bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between Pregnancy Body Mass Index and Delivery Method and Postpartum Depression
Authors: ŞOLT Ayça , KANZA GÜL Derya
Published: December 2023

Purpose: This study was carried out to evaluate the relationship between body mass indexes and delivery types of pregnant women and postpartum depression.

Method: The study is descriptive and cross-sectional and involved 164 postpartum women from February to June 2022. Among the inclusion criteria were the age of 20 or older, the fact that one is primiparous or multiparous, having given birth by vaginal birth or cesarean section, and having been in the postpartum period.

Results: The average age of the participants was 29.72±4.37, and the mean body mass index was 27.98±3.68. 54.6% of the participants are university graduates, the income of 83.4% is equal to their expenses, and 68.1% of them do not work in any job.. While there was a statistically significant relationship between income status and social security and depression status, there was no statistically significant relationship between body mass index and delivery type and postpartum depression (p< 0.05).

Conclusion: Although there was no association between postpartum depression and delivery type or body mass index, income status and social security did show a relationship.
Traditional and complementary medicine practices used to prevent covid-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study from Turkiye
Authors: TÜRK DÜDÜKCÜ Figen , ŞENER Rabia , TÜRKMEN Ayşe , GAZEL Canan
Published: December 2023

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has shown its effect worldwide and has caused people to experience hard times. This study aims to determine the traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) practices applied to protect from COVID-19 and attitudes toward them.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Individuals aged 18 years and older were included in the study. A questionnaire form was delivered between April 1 and April 30, 2021, to the participants online through social media due to the measures implemented throughout the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, median value, minimum, maximum, number, and percentile) were given for categorical and continuous variables. Whether there is a difference between the ratios of a single categorical variable and the relationships between two categorical variables were analyzed using Fisher's exact and chi-square tests. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: About half of those surveyed used T&CM to ward off the COVID-19 outbreak. The most used method was herbal mixtures. The prevalence was strongly associated with gender and previous diagnosis of COVID-19. Most of the participants believed that T&CM practices were necessary.

Conclusion: Societies’ T&CM experiences are valuable and worth learning. There is an opportunity to test the true value of T&CM in prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Considering the frequency of use of T&CM practices, it can be suggested that this should be implemented more frequently by health professionals as a policy.
The Role of Basic Personality Traits, Cognitive Coping Strategies in Social Anxiety Symptoms.
Authors: AKAN Şebnem , BİRTEK Dilara
Published: December 2023

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the role of personality traits and coping mechanisms in social anxiety symptoms within the scope of predisposing and sustaining risk factors.Methods: The study group consists of 505 participants (female are 52.3%) between the ages of 18-42 studying at different private universities in Istanbul. Data collection tools are Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Basic Personality Traits Scale, Ways of Coping with Stress Scale, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Scale. Results: Within the scope of the study, Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and Hierarchical Regression Analysis are used. It is observed that participants with low and high social anxiety symptom level differed in terms of extraversion, agreeableness, openness and negative valence among personality traits; self-confident approach, helpless approach and submissive approach among stress coping styles; and refocusing on the plan, positive reappraisal and catastrophizing among cognitive emotion regulation styles. In addition, as a result of the hierarchical regression analysis, it is found that extraversion, openness and negative valence from personality traits; helpless approach and submissive approach from stress coping styles; and only positive refocusing sub-dimension from cognitive emotion regulation styles predicted social anxiety.

Conclusion: Results of this study supported the role of personality traits, ways of coping with stress and cognitive emotion regulation strategies in social anxiety symptoms. These data provide evidence that extraversion, openness to experience, negative valence personality traits; helpless and submissive stress coping styles might be both sustaining and predisposing risk factors in the conceptualization of social anxiety symptoms.
Hepatocellular Cancer And Liver Transplantation; Is There Any Novelty İn Prognostic Factors For Survival And Recurrence?
Authors: ANILIR Ender , ORAL Alihan , TÜRKER Fatih , ŞAHİN Tolga , YÜZER Yıldıray , TOKAT Yaman
Published: December 2023

Background/Purpose: Hepatocellular cancer constitutes 75-85% of liver cancers, and its treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach. Milan criteria are golden standart candidate selection criteria that ensure excellent posttransplant survival and follow up with low recurrence rate. However, other classifications include histopathological features or biological behaviors may vary survival and recurrence. We examined the parameters that may have prognostic value in out study.

Methods: 217 patients for recurrence, 226 patients for overall survival, 48 patients for disease free survival, whose explant pathology is hepatocellular carcinoma and data information can be obtained were evaluated. Recurrence and overall survival and disease free survival were statistically analyzed in terms of age, gender, living and cadaveric transplanted patient groups, blood group, BMİ, MELD and Child scores, milan criteria and pathological parameters. All survival rates were evaluated in terms of recurrent organ location, number of organ recurrence, and survival rates.

Results: There were less recurrence rates in patients, with 0 blood group, inside milan, with less total and maximum tumor diameter. It was also observed that the maximum tumor size affected the overall survival multivariately It was observed that survival was worse in early recurrence and recurrence in the first 24 months.

