bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation of D-dimer value with Lipid Levels in COVID-19 Patients at Tertiary Gresik Hospital
Authors: Rahmianti Nia Dyah , Rahmantyo Akbar Hani
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected millions of people worldwide, which is characterized by the manifestation of symptoms from coagulopathy to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). This study aimed to investigated the correlation of D-dimer with lipoproteins values in COVID-19 patients. Methods: Observational cross-sectional analysis, using secondary data from medical records, based on the sample size formula it takes 78 samples, the data analysis method uses the SPSS program version 24. Results: From the results of the study, the number of patients with a D-dimer value of less than 0.5 ug/ml was 26%. While as many as 74% patients got the value of D-dimer increased by more than 0.5 ug/ml. Triglyceride and LDL levels were not associated with changes in D-dimer values. There is a correlation between the value of D-dimer with HDL (P = 0.024). High levels of D-dimer values are associated with the severity of symptoms and a poor prognosis. Excessive inflammatory processes will initiate coagulation via the extrinsic pathway, which progresses to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) due to an imbalance between coagulation and fibrinolysis. Meanwhile, high HDL values reduce the risk of thrombotic events by initiating plasmin formation and are associated with low mortality rates. Conclusion: There is a statistically significant correlation between D-dimer values and HDL lipid levels. Suggestions, further research is needed to measure the correlation of D-dimer and HDL values in acute infection with the COVID-19 virus with a larger sample.
Poor Sleep Quality Linked to Lower Academic Performance in Dental Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Hashim Hasnah , Ngo Jin Xuan , Ng Yong Zhi , Ng Jiong Sen
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Sleep is essential for both physical and mental health. Studies have shown that sleep problems are prevalent among university students. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between sleep quality and academic performance among dental students at a Malaysian university. Methods: All dental students of the university were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study, which used a self-administered Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale and the psychological health domain of the Lifestyle and Habits Questionnaire- Brief. The academic performance was determined by their Grade Point Average (GPA). Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, Pearson’s Chi square test for independence, and ANCOVA tests were used to analyse the data. Results: A total of 341 students (233 females and 108 males) participated in the study, with 36.7% reporting poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5). There was a significant difference in academic performance between students with good and poor sleep quality. Controlling for gender and psychological health, poor sleep quality was associated with lower GPA in both preclinical (adjusted mean GPA: 2.84 for poor sleepers, 3.28 for good sleepers, P < 0.001) and clinical year students (adjusted mean GPA: 2.99 for poor sleepers, 3.13 for good sleepers, P = 0.003). Conclusion: Dental students with poor sleep quality performed worse academically than students with good sleep quality after controlling for gender and psychological health. This finding was consistent in both the preclinical and clinical phase groups.
Potency of Anosmia and Ageusia as Covid-19 Prognostic Factors: A Systematic Review
Authors: Husen Theresia Feline , Angelica Ruth , Baswara R. Muhammad Kevin
Published: December 2023

Introduction: The clinical signs of COVID-19 include ageusia and anosmia. Anosmia and ageusia haven’t been evaluated as prognostic factors in any prior studies, though. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to assess the effectiveness of ageusia and anosmia as prognostic indicators in COVID-19 patients. Methods: Literature was collected from various databases systematically using the PRISMA until May 25th,2022. The screening process was performed based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, before being analyzed qualitatively. The risk of bias was assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale converted by AHRQ. Results: Anosmia and ageusia could be used as the indicator for the good prognostic associated with lower mortality, milder trajectory rate, ICU, and hospital admission risk, and shorter length of stay. Anosmia and ageusia have shown high prevalence to predict a prognosis for the COVID-19 infection. Although COVID-19 prognosis also depends on the other lying conditions, patients with anosmia or ageusia had a lower mortality risk due to the lower body mechanism and cell inflammation mechanism toward the viral load that may not lead to the maladaptive cytokine release in response to infection generally called as a cytokine storm. Conclusion: In COVID-19 patients, anosmia and ageusia have been shown to be indicators of a favorable prognosis due to lower disease severity, mortality, risk of ICU and hospital admission, and shorter duration of stay. Therefore, in order to determine the prognosis, it is important to assess the clinical symptoms of the patients.
Effectiveness of Social Media Interventions to Improve Nutrition Behaviour among Adolescents in Asia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Md Jamri Hazirah , Ab Hamid Mohd Ramdan , Abd Talib Ruzita , Jailani Fadhilah , Buhari Siti Sabariah
Published: December 2023

