bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometric evaluation of the MENQOL instrument in women experiencing vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause
Authors: Schultz Neil M. , Morga Antonia , Siddiqui Emad , Rhoten Stephanie E.
Published: May 2023

Background:

Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause can negatively affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire has been developed to assess QOL specific to menopause. The objective of the current study was to assess the psychometric properties, sensitivity to change, and clinically meaningful within-patient change of the MENQOL using data from the fezolinetant SKYLIGHT 1 and 2 studies in individuals with VMS.

Methods:

Individuals aged ≥40–≤65 years with moderate-to-severe VMS (≥seven hot flashes/day) were enrolled. In addition to MENQOL, eight patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures were used for the psychometric evaluation. All PRO assessments were completed at weeks 4 and 12 during the treatment period and most were completed at baseline. Psychometric analyses included factor analysis and reliability, construct validity, and sensitivity to change assessments. The within-patient threshold for a clinically meaningful change in MENQOL was derived.

Results:

In total, 1022 individuals were included from SKYLIGHT 1 and 2. Mean MENQOL total score at baseline was 4.30, improving to 2.93 at Week 12. The confirmatory factor analysis supported established MENQOL domain structure, including the overall score. The internal consistency of the MENQOL overall and domain scores was supported using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega, and MENQOL construct validity was supported for overall and domain scores. Item-to-item and item-total correlations were generally sufficient and moderate test-retest reliability was noted. The scales against which construct validity and responsiveness for MENQOL domains was examined were moderately related to the MENQOL domains in general, providing additional support for acceptable measurement properties of MENQOL in this population. A reduction in MENQOL overall score of ≥0.9 points was identified as responding to treatment (a clinically important threshold). Thresholds of 2.0 points for the Vasomotor domain and 0.9 for the Psychosocial domain were estimated, in addition to distribution-based threshold estimates of 0.8 and 1.2 for the Physical and Sexual domains, respectively.

Conclusions:

The psychometric properties of the MENQOL overall and domain scores support use of this instrument to capture experiences among individuals with moderate-to-severe VMS associated with menopause and to assess related endpoints in clinical trials.

Study registration:

ClinicalTrials.gov numbers: NCT04003155 and NCT04003142.
Optimization of Depth of Placement of Lateral for Sandy Loam Soil in Western Zone of Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: - A Valliammai , - M manikandan , - M Nagarajan , - E Sujitha
Published: May 2023

Soil moisture patterns from emitters are important for the design and management of drip irrigation systems. The soil moisture distribution pattern around a emitter depends on depth of lateral placement, emitter spacing, duration and frequency of water application, soil physical and hydraulic properties. These patterns can be obtained by direct measurements of wetting in the field, which is site specific, or by simulations using some models. Simulation of water movement in soil is very useful for optimum management of water use. Hence, the study was conducted to optimize the depth of placement of lateral in drip irrigation. Laterals were placed at 0, 15 and 30 cm below the ground level with constant lateral spacing of 1.50 m with the combination of emitter spacing of 30 and 60 cm with 2.2 and 4 LPH dripper discharge. Soil moisture distribution pattern was studied by using gravimetric method. The study revealed that wetting front in the horizontal direction started overlapping after 6 hours in lateral spaced at 15cm depth with 4 lph dripper @60 cm apart. So the layout 15 cm depth of lateral placement and60 cm @4 lph was found better than other layouts since the losses due to evaporation and percolation were minimized.
„Sie etwa als einen nazistischen Opportunisten hinzustellen[,] kann Absicht nur eines Mannes sein, der entweder Sie oder den Nationalsozialismus nicht kennt [...].“ Gerhard Wirth an Fritz Schachermeyr am 24. Februar 1972
Authors: Matijević Krešimir
Published: May 2023

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Determinants of credit risk: Empirical evidence from Indian commercial banks
Authors: Maria Antony Tisa , G. Suresh
Published: May 2023

Credit risk is a significant factor affecting the financial stability of banks. Keeping the credit risk under control is essential to maintain a bank’s cash flow. This paper examines the various profitability, microeconomic and macroeconomic indicators that affect a bank’s credit risk. The study uses the dataset of 31 banks from 2012 to 2021 and employs a panel data modelling approach to account for any variations in risk-taking behavior. The results revealed a statistically significant negative relationship between return on equity and credit risk when nonperforming loans proxy credit risk. This finding was consistent across fixed effect, random effect, and pooled OLS methods, at 1 percent significance (P value < 0.00), indicating that the extent of credit risk decreases as profitability increases. It was further found that bank age and ownership type positively affect a bank’s credit risk, while factors such as bank size and operational efficiency negatively affect credit risk when nonperforming loans proxy credit risk. Further, macroeconomic variables showed that gross domestic product is positively associated with credit risk, while inflation negatively affects credit risk. Overall, the findings of this paper demonstrated that credit risk is affected by both micro and macroeconomic factors. The paper also addresses significant policy implications as it helps various stakeholders to examine the determinants of credit risk, make credit decisions, and ultimately lower their credit risk.
Från trälar till tjänstefolk. Legofolk i Sverige 1250–1600
Authors: Andersson Martin
Published: May 2023

