bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“20 Years After…” GFE 2.0: A Theoretical Revision and Empirical Testing of the Concept of “Group-Focused Enmity” Based on Longitudinal Data
Authors: Heyder Aribert , Anstötz Pascal , Eisentraut Marcus , Schmidt Peter
Published: April 2022

Conceptually, “group-focused enmity” (GFE, long-term project in Germany, duration: 2002–2011) consists of several different attitudes that constitute a syndrome of group-focused enmity. These attitudes are empirically related to each other and share a common core which is the ideology of inequality. But is GFE really a one-dimensional homogeneous ideology? Over the years there have been considerable doubts about this fundamental assumption. We have two central theoretical argumentations for explicating and revising the concept of GFE. The first is based on the social psychological literature regarding differences between ideologies, attitudes, stereotypes and social prejudices. The second arises from one of the basic conceptual ideas of the GFE project, which states that depending on the respective societies different specific groups become targets of devaluation and discrimination. Therefore, we propose a revised version of the GFE syndrome as a two-dimensional concept: an ideology of inequality (generalized attitudes) and social prejudice (specific attitudes). The measurement models are strictly empirically tested using data from theGFE panel(waves 2006, 2008) as well as the representativeGFE-surveys(cross-sections 2003, 2011) conducted in Germany. To test for discriminant and external validity, we have also included social dominance orientation (SDO). Additionally, within this framework, the methodological focus of the study is to test for several forms of measurement invariance in the context of higher-order factor models considering the issue of multidimensionality of latent variables. Our empirical results support the idea that GFE is a bi-dimensional concept consisting of an ideology of inequality and social prejudice. Moreover, SDO is demonstrated to be empirically distinct from both dimensions and correlates more strongly with the ideology of inequality in comparison to social prejudice. Additionally, the bi-dimensional GFE conceptualization proves to be at least metric invariant both between and within individuals. The impact of our proposed conceptualization and empirical findings will be discussed in the context of international research on ideologies, attitudes and prejudices. The dealing questions are why different explanatory factors have different effects on prejudicial and ideological attitudes and why there are different forms and manifestations of social prejudice in different societies over time.
Mixed Governance Principles in the Gulf Lowlands of Mesoamerica
Authors: Stark Barbara L. , Stoner Wesley D.
Published: April 2022

With antecedents reaching back to the Olmec era (1500–600 BCE), complex societies from CE 300–900/1000 in the Gulf lowlands display architectural and material culture indications of both authoritarian and collective governance principles over two large areas, each with a distinctive version of a common architectural layout. The two areas include multiple polities adhering to particular layouts of structures providing key urban services. Our information derives from pedestrian surveys and mapping covering about 5,000 km2, plus remote sensing over 53,000 km2. Remote sensing reveals the extraordinary extent and consistency of the predominant architectural patterns. Starting with the Olmec era and continuing to CE 600 some sculpture glorifies individual rulers, but, at the same time, architecture shows the importance of corporate groups and public access to services that represent a more collective emphasis. Between CE 300 to 900, monumental platforms that supported palatial residences indicate powerful elites and rulers. Long mounds located on each side of the main plazas likely supported multiple rooms used by corporate civic groups. In some centers, multiple plaza groups attest to division of authority across several factions, as do chains of plazas in other cases. Thus, both authoritarian and collective principles are built into the design of urban centers. The replication of common architectural patterns across the study area suggests open networks of interaction consonant with low-density urbanism in the tropics. We concentrate our discussion of governance in south-central Veracruz during CE 300–900, for which we have more complete data, and we more briefly characterize the larger temporal and spatial framework. Eventually these urban networks collapsed due to a complex set of factors, but one ingredient may have been increasing disparities in wealth and corrosion of collective action.
The Rational Appropriateness of Group-Based Pride
Authors: Salmela Mikko , Sullivan Gavin Brent
Published: April 2022

This article seeks to analyze the conditions in which group-based pride is rationally appropriate. We first distinguish between theshapeandsizeof an emotion. For the appropriate shape of group-based pride, we suggest two criteria: the distinction betweengroup-based prideandgroup-based hubris, and betweenwe-modeandI-modesociality. While group-based hubris is inappropriate irrespective of its mode due to the arrogant, contemptuous, and other-derogating character of this emotion, group-based pride in thewe-modeis appropriate in terms of shape if it is felt over an achievement to which the group members collectively committed themselves. For the same reason, members ofI-modegroups can feel appropriately proud of the achievement of their group if they have collectively contributed to it. Instead, group-based pride by mere private identification with a successful group can be rationally appropriate if it manifests the person’s reduced-agency ideal and is also part of a coherent pattern of rationally interconnected emotions focused on the same ideal. Moreover, we suggest that pride in the success of one’s family member or a close friend is typically felt over therise of social statusthat one group member’s success grants to the group. However, social status cannot be valued for its own sake as this undermines the values upon which social status is founded. Instead, direct or indirect causal contribution to the success of one’s child, friend, or student can warrant group-based pride, which may be justified on the basis of shared values without causal contribution as well. Finally, regarding the size of group-based pride, members ofwe-modegroups are warranted to experience and express more intense pride than members ofI-modegroups. Moreover, the proper intensity of this emotion depends on the particular other(s) to whom the expression is directed. Finally, criteria of appropriate size don’t apply to shared group-based pride as sharing increases the intensity of emotion by default.
The Impact of Positive Verbal Rewards on Organizational Citizenship Behavior—The Mediating Role of Psychological Ownership and Affective Commitment
Authors: Zhao Xin , Yang Yi-chun , Han Gexin , Zhang Qiao
Published: April 2022

