bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The hybrid approach of genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization on reduced weld line defect in plastic injection molding
Authors: Oktem Hasan , Uygur Ilyas , Sarı Ece Simooglu , Shinde Dinesh
Published: August 2024

Weld lines are a serious defect observed in plastic injection molded parts, impacting both their cosmetic appearance and mechanical properties. Controlling the conditions of plastic injection is crucial to mitigate these weld lines. This study introduces a novel approach to identify polypropylene injection molding (PIM) conditions aimed at reducing weld lines in polypropylene parts. The PIM conditions considered in this study include melt temperature, injection pressure, packing pressure, packing time, and cooling time. An orthogonal array Taguchi L27 design was employed for the experimental setup, producing 27 polypropylene parts with varying combinations of process conditions. The width of weld lines generated on the parts’ surfaces was measured using an optimum microscope for all trials. Parametric analysis was conducted using response surface plots and contour plots to estimate the process conditions yielding minimum weld lines. Analysis of variance and regression analysis were employed to interpret the experimental data, with the resulting regression equation used to predict weld lines for a set of PIM process conditions. Finally, two efficient optimization algorithms, genetic algorithm (GA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO), were implemented using MATLAB programming to estimate the optimum process conditions for minimizing weld lines. The GA and PSO predicted weld line widths of 6.12302 μm and 6.123 μm, respectively, representing an 18.51% improvement in results. These findings demonstrate that the novel approach presented in this study can be effectively and reliably applied to address plastic product defects in the industry.
Education for deliberative democracy through the long-term view
Authors: Huttunen Henri
Published: August 2024

This article argues that conceptualization through the long-term view strengthens the case for education for deliberative democracy. This is due to two key factors. First, education for deliberative democracy has novel potential in helping curb the negative effects of political polarization, which, when analyzed through longtermism, can be identified as an important existential risk factor. Second, education for deliberative democracy enables societies to defuse the threat of a value lock-in, and in doing so to keep their cognitive space open to enable increased flexibility in dealing with new challenges that will arise in the future. Consequently, this article further argues that education for deliberative democracy as an education initiative can be normatively justified but acknowledges that there are still theoretical and practical hurdles to overcome, and thus calls for more research into developing a mature, pedagogically sound program of education for deliberative democracy.
Football-Generated Rent Sharing and Expenditures on Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics
Authors: Humphreys Brad R. , Ruseski Jane E.
Published: August 2024

Recent research contains evidence of rent sharing in intercollegiate athletic programs from revenues generated by football and men’s basketball and regulations restricting compensation to athletes. Title IX mandates equal opportunities for male and female college athletes, clearly impacting athletic department budgets. These factors create a rich environment for analyzing athletic spending decisions. We analyze spending on women’s sports for about 120 NCAA public FBS athletic departments. Results from instrumental variables models that account for the endogeneity of the rent proxy variable, head football coach salary, indicate the presence of rent sharing from football-generated rents to spending on women’s sports.
Data Embargoes as a Tool for Emplacement and Displacement of Children in Early Childhood Classrooms: A Comparative Case Study
Authors: Sherfinski Melissa , Ansah Gilbert
Published: August 2024

Data embargoes constrain teachers’ understanding of children by withholding and/or coding particular information on children’s attainment and/or identities. Data embargoes may mask children’s identities in ways that influence their rights to belong in early childhood programs and may construct White positivist childhoods by maintaining the belief that individual children’s bodies can, whether in the present of future, be subject to objective measures of human learning or intelligence used for comparisons that uphold Eurocentric positivistic sciences and neoliberal accountability. By comparing children’s experiences in two racialized and socioeconomically denied policy contexts, we show how data embargoes are implicated in sustaining inequities.
Impact of 1.5 T Magnetic Field on Treatment Plan Quality in MR-Guided Radiotherapy: Typical Phantom Test Cases
Authors: Yan Lingling , Xu Yingjie , Dai Jianrong
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the influence of the magnetic field on treatment plan quality using typical phantom test cases, which encompass a circle target test case, AAPM TG119 test cases (prostate, head-and-neck, C-shape, multi-target test cases), and a lung test case.

Materials and Methods

For the typical phantom test cases, two plans were formulated. The first plan underwent optimization in the presence of a 1.5 Tesla magnetic field (1.5 T plan). The second plan was re-optimized without a magnetic field (0 T plan), utilizing the same optimization conditions as the first plan. The two plans were compared based on various parameters, including con­formity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), fit index (FI) and dose coverage of the planning target volume (PTV), dose delivered to organs at risk (OARs) and normal tissue (NT), monitor unit (MU). A plan-quality metric (PQM) scoring procedure was employed. For the 1.5 T plans, dose verifications were performed using an MR-compatible ArcCHECK phantom.

