bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dementia Risk Score for a Population in Southern Europe Calculated Using Competing Risk Models
Authors: Ibarrondo Oliver , Huerta José María , Amiano Pilar , Andreu-Reinón María Encarnación , Mokoroa Olatz , Ardanaz Eva , Larumbe Rosa , Colorado-Yohar Sandra M. , Navarro-Mateu Fernando , Chirlaque María Dolores , Mar Javier
Published: March 2022

Background: Dementia prevention can be addressed if the intervention is applied early. Objective: The objective of this study was to develop and validate competing risk models to predict the late risk of dementia based on variables assessed in middle age in a southern European population. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of the EPIC-Spain cohort that included 25,015 participants. Dementia cases were identified from electronic health records and validated by neurologists. Data were gathered on sociodemographic characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors. To stratify dementia risk, Fine and Gray competing risk prediction models were constructed for the entire sample and for over-55-year-olds. Risk scores were calculated for low (the 30% of the sample with the lowest risk), moderate (> 30% –60%), and high (> 60% –100%) risk. Results: The 755 cases of dementia identified represented a cumulative incidence of 3.1% throughout the study period. The AUC of the model for over-55-year-olds was much higher (80.8%) than the overall AUC (68.5%) in the first 15 years of follow-up and remained that way in the subsequent follow-up. The weight of the competing risk of death was greater than that of dementia and especially when the entire population was included. Conclusion: This study presents the first dementia risk score calculated in a southern European population in mid-life and followed up for 20 years. The score makes it feasible to achieve the early identification of individuals in a southern European population who could be targeted for the prevention of dementia based on the intensive control of risk factors.
Tau Pathologies Mediate the Association of Cigarette Smoking with Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults Without Dementia: The CABLE Study
Authors: Hu Hao , Fu Jun-Ting , Bi Yan-Lin , Ma Ya-Hui , Huang Yu-Yuan , Wang Xin , Tan Lan , Yu Jin-Tai
Published: March 2022

Background: Although cigarette smoking is an important modifiable factor of cognitive impairment, the roles of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) core pathologies in modulating this process have not been fully delineated. Objective: This study aimed to explore associations of cigarette smoking with cognition and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD biomarkers. Methods: A total of 1,079 non-demented participants were included from the Chinese Alzheimer’s Biomarker and LifestylE (CABLE) study. Associations of cigarette smoking with cognition and CSF AD biomarkers were explored by multiple linear regression models. The mediation analyses with 10,000 bootstrapped iterations were conducted to explore the mediation effects. Results: Heavy cigarette smokers (pack-years > 20) had poorer global cognition as well as higher levels of CSF p-tau and t-tau compared with the non-smokers (p < 0.01). Time-dose effect analysis among smokers also suggested that both cognitive impairment and tau pathologies markedly deteriorated with greater cumulative cigarette exposure, independently of the Aβ pathology (p < 0.01). In addition, smokers with older age or APOE ɛ4 showed more obvious influences on CSF tau pathologies but not on cognition. Overall, the influence of smoking on cognition was partially mediated by tau pathologies (estimated proportion: 12%), which still remained in late-life (10% ∼11%) and increased in APOE ɛ4 carriers (18% ∼24%). Encouragingly, long-term smoking cessation mitigated both cognitive impairment and tau pathologies (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Cigarette smoking was associated with both cognitive impairment and tau pathologies, which were accompanied by time-dose effects. Tau pathology might be a key mediator for influences of cigarette smoking on cognitive impairments.
Multiphysical field simulation of exchange current density effection on solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with methane mixture fuel
Authors: Wei Mingrui , Chen Yuyao , Wang Wenhui , Guo Guanlun
Published: March 2022

In order to understand the performance and internal parameter distribution of SOFC fueled by methane mixture in detail, the paper uses numerical simulation method to conduct three-dimensional multiphysics coupling simulation on a single-channel anode-supported planar SOFC. The uniqueness of the three-dimensional model is that it employs the anode exchange current density from the methane gas mixture and considers the electrochemical oxidation of carbon monoxide. The numerical model proposed in this work provides more accurate simulation results. The results show that compared with the model that uses the exchange current density equation from humidified hydrogen for simulation, the model that uses the exchange current density equation from methane mixture to simulate the performance curve is closer to the experimental value. When using methane gas mixture as fuel, the maximum temperature difference along the flow direction is 10 K and the maximum power density can reach 0.482 W/cm2. In the thickness direction of the SOFC, the current density is not much different at the inlet and outlet. Along the direction of flow, the current density decreases near the inlet and outlet. Reducing the rate of fuel flow or increasing gas inflow temperature can improve SOFC performance.
