bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation of computer-based test anxiety with medical students’ performance before, during and after assessments
Authors: Shaheen Abida , Azam Fahad , Rabbani Muhammad Waqas , Kazmi Nosheen
Published: January 2022

Objectives: To explore the correlation of anxiety levels of medical students measured before, during and after assessments with their performance in formative assessments.

Methods: A repeated measures cross-sectional study was conducted at Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad with data collection at three points in time, from April-May 2020. A validated test anxiety questionnaire was used to assess anxiety. Eighty-two medical students recorded their responses on the questionnaire before, during and after three consecutive formative assessments in an integrated module. Relevant statistical tests were applied to investigate the correlation of anxiety levels at different stages with assessment scores.

Results: The mean scores of anxiety measured before, during and after the three consecutive formative assessments were 29.78±7.77, 28.0±8.88 and 26.11±7.83, respectively. The difference of means of anxiety measured at different stages during assessments was statistically significant (p<0.001). The negative correlation between anxiety level and academic scores of female students was statistically significant (p=0.05).

Conclusion: Fluctuation in anxiety scores at different stages of assessments affects academic performance. Identification of the effect of anxiety may help improve the academic performance of medical students.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.3.4989

How to cite this:Shaheen A, Azam F, Rabbani MW, Kazmi N. Correlation of computer-based test anxiety with medical students’ performance before, during and after assessments. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(3):---------.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.3.4989

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Transport simulation of maritime and aviation network in the Aegean Archipelagos using public transport modelling concepts
Authors: Χατζηιωαννίδου Θεοφανή
Published: January 2022

Οι στόχοι της Διατριβής είναι η ανάλυση, η εξήγηση, η οπτικοποίηση και η παροχή πληροφοριών για το σύστημα επιβατικών μεταφορών στο Αιγαίο Αρχιπέλαγος. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, επισημαίνονται τα δυνατά σημεία του συστήματος, οι αδυναμίες του, ο ανταγωνισμός και η συμπληρωματικότητα των θαλάσσιων και των εναέριων μέσων. Ένα προηγμένο μοντέλο προσομοίωσης των συγκοινωνιών αναπτύχθηκε για την περιοχή ως ένα ιδιαίτερα αποτελεσματικό εργαλείο για την αξιολόγηση πολιτικών των μεταφορών με έμφαση στον ρόλο των νησιωτικών κόμβων διαμεταφοράςΟι ιδιαιτερότητες του συστήματος μεταφορών του Αιγαίου Αρχιπελάγους στοιχειοθετούν την συμβολή και προσδίδουν καινοτομία στις μεθοδολογίες που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν στην έρευνα της παρούσας Διατριβής και συγκεκριμένα στους ακόλουθους τρεις τομείς: Δεδομένα, Μοντέλα και Πολιτική. Η καινοτομία στον τομέα των Δεδομένων περιλαμβάνει την αξιοποίηση δεδομένων μεγάλου όγκου από τα αρχεία κινητής τηλεφωνίας για τον εντοπισμό των μοτίβων κινητικότητας στο αρχιπέλαγος. Επιπλέον, σχεδιάστηκε και υλοποιήθηκε ένα καινοτόμο ερωτηματολόγιο έρευνας δηλωμένης προτίμησης για την επιλογή διαδρομής για τις εσωτερικές μετακινήσεις. Η συμβολή στον τομέα των Μοντέλων αφορά τη χρήση προηγμένων τεχνικών προσομοίωσης δικτύου δημόσιων συγκοινωνιών προσαρμοσμένων ανάλογα για ταξίδια μεγάλων αποστάσεων προς στα νησιά. Στη θέση των συμβατικών βημάτων μοντελοποίησης επιλογής μέσου μεταφοράς και ανάθεσης στο δίκτυο, εισάγεται μια προσέγγιση στη βάση της επιλογής πολύτροπων διαδρομών για την προσομοίωση αλυσίδων διατροπικών ταξιδιών. Εφαρμόζεται μοντελοποίηση διακριτών επιλογών για την πρόθεση χρήσης λιμενικών κόμβων ως σημείων μετεπιβίβασης στην νησιωτική περιοχή, η οποία παράγει εκτιμήσεις αξίας χρόνου στα επιμέρους τμήματα του ταξιδιού με διάκριση μεταξύ του χρόνου διαδρομής επί του πλοίου και του χρόνου αναμονής μετεπιβίβασης σε συγκεκριμένους λιμένες. Στον τομέα της Πολιτικής, εισάγονται έννοιες από το σχεδιασμό των δημόσιων μεταφορών με έμφαση στην ολοκλήρωση του δικτύου με ένα σύστημα νησιωτικών κόμβων διαμεταφοράς, στρατηγικά χωροθετημένων στo αρχιπέλαγος. Αποδεικνύεται η συμπληρωματικότητα των δρομολογίων και των μέσων μεταφοράς στην περιοχή και προωθείται η συγκεκριμένη πολιτική για την επίτευξη του αποτελέσματος ενοποιημένου δικτύου.
Fiscalidade, negociação e poder metropolitano: Salvador na segunda metade do século XVII.
Authors: Coelho Rafael
Published: January 2022