Conclusion: İt is observed that being inside the milan and tumor diameter affect the recurrence and survival, surgery to be performed in localized recurrences and additional systemic treatment will affect survival positively.
Investigation of the Contribution of Radiotherapy Technician Education to Working Life: A National Survey Study
Authors: GOKSEL Evren Ozan
Published: December 2023

Background/Purpose: To investigate the perception of working radiation therapists (RTTs) regarding the contribution of RTT training provided in Turkey to their clinical practice. 

Methods: The study employed a questionnaire consisting of 22 questions. The questionnaire was distributed via email to RTTs working in Turkey. The questionnaire explored various aspects of the participants' education, including their internship opportunities, the duration of their internships, the devices they worked with, and the adequacy of their experiences.

Results: 181 RTTs participated in the survey. The majority of participants (57.3%) completed their education at foundation universities, while 42.7% attended state universities. During their education, 80.5% of participants found the internship opportunities offered by their schools to be adequate. 92.6% of the participants reported that the experience they gained during their internship had a positive impact on their working life. A statistically significant relationship was observed between the adequacy of the device variety used during the internship and the contribution of the internship to their working life (p
Examination of Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes About Symptoms, Sleep Quality and Sleep in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis Treatment
Authors: GÜNDOGDU Fatma , GÖKHAN HAKVERİR Halime , HAKVERİR Hasip
Published: December 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between symptoms, sleep quality, and dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment.

Material and Methods: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 120 patients undergoing hemodialysis in a private hemodialysis center. Data were collected using the Descriptive Information Form, Dialysis Symptom Index (DSI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes About Sleep Scale-16 (DBAS-16). The statistical analysis of the data obtained as a result of the study was analyzed using number, percentage, standard deviation and arithmetic mean as descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test and structural equation modeling in IBM SPSS 26 program. Ethics committee approval and permission from the research institution were obtained for the conduct of the study.

Results: The most common hemodialysis-related symptoms were fatigue (70.8%), feeling irritable (61.7%), difficulty falling asleep (60.8%). The mean PSQI Global sleep score of the patients was 7.40±5.02 points. Dialysis Symptom Index explained 26.5% of the change in PSQI Global sleep score in a statistically significant way (F=42.479 p
Retrospective Analysis of Sociodemographic Characteristics of Substance Abuse Patients Receiving Inpatient Treatment
Authors: KARACA Memiş , ŞİMŞEK Erhan , ŞENGÜL Adem , DAŞ Mustafa Öz
Published: December 2023

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the socio-demographic data of the patients who attended the AMATEM clinic in 2019, but to evaluate them according to the forensic case situation, which is a gap in the literature, and to share it with the scientific world.

Method: The medical records of 481 patients who underwent inpatient treatment at the AMATEM clinic of Kayseri State Hospital in 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Sociodemographic characteristics, physical and psychiatric disorders, military service status, smoking and alcohol consumption, type of substance and consumption, and forensic case status of the patients were studied. The statistical evaluation of the data was recorded in a database prepared using the SPSS 23 program, with a confidence level of 95% and a statistical significance limit of p
Current Status and Controversies in Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Advanced Stage Ovarian Cancer: A Review
Authors: Li Jiaxi , Zhao Jitong , Liao Shuying , Bian Ce
Published: December 2023

Objective: To evaluate the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in the management of advanced ovarian cancer (AOC), with a focus on patient eligibility, pre-NACT diagnosis, treatment, timing of interval cytoreductive surgery (ICS) and the target of ICS, challenges in ICS, response assessment, changes in the tumor microenvironment during NACT, platinum resistance. Mechanism: NACT precedes cytoreductive surgery and shrinks tumors, thereby improving surgical success. Findings in Brief: NACT shows promising results for improving tumor reduction rates and improve prognosis. Conclusions: NACT has emerged as a promising treatment strategy for AOC.
Post-Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Liver Injury in Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Gu Yannan , Xing Ying , Zhu Jing , Zeng Li , Hu Xiaohong
Published: December 2023

Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has risen as a global threat to public health and can cause both respiratory and multisystemic diseases in humans. This study aimed to describe the incidence of abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) in post-COVID-19 pregnant women, and to explore characteristics of pregnant women with abnormal LFTs. Methods: This retrospective cohort study comprised 155 pregnant patients who experienced COVID-19, alongside 76 uninfected pregnant women as a control group. All participants were randomly selected from the Obstetrics outpatient clinic at the Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University between December 25 2022 and January 31 2023. Demographic data and laboratory data were collected, and results were statistically analyzed. Results: Of the 155 pregnant women who had experienced COVID-19, 63 (40.6%) showed abnormally raised liver enzymes. In the control group, 9 (11.8%) cases had abnormal LFTs. Differences between the two groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Of the 63 post-COVID-19 patients with abnormal LFTs, the median serum level of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was: 175 U/L (range, 51–352 U/L), 113 U/L (range, 42–329 U/L), and 123 U/L (range, 35–250 U/L). Median total biliary acid (TBA) was 18.1 µmol/L (range, 1.8–33.5 µmol/L). The patients who developed abnormal LFTs did so within 7–14 days after contracting COVID-19, with a median of 10 days. Subsequently, their liver function returned to normal within 4–26 days, with a median of 12 days. The univariate analysis on factors that may affect abnormal LFTs revealed a statistically significant difference in gestational age and body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis found that gestational age (odds ratio (OR): 1.095 [1.021–1.174]) and BMI (OR: 1.169 [1.059–1.289]) remained a significant independent risk factors for liver injury (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Pregnant women are at an increased risk of liver injury after contracting COVID-19. Moreover, with the increase of gestational age and BMI, the risk of liver injury increases.
Expression Analysis of COPB2 and Bcl-2 in Early Stages of Endometrial Carcinoma
Authors: Andrić Branko , Cvetković Danijela , Blagojević Stefan , Stanković Marko , Kokošar Nenad , Sretenović Dragutin , Šljivančanin Dragiša , Milošević Branislav , Milošev Danijela , Arsenijević Petar
Published: December 2023

Background: Coatomer protein complex subunit β2 (COPB2) is a subunit of the intracellular transport system between cell organelles that participates in the regulation of cell division and differentiation. Bcl-2 is a protein that participates in regulating the process of apoptosis. We aimed to examine and establish expression of these two genes in endometrial cancer at an early stage. Methods: In order to examine the relative expression of the gene for the COPB2 subunit and Bcl-2, we sampled endometrial tissue from 40 patients with endometrial cancer (experimental group) and from 20 patients without cancer (control group). All patients in the experimental group had early-stage cancer without metastases at the time of sample collection. Gene expression was performed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method at the Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac. Relative quantification of COPB2 and Bcl-2 gene expression was obtained in relation to the expression of GAPDH (“housekeeping gene”). Based on the results of the analysis of the normality of the data distribution (Shapiro-Wilk test), the Mann-Whitney U test was used for the analysis of these variables. Results: Using Mann-Whitney U test, we determined that there is a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in the expression values of the COPB2 and Bcl-2 gene in women with endometrial carcinoma (EC) compared to women without cancer. Expression value for the COPB2 gene in the experimental group (0.18) was lower compared to the value of the control group (0.65). Also, the relative expression value of Bcl-2 was lower in the examined group (0.15) than in the control group (0.54). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed statistically significant diagnostic potential of gene expression for COPB2 (area under the curve (AUC) 0.878; p < 0.001) and Bcl-2 (AUC 0.666; p = 0.038). Conclusions: In the initial stages of endometrial cancer, there is a significant reduced expression of the Bcl-2 and COPB2 gene compared to cells of normal endometrial tissue. This study showed that the expression value of these two genes in the early stages of endometrial cancer is low. Diagnostic potential in segregation of cancer from non- cancer patients is achieved through expression of these two genes, with COPB2 being more specific biomarker. Clinical Trial Registration: The study has been registered with registration number NCT05951426 on https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/home.
Hugan Buzure Granule Alleviates Acute Kidney Injury in Mice by Inhibiting NLRP3/Caspase-1 Pathway and TLR4/NF-κB Pathway
Authors: Ran Chongwang , Yu Bing , Yin Hailong , Yang Yanfang , Wu Hezhen , Yin Qiang
Published: December 2023

Background: Hugan Buzure Granule (HBG) is a traditional prescription of Uygur nationality in China mainly used to treat liver cold, stomachache, spleen and rib pain, arthralgia, rheumatism and urinary system diseases. Its mechanism of action in treating acute kidney injury (AKI) continues to remain unconfirmed. This study’s objective was to investigate the pharmacodynamics and mechanism of HBG in the management of AKI. Methods: The damage to the kidney tissue was examined by using H&E (Hematoxylin-eosin) staining. The BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) and Cr (Creatinine) in serum were examined by biochemical kit. The content of ROS (Reactive oxygen species) in kidney tissue was determined by ROS frozen section staining, while the amount of MDA (Malondialdehyde), GSH (Glutathione), and the enzymes of CAT (Catalase) and SOD (Superoxide dismutase) were assessed by using a biochemical kit. The tissue apoptosis was seen by using the TUNEL assay. ELISA kit was utilized to assess the content of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in serum. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were utilized to identify the translation of proteins associated to the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway and the TLR4/NF-κB pathway in various tissues. Results: HBG considerably improved the renal injury in mice and decreased their kidney coefficient in contrast with the Control group. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot demonstrated that the translation of NLRP3, Caspase-1, IL-18, IL-1β, TLR4, NF-κB, IL-6, TNF-α were down-regulated in HBG groups. Conclusions: HBG may have a protective effect against AKI through anti-oxidative stress, inhibition of apoptosis and reduction of serum inflammatory factor levels. The mechanisms involved inhibiting NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway and TLR4/NF-κB pathway.
Silencing of CPNE1-TRAF2 Axis Restrains the Development of Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Song Yelin , Song Baolian , Yu Zhichao , Li Andong , Xia Lulu , Zhao Yanwen , Lu Zhongwen , Li Zuowei
Published: December 2023