Results

A smaller dose influence of the magnetic field was found for the circle target, prostate, head-and-neck, and C-shape test cases, compared with the multi-target and lung test cases. In the multi-target test case, the significant dose influence was on the inferior PTV, followed by the superior PTV. There was a relatively large dose influence on the PTV and OARs for lung test case. No statistically significant differences in PQM and MUs were observed. For the 1.5 T plans, gamma passing rates were all higher than 95% with criteria of 2 mm/3% and 2 mm/2%.

Conclusion

The presence of a 1.5 T magnetic field had a relatively large impact on dose parameters in the multi-target and lung test cases compared with other test cases. However, there were no significant influences on the plan-quality metric, MU and dose accuracy for all test cases.
A Randomized, Multi-Center, Open Label Study to Compare the Safety and Efficacy between Afatinib Monotherapy and Combination Therapy with HAD-B1 for the Locally Advanced or Metastatic NSCLC Patients with EGFR Mutations
Authors: Kwag Eunbin , Kim Soo-Dam , Shin Seong-Hoon , Oak Chulho , Park So-Jung , Choi Jun-Yong , Hoon Yoon Seong , Kang In-Cheol , Jeong Mi-Kyung , Woo Lee Hyun , Bang Sun-Hwi , Son Ji Woong , Lee Sanghun , Kim Seung Joon , Yoo Hwa-Seung
Published: August 2024

Background:

Lung cancer, especially non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), poses a significant health challenge globally due to its high mortality. Afatinib, a second-generation epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), has shown superior efficacy over traditional chemotherapy in NSCLC treatment. However, issues like secondary resistance and adverse effects call for alternative therapies. HAD-B1, comprising 4 herbal medicines, has shown promise in lung cancer treatment in both preclinical and clinical settings. This study assesses the combination of HAD-B1 and Afatinib in advanced NSCLC patients to potentially improve outcomes by addressing the limitations of current EGFR-TKI therapies.

Method:

A randomized, open-label trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of HAD-B1 with Afatinib in 90 EGFR-mutation-positive NSCLC patients. Participants were divided into treatment and control groups, receiving Afatinib with or without HAD-B1. The study focused on the initial dose maintenance rate and disease control rate (DCR) of Afatinib, alongside secondary outcomes like survival rates and quality of life, under continuous safety monitoring.

Results:

Among the 90 participants, no significant difference was found in initial dose maintenance (60.98% in the treatment group vs 52.50% in the control, P = .4414) or DCR (80.49% vs 90.00%, P = .2283). Secondary outcomes like PFS, TTP, and OS showed no notable differences. However, physical functioning significantly improved in the treatment group ( P = .0475, PPS group). The control group experienced higher rates of adverse events of special interest and adverse drug reactions ( P = .01), suggesting HAD-B1 with Afatinib might enhance physical function without increasing adverse effects.

Conclusion:

Combining HAD-B1 with Afatinib potentially improves quality of life and reduces adverse events in advanced NSCLC patients. Further research is necessary to confirm the long-term benefits of this combination therapy, aiming to advance NSCLC treatment outcomes.

Trial registration:

Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS) of the Republic of Korea, https://cris.nih.go.kr/ (ID: KCT0005414).
rTMS for Poststroke Pusher Syndrome: A Randomized, Patient-Blinded Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Meng Lijiao , Ge Yanlei , Tsang Raymond C.C. , Zhang Wenyue , Liu Xingyu , Li Siyi , Zhao Jingyu , Zhang Xiaoyue , Wei Qingchuan
Published: August 2024

Background

Patients with poststroke pusher syndrome (PS) require longer duration of rehabilitation and more supplemental care after discharge. Effective treatment of PS remains a challenge. The role of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for PS has not been examined.

Objective

Assess the efficacy of rTMS for patients with poststroke PS in reducing pushing behavior, enhancing motor recovery and improving mobility.

Methods

A randomized, patient- and assessor-blinded sham-controlled trial with intention-to-treat analysis was conducted. Thirty-four eligible patients with poststroke PS were randomly allocated to receive either rTMS or sham rTMS for 2 weeks. Pushing behavior on the Burke lateropulsion scale and scale for contraversive pushing, motor function on Fugl-Meyer assessment scale-motor domain (FMA-m) and mobility on modified Rivermead mobility index were measured at baseline, 1 and 2 weeks after intervention. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance was used for data analysis.

Results

There was no significant interaction between intervention and time on Burke lateropulsion scale ( F = 2.747, P = .076), scale for contraversive pushing ( F = 1.583, P = .214), or change of modified Rivermead mobility index ( F = 1.183, P = .297). However, a significant interaction between intervention and time was observed for FMA-m ( F = 5.464, P = .019). Post hoc comparisons of FMA-m show better improvement in rTMS group with mean differences of 12.7 (95% CI −7.3 to 32.7) and 15.7 (95% CI −4.6 to 36.0) at post-treatment week 1 and week 2 respectively.