Na segunda metade do século XVII, a monarquia portuguesa, recentemente restaurada, enfrentava muitas dificuldades para se consolidar. Num longo processo de negociação, adaptação e centralização, a coroa procurou defender e controlar seu espaço colonial, conseguindo impor os custos de defesa do Brasil aos próprios moradores da colônia, que também tiveram de contribuir para as despesas da metrópole na Europa.
Não poderá o juiz de fora servir os três lugares”: a criação do juizado de órfãos em Salvador (1725).
Authors: Cazelato de Souza Débora
Published: January 2022

No ano de 1696 os juízes de fora foram criados em Salvador. Tais juízes exerciam concomitantemente três cargos. Diante das dificuldades da administração da justiça, em 1725, D. João V instalou o cargo de juízes de órfãos em separado dos juízes forâneos. Portanto, percebe-se que a instalação deste cargo não se deu devido uma queixa direta aos ministros e sim ao acúmulo excessivo de trabalho.
Os sertões do norte da américa portugesa nos escritos dos agentes da igreja (1690 – 1780).
Authors: Rolim Leonardo
Published: January 2022

Analisa os escritos de agentes eclesiásticos para os Sertões do Norte entre fins do século XVII e as últimas décadas do século XVIII. Entendemos que os agentes eclesiásticos contribuíram na escrita de projetos coloniais tanto quanto naturalistas e funcionários da administração colonial. Para o caso específico das duas capitanias (Ceará e Piauí), formadoras da região colonial dos Sertões do Norte, serão investigadas as percepções desses agentes da Igreja acerca das alternativas de colonizar esses sertões a partir da exploração das potencialidades do território. Analisamos a produção de relatos e memórias, que tiveram significativo aumento ao longo dos setecentos, e se caracterizaram pelo conteúdo que pautava as possibilidades de intervenção da estrutura político-administrativa na racionalização e melhor exploração dos territórios coloniais. É importante ressaltar que alguns desses escritos foram produzidos sob encomenda de superiores e/ou órgãos no reino ou por interesse no reconhecimento dos serviços prestados. Esses “papéis” são hoje encontrados na documentação avulsa depositada no Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino, se caracterizando como uma correspondência formal, e em documentos depositados em acervos da Biblioteca Nacional do Rio de Janeiro ou no Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo.
Social advancement: military promotions and retirement within the Spanish army in Chile (1693-1735).
Authors: Moroni Stewart Daniel
Published: January 2022

Colonial Chile is known in part for its continual military conflicts that forced the Spanish Crown to station there a permeant standing army. This paper looks at a unique aspect of this conflict, in that it focuses on the administrative details of a specially created system by which common soldiers could purchase officer´s titles and form part of a newly created semi-retired officer corps. Many of these officers on paper were then able to enter the civilian society with an acquired level of nobility that permitted them to receive specific economic benefits reserved for those of noble birth
Quantitative Assessment of Epithelial Proliferation in Rat Mammary Gland Using Artificial Intelligence Independent of Choice of Proliferation Marker
Authors: Dovmark Tobias H. , Kvist Peter H. , Mølck Anne-Marie , Hvid Henning
Published: January 2022

Epithelial proliferation in the rat mammary gland is recommended in regulatory guidelines as an endpoint for assessment of the in vivo carcinogenic potential of insulin analogues. Epithelial proliferation is traditionally assessed by immunohistochemical staining of a proliferation marker, for example, 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) or Ki67, followed by labor-intensive manual counting of positive and negative cells. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an approach for image analysis based on artificial intelligence, which can be used for quantification of proliferation in rat mammary gland, independent of the choice of proliferation marker. Furthermore, the aim was to compare the markers BrdU, Ki67, and phosphorylated histone H3 (PHH3). A sequence of image analysis applications were developed, which allowed for quantification of proliferative activity in the mammary gland epithelium. These endpoints agreed well with manually counted labeling indices, with correlation coefficients in the range ≈0.92–0.93. In addition, all three proliferation markers were significantly correlated and could detect the variation in epithelial proliferation during the estrous cycle. In conclusion, image analysis can be used to quantify epithelial proliferation in the rat mammary gland and thereby replace time-consuming manual counting. Furthermore, BrdU, Ki67, and PHH3 can be used interchangeably to assess proliferation:
Discovering adaptation-capable biological network structures using control-theoretic approaches
Authors: Bhattacharya Priyan , Raman Karthik , Tangirala Arun K.
Published: January 2022

Constructing biological networks capable of performing specific biological functionalities has been of sustained interest in synthetic biology. Adaptation is one such ubiquitous functional property, which enables every living organism to sense a change in its surroundings and return to its operating condition prior to the disturbance. In this paper, we present a generic systems theory-driven method for designing adaptive protein networks. First, we translate the necessary qualitative conditions for adaptation to mathematical constraints using the language of systems theory, which we then map back as ‘design requirements’ for the underlying networks. We go on to prove that a protein network with different input–output nodes (proteins) needs to be at least of third-order in order to provide adaptation. Next, we show that the necessary design principles obtained for a three-node network in adaptation consist of negative feedback or a feed-forward realization. We argue that presence of a particular class of negative feedback or feed-forward realization is necessary for a network of any size to provide adaptation. Further, we claim that the necessary structural conditions derived in this work are the strictest among the ones hitherto existed in the literature. Finally, we prove that the capability of producing adaptation is retained for the admissible motifs even when the output node is connected with a downstream system in a feedback fashion. This result explains how complex biological networks achieve robustness while keeping the core motifs unchanged in the context of a particular functionality. We corroborate our theoretical results with detailed and thorough numerical simulations. Overall, our results present a generic, systematic and robust framework for designing various kinds of biological networks.
Demography and selection analysis of the incipient adaptive radiation of a Hawaiian woody species
Authors: Izuno Ayako , Onoda Yusuke , Amada Gaku , Kobayashi Keito , Mukai Mana , Isagi Yuji , Shimizu Kentaro K.
Published: January 2022