Servants were for a long time the dominant form of labour in Sweden. To serve, at a farm or at a manor, was ever since the thirteenth century the most common way to make a living, since poor people could by law be forced to accept work for a master. Service hence replaced thraldom in Sweden. In From slaves to servants, historian Martin Andersson explains how the regulations of the servants’ lives were gradually sharpened. Labourers had to become servants under the threats of punishment and forced conscription into the army. Wages were legally reduced, while other forms of making a living were blocked. The master’s right to use physical violence was increased, while the servant’s duty to obey was expanded. By the end of the sixteenth century, most farmhands and maids worked at manors or for the richest of the peasantry. They had consequently minimal chances of themselves becoming masters. Through studies of a rich material of regional law codes, court records, fine registers, royal letters and manuals for manor owners, the historian paints a rich picture of the daily lives of servants – a life formed by legal uncertainty, coercion, and poverty.
Model Membranes and Antimicrobial Activities of pH-Sensitive Copolymers
Authors: Saraiva Greice , de Souza Valdomiro , de Oliveira Luciana , Procópio Alyne , Martins Maisa , Aidar Isabel , Yi Ronaldo , Lacerda Caroline , Carretero Gustavo , de Lira Rafael , Riske Karin , Salinas Roberto , Chaimovich Hernan , Florenzano Fábio , Cuccovia Iolanda
Published: May 2023

Polymers are options as antimicrobials for skin protection, antifouling surfaces, and fabrics. Here we analyzed the interaction of polymers based on poly(methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly((dimethylamino ethyl) methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) with model membranes and bacteria. We used the homopolymers PMMA, PDMAEMA, and the diblock copolymer(s) prepared with different PMMAm:PDMAEMAn ratios (m/n). The interactions of PDMAEMA and PMMAm-b-PDMAEMAn with large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) prepared with phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol at different pHs, were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential. These polymers promoted LUVs leakage of a fluorescent probe (5,6-carboxyfluorescein) localized exclusively in the internal aqueous compartment. Interestingly, all copolymers exhibit a bell-shaped pH dependence for the polymer-induced LUVs leakage. The interaction of the positively charged polymers and the pH effect was also demonstrated using giant unilamellar vesicles. These copolymers inhibited bacterial growth in the micromolar range and can be used to prevent bacterial growth on surfaces.
Analysis and prediction of the changes in groundwater resources under heavy precipitation and ecological water replenishment
Authors: Shi Bowen , Wan Chao , Hu Weiwu , Xu Congchao , Liu Di , Li Mingxiao , Li Rui , Feng Chuanping , Xi Beidou
Published: May 2023

Identifying the influence of heavy precipitation and ecological water replenishment (EWR) on groundwater resources is essential for groundwater resources management and risk prevention. This study innovatively developed a groundwater resource analysis and prediction model integrated with the water level fluctuation method, correlation analysis, and machine learning method under the influence of heavy precipitation and EWR. Water level fluctuation method results showed that compared with January 1, 2021, the groundwater resources of the study area increased 4.46 × 108 m3 on August 28. Compared with small flow of EWR, heavy precipitation was the main contributor to the rise in the groundwater level. Correlation analysis found that elevation, specific yield, and permeability coefficient show positive correlations with groundwater resource recharge. Machine learning results showed that among the water level prediction models of 35 monitoring wells, extreme gradient boosting (XGB) and random forest (RF) performed best in 30 wells and five wells, respectively. The increase in groundwater storage predicted deviated from the actual value by only 0.6 × 107 m3 (prediction bias of 1.3%), indicating that the model prediction performance was good under the heavy precipitation condition. This study can help to better understand the change trend of groundwater resources under the conditions of heavy precipitation and EWR.
Water governance challenges at a local level: implementation of the OECD Water Governance Indicator Framework in the General Pueyrredon Municipality, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
Authors: Martín Velasco María José , Calderon Gabriela , Lima María Lourdes , Matencón Cecilia Lucía , Massone Héctor Enrique
Published: May 2023

