bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wartości dawek w tkankach zdrowych w zależności od anatomii i kształtu piersi w grupie pacjentek z nowotworem piersi
Authors: Styś Sara , Charmacińska Magdalena , Skrobała Agnieszka
Published: March 2021

Ponad 20% zachorowań na nowotwory w grupie kobiet w Polsce, jak i na świecie stanowią nowotwory piersi. Celem pracy była ocena wpływu anatomii i kształtu piersi w grupie pacjentek z nowotworem piersi lewej poddanych teleradioterapii, na dawki promieniowania jonizującego dostarczane do tkanek zdrowych. Analizą zostało objętych 50 pacjentek, które były poddane leczeniu, z powodu nowotworu lewej piersi, metodą trójwymiarowej radioterapii konformalnej. Do oceny wpływu anatomii pacjentek na dawki dostarczane do tkanek zdrowych: płuc i serca wykorzystano analizę histogramów dawka-objętość. Po przeprowadzaniu szczegółowej analizy stwierdzono, że na dawki w płucach i w sercu największy wpływ ma kształt piersi oraz wielkość CTV. Nie odnotowano wpływu kształtu oraz wielkości klatki piersiowej na dawki w narządach krytycznych. Dla pacjentek posiadających duże piersi opadające, korzystne jest stosowanie innych niż standardowe unieruchomienia np. pozycja na brzuchu.
Modeling of groundwater yield by the electrical method case of the Triassic sandstone aquifer (Tataouine South-Eastern Tunisia)
Authors: Khorchani Houyem , Kamel Samir
Published: March 2021

The method of electrical resistivity has proven very effective in the evaluation of groundwater. This specialized technique uses Dar-Zarrouk (D-Z) parameters in the estimation of longitudinal unit conductance, transverse unit resistance, and longitudinal resistivity to examine the groundwater level, to distinguish the fresh, brackish, and saline water interface, and to assess the storage capacity of groundwater in the Triassic sandstone aquifer system in the Tataouine region (South-Eastern Tunisia). In this context, 23 vertical electrical soundings (VESs) were carried out in the Tataouine region using the Schlumberger configuration with a current electrode with a maximum spacing of the current electrodes (AB) of 500–600 m. The results indicate that the study area consists of three types of aquifers: (i) silt/clay saline water (<20 Ωm), (ii) a mixture of sand and clay freshwater (20–40 Ωm), and (iii) sand freshwater (40–200 Ωm). These sand freshwater aquifers are characterized by low longitudinal unit conductance (0–2.8 S), high values of transverse unit resistance (more than 9,000 Ωm2), and longitudinal resistivity (more than 35 Ωm) and are mainly concentrated in the north, south, and south-west regions of the study area. It should also be noted that the coefficient of anisotropy (λ) overlaps and does not clearly differentiate the characteristics of the aquifers of fresh, brackish, and saline water. An interpretation of VESs can also determine the storage capacity of groundwater by determining yield index values. Groundwater supply for the entire study area was classified as low yield, with a percentage of 13% and a maximum of 31% of the study area and 56% of moderate yield. Lastly, the real data from the drilling confirm all these results presented previously. The findings suggest that D-Z parameters are useful for making a distinction of various aquifer zones.
Current water main rehabilitation practice using trenchless technology
Authors: Wu Yichen , Kang Chao , Nojumi Mohammad Molavi , Bayat Alireza , Bontus George
Published: March 2021

The market for water infrastructure rehabilitation is growing rapidly due to the increasing age of underground utilities. Currently, two common water main rehabilitation methods exist: cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) and polymer spray-on coatings. CIPP can provide structural support for both internal and external loads, while spray-on techniques provide chemical resistance as well as adding minor strength to the existing pipe. This paper summarizes water main rehabilitation practice using CIPP and spray-on methods. The history of trenchless rehabilitation technology is discussed, as well as current methodologies and products for water mains. The design, installation, and monitoring of water main rehabilitation products are also summarized, along with the associated risks. Quality assurance and control (QA/QC) methods are included for evaluating existing products and procedures.
Técnicas de marketing aplicadas a Biblioteca Padre Joaquim Colaço Dourado (UNIESP)
Authors: Francisco de Lima Antonia Lucineide , Leitão Alessandro Pinon , Santos Andressa da Silva , Candido Luiz Felipe da Silva
Published: March 2021

