bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Heart Rate Variability Methods for Health-Related Outcomes in Outdoor Contexts: A Scoping Review of Empirical Studies
Authors: D’Angelo Jonah , Ritchie Stephen D. , Oddson Bruce , Gagnon Dominique D. , Mrozewski Tomasz , Little Jim , Nault Sebastien
Published: January 2023

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a psychophysiological variable that is often used in applied analysis techniques to indicate health status because it provides a window into the intrinsic regulation of the autonomic nervous system. However, HRV data analysis methods are varied and complex, which has led to different approaches to data collection, analysis, and interpretation of results. Our scoping review aimed to explore the diverse use of HRV methods in studies designed to assess health outcomes in outdoor free-living contexts. Four database indexes were searched, which resulted in the identification of 17,505 candidate studies. There were 34 studies and eight systematic reviews that met the inclusion criteria. Just over half of the papers referenced the 1996 task force paper that outlined the standards of measurement and physiological interpretation of HRV data, with even fewer adhering to recommended HRV recording and analysis procedures. Most authors reported an increase in parasympathetic (n = 23) and a decrease in systematic nervous system activity (n = 20). Few studies mentioned methods-related limitations and challenges, despite a wide diversity of recording devices and analysis software used. We conclude our review with five recommendations for future research using HRV methods in outdoor and health-related contexts.
The Potential Environmental and Social Influence of the Inorganic Salt Hydrates Used as a Phase Change Material for Thermal Energy Storage in Solar Installations
Authors: Nartowska Edyta , Styś-Maniara Marta , Kozłowski Tomasz
Published: January 2023

The aim of this article is to assess the potential impact of inorganic salt hydrates used as PCM material in solar installations on the environment and human health and to assess the society’s approach to this technology. The properties of salt are discussed in two ways: first, by analyzing the environmental and health problems caused by chemical hazards on the basis of the available material safety data sheets. Secondly, by analyzing the potential disadvantages of salt hydrates in terms of environmental hazards based on the results of experimental studies available in the literature. Then, using questionnaires, the public approach to solar installations with a built-in converter containing salt hydrates is assessed. Disodium hydrogen phosphate dodecahydrate turned out to be the most prospective salt in terms of environmental, thermophysical, and economic properties for use in solar installations. Understanding the attitudes of the local community toward technologies using inorganic salt hydrates will enable appropriate action to be taken in the future to promote their development. Surveys have shown great public concern about their impact on the environment and human health. In this regard, it is necessary to implement information and promotion activities.
What Matters on Rural Left-Behind Children’s Problem Behavior: Family Socioeconomic Status or Perceived Discrimination
Authors: Fu Wangqian , Xue Rui , Chai Hongqin , Sun Wenxiang , Jiang Fangrui
Published: January 2023

With the acceleration of China’s industrialization and urbanization, there is a large number of left-behind children in China who are reported with more challenges in development. The study aims to analyze the differences in family socioeconomic status (SES) and discrimination perception between left-behind children and non-left-behind children and further explore whether SES or discrimination perception has a greater impact on the problem behaviors of left-behind children. We found the family SES of left-behind children was significantly lower than that of non-left-behind children; left-behind children’s perceived discrimination was significantly higher than that of non-left-behind children; perceived discrimination of left-behind children had a greater impact on their problem behavior than the family SES.
Evaluation and Impact Mechanism of High-Quality Development in China’s Coastal Provinces
Authors: Wang Xiaojie , Han Rongqing , Zhao Minghua
Published: January 2023

With economic expansion having moderated to a “new normal” pace, the eastern coastal provinces have been given a new historical task of high-quality development and become a window and frontier of China’s high-quality development. By designing and optimizing an index system of high-quality development levels and using the entropy-TOPSIS method, the study selected 21 indicators, include economic vitality, residents’ living standards, innovation efficiency and green development, and took China’s eastern coastal provinces as an example to study the characteristics of spatial-temporal variations in the high-quality development level from 2010 to 2020. Then, the study used the obstacle degree model to explore the factors that are obstacles to high-quality development. The results show that the high-quality development of the eastern coastal provinces presents an “up-down-up” fluctuation, with an increase of 40.1%. In particular, the development level of the residents’ living standards dimension is higher, and the high-quality development level of each province shows different degrees of growth and gradually tends to balanced development, with the high-quality development of Shanghai, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province in a dominant position. The spatial pattern of high-quality development in the study areas shows a spatial distribution pattern of “high in the east and low in the west, high in the north and low in the south”, in which the bipolar spatial effect of the innovation efficiency dimension is becoming more and more prominent, while the regional synergistic development effect of the residents’ living standard dimension is more obvious, and the high-quality development spatial pattern shows a “core-periphery” structure, and there is a path-dependent effect in time change, and agglomeration is produced by trickle-down effect in space. The obstacles to residents’ living standards are high, and the main obstacle factor has gradually changed from insufficient output in innovation to a reduction in the scale of foreign trade. In addition, the problems of unreasonable industrial structure and shortage of per capita public cultural resources still exist. In provinces with a high-quality development level and a relatively developed economy, the biggest obstacle factors are economic vitality and residents’ living standards. In provinces with a low level of high-quality development and a relatively backward economy, the biggest obstacle factors are green development and innovation efficiency, and there are both similarities and differences in the main obstacle factors among provinces.
How Work–Nonwork Conflict Affects Remote Workers’ General Health in China: A Self-Regulation Theory Perspective
Authors: Shi Yanwei , Li Dan , Zhou Zhiqing E. , Zhang Hui , She Zhuang , Yuan Xi
Published: January 2023