Considering that the current water crisis is largely a governance crisis, improving water governance will help to address current and future water challenges. Water governance is defined as the range of political, institutional and administrative rules, practices and processes through which decisions are taken and implemented, stakeholders can articulate their interests and have their concerns considered, and decision makers are held accountable for water management. The Water Governance Principles proposed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) contribute to the creation of tangible public policies oriented toward effectiveness, efficiency, reliability and participation. The aim of this research is to apply the OECD Water Governance Indicator Framework at a local level and to identify gaps and challenges for water governance in the General Pueyrredon Municipality (GPM), Buenos Aires Province (BAP), Argentina. This framework was used as a diagnostic tool to assess water governance policy frameworks (what), institutions (who) and instruments (how). In general terms, there is a robust legal framework, there are enforcement institutions regarding water management and there is a good connection with them. However, the main challenges identified were in the ‘how’, since most of the instruments are partly or not implemented.
Ambient air quality and health risks as objective indicators to estimate effectiveness of air protection in cities included into the ‘Clean Air’ Federal project
Authors:   Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies, 82 Monastyrskaya Str., Perm, 6140045, Russian Federation, Zaitseva N.V. , May I.V. ,   Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies, 82 Monastyrskaya Str., Perm, 6140045, Russian Federation
Published: May 2023

It is important to estimate effectiveness and results achieved by measures implemented within the ‘Clean Air’ Federal project as regards public health in cities included into it. The aim of this study was to analyze changes in levels of ambient air pollution and airborne health risks in cities included into the ‘Clean Air’ Federal project in dynamics over 2020–2022 and to estimate whether the measures aimed at reduction of emissions were adequate to risk rates and factors. The study relied on analyzing the results of field observations over ambient air quality within social and hygienic mon-itoring. Monitoring covered priority chemicals that made 95 % contributions to impermissible health risks according to dis-persion calculations. Risk assessment was performed as per standard algorithms and indicators. Adequacy of air protection and correctness of its orientation were estimated in Norilsk as an example city. The study established that levels of harmful chemicals in ambient were higher than hygienic standards over the analyzed period in all the cities participating in the project. We did not detect any significant reduction in ambient air pollution; there were no positive trends in health risks rates either. In 2022, a risk of respiratory diseases under chronic exposure was ranked as high (hazard index or HI 10.5÷43) in Chelyabinsk, Mednogorsk, Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk, Lipetsk, and Chita; it was ranked as ‘alerting’ in Bratsk, Chita, Novokuznetsk, Magnitogorsk, and Omsk (HI 4.0÷5.8), A permissible risk was identified over the analyzed period only in Cherepovets (HI<3). So far, reductions in emissions of pollutants declared by economic entities have not ensured absence of impermissible health risks in 11 out of 12 cities. Ungrounded orientation to a 20 % reduction in emissions of all the economic entities included in the experiment and failure to consider risk indicators when setting quotas for emissions can lead to absence of any substantial effects for public health in the analyzed cities. In some cases, this may even result in excessive spending on activities that do not have any significant influence on a sanitary-hygienic situation.
Health disorders in workers associated with health risks at workplaces in mining industry in the Arctic (Analytical review)
Authors:   Krasnoyarsk Regional Office of the Federal Service for Surveillance over Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, 21 Karatanova Str., Krasnoyarsk, 660097, Russian Federation, Fadeev А.G.
Published: May 2023

The review analyzes a range and prevalence of health disorders in workers employed at mining enterprises in the Arctic and exposed to heterogeneous occupational factors. We revealed that working processes typical for basic occupations in under-ground mining involved exposure to a set of heterogeneous harmful and (or) hazardous occupational factors such as intense occupational noise; elevated vibration; aerosols with predominantly fibrogenic effects, dusts and chemicals; high hardness and intensity typical for physical work; non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation. It was shown that diseases of the ear and mastoid, vibration syndrome, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, respiratory diseases and diseases of the nervous system prevailed both in the structure of general morbidity and in occupational one typical for miners. To create proper working conditions and to minimize effects of harmful and hazardous occupational factors as well as occupational health risks, it is advisable to perform comprehensive hygienic assessment of introduced equipment, machinery and mechanisms; to establish levels and doses of occupational factors. Engineering and technical, technological, medical and preventive and treatment and health-improving activities should be developed on this basis with special emphasis on such occupational groups as drift miners, drill-operators, blasters, timbermen, operators of cargo handling machinery, drilling unit operators, miners in mining outputs and faces, repairmen, and electric gas welders. It seems extremely vital to apply risk assessment methodology to assess occupational health risks for workers employed in mining operations in the Norilsk industrial region considering climatic features of the Arctic. This assessment is important for substantiating relevant activities aimed at managing such risks and protecting workers’ health.
Structure-property Relationships Reported for the New Drugs Approved
in 2022
Authors: Choi Kihang
Published: May 2023

Background:

The structure–property relationship illustrates how modifying the chemical
structure of a pharmaceutical compound influences its absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion,
and other related properties. Understanding structure–property relationships of clinically approved
drugs could provide useful information for drug design and optimization strategies.

Method:

Among new drugs approved around the world in 2022, including 37 in the US, structure–
property relationships of seven drugs were compiled from medicinal chemistry literature, in which
detailed pharmacokinetic and/or physicochemical properties were disclosed not only for the final drug
but also for its key analogues generated during drug development.