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) can foster organizational competitiveness and survival especially, facing a rapidly changing environment. There are some empirical pieces of research that shed light on the effects of OCB on extrinsic rewards, since OCB, through performance appraisal, affects extrinsic rewards which will influence OCB as well. However, researchers have overlooked the reverse effect of extrinsic rewards (i.e., positive verbal rewards) on OCB. It is necessary to explore the mechanism between positive verbal rewards and OCB. This study integrated psychological ownership and affective commitment to form a structural model based on social exchange theory and cognitive evaluation theory. These results show that positive verbal rewards are positively correlated with psychological ownership, psychological ownership is positively correlated with affective commitment and OCB, and affective commitment is positively correlated with OCB. As refers to the mediating effects, psychological ownership fully mediates the relationship between positive verbal rewards and affective commitment. Furthermore, affective commitment plays a partial mediating role in the effect of psychological ownership on OCB. Accordingly, this psychological mechanism between positive verbal rewards and OCB reveals important theoretical and practical implications.
Maternal Responsive Parenting Trajectories From Birth to Age 3 and Children’s Self-Esteem at First Grade
Authors: Kim Yeon Ha
Published: April 2022

This paper examines the quality and stability of the responsive parenting practices of mothers with infants and the longitudinal links between these practices and children’s self-esteem. Using data presented by the Panel Study on Korean Children, this study identified Korean mothers’ responsive parenting trajectories from birth to age three and examined their associations with children’s self-esteem at first grade. Korean mothers developed one of three responsive parenting patterns from birth to age three: low (19.0%), moderate (66.0%), or high (15.0%). Children’s self-esteem differed according to their mother’s responsive parenting trajectory. First-graders with mothers displaying the low responsive parenting trajectory were more likely to have lower self-esteem than children of mothers with the moderate responsive parenting trajectory and children of mothers with the high responsive parenting trajectory. The longitudinal link between mother-reported responsive parenting patterns during infancy and child-reported self-esteem at first grade was verified. This finding highlights the significance of early responsive parenting from mothers as a predictor of the self-esteem of children in later developmental stages.
Pre-pandemic Psychobiological Features Predict Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on Loneliness
Authors: Baliyan Shishir , Cimadevilla José Manuel , Pulopulos Matias M. , Castillejo Leyre , Sandi Carmen , Venero César
Published: April 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to various government-imposed limitations on social interaction and strict home confinement. Such involuntary social-distancing policies can exacerbate feelings of loneliness and alter emotional well-being. Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis is a potential mechanism for loneliness’ deleterious health effects. In this study, we explored whether pre-pandemic diurnal cortisol output (AUCG), a measure of HPA axis function, may predict the propensity to changes in loneliness during long-term COVID-19 home confinement and if extraversion would moderate this relationship. This association has been explored by analysing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and strict home confinement on social and emotional loneliness in 45 Spanish young adults. Diurnal cortisol levels were measured from five saliva samples obtained across a day just before the pandemic, and data about participants’ perceived loneliness, empathic state, extraversion, and prospective volunteering were obtained both before and during the confinement. Participants’ social and family loneliness increased during long-term strict home confinement, while prospective volunteering tendencies and extraversion decreased. Importantly, after adjusting for relevant confounders, moderation analyses revealed that in young adults with high pre-pandemic extraversion, a higher AUCG predicted a larger increase in social loneliness during confinement, while in individuals with low extraversion, AUCG was negatively related to change in loneliness. Our findings highlight the utility of pre-pandemic diurnal cortisol output in predicting the social impact of COVID-19 home confinement, presenting this hormone as a potential biomarker for a priori identification of at-risk groups during public health crises.
Stress and Burnout in EFL Teachers: The Mediator Role of Self-Efficacy
Authors: Chang Heli
Published: April 2022

