bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of large-scale circulations on the extremely inactive tropical cyclone activity in 2010 over the western North Pacific
Authors: ZHAO HAIKUN , B. RAGA GRACIELA
Published: August 2018

This study attempts to understand why the frequency of tropical cyclones (TC) over the western North Pacific (WNP) was a record low during the 2010 season, by analyzing the effect of several large-scale factors. The genesis potential index (GPI) can represent, to some extent, the spatial distribution of formation in 2010. However, the GPI does not explain the extremely low TC frequency. No robust relationship between the TCnumber and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) was found. A comparison of the extreme inactive TC year 2010 and extreme active year 1994 was performed, based on the box difference index that can measure the quantitative difference of large-scale environmental factors. Dynamic factors were found to be important in differentiating TC formation over the WNP basin between 2010 and 1994. The remarkable difference of monsoon flows in the WNP basin between these two years may be the cause of the difference in TC formation. The unfavorable conditions for TC genesis in 2010 may have also been due to other large scale factors such as: (1) weak activity of the Madden-Julian Oscillation during the peak season; (2) warming of the sea surface temperature in the tropical Indian Ocean during the peak season, causing the development of an anticyclone over the WNP basin and associated with the westward motion of the monsoon trough, and(3) the phase change of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (more negative) and the two strong La Niña eventsthat have evolved since 2006.
The Effects of Different Supplementary Light Sources on the Quality of Grafted Tomato Seedlings and the Expression of Two Photosynthetic Genes
Authors: Wei Hao , Hu Jiangtao , Liu Chen , Wang Mengzhao , Zhao Jin , Kang Dong Il , Jeong Byoung Ryong
Published: August 2018

Supplementary lighting is commonly used in high-quality seedling production. In this study, grafted tomato seedlings were grown for 10 days in a glasshouse with a 16-hour daily supplementary lighting at 100 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD from either high pressure sodium (HPS), metal halide (MH), far-red (FR), white LEDs (W), or mixed LEDs (W1R2B1) to determine which light sources improve the seedling quality. The control did not have any supplementary light. The physiological parameters and the expression of genes related to photosynthesis were analyzed. The results show that the root length, biomass, number of leaves, chlorophyll (SPAD), dry weight to height ratio (WHR) of the scion, and specific leaf weight (SLW) were the greatest for grafted seedlings grown in W1R2B1. The level of root ball formation was the greatest for seedlings grown in W1R2B1, followed by those grown in W, HPS, and MH. Seedlings grown in FR did not fare very well, as they were very thin and weak. Moreover, the expression of two photosynthetic genes (PsaA and PsbA) was significantly increased by W1R2B1 and W, which suggests that the plastid or nuclear genes might be regulated. The overall results suggest that W1R2B1 was the most suitable light source to enhance the quality of grafted tomato seedlings. The results of this study could be used as a reference for seedling production in glasshouses, and provide new insights in the research of lights affecting the development of plants.
Sunlight Assisted Photocatalytic Degradation of Ciprofloxacin in Water Using Fe Doped ZnO Nanoparticles for Potential Public Health Applications
Authors: Das Sourav , Ghosh Soumen , Misra Ananyo Jyoti , Mishra Amrita , Tamhankar Ashok J. , Lundborg Cecilia Stålsby , Tripathy Suraj K.
Published: August 2018

Antibiotic residues in aquatic environment have the possibility to induce resistance in environmental bacteria, which ultimately might get transferred to pathogens making treatment of diseases difficultand poses a serious threat to public health. If antibiotic residues in the environment can be eliminated or reduced, it has the possibility to contribute antibiotic resistance. Towards this objective, water containing ciprofloxacin was treated with sunlight assisted photocatalysis using Fe doped ZnOnanoparticles for assessing the degradation potential of this system.Parameters like pH, temperature, catalytic dosage were assessed for the optimum performance of the system. To evaluate degradation of ciprofloxacin,both spectrophotometricas well as microbiological (loss of antibiotic activity)methods were employed. 100 mg/L Fe doped ZnO nanoparticle catalyst and sunlight intensity of 120,000–135,000 lux system gave optimum performance at pH 9 at 30 °C and 40 °C. At these conditions spectrophotometric analysis showed complete degradation of ciprofloxacin (10mg/L) by 210 min. Microbiological studies showed loss of antibacterial activity of the photocatalytically treated ciprofloxacin containingwater against Staphylococcus aureus (108 CFU) in 60 min and for Escherichia coli (108 CFU) in 75 min. Thedeveloped system, thus possess a potential for treatment of antibiotic contaminated waters for eliminating/reducing antibiotic residues from environment.
Pengaruh Budaya Organisasi dan Gaya Kepemimpinan Otoriter terhadap Loyalitas Melalui Kepuasan Kerja dan Stres Kerja Karyawan Institusi X di Kediri
Authors: Sari Herlinda Maya Kumala
Published: August 2018

The purpose of this research to examine the influence of organizational culture and authoritarian leadership style on loyalty through job satisfaction and job stress. Respondents in this study are 82 empolyees of  “X” bureau in Kediri. Data is taken from questionnaires which were distributed to the employees randomly. The analysis applied Smart Partial Least Square 2.0 (smarPLS 2.0). The results showed that organizational culture has neither significant positive effect nor the negative on loyalty through job satisfaction. Organizational culture also has no significant negative effect on loyalty through the job stress, while authoritarian leadership style has a significant positive effect on loyalty. Authoritarian leadership style has no significant negative effect on loyalty through job satisfaction, and authoritarian leadership style has no significant negative effect on loyalty through the job stress.
Grameen Bank Project “Social Business” Muhammad Yunus
Authors: Nurhayati Nurhayati
Published: August 2018