O uso de ferramentas de marketing é de extrema importância para a disseminação de diversos serviços, devendo-se no cenário atual incluir tais ferramentas nos serviços de informação disponibilizados por bibliotecas. O artigo teve como objetivo descobrir e apresentar as técnicas de marketing aplicadas a Biblioteca Padre Joaquim Colaço Dourado, e sua importância para o bom desenvolvimento no atendimento de seus usuários por meio da construção e instalação de um planejamento de marketing que venha suprir as necessidades de seus gestores e usuários. O estudo se apresenta como uma pesquisa de campo qualitativa, e análise fundamentada na técnica do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo. Os resultados apontam para o uso eficiente e eficaz das ferramentas de marketing, principalmente por meio das redes sociais, concluindo-se que os mesmos proporcionam  atingir um maior público, com a possibilidade de obter resultados de pesquisas de satisfação, a divulgação de  treinamentos, visibilidade dos serviços pelo site institucional, aumentando assim as visitas e interação nos eventos realizados pela instituição, maior participação da comunidade acadêmica, aumentando a comunicação e relacionamento interpessoal com toda comunidade, que é de fundamental importância para aumentar o números de pessoas atendidas pelo espaço da biblioteca.
Factors That Can Trigger Depression
Authors: Batista Haydée Maria Correia da , Paim Andrea Borges , Siqueira Brenda Santos , Ebecken Nelson Francisco Favilla , Dias Ana Claudia
Published: March 2021

According to data from the last National Health Survey (PNS), conducted in 2013 by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in partnership with the Ministry of Health, 7.6% of people aged 18 and over received diagnosis of depression. Therefore, based on this research, the purpose of this study was to identify factors that may be relevant to a possible diagnosis of depression, using machine learning techniques. The binary logistic regression model was chosen as the machine learning technique, with progressive and regressive methods for selecting variables and a model built by the researcher, generating seven different models. The model’s performance evaluation was made by comparing some metrics such as Cox-Snell R2 and Nagelkerke R2, which presented remarkably close results. Based on these models, 37 explanatory variables were selected which were applied to a new logistic regression model. The results showed that some variables significantly increased the chance of a positive diagnosis of depression as well as some variables were indicative of a reduction in the chances of this diagnosis.
Perspectivas e práticas da aprendizagem organizacional no ambiente do trabalho em uma ONG
Authors: Moreira Luiz Fernando , Schlindwein Carlos Eduardo , Biegelmeyer Uiliam Hahn
Published: March 2021

O objetivo deste artigo é identificar e compreender os processos formais em informais de aprendizagem organizacional dos colaboradores de uma ONG e suas práticas profissionais. A estratégia de pesquisa é qualitativa exploratória de natureza aplicada como técnicas de coleta de dados foi utilizado entrevista semiestruturada, observação não participante e pesquisa documental. Foram entrevistados 9 colaboradores de diferentes formações e setores da ONG. A aprendizado informal, se deu por meio de conversas, experiências em outros projetos, trocas de informação e experiências decorridas de trabalhos anteriores. Quanto aos formatos de aprendizagem formal, acontecem na forma de leitura, treinamentos, reuniões, palestras e projetos.
Memória e discurso de divulgação científica em mídias contemporâneas
Authors: Valentim Ana Paula Simonaci , Orrico Evelyn Goyannes Dill , Silva Eliezer Pires da
Published: March 2021

Lançar luz sobre o conceito de divulgação científica, denominação adotada neste trabalho, além de apresentar a trajetória dessa atividade no Brasil. De acordo com Zamboni (1997), divulgação científica não é a mera tradução ou simplificação de um discurso científico, entendemos divulgação científica como elaboração que pretende apresentar o conhecimento científico, de modo acessível ao público em geral, com objetivo de democratizar o acesso a este conhecimento, aproximando ciência e sociedade. Pretendemos discutir a operação em que as fontes científicas são interpretadas por meio do discurso da divulgação científica.
The Role of Probiotics and Prebiotics in Osteolastogenesis and Immune Relevance
Authors: Li Datong , Liu Yuan , Yang Xiaobin , Kong Lingbo
Published: March 2021

Osteoporosis is very common in middle-aged and elderly people, and its main
feature is a disease characterized by bone mass reduction and bone microstructure
changes, accompanied by a corresponding increase in the risk of fracture. This is a disease
affected by many factors and is more common in postmenopausal women. Currently,
the treatment of osteoporosis is mainly to prevent bone resorption and reduce the risk
of fracture; a variety of drugs have been used in the treatment of osteoporosis and
achieved good results. In recent years, with the in-depth study of intestinal microorganisms,
a strong impact of intestinal microflora on bone metabolism in terms of immunity
has been reported. It can be observed in mouse-based models, which indicates that intestinal
flora may be a potential new target for changing bone mineral density (BMD).
Therefore, the intestinal flora is a complex system that affects and regulates the absorption
of calcium and vitamin D. It affects the permeability of the intestine through its own
secretion of related influencing factors and its own activities, and further affects the secretion
of human hormones and immune response. Besides that, T helper cells, lymphocytes,
TNF, IL-17, and the RANKL system play a key role. The impact of probiotics and
prebiotics on humans is controversial due to the scarcity of research data. However,
many studies have shown that the role of probiotics in different animals varies with gender,
age and hormone secretion. Changes in the intestinal flora are closely related to osteopenia
and/or osteoporosis. Changing its composition and activity may be a reliable
strategy for altering bone quality, although further clinical studies are needed to determine
the correct human method.
Calpain-Associated Proteolytic Regulation of the Stromal Microenvironment in Cancer
Authors: Miyazaki Takuro , Akasu Risako , Miyazaki Akira
Published: March 2021