Creating complex mazes quickly: Solution path first
Authors: Turan Metin , Pekyürek Emircan
Published: March 2022

A maze is a structure of passageways interconnected in a complex way, so that it presents at least one path to reach the designated end starting from a predefined location. A new approach is proposed in this algorithm. First of all a solution path is carved on the opposite edges of the board in order to meet maze definition. Later, walls are built up on the even lines (or odd lines) and some parts of these lines randomly break off. Finally passages are constructed randomly between broken even lines. This technique opens new era to produce different versions of it for maze construction. The algorithm is applied to a 100 × 100 board and evaluation compared with the well-known maze algorithms. Its prominent features are being more speedy (3.5 second) to construct and more complicated (10.32% dead ends) to solve.
Research on water quality prediction model based on echo state network
Authors: Kang Yan , Song Jinling , Li Keqiang , Zhai Xiao’ang , Li Yuanfu
Published: March 2022

Using artificial neural network (ANN) to solve the problem of time series water quality prediction has become increasingly mature. In this paper, through the study of leaky-integral echo state neural network (Leaky ESN), combined with the historical water quality data of Dongzhen Reservoir in Fujian Province, a single-day water quality prediction model was constructed, and the Bayesian optimization algorithm was used to realize the automatic optimization of hyper-parameters in the network. On this basis, multi-day prediction models were constructed by further improving the network, which used the historical water quality data of the previous 7 days to predict the water quality of the next 3 days, 5 days and 7 days. Then the prediction models were applied to the water quality prediction of the study. The experimental results show that the single-day prediction model with Bayesian optimization has high accuracy. The multi-day prediction models can also achieve good prediction effect, and have more practical application value. They are more suitable for early warning of water quality.
3D registration based on V-SLAM and application in augmented reality
Authors: Fu Haohai , Yang Huamin , Chen Chunyi , Zhang Hua
Published: March 2022

Augmented reality is currently a research hotspot in the field of computer vision and computer graphics, and its applications are becoming more and more extensive. One of its key technologies is the three-dimensional registration of virtual objects. Three-dimensional registration requires accurate camera pose estimation and scene three-dimensional reconstruction. Therefore, this paper studies the 3D registration based on visual SLAM, and mainly contributes the following three aspects. (1) A dense matching method based on a depth camera is proposed, which can be well applied to scenes where the camera moves fast or rotates strongly, such as augmented reality. (2) A dense reconstruction method based on Voxel Hashing is designed, which alleviates the low computational efficiency and low precision of the existing RGB-D SLAM method. (3) A simple augmented reality system was designed to verify the effects of the registration and fusion of virtual objects. Experiments show that compared with the state-of-the-art methods, the algorithm proposed in this paper generates a more refined and smooth reconstructed model, and the virtual-real fusion effect based on this model is also more realistic.
The decision making method of financial institutions in industrial cluster upgrading based on interval-valued intuitionistic trapezoidal fuzzy number game matrix
Authors: Xiao Hanjie , Bao Shuyan , Li Xia , Tang Honglei , Wu Guosong , Zhou Jianhua
Published: March 2022

The decision problem of financial institutions supporting the upgrading of industrial clusters is ambiguous, and it is difficult to satisfy the basic feature of uncertainty by the payment function constructed by precise values. To cope with the fuzziness and uncertainty of game matrix, this paper firstly proposes a basic theory of interval-valued intuitionistic trapezoidal fuzzy number (IITFN) based on score function and accuracy function to construct an IITFN fuzzy matrix game (FMG) model. Next, expected utility theory is used to offer the acquisition of mixed strategy optimal solution of IITFN-FMG. Finally, it is applied to analyze the conditions and strategies of financial institutions to support the upgrading of industrial clusters. The main innovations of this paper are: The introduction of interval-valued intuitionistic trapezoidal fuzzy number to characterize the fuzzy features in the decision-making process of financial institutions and cluster enterprises, the proposed construction of a game matrix based on IITFN, and the corresponding solution method to obtain the conditions and strategies for financial institutions to support the upgrading of industrial clusters, and the proposed method and countermeasures to break the “prisoner’s dilemma” in the cooperation between financial institutions and cluster enterprises.
Catalyzed LM-G-filter spaces
Authors: Jose Merin , Mathew Sunil C.
Published: March 2022

In this paper, the authors introduce catalyzed LM-G-filter spaces, a special case of weakly inspired LM-G-filter spaces and identify certain properties of these spaces. It is proved that CLM-G, the category of catalyzed LM-G-filter spaces, is isomorphic to ILM-G, the category of inspired LM-G-filter spaces. Moreover, the categorical connection between WILM-G, the category of weakly inspired LM-G-filter spaces, and CLM-G is investigated through interior and exterior catalyzation of weakly inspired LM-G-filter spaces. It is proved that CLM-G is an isomorphism-closed, bireflective and bicoreflective full subcategory of WILM-G and LM-G.