Within the class environment, particularly in the language learning setting, stress is considered to be the most common mental condition educators experience in their work, and due to the effect of stress on teachers, burnout similarly occurs because English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers periodically experience affective trauma while participating and engaging in their careers. To solve the problem, one must consider teacher self-efficacy, a significant construct that can mitigate the probability of burnout by preventing the occurrence of stress at work that also plays a key role in enhancing positive upshots. To emphasize the impact of teachers’ stress and burnout on the one hand and the mediator role of teachers’ efficacy, on the other hand, this mini-review attempted to study the issue. Finally, some scholastic recommendations are pinpointed.
Design Visual Elements and Brand-Based Equity: Mediating Role of Green Concept
Authors: Li Ying
Published: April 2022

Although benefits of design perception have been documented from the perspective of consumers on a large scale, but the perspective of employees has been ignored. This study aims to investigate the impact of design elements on employee-brand-based equity under the mediating role of the green concept. For this purpose, data are collected from the employees of the manufacturing sector and 346 responses are used for an inferential purpose. These data were collected using the survey research method through the convenience sampling technique. Data has been analyzed through Smart PLS by applying the structural equation modeling technique. After assessing the measurement and structural model, the results obtained indicate that design elements of products in the manufacturing industry can influence the perception of employees and it can foster positive behavior among employees in the shape of employee-brand-based equity. The mediating role of the green concept has also been proved. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.
Real-Life Social-Skills Training and Motor-Skills Training in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Con-Tatto Project Walking Down the Francigena Route
Authors: Keller Roberto , Ardizzone Fabio , Finardi Caterina , Colella Rosa , Genuario Carmen , Lopez Manuel , Salerno Luana , Nobile Emanuela , Cicinelli Giovanni
Published: April 2022

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with an early onset and a genetic and epigenetic component. ASD is characterized by deficits in socio-emotional reciprocity, impaired verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and specific difficulties in developing and maintaining adequate social relationships with peers. Indeed, restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities are required by DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Autistic people usually need an unchanging environment (or in any case predictable and stable) and may have hypo- or hyper-sensitivity to sensory inputs. The onset of clinical symptoms occurs during the early years of life. Social skills competence is a significant therapeutic aim to be pursued when addressing ASD core symptoms. Several considerable motor difficulties (87%) in people with autism spectrum disorder in adulthood have been found. The Con-tatto project developed a project addressing social, physical, and mental health difficulties in real-life walking down the Francigena route for 9 days with 12 autistic people, by (1) Implementing daily sessions of social skills training program whose abilities were addressed to be immediately generalized and used throughout the day. (2) Educational movement and walking activity programs were led by a fitness coach. (3) The creation of walking peers’ social community with a strong and relevant impact on adults with ASD social life respecting every person’s individuality. (4) Provision of social reinforcers to reduce the stigma of people with autism and the experienced perception of low self-esteem, especially when they are bullied.
Associations Between Chronic Irritability and Sensory Processing Difficulties in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Harima Yuji , Miyawaki Dai , Goto Ayako , Hirai Kaoru , Sakamoto Shoko , Hama Hiroki , Kadono Shin , Nishiura Sayaka , Inoue Koki
Published: April 2022

Irritability is one of the most common reasons for which children and adolescents are referred for psychiatric evaluation and care. However, clinical irritability is difficult to define; thus, its prevalence varies widely. Chronic irritability may be associated with sensory processing difficulties (SPD), but little is known about the relationship between these two factors in clinical populations. In this study, we examined the prevalence of chronic irritability and its association with SPD in 166 children aged 5–16 years who were referred to the psychiatric outpatient clinic of the Osaka City University Hospital. Chronic irritability and parent-reported scores for the Short Sensory Profile, Infant Behavior Checklist-Revised, Child Behavior Checklist, and Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children (Present and Lifetime version) questionnaires were used for assessment. A total of 22 children (13.2%) presented with chronic irritability (i.e., the irritability group) and were more likely to have oppositional defiant disorder, externalizing problems, and attention issues than those without chronic irritability (i.e., the control group). SPD were reported in eight (36%) patients in the irritability group and in 21 (15%) in the control group (p = 0.029). Moreover, compared to the control group, the irritability group showed a significant difference in almost all items of the Short Sensory Profile. Chronic irritability was associated with more severe overall SPD, even after adjusting for possible confounding factors (internalizing and externalizing problems, age, sex, and low income). We provide evidence to support our hypothesis that chronic irritability is associated with SPD in children and adolescents. Therefore, SPD should be assessed to provide appropriate interventions in children and adolescents with chronic irritability.
The Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Service-Learning Experiences Among Undergraduate Public Health Students in Hawai‘i
Authors: Kehl Lisa , Patil Uday , Tagorda Michelle , Nelson-Hurwitz Denise C.
Published: April 2022