Results:

The discovery campaigns for these seven drugs demonstrate extensive design and optimization
efforts to identify suitable candidates for clinical development. Several strategies have been successfully
employed, such as attaching a solubilizing group, bioisosteric replacement, and deuterium
incorporation, resulting in new compounds with enhanced physicochemical and pharmacokinetic
properties.

Conclusion:

The structure-property relationships hereby summarized illustrate how proper structural
modifications could successfully improve the overall drug-like properties. The structure–property relationships
of clinically approved drugs are expected to continue to provide valuable references and
guides for the development of future drugs.
Role of Dietary Phytochemicals in Targeting Human miRNAs for Cancer
Prevention and Treatment
Authors: Kesavan Yasodha , Srinivasan Shushrruth Sai , Pathak Surajit , Ramalingam Satish
Published: May 2023

MicroRNAs (miRNAs - ~22 nucleotides) are a type of non-coding RNAs that are involved
in post-transcriptional gene silencing. They are known to regulate gene expression in diverse biological
processes, such as apoptosis, development, and differentiation. Several studies have demonstrated
that cancer initiation and progression are highly regulated by miRNA expression. The nutrients present
in the diet may regulate the different stages of carcinogenesis. Interestingly, plant-based foods,
like fruits and vegetables, have been shown to play a significant role in cancer prevention. Phytochemicals
are bioactive compounds derived from plant sources, and they have been shown to have antiinflammatory,
antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Recent findings suggest that dietary phytochemicals,
such as genistein, resveratrol, and curcumin, exert significant anticancer effects by regulating
various miRNAs. In this review, we focus on the role of dietary phytochemicals in cancer prevention
and treatment through the modulation of miRNA expression.
Targets and Mechanisms of Xuebijing in the Treatment of Acute Kidney
Injury Associated with Sepsis: A Network Pharmacology-based Study
Authors: Wang Jing , Luo Chengyu , Luo Mengling , Zhou Siwen , Kuang Guicheng
Published: May 2023

Introduction:

Sepsis is a state of the systemic inflammatory response of the host induced
by infection, frequently affecting numerous organs and producing varied degrees of damage.
The most typical consequence of sepsis is sepsis-associated acute kidney injury(SA-AKI).
Xuebijing is developed based on XueFuZhuYu Decoction. Five Chinese herbal extracts, including
Carthami Flos, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Radix Salviae, and Angelicae
Sinensis Radix, make up the majority of the mixture. It has properties that are anti-inflammatory
and anti-oxidative stress. Xuebijing is an effective medication for the treatment of SA-AKI, according
to clinical research. But its pharmacological mechanism is still not completely understood.

Methods:

First, the composition and target information of Carthami Flos, Radix Paeoniae Rubra,
Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Radix Salviae, and Angelicae Sinensis Radix were collected from the
TCMSP database, while the therapeutic targets of SA-AKI were exported from the gene card database.
To do a GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, we first screened the key targets using a
Venn diagram and Cytoscape 3.9.1. To assess the binding activity between the active component
and the target, we lastly used molecular docking.

Results:

For Xuebijing, a total of 59 active components and 267 corresponding targets were discovered,
while for SA-AKI, a total of 1,276 targets were connected. There were 117 targets in all
that was shared by goals for active ingredients and objectives for diseases. The TNF signaling
pathway and the AGE-RAGE pathway were later found to be significant pathways for the therapeutic
effects of Xuebijing by GO analysis and KEGG pathway analysis. Quercetin, luteolin, and
kaempferol were shown to target and modulate CXCL8, CASP3, and TNF, respectively, according
to molecular docking results.

Conclusion:

This study predicts the mechanism of action of the active ingredients of Xuebijing in
the treatment of SA-AKI, which provides a basis for future applications of Xuebijing and studies
targeting the mechanism.
Multi-channel Partial Graph Integration Learning of Partial Multi-omics
Data for Cancer Subtyping
Authors: Cao Qing-Qing , Zhao Jian-Ping , Zheng Chun-Hou
Published: May 2023

Background:

The appearance of cancer subtypes with different clinical significance fully reflects
the high heterogeneity of cancer. At present, the method of multi-omics integration has become
more and more mature. However, in the practical application of the method, the omics of some samples
are missing.

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to establish a depth model that can effectively integrate and express
partial multi-omics data to accurately identify cancer subtypes.

Methods:

We proposed a novel partial multi-omics learning model for cancer subtypes, MPGIL (Multichannel
Partial Graph Integration Learning). MPGIL has two main components. Firstly, it obtains more
lateral adjacency information between samples within the omics through the multi-channel graph autoencoders
based on high-order proximity. To reduce the negative impact of missing samples, the
weighted fusion layer is introduced to replace the concatenate layer to learn the consensus representation
across multi-omics. Secondly, a classifier is introduced to ensure that the consensus representation
is representative of clustering. Finally, subtypes were identified by K-means.

