distal popliteal artery and of the TPT to improve the inflow prior to pDVA. The wound situation remained stable without secondary procedure until the patient`s deaths due to complications of urosepsis 3 months later.

Case Report 2

A 64-year-old patient with rest pain of the left limb with a single-vessel tibial run-off (peroneal artery) and occluded pedal arch was treated with 3.5 mm IVL followed by a successful pDVA as mentioned above. IVL performed in the proximal posterior tibial artery to optimize the inflow to the circuit and change the compliance of the crossing point from the arterial to the vein system. The patient underwent repeat angioplasty of the plantar vein arch 5 months after the index procedure and thereafter remained asymptomatic during 2 years of follow-up.

Conclusion

The combined use of IVL and pDVA could improve the patency of the reconstruction with clinical benefits in no-option CTLI patients.
Neurosyphilis with sequential respiratory complications: A case report highlighting diagnostic and treatment challenges
Authors: Majid Hanifa , Ali Sajjad , Raza Fatima A , Jabeen Sidra , Majid Habiba , Sheikh Areeba , Ahmed Muzamil
Published: May 2024

In this case report, we describe the presentation and clinical course of a 25-year-old male with a complex medical history and a fatal outcome due to neurosyphilis. The diagnosis of neurosyphilis-related complications. Neurosyphilis, a variant of tertiary syphilis, is a rare condition but can present with a wide range of neurological symptoms. This makes its diagnosis challenging. The study aims to report and discuss neurosyphilis in a young male, resulting in respiratory complications, and explore the clinical presentation, diagnostic and process, treatment challenges it poses to a tertiary care setup of a third-world country regimen, and the profound significance of this particular case.
Investigating the effect of an online enhanced care program on the emotional and physical wellbeing of patients discharged from hospital with acute decompensated heart failure: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial: Enhanced care program for heart failure
Authors: Fakes Kristy , Hobden Breanne , Zwar Nick , Collins Nick , Oldmeadow Christopher , Paolucci Francesco , Davies Allan , Fernando Irosh , McGee Michael , Williams Trent , Robson Cameron , Hungerford Robert , Ooi Jia Ying , Sverdlov Aaron L , Sanson-Fisher Rob , Boyle Andrew J
Published: May 2024

Objective

Depression is highly prevalent and associated with increased hospitalisations and mortality among patients with heart failure (HF). This study will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an online wellbeing program for patients discharged from hospital with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) in (i) improving emotional and physical wellbeing, and (ii) decreasing healthcare utilisation.

Methods

Two-arm randomised controlled trial. Eligible patients with ADHF will be recruited pre-discharge from two hospitals. Five hundred and seventy participants will be randomised to receive the intervention (online enhanced care program for HF: ‘Enhanced HF Care’) or usual care. Enhanced HF Care includes health education (11 micro-learning modules) and monitoring of depression and clinical outcomes via fortnightly/monthly surveys for 6 months, with participants offered tailored advice via video email and SMS. Cardiac nurses track real-time patient data from a dashboard and receive automated email alerts when patients report medium- or high-risk levels of depression or clinical symptoms, to action where needed. General practitioners also receive automated alerts if patients report medium- or high-risk survey responses and are encouraged to schedule a patient consultation.

Results

Sixty-five participants enrolled to-date. Co-primary outcomes (‘Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire’ Emotional and Physical subscales) and healthcare utilisation (secondary outcome) at 1- and 6-month post-recruitment will be compared between treatment arms using linear mixed effects regression models.

Conclusions

This study has the potential to reduce the burden of depression for patients with HF by prioritising urgent mental health needs and clinical symptoms while simultaneously empowering patients with self-care knowledge.

Trial registration

The trial was prospectively registered via the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12622001289707. Issue date: 4 October 2022.
Validation of gait analysis using smartphones: Reliability and validity
Authors: Tao Shuai , Zhang Hao , Kong Liwen , Sun Yan , Zhao Jie
Published: May 2024

Objective

This study aims to validate the reliability and validity of gait analysis using smartphones in a controlled environment.

Methods

Thirty healthy adults attached smartphones to the waist and thigh, while an inertial measurement unit was fixed at the shank as a reference device; each participant was asked to walk six gait cycles at self-selected low, normal, and high speeds. Thirty-five cerebral small vessel disease patients were recruited to attach the smartphone to the thigh, performing single-task (ST), cognitive dual-task (DT1), and physical dual-task walking (DT2) to obtain gait parameters.

