bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological Distress and its Association With Job Satisfaction Among Hospital Pharmacists in Vietnam
Authors: Tran Van De , Ngo Kieu Nghi , Pham Thi Ngoc Nga , Dao Tran Nhat Phong , Truong Thi Quyen , Huynh Duyen Thi My , Le Minh Huu , Dorofeeva Valeria Valeryevna , Dewey Rebecca Susan
Published: December 2023

Background: No previous studies have examined the relationship between stress, anxiety, and depression among pharmacists in Vietnam. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the correlation between stress, anxiety, depression, and job satisfaction among hospital pharmacists in Vietnam. Methods: The study comprised a 12-month cross-sectional survey in Can Tho City, Vietnam, with 11 conveniently selected hospitals. Out of 305 the distributed questionnaires, 303 were completed (99.3% response rate). The 21-item depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-21) assessed stress, anxiety, and depression (21 items), while job satisfaction was measured using a 44-item questionnaire. Results: The study revealed a prevalence of 15.5% for stress, 27.1% for anxiety, and 20.5% for depression among hospital staff. Additionally, the majority of hospital staff (72.9%) reported being satisfied with their job. Those with more than 2 children (95% CI = 1.183-14.519) were nearly 4 times as likely to experience higher stress. Female respondents (95% CI = 1.34-5.92) and those who rented (95% CI = 1.05-3.55) were more likely to encounter anxiety. Those living outside Can Tho City (95% CI = 1.32-9.88) were at a 3.61 times higher risk of depression, while individuals who had been working at the hospital for 5 to 10 years (95% CI = 0.17-0.82) had a lower risk of depression. Increased depression (aOR = 0.441; 95% CI = 0.21-0.94) was linked to job dissatisfaction. Conclusion: Depression was significantly associated with job dissatisfaction. The study findings suggest that management agencies should implement prevention and intervention strategies to reduce mental health issues among hospital pharmacists.
Targeting Nearby Influencers: The Acceleration of Natural Triadic Closure by Leveraging Interconnectors
Authors: Goldenberg Jacob , Lanz Andreas , Shapira Daniel , Stahl Florian
Published: December 2023

On user-generated content platforms, individuals and firms alike seek to build and expand their follower base to eventually increase the reach of the content they upload. The bulk of the seeding literature in marketing suggests targeting users with a large follower base, that is, high-status influencers. In contrast, some recent studies find targeting lower-status influencers to be a more effective seeding policy. This multimethod article shifts the focus from the follower base of the seeding target to the focal content creator. The authors propose accelerating natural triadic closure by leveraging first-degree followers as interconnectors to target second-degree followers, that is, the nearby (low-status) influencers (who are interconnected with the focal content creator). Empirical studies document that this seeding target is much more effective for building and expanding the follower base, compared with targeting influencers who are not interconnected with the focal content creator—that is, the remote (both high- and low-status) influencers—by 2,300% and 46%, respectively. These studies on the acceleration of natural triadic closure are augmented by a preregistered field experiment to obtain convergent validity of the findings.
Analysing a private city being built from scratch through a social and environmental justice framework: A research agenda
Authors: Moser Sarah , Avni Nufar
Published: December 2023

A growing body of scholarship examines new cities being built from scratch that are developed and governed by the private sector. While this scholarship explores discourse and rhetoric, economic objectives, and some social and environmental impacts of new private cities, scholars to date have not taken a social or environmental justice approach to analysing new city projects. In this article we examine Forest City, a private city project being built on artificial islands off the coast of Malaysia by one of China’s largest property development companies, and its unique governance and claims to being ‘eco’, despite the significant environmental damage it has caused. Intended as a lush and exclusive gated enclave for Chinese nationals, Forest City is a productive case study through which to consider the consequences of a private city using the frameworks of social and environmental justice. We suggest more critical research that engages with social and environmental justice is needed on the many emerging projects branded as eco-cities of the future, a troubling claim that signals a growing normalisation of mega-scale privatisation and loose or absent regulations regarding social inclusivity and environmental protection.
Race and perceptions of revitalisation in the ‘District of Gentrification’
Authors: Owens Michael Leo , Schuett Arica , Crawford Nyron N. , Benjamin Andrea
Published: December 2023

Ethnographies of gentrification, by using interviews, suggest individual and group sentiments about it as a form of revitalisation are heterogenous, even within neighbourhoods experiencing it. Discerning variation and changes over time in citywide sentiments about gentrification, however, is a challenge. It requires city-level survey data, especially longitudinal data, which is scarce. We use novel data from Washington Post surveys of District of Columbia (i.e. Washington, DC) residents between 2000 and 2016 to test predictions of city-level gentrification opinions, deduced from neighbourhood-based ethnographies of gentrification. We observe and emphasise how, over time, race is consistently associated with opinion divergence about gentrification, including perceptions of its inequalities and consequences. Our findings demonstrate the value of citywide surveys for extending empirical findings from neighbourhood-level ethnographies of gentrification.
‘Volviendo a Vivir’ (coming back to life): Urban trauma, activism and building emancipatory futures
Authors: Marzi Sonja , Pain Rachel
Published: December 2023

