bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Meta-Analysis of Factors Affecting Construction Labour Productivity in the Middle East
Authors:   Department of Building Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, SOUTH AFRICA, Adebowale Oluseyi Julius , Agumba Justus Ngala ,   Department of Building Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, SOUTH AFRICA
Published: March 2022

Despite the importance of the construction sector for economic development, labour productivity in construction is lower than the productivity of other sectors. Construction productivity has been declining continuously for decades, especially in developing countries. The challenges of low productivity in construction are considered chronic problems. This has raised concerns among construction stakeholders to address the myriad of challenges that are undermining labour productivity growth. This study performed a metadata analysis of factors affecting construction labour productivity (CLP) growth in the Middle East. A systematic review of existing studies on labour productivity in construction was presented. Ten studies from the Middle East were selected for metadata analysis. The key factors affecting CLP in the region were identified and quantitative data from the selected studies were synthesised. Effect summaries derived from the analysis revealed that delays in responding to requests for information, inadequate workers’ supervision, a shortage of skilled labour, the extent of change orders and clarity of technical specifications are the major factors affecting construction productivity. The study is limited to journal articles published in the Scopus database between 2000 and 2020. Middle East contractors can adopt the study’s interventions to develop productivity improvement strategies for their organisations.
Prospects of Daschkesan iron ore deposit development
Authors:   Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Afandieva Zarifa Jahangir kyzy
Published: March 2022

The topicality the subject. To meet Azerbaijan's growing demand for ferrous metallurgical raw materials, there are sufficient reserves of iron ore deposits that can be put into industrial operation. These are related to the future development of the mining industry in the Daschkesan iron ore group, including the promising South-Daschkesan and Damirov fields. The re-exploitation of the Daschkesan iron ore group will have a positive impact on the socioeconomic development of the region, as well as strengthen the position of the mining industry and metallurgy in the country's non-oil sector. The resumption of Daschkesan iron ore production will also make an important contribution to the development of a number of by-products, improve employment in the regions, and create new and wider opportunities for local companies. The purpose of the study. In the rich areas of the Daschkesan iron ore deposit, due to the reduction of the amount of iron in the ores, the enrichment is the production of granules for the production of iron by the sponge method. Research methods. Along with the study, research and exploration of ferrous metal ore deposits in the territory of the republic, geophysical research and geological exploration work has been started for the re-commissioning of the Daschkesan iron ore deposit. The first 3-dimensional geological model of the Daschkesan iron ore deposit was developed using special software. The goal is to produce iron ore deposits in a short period of time and meet the demand for quality raw materials for the production of ferrous metallurgy products. Results. Considering that the use of wastes will increase the efficiency of field development, it is necessary to economically evaluate, sort and use metal-bearing wastes discharged into the Goshgarchay River during the enrichment of magnetite ore in the past as a valuable building material such as sand and gravel in Ganja region. It is planned to establish joint ventures with waste from mining enterprises and concentrators, slag from the pipe rolling plant, and waste from the Ganja aluminum plant. Conclusion. The future development of the mining industry in our country can be achieved through the complex use of iron ore deposits of the Daschkesan group, quarry waste, waste from the enrichment of magnetic ores.
Instrumental and Integrative Orientations in Second Language Learning among Sudanese Students
Authors: Ishag Adil
Published: March 2022

Motivation is one of the most influential factors in second/ foreign language learning. It has been traditionally classified into two types, namely instrumental motivation and integrative motivation. The latter has been claimed to have a more positive impact on the language learning process than instrumental orientations. This study sought to investigate the nature of motivational orientations among Sudanese learners of English and German. The study involved 221 Sudanese undergraduate students studying English and German, respectively. The results of the empirical investigation demonstrated that Sudanese students were more instrumentally motivated to learn English in comparison to German. On the other hand, the students in the German department had more positive attitudes towards the German community and culture in comparison to the students of the English department. Gender differences have also been identified in the department of English only, where female students had a significantly higher level of motivation and were rather integratively motivated to learn English than their male counterparts. The study concluded that both instrumental and integrative constructs are complementary and that attention should be shifted towards motivational intensity in language learning.
Beliefs and Practices of EFL Instructors in Teaching Pronunciation
Authors: Jafari Sakineh , Karimi Mohammad Reza , Jafari Samaneh
Published: March 2022

Pronunciation teaching and learning have stimulated a renewed interest among second language acquisition (SLA) researchers in the past few years. To pursue this line of inquiry, this study set out to investigate the beliefs and practices of Iranian EFL teachers on pronunciation teaching. Convenience sampling was employed to recruit 74 participants who completed a pronunciation teaching and learning questionnaire. Interviews were also conducted with volunteered participants. The results revealed that 57% of the respondent teachers mostly worked on suffixes such as the -ed and -s endings always or often in their classrooms. The second most frequently taught feature was word stress (54%), followed by syllable structure, which 53% of the teachers often or always taught. Drama and role-play were the most common strategies often or always used by 49% of the teachers in teaching pronunciation. In addition, interviews with participant teachers revealed that the most common classroom activities were imitation and repetition. Finally, although most participants emphasized the need to teach pronunciation, they did not consider themselves highly qualified. They indicated an insatiable desire for more pronunciation training in teacher education programs to use opportunistic teaching and integrated phases to teach pronunciation. Most of the teachers did not teach pronunciation as a separate lesson since the school curriculum, the pre-specified book, and the time limitation did not let them focus on pronunciation as a separate lesson.
The Mammalian Aquaporin Water Channel Family: A Promising New Drug Target
Authors: Beitz E. , Schultz J.E.
Published: March 2022