Difficulty in balancing the demands of work and nonwork has been shown to be associated with lower physical and psychological health. Grounded on the self-regulation theory, we examined the effect of work–nonwork conflict on general health among employees who transitioned to remote work (remote workers), and we tested whether this association was mediated by impaired self-control capacity. The study further examined the perceived boundary control as a moderator of these associations. We collected two waves of questionnaire data with a one-month interval from 461 remote workers, and the results of regression-based analyses revealed that work–nonwork conflict was negatively related to remote workers’ general health through increased self-control capacity impairment. In addition, this indirect effect was weaker for remote workers with higher perceived boundary control than those with lower perceived boundary control. These findings expand our understanding of remote workers’ work–nonwork conflict and have practical implications for promoting the general health of remote workers who are experiencing work–nonwork conflict.
Syphilis, the Great Imitator—Clinical and Dermoscopic Features of a Rare Presentation of Secondary Syphilis
Authors: Cantisani Carmen , Rega Federica , Ambrosio Luca , Grieco Teresa , Kiss Norbert , Meznerics Fanni Adél , Bánvölgyi András , Vespasiani Giordano , Arienzo Francesca , Rossi Giovanni , Soda Giuseppe , Pellacani Giovanni
Published: January 2023

Syphilis is characterized by a wide range of variable clinical symptoms; therefore, it is often referred to as “The Great Imitator”. Here, we report the case of a 69-year-old hepatitis-C-positive MSM patient, who was admitted to our clinic due to a solitary firm painless erythematous maculopapular lesion with a central crater-like crust on the upper right thigh that occurred two months prior. The dermoscopy showed an erythematous, copper-colored, oval lesion with diffuse monomorphic dotted and glomerular vessels, central crust, and circular scaling (Biett’s sign). The histological findings ruled out neoplasia and described a plasma cell infiltrate and endothelial swelling. Finally, the combination of the dermoscopic image, histological findings and the additionally acquired knowledge about the sexual history of the patient at the second visit led to the diagnosis, which was then confirmed with serological tests. Dermoscopy may become a supportive tool to facilitate the recognition of secondary syphilis; however, the reporting of these atypical cases is crucial to highlight the many faces of the disease so that clinicians consider syphilis as part of the differential diagnosis of non-specific lesions.
Design and Application of an Early Warning and Emergency Response System in the Transboundary Area of the Taihu Lake Basin
Authors: He Fei , Lai Qiuying , Ma Jie , Wei Geng , Li Weixin
Published: January 2023

The inter-provincial transboundary area of the Taihu Lake Basin is characterized by a complex river network and reciprocating flow. Frequent environmental pollution events in recent years have become a major safety hazard for the water quality in the Taihu Lake Basin. There are few early warning systems for environmental pollution events in China, the ability to simulate risk is insufficient, and systematic research on technology, development, and application is lacking. Thus, water management requirements are not met in the inter-provincial transboundary area of the Taihu Lake Basin. This paper proposes a cross-border risk management plan for pollution sources in the transboundary areas of the Taihu Lake Basin and an early warning and emergency response system for water pollution events using modern information technology. We used this system to assess and classify 2713 risk sources for nitrogen and phosphorus pollution into 5 categories. We simulated the discharge of a pollutant into a tributary and the early warning and emergency response for the transboundary region. The results indicate that the proposed early warning and emergency response system substantially improved the transboundary water environment and lowered the risk of pollution in the Taihu Lake watershed.
Informing Streetscape Design with Citizen Perceptions of Safety and Place: An Immersive Virtual Environment E-Participation Method
Authors: White Marcus , Langenheim Nano , Yang Tianyi , Paay Jeni
Published: January 2023

