bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An ensemble deep autoencoders based on asymmetric structure for operational reliability assessment of bearings
Authors: Jin Cheng , Yang Xingyu , Ma Hongbo , Wu Xiaodong , Yang Guanbin
Published: October 2022

At present, with the rapid growth of manufacturing and big data, reliability technology has gradually become a topical issue in the industrial field. Aiming at the operation reliability assessment of rolling bearings, this paper proposes a bearings operational reliability assessment using an ensemble deep autoencoder based on asymmetric structure. In this method, an ensemble deep autoencoder is used to adaptively learn degradation features from condition monitoring data, where the ensemble deep autoencoder adopts an asymmetric structure with different activation functions in the encoder and decoder. Then, the learned features are classified by correlation analysis, and the typical features in each category are selected. Finally, the operation reliability of rolling bearings is evaluated through the definition of reliability based on Mahalanobis distance. Through the example evaluation of rolling bearing operation reliability and comparison with other feature extraction methods, it can be concluded that this method has stronger feature extraction ability and can effectively show the trend of bearing degradation.
Estimator and command filtering-based neural network control for flexible-joint robotic manipulators driven by electricity
Authors: Wen Quanwei , Yang Li
Published: October 2022

The article proposes an estimator and command filtering-based adaptive neural network controller for the electrically driven flexible-joint robotic manipulators with output constraints under the circumstance of matched and mismatched disturbances in system dynamics. The presented method is designed based on electrically driven model of the n-link flexible-joint robotic manipulators, which introduces more uncertainties and increases the dimensionality of the system but is more in line with practical. In view of the properties of fast convergence speed and great estimation performance in radial basis function neural network, radial basis function neural network is used to approximate the internal uncertain dynamic parameters of the system. An observer-based estimator is introduced for estimating the matched and mismatched disturbances in flexible-joint robotic manipulator dynamics. As to the differential explosion problem in backstepping control design, this article utilizes second-order command filters to overcome it. This article also adopts barrier Lyapunov functions for implementing output constraint to consider security issues in practical use. For demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed controller, numerical simulations on two-link flexible-joint robotic manipulators are conducted. On the basis of the comparisons among estimator and command filtering-based adaptive neural network controller and other advanced controllers, the superiorities of estimator and command filtering-based adaptive neural network controller in several areas are proved.
A jump point search improved ant colony hybrid optimization algorithm for path planning of mobile robot
Authors: Chen Tao , Chen Suifan , Zhang Kuoran , Qiu Guoting , Li Qipeng , Chen Xinmin
Published: October 2022

To improve the finding path accuracy of the ant colony algorithm and reduce the number of turns, a jump point search improved ant colony optimization hybrid algorithm has been proposed in this article. Firstly, the initial pheromone concentration distribution gets from the jump points has been introduced to guide the algorithm in finding the way, thus accelerating the early iteration speed. The turning cost factor in the heuristic function has been designed to improve the smoothness of the path. Finally, the adaptive reward and punishment factor, and the Max–Min ant system have been introduced to improve the iterative speed and global search ability of the algorithm. Simulation through three maps of different scales is carried out. Furthermore, the results prove that the jump point search improved ant colony optimization hybrid algorithm performs effectively in finding path accuracy and reducing the number of turns.
Evaluating shifting perceptions and configurations of social capital in leadership development
Authors: Gilani Parisa , Bolden Richard , Pye Annie
Published: October 2022

Whilst Day's (2000) description of leadership development as an investment in social capital has been widely cited, there has been little subsequent empirical or theoretical work to explore and articulate the nature and purpose of this ‘social capital’ or how it changes over time. This paper revisits this issue by presenting findings from a qualitative in-depth longitudinal evaluation of a corporate leadership development programme. The study explored the multi-faceted and shifting nature of social capital during and after the programme, with particular attention given to how different aspects of social capital were perceived and engaged with by key stakeholders over time. Findings reveal differing perspectives on the nature and purpose of social capital and illustrate the impact of changing organizational contexts on programme aims and outcomes and how these are evaluated. The paper concludes by outlining implications for the evaluation of leadership development, advocating the value of a pluralistic approach that incorporates criticality alongside the logics of accountability, development and knowledge that characterise most current approaches to evaluation Kennedy, Carroll and Francoeur (2013) .
Crammer’s Corner
Authors: Chawathey Kunal
Published: October 2022

Managing clinical risk is integral to safe delivery of medical care. This is especially true in general practice where a significant amount of clinical management is based purely on history and examination findings. Invariably, AiTs in general practice are likely to find this aspect of patient care quite daunting in contrast to their peers in secondary care who have much easier access to investigations. In this article, GP trainer, Dr Kunal Chawathey provides useful tips for AiTs to safely manage clinical risk in a primary care setting.
Efficacy and safety comparison of Helicobacter pylori eradication between vonoprazan dual therapy versus triple therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Zheyu , Wang Fen
Published: October 2022

Background:

As a novel drug, vonoprazan (VPZ) has been developed as a new strategy against Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) infections. However, whether VPZ + amoxicillin (AMO) dual therapy has a clear advantage is still unclear.