Results:

This study compared MPGIL with other multi-omics integration methods on 16 datasets. The
clinical and survival results show that MPGIL can effectively identify subtypes. Three ablation experiments
are designed to highlight the importance of each component in MPGIL. A case study of AML
was conducted. The differentially expressed gene profiles among its subtypes fully reveal the high heterogeneity
of cancer.

Conclusion:

MPGIL can effectively learn the consistent expression of partial multi-omics datasets and
discover subtypes, and shows more significant performance than the state-of-the-art methods.
The Role of Non-coding RNAs in Alzheimer’s Disease: Pathogenesis,
Novel Biomarkers, and Potential Therapeutic Targets
Authors: Saleh Othman , Albakri Khaled , Altiti Abdalrahmn , Abutair Iser , Shalan Suhaib , Mohd Omar Bassam , Negida Ahmed , Mushtaq Gohar , Kamal Mohammad A.
Published: May 2023

Long non-coding RNAs (IncRNAs) are regulatory RNA transcripts that have recently been
associated with the onset of many neurodegenerative illnesses, including Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Several IncRNAs have been found to be associated with AD pathophysiology, each with a distinct
mechanism. In this review, we focused on the role of IncRNAs in the pathogenesis of AD and their
potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Searching for relevant articles was done using
the PubMed and Cochrane library databases. Studies had to be published in full text in English in order
to be considered. Some IncRNAs were found to be upregulated, while others were downregulated.
Dysregulation of IncRNAs expression may contribute to AD pathogenesis. Their effects manifest as
the synthesis of beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques increases, thereby altering neuronal plasticity, inducing inflammation,
and promoting apoptosis. Despite the need for more investigations, IncRNAs could potentially
increase the sensitivity of early detection of AD. Until now, there has been no effective treatment
for AD. Hence, InRNAs are promising molecules and may serve as potential therapeutic targets.
Although several dysregulated AD-associated lncRNAs have been discovered, the functional characterization
of most lncRNAs is still lacking.
HUBUNGAN KUALITAS PELAYANAN ANC SELAMA PANDEMI COVID-19 DENGAN TINGKAT KEPUASAN IBU HAMIL DI PUSKESMAS URANGAGUNG, SIDOARJO
Authors:   Universitas Brawijaya, Devi Nabila Sinta , Wardani Diadjeng Setya ,   Departemen Kebidanan, Fakultas Kedokteran, Universitas Brawijaya, Fatmawati Fatmawati ,   Program Studi Pendidikan Profesi Bidan, Departemen Kebidanan, Fakultas Kedokteran, Universitas Brawijaya
Published: May 2023

Background : Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease causedby SARSCoV-2 which can attack anyone, including pregnant women. During the Covid-19 pandemic, health services need to carry out routine antenatal care planningthat remains of high quality with new policies to reduce MMR in Indonesia. Quality ANC services can be measured through the satisfaction of pregnant women. Aims: to determine the relationship between the quality of ANC services with the levelof satisfaction of pregnant women at the Urangangung Health Center, Sidoarjo. Method: using analytical observational design with cross sectional approach and analysis using Chi Square method. This study used a sample of 86 pregnant women who underwent ANC examination in August 2021 at the Urangagung Health Center, Sidoarjo. Results: showed that there was no significant relationship between the quality of ANC services during the covid-19 pandemic and the level of satisfaction of pregnant women with a p value of 0.735 > (0.05) and a correlation number of 0.036 including the very weak category. Conclusion: the level of satisfaction obtained by pregnant women at the Urangagung Health Center is not related to the quality of ANCservices provided during the Covid-19 pandemic. Keywords: Antenatal Care, Satisfaction Level, Pregnant Women, Covid-19
Laporan Kasus Kanker Endometrium Tipe Sekretori
Authors:   Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Brawijaya
Published: May 2023

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in developed countries, second most in poor countries and developing countries after cervical cancer. Most endometrial cancer patients come with complaints of bleeding and come at an early stage. It’s important to make the right diagnosis to determine the appropriate treatment. Treatment depends on the stage determined by surgery. After surgery, the patient’s risk was classified as low, moderate, or high risk. This risk is determined by stage, cell type, differentiation, involvement of blood vessels and lymph vessels. From these risk factors, it is determined whether or not additional postoperative therapy is needed in the form of radiation or chemotherapy. Secretory type of endometrial cancer is a rare endometrial malignancy. This case’s population is 1-2% of all endometrial cancer. Histologically, this type of cancer belongs to type one. We report a secretory type of endometrial cancer case in a 41-year- old woman with a complaint of irregular menstruation, and a total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo oophorectomy, bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy and para-aortic lymphadenectomy was done. Histologically, secretory carcinoma must be separated from carcinoma clear cell to determine the prognosis. Keyword: endometrial cancer, secretory type
Cellulase Activity Bacillus sp. Which Was Grown on A Medium with Aluminum Salt and Magnetic Field Exposure
Authors:   Universitas Lampung, Farihah Lailatul , Sumardi Sumardi ,   Universitas Lampung, Ekowati C. N. ,   Universitas Lampung, Hadi Sutopo ,   Universitas Lampung
Published: May 2023