The relationship between forward head posture and neck pain disability in chronic whiplash-associated disorders
Authors: Svensdotter Helene , Danielsson Louise , Seferiadis Aris
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between forward head posture (FHP) and neck pain disability in patients with chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD). METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis based on data from a randomized controlled study. The study involved patients with chronic WAD reporting their disability using the Neck Disability Index (NDI). FHP was measured with a goniometer. Analyses of correlations and logistic regressions were performed controlling for age, gender, duration of symptoms, WAD-grade (the Quebec Task Force on Whiplash-Associated Disorders classification), bodily pain (the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and kinesiophobia, an irrational fear of physical movement and activity (the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-SV). RESULTS: The inclusion criteria was fulfilled by 113 patients (81 women, 32 men). Mean age 48.1 years. Mean duration of symptoms 9.7 years. There was no significant correlation between FHP and neck pain disability (rs = 0.004, p = 0.968). A logistic regression analysis showed no significance for FHP neither with (p = 0.418) nor without (p = 0.991) control for age, gender, duration of symptoms, WAD-grade, kinesiophobia and bodily pain. In the multiple model kinesiophobia (p = 0.013) and bodily pain (p = < 0.001) were the only significant predictors. Kinesiophobia was also significantly correlated with both neck pain disability (rs = 0.467, p < 0.001) and FHP (rs = 0.202, p = 0.047), thus being a confounder to the possible correlation between these variables. CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant correlation between neck pain disability and FHP for patients with chronic WAD. Results suggest that physiotherapists should increase their focus on kinesiophobia, since it is associated with both FHP and neck pain disability.
Reliability, minimum detectable change, and minimum clinically important difference of the balance subtest of the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency-second edition in children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Kim Seong Gil , Kim Do Hyun
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the internal consistency, inter-rater, and test-retest reliability of the balance subtest of the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency-second edition (BOT-2) and to estimate the minimum detectable change (MDC) and minimum clinically important difference (MCID) of the balance subtest of the BOT-2 in children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: In total, 20 children with CP participated in the present study. Internal consistency, test-retest, and inter-rater reliability were computed to establish reliability of the balance subtest of the BOT-2. The MDC95 was estimated from the standard error of measurement (SEM) to determine a real change for an individual child with CP. The anchor- and distribution-based MCID were calculated to determine the smallest change that might be important to clinicians. For concurrent validity, the correlation between the balance subtest of the BOT-2 and the pediatric balance scale (PBS) were calculated using Spearman’s correlation. RESULTS: Internal consistency was good (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient = 0.89). The BOT-2 had excellent test-retest (ICC = 0.99, p < 0.001) and inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.99, p < 0.001). The balance subtest of the BOT-2 had an SEM of 0.70, MDC95 of 9.61, and MCIDs of 2.54 (anchor-based) and 1.38 (distribution-based). Additionally, there was a moderate positive correlation between the balance subtest of the BOT-2 and the PBS (Spearman’s rho = 0.629, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Our experimental results indicate that the balance subtest of the BOT-2 had good internal consistency, along with excellent test-retest and inter-rater reliability. The change in scores of an individual child with CP should attain 9.61 points on the balance subtest of the BOT-2 to indicate a clinically important change. The MDC95 and MCID values could be helpful in understanding therapeutic effects and evaluating balancing ability using the balance subtest of the BOT-2 in children with CP.
Caregiver perceptions of an early mobility and communication protocol in the pediatric ICU
Authors: Tandon Rohini S. , Minchin Kaitlyn J. , Betters Kristina Ann
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE: Early mobility (EM) and patient communication have known benefits for critically ill patients, but perceived barriers exist, notably related to family and caregiver concerns. Caregiver perceptions of an EM and communication therapy protocol in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) were assessed. METHODS: Caregivers of PICU patients at a free-standing academic children’s hospital completed a survey using a Likert-type agreement scale on their perceptions surrounding the safety of EM, benefits of EM and communication, and barriers to EM and communication services. RESULTS: Forty caregivers completed the survey. Most agreed or strongly agreed that EM helped their child get stronger (76%), improved their child’s mood (57%), helped them to be involved in their child’s care (86%), and improved their child’s overall experience (78%). Most disagreed with statements relating to EM causing fear or pain (57%). Caregivers agreed that communication therapy improved overall ICU experience (75%). Free-text comments emphasized meaningful relationships with rehabilitation and unit staff. CONCLUSION: Caregivers perceived EM and communication interventions as enriching to their child’s ICU experience and the majority did not perceive that EM caused fear or pain.