Conclusions

rTMS did not demonstrate significant efficacy in improving pushing behavior and mobility in patients with PS. However, rTMS might have potential effect in enhancing motor function for patients with PS.

Registration:

The study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration No. ChiCTR2200058015 at http://www.chictr.org.cn/searchprojen.aspx ) on March 26, 2022.
Utilizing Entropy of Cadence to Optimize Cycling Rehabilitation in Individuals With Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Kim Younguk , Smith Brittany E. , Shigo Lara M. , Shaikh Aasef G. , Loparo Kenneth A. , Ridgel Angela L.
Published: August 2024

Background

Previous studies have established that increased Sample Entropy (SampEn) of cadence, a measure of non-linear variability, during dynamic cycling leads to greater improvements in motor function for individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, there is significant variability in responses among individuals with PD due to symptoms and disease progression.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to develop and test a paradigm for adapting a cycling exercise intervention using SampEn of cadence and rider effort to improve motor function.

Methods

Twenty-two participants were randomized into either patient-specific adaptive dynamic cycling (PSADC) or non-adaptive (NA) group. SampEn of cadence was calculated after each of the 12 sessions, and motor function was evaluated using the Kinesia test. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to analyze the relationship between SampEn of cadence and motor function improvement. Multiple linear regression (MLR) was used to identify the strongest predictors of motor function improvement.

Results

Pearson’s correlation coefficient revealed a significant correlation between SampEn of cadence and motor function improvements ( R2 = −.545, P = .009), suggesting that higher SampEn of cadence led to greater motor function improvement. MLR demonstrated that SampEn of cadence was the strongest predictor of motor function improvement (β = −8.923, t = −2.632, P = .018) over the BMI, Levodopa equivalent daily dose, and effort.

Conclusions

The findings show that PSADC paradigm promoted a greater improvement in motor function than NA dynamic cycling. These data will be used to develop a predictive model to optimize motor function improvement after cycling in individuals with PD.
Optimization of wheel brow structures of a van considering rainwater pollutants based on discrete phase model
Authors: Shi Yu , Zhang Dan , Zheng Yan , Zhang Lanchun , Wang Tianbo , Yang Jun
Published: August 2024

Four optimization models were proposed to reduce the impact of pollutants from vans on themselves and surrounding vehicles. The adsorption of pollutants on the body of the van in rainy conditions and the diffusion of pollutants into the external environment were numerically investigated using the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) for vans having different wheel brow structures. The pressure distribution on the surface of the van, the surrounding flow field, and the raindrop distributions of various external positions on and around the van were analyzed and compared. The results indicated that the van with externally covered wheel brow model was most effective in inhibiting the diffusion of rainwater pollutants from the van under rainy conditions. Compared with the original model, the reduction in the polluted area was 11.19%, the reduction in the influence of the visual field on the rear vehicle was 25.4%, and the reduction in the diffusion of pollutants on the bodies of the side vehicle was 20.7%.
A micro-political exploration of the resignation of Hong Kong experienced kindergarten principals amidst preschool education coordinator turnover
Authors: Wan Sally Wai-Yan , Leung Suzannie Kit-Ying
Published: August 2024

The early childhood education system in Hong Kong operates within a corporate governance framework. However, there is a lack of research on the interaction between principalship and corporate governance in kindergartens and childcare centres. This study aims to address this gap by examining how a preschool education coordinator (PEC), working under corporate governance principles in a non-governmental organization (NGO), influenced the resignation decisions of principals. Using micro-political theory, this study examines power dynamics, conflicts, and decision-making processes that led to principals’ resignations. This phenomenological case study utilized a focus group discussion with three principals who had resigned from the NGO. Through thematic analysis, three key themes emerged from the study: changing governance and accountability, conflicting educational values and beliefs between the preschool education coordinator and the principals, and contrasting leadership behaviours and styles. The findings of this study have significant implications for the local community, as well as offering valuable insights that can inform and benefit international audiences interested in early childhood education leadership development and human resources management. As early childhood education systems worldwide grapple with similar challenges, understanding the relationship between corporate governance and principalship can help devise strategies for enhancing organizational effectiveness and ensuring principal retention.
Creating a people-centred view of risk and restorative justice
Authors: Shapland Joanna , Buchan Jamie , Kirkwood Steve , Zinsstag Estelle
Published: August 2024