Background: Copine 1 (CPNE1) acts as a promoter in the progression of many kinds of cancers with the exception of pancreatic cancer (PC). This research is designed to probe the function of the CPNE1-tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) axis in PC. Methods: In vivo and in vitro models of PC were constructed, and a series of biological function tests, including MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide], colony formation, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry, were performed. Results: The level of CPNE1 elevated dramatically in PC cells. Downregulation of CPNE1in PC cells resulted in the inhibition of colony formation and proliferation. In addition, the silencing of CPNE1 induced the G1/S arrest and apoptosis in PC cells. Additionally, TRAF2 positively interacted with CPNE1 in PANC cells. CPNE1 silencing also inhibited the growth of tumors in in vivo mouse models. Functional experiments revealed that the anti-tumor effect of CPNE1 silencing was counteracted by TRAF2 overexpression, and the tumor-promoting effect of TRAF2 overexpression was reversed by CPNE1 silencing. Conclusions: In summary, our findings indicate that the silencing of the CPNE1-TRAF2 axis restrains PC development.
The antidepressant-like effect of NevGro® Forte in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model of depression in rats
Authors: Zainal Abidin Zakirah , Junit Juwita , Che Ramli Muhammad Danial , Seow Syntyche, Ling Sing , Cheng Poh Guat , Eshak Zolkapli , Ahad Mohamad Anuar , Muhammad Hussin
Published: December 2023

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and it is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. Almost 320 million individuals globally are left untreated with depression and it has the highest prevalence. Although there are multiple conventional antidepressant types available, patients are still left untreated due to inadequate pharmacological effectiveness as well as the high rate of remissions, side effects, and patients’ non-compliance. Therefore, this study aims to determine the therapeutic effects of NevGro® Forte. The NevGro® Forte that contains a combination of three types of mushrooms, Lignosus rhinocerotis, Ganoderma lucidum and Hericium erinaceus, has been reported to have the therapeutic potential for alleviating depressive symptoms. Sixty Sprague Dawley rats induced to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) protocol were orally treated with NevGro® Forte daily for 4 weeks. Histological analysis was performed to probe the role of neurogenesis in mediating the therapeutic effect of NevGro® Forte. Fluoxetine (FLX) was orally administered to validate the neurogenesis-dependent mechanism of NevGro® Forte. The present study exhibited that 4 weeks of NevGro® Forte treatment ameliorated the depressive symptoms in CUMS rat model. There is a significant improvement in body weight, brain’s weight, and increased thickness of the pyramidal layer in the hippocampus following the treatment of NevGro® Forte. Scanning electron microscopy also revealed decreased degeneration characterised by flattened with less dense surface composition in the hippocampus. This research shows a positive outcome of using NevGro® Forte in ameliorating depressive symptoms.
Research on the integration of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in Dunhuang documents
Authors: Shixue Gong
Published: December 2023

This article discusses the philosophical connotation of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism from the perspective of post-modern philosophy, and explains the integration of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism with Dunhuang Taoist documents as an example.
Tiflis school of Caucasian land surveyors
Authors: Umarov Dzhambulat
Published: December 2023

Created with the organizational support of Prince M.S. Vorontsov and the Caucasian Committee, the Tiflis School of Caucasian Land Surveyors (1846) marked the beginning of mass training of qualified topographers. Created by the mid-1850s, the cadre of land surveyors ensured the implementation of land reform in the North Caucasus, which was extremely important for the integration of the Caucasus into the Russian Empire. It should also be noted that the personnel for the school were drawn from the local population, initially familiar with the specific features of an extremely complex region.
Cultural adaptation in literary translation: on the example of the Russian translation of Qian Zhongshu’s novel “Fortress Besieged”
Authors: Shizhang Yang
Published: December 2023

Culture plays an important role in the goal that literary translation pursues, namely, aesthetic representation. This article uses the concept of cultural adaptation in the theory of translation adaptation, defines cultural adaptation as a transformation or rewriting at the cultural level of the source text in translation in order to fit the linguistic and cultural situation in the target language, and uses the example of the Russian translation of the novel “Fortress Besieged” by famous Chinese writer Qian Zhongshu to analyze various operations of cultural adaptation in the work in terms of both transformation and rewriting in translation.
Home-Based Business in Business Plan: Opportunities, Challenges and Technology Overview
Authors: Valeryan Jovankha
Published: December 2023

Home-based business adalah kegiatan bisnis yang di operasionalkan di rumah atautempat tinggal pribadi orang tersebut. Bisnis ini memanfaatkan rumah atau tempat tinggalpribadi sebagai kegiatan bisnis yang utama dalam menjalankan home-based business.Home-based business dapat melibatkan berbagai jenis usaha, mulai dari penjualan barangfisik (offline), layanan jasa, hingga bisnis online. Manfaat dari home-based businessadalah biaya operasional yang relatif rendah karena tidak memerlukan biaya sewa tempatatau ongkos perjalanan untuk bekerja diluar rumah. Kemudian, fleksibilitas waktu karenapekerjaan yang dilakukan di rumah cenderung lebih santai dan bisa dikerjakan bersamaandengan yang lain.
Evolution of Life Satisfaction and Evaluations of Living Conditions in Russia in 2006-2021
Authors: Fabrykant Marharyta
Published: December 2023