Results

The results from the healthy group indicate that, regardless of whether attached to the thigh or waist, the smartphones calculated gait parameters with good reliability (ICC2,1 > 0.75) across three different walking speeds. There were no significant differences in the gait parameters between the smartphone attached to the thigh and the IMU across all three walking speeds ( P > 0.05). However, significant differences were observed between the smartphone at the waist and the IMU during the stance phase, swing phase, stance time, and stride length at high speeds ( P < 0.05). At the same time, measurements of other gait parameters were similar (P > 0.05). Patients demonstrated significant differences in the cadence, stride time, stance phase, swing phase, stance time, stride length, and walking speed between ST and DT1 ( P < 0.05). Significant differences were observed in the stance phase, swing phase, stride length, and walking speed between ST and DT2 ( P < 0.05).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the feasibility of using built-in smartphone sensors for gait analysis in a controlled environment.
Feasibility and acceptability of a novel digital therapeutic combining behavioral and pharmacological treatment for opioid use disorder
Authors: Monico Laura B. , Eastlick Megan , Michero Darcy , Pielsticker Peyton , Glasner Suzette
Published: May 2024

Objective

Despite the worsening of the opioid epidemic, access to quality treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) including buprenorphine remains a challenge. With the onset of the COVID-19 public health emergency, temporary regulatory changes and expanded reimbursement for telehealth services allowed for the rapid expansion of remote treatment for OUD and increased access to buprenorphine, but limited research exists to support this revolutionary shift in care delivery. This study evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of a novel digital therapeutic intervention for OUD combining buprenorphine and behavioral therapy.

Methods

Adults ( n = 27) with OUD received treatment with daily sublingual buprenorphine and psychosocial treatment delivered digitally via a smartphone app over 12 weeks. Participants were evaluated monthly for continued opioid use, medication adherence, anxiety and depression indicators, abstinence self-efficacy, craving, and overall well-being, as well as a one-time measure of treatment acceptability.

Results

Participants reported increased opioid abstinence days from baseline ( M = 8.2, SD = 8.6) to 12 weeks per 30 days ( M = 24.9, SD = 10.1), t(20) = −6.5, p < .000, with strong medication adherence across study waves (96.2%). Anxiety and depression indicators, and opioid craving significantly decreased, and abstinence self-efficacy and overall well-being significantly increased following the intervention. Participants also demonstrated high rates of treatment engagement.

Conclusions

As current public health emergency regulatory changes are reviewed for permanency, this feasibility and acceptability study of a novel digital therapeutic intervention for OUD including buprenorphine adds to the growing evidence that supports maintaining telehealth access for quality OUD treatment.
Revolutionising healthcare with artificial intelligence: A bibliometric analysis of 40 years of progress in health systems
Authors: Hussain Walayat , Mabrok Mohamed , Gao Honghao , Rabhi Fethi A. , Rashed Essam A.
Published: May 2024

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionised the medical system, empowering healthcare professionals to analyse complex nonlinear big data and identify hidden patterns, facilitating well-informed decisions. Over the last decade, there has been a notable trend of research in AI, machine learning (ML), and their associated algorithms in health and medical systems. These approaches have transformed the healthcare system, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, personalised treatment, and decision-making. Recognising the importance and growing trend of research in the topic area, this paper presents a bibliometric analysis of AI in health and medical systems. The paper utilises the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database, considering documents published in the topic area for the last four decades. A total of 64,063 papers were identified from 1983 to 2022. The paper evaluates the bibliometric data from various perspectives, such as annual papers published, annual citations, highly cited papers, and most productive institutions, and countries. The paper visualises the relationship among various scientific actors by presenting bibliographic coupling and co-occurrences of the author's keywords. The analysis indicates that the field began its significant growth in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with significant growth since 2019. The most influential institutions are in the USA and China. The study also reveals that the scientific community's top keywords include ‘ML’, ‘Deep Learning’, and ‘Artificial Intelligence’.
Abnormal eye movements increase as motor disabilities and cognitive impairments become more evident in Multiple Sclerosis: A novel eye-tracking study
Authors: Gerardo Fernández , Bárbara Eizaguirre , Cecilia Gonzalez , Aldana Marinangeli , Natalia Ciufia , Lucia Bacigalupe , Silva Berenice , Leila Cohen , Cecilia Pita , Orlando Garcea , Magdalena Casas , Luciana Lazaro , Gabriel Pardo , Ricardo Alonso
Published: May 2024

Background

Eye movements can reflect brain alterations and inform on the presence of motor disabilities and cognitive impairments in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS).

Objective

The aim of the study was to determine the correlation between motor and cognitive measurements and eye movement parameters when performing the n-back task (NBKT).

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study carried out at Ramos Mejía Hospital, a center specialized in demyelinating diseases in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The study population consisted of 66 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and 5 patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). pwMS performed the n-back test while using a device head mounted display (HMD) with eyetracking capabilities in order to capture eye movement. Clinical motor and cognitive measures were assessed with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT), Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW), and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT).