Aims: The purpose of this review is to evaluate the social media intervention’s efficacy, as well as the intervention’s theory, model, and framework. Design: Systematic review. Data sources: Five databases- PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar were searched systematically from June 18 to July 12, 2022. Methods: Predefined keywords of “social media”, “nutrition”, “behaviour” and “adolescents” were used. The inclusion criteria: (1) 10 to 24 years old participants; (2) social media or website as intervention platform; (3) intervention outcomes related to improvement in nutrition behaviour, anthropometric measures, knowledge and awareness; (4) is a randomized controlled trial, non-randomized controlled trial, cluster controlled, cohort, case control or before and after study design; (5) published in 2000 until 2022; (6) written or translated is English; and (7) conducted in Asia. Results: Review eligibility included nine studies. Three research were web- or website-based, while the other six used social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and LINE. Post-intervention outcomes showed significant gains, however some studies found no differences between the intervention and control groups. Conclusion: Social media is a widely accepted platform for educating adolescents about nutrition for behaviour change. However, the evidence shows that the interventions are lack of significant improvement between groups and the used of digital or technological-related theory, model and framework. This review demonstrated the progress of healthy behaviours in nutrition and health literacy among adolescents that can be spread through social network and the value of new technological techniques in managing the targeted population.
Perioperative Techniques and Long-term Outcomes in Hypospadias: A Systematic Review
Authors: Poerwosusanta Hery , Poerwosusanta Adam Rahardiyan , Poerwosusanta Elvira Esmeralda , Aditia Donny
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Hypospadias is a condition when the urethra distal opens on the bottom of the penis and has a ventral penile curvature. Hypospadias is the second most frequent genital birth abnormality in boys after cryptorchidism. Surgery is the standard treatment of choice and has a significant risk problem. There are many surgical procedure complications, especially in appearance and function. This article discusses the appropriate operative management and the best long-term outcome. Methods: The data was culled and selected from the ten years of full-text English publication (2012-2022) utilizing the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Meta-analyses (PRISMA) paradigm and PICO investigation of management techniques and long-term outcomes in clinical and randomized clinical trials. Result: From 149 search articles, 7 met the inclusion criteria. The gland penis size and the meatal location did not affect the outcome of the surgical technique. However, 58/432 patients required reoperation, and 61(13%) had urethroplasty complications (UC), although not statistically significant (OR 0.8, 95% CI: 0.7-0.9). Testosterone is advised for small penises, narrow glands, thin urethral plates, and proximal hypospadias (67 vs. 87%). Preoperative antibiotics reduce the incidence of infection (17/150 repairs), tubularized incised plate (TIP), and the stent is recommended. Conclusion: The recommended strategies are good perioperative treatment, including antibiotics, testosterone treatment, surgery ages (6-18 months), tubularized incised plate (TIP) technique, and stent postoperative.
Effect of Plant Extracts on Protein Changes During Adipogenesis: A Scoping Review
Authors: Hassan Cheong Nur Dayana , Mohamed Emida , Haron Norhisham , Camalxaman Siti Nazrina
Published: December 2023

Plant extracts are gaining popularity among researchers as alternatives from natural sources for the treatment of obesity and inhibition of adipogenic differentiation is one of the mechanisms targeted by these extracts. The main focus of this scoping review is to specifically identify the phytochemicals within the extracts, and the protein changes that occurred during adipogenesis when subjected to the various plant extracts as well as to identify the gaps in the previous studies. A systematic search was conducted using predetermined keywords on three online databases (SCOPUS, PubMed, and ScienceDirect). Overall, a total of 988 articles were retrieved, leaving only 43 articles after applying the exclusion criteria. The selected studies looked at the effects of phytochemicals found in plant extracts on the alterations in adipogenesis-related proteins that results in adipocyte differentiation inhibition mainly in 3T3-L1 cells and mice. Despite plant extracts being the basis of numerous hyperlipidemic treatments, not much is focused on the changes in adipogenic proteins such as PPARs, CEBPs, or SREBPs. Thus, in this review, we discuss how the plant extracts aid in obesity prevention, and possible further research required to fully utilize the natural sources for the betterment of public health.
A Case of Foreign Body Aspiration Mimicking Asthma in Adult
Authors: Jamani Nurjasmine Aida , Abdul Azih Muhammad Naimmuddin , Haroon Raihanah , Mohd Shaari Nur Shairah
Published: December 2023

Foreign body aspiration is uncommon in adults who have no known risk factors such as mental retardation, poor dentition, or advanced age. Adults with foreign body aspiration are commonly misdiagnosed with bronchial asthma, however, does not respond to standard bronchodilator treatment. A thorough history-taking, focused physical examination and a high index of suspicion is crucial in making the correct diagnosis. This paper reports an interesting case of a 41- year-old woman with an undetected 10-year long foreign body aspiration which was misdiagnosed as bronchial asthma.
Sex Education Parenting Application in Improving Parents’ Knowledge about the Prevention of Sexual Violence among Children
Authors: Wahidin Wahidin , Ari Pangesti Nova
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Cases of violence against children in Indonesia are still a complex problem. The high prevalence highlights the importance of understanding effective ways through which parents can provide the best protection for their children. However, many Indonesian parents consider sex education vulgar and inappropriate. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using the sex education parenting (SETTING) application to improve the level of knowledge about the prevention of sexual violence among children during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental with one group pre-test and post-test design. A total of 91 parents at the Sempor I Health Center, Kebumen Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, selected accidentally participated for 3 months. The instrument used was the parental knowledge questionnaire and the smartphone-based SETTING application which has been confirmed valid and reliable, while data analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon test. Results: The results showed that the majority of parents’ knowledge increased from sufficient (73.6%) to a good level (82.4%) and there were statistically significant improvements in parents’ level of knowledge about the prevention of sexual violence after being given sex education through the SETTING application with p= 0.000 (p<0.05). Conclusion: Sex education with the SETTING smartphone application can effectively increase parents’ knowledge of preventing sexual violence in children. Future investigations are needed to further develop this study in evaluating the effectiveness of SETTING on parental behavior.
Factors Associated with Anxiety and its Self-Care Measures among Nursing Students During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Mohamad Shariff Nurasikin , Wan Mohamed Tarmizi Wan Aisyah Nasuha , Wan Mamat Wan Hasliza , Mohamad Shariff Nurul Sima
Published: December 2023