Objective:

To review and meta-analyze the available literature investigating the efficacy and safety of H. pylori eradication in VPZ dual therapy.

Design:

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted.

Data sources and methods:

We performed a systematic search in the PubMed, Embase, EIsevier/Science Library, and Cochrane Library databases from 2015 to 2022. Meta-analyses were conducted to evaluate the actual cure rate and the incidence rate of adverse reactions in dual therapy and VPZ + AMO + clarithromycin (CLA) triple therapy; furthermore, eradication rates in CLA-resistant infections and different doses of antibiotics were evaluated in subgroup analysis.

Results:

Seven studies with 1490 patients were included in this meta-analysis. According to intention-to-treat analysis, the actual cure rates of VPZ dual and triple therapy were 82.8% and 84.6%, respectively [ p = 0.29, odds ratio (OR): 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64–1.14]. And in the per-protocol analysis, the actual cure rates of these two therapies were 84.8% and 87.0%, respectively ( p = 0.21, OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.57–1.13). The incidence of adverse reactions between VPZ dual and triple therapy was 26.1% versus 29.6% ( p = 0.04, OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.61–0.99). In subgroup analysis, the eradication rates in CLA-resistant infections were dual therapy: 85.7% for VPZ versus 71.0% for triple therapy ( p = 0.03, OR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.10–5.05). And the actual cure rate of VPZ with high-dose antibiotics was lower than with low-dose antibiotics ( p = 0.000 in dual therapy; p = 0.011 in triple therapy).

Conclusion:

A combination of VPZ and a low dose of AMO should be prioritized as a treatment option for H. pylori eradication.

Registration:

PROSPERO registration number CRD42022346100.
Pediatric first aid, trauma knowledge, and attitude among parents and general population in Aseer region, Southern Saudi Arabia
Authors: Wani Javed Iqbal , Almushayt Nouf Omar , Abbag Wejdan Fuad , Buhran Lama Ali , Nadeem Mir
Published: October 2022

Objectives:

Around the world, accidents and injuries are the leading causes of death among children. Because mothers and family members commonly administer first aid at home and at preschools, it’s critical to learn what parents and the public think about children’s mishaps. Our objective was to assess parents’ knowledge and attitude toward pediatric first aid in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia to assess the parents’ level of knowledge and attitude about pediatric first aid and trauma with an electronic- and paper-based multiple-choice self-administered questionnaire covering different medical emergencies. The Arabic and English versions of the questionnaire were made from the information obtained from the first aid educational content of the Saudi Ministry of Health.

Results:

When the participants were asked about their knowledge of pediatric first aid, arranged in descending order from most answers, 37% (n = 135) answered it was good, 30% (n = 111) answered that it was very good, 20% (n = 74) answered that it was not enough, and 13% (n = 47) answered that it was excellent. Results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed the knowledge score to be significantly higher among participants who had higher education levels (t = 2.039, p < 0.001), who had received first aid training before (t = 2.786, p = 0.0001), those who were already healthcare providers (t = 4.336, p < 0.001), those who were from rural districts (t = 2.5, p = 0.355), and younger personnel (t = 0.821, p = 0.345) The difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusion:

Although this study shows that the level of first aid knowledge among personnel who care for children was low, it also shows that they are interested in obtaining proper training.
Speaking Up and Speaking Out: Collective Voice in Women’s Sports Media
Authors: Crawford Monica
Published: October 2022

This qualitative textual analysis considers “voice” in a new sports media platform Just Women’s Sports. Using communicative injustice and collective voice as its theoretical framework, this study considers whose voices are represented in women’s sports media and how those voices are represented. The unique position of Just Women’s Sports as a news outlet independent from mixed-gender sports media outlets and funded by venture capital investments makes it an interesting case study to consider new avenues in sports media production. The findings of this study indicate that Just Women’s Sports’s voice consists of diverse women who promote an inclusive and activist community. Furthermore, this study provides a theoretical intervention in the study of women’s sports media by introducing communicative injustice as an informative theoretical lens.
Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes After Arthroscopic Microfracture for Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus: 5-Year Results in 355 Consecutive Ankles
Authors: Fu Shaoling , Yang Kai , Li Xueqian , Chen Cheng , Mei Guohua , Su Yan , Xue Jianfeng , Zou Jian , Zhang Jieyuan , Shi Zhongmin
Published: October 2022

Background:

Arthroscopic microfracture for osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT) has shown good functional outcomes in the short and long term.

Purpose:

To investigate 5-year radiographic and clinical outcomes after arthroscopic microfracture in treatment of OLT and the effectiveness of adjunct therapies including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid (HA).