Ecological divergence in a species provides a valuable opportunity to study the early stages of speciation. We focused onMetrosideros polymorpha, a unique example of the incipient radiation of woody species, to examine how an ecological divergence continues in the face of gene flow. We analyzed the whole genomes of 70 plants collected throughout the island of Hawaii, which is the youngest island with the highest altitude in the archipelago and encompasses a wide range of environments. The continuousM.polymorphaforest stands on the island of Hawaii were differentiated into three genetic clusters, each of which grows in a distinctive environment and includes substantial genetic and phenotypic diversity. The three genetic clusters showed signatures of selection in genomic regions encompassing genes relevant to environmental adaptations, including genes associated with light utilization, oxidative stress, and leaf senescence, which are likely associated with the ecological differentiation of the species. Our demographic modeling suggested that the glaberrima cluster in wet environments maintained a relatively large population size and two clusters split: polymorpha in the subalpine zone and incana in dry and hot conditions. This ecological divergence possibly began before the species colonized the island of Hawaii. Interestingly, the three clusters recovered genetic connectivity coincidentally with a recent population bottleneck, in line with the weak reproductive isolation observed in the species. This study highlights that the degree of genetic differentiation between ecologically-diverged populations can vary depending on the strength of natural selection in the very early phases of speciation.
Stakeholder perspectives on an integrated package of care for lower limb disorders caused by podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis or leprosy: A qualitative study
Authors: Davies Bethany , Kinfe Mersha , Ali Oumer , Mengiste Asrat , Tesfaye Abraham , Wondimeneh Mossie Tamiru , Davey Gail , Semrau Maya ,   EnDPoINT Research Team and Consortium
Published: January 2022

Background

Lower limb disorders including lymphoedema create a huge burden for affected persons in their physical and mental health, as well as socioeconomic and psychosocial consequences for them, their families and communities. As routine health services for the integrated management and prevention of lower limb disorders are still lacking, the ‘Excellence in Disability Prevention Integrated across Neglected Tropical Diseases’ (EnDPoINT) study was implemented to assess the development and delivery of an integrated package of holistic care–including physical health, mental health and psychosocial care–within routine health services for persons with lower limb disorders caused by podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy.

Methodology/Principal findings

This study was part of the first of three phases within EnDPoINT, involving the development of the integrated care package. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were undertaken with 34 participants between January–February 2019 in Awi zone, Ethiopia, in order to assess the draft care package’s feasibility, acceptability and appropriateness.

Persons affected by lower limb disorders such as lymphoedema experience stigma, exclusion from families, communities and work as well as physical and financial hardship. Beliefs in disease causation inhibit affected persons from accessing care. Ignorance was a barrier for health care providers as well as affected persons. Training and education of affected persons, communities and caregivers is important in improving care access. It also requires time, space, materials and financial resources. Both top-down and grass roots input into service development are key, as well as collaboration across stakeholders including charities, community leaders and “expert patients”.

Conclusions/Significance

This study highlighted the need for the EnDPoINT integrated care package and provided suggestions for solutions according to its three aspects of integrated care (integration into routine care; integration of mental health and psychosocial care; and integration of care across the three diseases), thereby giving support for its feasibility, acceptability and appropriateness.
Augmenting the accuracy of trainee doctors in diagnosing skin lesions suspected of skin neoplasms in a real-world setting: A prospective controlled before-and-after study
Authors: Kim Young Jae , Na Jung-Im , Han Seung Seog , Won Chong Hyun , Lee Mi Woo , Shin Jung-Won , Huh Chang-Hun , Chang Sung Eun
Published: January 2022

Background

Although deep neural networks have shown promising results in the diagnosis of skin cancer, a prospective evaluation in a real-world setting could confirm these results. This study aimed to evaluate whether an algorithm (http://b2019.modelderm.com) improves the accuracy of nondermatologists in diagnosing skin neoplasms.

Methods

A total of 285 cases (random series) with skin neoplasms suspected of malignancy by either physicians or patients were recruited in two tertiary care centers located in South Korea. An artificial intelligence (AI) group (144 cases, mean [SD] age, 57.0 [17.7] years; 62 [43.1%] men) was diagnosed via routine examination with photographic review and assistance by the algorithm, whereas the control group (141 cases, mean [SD] age, 61.0 [15.3] years; 52 [36.9%] men) was diagnosed only via routine examination with a photographic review. The accuracy of the nondermatologists before and after the interventions was compared.

Results

Among the AI group, the accuracy of the first impression (Top-1 accuracy; 58.3%) after the assistance of AI was higher than that before the assistance (46.5%, P = .008). The number of differential diagnoses of the participants increased from 1.9 ± 0.5 to 2.2 ± 0.6 after the assistance (P < .001). In the control group, the difference in the Top-1 accuracy between before and after reviewing photographs was not significant (before, 46.1%; after, 51.8%; P = .19), and the number of differential diagnoses did not significantly increase (before, 2.0 ± 0.4; after, 2.1 ± 0.5; P = .57).