Results

pwMS showed strong and statistically significant correlations between gaze duration; number of fixations, saccade amplitude and motor disabilities and cognitive impairments as measured by EDSS, NHPT, T25FW, and SDMT.

Conclusion

This study found significant correlations between eye movement behavior and motor and cognitive disability in pwMS. These findings suggest that eye movements have the potential to be used as a surrogate biomarker in MS progression.
Sociology of Education in China in the New Era: Review and Prospects (2012–2022)
Authors: Cheng (程天君) Tianjun , Li (李晓萱) Xiaoxuan
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study provides an overview of the changes and developments of the sociology of education in China as it enters the new era as well as its future outlook.

Design/Approach/Methods

This study combed and analyzed research in the field of the sociology of education in China during the period from 2012 to 2022 on three issues—educational fairness, rural education, and educational reform—to clarify the field's research characteristics and trends.

Findings

In the new era, scholarship on the sociology of education has shifted to focus on achieving high-quality education, modernization, and digitization as new avenues for promoting educational fairness, rural education, and educational reform. As a result, research on the sociology of education in China has employed broader perspectives, adopted a more reflexive approach toward research objects, and embraced more humanistic values.

Originality/Value

This study compiles research on the sociology of education in China in the new era and identifies that the field is moving toward a highly integrative approach. The findings provide useful references for learning and understanding the sociology of education in China.
Faricimab-Associated Retinal Vasculitis
Authors: Siddiqui Mohammad Z. , Durrani Alia , Smith Bradley T.
Published: May 2024

Purpose: To report a case of retinal vasculitis after intravitreal faricimab-svoa injection. Methods: A case and its management were reviewed. Results: A 77-year-old woman presented with a painless decrease in visual acuity (VA) to counting fingers after receiving an intravitreal faricimab-svoa injection for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. An examination showed an anterior chamber reaction without hypopyon. Vitritis was present with numerous scattered retinal hemorrhages. Fluorescein angiography showed delayed filling with extensive vascular leakage consistent with nonocclusive vasculitis. The patient was immediately treated with intravenous steroids, resulting in rapid improvement and recovery of her 20/40 baseline VA. The vasculitis resolved without occlusion. Conclusions: Faricimab-svoa can be associated with significant vasculitis. Prompt treatment with intravenous steroids can be beneficial in the recovery of sight.
The relationship between burnout syndrome and emotional intelligence in anesthesiologists during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Bagatini Airton , Bumaguin Daniela Benzano , Bagatini Lorenzo Zambenedetti , Ardais Ana Paula
Published: May 2024

Background

Burnout, a type of long-lasting work-related stress, is highly prevalent among health professionals. It includes dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and low professional achievement. Emotional intelligence is the ability to accurately perceive, evaluate, and express emotions, to perceive and/or produce feelings that facilitate thought, to understand emotion and acquire emotional knowledge, and to control emotions in order to promote emotional and intellectual growth. Among the extensive literature on burnout, no studies have measured its prevalence among anesthesiologists in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies on the association between emotional intelligence and burnout are also scarce in this population. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of burnout in anesthesiologists at a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and to assess its association with emotional intelligence.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in a large private hospital in southern Brazil. A non-probabilistic convenience sample of anesthesiologists was selected from a hospital's clinical staff. Via Google Forms, participants responded to an anonymous self-applied self-explanatory questionnaire with sections on sociodemographic data, burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), and emotional intelligence (Wong and Law's Emotional Intelligence Scale). Descriptive analysis of the variables was performed and the association between burnout and emotional intelligence was evaluated using the Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficient, depending on data distribution.

Results

A burnout prevalence of 8.1% was found, as well as a strong negative correlation between total burnout scores and emotional intelligence.

Conclusions

According to the regression analysis, emotional intelligence can be considered an independent factor associated with this outcome.
Clinico-demographic Profile of Patients Receiving Permanent Pacemakers as Bradyarrhythmia Therapy: The Srinagar Registry
Authors: Muzamil Mudasir , Dar Mohd Iqbal , Sheikh Jan Mohd , Rashid Aamir , Hafeez Imran , Lone Ajaz A. , Rather Hilal A.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Cardiac conduction disorders can interrupt the normal electrical conduction in the heart and cause a decrease or cessation of pulse generation and a fall in organ perfusion in the body. This can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. This study was conceived to illustrate the clinical profile, presentation, management, and complications of bradyarrhythmia therapy in this population.

Methods

This descriptive cross-sectional study included prospective and retrospective data over a period of 16 years. All patient’s demographic data and data of any complications and adverse outcomes were documented.