Service-learning is a high-impact educational practice at the core of the undergraduate public health degree at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM). This practice provides an invaluable learning experience and professional opportunity for students to collaborate with community partners and make significant contributions in the field. The COVID-19 pandemic halted or disrupted service-learning experiences as community partners adapted to shifting mandates and emergency orders. Surveying the rapidly evolving landscape of partner organizations to support service-learning is a challenge. Assessing changes to the program mentorship or satisfaction is the first step to developing protocols to ensure standardization of service-learning during times of crisis. This study will address if and how the pandemic impacted students' satisfaction with required service-learning experiences. Furthermore, authors hope to create a comprehensive list of practicum partnering organizations, both focused on pandemic response and, more generally, of the service-learning students at UHM, with the intent to increase students and community partners in local service-learning. Assessments were conducted to assess the impact of COVID-19 on undergraduate students' experiences with service-learning through use of a program exit survey. The authors hypothesized pandemic-related adjustments would not affect student satisfaction or skill development. Despite challenges associated with the pandemic and emergency online transitions, students persisted in personal and professional growth associated with service-learning. This developed resilience supports students as they graduate and enter a workforce adapting to remote work demands and community needs.
Exploring the Mediating Role of Situation Awareness and Crisis Emotions Between Social Media Use and COVID-19 Protective Behaviors: Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Feng Yulei , Tong Qingyan
Published: April 2022

Background

In an outbreak of an infectious disease especially, online media would usually be an important channel for people to get first-hand knowledge and evaluate risks of the specific emergency. Although there has been increasing attention to the effect of social media use during epidemics and outbreaks, relatively little is known about the underlying mechanism by which social media plays a role in people's cognitive, affective and preventive responses.

Objective

With an objective to advance current knowledge surrounding social media effects on people's cognition, affection and health protective behaviors during epidemics, we aim to examine the associations between social media exposure to COVID-19 risks related information and preventive behavior of the public, and also the role that situation awareness and crisis emotions including anxiety and fear played.

Methods

An online cross-sectional survey was conducted in China a total of 632 participants were recruited. Measures included exposure to COVID-19 information through social media, situation awareness, anxiety, fear and protective behaviors that participants have taken. We have performed the descriptive statistical analysis, correlation and mediation analysis to test the research hypotheses.

Results

Findings indicated that situation awareness was positively associated with social media use (B = 0.54, p < 0.001), anxiety (B = 0.95, p < 0.001) and fear (B = 0.87, p < 0.001), and preventive behavior (B = 0.68, p < 0.001). Social media use would also have an indirect effect on anxiety (indirect effect = 0.40; 95% CI = [0.34, 0.46]) and fear (indirect effect = 0.35; 95% CI = [0.29, 0.42]) through situation awareness. The serial mediation effect of situation awareness and fear in the correlation between social media use and preventive behavior has been testified (indirect effect = 0.04, 95% CI = [0.01, 0.08]).

Conclusions

Social media use might influence the adoption of preventive behaviors through triggering situation awareness and fear. Therefore, health communication regarding COVID-19 prevention should target people with less internet access and low eHealth literacy. Understanding the positive role of negative crisis emotions during outbreaks could also help communicators and policymakers develop appropriate strategies to make people proactive to avoid the remaining health hazard.
Comprehensive Analysis of the COVID-19: Based on the Social-Related Indexes From NUMBEO
Authors: Guo Xuecan , Chai Ruiyu , Yao Yan , Mi Yanbiao , Wang Yingshuang , Feng Tianyu , Tian Junwei , Shi Bocheng , Jia Jiwei , Liu Siyu
Published: April 2022

Background

The COVID-19 has been spreading globally since 2019 and causes serious damage to the whole society. A macro perspective study to explore the changes of some social-related indexes of different countries is meaningful.

Methods

We collected nine social-related indexes and the score of COVID-safety-assessment. Data analysis is carried out using three time series models. In particular, a prediction-correction procedure was employed to explore the impact of the pandemic on the indexes of developed and developing countries.

Results

It shows that COVID-19 epidemic has an impact on the life of residents in various aspects, specifically in quality of life, purchasing power, and safety. Cluster analysis and bivariate statistical analysis further indicate that indexes affected by the pandemic in developed and developing countries are different.

Conclusion

This pandemic has altered the lives of residents in many ways. Our further research shows that the impacts of social-related indexes in developed and developing countries are different, which is bounded up with their epidemic severity and control measures. On the other hand, the climate is crucial for the control of COVID-19. Consequently, exploring the changes of social-related indexes is significative, and it is conducive to provide targeted governance strategies for various countries. Our article will contribute to countries with different levels of development pay more attention to social changes and take timely and effective measures to adjust social changes while trying to control this pandemic.
Classification of Program Types and Cost Prediction of Integrated Care for the Elderly
Authors: Moon Byunggeor
Published: April 2022