Introduction: One of the rising mental health issues among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic is anxiety. As future healthcare front-liners, nursing students are expected to perform good self-care to deliver quality care to patients. The purpose of the present study is to examine the factors associated with anxiety and its’ self-care measures among nursing students. Methods: The study recruited over 200 students in the East Coast region of Malaysia and the online survey was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic between December 2020 and January 2021. The questions were in 3 parts: Socio-demographic, Self-care assessment worksheet (SCAW), and Burns Anxiety Inventory. Descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, and multiple linear regression were used to answer the research aim. Results: The range of anxiety levels among the nursing students was from no anxiety (7.5%) to severe anxiety or panic (28.9%, 17.9%). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed two predictors associated with higher level of anxiety were the first-year nursing students (bb =10.90, CI=4.49, 17.30), and respondents who stated having fairly satisfied with the nursing program (bb =13.50, CI=5.10, 21.90). Among the self-care components, result revealed that higher levels of physical care throughout the semester predicted lower anxiety (bb =-0.85, CI=-1.328, -0.372, p<0.05). Conclusion: The study’s overall finding is that nursing students’ participation in self-care, particularly physical care, may help to lessen anxiety. Our findings are significant because self-care can complement psychiatric interventions for people with high levels of anxiety and is a significant contributor to mental well-being.
Length of Hospital Stay and Its Associated Factors among Surgical Patients in Hospital Serdang
Authors: Sulaiman Siti Nursyafiqah , Abu Zaid Zalina , Mohd Yusof Barakatun Nisak , Abdul A’zim A’ishah Zafirah
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Hospital length of stay (LOS) is one of the measurable indicators which can be used to evaluate hospital administration, operative performance, and quality of patient care. Prolonged LOS has been associated with poor outcomes in patients and inefficient use of hospital resources. Due to the scarcity of findings in this field in Malaysia, this study aims to identify the factors affecting LOS. Methods: A single health facility-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Hospital Serdang. Data of patients admitted to the surgical ward from 2017 to 2021 were retrieved. Result: A total of 114 surgical patients’ data were analysed, of which most were adults (72.8%), female (69.3%) and Malay (67.5%). The mean LOS was 5.90 ± 4.35 days. Pearson correlation revealed age (r = 0.309, p = 0.001) and preoperative albumin (r = -0.397, p <0.001) having a significant correlation with LOS. An independent samples T-test showed that males had significantly higher mean LOS than females (t = 2.653, p = 0.009). Surprisingly, having been seen by dietitians and being supplemented by oral nutrition supplements (ONS) had longer stay compared to groups who were not seen by dietitians and given ONS respectively (t = 4.278, p<0.001), (t = 3.111, p = 0.002). Furthermore, those with a moderate and high risk of malnutrition spent approximately 3.27 days longer hospitalized than low-risk patients (t = -2.868, p = 0.007). Conclusion: Factors that influence LOS are age, gender, preoperative albumin, seen by a dietitian, risk of malnutrition and oral nutrition supplementation.
Raising Teachers’ Awareness of Learner Autonomy in an EFL Malagasy Context
Authors: Vola Ambinintsoa Dominique
Published: December 2023

This chapter reports on a study which aimed to raise teachers’ awareness of learner autonomy and to investigate affordances for autonomy in a Malagasy context. The study involved an ethnographic approach with four EFL teachers working in a rural Malagasy school. As Dam (2019) states, in order to develop learner autonomy in the classroom, we must consider and build on the learners’ prior knowledge. This also applies when encouraging teachers to promote learner autonomy. The study demonstrated that understanding the teachers’ existing beliefs and practices related to teaching is crucial when fostering learner autonomy in a context like Madagascar. Also, it showed that the use of the ethnographic approach was effective in triggering the teachers’ reflections and in making them more aware of possible aspects of learner autonomy that can be integrated into their classes.
Implementing quality education: The inevitability of a co-owned and contextbased conceptualisation as the best starting point
Authors: Tangonyire Raymond Chegedua
Published: December 2023

This conceptual article argues for a co-owned contextual interpretation of the concept of quality education to create communal familiarity, co-agency and coherent communication necessary for its institutionalisation. The article analysed education policy documents including the current 2018-2030 education strategic plan which provides a blueprint for the development of education. The analysis revealed that quality education is an important policy concept that enjoys rhetoric. The 2018-2030 education strategic plan canonises quality education for its potential to equip Ghanaians adequately to meet the needs of the twenty-first century. However, quality education has failed to receive context-based conceptualisation perhaps because of the complex nature of the phrase. Drawing from Wittgenstein’s (1953) warning against imprecise use of language, the article argues for a co-owned contextual interpretation of quality education to facilitate its successful implementation in Ghana. The article then shares how the Leadership for learning and the Singapore triad models of interpreting and applying policy concepts can benefit communal familiarity and application of policy concepts. The Ministry of Education should organise workshops for stakeholders to provide a co-owned interpretation of quality education, draw an action plan and educate the Ghanaian citizenry to understand and align their efforts towards its achievement.
Food safety regulation: Perspectives of food service operators in the cape coast metropolis
Authors: Ohene-Darko Sophia , Boakye Kwaku A.
Published: December 2023