Access to employment and the labor market among women living homeless in Madrid, Spain
Authors: Vázquez José Juan , Cabrera Adrian , Panadero Sonia
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: People living homeless represent one of the most extreme embodiments of the phenomena of poverty and social exclusion, and women are a particularly vulnerable group among people living homeless. METHODS: Various factors in a sample of women living homeless in Madrid, Spain (n = 136) have been analyzed for relationships to connections to the employment and labor market. Information was collected using a structured interview. RESULTS: Results show the considerable difficulties women living homeless have in accessing the employment and labor market, despite largely having worked throughout their lives, mainly in unstable jobs, in the informal sector or in related marginal activities. In general, women living homeless tended to attribute their difficulties in accessing the labor market to personal characteristics, dispositional factors, or situational factors beyond their control. A large number of interviewees wanted to work, although few of them did so. Interviewees who reported that they were seeking employment were primarily younger women, in better health, who had been unemployed for a short time, had spent less time homeless, and were of foreign origin.
Expert perspective on health and safety determinants in wineries
Authors: Anaya-Aguilar Carmen , Suárez-Cebador Manuel , Rubio-Romero Juan Carlos , Anaya-Aguilar Rosa
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: The scientific literature contextualizes health and safety (H&S) in two major models, the first is based on a holistic perspective with H&S processes in all company departments, and the second approaches health and safety management from a more operational perspective. In this study, we examine the issue of health and safety in wineries. In 2017, a census showed that wineries account for 14% of the food and beverage industry in Spain. They provide direct employment for 24,051 people and involve complex winemaking processes that can cause accidents or occupational diseases. Wineries are part of the industrial sector, which, with 5,264 lost-time accidents per 100,000 workers in 2017, ranks second in the number of occupational accidents in Spain. This shows the need to determine the changes needed to improve health and safety in wineries. METHODS: In this study, we identify H&S determinants in wineries using Delphi methodology with a panel of 11 experts. CONCLUSION: The experts gave high scores to the “activities” dimension, and others such as “control of personal and collective protective equipment” and “training”, together with “accident investigation“, “coordinated health and safety measures” and “signage” are associated with operational health and safety determinants, namely, capitalizing on knowledge gained in situ and promoting organizational learning.
Quality of life and experience with the national multiple sclerosis society strategic plan priorities for people with multiple sclerosis: Findings from a path analysis
Authors: Li Jian , Bishop Malachy , Fraser Robert , Rumrill Phillip D. , LaRocca Nicholas , Burns Maura , Lee Deborah , Bhattarai Muna
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) strives to ensure that people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) can live their best lives. This mission is reflected in the Society’s strategic plan, which establishes the roadmap for the Society’s continued commitment to a world free of MS. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to add to the understanding of both the scope and complexity of the impact of MS and MS-related supports on quality of life (QOL). METHODS: A national sample of people with MS (n = 748) participated in the study by completing validated surveys assessing their QOL, physical and mental health, MS self-efficacy, resilience, participation in NMSS, perceived stress, emotional support, and social roles and activities. A path model was used to examine how the frequently identified MS QOL predictors, including demographic, MS, psychosocial, and physical functional status variables relate to each other and to QOL. RESULTS: The model exhibited reasonable model fit with hypothesized paths being statistically significant and in the hypothesized direction. CONCLUSION: Findings revealed that the relationships among mental health, demographic factors, overall MS experiences, QOL, NMSS participation, and resonance with the mission of the NMSS are complex, highly nuanced, and yet strongly correlated. More importantly, the study highlights the strong influence of variables that are more readily amenable to change through programmatic and clinical intervention, and active self-management and participation.
Intervention needs among hotel employees and managers
Authors: Rosemberg Marie-Anne S. , Granner Josephine R. , Li Wei V. , Adams Mackenzie , Militzer Maria A.
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: Hotel room cleaners are disproportionately exposed to hazards that increase risk for poor health outcomes. Interventions are needed to improve the health of these workers. Yet we know little about the expressed needs of hotel room cleaners nor do we know about managers’ perspectives on how to best optimize employee health. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop an understanding of perceived intervention needs among hotel room cleaners and to assess managers’ views on the acceptability of the proposed interventions. METHODS: We used a community-based approach to recruit study participants. We conducted five focus groups among hotel room cleaners and individual interviews with hotel managers. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: The workers expressed needs centered on pay, workload, appreciation, ergonomics, chemical and biological hazards, nutrition, smoking cessation, exercise, mental health and stress management. In addition to echoing the workers’ expressed needs, managers emphasized employee retention and financial literacy. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first paper to include both workers’ and managers’ accounts on intervention approaches that will optimize health and wellbeing. This paper offers a guide for future program development among hospitality workers. Effective interventions need to be integrated, encompassing the individual, intrapersonal, organizational, and policy levels.