The paper is dedicated to the evolution of overall life satisfaction and evaluation of living conditions in Russia over the past two decades. The research hypothesis is that dynamics of life satisfaction and evaluation of the situation in specific spheres of life in Russia in this period had an inverted U shape. The hypothesis was tested by means of the data of the rounds 3 to 10 of the European Social Survey collected in 2006-2021. The results indicate the increase in life satisfaction and positive evaluations of living conditions between 2006 and 2014 followed by a subsequent decrease. Effects of sociodemographic characteristics demonstrated the opposite dynamics – decline in effect size and then a subsequent growth indicating higher agreement on more positive evaluations.
GCCX : MSX segment (Supplement III:49)
Authors: Akmut Camille
Published: December 2023

(Supplement to the History of computer science and technology)
D-Tour: Semi-Automatic Generation of Interactive Guided Tours for Visualization Dashboard Onboarding
Authors: Dhanoa Vaishali , Hinterreiter Andreas , Fediuk Vanessa , Elmqvist Niklas , Gröller Eduard , Streit Marc
Published: December 2023

Guided Tour for Dashboard Onboarding
Selection Bias Understood Through Sequential Causal Diagrams
Authors: Bulbulia Joseph
Published: December 2023

Selection bias occurs when a study’s sample does not accurately represent the target population, leading to skewed causal inferences. In this brief review, I examine selection bias within the potential outcomes framework of causal inference. Unlike confounding bias, which arises from unaccounted variables affecting both treatment and outcome, some forms of selection bias originate from the way study units are selected or from the differential attrition of these units. I discuss how understanding these distinctions is beneficial for applied researchers in evolutionary human science, with a focus on research design, data collection, and data analysis in longitudinal studies.
Learning with (perceived) humans and computers: the role of agency beliefs in older adult collaborative learning.
Authors: Crompton Catherine J , Wolfe Kelly , Tullo Alisdair , Hoffman Paul , Wolters Maria Klara , MacPherson Sarah E.
Published: December 2023

Learning new skills and information becomes more challenging as people get older, due to a decline in cognitive abilities involved in learning. Learning collaboratively can provide benefits to learning in older age due to the social aspects of collaboration. Prior work has focused on the effects of interacting with another human, while the potential benefits of human-computer interaction are understudied.In the current study, 24 older adult participants (aged 65-80 years) completed an adapted version of the Map Task using a Wizard-of-Oz paradigm, in which participants were told that they were interacting with a human assistant or computer. The findings show that participants became faster across trials in both the Human and Computer conditions, though experienced a steeper reduction in time to complete in the Human learning condition. Despite taking longer, participants did not request additional input from the computer to assist their progress. When recalling their learned routes, participants recalled the route learned with the human more accurately both 1-hour and 1-week after the study session.Overall, participants engaged more with their human partner, and recall was more accurate when the information had been provided by the human, compared to the computer. Participants’ negative perceptions about the computer-provided information and about computers in general may have driven this effect. These findings can inform the future design of learning materials for older adults using natural or synthetic speech, as well as future research on collaborative learning in older age.
Political Affiliation as a Moderator of the Relationship between Organizational Climate and COVID-19 Vaccine Readiness
Authors: Roswag Malte , Häusser Jan A. , Abdel Hadi Sascha , Hubert Philipp , Mojzisch Andreas
Published: December 2023

Rationale: Organizations have a significant influence on their employees’ behavior and attitudes across a wide range of areas. A framework to bundle these effects is organizational climate. Here, we argue that in a highly polarized society, such as the United States, many types of organizational climate revolve around issues that are divided along partisan lines (e.g., diversity, sustainability, COVID-19). However, research on organizational climate has largely overlooked the idea that employees perceive these issues through a partisan lens.Objective: We aim to address this gap by arguing that political affiliation constitutes a boundary condition for those types of organizational climates addressing partisan cleavages. In particular, we focus on the interplay of organizational climate and the partisan gap in COVID-19. We predicted that the effect of organizational COVID-19 safety climate on employees’ COVID-19 vaccine readiness is moderated by political affiliation.Methods: We conducted a survey with 1,158 U.S. citizens. To strengthen the generalizability of our findings, we took care to ensure that the gender and ethnicity distribution of our sample reflected the distribution of both variables in the U.S. population.Results: As predicted, results showed that the effect of organizational COVID-19 safety climate on employees’ COVID-19 vaccine readiness was moderated by political affiliation. Specifically, the relationship between organizational COVID-19 safety climate and COVID-19 vaccine readiness was more pronounced among Republicans than Democrats.Conclusion: We provide a new perspective on the interactive effects of organizational climate and political partisanship on attitudes to vaccines. Our research suggests that, when it comes to vaccine readiness, it is precisely those who are most vaccine-hesitant who are most affected by the organizations for whom they work.
Decision-making under risk and its correlates in schizophrenia
Authors: Dong Jojo , Shovestul Bridget , Saxena Abhishek , Dudek Emily , Reda Stephanie , Lamberti J. Steven , Dodell-Feder David
Published: December 2023