Social Entrepreneurship is known to be effective in overcoming the problem of poverty syndrome in various countries. Perspectives on the term social entrepreneurship is growing and diverse among scholars, practitioners, and related institutions. However, they agreed that the final goal to be achieved should lead to the interests and empowerment of society. Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh has proved the power of social entrepreneurship through the development of the mindset that every human being has marketable skills, unlimited potential, including the entrepreneurial spirit. The poverty of the people is not due to laziness or lack of skills, but the opportunity and  are less favorable policy factors on them. Finally, Yunus fulfilled his dream and history has recorded his success in tackling the problem of poverty through the micro-finance institution "Grameen Bank" which he founded with courage and sincerity. It was this achievement that brought him the Nobel Prize for World Peace in 2006. Then the Grameen Bank concept inspired many nations and was applied in various countries.
Peran Petugas Lapangan Keluarga Berencana dan Pembantu Pembina Keluarga Berencana Desa dalam Mensosialisasikan Alat Kontrasepsi (Studi di Desa Kebonagung Kecamatan Sukodono Kabupaten Sidoarjo)
Authors: Setyowati Evi , Arsiyah Arsiyah , Balahmar Ahmad Riyadh Umar
Published: August 2018

The purpose of this study was to describe the role of Family Planning and Vice builder Family Planning Villages in disseminating contraceptives in the village of the District Kebonagung Sukodono and constraints faced in the field. This study uses data source in the form of primary data and secondary data, data collection techniques by observation, interview and documentation.  While  the data analysis techniques used in this research is descriptive analysis with qualitative approach that includes: data collection, data reduction, data presentation and conclusion. The results indicate of this study that the role of PLKB and PPKBD have been performing their duties and functions in  accordance with the rules, but there are some employees that the power of a response is slow, zoning does not fit the rules due to the small number of officers, and their dual position. So that the delivery of information to the public to experience problems. At least the officer due to their employees who retired due to age and system of recruitment moratorium and that no return.
PENGARUH KUALITAS PELAYANAN(SERVICE QUALITY) TERHADAP KEPUASAN NASABAH (CUSTOMER SATISFACTION) DI PT. BPRS MITRA MANDIRI SUKSES DI GRESIK
Authors: Subagiyo Rokhmat
Published: August 2018

Objectives of this research are: (1) to determine the variables of service quality (tangible, reliability, responsibility, assurance, and empathy) significantly simultaneously (together) on customer satisfaction at PT. BPRS Mitra Mandiri Success in Gresik; (2) determine the variables of service quality (tangible, reliability, responsibility, assurance, and empathy) significantly partially (in part) on customer satisfaction at PT. BPRS Mitra Mandiri Success in Gresik and (3) determine the variables of service quality (tangible, reliability, responsibility, assurance, and empathy) are the dominant influence on customer satisfaction at PT. BPRS Mitra Mandiri Success in Gresik.
Peramalan Produksi dengan Metode Regresi Linier Berganda
Authors: Sulistyono Sulistyono , Sulistiyowati Wiwik
Published: August 2018

Dengan banyaknya pembangunan gedung-gedung, merupakan peluang besar yang bagus untuk industri mesin pendingin. Untuk memenuhi terhadap permintaan mesin pendingin diperlukan peramalan yang tepat dalam pengambilan keputusan dalam proses produksi. Peramalan produksi merupakan bentuk pembuatan keputusan yang dijadikan sebagai landasan dibanyak industri manufaktur dan industri pelayanan.

Tujuan dilakukan penelitian ini adalah untuk meramalkan jumlah produksi sehingga dapat menentukan jumlah produksi mesin pendingin dalam 12 periode dimasa yang akan datang. Analisis regresi merupakan analisis yang bertujuan untuk menentukan model yang paling sesuai untuk pasangan data serta dapat digunakan untuk membuat model dan menyelidiki hubungan antara dua variabel atau lebih.

Hasil persamaan matematika regresi yang mempengaruhi jumlah produksi adalah variabel kerusakan mesin (KM) dan harga bahan baku (HBB) serta jumlah tenaga kerja (JTK) nilai konstanta 500.308 menyatakan bahwa jika tidak ada variabel kerusakan mesin, harga bahan baku dan jumlah tenaga kerja, maka jumlah produksi sebesar 500.300. Dengan mengasumsikan diabaikannya variabel independen lainnya, jika kedua variabel (X1_KM) bernilai positif sebesar 47.869 dan (X2_HBB) bernilai positif sebesar 7.2700000, maka jumlah produksi meningkat sebesar 1%, dan jika variable (X3_JTK) bernilai negatif -3.460, jumlah produksi mengalami penurunan 1%, sebesar 3.640.
Circulating Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Levels in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Mao Yan-Mei , Wang Song , Zhao Chan-Na , Wu Qian , Dan Yi-Lin , Guan Shi-Yang , LV Tian-Tian , Liu Li-Na , Wang Peng , Pan Hai-Feng
Published: August 2018

Background and Aims: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is closely related to the pathogenesis of
autoimmune diseases, especially Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). However, published works about the
circulating MMP-9 levels in SLE are contradictory. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate circulating MMP-
9 levels in SLE patients more accurately and explore its related influencing factors.