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

We prospectively enrolled 432 patients who underwent arthroscopic microfracture for OLT from May 1, 2011, to May 31, 2015. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and weightbearing radiographs were performed annually after the initial surgery. The MOCART (magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue) score was used to evaluate the structure of the repaired cartilage on MRI, and patient-reported outcomes (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot scale [AOFAS] and the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score) were collected annually. The primary outcome measure was 5-year AOFAS score. We recorded baseline characteristics including age, body mass index (BMI), and lesion size, and other potentially related factors including number of PRP/HA injection and change in BMI from baseline.

Results:

Included were 355 patients, all with minimum 5-year follow-up data. The overall reoperation rate was 9.0% (32 of 355). According to multivariable analysis, 5-year AOFAS scores were associated with number of PRP injections (correlation coefficient, 3.12 [95% CI, 2.36 to 3.89]; P < .001), BMI at baseline (correlation coefficient, -0.222 [95% CI, -0.363 to -0.082]; P = .002), and mean BMI change from baseline (correlation coefficient, -1.15 [95% CI, -1.32 to -0.98]; P < .001). When comparing number of PRP injections (0, 1-2, or ≥3), we found that patients who had serial PRP injection (≥3 with at least a 3-month interval between injections) had diminished functional and radiographic deterioration over time.

Conclusion:

Arthroscopic microfracture improved patient-reported and structural outcomes for patients with OLT at 5 years after surgery. Serial PRP injections and reduction in BMI from baseline were able to slow radiographic and functional deterioration. Future trials regarding the combination of microfracture and PRP in treatment of OLT should focus on the efficacy of longer term, intra-articular, serial injections of PRP instead of single injections.
Operationalising Indigenous data sovereignty in environmental research and governance
Authors: Williamson Bhiamie , Provost Sam , Price Cassandra
Published: October 2022

In the face of climate change, Western environmental research and governance processes and institutions are increasingly seeking to learn from and harness Indigenous peoples knowledges, perspectives, and practices of land and water management. There are both opportunities and risks for Indigenous groups seeking to exploit these opportunities to (re)connect with their homelands and reinvigorate dormant cultural practices. This article considers these issues by highlighting the barriers, risks, and opportunities, across three case environmental study sites – cultural burning, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, and marine science. We offer Indigenous data sovereignty and Indigenous data governance as both guiding principles and a practical blueprint that can make safe these intercultural environmental collaborations by mitigating against perverse or unintended consequences of Indigenous knowledge theft, as well as maximising opportunities to foster sustainable self-determination and self-governance.
Ermakovite (NH4)(As2O3)2Br, a new exhalative arsenite bromide mineral from the Fan-Yagnob coal deposit, Tajikistan
Authors: Karpenko Vladimir Yu. , Pautov Leonid A. , Siidra Oleg I. , Mirakov Mirak A. , Zaitsev Anatoly N. , Plechov Pavel Yu. , Makhmadsharif Saimudasir
Published: October 2022

In terrestrial rocks, Br minerals are extremely rare with only nine minerals known where Br is a dominant component. A new arsenite bromide mineral ermakovite, (NH4)(As2O3)2Br, was discovered at the tract of Kukhi-Malik, Fan-Yagnob coal deposit, ca. 75 km N of Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Ermakovite is a fumarolic mineral formed directly from gas from a natural underground coal fire. Associated minerals are sulfur, realgar, amorphous As-sulfides, salammoniac, alacránite, bonazziite and thermessaite-(NH4). In addition, there are amorphous As2S3 intergrowths associated with ermakovite. The mineral typically occurs as tabular or prismatic hexagonal crystals up to 200 μm with the following forms: c (001), m (010) and p (014). Spherulites and multi-twinned intergrowths are very common. The mineral is optically uniaxial (–), ω = 1.960 (5) and ɛ = 1.716(3) (589 nm). The measured density is 3.64(2) g/cm3. The mineral is insoluble in water, HCl, HNO3 and organic solvents. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of (As+Sb) = 4 atoms per formula unit is [(NH4)0.92Na0.01]0.93(As3.94Sb0.06)4.00O6.02(Br0.97Cl0.08I0.01)1.06. The strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)]: 9.160 (80)(001); 4.560(90)(002); 3.228(100) (102); 2.629(80)(110); and 2.522(60)(103). Ermakovite is hexagonal, P6/mmm, a = 5.271(3), c = 9.157(6) Å, V = 220.3(3) Å3 and Z = 1. The sandwich-type structure of ermakovite is based on three types of layers: (1) a honeycomb [As2O3] arsenite layer; (2) an NH4+ layer; and (3) a Br layer. The layer stacking sequence is ⋅⋅⋅NH4–As2O3–Br–As2O3–NH4⋅⋅⋅. Ermakovite has a synthetic analogue. Infrared and Raman spectra are also reported.