Conclusions

In real-world settings, AI augmented the diagnostic accuracy of trainee doctors. The limitation of this study is that the algorithm was tested only for Asians recruited from a single region. Additional international randomized controlled trials involving various ethnicities are required.
Varying isoleucine level to determine effects on performance, egg quality, serum biochemistry, and ileal protein digestibility in diets of young laying hens
Authors: Ullah S. , Ditta Y. A. , King A. J. , Pasha T. N. , Mahmud A , Majeed K. A.
Published: January 2022

To ascertain an appropriate level of isoleucine for LSL-LITE layers (23- to 30-week-old), diets containing total isoleucine concentrations (levels) of 0.66 (Control), 0.69, 0.72, 0.75, 0.78, 0.81, and 0.84% were fed as 7 treatments (2730 kcal/kg metabolizable energy) x 7 replicates x 10 birds per replicate. Significance for performance, egg quality, serum biochemistry, and ileal digestibility of protein was determined at P ≤ 0.05. Level, week, and level*week (L*W) were significant for production, egg mass, and feed intake. Level and week were significant for FCR. Week was significant for weight gain. Level was significant for egg weight, specific gravity, and shell thickness; week was also significant for these external egg parameters as well as shape index and proportional shell thickness. L*W was significant for all except shape index. For internal egg measurements, level was significant for proportional yolk, proportional albumen, yolk index, and yolk:albumen. Week was significant for internal egg parameters while L*W significantly affected Haugh unit, proportional albumen weight, yolk index, albumen index, and yolk color. Level was significant for globulin and glucose in serum. Isoleucine at 0.72%, 0.81%, and 0.84% produced the lowest FCR, an important standard in the poultry industry. Considering the low FCR of 1.45 and cost for inclusion as a dietary ingredient, 0.72% isoleucine was chosen for further studies with varying quantities of other branched chain amino acids in diets for young laying hens.
New extended distribution-free homogenously weighted monitoring schemes for monitoring abrupt shifts in the location parameter
Authors: Letshedi Tokelo Irene , Malela-Majika Jean-Claude , Shongwe Sandile Charles
Published: January 2022

A homogeneously weighted moving average (HWMA) monitoring scheme is a recently proposed memory-type scheme that gained its popularity because of its simplicity and superiority over the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) and cumulative sum (CUSUM) schemes in detecting small disturbances in the process. Most of the existing HWMA schemes are designed based on the assumption of normality. It is well-known that the performance of such monitoring schemes degrades significantly when this assumption is violated. Therefore, in this paper, three distribution-free monitoring schemes are developed based on the Wilcoxon rank-sumWstatistic. First, the HWMAWscheme is introduced. Secondly, the double HWMA (DHWMA)Wscheme is proposed to improve the ability of the HWMAWscheme in detecting very small disturbances in the location parameter and at last, the hybrid HWMA (HHWMA)Wscheme is also proposed because of its flexibility and better performance in detecting shifts of different sizes. The zero-state performances of the proposed schemes are investigated using the characteristics of the run-length distribution. The proposed schemes outperform their existing competitors, i.e. EWMA, CUSUM and DEWMAWschemes, in many situations, and particularly the HHWMAWscheme is superior to these competitors regardless of the size of the shift in the location parameter. Real-life data are used to illustrate the implementation and application of the new monitoring schemes.
Predictors of facility-based delivery utilization in central Ethiopia: A case-control study
Authors: Demissie Ayalneh , Worku Alemayehu , Berhane Yemane
Published: January 2022

Background

Improving access to maternal health services has been a priority for the health sector in low-income countries; the utilization of facility delivery services has remained low. Although Ethiopia provides free maternal health services in all public health facilities utilization of services has not been as expected.

Objective

This study examined predictors of facility delivery service utilization in central Ethiopia.

Methods

We conducted a community-based case-control study within the catchment areas of selected public health facilities in central Ethiopia. Women who delivered their last child in a health facility were considered as cases and women who delivered their last child at home were considered as controls. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of facility delivery utilization.

Result

Facility delivery was positive and strongly associated with practicing birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) (AOR = 12.3, 95%CI: 3.9, 39.1); partners’ involvement about obstetric assistance (AOR = 3.1, 95%CI: 1.0, 9.0); spending 30 or less minutes to decide on the place of delivery and 45 or less minutes to walk to health facilities (AOR = 7.4, 95%CI: 2.4, 23.2 and AOR = 8.1, 95%CI: 2.5, 26.9, respectively). Additionally, having knowledge of obstetric complication, attending ≥ 4 antenatal care (ANC) visits, birth order and the use of free ambulance service also showed significant association with facility delivery.