Aluminum is the best metal cofactor enzyme. Exposure to the 0,2mT magnetic field on Aluminium salt is said to be able to increase cellulolytic activity. The purpose of the research is to know if the best aluminum salt can increase cellulolytic activity. This can be tested by Cellulolytic Index Test and Enzyme Activity Test. This experiment is descriptive research with three treatments; control, the addition of aluminum salt without an exposed magnetic field, and added aluminum salt exposed to a magnetic field. Salt aluminum used are AlCl3, Al2(PO4)3, and Al2(SO4)3. The concentration was 0.01% and exposed to a magnetic field of 0.2mT. The final results tell that aluminum is an effective cofactor. Exposure to a magnetic field on aluminum salts showed an increase in enzyme activity. The best result is AlCl3 exposed to a 0.2mT magnetic field. This was able to increase the cellulolytic activity by 0.69U/mL. Then Al2(PO4)3 increased enzyme activity by 0.41U/mL and Al2(SO4)3 increased activity by 0.39U/mL.
Impact of Multimedia Messaging Service Education and Exercise Social Support on Physical Activity Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Quasi-Experimental Study (Preprint)
Authors: Alyahya Mohammad S , Al-Sheyab Nihaya A , Khader Yousef S , Alqudah Jumana A
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Social support is one of the interpersonal stimuli that define an individual’s predisposition to engage in health-promoting behaviors and is considered a facilitator in improving health habits. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can benefit from educating supportive families and friends on self-care management including exercise behavior. Multimedia messaging service (MMS) could also be an effective method for delivering targeted educational interventions that focus on physical activity (PA).

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of MMS educational interventions and perceived social support for exercise on level of PA of patients with T2DM.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was conducted to recruit 98 patients with T2DM. The intervention group received MMS education aiming to improve exercise social support and PA level for 2 months, and their counterparts in the control group received the usual routine care. We sent 2 to 3 messages daily for 2 weeks from Saturday to Thursday (12 days total). These messages were a combination of videos and texts, and the evidence-based content of these messages was reviewed and approved by the advisory committee. We randomly assigned eligible patients in a 1:1 ratio into the intervention or the control groups. Participants completed a survey in 3 periods.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in friends’ support, family verbal, practical, or emotional support over time in the intervention group (P>.05). Yet, there was a small effect size (Cohen d) in friends’ social support (0.389), family practical support (0.271), and moderate activities (0.386). A medium effect size was found in family verbal (0.463) and emotional (0.468) support. Being married increased the likelihood of friends’ support by 2.3 times after intervention (P=.04), whereas rarely doing exercise decreased the likelihood of friends’ support by 28% (P=.03) and family practical support by 28% (P=.01). Being female and married increased the likelihood of doing moderate activities by 1.6 times (P=.002) and 1.5 times (P=.049) in the intervention group. Being a housewife decreased the likelihood of doing moderate activities by 20% (P=.001). Finally, being a female with a higher educational level decreased the likelihood of doing hard activities by 20% (P=.04) and 15% (P=.002), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

A theoretically based MMS health education targeting PA levels and social support of family and friends to perform PA seems promising in promoting family and friends’ social support and improving PA levels among patients with T2DM. Actively involving family and friends in educational interventions that target PA can have an impact on health-promoting behaviors in patients with diabetes.

CLINICALTRIAL
Participant Engagement in Microrandomized Trials of mHealth Interventions: Scoping Review (Preprint)
Authors: Leong Utek , Chakraborty Bibhas
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Microrandomized trials (MRTs) have emerged as the gold standard for the development and evaluation of multicomponent, adaptive mobile health (mHealth) interventions. However, not much is known about the state of participant engagement measurement in MRTs of mHealth interventions.

OBJECTIVE

In this scoping review, we aimed to quantify the proportion of existing or planned MRTs of mHealth interventions to date that have assessed (or have planned to assess) engagement. In addition, for the trials that have explicitly assessed (or have planned to assess) engagement, we aimed to investigate how engagement has been operationalized and to identify the factors that have been studied as determinants of engagement in MRTs of mHealth interventions.

METHODS

We conducted a broad search for MRTs of mHealth interventions in 5 databases and manually searched preprint servers and trial registries. Study characteristics of each included evidence source were extracted. We coded and categorized these data to identify how engagement has been operationalized and which determinants, moderators, and covariates have been assessed in existing MRTs.