Results

A total of 3489 cases having permanent pacemakers (PPMs) implanted in them were included in this study. There were 2254 (64.6%) men and 1235 (35.4%) were women. Age of the patients ranged from 25 to 100 years with a mean age of 62.9 ± 11.14 years. Mean ejection fraction of patients was 59.3 ± 2.57%. The indication for PPM implantation was complete heart block in 2079 (59.6%), sick sinus syndrome in 422 (12.1%), Mobitz type 2 heart block in 345 (9.9%), symptomatic left bundle branch block in 295 (8.5%), symptomatic bifasicular block in 176 (5.0%), symptomatic trifascicular block in 109 (3.1%), vasovagal syncope with symptomatic sinus bradycardia in 21 (0.6%), left anterior hemiblock with syncope in 3 (0.1%), and atrial fibrillation with heart block in 11 (0.3%) patients. Cardiac syncope was presented in 80%, presyncope in 15%, and 5% presented with features of chronotropic incompetence. No significant seasonal variation was observed in the incidence of PPM implantation. Single-chamber PPM was implanted in 58.8% and dual-chamber PPM in 41.2% of the cases. PPM-related complications were seen in 139 (3.98%) of the cases. Pneumothorax was seen in 21 (0.6%) of the cases, lead displacement in 39 (1.12%), lead replacement in 31 (0.89%), pocket site infection in 20 (0.57%), generator extrusion in 25 (0.70%), and lead extrusion in 3 (0.08%).

Conclusion

Conduction disorders affect men more than women and complete heart block is the most common form of conduction disorder in our population. There has been a significant improvement in bradyarrhythmia detection and its management, leading to wider penetration and safety of device therapy provided to the patient population.
Recipe for a scenario: Moving from vision to actionable pathways towards sustainable futures
Authors: Lembi Rafael , Wentworth Chelsea , Hodbod Jennifer
Published: May 2024

In this paper we present an overview of future-oriented research in sustainability science and place-based research and offer a tool for researchers and community partners to use to guide participatory scenario planning activities that result in actionable steps toward achieving sustainable futures. Within place-based community-engaged research projects, future-oriented methods, such as visioning and participatory scenario planning, have been increasingly utilized as an approach to integrate diverse voices and foster positive change. However, this emerging literature contains some overlapping concepts and approaches that require clarification before adoption. We review common definitions of scenarios, visions, and participatory scenario planning; benefits and challenges of conducting a participatory scenario planning process in place-based research; and three actionable frameworks (Three Horizons, Nature Futures Framework, Sustainable Futures Scenarios) that can inform participatory scenario planning. We then highlight gaps in the literature regarding how to conduct a participatory scenario planning process and introduce a tool named “Recipe for a Scenario” to guide the facilitation of scenarios workshops and co-create actionable pathways towards desirable futures. Our tool (and accompanying workbook that structures a scenarios workshop) supports cross-disciplinary community-engaged projects focused on bringing about positive change in a medium-term timeframe (approximately 20 years) to support more sustainable human-environment dynamics.
AMPK drives both glycolytic and oxidative metabolism in murine and human T cells during graft-versus-host disease
Authors: Ramgopal Archana , Braverman Erica L. , Sun Lee-Kai , Monlish Darlene , Wittmann Christopher , Kemp Felicia , Qin Mengtao , Ramsey Manda J. , Cattley Richard , Hawse William , Byersdorfer Craig A.
Published: May 2024

Allogeneic T cells reprogram their metabolism during acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in a process involving the cellular energy sensor adenosine monophosphate (AMP)–activated protein kinase (AMPK). Deletion of AMPK in donor T cells limits GVHD but still preserves homeostatic reconstitution and graft-versus-leukemia effects. In the current studies, murine AMPK knock-out (KO) T cells decreased oxidative metabolism at early time points posttransplant and lacked a compensatory increase in glycolysis after inhibition of the electron transport chain. Immunoprecipitation using an antibody specific to phosphorylated targets of AMPK determined that AMPK modified interactions of several glycolytic enzymes including aldolase, enolase, pyruvate kinase M, and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), with enzyme assays confirming impaired aldolase and GAPDH activity in AMPK KO T cells. Importantly, these changes in glycolysis correlated with both an impaired ability of AMPK KO T cells to produce significant amounts of interferon gamma upon antigenic restimulation and a decrease in the total number of donor CD4 T cells recovered at later times posttransplant. Human T cells lacking AMPK gave similar results, with glycolytic compensation impaired both in vitro and after expansion in vivo. Xenogeneic GVHD results also mirrored those of the murine model, with reduced CD4/CD8 ratios and a significant improvement in disease severity. Together these data highlight a significant role for AMPK in controlling oxidative and glycolytic metabolism in both murine and human T cells and endorse further study of AMPK inhibition as a potential clinical target for future GVHD therapies.