Background:

Normalization of the stromal microenvironment is a promising strategy for cancer control.
Cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor-associated macrophages, and mesenchymal stromal cells have a central
role in stromal functions. Accordingly, understanding these stromal cells is indispensable for the development
of next-generation cancer therapies. Growing evidence suggests that calpain-induced intracellular proteolysis
is responsible for cancer growth and stromal regulation. Calpain is a family of stress-responsive intracellular
proteases and is inducible in cancer and stromal cells during carcinogenesis.

Objective:

Here, we shed light on the recent advances that have been made in understanding how calpain contributes
to stromal regulation in cancer.

Conclusions:

Calpains are activated in stromal cells, including pancreatic stellate cells and mesenchymal cells.
They induce fibrogenic responses in cancer stroma. Moreover, these molecules contribute to epithelial-mesenchymal
transition and endothelial-mesenchymal transition to provide mesenchymal stromal cells in the microenvironment
and concomitantly participate in cancer angiogenesis. In addition to the conventional calpains,
the unconventional calpain-9 is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Animal experiments showed
that targeting calpain systems antagonizes cancer development; thus, this approach is promising for cancer control.
Impact of Headache Frequency and Sleep on Migraine Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ma Mengmeng , Bao Jiajia , Fang Jinghuan , Li Changling , Li Yanbo , Ge Wenjing , Zhang Yang , Guo Jian , He Li
Published: March 2021

Background:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide and poses a
great threat to global health. COVID-19 has also an unneglected effect on migraine patients. Migraine
attack frequency is one of the migraine characteristics, and its impact during COVID-19
needs further research. We aimed to evaluate whether migraine attack frequency during the
COVID-19 pandemic differed from pre-COVID-19 attack frequency and explore possible influencing
factors during the pandemic.

Method:

This prospective cohort study enrolled 187 migraine patients from the Department of
Neurology of West China Hospital from October 2019 to December 2019. After the inclusion and
exclusion criteria, a total of 157 patients were included. We collected demographic data, clinical
characteristics, and epidemiological contact information and followed up on March 2020. Then,
paired-samples T-tests, logistic regression and interaction tests were used to analyze the data.

Result:

We found that the migraine attack frequency was 2.47 ± 1.12 before and 3.54 ± 1.79 during
COVID-19 (P #60;0.0001). Then, we divided patients into two groups based on the difference in
migraine attack frequency between the COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 periods and employed logistic
regression analysis. In the logistic regression analysis, divorced status (OR = 6.53, P = 0.0453),
good sleep pre-COVID-19 and poor sleep during COVID-19 (OR = 3.11, P = 0.0432) had independent
effects on migraine attack frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found no interaction
in poor sleep during COVID-19 between various subgroups.

Conclusion:

We found that migraineurs’ headache attacks were more frequent during COVID-19
than pre-COVID-19 and that increased migraine attack frequency was independently related to divorced
status and poor sleep during COVID-19.
The Use of Zebrafish as a Non-traditional Model Organism in Translational Pain Research: The Knowns and the Unknowns
Authors: Costa Fabiano V. , Rosemberg Denis B. , Rosa Luiz V. , Quadros Vanessa A. , de Abreu Murilo S. , Santos Adair R. S. , Sneddon Lynne U. , Kalueff Allan V.
Published: March 2021

:

The ability of the nervous system to detect a wide range of noxious stimuli is crucial to avoid life-threatening injury and to trigger protective behavioral and physiological responses. Pain represents a complex phenomenon, including nociception associated with cognitive and emotional processing. Animal experimental models have been developed to understand the mechanisms involved in pain response, as well as to discover novel pharmacological and non-pharmacological anti-pain therapies. Due to the genetic tractability, similar physiology, low cost, and rich behavioral repertoire, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a powerful aquatic model for modeling pain responses. Here, we summarize the molecular machinery of zebrafish responses to painful stimuli, as well as emphasize how zebrafish-based pain models have been successfully used to understand specific molecular, physiological, and behavioral changes following different algogens and/or noxious stimuli (e.g., acetic acid, formalin, histamine, Complete Freund's Adjuvant, cinnamaldehyde, allyl isothiocyanate, and fin clipping). We also discuss recent advances in zebrafish-based studies and outline the potential advantages and limitations of the existing models to examine the mechanisms underlying pain responses from evolutionary and translational perspectives. Finally, we outline how zebrafish models can represent emergent tools to explore pain behaviors and pain-related mood disorders, as well as to facilitate analgesic therapy screening in translational pain research.
Drug Repositioning: A Unique Approach to Refurbish Drug Discovery
Authors: Kale Mayura A. , Shamkuwar Prashant B. , Mourya Vishnukant K. , Deshpande Aishwarya B. , Shelke Priyanka A.
Published: March 2021