This paper engages recent writing on urban trauma, exploring its connection with the gendered forms of activism that displaced women practise as they seek to rebuild more emancipatory urban futures. Their activisms are situated in the context of multiple, ongoing and intersecting forms of violence from intimates, armed groups and the state, including institutional neglect (in and of the city) that is racialised and gendered. We draw on participatory action research undertaken with women in the Colombian cities of Bogotá and Medellín. Using creative audio-visual methods over several months, women co-researchers produced a documentary in which they chart the ways that they claim spaces of the city inside and outside their homes. We draw particular attention here to the temporal dimension of urban trauma as it intersects with migrant women’s spatial biographies; this has consequences for their activisms which also transcend the sites and scales of public and private spheres, national and global crises and individual and community responses. We argue that it is the gradually accruing and multiplying character of violence and trauma which in turn necessitates the gradual and multiscalar development of these activisms. The women used ecological metaphors of rooting and growth to explain how, through these activisms and directly informed by past traumatic events, they ‘come back to life’. Together, they build solidarity networks and alliances, and imagine and practise alternative feminist urban futures and modes of recovery in their new urban homes.
On Outness: Validity Evidence of the Outness Inventory for Sexual and Gender Minoritized Adolescents
Authors: DeLong Gabriel , Kim Do-Hong , Kiperman Sarah
Published: December 2023

Sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) adolescents negotiate their outness in various social contexts as they navigate a heteronormative system. For many SGM adolescents, outness is associated with peer victimization, while for others, it is associated with increased feelings of connectedness. To support SGM adolescents in their outness journey, researchers and practitioners often use various tools to measure outness. Specifically, the outness inventory (OI) is the oldest and most widely used outness measure to date. However, while the OI appears to be a vigorous inventory to measure outness among SGM adults, it has never been validated with an SGM adolescent population. This study tests the psychometric defensibility of the OI among an SGM adolescent population. Results provide evidence that a two-structure model of outness to family and world, represents the social contexts in which SGM adolescents negotiate outness.
Between coping and resistance: Migrant networks and alternative forms of collectivism
Authors: Hau Mark Friis , Borello Andrea
Published: December 2023

The literature on migrant workers generally indicates limited worker collectivism. Based on a comparative study of two Danish platform companies, however, this article shows how digital migrant networks are a crucial social infrastructure in precarious working environments. Using a novel conceptual framework that differentiates between collective strategies of coping and resistance, we show that collective resistance can spring from migrant networks. This foregrounds an understanding of how collectivism underpinned by strong migrant networks can wax and wane, which broadens our understanding of collectivism as a dynamic practice. The study’s findings underscore the importance of political networks as a foundation for strategies of resistance, the value of network embeddedness, and the effects of particular migrant and employment characteristics on collective strategies.
Studying Daily Social Interaction Quantity and Quality in Relation to Depression Change: A Multi-Phase Experience Sampling Study
Authors: Elmer Timon , Ram Nilam , Gloster Andrew T. , Bringmann Laura F.
Published: December 2023

Day-to-day social life and mental health are intertwined. Yet, no study to date has assessed how the quantity and quality of social interactions in daily life are associated with changes in depressive symptoms. This study examines these links using multiple-timescale data (iSHAIB data set; N = 133), where the level of depressive symptoms was measured before and after three 21-day periods of event-contingent experience sampling of individuals’ interpersonal interactions ( T = 64,112). We find weak between-person effects for interaction quantity and perceiving interpersonal warmth of others on changes in depressive symptoms over the 21-day period, but strong and robust evidence for overwarming—a novel construct representing the self-perceived difference between one’s own and interaction partner’s level of interpersonal warmth. The findings highlight the important role qualitative aspects of social interactions may play in the progression of individuals’ depressive symptoms.
Application Value of Ultrasound Elastography Combined With Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) Quantitative Analysis in Differentiation of Nodular Fibrocystic Changes of the Breast From Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Authors: Li Jiajia , Wu Yunfeng , Tian Zhaoyu , Shu Linfeng , Wu Siru , Wu Zuohui
Published: December 2023