Anxiety and dyslipidemia among primary health care professionals: A Cross-sectional study
Authors: Barbosa Caroline da Silva , das Merces Magno Conceição , Costa Santana Amália Ivine , de Souza e Silva Douglas , Pimentel Rodrigo Fernandes Weyll , Coelho Julita Maria Freitas , e Almeida Alex Almeida , Damasceno Kairo Silvestre Meneses , Rossi Thais Regis Aranha , D’Oliveira Júnior Argemiro
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: Cross-sectional studies point out important evidence between anxiety and dyslipdemic disorders in health workers. OBJECTIVE: Our main objective was to estimate the association between anxiety and dyslipidemia in Primary Health Care (PHC) nursing professionals in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. METHODS: A confirmatory cross-sectional study involving 376 PHC nursing professionals. Data collection occurred through the application of a questionnaire containing sociodemographic, labor and lifestyle issues, and the Beck Inventory for anxiety; to evaluate the lipid profile, the HDL-c, LDL-c, and triglycerides markers were evaluated. Descriptive, bivariate analysis and Logistic Regression were performed. RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of moderate/severe anxiety corresponded to 26.1% and dyslipidemia was 54.8%, with a statistically significant association between both of variables stratified by physical activity (PR = 2.69; 95% CI = 1.87–3.85) and (PR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.53–2.28). CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive association between anxiety and dyslipidemia in Primary Health Care nursing professionals.
The effect of the fatalistic perception on the perceptions of occupational health and safety practices: The case of a hospital
Authors: Akbolat Mahmut , Durmuş Ayhan , Ünal Özgün , Çakoğlu Seda
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: Many factors threaten occupational health and safety, such as technology and production systems used by businesses as well as employee qualifications. This research addresses the issue of how these factors have become a threat to occupational health and safety. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine whether healthcare professionals’ fatalistic perceptions affect their perceptions of occupational health and safety practices. METHOD: The population of the study consists of 538 nurses and other auxiliary healthcare professionals working in a private hospital in Istanbul. The study initially intended to reach the whole population without establishing a sample, but 221 (41.1%) employees were reached due to reasons such as the shift system, employees’ unwillingness to participate, and personnel on leave. The study employed a survey form consisting of three parts as data collection tool. The first part of the survey includes demographic information, the second part is a Fatalism Scale and the last part is the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Practices Scale. Descriptive statistical analyses and SEM analysis were used for data analysis. The analyses were performed within the 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: A negative relationship was found between fatalism and occupational health and safety practices. In addition, employees’ fatalistic perceptions negatively affect their occupational health and safety practices. CONCLUSION: Fatalistic perception plays an important role in occupational health and safety practices. For this reason, employees can be shown through trainings that occupational accidents are not fate and can be prevented by certain measures they can take.
Wrist pressure and angulation during keyboarding: Comparison between two common wrist supports
Authors: Short Nathan , Almonroeder Thomas , Baumle Madeline , Benvenuti Katelyn , Bozett Natalie , John Olivia , Lovasko Mollie , Rinaldi Emily
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: Wrist pressure and angulation while working at a computer workstation have been associated with cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) like carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). OBJECTIVE: This quantitative, comparative study analyzed wrist pressure and angulation between two common wrist supports while typing at a standardized computer workstation. METHODS: A convenience sample of healthy young adults completed a five-minute typing task at a standardized workstation with no wrist support, with the ErgoBeads™ wrist support, and with an Elzo™ (memory foam) wrist support. Pressure mapping (Tekscan™)) and goniometry were used as quantitative measures to examine wrist pressure and wrist angulation during the typing task; descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to compare wrist angulation and wrist pressure between two supports. RESULTS: For the sample (n = 54), both wrist supports demonstrated a significant (p < 0.001) reduction in wrist extension as well as pressure compared to typing at the workstation with no support. There was no statistically significant difference in peak or mean pressure between the ErgoBeads™ and Elzo™ wrist supports (p = 0.99). Significant difference was identified ((p < 0.001) for wrist angle as participants exhibited less wrist extension using the ErgoBeads™ ( x ¯ = 12 . 56 ∘ ; SD = 3.32°) support as compared to the Elzo™ ( x ¯ = 19 . 25 ∘ ; SD = 3.77°) support. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the ErgoBeads™ and Elzo™ memory foam wrist supports are effective for reducing pressure between the wrist and work surface while the ErgoBeads™ support may promote a more neutral angle of the wrist while typing.
