bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulating Short-Term Rental Platforms: Where, How and in the Interest of Whom?
Authors: Giannoni Sauveur , Ogonowska Malgorzata , Torre Dominique
Published: July 2024

Cet article analyse l’impact des plateformes de location à court terme sur le marché immobilier et l’industrie du tourisme. Nous élaborons un modèle théorique afin d’explorer les effets de l’entrée de ces plateformes sur différents segments du marché immobilier et de l’industrie du tourisme, en fonction de l’attrait d’une destination et de la composition socio-économique de sa population. Nous démontrons que dans des destinations très attractives, des restrictions quantitatives sur les locations à court terme sont efficaces pour protéger les étudiants et les locataires à faibles revenus contre une exclusion du marché locatif. Cependant, dans des destinations caractérisées par une forte saisonnalité, la taxation pourrait constituer une solution plus adéquate pour atténuer les effets négatifs de la plateforme. En revanche, dans des destinations moins attractives, les restrictions quantitatives sont moins efficaces, et la taxation peut offrir une meilleure solution pour protéger les hôteliers et les familles de la classe moyenne. Nos résultats fournissent aux décideurs des lignes directrices efficaces pour réglementer les plateformes de location à court terme et leurs impacts sur différents segments du marché immobilier et de l’industrie du tourisme. JEL Codes: L83, L85, L86, R31, Z38
Didier Motchane, ni trahir, ni périr, pour « changer la vie »
Authors: Leschi Didier
Published: July 2024

Didier Motchane (1931-2017) a été une figure importante de la gauche socialiste. Haut fonctionnaire, à la fois intellectuel et militant. Partisan de la rupture avec le capitalisme, théoricien de l’autogestion, il fut un des animateurs avec Jean-Pierre Chevènement du Centre d’études, de recherches et d’éducation socialiste (Ceres). Au regard de l’histoire de la social-démocratie, son obsession aura été d’éviter à la fois de trahir ses idées ou de périr, ce qui aurait été une autre manière de ne pas les voir aboutir. Le combat d’une vie.
Didier Motchane, dans les pas de Lucien Herr et d’Antonio Gramsci. Souvenirs politiques intimes
Authors: Brustier Gaël
Published: July 2024

Ce texte rassemble quelques souvenirs de Didier Motchane (1931-2017) au cours des années 2000-2010, en le comparant à deux figures historiques du socialisme : le Français Lucien Herr (1864-1926) et l’Italien Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937). Il dessine les apports intellectuels et politiques de Motchane comme un scintillement ultime des Lumières du socialisme français.
Expirer et surgir en images. Un Mensch de Dominique Cabrera
Authors: Savelli Julie
Published: July 2024

Il arrive que certaines œuvres éprouvent la mort en images dans un geste documentaire sans commune mesure. Un Mensch, film réalisé en 2023 par Dominique Cabrera, est de celles-là. Si la disparition est un thème central dans l’œuvre de la réalisatrice, c’est la première fois qu’elle s’en approche d’aussi près en filmant la dernière année de l’existence de son mari, Didier Motchane. Ensemble, ils prennent acte de la mort qui vient ; absorbent le sensible tel un buvard par capillarité tandis que le glissement vers la perte se produit sans filet. En regardant Dominique Cabrera (la caméra et le film) droit dans les yeux jusqu’à son dernier souffle, Didier Motchane pose à l’intersection de la vie et de la mort, pour l’éternité.
Evaluation and prioritization of barriers to the implementation of the eco-regenerative supply chains using fuzzy ZE-numbers framework in group decision-making
Authors: Salteh Zeynab Rezazadeh , Fazayeli Saeed , Ghoushchi Saeid Jafarzadeh
Published: July 2024

In today's supply chain management, there is a growing emphasis on transitioning to environmentally sustainable practices. This paper aimed to identify and rank the barriers to the implementation of eco-regenerative supply chains. A novel integrated approach was proposed based on stepwise weighted assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) and the multi-attributive border approximation area (MABAC) method using ZE-fuzzy numbers. This approach aimed to address some of the limitations of the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) method, including lack of thorough prioritization and inability to make decisions about the importance of various failure factors in an uncertain environment. By combining fuzzy sets and considering the reliability levels of two distinct groups of decision-makers and experts, this proposed method offers a comprehensive evaluation framework. Following the determination of the risk priority number (RPN) by the FMEA method, risk factors were evaluated using ZE-SWARA, and barriers were ranked using the ZE-MABAC method to identify critical barriers and propose corrective actions. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was conducted in this study to demonstrate the viability of the proposed method. This research contributes to the advancement of eco-regenerative supply chain management practices by offering a systematic and innovative approach to addressing environmental concerns and improving decision-making processes in uncertain environments.
Incorporating mobile phone data-based travel mobility analysis of metro ridership in aboveground and underground layers
Authors: Xing Jiping , Jiang Xiaohong , Yuan Yu , Liu Wei
Published: July 2024