Methods:

The related literatures were systematically searched in PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library
database (up to 31 January 2018). Pooled Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) and 95% Confidence Interval
(CI) of circulating MMP-9 levels were calculated by Stata12.0 software according to fixed-effect or randomeffect
model analysis.

Results:

A total of 638 articles were retrieved, and 12 studies including 730 SLE cases and 759 controls were
finally included in the meta-analysis. No significant differences in circulating MMP-9 levels were observed between
SLE patients and healthy controls (pooled SMD = -0.209, 95% CI = -0.812 to 0.394). However, subgroup
analyses indicated that age<30 years group had higher MMP-9 levels (SMD = 0.991, 95% CI: 0.504 to 1.478) and
sample size (n ≥ 60) group had lower MMP-9 levels when compared with controls (SMD = -0.755, 95% CI: -
1.347 to -0.163).

Conclusion:

The meta-analysis of current evidence suggests that circulating MMP-9 levels do not differ between
SLE patients and healthy controls, however, the results may be affected by age and sample size. Further studies
are needed to clarify the relationship between SLE and circulating MMP-9 levels.
The Anticancer Effect of Sanguinarine: A Review
Authors: Fu Chenxing , Guan Guiping , Wang Hongbing
Published: August 2018

In vitro and in vivo studies have revealed that Sanguinarine has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory,
proapoptotic, and growth inhibitory effects on tumor cells of a variety of cancers. Previous research showed that
sanguinarine induced apoptosis (cell death) and/or antiproliferative while reducing tumor cell antiangiogenic and
anti-invasive properties. This paper describes various sanguinarine anti-cancer mechanisms, including inhibition
of erroneously-activated signal transduction pathways, apoptosis, and tumor cell proliferation inhibition.
Immunosuppression-lipid Metabolism Interplay and Medicinal Plants in Atherosclerosis: A Review
Authors: Moradi Fahimeh , Sewell Robert D.E , Lorigooini Zahra , Rafieian-Kopaei Mahmoud
Published: August 2018

Atherosclerosis is a chronic arterial disease responsible for the majority of vascular-related deaths
throughout the world. Immune cells and inflammation in conjunction with hyperlipidemia play a key role in atherosclerosis
development. Regarding the low efficacy of the synthetic drugs and also the associated negative side
effects which can adversely influence health-related quality of life, looking for natural, affordable and non-toxic
substances seem necessary. Plant-derived natural products play a critical role in the prevention and treatment of
atherosclerosis. In this review, we aimed to outline the most important medicinal herbs effective for atherosclerosis
through the impact on immune system.
Meta-analysis of Clinical Outcomes of Electrical Cardioversion and Catheter Ablation in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Diemberger Igor , Genovesi Simonetta , Massaro Giulia , Reggiani Maria Letizia Bacchi , Frisoni Jessica , Gorlato Giulia , Mauro Erminio , Padeletti Margherita , Vincenti Antonio , Boriani Giuseppe
Published: August 2018

Background:

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with adverse outcomes in presence of atrial
fibrillation (AF). However, the literature shows limited data on non-pharmacological management of AF in CKD
patients.

Aim:

summarizing the available data on outcomes associated with electrical cardioversion (ECV) and AF catheter
ablation (CA) in CKD patients.

Methods:

We searched MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and performed a metaanalysis.
The primary outcome was recurrence of AF. The secondary outcomes were occurrence of thromboembolic
events (TEs) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) modification.

Results:

Literature search yielded 26 eligible papers: 22 on CA and 4 concerning ECV. CKD patients presented
more AF recurrences 30 days after ECV (OR 2.62, 95%CI 1.28-5.34; p <0.001). Patients with eGFR<60-68
ml/min and on dialysis presented a higher incidence of AF recurrences after CA, median follow up 26.0 and 29.9
months (HR 1.75, 95%CI 1.46-2.09, p <0.001; and HR 1.69, 95%CI 1.22-2.33, p <0.001; respectively). Periprocedural
TEs were rare and not associated with CKD or dialysis. However, patients with CKD were at increased
risk for delayed TEs after CA (HR 2.61, 95%CI 1.04-6.54; p <0.001). No significant modification of
eGFR was associated with ECV or CA in the overall population.

Conclusion:

ECV and CA for sinus rhythm restoration/maintenance in AF patients, albeit theoretically promising,
seem to be associated with lower efficacy at medium to long-term in patients with CKD. Further studies are
needed to better define the role of ECV and CA in CKD.
Current Approaches to Engineering of NK Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Streltsova M.A. , Barsov E.V. , Erokhina S.A. , Sapozhnikov A.M. , Kovalenko E.I.
Published: August 2018