Application of the rapid upper limb assessment tool to assess the level of ergonomic risk among health care professionals: A systematic review
Authors: Kakaraparthi Venkata Nagaraj , Vishwanathan Karthik , Gadhavi Bhavana , Reddy Ravi Shankar , Tedla Jaya Shanker , Samuel Paul Silvian , Dixit Snehil , Alshahrani Mastour Saeed , Gannamaneni Vamsi Krishna
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and ergonomic risk factors are widespread problems in the healthcare sector. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this review is to evaluate the application of the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) tool in various healthcare professionals and to assess the level of ergonomic risk among them. METHODS: The databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS, SCIELO, DOAJ, PubMed, and PEDro were searched with terms associated with ergonomics, assessment, health care providers, risk factors, workplace, and RULA. We reviewed the literature from 2000 to 2020, including studies assessing RULA’s effectiveness for evaluating the WMSD’s and ergonomic risk in health care practitioners. We excluded the studies which were not open access and freely available. RESULTS: Overall, 757 records were screened; of these 40 potential studies, 13 different healthcare professionals were identified as eligible for inclusion. In most studies, the RULA tool was established as an effective tool in application and evaluating the level of the ergonomic risk among them. CONCLUSIONS: The RULA tool assessed the high ergonomic risk levels in dental professionals and low ergonomic risk levels in professionals working in the pharmacy department, clearly suggesting potential changes in work postures were necessary to prevent or reduce these risk factors.
Physiological recovery among workers in long-distance sleddog races: A case study on female veterinarians in Finnmarksløpet
Authors: Rossi Alessio , Calogiuri Giovanna , Maffi Sergio , Pedreschi Dino , Clifton David A. , Morelli Davide
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: During Finnmarksløpet (FL, one of the longest distance sleddog races in the world), veterinarians are exposed to extreme environmental conditions and tight working schedules, with little and fragmented sleep. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this case study was to examine cardiovascular parameters and sleep-wake patterns among veterinarians working within FL, during and after (for a month) the end of the race. METHODS: Six female veterinarians volunteered for the study. The participants wore a wrist device for a total of eight weeks in order to passively and semi-continuously record physiological responses throughout the day (i.e., heart rate, heart rate variability, number of steps, and sleep quality). Moreover, perceived sleep quality was assessed by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at three time-points. RESULTS: During and for one month after completion of the FL, most veterinarians presented an alteration of cardiovascular parameters and sleep quality. The heart rate circadian rhythm returned to pre-race values within about two weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The long-lasting alteration of the veterinarians’ cardiovascular parameters and sleep-wake patterns might have negative consequences for their health in the long-term, especially if similar experiences are repeated more times though the course of a year or season. More research is needed in order to understand the health risks, as well as how to prevent them, among veterinarians in long-distance sleddog races or other similar events.
Occupational accidents in native and planted forests in Brazil: 2007–2018
Authors: Lima Killian S. , Meira Castro Ana C. , Torres Costa J. , Baptista J. Santos
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: Despite constant technological evolution, the forestry sector is still characterised as one with the highest risk of occupational accidents. There is no doubt that accidents penalise workers considerably, as well as the companies, insurers, and, consequently, the society, to which many of the costs are externalised, namely in cases where the worker is incapacitated and unable to work. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work is to analyse data on occupational accidents in forestry operations in Brazil between 2007 and 2018 in both native and planted forests. METHODS: Data were made available by the Brazilian Statistical Directory of Accidents at Work. RESULTS: The results show that, although most accidents occurred in planted forests, mortality was higher in native forests. It was also found that, overall, the rate of serious accidents resulting in an incapacity to work and, consequently, sick leave is considerably high. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight that integrating an occupational safety system into a forest management system is crucial for reducing work-related accidents in both native and planted forests. However, the success of this measure will only be effective if it is accompanied by a review of both the Brazilian labour policy and the Brazilian occupational safety management policy, to ensure compliance with legislation, mainly on the part of outsourced companies.
Kinesiotape effectiveness in mechanical low back pain: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Llamas-Ramos Inés , Cortés-Rodríguez María , Llamas-Ramos Rocío
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is the most common musculoskeletal disorder work-related health problem in Europe, affecting millions of workers. It is estimated that 60–80% of the population will suffer at least one episode of mechanical LBP during their life. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the kinesiotape (KT) effectiveness in mechanical LBP. METHODS: This was a double blinded, randomized-controlled clinical trial. Twenty-eight nursing and cleaning auxiliaries from Salamanca received a manual therapy program and a bandage of KT or false kinesiotape (FKT). They received two sessions a week for three weeks and a follow-up one month after the last session. Pain, range of motion and function were measured at baseline, at the end of each session and a month after the last session. RESULTS: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and LBP are responsible for a high prevalence of sick-leave and absenteeism. Manual therapy and KT has demonstrated to reduce pain and to increase range of motion and function being effective in this population. There are statistically significant results in both groups in all measurements for all variables. KT seems to be superior, however, both have a positive effect on LBP. Although benefits decrease, long-term treatments focusing on pain alleviation and functional recovery is needed to maintain the benefits achieved. CONCLUSION: KT was an effective complement for this treatment. Although both show improvements, KT is recommended. Future studies are needed to demonstrate KT properties, to establish a treatment protocol to prevent chronic LBP and to avoid sick leave and absenteeism.