Global reports since the 2000s suggest that food safety is an important public health concern that attracts the attention of governments, food producers and consumers. Governments all over the world try to prioritise the safety of their food because it is a major driver of food security. Nonetheless, foodborne illnesses continue to occur daily basis. Ghana has a legal framework, institutions and agencies at different levels of government for food safety management. Yet, Cape Coast in the Central Region grapples with foodborne related diseases, thus identified by UNICEF as a hotspot for foodborne related outbreaks. This study set out to explore the views and familiarity of food service operators on the regulation of their operations. Three hundred food service operators from the 16 communities were selected using purposive sampling method for the study. The findings showed that food service operators had functional knowledge of the rules and regulations, just about enough to guide their daily operations. Regulators were generally perceived to be friendly and accommodating but inadequate and irregular in their supervisory roles. It was recommended that regulators should have regular encounter with food service operators to enhance compliance and achieve the food safety goal.
Modelling Four Neighbourhood-Scale Urban Forest Scenarios for 2050: Vancouver, Canada
Authors: Czekajlo Agatha , Cheng Zhaohua , Barron Sara , Girling Cynthia , Nesbitt Lorien
Published: December 2023

Background

Urban forests are increasingly recognized as important tools in climate change mitigation and adaptation, prompting many cities to set tree canopy cover targets. However, current gaps in knowledge include understanding relationships and the feasibility of maximizing benefits between urban greening and other climate actions, such as densification. This study offers a data-driven and manageable framework for assessing current and anticipated future urban forestry conditions using spatial tree and built-form models.

Methods

We spatially modelled 4 planting scenarios for increasing tree canopy cover by 2050 in a densifying neighbourhood in Vancouver, Canada, with low (< 10%) existing tree canopy.

Results

Based on mortality assumptions, we aged out and replaced 1,853 to 2,445 trees since 2020. We added 6,079 to 11,726 trees across the 4 scenarios (10,228 to 15,823 total), increasing canopy cover from 7% in 2020 to a maximum of 16% by 2050. Despite rigorous tree planting, we were unable to achieve a 30% canopy cover target at neighbourhood scale. Tree replacement due to mortality was a major contributor to decreased canopy cover and volume in future scenarios. The 31% to 34% reduction in future canopy cover due to the replacement of aged-out trees was driven by changes on private parcels.

Conclusion

Our systematic framework for generating and spatially modelling trees in a simulated future neighbourhood provides an opportunity for iteratively assessing multiple potential tree planting configurations. Future work for this project includes investigating social-ecological, outdoor shading, and building energy implications of various modelled urban forest strategies.
A Review on CDSCO: Central Drug Standard Control Organisation
Authors: Achal Ramteke  , M. Bilal Sufi  , Rajlaxmi Deolekar  , Chelsi Pathik
Published: December 2023

India has been a hub for managing various multi centre trials the central drug standard control organisation (CDSCO), headed by the drug controller general of India (DCGI), drowsing the regulation for the manage of clinical trials in India the conduct of trails, regulations in India and quality of data generated may be the source for this evolution it is crucial that now all clinical trials conducted in India should as per the international conference of harmonization good clinical practice guidelines ( ICH- GCP) for clinical trials and follow the newly amended schedule Y of the drugs and cosmetic Act.
On Methods of Data Standardization of German Social Media Comments
Authors: Melnyk Lidiia , Feld Linda
Published: December 2023

This article is part of a larger project aiming at identifying discursive strategies in social media discourses revolving around the topic of gender diversity, for which roughly 350,000 comments were scraped from the comments sections below YouTube videos relating to the topic in question. This article focuses on different methods of standardizing social media data in order to enhance further processing. More specifically, the data are corrected in terms of casing, spelling, and punctuation. Different tools and models (LanguageTool, T5, seq2seq, GPT-2) were tested. The best outcome was achieved by the German GPT-2 model: It scored highest in all of the applied scores (ROUGE, GLEU, BLEU), making it the best model for the task of Grammatical Error Correction in German social media data.
POTENCIAL DE ESCORRENTÍA EN FUNCIÓN DEL NÚMERO DE CURVA EN UNA CUENCA SERRANA, NAPOSTÁ GRANDE (ARGENTINA)
Authors: LÓPEZ Natalia , CASADO Ana , REVOLLO Natalia , GIL Verónica
Published: December 2023

El conocimiento del potencial de escorrentía de una cuenca resulta fundamental para la gestión hídrica a corto y largo plazo y la toma de decisiones socio-políticas y ambientales. La simplicidad del modelo NCRS-CN lo convierte en una herramienta útil en cuencas con escasos registros hidrológicos continuos. La validación y ajuste de los CN en cuencas instrumentadas imprime fiabilidad y transferibilidad al método. Se obtuvieron valores de CN por ponderación espacial, CNc, y por análisis de evento-respuesta, métodos SII y asintótico. Los CN se validaron sobre series de precipitación-escorrentía históricas por evento (corto plazo) y acumuladas (largo plazo) para dos subcuencas serranas con diversidad areal, B1 y B2, del arroyo Napostá Grande, Argentina, evaluando finalmente un ajuste a la realidad hidrológica de la cuenca. El método SII arroja mejores resultados que el asintótico y que el CNc para análisis de corto plazo en ambas subcuencas, mientras que para análisis de láminas acumuladas a largo plazo, anuales o plurianuales, resulta más representativo el método ajustado para ambas, B1 y B2. Los modelos analizados resultan una representación matemática determinística que permitiría predecir la escorrentía a partir de datos de precipitación, pudiendo extrapolarse su uso a cuencas regionales no instrumentadas con diversidad areal.
CIRURGIA RECONSTRUTIVA UTILIZANDO RETALHO PADRÃO AXIAL ILÍACO CIRCUNFLEXO PROFUNDO APÓS EXÉRESE ADENOCARCINOMA HEPATÓIDE EM CÃO - RELATO DE CASO
Authors: Oliveira Gabriella Maria Dias de , Lima Gabriel Scanavaque de , Júnior Eduardo Tizziani , Mançanares Celina Almeida Furlanetto
Published: December 2023