Metro transit is the core of urban transportation, and the mobility analysis of metro ridership can contribute to enhance the overall service level of the metro transit. Researchers studying metro ridership are focused on the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of the ridership in the underground system of metro station by metro smart card data. However, limited by lack of travel mobility chain of ridership integrity, their activity patterns cannot be used to identify the heterogeneity of metro ridership's origin and transfer travel mode. In our research, we applied full spatiotemporal coverage of mobile phone data to identify the complete travel mobility of metro ridership in the perspective of ground and underground transit. First, the mobility of the boarding and alighting stations was extracted and the order of the transfer station was then extracted. Second, relying on the ridership flow identification method, the aboveground origin and destination of the ridership outside the metro system were extracted, and their transferred traffic mode was identified. The empirical results have shown that our proposed framework can accurately analyze the mobility patterns of metro ridership in an aboveground area and underground station.
On the maximum atom-bond sum-connectivity index of unicyclic graphs with given diameter
Authors: Wang Zhen , Zhou Kai
Published: July 2024

Let $ G = (V(G), E(G)) $ be a simple connected graph with vertex set $ V(G) $ and edge set $ E(G) $. The atom-bond sum-connectivity (ABS) index was proposed recently and is defined as $ ABS(G) = \sum_{uv\in E(G)}\sqrt{\frac{d_{G}(u)+d_{G}(v)-2}{d_{G}(u)+d_{G}(v)}} $, where $ d_{G}(u) $ represents the degree of vertex $ u\in V(G) $. A connected graph $ G $ is called a unicyclic graph if $ |V(G)| = |E(G)| $. In this paper, we determine the maximum ABS index of unicyclic graphs with given diameter. In addition, the corresponding extremal graphs are characterized.
Effectiveness of Microlearning as an Additional Teaching Instrument in Orthopaedics and Traumatology University Course
Authors: Molchovski Petar , Tokmakova Keti , Tokmakov Dimitar
Published: July 2024

Orthopedics and traumatology are clinical specialties that require continuous learning and skill enhancement. Traditional teaching methods may not always be sufficient to meet the needs of contemporary learners. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of microlearning as an additional tool in orthopedics and traumatology university courses alongside traditional teaching methods. The study concluded that microlearning significantly improved students’ knowledge retention, practical skills, and overall performance compared to traditional teaching methods alone. The findings suggest that integrating microlearning into orthopedics and traumatology curricula can improve student learning outcomes and better prepare them for real-world practice.
Le ville marittime dell’agro parentino: nota introduttiva
Authors: Benčić Gaetano , Rousse Corinne
Published: July 2024

In questo contributo si fa una sintesi sullo stato di ricerca delle ville marittime della costa parentina, tenendo presente le ricerche più recenti. Come parametro di riferimento per i confronti si prende le mosse dalla villa marittima di Santa Marina, la meglio conosciuta dell’agro di Parenzo. Si mette in evidenza le caratteristiche delle 5 ville prese in esame. Tranne la villa di Santa Marina che è oggetto di studio da parte di un programma croata francese, le altre non sono state ancore sottoposto a sistematica ricerca.
La residenza costiera di Silin (uadi Yala, Leptis Magna) nel quadro della cultura della villa nella Tripolitania romana
Authors: Musso Luisa
Published: July 2024

La villa di Silin, edificata lungo il litorale a ovest di Leptis Magna nel II secolo d.C., rappresenta un caso esemplare all’interno della categoria delle residenze private tripolitane, delle quali è oggi possibile comporre un consistente dossier. Per articolazione degli spazi, modalità di fruizione, integrazione tra il costruito e le aree sistemate a verde, apparati decorativi, i modelli di queste residenze vanno individuati nelle ville costiere fiorite lungo il litorale laziale e campano. Grazie ai rituali che il vivere in villa comporta (dal banchetto, all’intrattenimento, dal bagno alla lettura), la vita in villa riflette l’immagine che i notabili locali, di estrazione punica ma pienamente partecipi del modello culturale che il processo di integrazione nella compagine romana aveva portato alla ribalta, volevano trasmettere di sé, al fine della costruzione della propria identità e della visibilità del proprio stato sociale.
Gastronomy Experiences, Authenticity, and Storytelling in Tourism Destinations
Authors: Garcês Soraia
Published: July 2024

Today, new tourism demands and trends have led gastronomy to go beyond the mere consumption of food and to including cultural engagement in tourism experiences. This led to the need to consider authenticity in gastronomy since tourists' involvement and satisfaction can be influenced by the destination's unique culture and history. When storytelling is added to these experiences, it provides a narrative that can increase tourist engagement. This chapter is a conceptual analysis that explores the dynamic interplay between gastronomy tourism, authenticity, and storytelling. This interconnection not only promotes memorable tourist experiences but also supports local economies, cultural heritage preservation, cultural identity, and simultaneously encourages place attachment and the development of the destination brand. Thus, by aligning authenticity and storytelling within gastronomy, it has the potential to enhance the overall tourism experience for both tourists and local communities, and thus promotes tourism development.
Spatial Planning of Nature Sports in Cross-Border Regions With a Focus on Orienteering
Authors: Quinta-Nova Luís
Published: July 2024