This study aimed to compare the value of ultrasound elastography combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) quantitative analysis in the differentiation of nodular fibrocystic breast change (FBC) from breast invasive ductal carcinoma (BIDC). We selected 50 patients each with nodular FBC and BIDC, who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University from January 2018 to December 2021. Their ultrasonic elastic images and CEUS videos were collected, their ultrasound elastography scores and the ratio of strain rate (SR) of the lesions were determined, and the exported DICOM format videos of CEUS were quantitatively analyzed using VueBox software to obtain quantitative perfusion parameters. The differences between the ultrasound elastography score and SR while comparing nodular FBC and BIDC cases were statistically significant ( p < .05). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ultrasound elastography scores in the differential diagnoses of nodular FBC and BIDC were 74%, 88%, and 81%, respectively. Additionally, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of SR in the differential diagnosis of nodular FBC and BIDC were 94%, 78%, and 86%, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed in the CEUS quantitative perfusion parameters PE, AUC (WiAUC, WoAUC, WiWoAUC), and WiPI in both nodular FBC and BIDC according to the VueBox software ( p < .05). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CEUS quantitative analysis in the differential diagnoses of nodular FBC and BIDC were 66%, 82%, and 74%, respectively. Using the pathological findings as the gold standard, ROC curves were established, and the area under the curve (AUC) of the CEUS quantitative analysis, elasticity score, SR, and ultrasound elastography combined with CEUS quantitative analysis were 0.731, 0.838, and 0.892, as well as 0.945, respectively. Ultrasound elasticity scoring, SR and CEUS quantitative analysis have certain application value for differentiating nodular FBC cases from BIDC; however, ultrasound elasticity imaging combined with CEUS quantitative analysis can help in improving the differential diagnostic efficacy of nodular FBC cases from BIDC.
Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation versus conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation for patients with refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A retrospective propensity matching analysis
Authors: Sun Peng , Liu Wei , Li Mei , Zhang Lei , Liu Li-Na , Liu Zhan-Xiao , Wang Xu-Dong
Published: December 2023

Objective

The incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is high. Though extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) has been considered a potential treatment for refractory cardiac arrest after failure of conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CCPR), the benefit of ECPR in refractory OHCA remains uncertain.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we included patients with refractory OHCA who visited the Emergency Department of the Aerospace Center Hospital between January 2018 and April 2023. We divided the patients into the ECPR Group and the CCPR Group. The primary endpoint of the study was the neurological function of the patients in both groups 3 months after the cardiac arrest. We used propensity score matching to reduce selection bias and identified factors associated with good neurological function when OHCA was treated with ECPR by performing univariate and multivariate correlation analyses on surviving patients with good neurological function in the ECPR group.

Results

During the study period, we enrolled 133 patients, consisting of 33 in the ECPR group and 100 in the CCPR group. The survival rate of patients with good neurological function at discharge was 18.2% (6/33 cases) in the ECPR group and 9% (9/100 cases) in the CCPR group, p = .20. Three months after discharge, the survival rate of patients with good neurological function was 15.2% (5/33 cases) in the ECPR group and 8% (8/100 cases) in the CCPR group, p = .31. Using propensity score matching, we identified 22 pairs of patients for further analysis. Among these, 3 months after discharge, the survival rate of patients with good neurological function was 13.6% (3/22 cases) in the ECPR group and 4.5% (1/22 cases) in the CCPR group, p = .61, and the survival rate at discharge was 18.2% (4/22 cases) in the ECPR group and 4.5% (1/22 cases) in the CCPR group, p = .34. The univariate analysis of patients with good neurological function in the ECPR group showed that time without perfusion, hypoperfusion time, and PCI treatment were associated factors affecting the prognosis of neurological function in patients, while multivariate analysis showed that hypoperfusion time was independently associated with good neurological function, with an OR (95% CI) of 1.06 (1.00–1.14) and p = .05.

Conclusion

Our findings suggested that ECPR failed to significantly improve neurological outcome in patients with refractory OHCA; however, the small sample size in this study may be insufficient to detect clinically relevant differences. In addition, hypoperfusion time may be a key predictive factor in identifying candidates for ECPR.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is feasible for people with acquired brain injury: A process evaluation of the BrainACT treatment
Authors: Rauwenhoff Johanne CC , Bol Yvonne , Peeters Frenk , van Heugten Caroline M
Published: December 2023

Objective

To evaluate the feasibility of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people with acquired brain injury.

Design

A process evaluation of the BrainACT treatment was conducted alongside a randomised controlled trial.

Setting

Psychology departments of hospitals and rehabilitation centres.

Subjects

Tweny-seven participants with acquired brain injury and 11 therapists.

Intervention

BrainACT is an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy adapted for the needs and possible cognitive deficits of people with acquired brain injury, provided in eight one-hour face-to-face or video-conference sessions.

Measurements

The attendance and compliance rates, engagement, satisfaction, and perceived barriers and facilitators for delivery in clinical practice were investigated using semi-structured interviews with participants and therapists and therapy logs.