An overview of the processes that give rise to high concentrations of Br, leading to the formation of exotic Br minerals, is given.
Transformation of FL into DLBCL with a PMBL gene expression signature
Authors: Loveday Tristan , Duns Gerben , Rimsza Lisa M. , Rech Karen L. , Cook James R. , Robetorye Ryan S. , Rosenthal Allison C. , Ramsower Colleen A. , Yip Tameson K. , McKinney Catherine L. , Swerdlow Steven H. , Bhavsar Shweta , Steidl Christian , Gibson Sarah E.
Published: October 2022

We investigated the clinicopathologic features of 5 follicular lymphomas (FLs) that transformed (tFL) morphologically to diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) and had a primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBL)–like gene expression profile (tFL-PMBLsig-pos). None of the tFL-PMBLsig-pos cases arose in the mediastinum, all cases tested had a germinal center B-cell phenotype, 20% were CD30+, 60% CD23+, 80% MAL+, 20% CD200+, and 0% CD273/PDL2+. Whole-exome sequencing detected alterations in genes associated with both FL/DLBCL (CREBBP, KMT2C, KMT2D, ARID1A, HIST1 members, and TNFRSF14) and PMBL (JAK-STAT pathway genes, B2M, and CD58). Copy number (CN) analysis detected gains/amplification of REL and STAT6 in 60%, gains of SOCS1 in 40%, and gains of chromosome 16, including IL4R, in 40% of the cases. CN gains/amplification of BCL6 and MYC and loss of TNFRSF14 and TNFAIP3 were identified in 20% of the cases. Three of 5 cases lacked a BCL2 rearrangement. Despite having some features that are less common in DLBCL (MAL and CD23 expression and JAK-STAT activation), these tFL-PMBLsig-pos cases lack the most characteristic CN alteration seen in PMBL (9p24.1 gain/amplification). This cohort expands the biologic heterogeneity of tFL, illustrating a subset with gene expression and some genetic features reminiscent of PMBL, with potential treatment implications that include the use of novel targeted therapies.
Targeting the contact system in a rabbit model of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Tweddell James S. , Kharnaf Mousa , Zafar Farhan , Riggs Kyle W. , Reagor James A. , Monia Brett P. , Revenko Alexey , Leino Daniel G. , Owens A. Phillip , Martin Janine K. , Gourley Benjamin , Rosenfeldt Leah , Palumbo Joseph S.
Published: October 2022

Previous studies suggested that contact pathway factors drive thrombosis in mechanical circulation. We used a rabbit model of veno-arterial extracorporeal circulation (VA-ECMO) to evaluate the role of factors XI and XII in ECMO-associated thrombosis and organ damage. Factors XI and XII (FXI, FXII) were depleted using established antisense oligonucleotides before placement on a blood-primed VA-ECMO circuit. Decreasing FXII or FXI to < 5% of baseline activity significantly prolonged ECMO circuit lifespan, limited the development of coagulopathy, and prevented fibrinogen consumption. Histological analysis suggested that FXII depletion mitigated interstitial pulmonary edema and hemorrhage whereas heparin and FXI depletion did not. Neither FXI nor FXII depletion was associated with significant hemorrhage in other organs. In vitro analysis showed that membrane oxygenator fibers (MOFs) alone are capable of driving significant thrombin generation in a FXII- and FXI-dependent manner. MOFs also augment thrombin generation triggered by low (1 pM) or high (5 pM) tissue factor concentrations. However, only FXI elimination completely prevented the increase in thrombin generation driven by MOFs, suggesting MOFs augment thrombin-mediated FXI activation. Together, these results suggest that therapies targeting FXII or FXI limit thromboembolic complications associated with ECMO. Further studies are needed to determine the contexts wherein targeting FXI and FXII, either alone or in combination, would be most beneficial in ECMO. Moreover, studies are also needed to determine the potential mechanisms coupling FXII to end-organ damage in ECMO.
IndelsRNAmute: predicting deleterious multiple point substitutions and indels mutations
Authors: Churkin Alexander , Ponty Yann , Barash Danny
Published: October 2022

Background

RNA deleterious point mutation prediction was previously addressed with programs such as and . The purpose of these programs is to predict a global conformational rearrangement of the secondary structure of a functional RNA molecule, thereby disrupting its function. was designed to deal with only single point mutations in a brute force manner, while in an efficient approach to deal with multiple point mutations was developed. The approach used in is based on the stabilization of the suboptimal RNA folding prediction solutions and/or destabilization of the optimal folding prediction solution of the wild type RNA molecule. The algorithm is significantly more efficient than the brute force approach in , but in the case of long sequences and large m-point mutation sets the becomes exponential in examining all possible stabilizing and destabilizing mutations.

Results

An inherent limitation in the and programs is their ability to predict only substitution mutations, as these programs were not designed to work with deletion or insertion mutations. To address this limitation we herein develop a very fast algorithm, based on suboptimal folding solutions, to predict a predefined number of multiple point deleterious mutations as specified by the user. Depending on the user’s choice, each such set of mutations may contain combinations of deletions, insertions and substitution mutations. Additionally, we prove the hardness of predicting the most deleterious set of point mutations in structural RNAs.