As a growing sector, tourism has become a significant contributor to the global economy and has the potential to promote economic growth and development in many regions. Nature sports tourism can be an important aspect of tourism and can have significant economic, social, and cultural impacts on the host communities. Nature sports activities and events are usually integral to tourism market planning. Hosting sporting events has become a key strategy for destinations to gain recognition and is often included in their event portfolios for annual tourism planning. Using events to mitigate seasonality and diversify tourist flows is a common objective, as it can contribute to the local visitor economy and enhance the overall viability of the destination. As the popularity of outdoor events continues to grow, it is important to understand the environmental consequences of outdoor events and to implement sustainable practices. Addressing environmental sustainability is, therefore, a crucial aspect of nature sports tourism planning. This chapter focuses on a particular nature sport—orienteering. The most important factor for selecting areas for orienteering is the difficulty of a challenging terrain that enables a good course setting. Finding a suitable area for foot orienteering involves multiple criteria. The main features that provide the athlete greater opportunities for testing navigation skills are, among others, a detailed representation of the terrain, containing rich landforms, and its cover, since foot orienteering is a sport organized in forests or natural areas. Based on these principles, this study aims to assess the suitability of the Tejo/Tajo International Transboundary Biosphere Reserve for practicing Foot Orienteering. The suitable areas and their constraints were identified based on integrating a set of criteria using multicriteria spatial analysis tools in a GIS environment. For this purpose, the following descriptors were integrated: land cover, slope, slope variation, Topographic position index (TPI), and aspect variation. The criteria were classified into four suitability levels and calculated using the Hierarchical Analytical Process. The impact of orienteering activities on the natural values existing in the Tagus/Tajo International Transboundary Biosphere Reserve was also assessed, with particular emphasis on the impact on vegetation and wildlife.
Green Tourism Sustainability and Its Impact on Green Environment Achievement
Authors: Tafsirun Ummah , Farhana Arifa , Faisal-E-Alam Md. , Castanho Rui Alexandre
Published: July 2024

This study aims to investigate how tourists' behavioral aspects are linked to their willingness to pursue green tourism practices and responsible behavior. For this study, the PLS-SEM technique is employed to analyze the data collected from 211 tourists using purposive sampling. The study's results indicate that tourists' green tourism (GT) perception does not significantly influence their environmentally responsible tourism behavior (ERTB). However, environmental concern (EC) significantly and directly influences ERTB. Moreover, the perception of GT and EC significantly affects the intention of participation. Furthermore, the intention of participation directly and significantly influences ERTB. Moreover, the intention of participation has a noticeable mediation effect on the connection between GT perception and ERTB along with partial mediation effect on the relationship between EC and ERTB. Therefore, policymakers might use the study's results to formulate or revise suitable plans for the future survival of the tourism industry.
Spatio-Temporal Variability of Soil and Methodological Approaches to Its Assessment by the Example of the Leningrad Region
Authors: Pasko Olga Anatolievna , Zakharchenko Alexander V. , Goryachkin Vladimir N.
Published: July 2024

In recent decades, there has been a steady trend in Russia towards a decrease in the fertility of arable soils, which is recorded by changes in their agrochemical, agrophysical, and biological indicators. In addition, most regions, in particular the Leningrad region, are characterized by the presence of limiting climatic factors that limit the possibility of obtaining high yields, despite favorable natural conditions for the development of agricultural production. Knowledge of the properties of arable land makes it possible to optimize the nutrition of agricultural crops as much as possible, taking into account the necessary and sufficient doses of fertilizers, regardless of suitable conditions.
ESP in the Educational Process of Master's Degree Students and Majoring in Ecology and Land Management
Authors: Lebedeva Nadezhda Anatolievna
Published: July 2024

In modern language education, when teaching foreign languages to master's students in environmental specialization and land management, as well as for students of other non-linguistic universities, the term ESP (English for specific purposes) is used. A competency-based approach should be implemented, in line with which the acquisition of knowledge is combined with the experience of using the acquired knowledge in situations close to real life. Lexical, grammatical, socio-cultural, and other competencies formed in the process of learning a foreign language will help the graduate to cooperate effectively with native speakers and feel free in the country of the language being studied. The purpose of this chapter is to describe foreign language teaching in the educational process of master's degree students majoring in ecology and land management and improving their communicational skills.
Determine Intraday Trading Currency's Trend Framework Evidence From Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Khan Inzamam , Ahmed Wajid Shakeel , Shad Shafqat , Kumar Chandan , Usman Muhammad , Jasemi Milad , Shafi Khuarm
Published: July 2024

The purpose of this study is to determine the intraday hourly trading trends of currencies using predictive modeling techniques. The study encompasses two distinct intraday time intervals of 30 minutes and 1 hour, analyzing currencies from 8 different countries. It incorporates the use of wavelets MODWT to identify trends and noise in intraday currency analysis. Three predictive models, namely Support Vector Regression, Recurrent Neural Network, and Long Short-Term Memory, are applied to relative time series data to predict intraday trading currency trends. The study reveals significant noise presence in three currencies based on MODWT analysis. Additionally, it demonstrates that deep learning techniques, such as LSTM, outperform traditional machine learning approaches in accurately predicting intraday currency trends. This study contributes substantially to the theoretical understanding of international finance and provides practical insights for real-time problem-solving in currency markets. Further, this research adds to the discourse on leveraging sophisticated analytical methods within the domain of business intelligence to enhance decision-making processes in organizations operating within dynamic and complex financial environments.
TB-BGAT With TinyBERT and BiGRU in Personalized Course Recommendations
Authors: Chen Jing , Ye Weiyu
Published: July 2024