Conclusion

Despite the availability of free maternal services there are still many barriers to utilization of delivery services. Strengthening efforts to bring delivery services closer to home and enhancing BPCR are necessary to increase institutional delivery service utilization.
Analysis of social combinations of COVID-19 vaccination: Evidence from a conjoint analysis
Authors: Ohmura Hanako
Published: January 2022

Using a conjoint analysis based on Japanese cases, this study attempts to identify a preferable social strategic combination of who are vaccinated, who are not, and who are waiting. Using two surveys that relied on quota sampling reflecting the Japanese demographic composition (n = 1024 & n = 2975), the results of the descriptive analysis show that the most preferred strategy at the individual level was wait-and-see, allowing for a risk assessment of side effects. Via conjoint analysis, I also found that participants who recalled blood relatives as their familiar entities tended to prefer a wait-and-see strategy for themselves and their blood relatives. The results of these analyses suggest that wait-and-see strategies for vaccination are preferred in Japan, making it difficult to achieve early herd immunity through vaccination.
Long term miscarriage-related hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Evidence from a United Kingdom population-based cohort study
Authors: Okoth Kelvin , Subramanian Anuradhaa , Chandan Joht Singh , Adderley Nicola J. , Thomas G. Neil , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah , Antza Christina
Published: January 2022

Background

Miscarriages affect up to a fifth of all pregnancies and are associated with substantial psychological morbidity. However, their relationship with cardiometabolic risk factors is not well known. Therefore, in this study we aimed to estimate the burden of cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes mellitus (type 1 or 2) and hypertension in women with miscarriage compared to women without a record of miscarriage.

Methods

A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using IVQIA Medical Research Data UK (IMRD-UK) between January 1995 and May 2016, an anonymised electronic health records database that is representative of the UK population. A total of 86,509, 16–50-year-old women with a record of miscarriage (exposed group) were matched by age, smoking status, and body mass index to 329,865 women without a record of miscarriage (unexposed group). Patients with pre-existing hypertension and diabetes were excluded. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for diabetes and hypertension were estimated using multivariable Poisson regression models offsetting for person-years follow-up.

Results

The mean age at cohort entry was 31 years and median follow up was 4.6 (IQR 1.7–9.4) years. During the study period, a total of 792 (IR 1.44 per 1000 years) and 2525 (IR 1.26 per 1000 years) patients developed diabetes in the exposed and unexposed groups, respectively. For hypertension, 1995 (IR 3.73 per 1000 years) and 1605 (IR 3.39 per 1000 years) new diagnoses were recorded in the exposed and unexposed groups, respectively. Compared to unexposed individuals, women with a record miscarriage were more likely to develop diabetes (aIRR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.15–1.36; p<0.001) and hypertension (aIRR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02–1.12; p = 0.005).

Conclusions

Women diagnosed with miscarriage were at increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Women with history of miscarriage may benefit from periodic monitoring of their cardiometabolic health.
A national survey to assess breast cancer awareness among the female university students of Pakistan
Authors: Hussain Iltaf , Majeed Abdul , Masood Imran , Ashraf Waseem , Imran Imran , Saeed Hamid , Ur Rehman Anees , Hashmi Furqan K. , Saleem Fahad , Akbar Muqarrab , Chaudhry Muhammad Omer , Ullah Jamshid , Rasool Muhammad Fawad
Published: January 2022

The incidence of breast cancer is increasing in Pakistan as well as globally. Awareness of women about breast cancer plays a cornerstone role in its early detection, better management, and prevention. Keeping this in mind, a cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the awareness of female university students about breast cancer’s risk factors, signs and symptoms, and breast cancer examination. The data was collected from female university students studying in Pakistan. A total of 774 participants completed the survey and recorded their responses on an online pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Only 29.8% of the participants have identified breast cancer history in their first-degree relatives as a risk factor. Moreover, 14.1% of the participant considered that the use of oral contraceptives for more than 5 years can increase the risk of developing breast cancer. In addition, inward pulled nipple, wounds around the nipple, and abrupt changes in the breast size were considered as the sign and symptoms of breast cancer by 25.2%, 25.7%, and 31.7% of the participants, respectively. Moreover, only 20.9% of the participants identified the correct year for starting breast cancer examination and 44.4% of the respondents marked that mammography should be initiated after 40 years. Overall, the university female students of Pakistan were poorly aware of breast cancer’s risk factors, signs and symptoms, and breast examination. This study has highlighted the need for initiation of aggressive strategies regarding breast cancer awareness in both the literate and illiterate female population of Pakistan.
The impact of unconditional cash and food assistance on contraceptive expenditure of rural households in Coastal Bangladesh: Evidence from fuzzy RDD
Authors: Bari MD. Abdul , Khan Ghulam Dastgir , He Bing , Yoshida Yuichiro
Published: January 2022

This study investigates the impact of unconditional cash and food (UCF) assistance on the monthly contraceptive expenditure of rural households in coastal Bangladesh using a fuzzy regression discontinuity design (RDD). Eligibility for UCF assistance was based on the running variable of land ownership in acres. We used eligibility as an instrumental variable to estimate the local average treatment effect of UCF assistance on contraceptive expenditures. The results show that UCF assistance results in increases in monthly contraceptive expenditures.
Measurement properties of external training load variables during standardised games in soccer: Implications for training and monitoring strategies
Authors: Clubb Jo , Towlson Chris , Barrett Steve
Published: January 2022