Results

212 of the 216 sessions in total were attended and 534 of the 715 protocol elements across participants and sessions were delivered. Participants were motivated and engaged. Participants and therapists were satisfied with the intervention and participants reported to have implemented skills in their daily routines acquired during therapy. Key strengths are the structure provided with the bus of life metaphor, the experiential nature of the intervention, and the materials and homework. Participants and therapists often preferred face-to-face sessions, however, when needed video-conferencing is a good alternative.

Conclusion

BrainACT is a feasible intervention for people with anxiety and depressive symptoms following acquired brain injury. However, when the content of the intervention is too extensive, we recommend adding two extra sessions.
Music teachers’ stance in action to develop student autonomy
Authors: Chardonnens Sarah
Published: December 2023

In the context of instrumental teaching, developing student autonomy is a major goal of teachers in addition to transmitting knowledge and fostering musical learning. This research, which consists of two successive studies, focused on the development of student autonomy from the teacher’s perspective. In the first study, I conducted a qualitative analysis of 21 teachers’ beliefs and intentions with regard to the development of student autonomy and their roles in this process. The results showed that teachers considered themselves somewhat at the periphery of the process in which students attain autonomy. In the second study, I analyzed in depth the joint action of three teachers with their students during two successive lessons. My analysis of the film recordings revealed that teachers performed many pedagogical actions to develop student autonomy, albeit unconsciously and without verbalization. The results of this second study suggest that there are four possible teaching stances that make it possible to develop autonomy. Based on a synthesis of the two studies, I propose a model that helps teachers to develop student autonomy through the understanding and clarification of the four key phases of the self-regulation process.
Clarification and Application of the Category Profit on Alienation
Authors: Duman Alper , Tonak E. Ahmet
Published: December 2023

This article presents profit on alienation (POA) as one of the sources of profit in capitalist economies. In addition to identifying and situating POA among other profit flows, we have attempted to operationalize it in the real estate and finance sectors. In the empirical part of the article, we estimate POA in those sectors in Turkey for the period 2010–2019. The extent of estimated profits based on POA in those sectors is not insignificant. These findings confirm our position that utilizing POA in exploring capitalist dynamics would be a fruitful endeavor.

JEL Classification: B3, B51, H27, G51
Long-term water aging of composites with bamboo fiber and montmorillonite filler
Authors: Chakkour Mouad , Moussa Mohamed Ould , Khay Ismail , Balli Mohamed , Ben Zineb Tarak
Published: December 2023

This article examines the degradation mechanisms and mechanical properties of unfilled and montmorillonite-filled bamboo fiber-composites, under long-term water aging (up to 120 days) at room temperature. The main findings show that the water absorption and hydrolysis processes simultaneously occur during aging. The presence of clay fillers (3 wt %) reduces the water absorption content of composites from 18.69% to 15.68% after 120 aging days. However, their moisture absorption rate increases after adding particles. Scanning electron microscope images confirm the development of structural damage induced by the extra-swelling of particles, enabling more water absorption after long-term aging. Interestingly, the unfilled composites lose about 18.7% and 17.94% of their initial tensile strength and modulus after 120 aging days, which is attributed to the swelling/plasticization mechanisms and the chemical degradation at the interface, respectively. However, the tensile strength and modulus of montmorillonite-filled composites drop by 35.78% and 32.47%, respectively. This poor resilience to aging is attributed to the development of microstructural damage. The results of this work provide a clear insight into the long-term mechanical properties of composite materials and shed light on their systematic aging mechanisms, with a view to their application in harsh environments.
Regional Anesthesia of the Dentition in Bennett's Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus): Anatomical Landmarks and Approaches Assessed with Computed Tomography and Gross Dissection
Authors: Walker Bridget , Stone Amy , Langan Jennifer N. , Hostnik Eric T. , Alexander Amy B.
Published: December 2023

Dental disease is common in captive-managed macropods, including Bennett's wallabies, and is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Dental extractions and debridement of diseased tissue is often necessary for those undergoing treatment for severe dental disease. Regional anesthesia of the dentition is considered standard of care for domestic animals undergoing orofacial surgery, however, it is not routinely performed in macropods due to limited information on dental anatomy and block approaches. Regional block descriptions for the infraorbital, maxillary, inferior alveolar, and mental blocks in domestic dogs and cats were evaluated and adapted for use in Bennett's wallabies based on descriptions of their anatomy and examination of 2 skulls. These approaches were then performed on cadaver heads with iohexol and methylene blue dye, and block placement was assessed on computed tomography scans and by gross dissection. All block approaches described in this study resulted in appropriate placement of regional anesthesia of the dentition in Bennett's wallabies. They can thus be used by clinicians to improve the intra and postoperative pain control of patients and provide a high level of veterinary care.
Integrated control of path tracking and handling stability for autonomous ground vehicles with four-wheel steering
Authors: Li Wenbo , Yu Shuyou , Tan Lei , Li Yongfu , Chen Hong , Yu Jianhua
Published: December 2023