As our cities grow, it is important to develop policies and streetscape designs that provide pedestrians with safe comfortable walking conditions and acknowledge the challenges involved in making urban places feel liveable and safe while understanding the critical role of streets around busy destinations. To understand these challenges at a nuanced, human level, new methods of citizen engagement are needed. This paper outlines the development and application of a new citizen perception collection method, using immersive virtual environments (IVE), coupled with an interactive emoji affective activation-pleasure grid and digital slider elements, embedded within an online e-participation survey to quantify, and rank the impact of individual (single-variable) urban design elements and safe system treatments on pedestrians’ perceptions of safety and place. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of this method for providing detailed, interrogable, scalable citizen perception data of a variety of urban street design elements and safe system treatments, which allows a statistical analysis of responses and prioritization of the most effective pedestrian-oriented interventions for maintaining or enhancing street vibrancy and liveability. Our IVE e-participation approach is an important contribution to forming a better understanding of streetscapes and provides a valuable method for urban designers and transport planners to prioritise different streetscape place and safety approaches.
Digital Storytelling as an Intervention for Older Adults: A Scoping Review
Authors: Chang HeeKyung , Do YoungJoo , Ahn JinYeong
Published: January 2023

The population of older adults is rapidly increasing worldwide. Owing to fewer interactions between generations, older adults experience ageism and various psychological issues, such as depression and loneliness. Digital storytelling (DST) has the potential to share vivid lived experiences, support the forming of social relationships, and lead to improved well-being. This scoping review examines the potential psychosocial benefits of individual DST interventions for older adults and people with dementia. We adopted the methodological framework for scoping reviews outlined in the Joanna Briggs Institute’s (JBI) manual. A scoping review was performed using the following bibliographic databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Research Information Sharing Service, and National Assembly Library. There were 395 references retrieved, of which 19 articles were selected after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Our findings revealed that the most common effects of DST on older adults included the promotion of mental health, an increased amount of meaningful community connections, greater digital literacy, the mitigation of negative ageism, and enhanced intellectual ability. We suggest randomized controlled trials are conducted to confirm the efficacy of intergenerational DST intervention and the effects of DST interventions at multilevel outcomes, including the community level.
The Reasons behind COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy among the Parents of Children Aged between 5 to 11 Years Old in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Khatrawi Elham Mohammed , Sayed Anwar A.
Published: January 2023

Simultaneously with the development of the COVID-19 vaccination plan for minors, it is critical to understand the reasons related to parental COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy. This study aims to determine the reasons associated with vaccination hesitancy among parents, and the prevalence and the characteristics of the parents who are hesitant to allow their children aged between 5 to 11 years old to be administered the COVID-19 vaccines. A web-based questionnaire was used to perform this study between May 2022 to September 2022 in Saudi Arabia (SA). Several factors, personal and social, affected the participants’ willingness to vaccinate their children with the COVID-19 vaccines. The age of the parents was found to have a significant impact on their decision to vaccinate their children. Those between the age of 40–49 years of age were the most willing to vaccinate (almost 41%) compared to those 50 years or older who were most resistant to vaccination. Female participants were more resistant to vaccinating their children compared to their male counterparts. Saudis were more resistant to vaccinating their children compared to the non-Saudi participants. Those private sector-employed parents were the most willing to vaccinate (16.6%), followed by those working in the governmental sector (13.8%). About 40.7% of non-healthcare workers were resistant to vaccinating their minor compared to healthcare workers (8.7%). In conclusion, the study presents several factors that affect the parental willingness to vaccinate their children in SA. These factors should be properly addressed when developing public health strategies to promote the COVID-19 vaccination of children in SA.
A Crossed Pure Agraphia by Graphemic Buffer Impairment following Right Orbito-Frontal Glioma Resection
Authors: Arroyo-Anlló Eva M. , Pluchon Claudette , Bouyer Coline , Baudiffier Vanessa , Stal Veronique , Du Boisgueheneuc Foucaud , Wager Michel , Gil Roger
Published: January 2023

Pure agraphias are caused by graphemic buffer damage. The graphemic buffer stores graphemic representations that handle the transition from spelling lexicon to writing or oral spellings. The authors report a case of a crossed pure agraphia, following the post-surgical removal of a right frontal low-grade glioma in a right-handed French patient. He presented a pure agraphia displaying the features of a graphemic buffer impairment. Our patient only made spelling errors, whereas repetition and other oral language abilities remained perfect. We found a greater number of errors for longer stimuli, increased errors for the medially located graphemes, and agraphia for both words and non-words and error types, essentially consisting of omissions, substitutions, and letter transpositions. We also observed no significant effect of word frequency on spelling errors, but word length affected the rate of errors. The particularity of this case was linked to right frontal subcortical injuries in a right-handed subject. To our knowledge, it is the first report of a crossed pure agraphia caused by graphemic buffer impairment. Further studies are needed in order to analyse the role of subcortical structures, particularly the caudate nucleus in the graphemic buffer during writing tasks, as well as the participation of the non-dominant hemisphere in writing language.
Applying a Combination of SEM and fsQCA to Predict Tourist Resource-Saving Behavioral Intentions in Rural Tourism: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior
Authors: Zheng Wei , Qiu Hongliang , Morrison Alastair M.
Published: January 2023