Natural Killer (NK) cells belong to a unique subtype of lymphocytes with a great potential for cancer
immunotherapy due to their ability to rapidly recognize and efficiently kill tumor cells. Their anti-cancer potential
can be further increased by genetic and non-genetic modifications. However, the attempts of genetic improvements
of NK cells over the past 20 years have been hampered by the difficulties of gene delivery into this cell
type, thus preventing researchers from producing clinically relevant numbers of viable and biologically active NK
cells. Currently, several successful approaches to genetic modification of NK cells have been described, and
clinically applicable cell therapy products have been characterized. Now that we understand much better the ways
of NK cell optimization to enhance their tumor regression-inducing capabilities, novel approaches to engineering
NK surface receptors are being developed. In this review, we focus on the advantages and perspectives of various
approaches to modification of NK cells. Positive results of several preclinical studies are described, demonstrating
that genetically modified NK cells can be comparable to therapeutic T cells in their efficiency of recognizing
and destroying tumor targets. Moreover, using allogenic NK cells to treat a number of cancer types might have
even wider and eager clinical adoption than cytotoxic T cells due to a much decreased risk of graft versus host
reaction inherent in NK cell-based immunotherapeutic products.
The Effect of Comprehensive Medical Care on the Long-Term Outcomes of Children Discharged from the NICU with Tracheostomy
Authors: De Jesus-Rojas Wilfredo , Mosquera Ricardo A. , Samuels Cheryl , Eapen Julie , Gonzales Traci , Harris Tomika , McKay Sandra , Boricha Fatima , Pedroza Claudia , Aneji Chiamaka , Khan Amir , Jon Cindy , McBeth Katrina , Stark James , Yadav Aravind , Tyson Jon E.
Published: August 2018

Background:

Survival of infants with complex care has led to a growing population of technology-dependent children. Medical technology introduces additional complexity to patient care. Outcomes after NICU discharge comparing Usual Care (UC) with Comprehensive Care (CC) remain elusive.

Objective:

To compare the outcomes of technology-dependent infants discharged from NICU with tracheostomy following UC versus CC.

Methods:

A single site retrospective study evaluated forty-three (N=43) technology-dependent infants discharged from NICU with tracheostomy over 5½ years (2011-2017). CC provided 24-hour accessible healthcare-providers using an enhanced medical home. Mortality, total hospital admissions, 30-days readmission rate, time-to-mechanical ventilation liberation, and time-to-decannulation were compared between groups.

Results:

CC group showed significantly lower mortality (3.4%) versus UC (35.7%), RR, 0.09 [95%CI, 0.12-0.75], P=0.025. CC reduced total hospital admissions to 78 per 100 child-years versus 162 for UC; RR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.25-0.93], P=0.03. The 30-day readmission rate was 21% compared to 36% in UC; RR, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.21-1.58], P=0.29). In competing-risk regression analysis (treating death as a competing-risk), hazard of having mechanical ventilation removal in CC was two times higher than UC; SHR, 2.19 [95% CI, 0.70-6.84]. There was no difference in time-to-decannulation between groups; SHR, 1.09 [95% CI, 0.37-3.15].

Conclusion:

CC significantly decreased mortality, total number of hospital admissions and length of time-to-mechanical ventilation liberation.
Goal Orientation in Lifesaving Athletes
Authors: Baena-Extremera A. , Abraldes JA. , Granero-Gallegos A. , Gómez-López M.
Published: August 2018

Background:

The aims of this papers are two: 1) To study goal orientation in Lifesaving practitioners and 2) to analyze the differences in goal orientation depending of variables? such as sex, age and sport specialty.

Method:

Participants were 136 specialists swimmers in Rescue and Lifesaving, from youth (from 15 to 16 years) to junior (from 17 to 18 years) category. The Perception of Success Questionnaire (POSQ) was used to ask the objective of this research; also an internal consistency analysis of the instrument and a descriptive analysis of all variables were performed. A t-test for independent samples was used to confirm differences between groups.

Result:

The significance level was set at p ≤ .05. In general, the results showed dispositional at task-orientation. Gender differences were found in pool and beach specialists but none between the age categories. The results show strong sport motivation that favours sport for pleasure minimizing demotivation and dropout.
Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), Risk of Drowning, and Water Safety Perceptions of Adult Caregivers/Parents
Authors: Moran Kevin , Webber Jonathon , Stanley Teresa
Published: August 2018

Background

While the circumstances surrounding drowning incidents in high income countries are well known, little is known about how members of the public perceive the risk of drowning and their role in drowning prevention.

Objective:

The purpose of the study was to analyze caregiver/parent perceptions of the risk of drowning in terms of risk (threat) appraisal processes and coping appraisal processes.

Method:

This study utilized Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to analyse parent’s perception of the risk of drowning as part of an evaluation of a water safety program. Participants (N= 174) completed a pre-intervention survey that sought information on their water competency, open water experience, previous instruction, and perceptions of drowning risk.

Results:

In terms of risk appraisal processes, more females, Asian peoples, and those with lower self-reported swimming and rescue competency perceived greater severity of drowning risk and greater vulnerability to that risk when swimming in open water. In terms of coping appraisal processes, males, non-Asian peoples and those with self-reported good swimming and rescue competencies were more likely to report confidence in the self-efficacy of their preventive actions.

Conclusion:

Considerable variations in risk (threat) appraisal and coping appraisal processes in respect of the risk of drowning were evident. The implications of the findings on water safety education are discussed. Ways of promoting water safety and drowning prevention are examined and recommendations for future research studies to address limitations of the study are made.
Hazardous Wastes and Waste Generation Factors Originating from Battery and Accumulator Manufacturing Sector in Turkey
Authors: Bayar Senem , Bektaş Nihal , Öncel Mehmet S. , Engin Güleda O. , Ç Yasemin , Çelebi Emin E.
Published: August 2018

Background:

Accurate and realistic data regarding hazardous waste generation is required to make improvements in the effective management of hazardous wastes. Battery and accumulator manufacturing industry is one of the priority industries which was investigated in this study under the project named “Hazardous Waste Management in Compliance with European Union Environmental Regulations in Turkey”. The project investigated a number of different industries for the development of an internet-based system named as “The Hazardous Waste Declaration System” in order to meet the requirements of Turkey for hazardous waste management.