Accurate modelling of an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) is challenging due to strong nonlinearity, model perturbations and external disturbances. This necessitates the design of path tracking controllers with robustness. In this paper, an integrated control strategy for path tracking and handling stability of AGVs is proposed, leveraging a four-wheel steering (4WS) system. To address the path tracking problem, a fuzzy logic-based steering strategy is developed, which enables parameter self-adjustment based on displacement error. Additionally, a reference model is employed to transform the path tracking problem into a reference signal tracking problem, ensuring the handling stability of vehicles. A sliding mode controller is designed to track the reference signal, utilizing an extended state observer to estimate and compensate for unmodeled dynamics and unknown external disturbances in real-time. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy in accurately tracking the desired path while maintaining the lateral stability of the vehicle. Furthermore, the strategy exhibits strong robustness against uncertainties and disturbances.
Event-triggered anti-disturbance control for aerial recovery drogue stabilization with guaranteed transient performance constraints
Authors: Su Zikang , Chen Mou , Chen Jia , Wang Honglun
Published: December 2023

Aiming at the drogue docking control problem in aerial recovery, this paper proposes a performance event-triggered control algorithm based on disturbance observer to stabilize the flexibly towed aerial recovery drogue subject to the unknown airflows, cable towing tensions, limited computation capacity, and actuating power resources with guaranteed transient performance. Firstly, the control-oriented 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) affine nonlinear dynamics of the flexible cable-towed drogue are formulated. Then, the event-triggered extended state observers (ETESO) are established for the trajectory and attitude subsystems by utilizing intermittently measured state, to accurately estimate the lumped disturbances caused by the unmeasurable cable tension and unknown airflow disturbance while reducing the computation cost from the sensor to the observer. Moreover, to constrain the trajectory tracking error within the guaranteed transient performance constraint with any small overshoot, an ETESO-based event-triggered control algorithm for drogue was established to ensure the specified transient performance; finally, the closed-loop stability is discussed using Lyapunov analysis. The simulation results confirmed that this method can not only constrain the drogue within the expected small error range but also effectively reduce computational costs and resource occupation, with the best control effect.
Feasibility analysis and saturation control for underactuated spacecraft formation reconfiguration in elliptic orbits
Authors: Shao Jiang , Zhou Qingrui , Xiao Yan , Bernelli-Zazzera Franco , Sun Zhaowei
Published: December 2023

This work proposes a saturation control scheme for underactuated spacecraft formation reconfiguration in elliptic orbits without radial or along-track thrust. Firstly, the rank criterion method is applied to analyze the controllability and feasibility of formation reconfiguration by linearizing the linear time-varying dynamics to linear time-invariant ones. Based on the inherent coupling of the linear time-varying system, the underactuated error dynamics are presented for either underactuated case. Subsequently, the developed underactuated saturation controller can ensure that the time-varying system trajectory asymptotically converges to the specified configuration. The Lyapunov-based analysis presents the constraint conditions of controller parameters and the stable reconfiguration accuracy of the system states. Finally, numerical simulations for both underactuated scenarios are performed in the environment with J2 perturbation to verify the validity of the proposed underactuated control scheme.
Research progress on bearing fault diagnosis with signal processing methods for rolling element bearings
Authors: Patel Samruddhi , Patel Sanjay
Published: December 2023

As a prerequisite for rotating machinery to operate effectively, rolling element bearings play an essential role. The focus of condition monitoring has initially been on defect identification, then on its measurement, and eventually on automatic defect prediction. The improvement in signal processing has made this breakthrough possible. The quality of characteristics taken from the bearing signals strongly impacts how effective these techniques are. Aiming to provide the researchers with the option to choose and implement the optimum signal analysis method, the authors have described numerous signal processing techniques used to diagnose faults in rolling element bearings. The research study examines several important studies and explains their relevance to locating rolling bearing defects. It analyzed recent research, ones from the past, and developments in the field of diagnosing bearing defects. The main goal of the research is to investigate different vibration signal processing and analysis methods for locating and evaluating bearing faults. After that, each of these subjects is rigorously analyzed in order to draw conclusions, spot new trends, and pinpoint areas that still need more research. This article is meant to serve as a guide for those who operate in the condition monitoring domain.
Volatility Spillover Among the Sustainable Indices of Emerging Markets: Evidence from Pre-COVID and COVID Periods
Authors: Sahoo Satyaban , Kumar Sanjay
Published: December 2023