How to save resources and protect the environment at destinations is one of the hot issues in tourism. One effective solution is to cultivate tourist resource-saving behavioral intentions (TRSBI). Prior studies mainly use Structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore its antecedents, whereas other potential methods (i.e., fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, fsQCA for short) have been less adopted. This study combines SEM and fsQCA to examine TRSBI in a rural tourism context. Specifically, SEM is executed to investigate how environmental concern influences TRSBI based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), while fsQCA is applied to uncover the multiple configurations in the TRSBI formation. The findings from SEM indicated that (1) environmental concern positively and directly influenced TRSBI; (2) TPB constructs (i.e., attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) positively and separately mediated the associations of environmental concern with TRSBI. The fsQCA outcomes showed that three configurations result in a high level of TRSBI: (1) high attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, (2) high attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, and environmental concern, and (3) high attitudes toward the behavior, perceived behavioral control, and environmental concern. The combined approaches offer a systematic and holistic solution to explore TRSBI in rural tourism.
Indoor Radon Levels in Homes and Schools in the Western Cape, South Africa—Results from a Schools Science Outreach Initiative and Corresponding Model Predictions
Authors: Maheso Abbey , Bezuidenhout Jacques , Newman Richard
Published: January 2023

We describe a school science outreach initiative that introduced learners to applied nuclear physics research by means of a two-day workshop that involved learners and teachers from 5 schools in the Western Cape province of South Africa. During this workshop, the participants were introduced to the naturally occurring, inert, colorless, and tasteless radioactive gas radon (222Rn). During the first day of the workshop, the participants were informed about the detrimental health impacts of inhaling radon and its daughter radionuclides and were shown how indoor radon activity concentrations can be measured using the electret ion chamber (EIC) technology. The learners were then each supplied with a short-term electret (E-PERM, Radelec, Frederick, MD, USA) and associated ion chamber to enable them to make radon measurements in their homes. The teachers in turn were supplied with EICs to enable them make radon measurements in their schools. The participants returned the EICs on the second day of the workshop, one week later. Here, the drop in the potential difference across each electret was measured in order to calculate the average indoor radon activity concentration. A total of 49 indoor radon concentrations were measured. The average indoor radon concentrations were 36 ± 26 Bqm−3 in homes and 41 ± 36 Bqm−3 in schools, while the highest concentration was found to be 144 Bqm−3. These levels were compared to predictions from a model that uses input information about the uranium content associated with the surface geology at each measurement location. The predictions compared well with the measured values.
Comprehensive Evaluation and Analysis of Human Settlements’ Suitability in the Yangtze River Delta Based on Multi-Source Data
Authors: Liu He , Li Xueming , Guan Yingying , Li Songbo , Sun He
Published: January 2023

The suitability of human settlements is critical for quality of life and regional development. As comprehensive evaluations and research on the suitability of human settlements are lacking, a comprehensive evaluation of human settlements in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) was carried out in 2020 by combining natural and human environmental elements based on multi-source data such as digital elevation models, Landsat remote sensing images, meteorological station data, and points of interest, other multi-source data, and constructions of the human settlements’ suitability indexes. The results showed the following: (1) The spatial suitability of the natural environment in the YRD is significantly affected by the topographic conditions and distance from the sea, showing an increasing spatial differentiation from southwest to northeast, with Shanghai and Yancheng having the best natural environment suitability. (2) The suitability of the human environment in urban areas is better than that in non-urban areas and shows a decreasing trend from the south to the north circle. Shanghai, Zhoushan, and Huaibei have the best human environment suitability. (3) The comprehensive suitability of human settlements includes both the spatial differentiation characteristics of the suitability of natural and human environments. Shanghai and Zhoushan have the mosy comprehensive suitability for human settlements, while Huaibei and Xuzhou have the worst. (4) Land with a comprehensive suitability for human settlements of greater than 0.580 accounts for 23.60% of the total and contains 30.08% of the population and 32.31% of the economy, indicating that areas with a high suitability index have been fully utilized, and the populations and economies with human settlements suitability have a high degree of matching.
Preparation and Electrochemical Performance of Bio-Oil-Derived Hydrochar as a Supercapacitor Electrode Material
Authors: Wei Juntao , Sun Jiawei , Xu Deliang , Shi Lei , Wang Miao , Li Bin , Song Xudong , Zhang Shu , Zhang Hong
Published: January 2023