Conclusions

We developed a method that extends our previous MultiRNAmute method to predict insertion and deletion mutations in addition to substitutions. The additional advantage of the new method is its efficiency to find a predefined number of deleterious mutations. Our new method may be exploited by biologists and virologists prior to site-directed mutagenesis experiments, which involve indel mutations along with substitutions. For example, our method may help to investigate the change of function in an RNA virus via mutations that disrupt important motifs in its secondary structure.
A risk factor attention-based model for cardiovascular disease prediction
Authors: Qiu Yanlong , Wang Wei , Wu Chengkun , Zhang Zhichang
Published: October 2022

Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a serious disease that endangers human health and is one of the main causes of death. Therefore, using the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR) to predict CVD automatically has important application value in intelligent assisted diagnosis and treatment, and is a hot issue in intelligent medical research. However, existing methods based on natural language processing can only predict CVD according to the whole or part of the context information of EMR.

Results

Given the deficiencies of the existing research on CVD prediction based on EMRs, this paper proposes a risk factor attention-based model (RFAB) to predict CVD by utilizing CVD risk factors and general EMRs text, which adopts the attention mechanism of a deep neural network to fuse the character sequence and CVD risk factors contained in EMRs text. The experimental results show that the proposed method can significantly improve the prediction performance of CVD, and the F-score reaches 0.9586, which outperforms the existing related methods.

Conclusions

RFAB focuses on the key information in EMR that leads to CVD, that is, 12 risk factors. In the stage of risk factor identification and extraction, risk factors are labeled with category information and time attribute information by BiLSTM-CRF model. In the stage of CVD prediction, the information contained in risk factors and their labels is fused with the information of character sequence in EMR to predict CVD. RFAB makes well use of the fine-grained information contained in EMR, and also provides a reliable idea for predicting CVD.
MSPCD: predicting circRNA-disease associations via integrating multi-source data and hierarchical neural network
Authors: Deng Lei , Liu Dayun , Li Yizhan , Wang Runqi , Liu Junyi , Zhang Jiaxuan , Liu Hui
Published: October 2022

Background

Increasing evidence shows that circRNA plays an essential regulatory role in diseases through interactions with disease-related miRNAs. Identifying circRNA-disease associations is of great significance to precise diagnosis and treatment of diseases. However, the traditional biological experiment is usually time-consuming and expensive. Hence, it is necessary to develop a computational framework to infer unknown associations between circRNA and disease.

Results

In this work, we propose an efficient framework called MSPCD to infer unknown circRNA-disease associations. To obtain circRNA similarity and disease similarity accurately, MSPCD first integrates more biological information such as circRNA-miRNA associations, circRNA-gene ontology associations, then extracts circRNA and disease high-order features by the neural network. Finally, MSPCD employs DNN to predict unknown circRNA-disease associations.

Conclusions

Experiment results show that MSPCD achieves a significantly more accurate performance compared with previous state-of-the-art methods on the circFunBase dataset. The case study also demonstrates that MSPCD is a promising tool that can effectively infer unknown circRNA-disease associations.
A centenary tale: population genetic insights into the introduction history of the oriental fire-bellied toad (Bombina orientalis) in Beijing
Authors: Zhang Shan , Lin Meixi , Liu Jiawei , Chen Jiangce , Liu Dong , Zhao Jindong , Yao Meng
Published: October 2022

Background

The successful establishment of a species population following a single introduction of a few individuals to a non-native area has been limited. Nevertheless, the oriental fire-bellied toad (Bombina orientalis) population in Beijing is purportedly descended from a single introduction of about 200 individuals translocated from Yantai, Shandong Province, China, in 1927.

Results

To resolve the introduction process and to understand the genetic consequences since that introduction approximately 90 years ago, we investigated the population’s genetic diversity and structure using 261 toads from Beijing and two native Shandong populations and inferred the species’ introduction history using simulation-based approaches. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences showed the two haplotypes found in Beijing nested within Yantai haplotypes, thus corroborating the historical record of the translocation source. The mtDNA and 11 nuclear microsatellite markers revealed both considerably lower genetic diversity in Beijing than in the source population and strong genetic differentiation between them. Although the current census population in Beijing may be in the range of a few thousand, the effective population size was estimated at only 20–57. Simulations also suggest that this population may have descended from 40–60 founders.

Conclusions

The Beijing population’s genetic patterns were consistent with the consequences of a severe bottleneck during introduction followed by genetic drift. The introduction trajectory constructed for thisB. orientalispopulation reveals the genetic footprints of a small population sustained in isolation for nearly a century. Our results provide an intriguing example of establishment success from limited founders and may inform ex situ conservation efforts as well as the management of biological invasions.
Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about acute coronary syndrome among patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Demisse Lemlem , Alemayehu Bekele , Addissie Adamu , Azazh Aklilu , Gary Rebecca
Published: October 2022

Background

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) morbidity and mortality are rising in low- and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. The shift in health-care resources from communicable diseases to chronic conditions has created formidable health-care challenges.