We live in a risky and risk-centred world, in which we are concerned about the potential negative impact of interaction with other people. This has promoted actuarial, group-based ideas of risk assessment in relation to criminal justice. Different paradigms for justice, such as restorative justice, offer different ideas and possibilities about risk and how risk may be mitigated and managed, which may be used to reflect back on current criminal justice processes and theoretical views. Stemming from research into experienced facilitators’ risk assessment and mitigation in restorative justice, the article argues that risk assessment in restorative justice incorporates a different paradigm, which is more individualistic, co-produced and strength-based. It fits the core purposes of restorative justice and the emphasis that people can change. Could it potentially be used to inform risk assessment in criminal justice? Our article considers the potential of restorative approaches to risk for criminal justice.
The Shape of Bigfoot: Transmuting Absences into Credible Knowledge Claims
Authors: Lewis Jamie , Bartlett Andrew
Published: August 2024

Bigfoot exists. If not as a biological creature, then as a cultural object about which people know with a high degree of stability. It also exists as an object which some people organise their lives around. Those who collect evidence of Bigfoot’s existence as a biological creature are known as Bigfooters. Among the most persuasive forms of evidence that they collect are witness accounts of encounters with Bigfoot. Since the 1960s, there have been organised efforts to collect and sort these accounts; for example, thousands are now available online through the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO). Notably, many Bigfooters report that it was an encounter of their own which was the catalyst for them to get actively involved in this research.

The article is part of a larger project examining the epistemic community of Bigfooting, which has involved 166 semi-structured interviews with people involved in Bigfooting and the subject of Bigfoot. These interviews explore the way in which Bigfooters make and contest knowledge, and during these interviews scores of participants shared personal tales of their own close encounters. We add to the work in the sociology of mystery by exploring the ways in which these stories are used to make knowledge claims. We argue that these stories ‘make room’ for Bigfoot by constructing an absence which can then be filled by what we know to be the ‘shape’ of Bigfoot, literally and figuratively. We also show how our interviewees present themselves as legitimate interpreters of these absences; when making an incredible claim in a field known for hoaxes, there is an imperative to be seen as credible and not credulous.
Preoperative anxiety, postoperative pain tolerance and analgesia consumption: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Qaddumi Jamal , Arda Ali Mohammad , Alkhawaldeh Abdullah , ALBashtawy Mohammed , Abdalrahim Asem , ALBashtawy Sa’d , Al Omari Omar , Bashtawi Mahmoud , Masa’deh Rami , ALBashtawy Zaid , Mohammad Khitam Ibrahem , ALBashtawy Bayan , Aljezawi Ma’en , Khatatbeh Haitham , Ta’an Wafa’a , Suliman Mohammad , Al Dameery Khloud , Bani Hani Salam
Published: August 2024

Background:

Anxiety affects the patient’s perception of postoperative pain and causes a significant increase in the consumption of analgesia postoperatively.

Objective:

This study assesses the relationship between preoperative anxiety, postoperative pain and postoperative pethidine consumption.

Methods:

A prospective cohort design was used. Data were collected from 100 patients who were undergoing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy at St Joseph Hospital, Jerusalem. Pain-controlled analgesia with pethidine was utilised to manage pain throughout the postoperative period. The visual analogue scale scores and pethidine consumption of all patients were recorded.

Findings:

Participants’ mean level of pain was higher in the preoperative period (mean visual analogue scale = 1.3) compared with their mean level of pain in the postoperative period (mean visual analogue scale = 0.5). There is a statistically significant difference between the participants’ level of anxiety and postoperative pain level (p < 0.001). Gender, weight, level of education and smoking were predictors of developing preoperative anxiety. Also, gender, smoking and medication were statistically significant predictors of developing postoperative pain. Furthermore, gender, medical history and medication were statistically significant predictors of pethidine consumption postoperatively.

Conclusions:

The preoperative anxiety reduction intervention should be promoted and implemented as routine care for all surgical patients.
Signaling high sensitivity: The roles of sensory processing sensitivity, assertiveness, and the dark triad
Authors: Moroń Marcin , Kajdzik Martyna , Janik Klaudia
Published: August 2024

High-sensitivity signaling may be an attempt to adapt to an environment by sensitive individuals. However, it may also be a deceptive strategy of nonreciprocal resources extraction used by people with a highly exploitative interpersonal style. In their first study ( n = 102), the authors used a peer-rating design to investigate the associations between perceiving somebody as highly sensitivity and attributions of agency and communion. In their second study ( n = 102), they used a dyadic design (dyads of friends) to investigate the accuracy of high-sensitivity attributions (i.e., correlations of self-report and peer ratings of sensory processing sensitivity). In their third study ( n = 260), they used self-report questionnaires to investigate the location of high-sensitivity signaling in a nomological net of strategies for demanding special treatment (such as entitlement, person victimhood, etc.). The authors also examined the correlations between sensory processing sensitivity, assertiveness, and the dark triad. It was found that people who were perceived as highly sensitive were also regarded as displaying more unmitigated communion. However, people demonstrated poor accuracy in their perception of high sensitivity. High-sensitivity signaling was positively associated with, but distinguishable from, other strategies of demanding special treatment. Individuals with high sensory processing sensitivity signaled their sensitivity and were more eager to use the “highly sensitive person” label. These associations were stronger when individuals were highly assertive. Instrumental signaling of high sensitivity to influence others was, however, associated with narcissism. Signaling high sensitivity appeared to be associated with beneficial social attributions, but simultaneously it is easy to deceptively signal that one is highly sensitive. Signaling high sensitivity could thus be an honest signal given by people with high sensory processing sensitivity, but also used instrumentally by narcissistic individuals to exploit others. The findings are important not only for public understanding of the widely disseminated label of “highly sensitive person,” but also for clinicians and counsellors who encounter people who identify as being highly sensitive.
The Diverse Agendas Surrounding Nathan Chen on China's Social Media During the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games: The Sport, the Athlete, and Nationalism
Authors: Wang Qingning
Published: August 2024