:

For a decade, it has been observed that there is a remarkable decrease in the quantum of
novel clinically approved drugs, in spite of modernization in the research and development process.
We have highlighted repositioning of drugs as a methodology that has found new therapeutic implications
for clinically approved drugs but with different indications. This can be considered as an upbringing
strategy to deliver timely and cost-effective solutions, which still need exploration for getting
over the shortage of novel drugs reaching the market. This review focuses on an activity-based drug
repositioning approach, which is used to explore new uses of known drugs that are already approved
for specific indications and are now being used for other indications on the basis that a single drug interacts
with multiple targets. It also includes current research trends related to drug repositioning,
which depends on strong knowledge of medicinal chemistry and involves elucidation of mechanisms
of action and validation of novel targets. The review highlights the importance of computational tools
and databases of various forms for drug repositioning purposes, which have enhanced the ability to
pose reasonable and testable hypotheses. The critical nature of this aspect is obvious in cases where
data gathered from in vitro, or animal models do not confirm in subsequent clinical trials. Hence, considering
the positive outcomes of drug repositioning, it can be surmised that this approach can serve as
a promising one that can develop into a robust drug discovery strategy.
Fontan Circulation Might be Associated with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy:
A Review of Mechanistic and Clinical Aspects
Authors: Yalta Kenan , Yetkin Ertan , Taylan Gokay
Published: March 2021

:

Fontan operation has been defined as a palliative surgery connecting systemic venous return
and pulmonary circulation in patients with certain forms of complex congenital heart disease
(CHD). Fortunately, it has improved overall survival and chance of successful pregnancies among
these patients. However, Fontan circulation (FC), as a potential trade-off, might be associated with
specific late or post-gestational complications, including peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM)
largely through its adverse effects on the placenta and inflammation-oxidation stress. Importantly,
diagnosis of superimposed PPCM in women with FC might be a diagnostic challenge, requiring a
high index of suspicion. Accordingly, the present paper aims to highlight the potential association
of FC with PPCM evolution largely based on certain mechanistic and clinical perspectives.
Current Advances in Clinical Trials for Rare Disease Populations: Spotlight
on the Patient
Authors: Winter Erica , Schliebner Scott
Published: March 2021

:

Characterized by small, highly heterogeneous patient populations, rare disease trials
magnify the challenges often encountered in traditional clinical trials. In recent years, there have
been increased efforts by stakeholders to improve drug development in rare diseases through novel
approaches to clinical trial designs and statistical analyses. We highlight and discuss some of the
current and emerging approaches aimed at overcoming challenges in rare disease clinical trials,
with a focus on the ultimate stakeholder, the patient.
Root Resorption of Maxillary Posterior Teeth after Rapid Maxillary Expansion: A Comprehensive Review of the Current Evidence from in-vitro and in-vivo Studies
Authors: Ronsivalle Vincenzo , Casella Federica , Fichera Grazia , Bennici Orazio , Conforte Cristina , Lo Giudice Antonino
Published: March 2021

Background:

The application of heavy forces to the dentition, as those produced during a Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME), has been associated in the literature with the development of root resorption of maxillary posterior teeth.

Objective:

The aim of the present manuscript was to report the available data from in-vitro and in-vivo studies that can elucidate the biological processes of resorption and repair of radicular cementum after RME.

Methods:

Studies evaluating the occurrence of root resorption after RME by means of histological and radiographic methodology were included. We detailed the changes of the radicular anatomy after RME and provided a synthesis of the most valuable scientific evidence showing the biological processes behind the potential modifications of radicular anatomy. Results. Loss of cementum material and reduction of radicular volumes were seen after rapid maxillary expansion. A small radicular volumetric recovery of anchored teeth occurred after the retention period; this reparative phenomenon was caused by cementum deposition without the reattachment of periodontal fibers, supporting the detrimental effects associated with RR.

Conclusion:

Retention period and the timing of radiographic examination could influence the extension of radicular resorption detected after RME since root resorption and cementum repair may occur at the same time at this stage.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Primigravida Women on Birth Preparedness
Authors: Alatawi Munirah , Faheem Wafaa A. , Alabdulaziz Hawa
Published: March 2021

Background:

Preparedness for birth involves advance planning and preparation for delivery. Birth Preparedness (BP) includes preparation for normal delivery, readiness to deal with complications, and postnatal and newborn care. Inadequate knowledge and insufficient preparation for quick intervention in case of emergencies lead to a delay in receiving health services. This situation, wherein the potential for poor maternal and fetal outcomes is great, is an especially worrying concern for women of childbearing age.

Aim:

This study aimed to assess the BP knowledge, attitude, and practice of primigravida women.