Objective:

In this paper, hazardous waste generation factors were asserted by means of the type and quantity of the hazardous waste originated from the battery and accumulator manufacturing sectors.

Method:

For this purpose, field studies were conducted in an industrial plant operating in the sector, in order to determine all inputs and outputs of the current manufacturing process utilized. Concurrently, hazardous waste generation declarations made by the industries in the years 2009 and 2010 to the Hazardous Waste Declaration System were evaluated and a range of hazardous waste generation factors were created using the possible minimum and maximum quantities for each waste and the results were compared with the data given in the literature.

Results:

This paper presents the waste lists and the hazardous waste generation factors for the battery and accumulator manufacturing sectors.

Conclusion:

It is believed that the study will provide invaluable information for other battery and accumulator manufacturing industries from the point of types and quantities and the management of hazardous wastes generated.
Implementation of a Heart Failure Telemonitoring System in Home Care Nursing: Feasibility Study (Preprint)
Authors: Seto Emily , Morita Plinio Pelegrini , Tomkun Jonathan , Lee Theresa M , Ross Heather , Reid-Haughian Cheryl , Kaboff Andrew , Mulholland Deb , Cafazzo Joseph A
Published: August 2018

BACKGROUND

Telemonitoring (TM) of heart failure (HF) patients in a clinic setting has been shown to be effective if properly implemented, but little is known about the feasibility and impact of implementing TM through a home care nursing agency.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the feasibility of implementing a mobile phone–based TM system through a home care nursing agency and to explore the feasibility of conducting a future effectiveness trial.

METHODS

A feasibility study was conducted by recruiting, through community cardiologists and family physicians, 10 to 15 HF patients who would use the TM system for 4 months by taking daily measurements of weight and blood pressure and recording symptoms. Home care nurses responded to alerts generated by the TM system through either a phone call and/or a home visit. Patients and their clinicians were interviewed poststudy to determine their perceptions and experiences of using the TM system.

RESULTS

Only one community cardiologist was recruited who was willing to refer patients to this study, even after multiple attempts were made to recruit further physicians, including family physicians. The cardiologist referred only 6 patients over a 6-month period, and half of the patients dropped out of the study. The identified barriers to implementing the TM system in home care nursing were numerous and led to the small recruitment in patients and clinicians and large dropout rate. These barriers included challenges in nurses contacting patients and physicians, issues related to retention, and challenges related to integrating the TM system into a complex home care nursing workflow. However, some potential benefits of TM through a home care nursing agency were indicated, including improved patient education, providing nurses with a better understanding of the patient’s health status, and reductions in home visits.

CONCLUSIONS

Lessons learned included the need to incentivize physicians, to ensure streamlined processes for recruitment and communication, to target appropriate patient populations, and to create a core clinical group. Barriers encountered in this feasibility trial should be considered to determine their applicability when deploying innovations into different service delivery models.
An Interactive Web Portal for Tracking Oncology Patient Physical Activity and Symptoms: Prospective Cohort Study (Preprint)
Authors: Marthick Michael , Dhillon Haryana M , Alison Jennifer A , Cheema Bobby S , Shaw Tim
Published: August 2018

BACKGROUND

Physical activity levels typically decline during cancer treatment and often do not return to prediagnosis or minimum recommended levels. Interventions to promote physical activity are needed. Support through the use of digital health tools may be helpful in this situation.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of the research was to evaluate the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of an interactive Web portal developed to support patients with cancer to increase daily physical activity levels.

METHODS

A Web portal for supportive cancer care which was developed to act as a patient-clinician information and coaching tool focused on integrating wearable device data and remote symptom reporting. Patients currently receiving or who had completed intensive anticancer therapy were recruited to 3 cohorts. All cohorts were given access to the Web portal and an activity monitor over a 10-week period. Cohort 2 received additional summative messaging, and cohort 3 received personalized coaching messaging. Qualitative semistructured interviews were completed following the intervention. The primary outcome was feasibility of the use of the portal assessed as both the number of log-ins to the portal to record symptoms and the completion of post-program questionnaires.

RESULTS

Of the 49 people were recruited, 40 completed the intervention. Engagement increased with more health professional contact and was highest in cohort 3. The intervention was found to be acceptable by participants.

CONCLUSIONS

The portal was feasible for use by people with a history of cancer. Further research is needed to determine optimal coaching methods.
Detecting Hypoglycemia Incidents Reported in Patients’ Secure Messages: Using Cost-Sensitive Learning and Oversampling to Reduce Data Imbalance (Preprint)
Authors: Chen Jinying , Lalor John , Liu Weisong , Druhl Emily , Granillo Edgard , Vimalananda Varsha G , Yu Hong
Published: August 2018

BACKGROUND

Improper dosing of medications such as insulin can cause hypoglycemic episodes, which may lead to severe morbidity or even death. Although secure messaging was designed for exchanging nonurgent messages, patients sometimes report hypoglycemia events through secure messaging. Detecting these patient-reported adverse events may help alert clinical teams and enable early corrective actions to improve patient safety.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to develop a natural language processing system, called HypoDetect (Hypoglycemia Detector), to automatically identify hypoglycemia incidents reported in patients’ secure messages.