This paper analyses the online communication around American figure skater Nathan Chen (陈巍, Chen Wei) on China's social media platform Sina Weibo during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games in order to critically unfold the agendas surrounding him. Engaging with agenda-setting theory and scholarship that conceptualises the contentious characteristics of China's online communication, and by using content analysis and network analysis, this paper presents empirical data to argue that online discussions around Chen were multiple and contentious. The communications consist of multiple topics surrounding the Games, the performances of different figure skaters, and the controversies surrounding Chen. The attitudes towards Chen were also diverse, such as nationalistic sentiments, appreciation of Chen's achievements, and disapproval of his performance all co-existed.
Comparison of the Impacts of Different Middle Ear Mucosal Conditions on Type I Tympanoplasty Outcomes
Authors: Han Yu , Yang Runqin , Mao Xiaobo , Li Rui , Song Yongli , Shi Hui , Feng Yani , An Xiaogang , Zha Dingjun , Chen Yang
Published: August 2024

Background

This study aimed to explore the impacts of different middle-ear mucosal conditions on the outcomes of type I tympanoplasty.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 164 patients with chronic otitis media was carried out. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to their mucosal condition. Preoperative hearing levels and air-bone gap (ABG) before and after surgery were compared via the Kruskal‒Wallis H test. The chi-squared test and Fisher’s exact test were used to assess the postoperative complications and impact factors of functional success.

Results

Preoperatively, neither the air conduction nor bone conduction values differed significantly among groups with different mucosal conditions. All of the ABG closed dramatically after type I tympanoplasty ( P < .05) regardless of the mucosal conditions. The functional success rates were lower when the intratympanic mucosa was moderately or severely edematous compared with mildly edematous or normal ( P < .05). The disease course, perforation site, and perforation size, as well as the status of the opposite ear, were not related to the auditory functional outcome. The differences in postoperative reotorrhea and reperforation among the 4 groups were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Preoperative hearing levels were not affected by middle-ear mucosal conditions. The functional success rate was influenced by mucosal conditions, but hearing levels were significantly enhanced after surgical intervention regardless of the mucosal status. Postoperative complications were not related to the mucosal conditions. Thus, type I tympanoplasty is adoptable for mucosal abnormalities when pharmacotherapy cannot result in a healthy tympanum.
Necessary Factors for Efficient Frontal Sinus Irrigation After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: A Systematic Review
Authors: Qi Yingting , Hong Junsheng , Wu Dawei
Published: August 2024

Objective

The frontal sinus remains a challenging site for irrigation due to its position relative to the nostril and ethmoid sinus. This study aims to summarize the necessary factors for efficient irrigation of the frontal sinus after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) among patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

Methods

Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic literature review was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases to identify studies assessing the effect of frontal sinus irrigation in patients with CRS, cadaver models, or 3D-printed models of the sinonasal cavity after ESS.

Results

Of the initial 206 abstracts reviewed, 18 full-text articles were included. The degree of the frontal sinus ostium opening after ESS was found to be associated with the efficacy of frontal sinus irrigation. More extensive frontal sinus surgeries tended to increase frontal sinus penetration. A Draf IIA procedure was identified as the minimum standard to achieve sufficient irrigation in the frontal sinus. Due to decreased backpressure in the nasal passage, increasing septectomy in Draf III did not significantly improve irrigation delivery. Squeeze bottles achieved significantly higher irrigation flow in the frontal sinus than syringes and pulsating devices. Large-volume irrigation devices provided better irrigation for the frontal sinus by entering or flushing the entire frontal sinus. The head position influenced the frontal sinus irrigation by altering the ostia position relative to fluid flow and vertical height of the frontal sinus during irrigation. While the vertex down head position was likely to enhance frontal sinus irrigation, the comfort of the head position and patient compliance should be considered.

Conclusion

Elements for optimization of frontal sinus irrigation are a minimum of a Draf IlA procedure for frontal sinus dissection, use of large-volume irrigation, and vertex down head positioning. Developing comfortable head positions with high frontal sinus irrigation efficiency would increase patient compliance and improve outcomes.