Methods:

An exploratory descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Two hundred primigravida women constituted the study sample. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data.

Results:

Approximately two-thirds of the primigravida women (65.0%) had a moderate level of knowledge of BP, and 96.5% had a favorable attitude toward BP. A good level of practice was observed in 58.5% of the primigravida women. Univariate analyses revealed that the level of knowledge had a significant and strong association with the level of attitude, whereas the level of practice showed a good but not statistically significant association with the level of attitude.

Conclusion:

Primigravida women had a moderate level of BP knowledge, good BP practice, and a highly favorable attitude toward BP. Hence, antenatal care clinics are vitally important for pregnant women because they can provide BP education. Governmental institutions and their affiliates that are assigned to the sector of maternal health should develop strategies to improve BP at the individual and community levels.
Assessment Practices of Student’s Clinical Competences in Nurse Education
Authors: El Idrissi WISSAM El Machtani , Chemsi Ghizlane , Kababi KHADIJA El , Radid Mohamed
Published: March 2021

Background:

Clinical competence in nursing practices includes all the theoretical and clinical knowledge used by the student in a clinical setting. It also involves psychomotor as well as problem-solving skills. The assessment focuses on evaluating the student's ability to provide both safe and competent care for the patients. However, it requires the use of several assessment methods that must be varied according to the components of the clinical competence.

Several studies have revealed that the evaluation of this competency is mostly limited to knowledge testing or the acquisition of technical skills verification.

Aims:

This study has two objectives. Firstly, it aims to analyze the assessment practices related to clinical competence and adopted by teachers in higher institutes of nursing and health technology in Morocco. Secondly, it seeks to identify the difficulties faced by them in using a variety of appropriate assessment tools to target all the components of clinical competence.

Methods:

Based on the theoretical model adapted from the Miller’s pyramid by Mehay and Burns in 2009, relating to the assessment of clinical competence, a self-administered questionnaire was shared with 129 nursing teachers.

Results:

The results indicate that 98.06% of participants use a given tool to assess clinical competence; however, using the appropriate tools to evaluate all its components is limited, and the assessment tools are not characterized by variety.

Conclusion:

Reflecting on the evaluation of clinical competences, a clinical assessment model could be proposed to be in accordance with the theoretical model and to measure its impact on nursing students' learning.
Nutrition-related Knowledge and Behaviour and Financial Difficulties during the COVID-19 Quarantine in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Almoraie Noha M. , Hanbazaza Mahitab A. , Aljefree Najlaa M. , Shatwan Israa M.
Published: March 2021

Background:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe global public health issue. Evaluating clinical readiness during a pandemic requires substantial awareness of public knowledge and the ability to predict behaviour when working with a highly pathogenic virus.

Objective:

This study examined nutrition-related knowledge and behaviours and financial difficulties related to COVID-19 among adults in Saudi Arabia.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 968 participants via an online questionnaire focusing on demographics, nutrition-related knowledge regarding COVID-19, nutrition-related behaviours, and financial difficulties under COVID-19 quarantine.

Results:

Female participants showed higher scores in knowledge (3.15 ± 0.87) and nutrition-related behaviour (5.49 ± 1.2) during COVID-19. Those aged 40 to 49 years had the highest knowledge score, while older participants (>50) showed more adherence to positive nutrition-related behaviour (P < 0.0001 for both). Higher education indicated higher knowledge scores (3.4 2 ± 0.86; P = 0.001) but not behaviour scores. High-income participants had the highest knowledge score (3.29 ± 0.96; P = 0.001), while middle income participants had the highest behaviour scores (5.52 ± 1.23; P = 0.01). Low-income participants faced more difficulties with food source availability, compared to high-income participants.

Conclusion:

This study’s results help in providing guidelines for planning and designing health education programmes for vulnerable groups.
Liquidity commonality-economic cycle nexus in emerging Asian economies: An ARDL approach
Authors:   Department of Management Sciences, Capital University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan, Zaidi Syeda Hina
Published: March 2021

This study investigates the impact of liquidity commonality on the economic cycle for 7 emerging Asian economies over a period of 1997-2018, using Autoregressive Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach to Cointegration. Gross domestic investment, total consumption expenditure, net trade, and unemployment rate are studied as macro variables in the analysis. The nexus has been discussed both in the short-run and long-run. A significant relationship between economic growth and stock market liquidity commonality is found for large economies including China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia; however, we found mixed evidence regarding the direction of the relationship for different economies. The aggregate analysis revealed that liquidity commonality has a positive impact on economic growth in the short-run and a negative association in the long-run. As a non-diversifiable risk factor, liquidity co-movement shocks spread the market wide and disrupt the overall functioning of financial markets and eventually affect the economy. For regulators and policymakers and particularly for those in emerging economies, understanding the factors affecting economic cycles and recognizing their dynamics and magnitude is important for policy coordination and market development. Further, the firms in Asian markets operate in legal and regulatory environments distinct from those of firms analyzed in the previous literature. A major knowledge gap pertaining to Asian emerging markets serves as the primary motivation for this study.
Effect of modified Ohm's and Fourier's laws on magneto thermoviscoelastic waves with Green-Naghdi theory in a homogeneous isotropic hollow cylinder
Authors:   Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia, et al. Khamis
Published: March 2021