A cirurgia reconstrutiva vem sendo utilizada como uma grande ferramenta na reconstrução de grandes defeitos cirúrgicos, muitas vezes causadas por exéreses tumorais de grande extensão, na qual o fechamento de forma primária não é possível, permitindo assim funcionalidade tecidual e estética ao procedimento. É necessário avaliação de fatores específicos para escolha da melhor técnica possível, como localização, tamanho, linhas de tensão, além da experiência do cirurgião ser um grande fator determinante no sucesso da técnica a ser utilizada. O presente trabalho objetiva-se relatar o caso de uma canina com nódulo em região pélvica lateral ao anus, adenocarcinoma hepatóide, pelo qual foi utilizado um retalho de padrão axial ilíaco circunflexo profundo para fechamento do defeito cirúrgico, se mostrando eficaz e com excelentes resultados. O planejamento cirúrgico, as condutas trans e pós operatória contribuíram para o resultado desejado, ausentes de complicações pós operatória.
Early Childhood Music Arts in Improving Children's Language Development in TK Citra Mandiri batang Kuis District
Authors: Mayang Sitorus, Risma Chintya Hilda Zahra Lubis, Nadilla Barus,
Published: December 2023

The art of music is one of the learning methods used in learning, namely opening the lesson, carrying out the learning theme, and closing the lesson in early childhood education, one of which is formal education, namely TK/RA. The art of music in early childhood can develop aspects Early childhood development, one of which is early childhood language development, in the results of research in kindergarten schools. Citra Mandiri, Batang Subdistrict, Paya Village, picture of the teacher's strategy in developing children's language with the art of music, namely using one of the learning methods through the singing method, with the method Children's singing can develop expressive (speaking) and receptive (listening or paying attention) to develop children's language. This research will discuss how the art of music improves children's language development in kindergarten schools Citra Mandiri kecamatan  Batang  Paya gambar.
Factors Affecting to the Implementation of Green Supply Chain Management Practices among Manufacturing Companies in the Central Province of Sri Lanka
Authors: Karunathilake Shakila , Chandrasekara PGRB
Published: December 2023

The business world is currently abhorrent to the idea of going green, and the majority of organizations plan a strong emphasis on improving operational performance while also being aware of the impact on the environment. As one of the most important business advancements in the manufacturing industry, green supply chain management has emerged recently. However, the implementation of green supply chain management practices in manufacturing companies is a difficult process that is affected by different factors. Therefore, this research aims to study the factors affecting the implementation of green supply chain management practices. By adopting a deductive approach and quantitative survey method and using a self-administered questionnaire data were collected, the sample was 181 functional, staff, executive, and top-level managers of 12 manufacturing companies located in the central province, of Sri Lanka. Both simple random and convenient sampling techniques were used in this study. The questionnaire was distributed as a google form and hard copy and only 175 responses were accepted. Version 21.0 of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software was used to analyze the data. The results of correlation and regression analysis highlighted, there was a positive statistically significant relationship and impact between independent and dependent variables except top management commitment and customer pressure. Further the study identified supplier performance as the greatest explanatory factor of the implementation of green supply chain management practices.
Rebound pain after interscalene brachial plexus block for shoulder surgery: a randomized clinical trial of the effect of different multimodal analgesia regimens
Authors: Et Tayfun , Basaran Betul , Bilge Aysegul , Yarımoğlu Rafet , Korkusuz Muhammet , Tülüce İbrahim
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND:

Rebound pain is characterized by sudden, significant acute postoperative pain occurring after the resolution of inter-scalene block (ISB); it affects the quality of recovery postoperatively. Dexamethasone increases ISB resolution time and decreases opioid consumption and the incidence of rebound pain.

OBJECTIVE:

Evaluate whether multimodal analgesia including intravenous dexamethasone administration with preoperative ISB reduces the incidence of rebound pain.

DESIGN:

Prospective, randomized, controlled trial

SETTING:

Tertiary university hospital

SAMPLE SIZE:

60 patients

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Patients who underwent shoulder surgery under general anesthesia were assigned randomly to two different multimodal analgesia protocols. Thirty patients received 5 mg IV dexamethasone with non-steroid, paracetamol, and ISB with 15 mL 0.5% bupivacaine, while the control patients received the same regimen and ISB with 15 mL 0.5% bupivacaine without dexamethasone. Postoperative opioids were given to any patient on demand.

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES:

Effect of IV dexamethasone on pain score and incidence of rebound pain after ISB resolution and postoperative opioid consumption at 0–48 hours, numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) scores, sleep scale scores, and quality of recovery-15 scores (QoR-15).