Level of Evidence:

NA.
Composition, Skin Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacological Effects of the Sanfu Herbal Patch
Authors: Li Wenqing , Lv Ying , Liao Wei , Jiang Haibo , Liu Yuwei , Lu Wenfei , Cao Jiansheng , Feng Yufei
Published: August 2024

The Sanfu herbal patch (SHP) is a traditional Chinese medicine external therapy consisting of Sinapis semen, Asari Radix et Rhizoma, Kansui Radix, and Corydalis Rhizoma. The review involved searching for SHP-related keywords in various databases including Web of Science, PubMed, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, etc Relevant literature was then selected and findings were summarized. The SHP encompasses a diverse array of bioactive constituents, such as fatty acids, thioglycosides, essential oils, terpenes, alkaloids, and additional chemical compounds. The parent constituents of the SHP that enter skin circulation mainly include sinapine thiocyanate from Sinapis semen, asarinin from Asari Radix et Rhizoma, and tetrahydropalmatine from Corydalis Rhizoma. The SHP exhibits anti-inflammatory, antitussive, analgesic, and antitumor properties, making it a valuable pharmacological agent. Moreover, the SHP is frequently employed in clinical settings to address various ailments including asthma, rhinitis, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic degenerative joint disease, and chronic gastritis. This review focuses on the main components, skin pharmacokinetics, and pharmacological research progress of the SHP, offering valuable insights for further understanding its mechanism of action and enhancing its clinical application.
Anti-Inflammatory and Immunoregulatory Effects of Xiaoqinglong Decoction on a Murine Model of Combined Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Syndrome
Authors: Zhao Jingyi , Yan Xinyu , Wang Man , Han Jinshuai , Wang Junge
Published: August 2024

Background

Xiaoqinglong Decoction (XQLD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula used for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma, including combined allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome (CARAS), due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-seizure properties. However, the pharmacological activities and the underlying molecular mechanisms of XQLD remain to be elucidated . Hence, we investigated the effects of XQLD against inflammation in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced CARAS model in BALB/c mice.

Methods

BALB/c mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection and aerosol inhalation of OVA. XQLD or dexamethasone was administered by oral gavage prior to OVA challenge for 7 consecutive days. Specific airway resistance (sRAW) was evaluated 24 h after the final challenge with OVA. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of serum inflammatory factors. The nasal mucosa and lung tissue were examined for general morphology and goblet hyperplasia using hematoxylin and eosin or periodic acid Schiff staining. Flow cytometry was employed to analyze the frequencies of helper T lymphocytes in peripheral blood. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine the expression of transcription factors in helper T lymphocytes and γδ TCR.

Results

XQLD significantly ameliorated the symptoms of CARAS model mice, suppressed serum levels of interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-17, while increasing levels of IL-10, transforming growth factor-β. Epithelium impairment, cilia loss, eosinophil infiltration, and goblet cell metaplasia were significantly reduced in the nasal mucosa and lung tissue sections. XQLD restored the balance of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg cell frequency in peripheral blood. Furthermore, XQLD down-modulated the expression of GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA3), retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γt, and γδ T cell receptor (TCR) in the nasal mucosa, along with GATA3 and γδ TCR in the lung tissue.

Conclusions

XQLD alleviated OVA-induced CARAS in BALB/c mice through its anti-allergic effects and modulation of the immune system.
Digital payments and relational embedding: Turning relations into data and data into relations
Authors: Mützel Sophie , Unternährer Markus
Published: August 2024

Research on the digital economy has highlighted the assetization of data. This article argues for expanding existing research on data and datafication processes by focusing on how relationships are made and unmade through and from data. We introduce a general analytic model of “relationing” and show how relationships between users, companies, and products are created in three different moments—entanglement, dissection, and matching—first in the digital economy, then in physical stores. We show how payments with mobile phones connect the digital to the brick-and-mortar economy. Applying our model, we illustrate how a mobile phone's various data streams, money's record-keeping function, and retailers’ loyalty programs produce qualitatively and quantitatively new relations between customers, retailers, banks, app providers, and payment intermediaries. We argue that “relational embedding” captures the inherent relationality between users, their data points, and other economic actors: algorithmically relating users’ data profiles to other users’ profiles yields personalized recommendations, ads, or rebates, continuing the relationship between retailers and customers.
Enhancing postoperative anticoagulation therapy with remote patient monitoring: A pilot crossover trial study to evaluate portable coagulometers and chatbots in cardiac surgery follow-up
Authors: Guede-Fernández Federico , Silva Pinto Tiago , Semedo Helena , Vital Clara , Coelho Pedro , Oliosi Maria Eduarda , Azevedo Salomé , Dias Pedro , Londral Ana
Published: August 2024

Objective

Prior research has not assessed the value of remote patient monitoring (RPM) systems for patients undergoing anticoagulation therapy after cardiac surgery. This study aims to assess whether the clinical follow-up through RPM yields comparable outcomes with the standard protocol.