This paper deals with the modified Ohm's law, including the temperature gradient and charge density effects, and the generalized Fourier's law, including the present current density impact, the problem of conveyance of thermal stresses and temperature in a generalized Magneto–Thermo-Viscoelastic Solid Cylinder of radius L. The formulation is applied to the generalized thermoelasticity dependent on the Green-Naghdi (G-N II) hypothesis. The Laplace change system is utilized to solve the problem. At last, the outcomes got are introduced graphically to show the impact of Magnetic Field and time and on the field variables.
Assessing the Feasibility of an Open-Source Virtual Reality Mirror Visual Feedback Module for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Pilot Usability Study
Authors: Won Andrea Stevenson , Barreau Ariana C , Gaertner Mark , Stone Tristan , Zhu Joshua , Wang Cheng Yao , Mackey Sean
Published: March 2021

Background

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a rare and severe chronic pain condition, with effective treatment options not established for many patients. The underlying pathophysiology remains unclear, but there is a growing appreciation for the role of central mechanisms which have formed the basis for brain-based therapies such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and mirror visual feedback (MVF). MVF has been deployed in the treatment of CRPS using both conventional mirrors and virtual reality (VR).

Objective

The aim of this study was to further investigate the use of VR in the treatment of patients with unilateral upper limb CRPS. VR has the potential advantage of more flexible and more motivating tasks, as well as the option of tracking patient improvement through the use of movement data.

Methods

We describe the development, acceptability, feasibility, and usability of an open-source VR program MVF module designed to be used with consumer VR systems for the treatment of CRPS. The development team was an interdisciplinary group of physical therapists, pain researchers, and VR researchers. Patients recruited from a pain clinic completed 3-5 visits each to trial the system and assessed their experiences in pre- and post-treatment questionnaires.

Results

All 9 (100%) participants were able to use the system for 3, 4, or 5 trials each. None of the participants quit any trial due to cybersickness. All 9 (100%) participants reported interest in using the module in the future. Participants’ reported average pain scores in the affected limb were not significantly different from baseline during treatment or after treatment (P=.16). We did not find a statistically significant effect on participants’ self-reported average pain scores.

Conclusions

We propose that this module could be a useful starting point for modification and testing for other researchers. We share modifications to make this module usable with standalone headsets and finger tracking. Next steps include adapting this module for at-home use, or for use with participants with lower limb pain.
Chatbot-Based Assessment of Employees’ Mental Health: Design Process and Pilot Implementation
Authors: Hungerbuehler Ines , Daley Kate , Cavanagh Kate , Garcia Claro Heloísa , Kapps Michael
Published: March 2021

Background

Stress, burnout, and mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are common, and can significantly impact workplaces through absenteeism and reduced productivity. To address this issue, organizations must first understand the extent of the difficulties by mapping the mental health of their workforce. Online surveys are a cost-effective and scalable approach to achieve this but typically have low response rates, in part due to a lack of interactivity. Chatbots offer one potential solution, enhancing engagement through simulated natural human conversation and use of interactive features.

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore if a text-based chatbot is a feasible approach to engage and motivate employees to complete a workplace mental health assessment. This paper describes the design process and results of a pilot implementation.

Methods

A fully automated chatbot (“Viki”) was developed to evaluate employee risks of suffering from depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, burnout, and work-related stress. Viki uses a conversation style and gamification features to enhance engagement. A cross-sectional analysis was performed to gain first insights of a pilot implementation within a small to medium–sized enterprise (120 employees).

Results

The response rate was 64.2% (77/120). In total, 98 employees started the assessment, 77 of whom (79%) completed it. The majority of participants scored in the mild range for anxiety (20/40, 50%) and depression (16/28, 57%), in the moderate range for stress (10/22, 46%), and at the subthreshold level for insomnia (14/20, 70%) as defined by their questionnaire scores.

Conclusions

A chatbot-based workplace mental health assessment seems to be a highly engaging and effective way to collect anonymized mental health data among employees with response rates comparable to those of face-to-face interviews.
Measuring Stress in Health Professionals Over the Phone Using Automatic Speech Analysis During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Observational Pilot Study
Authors: König Alexandra , Riviere Kevin , Linz Nicklas , Lindsay Hali , Elbaum Julia , Fabre Roxane , Derreumaux Alexandre , Robert Philippe
Published: March 2021

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, health professionals have been directly confronted with the suffering of patients and their families. By making them main actors in the management of this health crisis, they have been exposed to various psychosocial risks (stress, trauma, fatigue, etc). Paradoxically, stress-related symptoms are often underreported in this vulnerable population but are potentially detectable through passive monitoring of changes in speech behavior.