Objective

The objective of this study was to examine the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs among ACS patients.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was used to enroll participants admitted to one of 3 emergency units in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about ACS was measured using modified ACS response index questionaries.

Results

Participant’s (N = 330) mean age was 57.9 ± 14.1, majority male (n = 219, 66.36%). Half of the study participants have inadequate Knowledge (n = 147, 44.6%), unfavorable attitudes (n = 152, 46%), and belief (n = 153, 46.4%) about ACS symptoms even after being diagnosed and treated in the emergency unit. The most frequently recognized ACS symptoms were chest discomfort (n = 274, 83%), fatigue (n = 267, 80.9%) and chest pain (n = 266, 80.6%) while Jaw pain (n = 101, 30%) neck pain (n = 146,44.2%), were less often recognized. Nearly two thirds of the participants (n = 214, 65%) would not prefer to use emergency medical services (EMS) to come to the hospital. Factors associated with adequate knowledge were age < 45 (AOR = 2.16, CI (1.1–4.0) p = 0.014), and female sex (AOR = 2.7, CI (1.5–4.4) p = 0.001) and diabetics (AOR = 1.9, (1.18–3.0) p = 0.008). Meanwhile, lack of formal education (AOR = 6.7, CI (3.1–14) p < 0.001) and unemployment (AOR = 2.0, CI (1.1–3.8) p = 0.021) were associated with unfavorable attitude. In addition, lack of social support (AOR = 1.9, (1.17–3.0) p = 0.009) and unfavorable attitude (AOR = 2.1, CI (1.3–3.4) p = 0.001) were significantly associated with unfavorable belief.

Conclusion

Despite receiving treatment for ACS in an emergency unit, roughly half of participants did not have adequate knowledge, favorable attitude and belief towards ACS. This elucidates there is significant communication gap between the health care providers and patients. The study findings stipulate there is a need to provide health awareness campaigns using different media outlet with special attention to the uneducated and unemployed groups. Furthermore, most participants were less likely to utilize emergency medical service, which should be further investigated and addressed.
The combination of serum oligosaccharide chain (G-test), alpha-fetoprotein, and aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio provides the optimal diagnostic value for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zhu Wentao , Shi Pei , Liang An , Zhu Ying , Fu Jiwei , Yuan Songsong , Wu Xiaoping
Published: October 2022

Background

The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of serum oligosaccharide chain (G-test), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and aspartic aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratios (AAR), both alone and in combination, for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) onset.

Methods

Between Januarys 2020–2022, 152 subjects admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University was enrolled in this study, of which 77 had HCC, 18 chronic hepatitis (CH), 37 liver cirrhosis (LC) and 20 were healthy. Data for patient characteristics were collected, and differences between groups were analyzed by either Mann-Whitney U or χ2 tests. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the diagnostic value of AFP, G-test, and AAR for HCC.

Results

G-test, AFP, and AAR were all found to have close correlations with HCC among the different patient groups, with G-test being the most predictive for HCC among healthy and CL patients, as represented by respective areas under the curve (AUC) of 0.953 and 0.792 (P < 0.001). By contrast, AAR had the greatest diagnostic ability for HCC among CH patients (AUC = 0.850; P < 0.001). However, the combination of all 3 biomarkers obtained the most optimal results for predicting HCC onset, in terms of predictive capability for all 3 non-HCC patient groups, yielding AUCs of 0.958, 0.898, and 0.808 (P < 0.001) for, respectively, healthy, CH, and LC patients. Additionally, AFP had higher specificity, but lower sensitivity, with increased threshold values, as the recommended threshold of AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL yielded a missed diagnosis rate of 72.7%. For AFP-negative HCC (AFP-NHCC) patients, G-test alone had the greatest diagnostic capability (AUC = 0.855; P < 0.001), sensitivity (83.8%), and specificity (87.5%).

Conclusion

G-test has the greatest diagnostic capability for HCC and AFP-NHCC, with high sensitivity and specificity, among healthy and LC patients. However, AAR had the highest diagnostic capability and sensitivity for HCC in CH. Overall, though, the combination of G-test, AFP and AAR provided the most optimal outcomes for predicting HCC onset, no matter the patient pre-conditions.
Parent values and preferences underpinning treatment decision-making in poor-prognosis childhood cancer: a scoping review
Authors: Pearson H Helen , Bryan Gemma , Kayum Catherine , Gibson Faith , Darlington Anne-Sophie
Published: October 2022

Background

Parents of children who are diagnosed with a poor-prognosis cancer want to be involved in making treatment-related decisions for their child. They often make repeated decisions depending on their child’s response to treatment and can experience decisional regret as a consequence. Understanding parent values and preferences when making treatment-related decisions may help enhance discussions with healthcare professionals and identify additional ways of providing support to this parent population.