Determining the musculoskeletal problems of academicians who transitioned to distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Yorulmaz Deniz S. , Karadeniz Havva , Duran Seçil , Çelik İsa
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders are a significant public health issue that negatively affects individuals and society both socially and economically, and increases the cost of care and cure. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the musculoskeletal problems and risk factors of academicians who transitioned to provide distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The population of this descriptive cross-sectional study included academicians who worked in two public universities in Turkey. Ethical committee approval and institutional permissions were obtained between 1 and 28 February 2021. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Work Environment Evaluation Questionnaire, and the Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity Assessment Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the number, percentage, independent group t-test, ANOVA test, and linear regression analysis (forward method). The analysis was interpreted at the 95% confidence level and 0.05 error margin. RESULTS: Of the academicians, 78% were women, 54.6% were married, 80.6% did not regularly exercise, and 73.5% had more workload during the distance education period. Academicians mostly experienced discomfort about their eyes, necks, and waists, and an increase at a significant level was detected in their musculoskeletal system problems during the distance education period. Increasing workload, duration of mobile phone use, active time, having an ergonomic chair, and gender predicted the musculoskeletal system pain intensity by 20%. CONCLUSION: Musculoskeletal system problems are a significant public health issue. Academicians should be informed and consulted for the protection of musculoskeletal system health during the distance education period.
A generalized simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (GSART) for dual-energy X-ray computed tomography
Authors: Lee Donghyeon , Yun Sungho , Soh Jeongtae , Lim Sunho , Kim Hyoyi , Cho Seungryong
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is a widely used and actively researched imaging modality that can estimate the physical properties of an object more accurately than single-energy CT (SECT). Recently, iterative reconstruction methods called one-step methods have received attention among various approaches since they can resolve the intermingled limitations of the conventional methods. However, the one-step methods typically have expensive computational costs, and their material decomposition performance is largely affected by the accuracy in the spectral coefficients estimation. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aim to develop an efficient one-step algorithm that can effectively decompose into the basis material maps and is less sensitive to the accuracy of the spectral coefficients. METHODS: By use of a new loss function that employs the non-linear forward model and the weighted squared errors, we propose a one-step reconstruction algorithm named generalized simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (GSART). The proposed algorithm was compared with the image-domain material decomposition and other existing one-step reconstruction algorithm. RESULTS: In both simulation and experimental studies, we demonstrated that the proposed algorithm effectively reduced the beam-hardening artifacts thereby increasing the accuracy in the material decomposition. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed one-step reconstruction for material decomposition in dual-energy CT outperformed the image-domain approach and the existing one-step algorithm. We believe that the proposed method is a practically very useful addition to the material-selective image reconstruction field.
Effects of Foliar Application of Gibberellic -Acid3 on the Growth and Yield of Canola (Brassica napus L.) Genotypes
Authors: Buriro Kashif Ali , Soomro Nighat Seema , Siddiqui Muhammad Aquil , Chang Muhammad Saleem , Sootaher Jay Kumar , Nangraj Ghulam Mustafa , Siyal Ayaz Latif , Wadho Mohsin , Buriro Khalid Hussain , Majeedano Nisar Ahmed
Published: March 2022

Plant growth regulators play a central part in plant life. Plant hormones help to manage the equilibrium of phytohormones. Gibberellic acid, which is well known as a plant growth promoting hormone, is involved in a variety of activities related to plant growth and development. An experiment was performed at the Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Tandojam with four promising canola genotypes in order to determine the impact of GA3 foliar application on canola growth and output during the rabi season in 2017-2018. The results showed that growth regulators levels significantly influenced the growth and yield of canola crops. It was observed that earlier days to maturity (108.39) was recorded in genotype R00-100/6, while maximum plant height (162.75), branches per plant (10.33), siliquae per plant (362.24), siliqua length (7.39 cm), seeds per siliqua (21.49), seed index (4.50 g) and seed yield (1443.08 kg ha-1) were observed with the application of GA3 5g ha-1 in SURHRAN-2012, followed by the application of GA3 6 g ha-1 genotype R00-125/12 and Rainbow (P). The results suggested that the variety SURHRAN-2012 x GA35 g ha-1 (foliar application) is comprised a suitable combination for obtaining maximum yield. Such application of GA3 is very advantageous in the field of plant development.