This study investigated the dynamic volatility spillover among the sustainable stock indices of emerging markets such as China, India, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. To analyse the return, shock and volatility spillover among these emerging sustainable indices (SIs) during the pre-COVID and COVID periods, the BEKK model has been used. The study also estimated the optimal portfolio weights. The results indicate the presence of return and volatility spillover among the SIs during pre-COVID and COVID periods. The sustainable index of China has been dominant in impacting the return of the two major markets, India and South Korea. The SIs of markets have been significantly affected by their own shock and volatility during both periods. The bi-directional shock spillover effect exists among some pairs of SIs. The study also found that volatility spillover is more during the COVID-19 period. Surprisingly, this research discovered that Malaysia’s sustainable index has impacted the volatility of other major Asian markets during the crisis period. The portfolio weights also favour investments in the sustainable index of Malaysia both in pre-COVID and COVID phases. The study advises the stakeholders to carefully watch the behaviour of SIs to diversify the risk.
Bioinformatics Analyzes the Mechanisms of Codonopsis Radix in Treating Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Chen Zhenhui , Zhou Yan , Shen Yun , Ye Yanrong
Published: December 2023

Background

Codonopsis Radix (CR), a renowned traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been widely applied for its immunomodulatory, antitumor, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and antiviral effects. However, the multitarget mechanism of CR in ovarian cancer (OC) remains to be elucidated.

Objectives

We applied bioinformatics and molecular docking techniques to explore possible pharmacological targets, bioactivities, and molecular mechanisms of CR for OC treatment.

Materials and Methods

We identified 40 common genes associated with CR and OC and obtained core genes through a protein–protein interaction network.

Results

Enrichment analysis revealed that mitochondrial electron transport was the key biological process involved. Based on the analysis, we selected estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) as the key target genes for molecular docking. In the final verification analysis, we evaluated the effect of the PIK3CA mutation on the survival rate of patients with OC and determined that the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway was the key pathway in the OC treatment.

Conclusion

These results suggest that CR inhibits the activity of mitochondrial complex II, reduces adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production by mitochondrial electron transport, inhibits PI3K/AKT phosphorylation, and promotes apoptosis in OC cells.
Effect of Fluoxetine and Escitalopram on Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Serum Potassium Level in Patients of Depression and Anxiety Disorders
Authors: Machhi Truptiben R , Patel Chetna R. , Pandya Sajal K. , Kantharia N. D.
Published: December 2023

Background

The present study was conducted to generate data regarding the effect of fluoxetine as an anti-depressant and escitalopram as an antianxiety agent on heart rate variability (HRV). There is a scarcity of data regarding the correlation between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serum potassium levels.

Purpose

To find out the effect of SSRIs on HRV, and whether it is either dependent or independent of serum potassium level.

Materials and Methods

In this prospective, open-label, observational study, 70 participants were enrolled and divided into two groups, the fluoxetine group ( n = 35) and the escitalopram group ( n = 35) suffering from depression and anxiety, respectively. Parameters, like HRV, serum potassium level, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, were measured baseline and after the first, second, and third months of treatment. HRV was calculated by root mean square deviation of successive differences between adjacent RR intervals (RMSSD). ECG (electrocardiogram) was recorded by Physio Pac Digital Polygraph software. All values were expressed as mean ± SD, and statistical analysis was done by using the repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) test with Greenhouse–Geisser correction, post hoc analysis with Bonferroni correction, and SPSS 20.0 software.

Results

Among a total of 70 participants, post hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction showed a statistically significant difference between the HRV of the pretreatment group and after the second, and third month of fluoxetine therapy ( p < 0.05). In the escitalopram group, the Bonferroni correction showed a significant difference between the HRV of the pretreatment and third-month value ( p < 0.05). Repeated measure ANOVA with Greenhouse–Geisser correction showed no statistical significance of serum potassium at different time points ( p > 0.05). There were also no significant changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure at different points of time in both groups. Pearson’s correlation coefficient test for a relationship between HRV and serum potassium was negative at different time points.

Conclusion

Fluoxetine significantly increased HRV from the pretreatment value to the second and third months of treatment, whereas in the escitalopram group of participants, the third-month value of HRV was increased compared to the first month. The effect of SSRIs on HRV was independent of serum potassium levels at different time points suggesting that the effect of SSRIs on HRV was independent of serum potassium level.
Attitudes and Practices Toward Sex-Selective Abortion in an Urban District of Nepal: Findings From a Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Regmi Khusbu , Shrestha Binjwala , Shakya Sujata , Lamichhane Prabhat
Published: December 2023

Nepal, a country with deeply ingrained patriarchal values and culture, has limited evidence regarding the practices of sex selection and sex-selective abortion. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes and practices surrounding sex-selective abortion (SSA) and the factors associated with it. A cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from 320 women between the ages of 15 and 49, who had at least one child under the age of 5 and lived in the Bhaktapur district, Nepal. A total of 19.7% of the participants had undergone an abortion, with 39.6% of those being SSAs. Factors like women empowerment and preference for smaller family size are associated with women’s favorable attitude toward SSA. In multivariate analysis, women who faced pressure from their families to have a son and those who were aware of Nepal’s abortion laws were more likely to abort a female fetus.
The Association Between Physical Activity and Health Care Risk Management in Individuals With Disabilities
Authors: Park Ilsu , Yim Eunshil , Lim Minsook , Lee Jinhyung
Published: December 2023