The rapid consumption of fossil energy and the urgent demand for sustainable development have significantly promoted worldwide efforts to explore new technology for energy conversion and storage. Carbon-based supercapacitors have received increasing attention. The use of biomass and waste as a carbon precursor is environmentally friendly and economical. In this study, hydrothermal pretreatment was used to synthetize coke from bio-oil, which can create a honeycomb-like structure that is advantageous for electrolyte transport. Furthermore, hydrothermal pretreatment, which is low in temperature, can create a low graphitization degree which can make heteroatom introduction and activation easier. Then, urea and KOH were used for doping and activation, which can improve conductivity and capacitance. Compared with no heteroatom and activation hydrothermal char (HC) (58.3 F/g at 1 A/g), the prepared carbon material nitrogen doping activated hydrothermal carbon (NAHC1) had a good electrochemical performance of 225.4 F/g at 1 A/g. The specific capacitance of the prepared NAHC1 was improved by 3.8 times compared with that of HC.
Multivalent Effect of Defect Engineered Ag2S/g-C3N4 3D Porous Floating Catalyst with Enhanced Contaminant Removal Efficiency
Authors: Zhou Nan , Li Yanzhang , Chen Jie , Song Mingxin , Zhang Linlin
Published: January 2023

Chlorophenols, as a major environmental pollutant, enter water systems through industrial wastewater, agricultural runoff and chemical spills, and they are stable, persistent under natural conditions, and highly hazardous to water resources. The objective of this article is to prepare Ag2S-modified C3N4 three-dimensional network photocatalyst by calcination method to use photocatalysis as an efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly method to degrade chlorophenols. Ag2S/C3N4 has an excellent visible light absorption range, low band gap, effective separation of photogenerated charges, and active free radicals production, all of which make for the enhancement of photocatalytic degradation performance of the Ag2S/C3N4 system. Under the light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm), the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol reach 95% within 150 min, and the stable photocatalytic degradation activity can still be maintained under different pH water environment and four degradation cycles. When Ag2S is loaded on ACNs, more photogenerated electrons are generated and subsequent reactions produce highly reactive groups such as •O2− and •OH that will originally be able to continuously attack TCP molecules to degrade pollutants. Therefore, this study shows that the photocatalyst provides a novel research approach for realizing the application in the field of pollutant degradation.
Similarities and Differences between Psychosocial Determinants of Bullying and Cyberbullying Perpetration among Polish Adolescents
Authors: Malinowska-Cieślik Marta , Kleszczewska Dorota , Dzielska Anna , Ścibor Monika , Mazur Joanna
Published: January 2023

Despite the extensive literature on the psychosocial determinants of bullying and cyberbullying among adolescents, there is not sufficient comprehensive analysis of the differences between perpetrators. This study aims to assess the psychosocial similarities and differences between bullies and cyberbullies. Data of 3650 students from two grades, K9 and K11 (47% females, mean age = 16.53), were used from a survey conducted in Poland in 2018 as part of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Perpetration was measured by questions adapted from the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. The following predictors were analyzed: demographic, socioeconomic status measured with the Family Affluence Scale-III (FAS), and individual and social factors. Multiple binary logistic regression was applied. The random sampling design was based on stratification according to the local deprivation index of the region where the school was located. Male gender, younger age, and non-intact family were associated with a higher risk of bullying and cyberbullying. Family support, empathy, school performance, and school attachment had a protective effect against both aggressive behaviors. Life dissatisfaction and high FAS were revealed as determinants of cyberbullying and local deprivation of bullying only. Bullying and cyberbullying school prevention programs should take into account these psychosocial differences and consider the economic deprivation of the region.
Effects of Playing Exergames on Quality of Life among Young Adults: A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yu Jiajun , Huang Han-Chung , Cheng T. C. E. , Wong May-Kuen , Teng Ching-I
Published: January 2023

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether playing exergames can enhance quality of life among young adults and it examines the potential moderators. Methods: A 12-week randomized controlled trial was conducted. Quality of life was measured using the short-form 36-item version (SF-36) scale. All the participants were between 20 and 24 years old in Taiwan. Participants in the intervention group (n = 55) were asked to play exergames for 12 weeks, three times a week and 30 minutes at a time, while participants in the control group (n = 62) did not play exergames. The changes in the scores on quality of life between the beginning and the end of the 12-week trial were calculated. Independent t-tests were used to analyze the differences. Results: The intervention group participants experienced an enhanced quality of life in terms of physical functioning, role-physical (role limitations due to physical health), general health, and social functioning. Moreover, the intervention group participants who were not enthusiastic about exercisers experienced an enhanced quality of life in physical functioning, role-physical, and general health. The intervention group participants who attempted to control their weight experienced enhanced general health, vitality, and mental health. Conclusion: Playing exergaming could contribute to users’ quality of life in terms of both physical and mental health.
The Ethical Code of Conduct for Physiotherapists—An Axiological Analysis
Authors: Pezdek Krzysztof , Dobrowolski Robert
Published: January 2023