The aim of this study was to assess the measurement properties of external training load measures across three formats of standardised training games. Eighty-eight players from two English professional soccer clubs participated in the study spanning three consecutive seasons. External training load data was collected from three types of standardised game format drills (11v11, 10v10, 7v7+6) using Global Positioning Systems. For each external training load metric in each game format, the following measurement properties were calculated; coefficient of variation (CV%) to determine between- and within-subject reliability, intraclass coefficient correlation (ICC) to determine test-retest reliability, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to determine sensitivity. Total distance (TD) and PlayerLoad™ (PL) demonstrated good sensitivity (TD SNR = 1.6–4.6; PL SNR = 1.2–4.3) on a group level. However, a wide variety of within-subject reliability was demonstrated for these variables (TD CV% = 1.7–36.3%; PL CV% = 4.3–39.5%) and corresponding intensity measures calculated per minute. The percentage contribution of individual planes to PL showed the lowest between-subject CV% (CV% = 2–7%), although sensitivity varied across formats (SNR = 0.3–1.4). High speed running demonstrated poor reliability across all three formats of SSG (CV% = 51–103%, ICC = 0.03–0.53). Given the measurement properties of external training load measures observed in this study, specifically the within-subject variation, reliability across trials of standardised training games should be calculated on an individual level. This will allow practitioners to detect worthwhile changes across trials of standardised game format drills. Such information is important for the appropriate implementation of training and monitoring strategies in soccer.
Confidence and knowledge in emergency management among medical students across Colombia: A role for the WHO basic emergency care course
Authors: Moretti Katelyn , Aluisio Adam R. , Gallo Marin Benjamin , Chen Chuan-Jay Jeffrey , González Marqués Catalina , Beaudoin Francesca L. , Clark Melissa , Patiño Andrés , Carranza Heidy , Duarte Andres , Moreno Atilio , Aguiar Leonar G. , Arbelaez Christian
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Globally, medical students have demonstrated knowledge gaps in emergency care and acute stabilization. In Colombia, new graduates provide care for vulnerable populations. The World Health Organization (WHO) Basic Emergency Care (BEC) course trains frontline providers with limited resources in the management of acute illness and injury. While this course may serve medical students as adjunct to current curriculum, its utility in this learner group has not been investigated. This study performs a baseline assessment of knowledge and confidence in emergency management taught in the BEC amongst medical students in Colombia.

Methods

A validated, cross-sectional survey assessing knowledge and confidence of emergency care congruent with BEC content was electronically administered to graduating medical students across Colombia. Knowledge was evaluated via 15 multiple choice questions and confidence via 13 questions using 100 mm visual analog scales. Mean knowledge and confidence scores were compared across demographics, geography and prior training using Chi-Squared or one-way ANOVA analyses.

Results

Data were gathered from 468 graduating medical students at 36 institutions. The mean knowledge score was 59.9% ± 23% (95% CI 57.8–62.0%); the mean confidence score was 59.6 mm ±16.7 mm (95% CI 58.1–61.2). Increasing knowledge and confidence scores were associated with prior completion of emergency management training courses (p<0.0001).

Conclusion

Knowledge and confidence levels of emergency care management for graduating medical students across Colombia demonstrated room for additional, specialized training. Higher scores were seen in groups that had completed emergency care courses. Implementation of the BEC as an adjunct to current curriculum may serve a valuable addition.
Fructose and methylglyoxal-induced glycation alters structural and functional properties of salivary proteins, albumin and lysozyme
Authors: Muraoka Mariane Yumiko , Justino Allisson Benatti , Caixeta Douglas Carvalho , Queiroz Julia Silveira , Sabino-Silva Robinson , Salmen Espindola Foued
Published: January 2022

Glycation process refers to reactions between reduction sugars and amino acids that can lead to formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) which are related to changes in chemical and functional properties of biological structures that accumulate during aging and diseases. The aim of this study was to perform and analyze in vitro glycation by fructose and methylglyoxal (MGO) using salivary fluid, albumin, lysozyme, and salivary α-amylase (sAA). Glycation effect was analyzed by biochemical and spectroscopic methods. The results were obtained by fluorescence analysis, infrared spectroscopy (total attenuated reflection—Fourier transform, ATR-FTIR) followed by multivariate analysis of principal components (PCA), protein profile, immunodetection, enzymatic activity and oxidative damage to proteins. Fluorescence increased in all glycated samples, except in saliva with fructose. The ATR-FTIR spectra and PCA analysis showed structural changes related to the vibrational mode of glycation of albumin, lysozyme, and salivary proteins. Glycation increased the relative molecular mass (Mr) in protein profile of albumin and lysozyme. Saliva showed a decrease in band intensity when glycated. The analysis of sAA immunoblotting indicated a relative reduction in intensity of its correspondent Mr after sAA glycation; and a decrease in its enzymatic activity was observed. Carbonylation levels increased in all glycated samples, except for saliva with fructose. Thiol content decreased only for glycated lysozyme and saliva with MGO. Therefore, glycation of salivary fluid and sAA may have the potential to identify products derived by glycation process. This opens perspectives for further studies on the use of saliva, an easy and non-invasive collection fluid, to monitor glycated proteins in the aging process and evolution of diseases.
Disparate participation by gender of conference attendants in scientific discussions
Authors: Rezaee Melika , Verde Audrey , Anchang Benedict , Mattonen Sarah A. , Garcia-Diaz Jordi , Daldrup-Link Heike
Published: January 2022