Despite the increasing economic burden of people with disabilities (PWDs) over time, the impact of physical activity on PWDs in the Republic of Korea (ROK) remains relatively unexplored. Thus, we examined the association between physical activity and disease risk, health care utilization, and expenditures for PWDs in the ROK. We considered gender differences across eight diseases using the National Health Insurance (NHI) panel data from 2013 to 2019. The sample consisted of PWDs who underwent regular medical check-ups and were aged 40 years and above, aligning with the NHI’s health screening program targeting beneficiaries in this age range. The final sample included 281 142 healthy PWDs. Among them, 44.1% (n = 124 061) engaged in physical activity, while the remaining 45.9% (n = 157 081) did not participate in any physical activity. The results show a negative association between physical activity and the incidence of various diseases among both genders. Health care utilization exhibited gender and disease-based variations, with men and women demonstrating higher utilization rates in the absence of physical activity. Health care expenditures also differed based on gender and disease, as men and women displayed higher costs in the absence of physical activity. Consequently, public policymakers should establish tailored activity programs for PWDs, adhering to activity guidelines designed for this population.
Caregiver Engagement in Serious Illness Communication in a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital Setting
Authors: Levoy Kristin , Ashare Rebecca L. , Ganta Niharika , O’Connor Nina , Meghani Salimah H.
Published: December 2023

Context

Prolonged management of critical illnesses in long-term acute care hospitals (LTACH) makes serious illness communication (SIC), a clinical imperative. SIC in LTACH is challenging as clinicians often lack training and patients are typically unable to participate—making caregivers central.

Objectives

This qualitative descriptive study characterized caregiver engagement in SIC encounters, while considering influencing factors, following the implementation of Ariadne Labs’ SIC training at a LTACH in the Northeastern United States.

Methods

Clinicians’ documented SIC notes (2019-2020) were analyzed using directed content analysis. Codes were grouped into four categories generated from two factors that influence SIC—evidence of prognostic understanding (yes/no) and documented preferences (yes/no)—and caregiver engagement themes identified within each category.

Results

Across 125 patient cases, 251 SIC notes were analyzed. In the presence of prognostic understanding and documented preferences, caregivers acted as upholders of patients’ wishes (29%). With prognostic understanding but undocumented preferences, caregivers were postponers of healthcare decision-making (34%). When lacking prognostic understanding but having documented preferences, caregivers tended to be searchers, intent on identifying continued treatment options (13%). With poor prognostic understanding and undocumented preferences, caregivers were strugglers, having difficulty with the clinicians or family unit over healthcare decision-making (21%).

Conclusion

The findings suggest that two factors—prognostic understanding and documented preferences—are critical factors clinicians can leverage in tailoring SIC to meet caregivers’ SIC needs in the LTACH setting. Such strategies shift attention away from SIC content alone toward factors that influence caregivers’ ability to meaningfully engage in SIC to advance healthcare decision-making.
Influential Factors in the Implementation of an Educational Blockchain System in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Case of Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Nyazabe Sllife Nyazabe , Hwang Gee-Hyun , Manyole Odida Banyongi
Published: December 2023

Blockchain has gained significant attention and use beyond its initial purpose. It is recognized as a disruptive technology in many domains, including education. Its interest in education has grown due to its ability to prevent fraud in academic documents. This research aimed to identify influential factors in implementing a Blockchain system in DR Congo higher education using the combination of Technology Acceptance Model & Technology-Organization-Environment. Data was collected through an online survey of 355 respondents from public and private institutions of the country. The findings provide insight into the factors influencing Blockchain adoption and highlight its importance in addressing the issue.
From Problem Solving to Problem Posing: Navigating in Indian School Mathematics
Authors: Behera Biswajit , Kumar Mukesh , Naithani Himani
Published: December 2023

The study analyzed how the eigth-grade NCERT mathematics textbook's contents connect to the real-world context by posing cognitive tasks. Using Krippendorff's framework, the content analysis revealed the context to justify, think, discuss, give a reason, evaluate, and interpret. The cognitive tasks were checking, explaining, classifying, generalizing, constructing, and implementing. It was established that strategies of posing problems were similar with a given problem, similar with the discussed concept, similar with the given concept, posing questions based on a given concept, and posing questions based on given information. Hence, there was inadequate and no comprehensive account of posing the problems.
Predicting Hospital Readmissions in Patients Receiving Novel-Dose Sacubitril/Valsartan Therapy: A Competing-Risk, Causal Mediation Analysis
Authors: Hou Changchun , Hao Xinxin , Sun Ning , Luo Xiaolin , Gao Zhichun , Chen Ling , Liu Xi , Qin Zhexue
Published: December 2023