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are associated with pervasive cognitive impairments, including deficits in decision-making under risk. However, there is inconclusive evidence regarding specific mechanisms underlying altered decision-making patterns. In this study, participants (33 SSD and 28 non-SSD) completed the Columbia Card Task, an explicit risk-taking task, to better understand risk preference and adjustment in dynamic decision-making. We found that while there is no group difference in overall risk-taking, risk preference, or optimal decision-making, risk adjustment to contextual factors (e.g., loss probability) is blunted in SSD. We also found associations between risk-taking/suboptimal decision-making and disorganized symptoms, excited symptoms, and role functioning, but no associations between decision-making and working memory. These results suggest that during a complex, dynamic risk-taking task, individuals with SSD exhibit less adaption to changing information about risk, which may reflect risk imperception.
Comparative study among the patients with different coronary risk factors for detection of asymptomatic coronary artery disease by treadmill test confirmed by coronary angiography
Authors: Moumita Saha Paul  , Sovan Mitra  , Uttam Kumar Saha  , Swapnodeep Sarkar
Published: December 2023

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as ischemic heart disease (IHD) and cerebrovascular accidents such as stroke lead to 17.7 million deaths and are the leading cause of death worldwide. Global Burden of Disease study found that age-standardized CVD death rate in India (272/100,000 population) is much higher than the global average (235/100,000 population).
Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to compare among different coronary risk factors like dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus hypertension (HTN), and obesity which may lead to coronary artery disease (CAD) and early detection of ischemic heart disease by the stress treadmill test (TMT) among the patients having coronary risk factors.
Materials and Methods: This is a prospective and observational study among 170 patients of age group 18–60 years having one or more coronary risk factors such as dyslipidemia, HTN, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Patients with diagnosed IHD and other chronic debilitating diseases were excluded from the study.
Results: Out of 170 patients, 153 patients were males and 17 patients were females. Among all these patients, 42 patients were suffering from dyslipidemia, 44 patients were suffering from Type 2 diabetes, 45 patients were suffering from HTN, and 39 patients were having more than one risk factor. All 170 patients with coronary risk factors performed TMT. Out of those patients, 53 were found to be TMT-positive. Binary regression analysis showed among all the selected risk factors, dyslipidemia (P<0.05; odds ratio [OR]-2.104) and HTN (P<0.05; OR-2.159) were found to be significantly associated with the positive outcome of TMT. All 53 TMT-positive patients were selected for CAG. Out of those patients, 37 were found to be suffering from CAD. Binary regression analysis showed among all the selected risk factors, dyslipidemia (P<0.05; OR-1.964) and HTN (P<0.05; OR-2.125) were found to be significantly associated with the positive outcome of CAG.
Conclusion: Dyslipidemia and HTN were found to be significantly associated with the TMT-positivity as well as CAD. Diabetes mellitus and obesity were not statistically significant, though OR was more than 1 for both these risk factors.
A study of cardiovascular reflex tests in adults with chronic migraine and chronic tension-type headache
Authors: Waqas Alauddin  , Prajakta Radke  , Sheela Bargal  , Shahnawaz Alam  , Adnan Acharwala
Published: December 2023

Background: Autonomic function tests can be used by patients with chronic migraine and chronic tension-type headaches (TTH) as a non-invasive, sensitive, and reliable marker for evaluating heart function. Studies have demonstrated sympathetic and parasympathetic dysfunction. Patients with migraines experience sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system hyperfunction, while tension headache sufferers experience the opposite.
Aims and Objectives: Parasympathetic reactivity tests will be used in the current study to evaluate the cardiac autonomic functioning in patients with chronic migraine and chronic TTH in the adult age group.
Materials and Methods: Two groups of headache patients were enrolled: Those with chronic migraine (n=25) and those with chronic TTH (n=25). To conduct statistical analyses, SPSS version 21 was used. For parameters with normal and abnormal distributions, the unpaired t-test and Mann–Whitney U-test, respectively, were employed.
Results: Out of 25 subjects, parasympathetic reactivity tests such as Valsalva ratio (1.38±0.10 vs. 1.49±0.19, P=0.022*) and expiratory-inspiratory ratio (1.18±0.03 vs. 1.25±0.77, P=0.000*) in chronic migraine were significantly decreased as compared to chronic TTH. Lying to standing 30:15 ratio (1.15±0.08 vs. 1.19±0.10, P=0.090) and delta heart rate (14.56±1.39 vs. 14.96±1.43, P=0.320) was decreased in chronic migraine as compared to chronic TTH but was not significant.
Conclusions: In contrast to the chronic TTH group, the chronic migraine group’s total parasympathetic tone was reduced. We therefore draw the conclusion from the findings that regular monitoring of the parasympathetic reactivity can be very helpful in predicting cardiovascular risk for these patients in addition to advising the treatment practices for chronic migraine and chronic TTH, which include regular exercise and medication.
A comparative and prospective study of surgical outcomes of cervical artificial disc to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in the treatment of symptomatic degenerative disc disease of cervical spine in a tertiary care center of Eastern India
Authors: Rajat Dixit  , Shahid Iftekhar Sadique  , Gitanjali Dutta  , Sibaji Dasgupta
Published: December 2023