METHODS

An expert in public health annotated 3000 secure message threads between patients with diabetes and US Department of Veterans Affairs clinical teams as containing patient-reported hypoglycemia incidents or not. A physician independently annotated 100 threads randomly selected from this dataset to determine interannotator agreement. We used this dataset to develop and evaluate HypoDetect. HypoDetect incorporates 3 machine learning algorithms widely used for text classification: linear support vector machines, random forest, and logistic regression. We explored different learning features, including new knowledge-driven features. Because only 114 (3.80%) messages were annotated as positive, we investigated cost-sensitive learning and oversampling methods to mitigate the challenge of imbalanced data.

RESULTS

The interannotator agreement was Cohen kappa=.976. Using cross-validation, logistic regression with cost-sensitive learning achieved the best performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.954, sensitivity=0.693, specificity 0.974, F1 score=0.590). Cost-sensitive learning and the ensembled synthetic minority oversampling technique improved the sensitivity of the baseline systems substantially (by 0.123 to 0.728 absolute gains). Our results show that a variety of features contributed to the best performance of HypoDetect.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the challenge of data imbalance, HypoDetect achieved promising results for the task of detecting hypoglycemia incidents from secure messages. The system has a great potential to facilitate early detection and treatment of hypoglycemia.
A Digital Game and School-Based Intervention for Students in Hong Kong: Quasi-Experimental Design (Preprint)
Authors: Shum Angie KY , Lai Eliza SY , Leung Wing Gi , Cheng Mabel NS , Wong Ho Kit , So Sam WK , Law Yik Wa , Yip Paul SF
Published: August 2018

BACKGROUND

In Hong Kong, with an increasing number of children experiencing mental health issues, there is a need to not only develop innovative interventions but also develop comprehensive prevention interventions so as to reduce their anxiety symptoms and enhance their emotional management and interpersonal relationships.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of The Adventures of DoReMiFa, an integration model of the cognitive-behavioral approach and positive psychology by using digital game–based and school-based mental health enhancement intervention to magnify the social and emotional health and well-being of the school children in Hong Kong aged 9 to 11 years.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental design method was used to evaluate this digital game and school-based intervention. The Adventures of DoReMiFa was piloted in 4 primary schools where students were allocated to either an intervention or a control group. The participants were assessed at pre- and postintervention with a 6-month follow-up measuring their mental health knowledge, levels of anxiety symptoms, positive and negative thinking, perspective-taking, and self-esteem.

RESULTS

A total of 459 primary school students from 4 primary schools participated in the study. The response rate on the questionnaires answered on the Web was up to 85.1% (391/459). Compared with the control group, the intervention group was found to have significant association with improved mental health knowledge at the time immediately after the intervention (beta=.46; P=.01) and in the 6-month postintervention period (beta=.66; P<.001); for perspective-taking, the intervention group had exhibited a significant improvement 6 months after the completion of the universal program (beta=1.50; P=.03). The intervention, however, was found not to be effective in reducing the rates of anxiety symptoms and negative thinking among the participating students.

CONCLUSIONS

The Adventures of DoReMiFa, an integration of a digital game–based and school-based mental health enhancement intervention, was shown to be effective in elevating the knowledge of mental health and promoting perspective-taking in the primary school students of Hong Kong. Although there was insufficient evidence to support a reduction in symptoms of anxiety and negative automatic thoughts, the overall results were still encouraging in that a preventive effect was found, indicating that the program has the potential to enhance the mental well-being of schoolchildren. It also suggests that knowledge enhancement may not necessarily lead to behavior change, and more focused effort may be needed to achieve the translation. The implications and limitations of this study and suggestions for future research were also discussed.
Clinicians� Usage Paths of Mobile Electronic Medical Records Vary Across Specialties (Preprint)
Authors: Soh Ji Yeong Soh , Jung Sang-Hyuk , Cha Won Chul , Chang Dong Kyung , Kang Mira , Choi Jong Soo , Lee JeanHyoung , Jung Jaegon , Kim Kyunga
Published: August 2018

BACKGROUND

With the emergence of mobile devices, mobile electronic medical record (m-EMR) systems have been utilized by clinicians and improved efficiency at the point of care. Although several studies on m-EMR, including analyses on its effects and health providers’ usage frequency, were conducted, only few considered the specific workflows of clinicians based on their specialties in which work process differs greatly.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the differences in m-EMR usage paths across clinical specialties.

METHODS

We collected the log data of 974 clinicians, who worked from August 2016 to August 2017 and used the m-EMR system at Samsung Medical Center, one of the biggest hospitals in South Korea. The clinicians were classified into three groups based on their specialty: physicians, surgeons, and others. We used various descriptive and visualization methods to understand and compare clinicians’ usage paths of m-EMR. First, the average numbers of log-on per day and contents used per log-on were examined over different specialties and positions. Second, the number of contents used by each clinician was visualized via a heat map to provide an overview of m-EMR usage across content types and clinicians’ specialties. Third, we conducted a path analysis via Sankey diagram, to describe main usage paths, and association rule mining, to find frequent paths in m-EMR usage.

RESULTS

The physician group logged on most frequently, whereas the other group did least frequently. Especially, the number of log-ons per day of residents in the physician group was 4.4 times higher than that of staff members in the other groups. Heat map visualization showed a visible difference among specialty groups. The physician group used more consult-related contents, whereas the surgeon group, more surgery-related contents. Generally, 50% of the clinicians spent about 15 seconds at a time when using m-EMR. In the Sankey diagram, we observed that the physician group demonstrated more loops, reflecting repetitive checks on multiple patients. Their paths were also diverse with higher complexity compared with the other two groups. The most frequent path included inpatient summary, which means that most users stopped at the point of summary and did not proceed to view more details.