Objectives

To explore parent values and preferences underpinning treatment decision-making for children receiving cancer-directed therapy for a poor prognosis cancer.

Methods

A scoping review of research literature and systematic reviews from qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Articles which included parents of a child who received cancer-directed therapy for a poor-prognosis childhood cancer, under the age of eighteen years were considered. Four electronic databases were searched (CINAHL, Medline, PsychINFO, Web of Science Core Collections). Reference and citation lists of all included full-text articles were also searched. Summative content analysis was used to synthesise findings and develop themes.

Results

Twelve articles were included. Parent decision-making was affected by underpinning factors: hope for a cure, fear of their child dying and uncertainty. Influencing factors: opinions of others, child’s wishes, and faith and religion had the potential to inform decision-making processes. Parents valued having enough time, being a good parent and being involved in decision-making. Preferences within these values varied resulting in the potential for conflict and ‘trade-offs’ in making decisions.

Conclusions

Parent decision-making in poor-prognosis childhood cancer is complex and extends beyond values and preferences. Underpinning factors and values are consistent through the decision-making process with influencing factors and preferences varying between parents. Preferences can conflict when parents want to continue cancer-directed therapy whilst maintaining their child’s quality of life or can change depending on a parents’ cognitive state as they realise cure might be unlikely.
Improving psychiatric nurses’ competencies in spiritual care and integration of clients’ religion/spirituality into mental healthcare: outcomes of an online spiritual care training program
Authors: Shamsi Mahbobeh , Khoshnood Zohreh , Farokhzadian Jamileh
Published: October 2022

Background:

Religion/spirituality (R/S), which is associated with individuals’ well-being and psychological health, plays a significant role in most clients’ lives in healthcare systems. Although clients in mental healthcare settings prefer their R/S to be employed in nursing care, R/S has neither been adequately integrated into mental healthcare nor discussed in the assessment and nursing interventions of mental healthcare. Evidence shows that most psychiatric nurses receive little or no training in spiritual care (SC) and are unable to integrate clients’ R/S into mental healthcare. To address this gap, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of an online SC training program on psychiatric nurses’ competencies in SC and the integration of clients’ R/S into mental healthcare.

Methods:

This experimental study was conducted with nurses working in a psychiatric hospital affiliated with a large University of Medical Sciences in southeast Iran. Random sampling was performed and 95 nurses were assigned to the intervention (n = 50) and control (n = 45) groups. Online SC training was conducted for the intervention group in four sessions over four weeks. Data were collected using the Self-Assessment of Spiritual Care Competency and R/S Integrated Practice Assessment Scale before and one month after the training program.

Results:

There were no significant differences between the two groups before training (p > 0.05). After the training, nurses in the intervention group obtained significantly higher scores in competencies in SC and integration of clients’ R/S into mental healthcare compared to the control group, with a considerable effect size (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

The online training program positively affected psychiatric nurses’ competencies in SC and the integration of clients’ R/S into mental healthcare. Since SC is a critical need for clients, specifically in mental healthcare settings, nurses must receive continuous education to provide SC to various clients.
Effectiveness of an add-on guided internet-based emotion regulation training (E-TRAIN) in adolescents with depressive and/or anxiety disorders: study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial
Authors: Emmelkamp Julie , Wisman Marike A , Beuk Nico JM , Stikkelbroek Yvonne AJ , Nauta Maaike H , Dekker Jack JM , Christ Carolien
Published: October 2022

Background

During adolescence, depressive and anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health disorders. Both disorders tend to persist, are predictive for other mental disorders, and are associated with severe impairment in diverse areas. Although Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has proven to be an effective treatment, a considerable number of adolescents do not respond to CBT and residual symptoms often remain. Therefore, it is of great importance to improve treatment outcomes for depressed and/or anxious adolescents. Dysfunctional emotion regulation appears to be a transdiagnostic factor in the development and maintenance of aforementioned disorders. Enhancing emotion regulation skills may therefore reduce symptom severity. In light of this, we developed a guided internet-based emotion regulation training (E-TRAIN) that will be added to CBT. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of E-TRAIN + CBT compared to CBT alone on depressive and anxiety outcomes among adolescents with depressive and/or anxiety disorder.

Methods

In this multicenter two-arm randomized controlled trial with parallel group design, we aim to include 138 adolescents, aged 13–19 years, referred for treatment and diagnosed with depressive and/or anxiety disorder. Participants will be allocated to either CBT or CBT + E-TRAIN. Assessments will take place at baseline, and at 3 (T1), 6 (T2) and 12 (T3) months after baseline. We will conduct multi-informant assessments: the adolescent, a parent/caregiver, and the CBT therapist will be asked to fill in questionnaires. The continuous primary outcome measure is self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms at six months after baseline, measured with the RCADS25. Secondary outcome measures include anxiety or depression diagnosis based on a semi-structured clinical interview, emotion (dys) regulation, and parent-report measures of anxiety, depression and emotion (dys) regulation.