Background: Cervical disc degeneration is known to be a primary cause of neck pain and neurologic symptoms and can cause significant morbidity. Degeneration can be related to radiculopathy or myelopathy due to compression of spinal nerves and/or spinal cord. Disc pathology may manifest clinically as localized and radicular pain, myelopathy, and spinal joint instability. If severe, such as in degenerative disc disease, infections, and trauma, surgical methods are indicated. Some studies reported that compared to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), cervical artificial disc (CAD) could provide better neurological outcomes and reduce the rate of adjacent segment degeneration, whereas other studies reported no difference between the two procedures.
Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare surgical outcomes of CAD to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in the treatment of symptomatic degenerative disc disease in cervical spine.
Materials and Methods: It was a comparative study with prospective design conducted among 40 symptomatic cervical disc degenerative disease patients (20 patients undergoing CAD and the remaining 20 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion) at the Department of Neurosurgery, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, 1PGMER and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, from January 2021 to December 2022. Respective surgical procedures were done. All patients were required to return for follow-up. Clinical and radiological evaluations were performed at 1 month, 3 months, 1 year, postoperatively, and last follow-up (more than 18 months). Clinical effectiveness was evaluated by the visual analog scale (VAS) score, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score (17 points system, 1994 revised edition), and neck disability index (NDI) score.
Results: Improvement in NDI, VAS, and JOA index was found to be more in CAD as compared to ACDF group with a statistically significant difference as P<0.05. Subsequent surgical intervention was reported among four subjects, out of which one belonged to the CAD group while the rest three to ACDF. Overall success was found to be more in the CAD group (75%) as compared to the ACDF group (55%), though no significant difference was revealed as P>0.05.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study support the superior longevity and better outcome of CDA, as compared with ACDF, with regard to need for subsequent surgical intervention and also support better improvement in symptoms in subsequent follow-up in patients undergoing CDA as compared to ACDF despite having comparable mean operative time and blood loss.
Objective assessment of the factors affecting outcome of immediate management of mandibular fractures – A prospective study in a Level-I trauma care center
Authors: Tushar Dutta  , Basu Sandip
Published: December 2023

Background: Mandibular fractures lead to complications if improperly treated. The management of mandibular fractures includes open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) or closed reduction. Associated complications include malocclusion, infection, hardware extrusion, and nerve injury.
Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the functional outcome of various treatment modalities of mandibular fracture and to identify the factors affecting the outcome.
Materials and Methods:The study included patients admitted in the trauma care center, between 13 and 70 years of age, and having mandibular fracture. Patients underwent ORIF or closed reduction according to the type of fracture. Mandibular injury severity score (MISS), Mandibular functional impairment questionnaire (MFIQ) score, and pain visual analog score were used to assess the functional outcome of treatment and complications.
Results: Majority of the patients were male and were in the age group 21–30 years. The most common cause of fracture was road traffic accident (RTA). Majority of the patients underwent ORIF. Patients having higher injury severity scores, severe MFIQ scores and pain visual analog scores had more complications. Overall, complications in open reduction cases were higher than closed reduction ones. However, weight loss and time to functional improvement were more in closed reduction cases.
Conclusion:Young males are most commonly affected with fracture of mandibles and mostly due to RTAs. There should be minimal delay from presentation to operative intervention in case of patients who require ORIF. Scoring systems such as MISS, MFIQ, and pain visual analog scale scores may help in the early prognostication of injury and warn against imminent complications.
A profile of hematological malignancies diagnosed in a tertiary care center of Assam: Highlighting the experience from a resource constraint perspective
Authors: Gogoi Gayatri , Nivarani Dutta  , Sima Sonowal  , Anjanjyoti Rajkonwar  , Bhabesh Dehingia  , Subhalakhimi Saikia  , Sudeshna Borgohain
Published: December 2023