RESULTS:

The incidence of rebound pain was lower in the dexamethasone group than in the control group (73.3% and 30%, respectively,
P
=.001). NPRS scores after ISB resolution were lower in the dexamethasone group (5 ([4–7]), 8 ([5.75–8]),
P
<.001, respectively). Those who received IV dexamethasone had less sleep disturbances (
P
<.001) and higher QoR-15 on day 1 (
P
<.001) and day 7 (
P
=.020) postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS:

IV dexamethasone added to the ISB block resulted in a lower incidence of rebound pain. In addition, better results were obtained in postoperative sleep quality and QoR-15.

LIMITATIONS:

Single-center study
Mortality outcomes between pregnant women booked for antenatal care and unbooked pregnant women
Authors: Rouzi Abdulrahim , Sahly Nora , Kafy Abdullah Mohammed , Alamoudi Rana A. , Abualsaud Renad Mazen , Alsheri Wejdan A. , Almehmadi Wasayf M. , Khayyat Shahad T. , Altumaihi Razan M.
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND:

Perinatal fetal mortality and maternal mortality remains relatively high in Saudi Arabia. Antenatal care aims to improve outcomes; however, evidence to demonstrate its impact on outcomes in Saudi Arabia is lacking.

OBJECTIVES:

Investigate whether booking status for antenatal care impacted outcomes for pregnant women and identify outcomes that predicted booking status.

DESIGN:

Retrospective observational cohort study.

SETTINGS:

Tertiary care center

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

All Saudi women admitted to the labor or delivery units between January 2011 and December 2019 were included. Outcomes were compared between booked and unbooked women, and logistic regression was used to identify outcomes that predicted booking status, adjusted for age.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Booked/unbooked status and perinatal mortality of Saudi women.

SAMPLE SIZE:

10 781 women; 9546 (88.5%) booked, (11.1%) 1192 unbooked.

RESULTS:

Unbooked mothers had higher incidences of meconium-stained liquor (
P
=.040), ruptured uterus (
P
=.017), and blood loss >1000 mL during cesarean deliveries (
P
=.003), but a lower episiotomy rate (
P
<.001). Perinatal fetal mortality and maternal mortality were equivalent between the two groups. Episiotomy, higher birth weight, higher mother age, perinatal death, delivery mode, onset of labor, and use of analgesics were all independent predictors of the mother being booked when adjusted for all outcomes and age.

CONCLUSIONS:

The rate of perinatal and maternal mortality in this cohort was relatively low and equivalent between booked and un-booked mothers, contrary to our expectations. More analysis of the socioeconomic data may explain this striking result.

LIMITATIONS:

Retrospective chart-review with incomplete data retrieval that affected the completeness of data retrieved. The results of the multivariate analysis cannot be used to infer causality because the study is observational.
Ceftazidime-avibactam use for the treatment of OXA-48- and/or New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase–producing
Enterobacterales
in cancer patients: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Alghamdi Ahlam , AlQahtani Hajar , Albilal Sara , Mater Almutairi Maram , Alobaidallah Nouf , Alghamdi Linah , Alfayez Amal , Almangour Thamer , Al-jedai Ahmed
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND:

Infection is the second-leading cause of death among cancer patients, but there have been few studies on the effectiveness of novel antimicrobial agents to treat carbapenem-resistant
Enterobacterales
in cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE:

Evaluate the mortality and clinical outcomes of ceftazi-dime-avibactam for OXA-48- and/or New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-producing
Enterobacterales
infection in cancer patients.

DESIGN:

Retrospective observational cohort study

SETTING:

Tertiary academic medical center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:

This study included patients who had cancer and received ceftazidime-avibactam for at least 72 hours for infections caused by OXA-48- and/or NDM-producing
Enterobacterales
. We excluded patients who died within 72 hours of treatment, patients with polymicrobial infections, and patients who did not receive appropriate antimicrobial therapy.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:

Primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included clinical cure, relapse, and reinfection.

SAMPLE SIZE:

32 cancer patients

RESULTS:

The 30-day mortality among all patients was 15/32 (47%), clinical cure was achieved in 19/32 (59%) of the patients, and the relapse and reinfection rates were 2/19 (10.5%) and 4/17 (23.5%), respectively.

CONCLUSION:

This is the largest study to evaluate clinical outcomes associated with infections caused by OXA-48- and/or NDM-producing
Enterobacterales
in cancer patients. The mortality rate remains high; however, ceftazidime-avibactam is an encouraging alternative for treating severe infections in cancer patients.

LIMITATIONS:

Small sample size and single center.
Surgical outcomes and stoma-related complications in inflammatory bowel disease in Saudi Arabia: a retrospective study
Authors: Bin Traiki Thamer A. , Alshammari Sulaiman A. , Abdulla Mansoor A. , Aldarsouni Fayez G. , Alhassan Noura S. , Abdullah Maha-Hamdien , Alqahtani Awadh , Alkhayal Khayal A.
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND:

The prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn's (C) and ulcerative colitis (UC) has increased in Saudi Arabia during the past decade. Even though medical treatment is first-line therapy, most patients require surgery during the course of the disease. Stoma creation complications in IBD are underreported in the literature of the Middle East and especially in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES:

Report the postoperative, stoma and peristomal complications following stoma creation in (C) versus UC.