CONCLUSIONS

The usage paths of m-EMR showed considerable differences among specialty groups. Such differences can be accommodated into an m-EMR design to enhance the efficiency of care.

CLINICALTRIAL

Clinical Trials: SMC 2017-12-074
Health Care Professionals’ Social Media Behavior and the Underlying Factors of Social Media Adoption and Use: Quantitative Study (Preprint)
Authors: Hazzam Joe , Lahrech Abdelmounaim
Published: August 2018

BACKGROUND

In the last decade, social media has emerged as a newer platform for knowledge dissemination, information exchange, and interpersonal communication for health care professionals (HCPs). However, the underlying behaviors of HCPs and the ethical use of social media for productivity enhancement and a sustainable health care system remain ambiguous.

OBJECTIVE

This study seeks to understand the factors that relate to the frequency use of social media in the health care discipline. It also aims to explore the underlying online behaviors of HCPs, which include the exchange of medical information with peers, interpersonal communication, and productivity enhancement in their daily practice.

METHODS

This study adopted the quantitative method in collecting and analyzing data. A survey instrument based on the behavioral and technology acceptance theories was developed for this purpose. The survey was distributed via social media platforms to 973 participants that included physicians, pharmacists, and allied HCPs working in the United Arab Emirates. The responses from 203 completed questionnaires (response rate 20.3%) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of 203 respondents, 133 HCPs used WhatsApp (65.5%); therefore, WhatsApp had the highest number of users compared to Facebook and YouTube, with 101 users out of 203 (49.7%). Overall, 109 of 203 (53.6%) HCPs used social media platforms for the exchange of peer medical information and 108 of 203 (53.2%) used social media several times during the day to improve their interpersonal communication with colleagues. However, only 71 of 203 (34.9%) utilized social media to enhance their productivity in general. The structural model equation showed that behavioral intention (beta=.47; P<.001), habit (beta=.26; P=.001), attitude (beta=.20; P=.002), and perceived usefulness (beta=.12; P=.09) were positively and significantly related to frequency of use. The model explained a rate of 45% variance in the frequency of use and a rate of 17% variance in the social media intention of use.

CONCLUSIONS

The research highlights the significant factors that relate to the adoption of social media platforms in health care practice. Based on the findings of this study, the use of online platforms facilitates the exchange of medical information among peers and enhances the share of experiences that support HCP’s learning and development. Moreover, social media platforms foster a higher level of communication among practitioners and might improve daily productivity. Future researchers might explore other variables such as training and external factors. For instance, they may draw on areas related to guidelines and policies. From this standpoint, the health care discipline can benefit from highly interactive platforms and adopt them for development, collaboration, and better health outcomes.
A Cardiopulmonary Monitoring System for Patient Transport Within Hospitals Using Mobile Internet of Things Technology: Observational Validation Study (Preprint)
Authors: Lee Jang Ho , Park Yu Rang , Kweon Solbi , Kim Seulgi , Ji Wonjun , Choi Chang-Min
Published: August 2018

BACKGROUND

During intrahospital transport, adverse events are inevitable. Real-time monitoring can be helpful for preventing these events during intrahospital transport.

OBJECTIVE

We attempted to determine the viability of risk signal detection using wearable devices and mobile apps during intrahospital transport. An alarm was sent to clinicians in the event of oxygen saturation below 90%, heart rate above 140 or below 60 beats per minute (bpm), and network errors. We validated the reliability of the risk signal transmitted over the network.

METHODS

We used two wearable devices to monitor oxygen saturation and heart rate for 23 patients during intrahospital transport for diagnostic workup or rehabilitation. To determine the agreement between the devices, records collected every 4 seconds were matched and imputation was performed if no records were collected at the same time by both devices. We used intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) to evaluate the relationships between the two devices.

RESULTS

Data for 21 patients were delivered to the cloud over LTE, and data for two patients were delivered over Wi-Fi. Monitoring devices were used for 20 patients during intrahospital transport for diagnostic work up and for three patients during rehabilitation. Three patients using supplemental oxygen before the study were included. In our study, the ICC for the heart rate between the two devices was 0.940 (95% CI 0.939-0.942) and that of oxygen saturation was 0.719 (95% CI 0.711-0.727). Systemic error analyzed with Bland-Altman analysis was 0.428 for heart rate and –1.404 for oxygen saturation. During the study, 14 patients had 20 risk signals: nine signals for eight patients with less than 90% oxygen saturation, four for four patients with a heart rate of 60 bpm or less, and seven for five patients due to network error.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a system that notifies the health care provider of the risk level of a patient during transportation using a wearable device and a mobile app. Although there were some problems such as missing values and network errors, this paper is meaningful in that the previously mentioned risk detection system was validated with actual patients.
BORSA İSTANBUL İÇİN YAPILAN YARI-GÜÇLÜ FORMDA PİYASA ETKİNLİĞİ TESTİ ÇALIŞMALARI ÜZERİNE BİR LİTERATÜR İNCELEMESİ
Authors: BAŞ Ramazan
Published: August 2018