Aiming at the problems of inadequate user feature extraction, cold start and sparse data, a personalized course recommendation algorithm that utilizes TB-BGAT is suggested. First, the Tiny Bidirectional Encoder Representation from Transformers (TinyBERT) model is utilized to output character-level word vectors; then, Bidirectional Recurrent Neural Network (BiGRU) model is utilized to obtain the embedded contextual semantic features. Finally, the attention mechanism is utilized to allocate weights to various course features by assigning their importance and to obtain the output results. The results of experiment on the publicly available dataset MOOCs-Course prove that the proposed method improves at least 3.62%, 3.04%, and 3.33% in precision, recall, and F1-score, correspondingly, in contrast to several other state-of-the-art course resource recommendation algorithms. The proposed method can enhance the effectiveness of the course recommendation model, enhance the quality of learners' online learning, and provide good technical support for online education learning platforms.
Global Perspective on EMR and eHealth
Authors: Parthasarathy Rangarajan , Rangarajan Anuradha , Garfield Monica , Bingi Prasad
Published: July 2024

A goal of this exploratory study was to uncover the attitudes of the public towards health information technology (HIT) during a health crisis (COVID-19 pandemic). A socio-technical network formed by EMR/eHealth, COVID-19, and the tweeters was investigated using the Actor-Network-Theory (ANT) to understand global perspectives on healthcare technology, taking into account the human dimension and social reality in technology. Social Media (SM) analytics was used to mine HIT-related tweets from the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show that positivity, trust, and anticipation are the three most significant emotions associated with electronic medical records (EMR) and eHealth from the tweets. Our analysis found an acceptance of HIT by the global public and optimism for its role in information dissemination, control and containment, and public health improvement. The ANT analysis reveals a virtual coalition building that occurred through discussions among notable network actors, and the role of crowdsourcing in disseminating digital health information.
A Secure Data E-Governance for Healthcare Application in Cyber Physical Systems
Authors: Rathee Geetanjali , Saini Hemraj , Garg Sahil , Choi Bong Jun , Hassan Mohammad Mehedi
Published: July 2024

The bio-medical devices gather patient information and communicate it to data consumers via wireless networks to take the appropriate action and decision by informing the doctors. However, IoMT is adopted by healthcare departments with a greater speed, yet the majority of devices are limited to resource constraints and security perspectives. The classical e-healthcare systems that are centric have the inherent problem of single-point failure with low transparency and low control over records. Many proposals have been validated in IoT for addressing the inadequate computing and storage of records through sensors. The main focus of this paper is to propose a novel hybrid architecture called Zero Trust Blockchain Architecture for decentralized E-health-CPS systems to support low latency along with storage and processing of records while monitoring the patients. In addition, a probability distribution function may further draft an accurate and real-time monitoring of patients. The proposed mechanism is analyzed against adequate decision, storage, accuracy and transmission of records.
A case of self-limiting respiratory distress in a postpartum mother – transfusion related acute lung injury
Authors: Rajaratnam A. , Kularathne W. K. S.
Published: July 2024

A 37-year-old woman, treated for postpartum haemorrhage, developed sudden-onset acute respiratory distress characterised by tachypnoea, desaturation and widespread crepitations, on the first day postpartum. She had low partial pressure of oxygen to the fractional inspired oxygen concentration (PaO2/FiO2) ratio and bilateral patchy opacities in chest radiograph. Despite having a high oxygen requirement, her clinical and radiographic abnormalities spontaneously resolved in 30 hours, after a conservative treatment approach. This case report delves into the rare, yet serious entity of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) and underscores the importance of considering it among other potential causes of shortness of breath following blood transfusion in postpartum patients.
A rare occurrence of myocarditis with acute heart failure as an extraintestinal manifestation of Crohn’s disease in a young male
Authors: Ferose M. F. W. , Ellepola K. D. , Bowattage S.
Published: July 2024

Crohn’s disease (CD) is an idiopathic inflammatory bowel disorder, which can be associated with various extraintestinal manifestations. Cardiac and pulmonary manifestations of CD are rare with only a few cases being reported. Myocarditis is an unusual and rare extraintestinal manifestation of CD. Only a few case reports associating CD with the above manifestation are found in the literature. Here, we report a case of an 18-year-old man diagnosed with CD for two years, on optimum treatment, presenting with the symptoms of myocarditis with acute heart failure, as extraintestinal manifestations in the absence of bowel symptoms, while being negative for infective and non infective aetiological screening. This case highlights the importance of knowing the rare extraintestinal manifestations of CD, which will ultimately guide the treating physicians.
Clinical reasoning in Internal Medicine: the crucial role of synthesis as a cognitive skill in an era of specialisation
Authors: Jayasinghe S.
Published: July 2024