DESIGN:

Retrospective cohort study

SETTINGS:

Tertiary care center

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Patients with IBD who underwent stoma creation for either UC or CD between August 2015 and July 2020 were included. The diseases were compared to assess their characteristics and association to postoperative, stoma and peristomal complications. All complications were reported over a 90-day duration from the surgery. Patients younger than 14 years of age were excluded.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Postoperative complications, stoma and peristomal complications in IBD patients who underwent stoma creation.

SAMPLE SIZE:

50

RESULTS:

Of 50 IBD patients underwent stoma creation, 32 patients (64%) were diagnosed with CD and 18 patients (36%) with UC. Most of the procedures in both groups were laparoscopic and elective. Low BMI and serum albumin were more prevalent in the CD group. Postoperative complications were higher in the CD patients compared to the UC patients (CD 40.6% vs UC 11.1%,
P
=.028) with the most common complication being abdominal collection[a]. Stoma complications were comparable between the two groups (UC 16.7% vs CD 15.6%). However, peristomal complications were higher clinically in UC patients in comparison with the CD patients (UC 61.1% vs CD 37.5%
P
=.095) with the most common complication being skin excoriation (UC 44.4% vs CD 37.5%).

CONCLUSIONS:

CD has significantly higher postoperative complications compared to UC. Peristomal complications were high in both groups and had a negative impact on quality of life. Therefore, comprehensive stoma education and regular outpatient follow ups are recommended to improve the overall outcomes.

LIMITATIONS:

Retrospective and conducted in one academic institution with a small sample size.
Özel Yetenekli Ve Tipik Gelişim Gösteren İlkokul Öğrencilerinin Oyun Parkı Tasarımları: SCAMPER Örneği
Authors: ERKAYA Ayşe , YILDIZ DEMİRTAŞ Vesile
Published: December 2023

Bu çalışmanın amacı, özel yetenekli ve tipik gelişim gösteren çocukların bakış açısından farklı oyun parkı tasarımlarını SCAMPER sorularıyla belirlemektir. Çalışma, 2022-2023 eğitim öğretim yılında ilkokul 3.sınıf düzeyinde 24 özel yetenekli ve 28 tipik gelişim gösteren öğrenci ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden doküman incelemesi metoduyla desenlenmiştir. Yapılan içerik analizi sonucunda tüm katılımcıların görüşleri “Oyun parkları için değişik oyuncaklar/ araçlar”, “Oyun parkında yapılabilecek farklı etkinlikler”, “Farklı kişilerin bakış açılarıyla oyun parkı tasarımları” ve “Oyun parklarında yetişkinlere yönelik unsurlar” olmak üzere dört ana tema altında karşılaştırmalı olarak sunulmuştur. Farklı özellikler taşıyan iki öğrenci grubunun cevapları aynı temalarda toplanabilse de tipik gelişim gösteren öğrencilerin çizgi film ve animasyonlarda görülebilecek unsurları tasarımlarına yansıttıkları; özel yetenekli öğrencilerin ise hayal ve yaratıcılık güçlerini ön planda tutarak özgün tasarımlar sundukları görülmüştür.
Weighted and Well-Balanced Nonlinear TV-Based Time-Dependent Model for Image Denoising
Authors: CHAUHAN Alka , KUMAR Santosh , ALAM Khursheed
Published: December 2023

The partial differential equation (PDE)-based models are widely used to remove additive Gaussian white noise and preserve edges, and one of the most widely used methods is the total variation denoising algorithm. Total variation (TV) denoising algorithm-based time-dependent models have seen considerable success in the field of image-denoising and edge detection. TV denoising algorithm is based on that signals with spurious detail have a high total variation and reduction of unwanted signals to achieve noise-free images. It is a constrained optimization-type algorithm. The Lagrange multiplier and gradient descent method are used to solve the TV algorithm to reach the PDE-based time dependent model. To eliminate additive noise and preserve edges, we investigate a class of weighted time-dependent model in this study. The proposed method is investigated in a well-balanced flow form that extends the time-dependent model with an adaptive fidelity element. Adaptive function is fusing into the regularization term of the classical time-dependent model which successfully enhances the intensity of the regularizer function. We maintain the ability of the time-dependent model without any oscillation effects. Furthermore, we want to prove the viscosity solution of our weighted and well balanced time-dependent model, demonstrating its existence and uniqueness. The finite difference method is applied to discretize the nonlinear time-dependent models. The numerical results are expressed as a statistic known as the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity index metric (SSIM). Numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed model yields good performance compared with the previous time-dependent model.
Investigation of the antioxidant and antibacterial effects of fermented Cornus mas and Rubus sanctus fruits
Authors: ÜNAL Derya , SEVİMOĞLU Tuba
Published: December 2023