Methods

A crossover trial assigned participants to SOC-RPM or RPM-SOC, starting with the standard of care (SOC) for the first 6 months after surgery and using RPM for the following 6 months, or vice-versa, respectively. During RPM, patients used the Coaguchek© to accurately measure International Normalized Ratio values and a mobile text-based chatbot to report PROs and adjust the therapeutic dosage. The study assessed patients’ and clinicians’ experience with RPM and compared direct costs.

Results

Twenty-seven patients participated. The median time in therapeutic range (TTR) levels during RPM were 72.2% and 50.6% for the SOC-RPM and RPM-SOC arms, respectively, and during SOC, they were 49.4% and 58.4% for SOC-RPM and RPM-SOC arms, respectively. Patients and the clinical team reported high trust and satisfaction with the proposed digital service. Statistically significant differences were only found in the cost of RPM in the RPM-SOC, which was higher than SOC in the SOC-RPM arm.

Conclusions

Portable coagulometers and chatbots can enhance the remote management of patients undergoing anticoagulation therapy, improving patient experience. This presents a promising alternative to the current standard procedure. The results of this study seem to suggest that RPM may have a higher value when initiated after a SOC period rather than starting RPM immediately after surgery. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06423521.
Exploring nurses’ awareness and attitudes toward artificial intelligence: Implications for nursing practice
Authors: Alruwaili Majed Mowanes , Abuadas Fuad H. , Alsadi Mohammad , Alruwaili Abeer Nuwayfi , Elsayed Ramadan Osama Mohamed , Shaban Mostafa , Al Thobaity Abdulellah , Alkahtani Saad Muaidh , El Arab Rabie Adel
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Worldwide, healthcare systems aim to achieve the best possible quality of care at an affordable cost while ensuring broad access for all populations. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare holds promise to address these challenges through the integration of real-world data-driven insights into patient care processes. This study aims to assess nurses’ awareness and attitudes toward AI-integrated tools used in clinical practice.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional design captured nurses’ responses at three governmental hospitals in Saudi Arabia by using an online questionnaire administered over 4 months. The study involved 220 registered nurses with a minimum of one year of clinical experience, selected through a convenience sampling method. The online survey consisted of three sections: demographic information, an assessment of nurses’ AI knowledge, and the general attitudes toward the AI scale.

Results

Nurses displayed “moderate” levels of awareness toward AI technology, with 70.9% having basic information about AI and only 58.2% (128 nurses) were considered “aware” of AI as they dealt with one of its healthcare applications. Nurses expressed openness to AI integration ( M = 3.51) on one side, but also had some concerns about AI. Nurses expressed conservative attitudes toward AI, with significant differences observed based on gender (χ² = 4.67, p < 0.05). Female nurses exhibited a higher proportion of negative attitudes compared to male nurses. Significant differences were also found based on age (χ² = 9.31, p < 0.05), with younger nurses demonstrating more positive attitudes toward AI compared to their older counterparts. Educational background yields significant differences (χ² = 6.70, p < 0.05), with nurses holding undergraduate degrees exhibiting the highest positive attitudes. However, years of nursing experience did not reveal significant variations in attitudes.

Conclusion

Healthcare and nursing administrators need to work on increasing the nurses’ awareness of AI applications and emphasize the importance of integrating such technology into the systems in use. Moreover, addressing nurses’ concerns about AI's control and discomfort is crucial, especially considering generational differences, with younger nurses often having more positive attitudes toward technology. Change management strategies may help overcome any hindrances.
Sociodemographic factors and health digital divide among urban residents: Evidence from a population-based survey in China
Authors: Yang Yanbin , Ma Chengyu
Published: August 2024

Background

The deep integration of digital technology and healthcare services has propelled the healthcare system into the era of digital health. However, vulnerable populations in the field of information technology, they face challenges in benefiting from the digital dividends brought by digital health, leading to the emerging phenomenon of the “health digital divide.”

Methods

This study utilized the sample of 3547 urban from the 2021 Chinese Social Survey data for analysis. Models were constructed with digital access divide, digital usage divide, and digital outcome divide for urban residents, and structural equation modeling was implemented for analysis.

Results

The impact β coefficients (95% CI) of urban residents’ digital access on the frequency of digital use, internet healthcare utilization, and patient experience were (β = 0.737, P < 0.001), (β = 0.047, P < 0.05), and (β = 0.079, P < 0.001), respectively. Urban elderly groups were at a disadvantage in digital access and usage (β = −0.007, β = −0.024, and β = −0.004), as well as those with lower educational levels (β = 0.109, β = 0.162, and β = 0.045). However, these two factors did not have a significant direct impact on the patient experience in urban areas.