RESULTS

Our database and manual search yielded 22 eligible evidence sources. Most of these studies (14/22, 64%) were designed to evaluate the effects of intervention components. The median sample size of the included MRTs was 110.5. At least 1 explicit measure of engagement was included in 91% (20/22) of the included MRTs. We found that objective measures such as system usage data (16/20, 80%) and sensor data (7/20, 35%) are the most common methods of measuring engagement. All studies included at least 1 measure of the physical facet of engagement, but the affective and cognitive facets of engagement have largely been neglected (only measured by 1 study each). Most studies measured engagement with the mHealth intervention (Little e) and not with the health behavior of interest (Big E). Only 6 (30%) of the 20 studies that measured engagement assessed the determinants of engagement in MRTs of mHealth interventions; notification-related variables were the most common determinants of engagement assessed (4/6, 67% studies). Of the 6 studies, 3 (50%) examined the moderators of participant engagement—2 studies investigated time-related moderators exclusively, and 1 study planned to investigate a comprehensive set of physiological and psychosocial moderators in addition to time-related moderators.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the measurement of participant engagement in MRTs of mHealth interventions is prevalent, there is a need for future trials to diversify the measurement of engagement. There is also a need for researchers to address the lack of attention to how engagement is determined and moderated. We hope that by mapping the state of engagement measurement in existing MRTs of mHealth interventions, this review will encourage researchers to pay more attention to these issues when planning for engagement measurement in future trials.
Examining Patient Engagement in Chatbot Development Approaches for Healthy Lifestyle and Mental Wellness Interventions: Scoping Review (Preprint)
Authors: Sadasivan Chikku , Cruz Christofer , Dolgoy Naomi , Hyde Ashley , Campbell Sandra , McNeely Margaret , Stroulia Eleni , Tandon Puneeta
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Chatbots are growing in popularity as they offer a range of potential benefits to end users and service providers.

OBJECTIVE

Our scoping review aimed to explore studies that used 2-way chatbots to support healthy eating, physical activity, and mental wellness interventions. Our objectives were to report the nontechnical (eg, unrelated to software development) approaches for chatbot development and to examine the level of patient engagement in these reported approaches.

METHODS

Our team conducted a scoping review following the framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley. Nine electronic databases were searched in July 2022. Studies were selected based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were then extracted and patient involvement was assessed.

RESULTS

16 studies were included in this review. We report several approaches to chatbot development, assess patient involvement where possible, and reveal the limited detail available on reporting of patient involvement in the chatbot implementation process. The reported approaches for development included: collaboration with knowledge experts, co-design workshops, patient interviews, prototype testing, the Wizard of Oz (WoZ) procedure, and literature review. Reporting of patient involvement in development was limited; only 3 of the 16 included studies contained sufficient information to evaluate patient engagement using the Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and Public (GRIPP2).

CONCLUSIONS

The approaches reported in this review and the identified limitations can guide the inclusion of patient engagement and the improved documentation of engagement in the chatbot development process for future health care research. Given the importance of end user involvement in chatbot development, we hope that future research will more systematically report on chatbot development and more consistently and actively engage patients in the codevelopment process.
Improving Risk Prediction of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Using Machine Learning Methods With Network Features: Retrospective Development Study (Preprint)
Authors: Kamruzzaman Methun , Heavey Jack , Song Alexander , Bielskas Matthew , Bhattacharya Parantapa , Madden Gregory , Klein Eili , Deng Xinwei , Vullikanti Anil
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Health care–associated infections due to multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridioides difficile (CDI), place a significant burden on our health care infrastructure.

OBJECTIVE

Screening for MDROs is an important mechanism for preventing spread but is resource intensive. The objective of this study was to develop automated tools that can predict colonization or infection risk using electronic health record (EHR) data, provide useful information to aid infection control, and guide empiric antibiotic coverage.

METHODS

We retrospectively developed a machine learning model to detect MRSA colonization and infection in undifferentiated patients at the time of sample collection from hospitalized patients at the University of Virginia Hospital. We used clinical and nonclinical features derived from on-admission and throughout-stay information from the patient’s EHR data to build the model. In addition, we used a class of features derived from contact networks in EHR data; these network features can capture patients’ contacts with providers and other patients, improving model interpretability and accuracy for predicting the outcome of surveillance tests for MRSA. Finally, we explored heterogeneous models for different patient subpopulations, for example, those admitted to an intensive care unit or emergency department or those with specific testing histories, which perform better.