The goal of the article is an axiological analysis of the Ethical Code of Conduct for Physiotherapists. The basic ethical values constituting the axiological basis of physiotherapy are care, professionalism, responsibility, fairness, professional integrity, respect for a patient/client’s dignity and autonomy. Those values have been selected from the theory and practice of physiotherapy, but also from socio-cultural conditions influencing the relations and interdependencies between physiotherapists and other professional groups or society as a whole. Those values can exist as qualities of a subject (a physiotherapist) or as functions realised by them (acting for the welfare of a patient/client, society, profession). Some of the analysed values have been directly enumerated in the Ethical Code of Conduct for Physiotherapists, while others must be deduced from the rules included in this document. The analysed values should be internalised by the physiotherapists during their training and professional practice.
Effects of Myofascial Release Using Finding-Oriented Manual Therapy Combined with Foam Roller on Physical Performance in University Athletes. A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Afanador-Restrepo Diego Fernando , Rodríguez-López Carlos , Rivas-Campo Yulieth , Baena-Marín Mateo , Castellote-Caballero Yolanda , Quesada-Ortiz Raúl , Osuna-Pérez María Catalina , Carcelén-Fraile María del Carmen , Aibar-Almazán Agustín
Published: January 2023

Sport is a science of constant reinvention that is always searching for strategies to improve performance. Objective: This study seeks to compare the effects of myofascial release with Findings-Oriented Orthopedic Manual Therapy (OMT) combined with Foam Roller (FR), versus FR by itself, on the physical performance of university athletes. A randomized controlled study was conducted with a total of twenty-nine university athletes, measuring Range of Motion (ROM), jump height and flight time, strength and dynamic flexibility using Goniometer pro, CMJ protocol in OptoGait, 1 Repetition Maximum (1RM) and Mean Propulsive Velocity (MPV) and the Sit and Reach (V) test, correspondingly. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov prior to the initial measurement of the participants under the code NCT05347303. Through a univariate analysis, together with an analysis of independent groups with ANOVA and an analysis of covariance, it was evidenced that OMT combined with FR generated more and better effects in all the evaluated ROM, jump height and flight time, RM and VMP tests. Finally, it was found that OMT combined with FR is better when it is desired to improve ROM, muscle power, strength and flexibility, while FR alone only improves dynamic flexibility.
Efficacy and Safety of ab Externo Phaco-Canaloplasty versus First-Generation iStent Bypass Implantation Combined with Phacoemulsification in Patients with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma-Early Results
Authors: Gołaszewska Kinga , Obuchowska Iwona , Konopińska Joanna
Published: January 2023

This study evaluated the early outcomes of the hypotensive efficacy and safety profile of ab externo phaco-canaloplasty versus first-generation iStent bypass implantation combined with phacoemulsification in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). In total, 82 patients with POAG comprising 92 eyes were divided into phaco-canaloplasty (Group PC, (n = 47) or iStent combined with phacoemulsification (Group PiS, n = 45) groups. Primary outcome measures were intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction and number of glaucoma medications. Secondary outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), endothelial cell density (EECD), changes in anterior chamber depth (ACD), and complication rate. The follow-up period was approximately 6 months. Preoperative IOPs were 17.30 (15.00; 19.85) mmHg and 17.50 (15.10; 20.90) mmHg in the PC and PiS groups, respectively (p = 0.876). At the end of the follow-up, IOP decreased to 15.00 (13.00; 16.00) mmHg and 15.00 (14.00; 17.00) mmHg in the PC and PiS groups, respectively (p = 0.438). Medication usage decreased from 2.08 to 0.12 and 1.40 to 0.04 in PC and PiS eyes, respectively. Most patients in both groups were medication-free at 6 months follow-up. After 6 months of observation, EECD in PC and PiS groups decreased from 2309.50 (2032.00; 2533.00) to 1966.50 (1262.00; 2353.50) and 2160.00 (1958.50; 2372.50), to1231.00 (1089.00; 2050.00), respectively (p = 0.037). Pre-surgery BCVA was 0.80 (0.50; 1.00) and 0.60 (0.40; 1.00) in PC and PiS eyes, respectively (p = 0.456). Follow-up BCVA was 0.95 (0.60; 1.00) for PC and 1.00 (1.00; 1.00) for PiS. Hyphema and corneal oedema were noted on the first day post-surgery in both groups. Subsequent complications included a transient increase in IOP in the PC group. Phaco-canaloplasty and iStent bypass implantation combined with phacoemulsification significantly lowered IOP and decreased medication burden. All eyes in both groups maintained or exhibited improved BCVA relative to baseline. Both surgeries had low postoperative complication rates and exhibited comparable safety profiles over 6-month follow-up in patients with POAG.
COVID-19-Related Stressors and Clinical Mental Health Symptoms in a Northeast US Sample
Authors: Monnig Mollie A. , Clark Samantha E. , Avila Jaqueline C. , Sokolovsky Alexander W. , Treloar Padovano Hayley , Goodyear Kimberly , Aston Elizabeth R. , Haass-Koffler Carolina L. , Tidey Jennifer W. , Ahluwalia Jasjit S. , Monti Peter M.
Published: January 2023