One important metric of a radiologist’s visibility and influence is their ability to participate in discussion within their community. The goal of our study was to compare the participation level of men and women in scientific discussions at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Eleven volunteers collected participation data by gender in 59 sessions (286 presentations) at the 2018 RSNA meeting. Data was analyzed using a combination of Chi-squared, paired Wilcoxon signed-rank and T-test. Of all RSNA professional attendees at the RSNA, 68% were men and 32% were women. Of the 2869 presentations listed in the program, 65% were presented by men and 35% were presented by women. Of the 286 presentations in our sample, 177 (61.8%) were presented by men and 109 (38.1%) were presented by women. Of these 286 presentations, 81 (63%) were moderated by men and 47 (37%) were moderated by women. From the audience, 190 male attendees participated in 134 question-and-answer (Q&A) sessions following presentations and 58 female attendees participated in 52 Q&A sessions (P<0.001). Female attendees who did participate in Q&A sessions talked for a significantly shorter period of time (mean 7.14 ± 17.7 seconds, median 0) compared to male attendees (28.7 ± 29.6 seconds, median 16; P<0.001). Overall, our findings demonstrate that women participated less than men in the Q&A sessions at RSNA 2018, and talked for a shorter period of time. The fact that women were outnumbered among their male peers may explain the difference in behavior by gender.
Burnout in hospital staff using partial least squares path modeling for job-person fit: The case of a tertiary referral hospital in southwest Iran
Authors: Ghahramani Sulmaz , Omidifar Navid , Garayemi Saghar , Sayari Mohammad , Bagheri Lankarani Kamran
Published: January 2022

Recent studies on burnout (BO) have included both individual and situational factors, referred to as job-person fit (JPF). The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence rate of BO in the hospital staff working at a tertiary referral hospital in southwest Iran and then to highlight the importance of the person in the context of his/her work life. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 on all hospital staff using a three-part questionnaire comprised of personal and work-situational factors, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Psychological Empowerment Scale (PES). The partial least squares (PLS) path modelling and the neural network (NN) model were used to identify the significant variables within the BO dimensions. A total of 358 staff completed the questionnaire and were recruited for the study. Emotional exhaustion (EE) was seen in 137 medical staff (38.3%) and depersonalization (DP) was observed in 75 individuals (20.1%). Thinking about job change was the most important factor positively correlated with EE. Positive stress and work experience were among the most significant factors negatively associated with PA and DP, respectively. The hospital staff experienced BO in a way comparable to the national results. Work-situational and personal variables interacted with the three dimensions of BO in the hospital staff. More experienced staff also felt more accomplished and successful, resulting in the identification of a decreased level of DP and elevated PA.
Treponema denticola as a prognostic biomarker for periodontitis in dogs
Authors: Kwon Daehyun , Bae Kisuk , Kim HyeonJo , Kim Sang-Hyun , Lee Dongbin , Lee Jae-Hoon
Published: January 2022

Periodontal disease is one of the most common disorders in the oral cavity of dogs and humans. Periodontitis, the irreversible periodontal disease, arises progressively from gingivitis, the reversible inflammatory condition caused by dental plaque. Although the etiology of periodontitis has been widely studied in humans, it is still insufficient for the etiological studies on periodontitis in dogs. Many studies have reported that human periodontitis-related bacteria are putative pathogens responsible for periodontitis in dogs. However, most of these studies have focused on the appearance of a specific microbiome, and most of the cohort studies have insufficient sample sizes to generalize their results. In the present study, subgingival samples collected from 336 teeth were categorized into three groups at first, based on clinical outcomes (healthy, gingivitis, periodontitis). Subsequently, the periodontitis samples were further divided into three subgroups (early, moderate, and advanced periodontitis) according to the degree of periodontal attachment loss. Healthy and gingivitis were grouped as a reversible group, and the three subgroups were grouped as an irreversible group. To investigate trends of periodontopathic bacteria in the samples of dogs, a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for quantification of 11 human periodontopathic bacteria as follows: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola (Td), Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella nigrescens, Prevotella intermedia, Parvimonas micra, Eubacterium nodatum, Campylobacter rectus, and Eikenella corrodens. The PCR results showed that Aa and Pg, the representative periodontopathic bacteria, were not significantly correlated or associated with the periodontitis cases in dogs. However, interestingly, Td was strongly associated with the irreversible periodontal disease in dogs, in that it was the most prevalent bacterium detected from the dog samples. These findings indicate that the presence and numbers of Td could be used as a prognostic biomarker in predicting the irreversible periodontal disease and the disease severity in dogs.
Non-pharmaceutical interventions during the COVID-19 epidemic changed detection rates of other circulating respiratory pathogens in Japan
Authors: Nagakubo Yuki , Hirotsu Yosuke , Maejima Makoto , Shibusawa Masahiro , Hosaka Kazuhiro , Amemiya Kenji , Sueki Hitomi , Hayakawa Miyoko , Mochizuki Hitoshi , Tsutsui Toshiharu , Kakizaki Yumiko , Miyashita Yoshihiro , Omata Masao
Published: January 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has circulated worldwide and causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, infection control measures were taken, such as hand washing, mask wearing, and behavioral restrictions. However, it is not fully clear how the effects of these non-pharmaceutical interventions changed the prevalence of other pathogens associated with respiratory infections. In this study, we collected 3,508 nasopharyngeal swab samples from 3,249 patients who visited the Yamanashi Central Hospital in Japan from March 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021. We performed multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the FilmArray Respiratory Panel and singleplex quantitative reverse transcription PCR targeting SARS-CoV-2 to detect respiratory disease-associated pathogens. At least one pathogen was detected in 246 (7.0%) of the 3,508 samples. Eleven types of pathogens were detected in the samples collected from March–May 2020, during which non-pharmaceutical interventions were not well implemented. In contrast, after non-pharmaceutical interventions were thoroughly implemented, only five types of pathogens were detected, and the majority were SARS-CoV-2, adenoviruses, or human rhinoviruses / enteroviruses. The 0–9 year age group had a higher prevalence of infection with adenoviruses and human rhinoviruses / enteroviruses compared with those 10 years and older, while those 10 years and older had a higher prevalence of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens. These results indicated that non-pharmaceutical interventions likely reduced the diversity of circulating pathogens. Moreover, differences in the prevalence of pathogens were observed among the different age groups.
Alguns aspectos da durabilidade de geotêxteis a factores climatéricos – Simulação laboratorial
Authors: Carneiro José , Almeida Paulo , Lopes Maria
Published: January 2022