No abstract available
Hyponatraemia in oncology patients- what physicians should know?
Authors: Wariyapperuma U.
Published: July 2024

No abstract available
A rare bleeding disorder with severe haemorrhagic manifestation
Authors: Yathukulan S. , Mayurathan P. , Tharshiga T.
Published: July 2024

Factor V is a major part of the coagulation system and maintains a balance in pro-coagulant and anticoagulant pathways. Any deficiency or mutation can lead to disequilibrium in coagulation. Factor V deficiency can be congenital or acquired. Congenital factor V deficiency (parahemophilia or Owren’s disease) is a rare autosomal recessive condition. We present a case of an adolescent unmarried girl presenting with an acute abdomen and deranged coagulation parameters. It was confirmed that the bilateral haemorrhagic ovarian cysts and hemoperitoneum were due to factor V deficiency. In her case, the bleeding was likely due to a ruptured corpus luteum during ovulation. She was successfully managed conservatively with red cells and fresh frozen plasma transfusions, tranexamic acid and combined oral contraceptive pills (COCP) with instructions to continue the use of COCP to prevent such bleeding manifestations.
Enhancing self-care in elderly patients: the impact of WhatsApp reminder messages at the Heart and Vascular Center
Authors: Sya’diyah Hidayatus , Sarira Dewi Purnama , Mutyah Diyan , Mayasari Ayu Citra , Kirana Sukma Ayu Candra
Published: July 2024

The importance of reminder messages lies in improving self-care among heart disease patients. At the Heart and Vascular Center, many patients, both those under ongoing care and those recently treated, do not consistently engage in self-care activities. Reminder messages can encourage adherence to medication regimens. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of WhatsApp reminder messages on the self-care of elderly patients at the Heart and Vascular Center. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with a two-group pre- and post-test control design. Using a probability sampling technique with simple random sampling, the study required 16 new patients in each group. The instrument used was the Self-Care Heart Failure Index (SCHFI) questionnaire, consisting of 22 questions. Data analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney test. The results indicated that WhatsApp reminder messages are effective in enhancing patient self-care at the Heart and Vascular Center at Premier Hospital Surabaya (p-value<0.001). The Mann-Whitney test results post-intervention showed a p-value of 0.013, confirming the effectiveness of WhatsApp reminder messages in improving self-care among patients. This study demonstrated a significant positive influence of WhatsApp reminder messages on the self-care of elderly patients at the Heart and Vascular Center. These messages are an effective tool for improving patient self-care practices at Premier Hospital Surabaya.
Radiazioni ionizzanti: rischi/benefici o costi/benefici?
Authors: Failla Lidia
Published: July 2024

Le radiazioni ionizzanti (r. i.) come è noto comportano un rischio di danno all'uomo. Tali radiazioni sono presenti in un notevole numero di attività, soprattutto nel campo medico (raggi X, in tutte le loro svariate applica- zioni quali: radiografie, scopie, TAC, ecc. medicina nucleare: diagnostica e terapia).
Assessment of Sterilization Operations among Eligible Couples in Two Districts with High Total Fertility Rate in Tribal Odisha: An Effort to Plan to Offer Respectful Contraceptive Operative Services
Authors: Kar Sonali , Samantaray Pramod Chandra , Routray Surya Prakash , Ray Angana
Published: July 2024

A survey in two districts of Odisha with reportedly high total fertility rates, i.e., Boudh and Koraput (Annual Health Survey-2014), was performed under the aegis of the Indian Council of Medical Research, aiming to improve male participation in contraceptive acceptance and services. One hundred and forty-eight women out of 217 sterilization acceptors consented to the study. A semi-structured questionnaire with responses regarding the preoperative, operative, and postoperative experiences was used as the tool, and responses were analyzed in SPSS version 25. The outcome variable was a self-reported score of satisfaction on a scale of 1–10; wherein eight was reported by 42.7% of total women. The satisfaction score using linear regression was significant for the total times the woman was pregnant (β = −0.369; P = 0.002), with a unit increase in times, the woman was pregnant, and the satisfaction declined by 0.363 units. The study provides evidence of greater advocacy of a less heard mandate of “respectful contraception.”
Prevalence of Wasting and its Associated Factors among Children Under 5 Years of Age in India: Findings from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey
Authors: Choudhary Tarun Shankar , Manapurath Rukman , Chowdhury Ranadip , Taneja Sunita , Daniel Abner , Johnston Robert , de Wagt Arjan , Bhandari Nita
Published: July 2024

Background:

The burden of wasting among under five children in India, has not reduced in the last decade.

Objectives:

We used child-level data from the latest nationally representative Comprehensive National Nutritional Survey (CNNS) to estimate the prevalence of wasting at the national and state level in India.

Methods:

We explored the association of wasting with maternal, child and household factors using multivariable logistic regression for the age group of 0-5, 6-23 and 24-59 months.