Research has linked specific COVID-19-related stressors to the mental health burden, yet most previous studies have examined only a limited number of stressors and have paid little attention to their clinical significance. This study tested the hypothesis that individuals who reported greater COVID-19-related stressors would be more likely to have elevated levels of anxiety, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and serious psychological distress. Methods: An online survey was administered to a convenience sample from 18 June to 19 July 2020, in US states that were most affected by COVID-19 infections and deaths at the time. Individuals who were 18 or older and residents of five Northeast US states were eligible to participate (N = 1079). In preregistered analyses, we used logistic regression models to test the associations of COVID-19 stressors with symptoms on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and K6, adjusting for sociodemographic covariates. Results: COVID-19-related stressors (i.e., essential worker status, worry about COVID-19 infection, knowing someone hospitalized by COVID-19, having children under 14 at home, loneliness, barriers to environmental rewards, food insecurity, loss of employment) were associated with meeting thresholds (i.e., positive screening) for anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and/or serious psychological distress. Loneliness and barriers to environmental rewards were associated with all mental health outcomes. Limitations: We used a non-probability sample and cannot assume temporal precedence of stressors with regard to development of mental health symptoms. Conclusions: These findings link specific stressors to the mental health burden of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Protective and Overprotective Behaviors against COVID-19 Outbreak: Media Impact and Mediating Roles of Institutional Trust and Anxiety
Authors: Liu Yi , Liu Cong
Published: January 2023

This study aims to explore how pandemic-related media use relates to both protective and overprotective behaviors and to probe the underlying mechanisms. The data were collected online during the early outbreak of COVID-19 in China, and a total of 1118 valid cases, which covered the 30 provincial administrative divisions in mainland China, were collected. Results showed that official government media use was positively associated with protective behaviors and institutional trust was an important mediator. Commercial media use was also found to be positively associated with overprotective behavior, and anxiety mediated this relationship. Findings of this study suggested that different media sources could play completely different roles. Institutional trust in government institutions and medical care systems were equally critical in translating the media effect into public compliance with the preventive measures advocated by the relevant departments. Media outlets and practitioners should also be responsible in order to avoid causing unnecessary anxiety among the public so as to reduce irrational overprotective behaviors.
Horizontal CO2 Compensation in the Yangtze River Delta Based on CO2 Footprints and CO2 Emissions Efficiency
Authors: Wang Luwei , Zhang Yizhen , Zhao Qing , Ren Chuantang , Fu Yu , Wang Tao
Published: January 2023

Purpose: In this study, we attempted to reduce the negative economic externalities related to Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions in the Yangtze River Delta region (YRD) and designed a cross-municipality responsibility-sharing mechanism. Methods: We estimated the municipal CO2 footprints in the YRD from 2000 to 2019 based on nighttime light data and measured CO2 emissions efficiency using a super slack-based measurement (super-SBM) model. Based on this, we designed a scenario of horizontal CO2 compensation among the YRD’s municipalities from the perspectives of both CO2 footprints and CO2 trading (CO2 unit prices in trading were determined based on CO2 emissions efficiency). Results: The results showed the following: (1) The CO2 footprints evolution of the YRD municipalities could be divided into four categories, among which, eleven municipalities showed a decreasing trend. Thirteen municipalities stabilized their CO2 footprints. Thirteen municipalities exhibited strong growth in their CO2 footprints, whereas four municipalities maintained a low level of slow growth. (2) Spatially, CO2 emissions efficiency evolved from a broad distribution of low values to a mosaic distribution of multi-type zones. (3) After 2011, the ratio of CO2 footprint compensation amounts to local Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in most municipalities was less than 0.01%, with its center of gravity shifting cyclically. It was appropriate to start charging the CO2 footprint compensation amounts after 2011, with a dynamic adjustment of 3 years. (4) After 2007, the supply–demand relationship of CO2 trading continued to deteriorate, and it eased in 2016. However, its operational mechanism was still very fragile and highly dependent on a few pioneering municipalities. Innovations: In this study, we designed a horizontal CO2 compensation mechanism from the binary perspective of CO2 footprints and CO2 trading. In this mechanism, the former determines the CO2 footprint compensation amounts paid by each municipality based on whether the CO2 footprint exceeds its CO2 allowance. The latter determines the CO2 trading compensation amounts paid by the purchasing municipalities based on their CO2 emissions efficiency. This system balances equity and efficiency and provides new ideas for horizontal CO2 compensation.
Digital Media Used in Education: The Influence on Cyberbullying Behaviors among Youth Students
Authors: Alismaiel Omar A.
Published: January 2023