Os geotêxteis aplicados em estruturas de carácter ambiental podem sofrer alterações de resistên cia, tanto a curto como a longo prazo. Assim, a avaliação da resistência desses materiais a diversos agentes físicos e/ou químicos é de extrema importância, uma vez que a sua aplicação requer que desempenhem determinadas funções durante um elevado período de tempo. A exposição de geotêxteis a condições climaté ricas pode afectar a sua durabilidade e, consequentemente, o seu comportamento mecânico ao longo do tempo. A simulação à escala laboratorial dos danos que podem ocorrer nos geotêxteis durante meses ou anos de enve lhecimento natural é importante na previsão do seu tempo de vida útil. O presente trabalho tem por objectivo avaliar o efeito da exposição a condições climatéricas na durabilidade de três geotêxteis estabilizados quimi camente com diferentes quantidades do aditivo Chimassorb 944. A simulação do efeito das condições clima téricas (raios UV, chuva, humidade e orvalho) nos geotêxteis foi efectuada num simulador climatérico – o QUV. O efeito desta exposição no comportamento mecânico a curto prazo dos geotêxteis foi avaliado através de ensaios de tracção. As alterações ocorridas a nível microscópico nas fibras constituintes dos materiais foram caracterizadas por microscopia electrónica de varrimento.
A experiência de colocação de geomembranas de PEAD em aterros de RSU
Authors: Lopes Maria
Published: January 2022

Em Portugal, nos últimos 10 anos, houve uma grande mudança na política de gestão de resíduos, tendo-se encerrado as lixeiras existentes e construído em sua substituição cerca de 40 aterros de RSU. Numa altura em que os primeiros destes aterros começam a atingir o limite da sua vida útil, sendo por isso necessário iniciar uma nova fase de construções deste tipo de infra-estruturas e dada a importância que o desempenho das geomembranas tem na eficácia do funcionamento dos sistemas de confinamento dos aterros de RSU, conside rou-se importante retirar alguns ensinamentos para o futuro sobre a experiência de colocação de geomembra nas na base e taludes de mais de uma dezena de aterros de RSU do nosso país, nomeadamente no que respeita aos materiais utilizados, às técnicas empregues e aos problemas encontrados.
Análise dos métodos de controlo de integridade de geomembranas de PEAD usadas em aterros de RSU
Authors: Lopes Maria
Published: January 2022

Nos aterros de resíduos sólidos urbanos (RSU), as geomembranas são utilizadas no sistema de confinamento da base e taludes, como barreira à fuga de lixiviados, devendo resistir a agressões químicas e biológicas por parte dos resíduos, lixiviados e biogás, a agressões mecânicas durante a construção (tráfego de obra, colocação de camadas sobrejacentes, etc.) e exploração (peso dos resíduos, assentamentos da fundação, etc.) e ao efeito da exposição aos raios solares, entre outros. Como a eficácia do funcionamento do sistema de confinamento dos aterros de RSU está muito dependente do desempenho das geomembranas e este da sua integridade física, considerou-se importante apresentar os possíveis tipos e origens dos danos a que as geo membranas podem ser sujeitas e fazer uma análise dos métodos mais adequados para a detecção de orifícios e subsequente reparação.
Danos em edifícios induzidos por escavações
Authors: Portugal João , Portugal Alexandre , Santo Acácio
Published: January 2022

À realização de obras subterrâneas está associada a descompressão do meio escavado, que, invariavelmente, conduz ao desenvolvimento de uma bacia de subsidência à superfície do terreno. Assim, designadamente em meio urbano, põe-se o problema de avaliar as consequências dos movimentos de superfí cie sobre o património edificado aí existente. No artigo apresenta-se o método de Avaliação de Risco de Dano em Edifícios desenvolvido por Burland e ilustra-se a sua utilidade. Inicialmente trata-se o problema da esti mativa dos movimentos superficiais induzidos por escavações (2), e consequentes efeitos sobre estruturas existentes (3). De seguida, apresenta-se a metodologia de avaliação de risco (4), cuja utilidade é finalmente ponderada e ilustrada à custa de alguns exemplos (5).