Results:

The overall prevalence of wasting was 17.3%, ranging from 5.8% to 29.1% across states, 23.3% in children 0-5 months, 19.6 % in children 6-23 months and 15.4 % in children 24-59 months of age. Higher birthweight i.e., every 100g increase (0-5 months aOR = 0.96, 6-23 months aOR = 0.94, 24-59 months aOR = 0.96), higher maternal BMI (0-5 months aOR = 0.51, 6-23 months aOR = 0.62, 24-59 months aOR = 0.67), increasing child age in months (0-5 months aOR = 0.84) and female sex of the child (24-59 months aOR = 0.82) was found to have significantly lower odds of wasting. The odds of wasting were significantly higher for poorest wealth quintile (0-5 months aOR = 1.99, 6-23 months aOR = 2.13), maternal unemployment (0-5 months aOR = 2.25), and lower levels of maternal education (6-23 months aOR = 1.74).

Conclusions:

Our analyses showed that burden of wasting continues to remain high in India. Preventive interventions must target reduction of low birthweight. Early identification and management of wasting should be done, especially during the first six months of life who are not part of current therapeutic feeding programme.
Patient Satisfaction with the Outpatient Department Services at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northern India and Root Cause Analysis of the Lowest-Scoring Attribute using Fishbone Diagram
Authors: Yadav Kriti , Goyal Pooja , Parashar Lokesh , Nassa Khushboo
Published: July 2024

Background:

Assessing patients’ satisfaction is an easy and cost-effective method of evaluating the outpatient services provided by health-care institutions.

Objectives:

The objectives of this study were to determine patient satisfaction among patients attending various outpatient departments (OPDs) at a tertiary care hospital and the factors affecting their satisfaction.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients attending various OPDs at a tertiary care hospital in Faridabad. Exit face-to-face interviews were conducted for 334 patients above 18 years of age who availed OPD services followed by pharmacy services. Information regarding sociodemography, rating of satisfaction with various attributes of OPD services on a 5-point Likert scale, and reasons for dissatisfaction was collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Root cause analysis for the lowest-scoring attribute was done using fishbone diagram.

Results:

About 64% of the patients were satisfied with the OPD services. “Attitude and communication of doctors” was the prime contributor to patient satisfaction. “Promptness at medicine distribution counter” was the attribute that scored lowest followed by “waiting time at the registration counter.” The mean waiting time for registration was 38.2 min, for consultation with doctor 41.3 min, for collection of samples 49.6 min, and for drug dispensing 61 min.

Conclusion:

The issues related to pharmacy services need to be promptly acknowledged and addressed.
Machine Learning Approach to Study Social Determinants of Chronic Illness in India: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Agarwala Aakanksha , Barua Barun , Chyrmang Genevieve , Deka Manab , Bora Kangkana
Published: July 2024

Background:

Several studies on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have been carried out worldwide, the basis of most of which is the identification of risk factors-modifiable (or behavioral) and metabolic. Majority of the NCDs are due to sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, and behavior, which can be prevented to a great extent. Thus, it is a health challenge and a necessity to identify such factors of NCDs.

Objectives:

The objective is to make a thorough systematic and comparative analysis of diverse machine learning (ML) classifiers and identify the best-performing model to study social determinants of NCDs.

Materials and Methods:

We used data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India, and predicted the prevalence of NCDs based on a set of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and behavioral risk factors by conducting a comparative analysis among 25 different algorithms.

Results:

Evaluating the performance metrics, the random forest model was found to be the most-suited method with 87.9% accuracy and hence chosen as the final model for the analysis. The model’s performance was optimized by a hyper-parameter tuning process using grid-search with a 5-fold cross-validation strategy and results suggested that it was able to make accurate predictions on new instances.

Conclusion:

The epidemic of chronic illness cannot be completely addressed without comprehending the social determinants. With advancements in medical and health-care industry, ML has been applied to analyze diseases based on clinical parameters. This work is an attempt by the authors to explore and encourage the use of ML in the field of social epidemiology.
Prevalence of Second Hand Smoke Exposure and Measures to Overcome: A Cross Sectional Study among Youth in Urban Hyderabad
Authors: Varma Pavani , Mohandas Anu , Rudrashetty Sindhu , Prasad K. Satya Vara , Balakrishna N. , Pattnaik Snigdha
Published: July 2024

In India, the prevalence of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is 29.5% in general and 11.2% at home. The youth may expose themselves to SHS without knowing the risk factors and consequences involved. This study is intended to determine the prevalence of SHS exposure and the measures adopted by the youth to avoid exposure. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 338 youth in an urban area in Hyderabad. A modified Global Youth Tobacco Survey questionnaire was used for data collection on SHS exposure and avoidance. The total prevalence of SHS exposure was 35.21%. The mean days of SHS exposure/week were 1.419 (standard deviation -1.806) days. Belonging to the age group 18–21 years, and male gender were significant predictors of SHS exposure. Education of the head of family was a significant predictor of SHS avoidance behavior. Creating awareness among young adults regarding the deleterious effects and preventive strategies of SHS exposure, thereby making them responsible for the health of their family can be a protective long-term strategy.
Availability and Accessibility of Healthy and Unhealthy Foods in Neighborhood and their Association with Noncommunicable Diseases: A Scoping Review
Authors: Sachdeva Barkha , Puri Seema , Aeri Bani Tamber
Published: July 2024