RESULTS

We found that the penalized logistic regression performs better than other methods, and this model’s performance measured in terms of its receiver operating characteristics-area under the curve score improves by nearly 11% when we use polynomial (second-degree) transformation of the features. Some significant features in predicting MDRO risk include antibiotic use, surgery, use of devices, dialysis, patient’s comorbidity conditions, and network features. Among these, network features add the most value and improve the model’s performance by at least 15%. The penalized logistic regression model with the same transformation of features also performs better than other models for specific patient subpopulations.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that MRSA risk prediction can be conducted quite effectively by machine learning methods using clinical and nonclinical features derived from EHR data. Network features are the most predictive and provide significant improvement over prior methods. Furthermore, heterogeneous prediction models for different patient subpopulations enhance the model’s performance.

CLINICALTRIAL
Investigating the Culture Around Sexual Harassment in First-Generation Universities in Southwestern Nigeria: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study (Preprint)
Authors: Mapayi Boladale , Oloniniyi Ibidun , Oginni Olakunle , Harrison Abigail
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

The phenomenon of sexual harassment (SH) is a complex issue with multiple prongs that concerns all members of academia and raises serious challenges, particularly regarding prevention and response. SH in tertiary institutions remains a huge problem worldwide, leading to severe emotional, academic, and career difficulties, as well as undue suffering. Institutions have responded in various ways to alleviate the burden of SH with little success, especially in Nigeria. The prevalence is high but reportage is low because of the culture of silence around SH in most educational institutions. This study aims to identify factors associated with SH in tertiary institutions in Nigeria and explore factors surrounding reportage or nonreportage following the experience of SH, the institutional mechanisms to prevent and respond to SH, and the lived experience of survivors of SH.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to present a study protocol that is designed to identify factors associated with the experience of SH in tertiary institutions in Nigeria, the institutional mechanisms to prevent and respond to SH, and the lived experience of survivors of SH.

METHODS

A mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods approach is used consisting of a policy review of existing antisexual harassment policies in the selected universities, a quantitative survey to determine the correlates of SH, focus group discussions to explore the perspectives of the university community concerning SH, in-depth interviews to explore the lived experiences of survivors of SH, and key informant interviews to understand the perspectives of people who provide interventions to survivors.

RESULTS

This study was funded in July 2022 by the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa, and data collection started in November 2022. The SH policies were comprehensive, with clear policy statements and definitions, and recognized a wide range of survivors and perpetrators. However, there was no clear mention of prevention and response to same-sex SH. Lived experiences showed negative psychological and social sequelae and little institutional support.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study that has a component investigating same-sex SH in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. This is also one of the first studies to explore the lived experiences of survivors of SH in Nigerian universities. The findings from this study suggest that periodic evaluation of SH policy implementation will improve institutional support, thus creating safe spaces for survivors and will thereby encourage reportage and support; prevention and response strategies need to be more inclusive; and more interventions should focus on strengthening prosocial skills and healthy, equitable relationships.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

DERR1-10.2196/49126
Use of Large Language Models to Assess the Likelihood of Epidemics From the Content of Tweets: Infodemiology Study (Preprint)
Authors: Deiner Michael S , Deiner Natalie A , Hristidis Vagelis , McLeod Stephen D , Doan Thuy , Lietman Thomas M , Porco Travis C
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Previous work suggests that Google searches could be useful in identifying conjunctivitis epidemics. Content-based assessment of social media content may provide additional value in serving as early indicators of conjunctivitis and other systemic infectious diseases.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated whether large language models, specifically GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 (OpenAI), can provide probabilistic assessments of whether social media posts about conjunctivitis could indicate a regional outbreak.

METHODS

A total of 12,194 conjunctivitis-related tweets were obtained using a targeted Boolean search in multiple languages from India, Guam (United States), Martinique (France), the Philippines, American Samoa (United States), Fiji, Costa Rica, Haiti, and the Bahamas, covering the time frame from January 1, 2012, to March 13, 2023. By providing these tweets via prompts to GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, we obtained probabilistic assessments that were validated by 2 human raters. We then calculated Pearson correlations of these time series with tweet volume and the occurrence of known outbreaks in these 9 locations, with time series bootstrap used to compute CIs.

RESULTS

Probabilistic assessments derived from GPT-3.5 showed correlations of 0.60 (95% CI 0.47-0.70) and 0.53 (95% CI 0.40-0.65) with the 2 human raters, with higher results for GPT-4. The weekly averages of GPT-3.5 probabilities showed substantial correlations with weekly tweet volume for 44% (4/9) of the countries, with correlations ranging from 0.10 (95% CI 0.0-0.29) to 0.53 (95% CI 0.39-0.89), with larger correlations for GPT-4. More modest correlations were found for correlation with known epidemics, with substantial correlation only in American Samoa (0.40, 95% CI 0.16-0.81).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that GPT prompting can efficiently assess the content of social media posts and indicate possible disease outbreaks to a degree of accuracy comparable to that of humans. Furthermore, we found that automated content analysis of tweets is related to tweet volume for conjunctivitis-related posts in some locations and to the occurrence of actual epidemics. Future work may improve the sensitivity and specificity of these methods for disease outbreak detection.