Conclusions

The health digital divide of urban residents exhibits a cascading effect, primarily manifested in the digital access and usage divide. To bridge health digital divide among urban residents, efforts must be made to improve digital access and usage among the elderly and those with lower educational levels.
Development of a patient-centered transition program for stroke survivors and their informal caregivers, combining case-management and access to an online information platform: A user-centered design approach
Authors: Delvallée Marion , Marchal Mathilde , Termoz Anne , Habchi Ouazna , Derex Laurent , Schott Anne-Marie , Haesebaert Julie
Published: August 2024

Background

During the hospital-to-home transition, stroke survivors and their caregivers face a significant lack of support and information which impacts their psychosocial recovery. We aimed to co-design a program combining individual support by a trained case-manager (dedicated professional providing individual support) and an online information platform to address needs of stroke survivors and caregivers.

Methods

A two-step methodology was used. The first step followed a “user-centered design” approach during four workshops with stroke survivors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to develop the platform and define the case-manager profile. The second step was a usability test of the platform following a Think Aloud method with patients and caregivers. The workshops and interviews were analyzed following a qualitative thematic analysis. The analysis of Think Aloud interviews was based on User Experience Honeycomb framework by Morville.

Results

Eight participants attended the workshops: two patients, two caregivers, three nurses, and a general practitioner. Activities, training, and skills of the case-manager were defined according to stroke survivors and caregivers needs. Name, graphics, navigation, and content of the platform were developed with the participants, a developer and a graphic designer. The usability of the platform was tested with 5 patients and 5 caregivers. The Think Aloud confirmed satisfaction with graphics and content but a need for improvement regarding the navigability. An update of the platform was conducted in order to answer the needs expressed by participants.

Conclusion

We developed, with a participatory approach, a patient-centered transition program, which will be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.
Establishing substitute families: Care arrangements for childless older people in urban China
Authors: Chen Limei , Zhong Xiaohui , Pan Jiaqi
Published: August 2024

While the issues of childlessness and social support in old age have received considerable attention in more developed countries, the phenomenon of aging without children in China has been relatively underexplored. The existing, albeit limited, literature highlights the vulnerability of the childless elderly in China and the inadequacy of social care services, which is predominantly directed toward most impoverished groups. This study examines the care arrangements and social support mechanisms for childless older people in urban China, emphasizing the role of community-level officers in this context. Drawing on in-depth interviews conducted in 2019 with 27 childless elderly individuals and 10 community-level officers in Shanghai, the study reveals the formation of community-based substitute families. These substitute families, comprising neighbors, extended family members, and friends, provide daily assistance, emotional support, and sometimes intensive care. The establishment of these substitute families hinges on the childless individuals’ ability to navigate public and social resources, as well as the institutionalized mobilization and informal work strategies of community-level officers. We argue that the care arrangements for childless older people are significantly shaped by the state's aging-in-place elder care policy. However, the effectiveness of this policy is mediated by the informal work strategies of community-level officers and the proactive care planning by the childless elderly themselves. Our findings offer important insights for improving the current family-based elder care policies and enrich our understanding of aging without children in urban China.
Innovative curricular approaches for fostering cultural competence in nursing education
Authors: Jenssen Unni , Koch Susanne Kjekshus , Morrison-Beedy Dianne
Published: August 2024

This article discusses some challenges fostering cultural competence for student nurses. Norwegian national guidelines uphold study abroad as the norm and set as a future goal that 50% of students should spend time abroad during their studies. This goal has proved hard to reach due to several factors, such as students’ economic situation and obligations to work and family. Higher education institutions (HEIs) need a broader approach to ensure students’ cultural competence despite not being able to travel abroad. We have developed diverse strategies for strengthening the outcomes for cultural desire and competence gained by students who do not travel. We believe that HEIs need to significantly increase their efforts to facilitate ‘internationalization at home’ to benefit students with necessary cultural awareness, knowledge and skills.
Military Organization’s Use of Social Media and Its Relationship with Politics: Evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Rahman Saif Ur , Shurong Zhao
Published: August 2024

The literature on social media (SM) use in government organizations primarily focuses on service delivery, publicity, and public relations. But, how a public sector security organization’s use of social media is related to electoral politics in a country is least understood. This paper conceptualizes the Pakistani military’s use of digital media, drawing on the theory of organizational impression management (IM). It further explores the impact of military-related social media activists (SMAs) on electoral politics in Pakistan. Structural equation modeling was used to test the conceptual model, demonstrating that the citizens’ connectedness with military-related SMAs is significant and positively associated with their voting realignments during the 2018 elections in Pakistan. The results revealed that the citizens’ greater online political participation increases their likelihood of connecting with military-related SMAs. On the contrary, their engagement with the offline political process reduces the chances of consuming the military’s impression management content over social media.