This paper analyzes the types of community-based integrated care programs based on the needs of consumers and estimates future costs through data on consumer-oriented integrated care for the elderly in the local community operated by Korea, which is experiencing rapid aging. By analyzing the types of programs and the composition of budget items, we check the composition of the program from the consumer side of the integrated care program in the local community and predict the national budget for each item to operate it. Through this, policy implications for business operation and implications for sustainable financial management are derived.
Benefit Assessment and Reimbursement of Digital Health Applications: Concepts for Setting Up a New System for Public Coverage
Authors: Lantzsch Hendrikje , Panteli Dimitra , Martino Filippo , Stephani Victor , Seißler David , Püschel Constanze , Knöppler Karsten , Busse Reinhard
Published: April 2022

In Germany, some digital health applications (DiHA) became reimbursable through the statutory health insurance system with the adoption of the Digital Healthcare Act in 2019. Approaches and concepts for the German care context were developed in an iterative process, based on existing concepts from international experience. A DiHA categorization was developed that could be used as a basis to enable the creation of a reimbursed DiHA repository, and to derive evidence requirements for coverage and reimbursement for each DiHA. The results provide an overview of a possible classification of DiHA as well as approaches to assessment and evaluation. The structure of remuneration and pricing in connection with the formation of groups is demonstrated.
The Dose-Related Efficacy of Acupuncture on Endometrial Receptivity in Infertile Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zheng Xiaoyan , Yu Siyi , Liu Liying , Yang Han , Wang Fangge , Yang Hongmei , Lv Xingyu , Yang Jie
Published: April 2022

Background

Progress has been achieved by using acupuncture widely for poor endometrial receptivity (PER). However, different acupuncture dosages may lead to controversy over efficacy.

Objective

To evaluate the evidence-based conclusions of dose-related acupuncture on infertile women with PER.

Method

References were retrieved from nine databases from inception to 26 February 2022. This meta-analysis included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the dose-related efficacy of acupuncture for PER with outcomes of endometrium receptivity (ER) parameters by transvaginal sonography (TVS) and the subsequent pregnancy outcomes in three acupuncture-dose groups: the high-dosage group (three menstrual cycles), the moderate-dosage group (one menstrual cycle), and the low-dosage group (two or four days). Since there remained sufficient heterogeneity among the three subsets, we prespecified seven subgroup variables (four clinical and three methodological) to investigate the heterogeneities.

Results

A total of 14 RCTs (1,564 women) of moderate or low overall quality were included. The results were different when the dosage of acupuncture was restricted. For the moderate or high-dosage group, CPR and part of ER parameters were improved in the acupuncture group (i.e., CPR: OR = 2.00, 95% CI [1.24, 3.22], p = 0.004, I2 = 0% in one menstrual cycle; OR = 2.49, 95%CI [1.67, 3.72], p < 0.05, I2 = 0% in three menstrual cycles). However, for the low-dosage group, no statistical difference was observed in CPR (OR = 0.07, 95% CI [−0.10, 0.23], p = 0.44, I2 = 82%) and a part of the ER parameters. In subgroup analysis, four subgroup variables (the routine treatment, risk of performance bias, duration of acupuncture treatment, and the age of participants) could explain some of the heterogeneities across all trials.

Conclusion

The finding indicated that the trend of relatively more acupuncture dosage showed better effects for poor endometrial receptivity among PER women. It remains a potential heterogeneity in our studies. Further high-quality trials with a homogeneity trial design need to be conducted.
Learning to Cycle: A Cross-Cultural and Cross-Generational Comparison
Authors: Cordovil Rita , Mercê Cristiana , Branco Marco , Lopes Frederico , Catela David , Hasanen Elina , Laukkanen Arto , Tortella Patrizia , Fumagalli Guido , Sá Cristina , Jidovtseff Boris , Zeuwts Linus , De Meester An , Bardid Farid , Fujikawa Ricardo , Veldman Sanne , Zlatar Silvija , Estevan Isaac
Published: April 2022

Background

Learning to cycle is an important milestone for children, but the popularity of cycling and the environmental factors that promote the development and practice of this foundational movement skill vary among cultures and across time. This present study aimed to investigate if country of residence and the generation in which a person was born influence the age at which people learn to cycle.

Methods

Data were collected through an online survey between November 2019 and December 2020. For this study, a total of 9,589 responses were obtained for adults (self-report) and children (parental report) living in 10 countries (Portugal, Italy, Brazil, Finland, Spain, Belgium, United Kingdom, Mexico, Croatia, and the Netherlands). Participants were grouped according to their year of birth with 20-year periods approximately corresponding to 3 generations: 1960–79 (generation X; n = 2,214); 1980–99 (generation Y; n = 3,994); 2000–2019 (generation Z; n = 3,381).

Results

A two-way ANOVA showed a significant effect of country, F(9,8628) = 90.17, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.086, and generation, F(2,8628) = 47.21, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.122, on the age at which individuals learn to cycle. Countries with the lowest learning age were the Netherlands, Finland and Belgium and countries with the highest learning age were Brazil and Mexico. Furthermore, the age at which one learns to cycle has decreased across generations. There was also a significant country x generation interaction effect on learning age, F(18,8628) = 2.90, p < 0.001; however, this effect was negligible (ηp2 = 0.006).