Amaç:
Bu çalışmada Borsa
İstanbul (BIST) Pay (Hisse Senedi) Piyasası için yarı-güçlü formda piyasa
etkinliği hipotezinin, olay çalışması metodolojisi (event study methodology)
kullanılmak suretiyle test edildiği bilimsel/akademik araştırmaların, literatür
incelemesinin yapılması amaçlanmaktadır. Yöntem:
Çalışmanın
yöntemsel temeli literatür araştırması yaklaşımına dayanmakta olup, araştırma
amacıyla örtüştüğü tespit edilen 2002-2017/9 dönem aralığına ait toplam 63
bilimsel/akademik araştırma çalışmanın örneklemini oluşturmaktadır. Bulgular:
Çalışmanın
bulguları: konu portföyünün çeşitliliği açısından görece bir zenginlik olmasına
karşın özellikle birleşme ve satın alma duyurularını konu edinen araştırma
sayısının görece fazla olduğuna; araştırmalardaki ağırlıklı yazım dilinin
Türkçe olduğuna; bazı çalışmalar için kümeleme problemi (clustering problem)
durumunun söz konusu olduğuna; kullanılan olay penceresi (event window) ve
tahmin penceresi (estimation window) uzunluklarının çalışmadan çalışmaya
değişkenlik gösterdiğine; normal (beklenen) getirilerin hesaplanmasında
ağırlıklı olarak piyasa modelinin (market model) tercih edildiğine; piyasa
portföyünü temsilen en çok kullanılan değişkenin BIST-100 endeksi olduğuna; kullanılan
hisse senedi ve borsa endeksi fiyat verilerinin Türk Lirası cinsinden ve günlük
frekanslı olduğuna; anormal getiriler ile kümülatif anormal getirilerin
istatistiksel anlamlılıklarının tespitinde ağırlıklı olarak parametrik
testlerin kullanıldığına, işaret etmektedir.    Sonuç:
Çalışmanın
sonuçları ilerleyen dönemlerde yapılacak olası araştırmalarda: yazım dili
olarak İngilizcenin tercih edilebileceğine; belirli konulara aşırı
yoğunlaşılması nedeniyle literatürün sığ kalması riskinin önlenebilmesi için
yeni konular üzerinde araştırmalar yapılması gerektiğine; piyasa portföyünü
temsilen BIST-100 endeksi haricinde başka endekslerin kullanılabileceğine; USD
cinsinden hisse senedi fiyatı ve borsa endeksi verilerinin kullanılabileceğine;
Türkiye literatüründe olay çalışması metodolojisi üzerine kuramsal ve yöntemsel
nitelikte bilimsel/akademik araştırmalar anlamında doldurulması gereken bir
boşluğun var olduğuna, işaret etmektedir.
HASTANE ÇALIŞANLARININ ÇALIŞMA YAŞAM KALİTESİ ALGISINA YÖNELİK BİR ARAŞTIRMA
Authors: DENİZ Serkan , ÇİMEN Mesut , ERKOÇ Beyza , YÜKSEL Onur , ÖKSÜZ Metin
Published: August 2018

Amaç: Bu çalışma
ile hastane çalışanlarının çalışma yaşam
kalitesi algı düzeyinin ve bu algı düzeyinin demografik özelliklere göre
farklılaşıp farklılaşmadığının ortaya konulması amaçlanmıştır.

Yöntem: Araştırma, Nisan
2018’de Yalova’da hizmet sunan özel bir hastanede ve bağlı kuruluşlarında
gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmada veri toplamak için anket yöntemi kullanılmıştır.
Çalışma yaşam kalitesine ilişkin katılımcıların algı düzeyini belirlemek
için,  Chinomona ve Dhurup’un (2014), Donaldson vd.’nin (1999)
çalışmasından uyarlamış oldukları ölçek kullanılmıştır. Araştırma kapsamında 229
adet anket formu
toplanmıştır.

Bulgular:
Araştırma ile
katılımcıların çalışma yaşam kalitesi algısının genel olarak olumlu olduğu
belirlenmiştir. Yine araştırma ile çalışma yaşam kalitesi algı düzeyinin
katılımcıların cinsiyetine, yaşına, eğitim durumuna, medeni durumuna ve
hastanedeki çalışma süresine göre istatistiksel olarak farklılık göstermediği;
ancak görevine göre farklılık gösterdiği belirlenmiştir.

Sonuç: Çalışma yaşam kalitesinin çalışanlar,
kurumlar, hastalar ve diğer paydaşlar açısından birçok konuya etki ettiği
düşünüldüğünde, çalışma yaşam kalitesi algı düzeyinin olumlu çıkması hastaneler
açısından istenilen bir durumdur. Bu durumun sürdürülebilir ve daha da iyi
olabilmesi için, hastane yönetimlerinin çalışma yaşam kalitesine
yönelik çalışmalar yapması ve gerekli hallerde iyileştirmeler yapması
önerilmektedir.
2 de julio de 2006. "Antes, durante y después"
Authors: Berumen Edmundo
Published: August 2018

Desde la óptica del autor se reseñan las facetas buenas y malas del proceso electoral presidencial del 2 de julio de 2006: la calidad del padrón electoral, la anticipación de lo “cerrada” que sería la elección, la más o menos equilibrada distribución de menciones noticiosas de radio y televisión para los tres principales contendientes, el sesgo de las notas “valoradas” contra la CPBT (“Coalición por el Bien de Todos”), los excesivos gastos en publicidad en la televisión nacional y las consecuencias que tendrá cuando finalmente determine el IFE si se rebasaron los topes permitidos; la incursión del IFE en los ejercicios de “estimación” del resultado versus su contratación a terceros, como en elecciones previas; el derecho y uso de los partidos de las instancias para impugnar resultados, y la no aceptación del resultado final de la elección presidencial por la CPBT.