Students, colleagues, and other members of society are increasingly using digital media. Students utilize digital media for a variety of reasons, including communication, gaming, making new friends, and simply being curious. However, there are some disadvantages to using digital media. Cyberbullying, cyberharassment, and cyberstalking are examples of useful digital media activities that can have a negative impact on digital media users and lead to societal issues. Surprisingly, limited studies have investigated cyberbullying in depth, utilizing a broad and varied sample of Middle Eastern institutions. As a result, the purpose of this study is to fill a research vacuum by questioning students’ use of digital media for cyber involvement. This research aims to create a model for assessing the ethical consequences of behaviors that directly impact students’ psychological health because of their use of digital media. The questionnaire looked at how people used digital media to engage in cyberbullying and cyber engagement, the ethical implications of bullying, and being harassed, stalked, and bullied. The study employed a quantitative questionnaire to collect data to achieve the research goal. It was given to 1012 students who are digital media users. Partial least squares (PLS) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to examine the data. Considering the empirical data, nearly half of the participants admitted to being harassed, stalked, or bullied on different digital platforms. The evaluation of discriminant validity is a prerequisite factor for examining possible variables’ relationships. The goodness-of-fit index indicates that the model is well-fit. Through the established model, decision-makers and school administration would be able to implement measures that would effectively reduce cyber harassment among students and improve the digital media usage experience.
Taking Care of Forced Migrants Together: Strengths and Weaknesses of Interorganizational Work from the Perspective of Social Workers
Authors: De Leo Amalia , D’Adamo Giulia , Morozzi Carlotta , Gozzoli Caterina
Published: January 2023

The reception and taking care of forced migrants with mental health issues is undoubtedly a very complex task. The literature shows that reception systems are characterized by a high level of fragmentation due to poor collaboration among services that are required to respond to complex and multidimensional needs brought by forced migrants. Starting from the need to deepen what elements support or hinder the implementation of the services’ networks for the care and management of forced migrants, qualitative research was conducted within a constructivist paradigm. As the literature reveals a lack of studies considering the perspective of practitioners, we decided to explore the representations of professionals working with migrants in northern Italy in four different service areas (health and psychological well-being, reception, family, and legal areas). A total of 24 professionals (13 F and 11 M) with an average age of 42.4 years were involved in four focus groups according to the four areas. A paper–pencil content analysis was conducted following IPA guidelines. The results show strengths, weaknesses, and elements of improvement for service network implementation. The needs of forced migrants seem to be effectively met only through a service network that takes shape in the interweaving of social, organizational, group, and individual levels.
The Impact of Comorbidities and Obesity on the Severity and Outcome of COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients—A Retrospective Study in a Hungarian Hospital
Authors: Nagy Éva , Cseh Viktória , Barcs István , Ludwig Endre
Published: January 2023

Patients with comorbidities and obesity are more likely to be hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to have a higher incidence of severe pneumonia and to also show higher mortality rates. Between 15 March 2020 and 31 December 2021, a retrospective, single-center, observational study was conducted among patients requiring hospitalization for COVID-19 infection. Our aim was to investigate the impact of comorbidities and lifestyle risk factors on mortality, the need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and the severity of the disease among these patients. Our results demonstrated that comorbidities and obesity increased the risk for all investigated endpoints. Age over 65 years and male sex were identified as independent risk factors, and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, endocrine and metabolic diseases, chronic kidney disease and obesity were identified as significant risk factors. Obesity was found to be the most significant risk factor, associated with considerable odds of COVID-19 mortality and the need for ICU admission in the under-65 age group (aOR: 2.95; p < 0.001 and aOR: 3.49, p < 0.001). In our study, risk factors that increased mortality and morbidity among hospitalized patients were identified. Detailed information on such factors may support therapeutic decision making, the proper targeting of vaccination campaigns and the effective overall management of the COVID-19 epidemic, hence reducing the burden on the healthcare system.
The Contribution of Dance Movement Therapy in Promoting Nursing Students’ Interpersonal Skills during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study
Authors: Dimonte Valerio , Gonella Silvia , Albanesi Beatrice , Malinverni Eugenia , Campagna Sara , Conti Alessio
Published: January 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most universities closed or reduced clinical placements (CPs), limiting nursing students’ opportunities to practice communication and interpersonal skills before graduating. When applied in nursing curriculums, Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) enhances students’ understanding of the theoretical concepts of communication and interpersonal skills, representing a valuable educational tool when CPs are reduced, as during the COVID-19 pandemic. This descriptive phenomenological study aims to describe the contribution of DMT in promoting third-year nursing students’ relational skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirty-four nursing students who attended a DMT workshop completed a reflective journal. Data were analysed using content analysis. Three themes emerged: struggling to care for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, lived experience of DMT, and professional identity development. The first theme illustrates the connection participants made between their experiences during the DMT workshop and the caregiving challenges imposed by the pandemic; the second theme describes how the workshop fostered emotional and physical connections among its participants; the third theme focuses on the awareness participants acquired regarding their professional role during the workshop. When CPs opportunities are limited, DMT workshops can represent an educational tool to promote interpersonal and communication skills among nursing students, facilitating their transition into the profession.