Backgrounds: Our study aimed to identify and predict patients with heart failure (HF) taking novel-dose Sacubitril/Valsartan (S/V) at risk for all-cause readmission, as well as investigate the possible role of left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR). Methods and results: There were 464 patients recruited from December 2017 to September 2021 in our hospital with a median follow-up of 660 days (range, 17-1494). Competing risk analysis with Gray's Test showed statistically significant differences in all-cause readmission ( p-value< .001) across the three different dose groups. Models 1 and 2 were developed based on the results of univariable competing risk analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator approach, backward stepwise regression, and multivariable competing risk analysis. The internal verification (data-splitting method) indicated that Model 1 had better discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility. The corresponding nomogram showed that patients aged 75 years and above, or taking the lowest-dose S/V (≤50 mg twice a day), or diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia, or valvular heart disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or diabetes mellitus were at the highest risk of all-cause readmission. In the causal mediation analysis, LVRR was considered as a critical mediator that negatively affected the difference of novel-dose S/V in readmission. Conclusions: A significant association was detected between novel-dose S/V and all-cause readmission in HF patients, in part negatively mediated by LVRR. The web-based nomogram could provide individual prediction of all-cause readmission in HF patients receiving novel-dose S/V. The effects of different novel-dose S/V are still needed to be explored further in the future.
Prognostic Value of Antithrombin Activity Levels in the Early Phase of Intensive Care: A 2-Center Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Yarimizu Kenya , Nakane Masaki , Onodera Yu , Matsuuchi Taro , Suzuki Hiroto , Yoshioka Masatomo , Kudo Masaya , Kawamae Kaneyuki
Published: December 2023

To investigate the relationship between antithrombin (AT) activity level and prognosis in patients requiring intensive care. Patients whose AT activity was measured within 24 h of intensive care unit (ICU) admission were enrolled for analysis. The primary endpoint was mortality at discharge. Prognostic accuracy was examined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and cox hazard regression analysis. Patients were divided into 6 groups based on predicted mortality, and a χ2 independence test was performed on the prognostic value of AT activity for each predicted mortality; P < .05 was considered significant. A total of 281 cases were analyzed. AT activity was associated with mortality at discharge (AT% [interquartile range, IQR]): survivor group, 69 (56-86) versus nonsurvivor group, 56 (44-73), P = .0003). We found an increasing risk for mortality in both the lowest level of AT activity (<50%; hazard ratio [HR] 2.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20-4.89, P = .01) and the middle-low level of AT activity (≥ 50% and < 70%; HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.06-4.02, P = .03), compared with the normal AT activity level (≥ 70%). ROC curve analysis showed that the prediction accuracy of AT was an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.66 (cutoff 58%, sensitivity 61.4%, specificity 68.2%, P = .0003). AT activity was significantly prognostic in the group with 20% to 50% predicted mortality (AUC 0.74, sensitivity: 24.0%-55.5%, specificity: 83.3%-93.0%). An early decrease in AT activity level in ICU patients may be a predictor of mortality at discharge.
Impact of Concomitant Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura on COVID-19 Mortality and Morbidity: A Nationwide Inpatient Sample Analysis
Authors: Jaan Ali , Sarfraz Zouina , Khalid Farhan , Anwar Junaid
Published: December 2023

Utilizing the comprehensive Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, we examined the impact of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) on the outcomes of patients with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), emphasizing the potential role of the ADAMTS13 enzyme in disease pathogenesis and evolution. We analyzed extensive data from the NIS database using STATA v.14.2 and accounted for potential confounders using multivariate regression analysis to uphold the validity and reliability of the study. Among 1 050 045 adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19, only 300 (0.03%) developed TTP. These patients were younger (mean age 57.47 vs 64.74, P < .01) and exhibited a higher prevalence of preexisting conditions, such as congestive heart failure (13.33% vs 16.82%, P value not provided) and end-stage renal disease (3.33% vs 3.69%, P value not provided). On multivariate regression analysis, COVID-19 patients with concomitant TTP demonstrated a significant increase in mortality (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.99, P < .01), venous thromboembolism (AOR 3.33, P < .01), acute kidney injury (AOR 7.36, P < .01), gastrointestinal bleeding (AOR 10.75, P < .01), intensive care unit admission (AOR 14.42, P < .01), length of hospital stay (17.42 days, P < .01), and total hospitalization charges ($298 476, P < .01). Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in COVID-19 patients elevates the risk of mortality and complications, likely driven by the thrombotic nature of TTP. Our data underline the potential significance of ADAMTS13 in COVID-19 and TTP pathophysiology, suggesting its possible role as a therapeutic target.