Discussion

This study is the first randomized controlled trial to examine the additional value of a guided internet-based emotion regulation training to regular CBT in adolescents with depressive and/or anxiety disorders. If this intervention is effective, it can be implemented in mental health care and improve treatment for these young people.

Trial registration

Registered on June 23, 2021 in The Netherlands Trial Register (NL9564). Retrospectively registered. Recruitment started in May 2021 and is ongoing.
Association between childhood trauma and medication adherence among patients with major depressive disorder: the moderating role of resilience
Authors: Wang Hongqiong , Liao Yuhua , Guo Lan , Zhang Huimin , Zhang Yingli , Lai Wenjian , Teopiz Kayla M. , Song Weidong , Zhu Dongjian , Li Lingjiang , Lu Ciyong , Fan Beifang , McIntyre Roger S.
Published: October 2022

Background

Suboptimal medication adherence is a major reason for failure in the management of major depressive disorder (MDD), childhood trauma might be an essential risk factor of suboptimal medication adherence. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the associations between different types of childhood trauma and medication adherence among patients with MDD, and to test whether resilience has moderating effects on the foregoing associations.

Methods

Participants were from the Depression Cohort in China (ChiCTR registry number 1900022145), 282 MDD patients with completed both baseline and 12-weeks follow-up investigations were included in this study. The diagnosis of MDD was assessed by trained psychiatrists using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.). Childhood trauma was evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-28 item Short Form (CTQ-SF), and resilience was evaluated using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Demographic characteristics, depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, suicidal ideation, suicidal attempt, insomnia symptoms, and painful somatic symptoms were also investigated. Participants were divided into groups of optimal and suboptimal adherence based on their Medication Adherence Rating Scale scores. Logistic regression and stratified analyses were performed.

Results

A total of 234 participants (83%) reported suboptimal medication adherence. After adjusting for covariates, CTQ total scores (AOR = 1.03, 95%CI = 1.01–1.06), CTQ measures of sexual abuse (AOR = 1.17, 95%CI = 1.01–1.37), and CTQ measures of physical neglect (AOR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.02–1.23) were all associated with an increased likelihood of suboptimal adherence. There were significant moderating effects of resilience on the associations of childhood trauma (P = 0.039) and physical neglect (P = 0.034) with medication adherence. The stratification analyses showed that CTQ total scores and CTQ measures of physical neglect were independently associated with an increased risk of suboptimal adherence among patients with MDD with low-resilience or moderate-resilience, while not significantly associated with suboptimal adherence in those with high-resilience.

Conclusion

Childhood trauma was a significant risk factor of suboptimal adherence among patients with MDD, and resilience moderated the foregoing association. Obtaining a history of childhood trauma and assessing resilience may help identify patients with suboptimal adherence when providing MDD pharmacotherapy. Psychiatrists may consider enhancing resilience to cope with the adverse effects of childhood trauma on medication adherence.
Differential impact of quarantine policies for recovered COVID-19 cases in England: a case cohort study of surveillance data, June to December 2020
Authors: Merrick Rachel , Chudasama Dimple , Flannagan Joe , Campos-Matos Ines , Howard Annabelle , Bindra Renu , Gill O Noël , Dabrera Gavin , Lamagni Theresa
Published: October 2022

Background

From 12th March 2020, individuals in England were advised to quarantine in their home if a household member tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. A mandatory isolation period of 10 days was introduced on 28th September 2020 and applied to all individuals with COVID-19. We assessed the frequency, timing, and characteristics of recovered COVID-19 cases requiring subsequent quarantine episodes due to household re-exposure.

Methods

In this case cohort study, all laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases notified in England (29th June to 28th December 2020) were analysed to identify consecutive household case(s). Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine associations between case characteristics and need to quarantine following recent infection (within 28 days of diagnosis).

Results

Among 1,651,550 cases resident in private dwellings and Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs), 744,548 (45.1%) were the only case in their home and 56,179 (3.4%) were succeeded by further household cases diagnosed within 11–28 days of their diagnosis. Of 1,641,412 cases arising in private homes, the likelihood of further household cases was highest for Bangladeshi (aOR = 2.20, 95% CI = 2.10–2.31) and Pakistani (aOR = 2.15, 95% CI = 2.08–2.22) individuals compared to White British, as well as among young people (17-24y vs. 25-64y; aOR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.16–1.22), men (vs. women; aOR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.04–1.08), London residents (vs. Yorkshire and Humber; aOR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.52–1.63) and areas of high deprivation (IMD 1 vs. 10; aOR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.09–1.19).

Conclusion

Policies requiring quarantine on re-exposure differentially impact some of the most disadvantaged populations. Quarantine exemption for recently recovered individuals could mitigate the socioeconomic impact of responses to COVID-19 or similar infectious disease outbreaks.