Worldwide, 7 million mortalities and 187.7 million morbidities have been associated with dietary risks. Poor diets emerge because of an obesogenic environment. However, clear evidence indicating an association between food environment and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is inconclusive. The present review was conducted to study the associations between the availability/accessibility of healthy/unhealthy foods and the risk of NCDs among adults of the age group above 18. Studies published between 2012 and 2022 were reterived using three databases - PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), (2018) guidelines and based on the selection criteria, 3034 studies were retrieved, of which 64 were included in this review. Maximum studies were conducted in high-income countries and adopted a cross-sectional study design. Overall, the results of the review illustrate mixed findings. Compared to healthy food, direct associations between obesity and the availability/accessibility of unhealthy foods were reported (n = 12). In case of diabetes, supermarket availability was more likely to be protective (4 positive) compared to negative association with unhealthy food stores (3 associations in 11 studies). For cardiovascular diseases, an increased number of cases with fast-food outlets (n = 6) outnumbered positive associations with healthy food (n = 3). Studies concerning multiple NCDs reported direct association with unhealthy food outlets (n = 5) while inconclusive associations with healthy food. Despite a large number of studies, a weak, inconclusive relationship between food environment and NCDs was found. The use of standardized tools and longitudinal and interventional studies are warranted to rationalize the execution of the policies related to the food environment.
Distribution of Infectious Disease Outbreaks in India before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of National Weekly Surveillance Data
Authors: Agiwal Varun , Chaudhuri Sirshendu , Naskar Somnath ,   IIPHH Surveillance Group
Published: July 2024

National surveillance data were collected to study the outbreak trends of infectious diseases/syndromes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic period, spanning from 2018 to 2022. The study found that out of 4208 outbreaks, 2972 occurred before the COVID-19 period, affecting 147,425 people, while 1236 outbreaks affected 52,324 people during the pandemic. The number of outbreaks for diseases such as acute flaccid paralysis, fever with rashes, leptospirosis, rabies, and scrub typhus increased during the pandemic. The geographic distribution of outbreaks remained similar for some reemerging diseases in both periods. The trends for dengue, Japanese encephalitis, and cholera remained consistent with peaks mostly from July to September in both periods. We observed a considerable reduction in morbidity and mortality due to outbreaks in India during the pandemic. Despite similar distributional patterns, the study indicates a strong suspicion of persistent outbreak-initiating factors, necessitating an efficient and vigilant surveillance system in the country.
Airborne Infection Control Practices in Homes for the Aged in the Context of Tuberculosis Elimination
Authors: Nujum Zinia T. , Sindhu S. , Rakesh P. S. , Remya G. , Anuja U.
Published: July 2024

Background:

National Strategic Plan to End tuberculosis (TB) in India 2020–2025 aims to prevent the emergence of TB in susceptible populations. Airborne infection control (AIC) practices in high-risk settings like homes for the aged (HFA) will be essential to achieve this.

Objective:

The objective is to assess the AIC practices (AICPs) in HFA in the Kollam district in Kerala, India.

Materials and Methods:

A mixed method approach was used. the study was done in five HFA s in a southern district of Kerala to find AICPs. Using purposive sampling, in-depth interviews was conducted among inmates with recent respiratory infection and administrators. Environmental measures were assessed using an observation checklist.

Results:

Ventilation was inadequate in 25%–40% of HFA. Air change per hour and distance between beds were less. Very few inmates were aware of the need for proper ventilation and personal hygiene. Wearing masks and hand hygiene was not practiced. Administrators faced shortages of space, funds, and human resources for caring for hospitalized inmates, and psychiatric and terminally ill patients.

Conclusions:

There is a need to train the staff and inmates on AIC. Infrastructural improvements, like the use of partition screens in the short term and the creation of model airborne infection control HFA in the long run, with a collaborative effort from health professionals and architects, are needed for TB elimination efforts to succeed.
Predictors of 5-year Survival of Elderly with Hypertension. A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Naghdi Babaei Fatemeh , Bijani Ali , Hosseini Seyed Reza , Ghadimi Reza , Mouodi Simin
Published: July 2024

Background:

Given the high prevalence of hypertension in older adults, this study was conducted to identify the factors affecting the 5-year survival of older people with hypertension.

Materials and Methods:

In this cohort study, individuals aged 60 and over living in Amirkola, north of Iran who were diagnosed with hypertension were followed up for 5 years, and the effect of various factors on their survival was analyzed.

Results:

Among 1439 older people, 892 individuals (61.99%) had hypertension. Age (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] =1.052, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.019–1.086, P = 0.002), diabetes mellitus (aHR = 2.166, 95% CI = 1.398–3.354, P = 0.001), serum creatinine (aHR = 2.163, 95% CI = 1.391–3.363, P = 0.001), female gender (aHR = 0.460, 95% CI = 0.276–0.766, P = 0.003), body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 (aHR = 0.386, 95% CI = 0.212–0.701, P = 0.002), physical activity score >150 (aHR = 0.382, 95% CI = 0.162–0.898, P = 0.027), each one unit increase of social support score (aHR = 0.914, 95% CI = 0.861–0.970, P = 0.003), and instrumental functional ability score (aHR = 0.907, 95% CI = 0.843–0.974, P = 0.009) showed a significant effect on 5-year survival of older people.