Conclusions

These findings support the socio-ecological perspective that learning to cycle is a process affected by both proximal and distal influences, including individual, environment and time.
Work Content of General Practitioners in Beijing, China: A Multi-method Study
Authors: Wei Yun , Wang Feiyue , Pan Zhaolu , Jin Guanghui , Wang Dawei , Lu Xiaoqin , Cao Qiumei
Published: April 2022

Background

Despite the dramatic growth of primary care in China, little evidence showed what general practitioner (GP) do and how GP provided medical service in Beijing.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the work content of GPs in primary care in Beijing.

Methods

A multi-method study was conducted in five community health service institutions using non-participant observation and critical incident technique interview. Eleven GPs was recruited by purpose sampling, with each GP recording details of 100 patient encounters. Health problems of patients and activities of GPs were observed in consultations. Then, critical incident technique interviews were conducted focusing on GPs' works out of clinics and challenge.

Results

A total of 1, 100 patients encounters and 1,897 reasons for encounter (RFEs) were recorded from 11 GPs. There were 1897 RFEs (1.72 per encounter) and 2,762 health problems (2.51 per encounter) from 1,100 encounters during our observation. GPs' work related to consultation was focus on disease diagnoses and treatment. Physical examination and investigations were performed in only 15.5 and 17.1% consultations, respectively. Procedures for chronic disease management were infrequently provided to patients (0.4–26.6%). Time spent in each work process in consultations ranged from 0.68 ± 0.27 min for reservation to 4.00 ± 2.45 min for surgical treatment. In addition to clinical work, there were tasks about health files, contracted family doctor services, health education, teaching students, and scientific research.

Conclusion

This study illustrated the complexity of GPs' work and heavy workload in Beijing, China. More attention and effort are needed to develop GPs performance and release GPs' work workload in primary care.
Microcalcification Discrimination in Mammography Using Deep Convolutional Neural Network: Towards Rapid and Early Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Leong Yew Sum , Hasikin Khairunnisa , Lai Khin Wee , Mohd Zain Norita , Azizan Muhammad Mokhzaini
Published: April 2022

Breast cancer is among the most common types of cancer in women and under the cases of misdiagnosed, or delayed in treatment, the mortality risk is high. The existence of breast microcalcifications is common in breast cancer patients and they are an effective indicator for early sign of breast cancer. However, microcalcifications are often missed and wrongly classified during screening due to their small sizes and indirect scattering in mammogram images. Motivated by this issue, this project proposes an adaptive transfer learning deep convolutional neural network in segmenting breast mammogram images with calcifications cases for early breast cancer diagnosis and intervention. Mammogram images of breast microcalcifications are utilized to train several deep neural network models and their performance is compared. Image filtering of the region of interest images was conducted to remove possible artifacts and noises to enhance the quality of the images before the training. Different hyperparameters such as epoch, batch size, etc were tuned to obtain the best possible result. In addition, the performance of the proposed fine-tuned hyperparameter of ResNet50 is compared with another state-of-the-art machine learning network such as ResNet34, VGG16, and AlexNet. Confusion matrices were utilized for comparison. The result from this study shows that the proposed ResNet50 achieves the highest accuracy with a value of 97.58%, followed by ResNet34 of 97.35%, VGG16 96.97%, and finally AlexNet of 83.06%.
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Mutations on PCR Assay Sequence Alignment
Authors: Negrón Daniel Antonio , Kang June , Mitchell Shane , Holland Mitchell Y. , Wist Stephen , Voss Jameson , Brinkac Lauren , Jennings Katharine , Guertin Stephanie , Goodwin Bruce G. , Sozhamannan Shanmuga
Published: April 2022

Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays are the most widely used molecular tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and diagnosis of COVID-19 in clinical samples. PCR assays target unique genomic RNA regions to identify SARS-CoV-2 with high sensitivity and specificity. In general, assay development incorporates the whole genome sequences available at design time to be inclusive of all target species and exclusive of near neighbors. However, rapid accumulation of mutations in viral genomes during sustained growth in the population can result in signature erosion and assay failures, creating situational blind spots during a pandemic. In this study, we analyzed the signatures of 43 PCR assays distributed across the genome against over 1.6 million SARS-CoV-2 sequences. We present evidence of significant signature erosion emerging in just two assays due to mutations, while adequate sequence identity was preserved in the other 41 assays. Failure of more than one assay against a given variant sequence was rare and mostly occurred in the two assays noted to have signature erosion. Assays tended to be designed in regions with statistically higher mutations rates. in silico analyses over time can provide insights into mutation trends and alert users to the emergence of novel variants that are present in the population at low proportions before they become dominant. Such routine assessment can also potentially highlight false negatives in test samples that may be indicative of mutations having functional consequences in the form of vaccine and therapeutic failures. This study highlights the importance of whole genome sequencing and expanded real-time monitoring of diagnostic PCR assays during a pandemic.
A Brief Report on Reviews of Existing Creative Art–Based Interventions in Dementia Care From 2010–2020
Authors: Manji Irfan , Fallavollita Pascal
Published: April 2022