In this study antioxidant and antibacterial activities of fermented Cornus mas and Rubus sanctus berries collected from province of Bartın in the Western Black Sea region of Türkiye were analyzed. Prior to fermentation with S. cerevisiae, the fruits were tested for 58 pesticides such as Dicloran and Quintozene and none of the pesticides were detected. The presence of ascorbic acid in the fruits, which is a nutrient needed by the body, was also detected by FTIR. Then the pesticide free berries were crushed, and the samples were fermented separately. Testing after the fermentation process revealed the samples contained ethyl alcohol. Antioxidant activities of fermented samples were analyzed using CUPRAC, DPPH and Folin Ciocalteu methods. The results suggest high antioxidant contents of the fermented samples. Evaluation of antimicrobial activity was done through disk diffusion method using P.aeruginosa and S.aureus suggesting that these samples do not suppress these bacteria for the studied concentrations. Furthermore, the growth of C. albicans was examined immediately, demonstrating that the fermented samples do not show antifungal effects. The reason for these shortcomings could be inadequate concentration levels. The antioxidant content of these fermented fruits is intended to contribute to human health.
ROD Yöntemi İle Parkların Görsel Peyzaj Kalitesinin Değerlendirilmesi: Kastamonu Örneği
Authors: ÖZTÜRK Sevgi , ÇİLLİ Ece , ŞEN Rıdvan , GÜN Çağla Nur
Published: December 2023

İnsanın doğa ile etkileşimiyle birlikte çevre ve peyzaj üzerinde insan kaynaklı değişimlerin yaşanması kaçınılmaz olmuştur. Bu değişimler peyzajın görselliğini ve görsel kalitesini etkileşmiştir. Görsel peyzaj kalitesi, peyzajla etkileşime giren bireylerin peyzaj hakkında olumlu veya olumsuz değerlendirmelerinin sonucunda ortaya çıkan öznel bir değer olmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Kastamonu il merkezinden seçilen 5 adet parkın (Sinan Bey Parkı, Cevizli Park, Turhan Topçu Parkı, Kışla Parkı ve Güney Parkı) görsel kalitesinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışma alanı olarak seçilen parklardan çekilen fotoğraflar Rekreasyonel Olanak Dağılımı (ROD) sınıflandırmasına (kentsel, yarı-doğal ve doğal) göre seçilmiştir. Bu fotoğrafların değerlendirilmesinde (1) doğallık, (2) tarihsellik, (3) peyzaj çeşitliliği, (4) uyum, (5) manzara güzelliği, (6) konfor, (7) okunabilirlik ve (8) bakım-düzen ölçüt olarak belirlenmiştir. Değerlendirmeler ise Kastamonu Üniversitesi Mühendislik ve Mimarlık Fakültesi Peyzaj Mimarlığı Bölümü lisans ve yüksek lisans öğrencileri tarafından (n=100) çevrimiçi foto-anket uygulamasıyla 5’li Likert ölçeğinde (5: en yüksek- 1: en düşük) puanlanarak yapılmıştır. Yapılan çalışma sonucunda elde edilen foto-anket verilerine göre parkların görsel kalite değerlerine ulaşılmıştır. Doğal peyzaj elemanlarının yoğun olduğu alanların belirlenen görsel kalite ölçütlerine göre daha yüksek puan ortalamasına sahip oldukları, yapısal peyzaj elemanlarının ağırlıkta olduğu alanların ise daha düşük puan ortalamasına sahip oldukları belirlenmiştir. Parkların ROD’a göre sınıflandırılmış fotoğraflarına ve genel ortalama değerlerine bakıldığında genel yüzdelik puan ortalamalarında en yüksek puanı alan Sinan Bey Parkı (%53,51) olurken en düşük puanı alan Güney Parkı (%32,49) olmuştur.
Antioxidant activities of plant species growing in different habitats (serpentine, gypsum and limestone)
Authors: VAROL Tuğçe , OSMA Etem , ŞİMŞEK Samed , ELVEREN Müjgan
Published: December 2023

In this study, plant species (gypsum, limestone, and serpentine) growing in different habitats in Erzincan province were investigated. Gypsum [Verbascum alyssifolium Boiss., Tanacetum heterotomum (Bornm.) Grierson, Psephellus recepii Wagenitz & Kandemir, Gypsophila lepidioides Boiss.], limestone [Cyclotrichium niveum (Boiss.) Manden. & Scheng, Chrysophthalmum montanum (DC.) Boiss, Teucrium leucophyllum Montbret & Aucher ex Bentham, Phlomis oppositiflora Boiss. & Hausskn] serpentine [Fumana aciphylla Boiss., Convolvulus pseudoscammania C. Koch., Hypericum thymbrifolium Boiss & Noé, Salvia indica L., Gladiolus halophilus Boiss. & Heldr.] were examined. The total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and the amount of antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP) were analyzed in different organs of the plants, including leaves, branches, and roots. According to the obtained data, when plant parts and habitats were taken into consideration, it was observed that the plant with the highest flavonoid content (29.71±0.57 mg QE g-1 extract) was S. indica growing in the serpentine area with its leaf parts. In terms of total phenolic content, it was determined that the root part of S. indica growing in the serpentine area had high values (91.53±2.48 mg GAE g-1 extract value). When evaluated in terms of the Iron (III) Ion Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) method, it was observed that the highest value was the stem part of F. aciphylla growing in a serpentine area (100.35±1.60 mg TE g-1). In terms of DPPH radical capacity, the highest value belonged to the leaf part of Salvia indica (15.75±1.74 μg mL-1), which is also grown in the serpentine area. The results were evaluated utilizing the SPSS Statistical Program and differences were observed between habitats. A strong correlation was found between the phenolic and flavonoid contents of plants and their antioxidant activities. The findings showed that the phenolic, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activities of plants grown in different ecological conditions vary significantly.