Conclusion:

Multiple factors (such as age, gender, social support, lifestyle behaviors, and comorbidities including diabetes mellitus and renal function) might predict the 5-year survival of the elderly with hypertension. They should be considered in health-care package of these patients.
The Relationship between Leptin Hormone and Central Obesity in the Women Suffers from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Al-Asadi Ekhlas Hatem
Published: July 2024

Background:

One of the hallmarks of polycystic ovarian syndrome (POCS) is central obesity (CO), and conditions brought on by PCOS are likely to worsen when CO is present. The hormone leptin acts as a conduit to transmit metabolic signals from the brain’s neural networks to the pituitary-ovarian axis.

Objective:

It is to find the correlation between central adiposity and blood levels of leptin in women with PCOS.

Materials and Methods:

For this study, 150 women were recruited: 75 were control (n = 75) and 75 were PCOS (n = 75). The body mass index (BMI); waist circumference; hip circumference; waist/hip ratio and level of circulating serum leptin were assessed for each individual. The data analysis was conducted utilizing SPSS software (version 23).

Results:

Leptin hormone, a higher significant in the group of PCOS when compared with the control group (P > 0.05). A positive significance correlation was found between the level of leptin with BMI, waist circumference, and hip circumference (P < 0.05). Leptin level showed an AUC of 0.93 at a cutoff point of 10 ng/mL, giving a sensitivity (93%) and specificity (96%).

Conclusion:

The positive association between serum leptin and CO with BMI could be the cause of the increased leptin levels in the PCOS women.
The Comparison between the Effect of Probiotics and Antibiotics against Enterotoxin A Produced by Staphylococcus aureus Microbial and Histopathological Study
Authors: Al-Khafaji Nawras M. , Al-Sabbagh Juman Khaleel , Jabber Eman Jawad , Mousa Rana Fadhil , Hassan Mayada S.
Published: July 2024

Background:

Staphylococcus aureus is a significant pathogen that causes nosocomial infections as well as community-acquired diseases; the spectrum of S. aureus infections ranges from pimples and furuncles to toxic shock syndrome and sepsis. Probiotics, which are defined as “live microorganisms that, when taken in suitable proportions, impart a health benefit on the host beyond basic nourishment,” have attracted increasing public and scientific interest in recent years; probiotics are crucial for preserving the integrity of the gut mucosal barrier and preventing the expansion of potentially harmful bacteria.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of probiotics to protect against the Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) of S. aureus on different organs of rats comparing with the effect of antibiotics.

Materials and Methods:

Twenty-five isolates were obtained from a variety of clinical locations. The gene sea was detected by using specific primer, 20 rats were used in this study and randomly divided into 5 groups. A complete necropsy was performed for all the animals.

Results:

The results of the sea gene showed that 16 out of 25 isolates harbored this gene. And the photomicrograph of liver and intestine, after treatment by probiotics (bacteria and yeast), revealed normal hepatocytes and newly formed villi with mild thickness and intact a muscular layer, respectively. At the same time, after treatment with antibiotics, the results showed remarkable reversible changes of hepatic architecture, areas of hepatocytes with normal arrangements and reversible changes, and these were represented by a significant villi length and the areas of necrosis in a muscular layer in liver and intestine, respectively.

Conclusion:

The conclusion revealed, probiotics of both types (bacteria and yeast) showed curable effect in the organs under study that were altered by SEA and gave efficient effect as much as antibiotics, and also suggested the usage of probiotics instead of antibiotics for better health.
Anatomy and function: Understanding the parietal lobe’s role in psychiatry
Authors: Bazaz Abhay , Saran Brijesh , Tiwari Harshit , Kaushal Parth Sarthi
Published: July 2024

Background:

This essay explores the complex structure of the parietal lobe, explaining its distinct characteristics and their role in cognitive processes. The relationship between parietal lobe abnormalities and psychiatric symptoms is also examined in this article.

Methods:

A thorough examination of the anatomy, physiology, and function of the parietal lobe, as well as its involvement in a range of mental conditions, is given in the research article. These are based on the review of literature of several relevant and ground breaking research papers on parietal lobe dysfunction, as well as an informative and concise summation of the structure and function of the parietal lobe.

Result:

One of the most important parts of the human brain, the parietal lobe, is in charge of several cognitive processes, such as information processing, sensory perception, and spatial awareness. This article seeks to explore the complex structure of the parietal lobe, explaining its distinct characteristics and their role in cognitive processes. The relationship between parietal lobe abnormalities and psychiatric symptoms is also examined in this article. It offers strong proof that anomalies in the parietal lobe are connected to a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Conclusion:

The healthcare system faces challenges in managing parietal lobe diseases due to limited resources, health-care access disparities, insufficient comprehensive data, and insufficient neuropsychological assessments. Holistic management requires understanding patients’ neuropsychological impairments and cognitive retraining techniques. Further research is needed to understand the disease burden, address health-care gaps, and enhance health-care infrastructure.