Objective

This study aims to investigate the use of rapid and remote measures of stress levels in health professionals working during the COVID-19 outbreak. This was done through the analysis of participants’ speech behavior during a short phone call conversation and, in particular, via positive, negative, and neutral storytelling tasks.

Methods

Speech samples from 89 health care professionals were collected over the phone during positive, negative, and neutral storytelling tasks; various voice features were extracted and compared with classical stress measures via standard questionnaires. Additionally, a regression analysis was performed.

Results

Certain speech characteristics correlated with stress levels in both genders; mainly, spectral (ie, formant) features, such as the mel-frequency cepstral coefficient, and prosodic characteristics, such as the fundamental frequency, appeared to be sensitive to stress. Overall, for both male and female participants, using vocal features from the positive tasks for regression yielded the most accurate prediction results of stress scores (mean absolute error 5.31).

Conclusions

Automatic speech analysis could help with early detection of subtle signs of stress in vulnerable populations over the phone. By combining the use of this technology with timely intervention strategies, it could contribute to the prevention of burnout and the development of comorbidities, such as depression or anxiety.
Intention to Adopt mHealth Apps Among Informal Caregivers: Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Ghahramani Fereshteh , Wang Jingguo
Published: March 2021

Background

Caregiving responsibility can change caregivers’ lives; modify their emotions; and make them feel frustrated, fearful, and nervous, thereby imposing physical and mental stress. Caregiving-related mobile apps provide a platform for obtaining valuable and trusted information, connecting more easily with other caregivers, monitoring medications, and managing appointments, and assessing health requirements and conditions of care receivers. Such apps also incorporate valuable resources that address care for the caregivers. Despite the potential benefits of caregiving-related apps, only a limited number of caregivers have adopted and used them.

Objective

The aim of this study is to explore the important factors that affect caregivers’ intentions to integrate related mobile apps into their routine caregiving responsibilities.

Methods

Using the protection motivation theory, we conducted a cross-sectional study among 249 participants. Purposive sampling was used to target participants who met 4 inclusion criteria: US residents, owning and using a smartphone, informal caregivers (individuals who give care to a friend or family member without payment) who provided at least 8 hours of care per week in the past year, and those currently not using any mobile app for caregiving purposes. We created a survey using Qualtrics and posted it on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk website. Participants received monetary compensation after successful completion of the survey.

Results

We found that capabilities and skills of caregivers to use mobile apps, the app’s effectiveness in responding to the needs of caregivers, the degree of control of caregivers over their responsibilities, and the decisions they make for their care receivers can predict their willingness to adopt caregiving-related apps. In addition, the severity of health status and vulnerability of care receivers to unexpected health changes indirectly shape their caregivers’ decisions to adopt and use mobile apps for caregiving purposes.

Conclusions

This study explores the important factors that affect informal caregivers’ intentions to adopt related mobile apps into their routine caregiving responsibilities. The results contribute to both mobile health adoption and the caregiving literature, and they offer significant implications for developers, health care practitioners, and policy makers.
Testing a Novel Web-Based Neurocognitive Battery in the General Community: Validation and Usability Study
Authors: Capizzi Riley , Fisher Melissa , Biagianti Bruno , Ghiasi Neelufaer , Currie Ariel , Fitzpatrick Karrie , Albertini Nicholas , Vinogradov Sophia
Published: March 2021

Background

In recent years, there has been increased interest in the development of remote psychological assessments. These platforms increase accessibility and allow clinicians to monitor important health metrics, thereby informing patient-centered treatment.

Objective

In this study, we report the properties and usability of a new web-based neurocognitive assessment battery and present a normative data set for future use.

Methods

A total of 781 participants completed a portion of 8 tasks that captured performance in auditory processing, visual-spatial working memory, visual-spatial learning, cognitive flexibility, and emotional processing. A subset of individuals (n=195) completed a 5-question survey measuring the acceptability of the tasks.

Results

Between 252 and 426 participants completed each task. Younger individuals outperformed their older counterparts in 6 of the 8 tasks. Therefore, central tendency data metrics were presented using 7 different age bins. The broad majority of participants found the tasks interesting and enjoyable and endorsed some interest in playing them at home. Only 1 of 195 individuals endorsed not at all for the statement, “I understood the instructions.” Older individuals were less likely to understand the instructions; however, 72% (49/68) of individuals over the age of 60 years still felt that they mostly or very much understood the instructions.