The following brief report provides an overview of previously published reviews in the context of creative arts-based interventions for persons with dementia. A total of 22 review articles were identified and summarized. Next steps are suggested for future studies that may wish to a) develop a new review, or b) create new studies filling in the gaps identified by the authors in this report.
The Issue of Proxies and Choice Architectures. Why EU Law Matters for Recommender Systems
Authors: Hildebrandt Mireille
Published: April 2022

Recommendations are meant to increase sales or ad revenue, as these are the first priority of those who pay for them. As recommender systems match their recommendations with inferred preferences, we should not be surprised if the algorithm optimizes for lucrative preferences and thus co-produces the preferences they mine. This relates to the well-known problems of feedback loops, filter bubbles, and echo chambers. In this article, I discuss the implications of the fact that computing systems necessarily work with proxies when inferring recommendations and raise a number of questions about whether recommender systems actually do what they are claimed to do, while also analysing the often-perverse economic incentive structures that have a major impact on relevant design decisions. Finally, I will explain how the choice architectures for data controllers and providers of AI systems as foreseen in the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the proposed EU Digital Services Act (DSA) and the proposed EU AI Act will help to break through various vicious circles, by constraining how people may be targeted (GDPR, DSA) and by requiring documented evidence of the robustness, resilience, reliability, and the responsible design and deployment of high-risk recommender systems (AI Act).
Locus of Control and Self-Esteem as Predictors of Maternal and Child Healthcare Services Utilization in Nigeria
Authors: Aikpitanyi Josephine , Okonofua Friday , Ntoimo Lorretta , Tubeuf Sandy
Published: April 2022

This study investigated the influence of locus of control and self-esteem on the utilization of maternal and child healthcare services in Nigeria. Specifically, it explored the differences in utilization of antenatal care, skilled birth care, postnatal care, and child vaccination by women having internal and external locus of control and women having high and low self-esteem. It also examined the association between utilization of maternal and child healthcare on other sociodemographic characteristics. We collected information on non-cognitive traits of 1,411 randomly selected women along with information on utilization of various indicators of maternal and child healthcare services. We estimated logistic regression models for various components of maternal and child healthcare services utilization and found that women's internal locus of control was a significant predictor of utilization of antenatal care, skilled birth care and completion of child vaccination. We also found that having a high self-esteem was a significant predictor of utilization of antenatal care, postnatal care and completion of child vaccination after adjusting for other control variables. By improving our understanding of non-cognitive traits as possible barriers to maternal and child healthcare utilization, our findings offer important insights for enhancing participants' engagement in intervention programs that are initiated to improve maternal and child health outcomes in lower-middle-income countries.
Identification of a Step-And-Brake Controller of a Human Based on Prediction of Capturability
Authors: Kojima Miharu , Sugihara Tomomichi
Published: April 2022

An explicit mathematical form of a human’s step-and-brake controller is identified through motion measurement of the human subject. The controller was originally designed for biped robots based on the reduced-order dynamics and the model predictive control scheme with the terminal capturability condition, and is compatible with both stand-still and stepping motions. The minimal number of parameters facilitates the identification from measured trajectories of the center of mass and the zero-moment point of the human subject. In spite of the minimality, the result only suited the human’s behaviors well with slight modifications of the model by taking direction-dependency of the natural falling speed and the inertial torque about the center of mass into account. Furthermore, the parameters are successfully identified even from the first half of motion sequence, which means that the proposed method is available in designing on-the-fly systems to evaluate balancing abilities of humans and to assist balances of humans in walking.
A Minimally Invasive Approach Towards “Ecosystem Hacking” With Honeybees
Authors: Stefanec Martin , Hofstadler Daniel N. , Krajník Tomáš , Turgut Ali Emre , Alemdar Hande , Lennox Barry , Şahin Erol , Arvin Farshad , Schmickl Thomas
Published: April 2022