A Systematic Review of the Literature on the Toxicity Caused by Diapers and Pads
Authors: Mustafa Saima Naz , Chatha Ahmad Manan Mustafa , Bhat Rayees , Javad Shumaila , Sattar Sana Abdul , Shahid Fareeha , Samrah Mahnoor , Abiha Umme , Shakeel Rubina , Iqbal Saba , Nawaz Amna
Published: March 2022

If the chemicals produced by organism due to metabolic activities is harmful to other organisms, then it is considered toxic and is generally known as a toxin. According to previously published studies, diapers and sanitary pads are a hotbed for chemical substances as well as toxins. For this reason, it is important to raise awareness about the negative impact of using hygiene products. This study determined that these products have lethal disease promoter components/harmful chemical substances and irritants, such as superabsorbents, leak-proof absorbents, and fragrances to enhance the quality of the product. It also overviewed the health issues, caused by careless use of diapers and pads, such as respiratory tract infections (RTIs), urinary tract infections (UTIs), infertility, testicular cancer, and chronic rash. The use of these products also results in environmental degradation due to the improper disposal and handling as well as the non-decomposable nature of the products. They are also known to release dangerous chemicals such as phthalates and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). Hence, reusable cloth diapers and pads are the best options amongst feasible alternatives, since they have no harmful chemical or plastic materials. It is recommended that diapers and pads that are prepared from bamboo fibre, banana fibre, water hyacinth, or sea sponges should be promoted and commercialized since they are biodegradable.
Gesellschaftliche Arbeit und soziale Demokratie
Authors: Hürtgen Stefanie
Published: March 2022

Ich diskutiere alltagspolitische Interventionen von Arbeiter*innen zu ihrer »Systemrelevanz« in demokratietheoretischer Perspektive. Die These lautet, dass ein fundamentaler Zusammenhang von sozialer Demokratie und gesellschaftlichem Charakter von (Lohn-)Arbeit wirksam ist, der dringend mehr Beachtung benötigt. Nach einer empirischen Illustration argumentiere ich entlang von drei theoretischen Schneisen: mit Blick auf einen gesellschaftlichen Begriff von Lohnarbeit und Arbeiter*innen, zum Verhältnis von Arbeit und Demokratie und zur Aktualisierung und Erweiterung des gesellschaftlichen Arbeitsbegriffs als sozialökologisch fürsorgliche Praxis. Abschließend wird die diskurspolitische Verwandlung von Arbeiter*innen in »Helden« als Angriff auf soziale Demokratie skizziert.
Study of the Turkic-speaking population in the south of Western Siberia by employees of the Research Institute of the Art Industry (NIIHP) in the 1950s and 1970s
Authors:   Altai State Pedagogical University, Shcheglova T.K. , Rykov A.V. ,   Altai State Pedagogical University
Published: March 2022

In the 1940s-1970s, the ethnographic study of the territory of the modern Republic of Altai was conducted by both ethnographers and representatives of the neighboring sciences. During this period the population of the Altai Mountains became the object of field research of art historians and specialists from the Research Institute of Art Industry (hereinafter referred to as NIIHP). The publication aims to show the contribution of the staff of the Art Industry Research Institute to the study of the Turkic-speaking population of the south of Western Siberia within the historical boundaries of Altai Krai. The publication aims to reveal the routes and results of expeditions on the territory of the Altai Republic to study arts and crafts and decorative-applied art of the indigenous population of the Altai Mountains. The main source base for the research is the archival funds of the Scientific Research Institute of Arts and Crafts, most of which have remained in the All-Russian Museum of Decorative-Applied and Folk Art (hereinafter referred to as VNIIHP). The basis is formed by the reports on scientific topics and business trips, as well as visual sources (sketches, photographs, drawings of artists). The source base created by the staff of the NIIHP is not only varied but also of very high quality due to the high professionalism of the staff artists and photographers of the Institute who participated in the expeditions. The territory of the modern Republic of Altai was covered by the fieldwork of 4 expeditions in the 1950s (1951, 1954, 1955) and one in 1979. The initial interest of the researchers in studying this territory was in the culture of the Turkic-speaking population, Turkic traditions of carpet-weaving, and ornamentation. The main objects of research were the architecture of houses, domestic utensils, clothes, shoes, as well as ornaments, and weaving items. The field expeditionary activity of NIIHP is very important for the study of ethnography of the Turkicspeaking peoples in the south of Western Siberia and opens great potential for its further research in different fields of ethnographic science. The expeditions resulted in the collection of a considerable amount of illustrative material, not introduced into scientific circulation and not analyzed from the standpoint of ethnography Expeditions included the acquisition of exhibits for the Museum of Folk Art of the NIIHP, including those of the Turkic-speaking peoples of the south of Western Siberia, which can be used for research on various topics. Also of interest for researchers are the materials of analytical reports of the NIIHP staff, which can be used for comparison of the results and further analysis.