Conclusions

Overall, the tasks were found to be widely acceptable to the participants. The use of web-based neurocognitive tasks such as these may increase the ability to deploy precise data-informed interventions to a wider population.
Use of Endoscopic Images in the Prediction of Submucosal Invasion of Gastric Neoplasms: Automated Deep Learning Model Development and Usability Study
Authors: Bang Chang Seok , Lim Hyun , Jeong Hae Min , Hwang Sung Hyeon
Published: March 2021

Background

In a previous study, we examined the use of deep learning models to classify the invasion depth (mucosa-confined versus submucosa-invaded) of gastric neoplasms using endoscopic images. The external test accuracy reached 77.3%. However, model establishment is labor intense, requiring high performance. Automated deep learning (AutoDL) models, which enable fast searching of optimal neural architectures and hyperparameters without complex coding, have been developed.

Objective

The objective of this study was to establish AutoDL models to classify the invasion depth of gastric neoplasms. Additionally, endoscopist–artificial intelligence interactions were explored.

Methods

The same 2899 endoscopic images that were employed to establish the previous model were used. A prospective multicenter validation using 206 and 1597 novel images was conducted. The primary outcome was external test accuracy. Neuro-T, Create ML Image Classifier, and AutoML Vision were used in establishing the models. Three doctors with different levels of endoscopy expertise were asked to classify the invasion depth of gastric neoplasms for each image without AutoDL support, with faulty AutoDL support, and with best performance AutoDL support in sequence.

Results

The Neuro-T–based model reached 89.3% (95% CI 85.1%-93.5%) external test accuracy. For the model establishment time, Create ML Image Classifier showed the fastest time of 13 minutes while reaching 82.0% (95% CI 76.8%-87.2%) external test accuracy. While the expert endoscopist's decisions were not influenced by AutoDL, the faulty AutoDL misled the endoscopy trainee and the general physician. However, this was corrected by the support of the best performance AutoDL model. The trainee gained the most benefit from the AutoDL support.

Conclusions

AutoDL is deemed useful for the on-site establishment of customized deep learning models. An inexperienced endoscopist with at least a certain level of expertise can benefit from AutoDL support.
Use of Twitter in Neurology: Boon or Bane?
Authors: Mishra Biswamohan , Saini Monica , Doherty Carolynne M , Pitceathly Robert D S , Rajan Roopa , Siddiqi Omar K , Ramdharry Gita , Asranna Ajay , Tomaselli Pedro Jose , Kermode Allan G , Bajwa Jawad A , Garg Divyani , Vishnu Venugopalan Y
Published: March 2021

Twitter is a free, open access social media platform that is widely used in medicine by physicians, scientists, and patients. It provides an opportunity for advocacy, education, and collaboration. However, it is likely not utilized to its full advantage by many disciplines in medicine, and pitfalls exist in its use. In particular, there has not been a review of Twitter use and its applications in the field of neurology. This review seeks to provide an understanding of the current use of Twitter in the field of neurology to assist neurologists in engaging with this potentially powerful application to support their work.
Factors Associated With Perceived Trust of False Abortion Websites: Cross-sectional Online Survey
Authors: Chaiken Sarina Rebecca , Han Lisa , Darney Blair G , Han Leo
Published: March 2021

Background

Most patients use the internet to search for health information. While there is a vast repository of searchable information online, much of the content is unregulated and therefore potentially incorrect, conflicting, or confusing. Abortion information online is particularly prone to being inaccurate as antichoice websites publish purposefully misleading information in formats that appear as neutral resources. To understand how antichoice websites appear neutral, we need to understand the specific website features of antichoice websites that impart an impression of trustworthiness.

Objective

We sought to identify the characteristics of false or misleading abortion websites that make these websites appear trustworthy to the public.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform. We used validated questionnaires to ask participants to rate 11 antichoice websites and one neutral website identified by experts, focusing on website content, creators, and design. We collected sociodemographic data and participant views on abortion. We used a composite measure of “mean overall trust” as our primary outcome. Using correlation matrices, we determined which website characteristics were most associated with mean overall trust. Finally, we used linear regression to identify participant characteristics associated with overall trust.

Results

Our analytic sample included 498 participants aged from 22 to 70 years, and 50.1% (247/493) identified as female. Across 11 antichoice websites, creator confidence (“I believe that the creators of this website are honest and trustworthy”) had the highest correlation coefficient (strongest relationship) with mean overall trust (coefficient=0.70). Professional appearance (coefficient=0.59), look and feel (coefficient=0.59), perception that the information is created by experts (coefficient=0.59), association with a trustworthy organization (coefficient=0.58), valued features and functionalities (coefficient=0.54), and interactive capabilities (coefficient=0.52) all demonstrated strong relationships with mean overall trust. At the individual level, prochoice leaning was associated with higher overall trust of the neutral website (B=−0.43, 95% CI −0.87 to 0.01) and lower mean overall trust of the antichoice websites (B=0.52, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.99).

Conclusions

The mean overall trust of antichoice websites is most associated with design characteristics and perceived trustworthiness of website creators. Those who believe that access to abortion should be limited are more likely to have higher mean overall trust for antichoice websites.