Honey bees live in colonies of thousands of individuals, that not only need to collaborate with each other but also to interact intensively with their ecosystem. A small group of robots operating in a honey bee colony and interacting with the queen bee, a central colony element, has the potential to change the collective behavior of the entire colony and thus also improve its interaction with the surrounding ecosystem. Such a system can be used to study and understand many elements of bee behavior within hives that have not been adequately researched. We discuss here the applicability of this technology for ecosystem protection: A novel paradigm of a minimally invasive form of conservation through “Ecosystem Hacking”. We discuss the necessary requirements for such technology and show experimental data on the dynamics of the natural queen’s court, initial designs of biomimetic robotic surrogates of court bees, and a multi-agent model of the queen bee court system. Our model is intended to serve as an AI-enhanceable coordination software for future robotic court bee surrogates and as a hardware controller for generating nature-like behavior patterns for such a robotic ensemble. It is the first step towards a team of robots working in a bio-compatible way to study honey bees and to increase their pollination performance, thus achieving a stabilizing effect at the ecosystem level.
Adaptive Deformation Control for Elastic Linear Objects
Authors: Aghajanzadeh Omid , Aranda Miguel , Corrales Ramon Juan Antonio , Cariou Christophe , Lenain Roland , Mezouar Youcef
Published: April 2022

This paper addresses the general problem of deformable linear object manipulation. The main application we consider is in the field of agriculture, for plant grasping, but may have interests in other tasks such as human daily activities and industrial production. We specifically consider an elastic linear object where one of its endpoints is fixed, and another point can be grasped by a robotic arm. To deal with the mentioned problem, we propose a model-free method to control the state of an arbitrary point that can be at any place along the object’s length. Our approach allows the robot to manipulate the object without knowing any model parameters or offline information of the object’s deformation. An adaptive control strategy is proposed for regulating the state of any point automatically deforming the object into the desired location. A control law is developed to regulate the object’s shape thanks to the adaptive estimation of the system parameters and its states. This method can track a desired manipulation trajectory to reach the target point, which leads to a smooth deformation without drastic changes. A Lyapunov-based argument is presented for the asymptotic convergence of the system that shows the process’s stability and convergence to desired state values. To validate the controller, numerical simulations involving two different deformation models are conducted, and performances of the proposed algorithm are investigated through full-scale experiments.
A Robust Security Task Offloading in Industrial IoT-Enabled Distributed Multi-Access Edge Computing
Authors: Gyamfi Eric , Jurcut Anca
Published: April 2022

The rapid increase in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) use cases plays a significant role in Industry 4.0 development. However, IIoT systems face resource constraints problems and are vulnerable to cyberattacks due to their inability to implement existing sophisticated security systems. One way of alleviating these resource constraints is to utilize multi-access edge computing (MEC) to provide computational resources at the network edge to execute the security applications. To provide resilient security for IIoT using MEC, the offloading latency, synchronization time, and turnaround time must be optimized to provide real-time attack detection. Hence, this paper provides a novel adaptive machine learning–based security (MLS) task offloading (ASTO) mechanism to ensure that the connectivity between the MEC server and IIoT is secured and guaranteed. We explored the trade-off between the limited computing capacity and high cloud computing latency to propose an ASTO, where MEC and IIoT can collaborate to provide optimized MLS to protect the network. In the proposed system, we converted the MLS task offloading and synchronization problem into an equivalent mathematical model, which can be solved by applying Markov transition probability and clock offset estimation using maximum likelihood. Our extensive simulations show that the proposed algorithm provides robust security for the IIoT network with low latency, synchronization accuracy, and energy efficiency.
Outcomes of Opioid-Free Pathways Post-Ureteroscopy: Joint Analysis From Two Academic Centers
Authors: Awad Mohannad A. , Assmus Mark A. , Berg Adrian N. , Lee Matthew S. , Hallgarth Luke A. , Krambeck Amy E. , Sternberg Kevan M.
Published: April 2022

Objective

To combat alarming postoperative opioid prescribing in the United States (U.S.), many surgical specialties implement pathways to limit routine use of opioids with the goal of zero opioid prescribing. We sought to examine outcomes after implementing non-opioid post ureteroscopy (URS) pathways at two academic centers in the U.S.

Materials and Methods

We examined patients who underwent URS utilizing a non-opioid postoperative pathway from November 1, 2016 – March 31, 2020. Primary outcomes included adverse events (Emergency Department (ED) presentation, and office phone calls for postoperative genitourinary symptoms).

Results

In total, 699 patients underwent URS with stent placement. Of these, 652 (89.4%) were discharged without opioids and 74 (10.6%) received opioids. Of those discharged without opioids, 484 (77.4%) received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. Compared to patients discharged without opioids, patients prescribed opioids were more likely to present to the ED (67 (10.7%) vs 14 (19.9%), p=0.037) and call the clinic (102 (16.3%) vs 22 (29.7%), p=0.004). In a multivariate analysis, patients prescribed opioids post URS (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1 – 3.5, p=0.024) and patients who had an opioid prescription preop (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1 – 4.5, p=0.032) were associated with higher odds of calling the clinic. Older patients (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97 – 0.99, p=0.006) were less likely to call.

Conclusions

The study highlights almost 90% of patients can be discharged safely without opioids following URS. In our cohort, patients prescribed opioids experienced higher postoperative healthcare interactions. We hope our results encourage consideration of non-opioid pathways.