Background: Hematological disorders require a systematic approach, from clinical examination to a complete blood count, followed by a bone marrow study for diagnosis. To effectively plan, treat, and prognosticate, immunophenotyping and molecular studies are essential to incorporate.
Aims and Objectives: The aim of our study is to understand the pattern of neoplastic hematological conditions encountered in Assam and share our experience during the diagnosis.
Materials and Methods: This was a single-centered, observational study carried out for 18 months (January 2022–June 2023). A thorough hematological workout was done, including cytochemical staining and conventional polymerase chain reaction for the BCR-ABL transcript, after satisfying inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were analyzed and correlated before arriving at the final diagnosis.
Results: The total of 38 neoplastic cases confirmed by bone marrow study. Out of 38 cases, 14 were chronic myeloid leukemia, 10 were chronic, 4 were in the blastic phase, and BCR-ABL was positive in 13 cases. Two cases were pediatric, of which 1 was in the blastic phase. All 8 cases of plasma cell dyscrasia presented with anemia, bone lesions, and hypercalcemia. The acute leukemia category consisted of 4 acute myeloid leukemia cases, of which 1 was acute promyelocytic leukemia. A total of 10 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases, where 1 case was T-ALL and the rest was B-ALL. Two cases showed a subleukemic presentation in peripheral blood.
Conclusion: The experience of pathologists and their meticulous approach can greatly aid in accurate diagnosis, but the immunophenotyping facility and molecular hematology setup can provide most of the relevant information for the best decision-making.
Pelatihan Pembuatan Nutrisi Organik Sebagai Solusi Pengelolaan Limbah Pertanian dan Potensi Perekonomian Masyarakat
Authors: Maroeto Maroeto , Priyadarshini Rossyda , Arum Dewi Puspa
Published: December 2023

Kebutuhan mendesak yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat tani Desa Wonoploso, Kecamatan Gondang, Kabupaten Mojokerto adalah ketersediaan pupuk padahal pupuk organik diperlukan untuk membantu pemulihan kesuburan tanah. Tim Abdimas UPN “Veteran” Jawa Timur berupaya merekayasa sosial masyarakat dengan langkah menginisiasi pembuatan nutrisi organik yang bertujuan untuk menambah unsur hara yang dibutuhkan oleh tanaman untuk memacu pertumbuhan tanaman secara optimal, terutama pada penanaman sistem intensif sekaligus tindakan pengelolaan limbah pertanian dan peningkatan perekonomian masyarakat Desa Wonoploso, Kecamatan Gondang, Kabupaten Mojokerto. Berdasarkan hasil pelaksanaan kegiatan, dapat diketahui bahwa pelatihan yang diikuti oleh sebagian besar anggota kelompok tani dapat berjalan sesuai dengan harapan dan target yang ditetapkan, yaitu peserta mampu mempraktikkan pembuatan nutrisi organik cair dari proses penyiapan bahan, proses pembuatan, dan pengemasan. Selain itu, dapat diketahui penerimaan usaha sebesar Rp626.500. Dengan demikian, pembuatan nutrisi organik cair memiliki potensi ekonomi yang menguntungkan bagi petani maupun masyarakat di sekitar lokasi pengabdian masyarakat.
Entrepreneurship dan Adherence Antiretroviral Treatment (Entrence ARV) Melalui Pemberdayaan ODHA dengan Menggunakan Modul Digital di Puskesmas Batujajar, Kabupaten Bandung Barat
Authors: Kamila Ami , Sentika Sarah , Islamiati Sisilia Dwina
Published: December 2023

Secara psikis, Orang yang hidup Dengan HIV/AIDS (ODHA) akan mengalami self-stigma. Mereka yang hidup dengan HIV/AIDS akan membatasi diri dengan lingkungan sosialnya. Mereka tertekan secara psikis dan sosial akibat stigma tersebut. Secara sosial, ODHA cenderung mendapatkan diskriminasi dalam berbagai cara dari lingkungan sekitar. Hal ini juga berpengaruh pada kapasitas mereka untuk mendapatkan pendidikan, pekerjaan, dan kehidupan yang layak, bahkan menghambat akses ke pelayanan kesehatan. Sementara itu, ODHA perlu mendapatkan pengobatan ARV yang harus dikonsumsi setiap hari, dikenal dengan nama Kepatuhan Pengobatan ARV (Adherence ARV Treatment). Kondisi ini diperburuk dengan pembatasan sosial masa pandemi COVID-19 yang semua kegiatannya dilakukan secara online. Bahkan, ada beberapa yang memutuskan untuk berwirausaha secara mandiri karena diberhentikan. Pendampingan pada 15 peserta yang merupakan ODHA dilakukan secara tatap muka dengan Model Pembelajaran Berbasis Masalah menggunakan media Modul Digital Kepatuhan Pengobatan ARV dan Entrepreneurship serta video. Pra dan pasca-tes diberikan untuk mengukur efektivitas modul digital pada peningkatan pengetahuan yang diberikan secara online dengan menggunakan Google Form. Uji statistik dengan menggunakan Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test menunjukkan adanya peningkatan pengetahuan yang signifikan (p0,005) dengan rata-rata hasil pra-tes 68,1 dan pasca-tes 79,7. Modul digital merupakan salah satu cara yang dapat dijadikan sebagai media dalam memberikan edukasi yang efektif, baik dilakukan secara online maupun tatap muka. Pendampingan yang berkelanjutan diharapkan dapat dilaksanakan sebagai model edukasi komprehensif dengan menggunakan berbagai media yang efektif untuk meningkatkan kualitas hidup ODHA.