In mammalian cells water slowly passes across cell membranes driven by osmotic forces. However, the speed of this process is insufficient for sustained and rapid water fluxes required for an active regulation of water homeostasis, e.g. in the kidney or under conditions of osmotic stress. A novel class of membraneous pore proteins, aquaporins, was detected which facilitates osmotically driven passage of water an<;J, in some instances, small
uncharged solutes. So far, ten isoforms of this water channel protein family have been found in
mammals alone and more than 100 are known altogether. In this review, the chemical properties of these water pore proteins are summarized such as amino acid sequence similarities and peculiarities and some prototypical structural features. The locus of the now obsolete group of mercurial diuretics is pointed out. Further, the general pattern of the tissue-specific aquaporin isoform expression is illustrated, among others in the kidney, eye, inner ear and lung. In more detail we present how particular aquaporin isoforms in the kidney are involved in the regulation of urinary osmolality. Genetic defects in aquaporin-2 are known to result in nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Further, we point out a variety of disease states which may be related to a dysregulation of water homeostasis. Aquaporin function is now reasonably accessible to biophysical measurements. This paves the way to develop and assay novel therapeutic agents. In a final section we outline which questions have to be addressed toward this end, which strategies could be followed and which disease states may benefit most obviously from such a therapeutic approach.
Conjugated Porphyrin Materials for Solar Fuel Generation
Authors: Bai Yang , Sprick Reiner Sebastian
Published: April 2022

Conjugated materials have emerged as a new class of photocatalysts for solar fuel generation, thus allowing for the Sun’s energy to be converted into a storable fuel that can be used without further emissions at the point of use. Many different building blocks have been used to make conjugated materials that act as photocatalysts allowing for efficient light absorption and tuing of photophysical properties. The porphyrin moiety is a very interesting building block for photocatalysts as the large π-conjugated system allows efficient light absorption. Metalation of porphyrins allows for further tuning of the materials’ properties, thus further expanding the property space that these materials can cover. This allows to design and better control over the properties of the materials, which is discussed in this review together with the state-of-the-art in porphyrin photocatalysts and hybrid systems.
Advances and Applications of Metal-Organic Framework Nanomaterials as Oral Delivery Carriers: A Review
Authors: Liu Yu , Li Li , Qi Zhaorui , Han Shasha , Li Xurui , Liu Bingmi
Published: April 2022

Oral administration is a commonly used, safe, and patient-compliant method of drug delivery. However, due to the multiple absorption barriers in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), the oral bioavailability of many drugs is low, resulting in a limited range of applications for oral drug delivery. Nanodrug delivery systems have unique advantages in overcoming the multiple barriers to oral absorption and improving the oral bioavailability of encapsulated drugs. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are composed of metal ions and organic linkers assembled by coordination chemistry. Unlike other nanomaterials, nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (nano-MOFs, NMOFs) are increasingly popular for drug delivery systems (DDSs) due to their tunable pore size and easily modified surfaces. This paper summarizes the literature on MOFs in pharmaceutics included in SCI for the past ten years. Then, the GIT structure and oral drug delivery systems are reviewed, and the advantages, challenges, and solution strategies possessed by oral drug delivery systems are discussed. Importantly, two major classes of MOFs suitable for oral drug delivery systems are summarized, and various representative MOFs as oral drug carriers are evaluated in the context of oral drug delivery systems. Finally, the challenges faced by DDSs in the development of MOFs, such as biostability, biosafety, and toxicity, are examined.
Blood Biomarkers Predict Future Cognitive Decline after Military-Related
Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Lippa Sara M. , Gill Jessica , Brickell Tracey A. , Guedes Vivian A. , French Louis M. , Lange Rael T.
Published: April 2022

Background::

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been associated with increased likelihood of late-life dementia; however, the mechanisms driving this relationship are elusive. Blood-based biomarkers may provide insight into these mechanisms and serve as useful prognostic indicators of cognitive recovery or decline following a TBI.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to examine blood biomarkers within one year of TBI and explore their relationship with cognitive decline.

Methods:

Service members and veterans (n=224) without injury (n=77), or with history of bodily injury (n=37), uncomplicated mild TBI (n=55), or more severe TBI (n=55), underwent a blood draw and neuropsychological assessment within one year of their injury as part of a case-control study. A subsample (n=87) completed follow-up cognitive assessment.

Results:

In the more severe TBI group, baseline glial fibrillary acidic protein (p=.008) and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (p=.026) were associated with processing speed at baseline, and baseline ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 predicted change in immediate (R2Δ=.244, p=.005) and delayed memory (R2Δ=.390, p=.003) over time. In the mild TBI group, higher baseline tau predicted greater negative change in perceptual reasoning (R2Δ=.188, p=.033) and executive functioning (R2Δ=.298, p=.007); higher baseline neurofilament light predicted greater negative change in perceptual reasoning (R2Δ=.211, p=.012).

Conclusion:

Baseline ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 strongly predicted memory decline in the more severe TBI group, while tau and neurofilament light strongly predicted decline in the mild TBI group. A panel including these biomarkers could be particularly helpful in identifying those at risk for future cognitive decline following TBI.
Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator-1 Alpha:
A Double-edged Sword in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Zheng Kun , Chen Suzhen , Hu Xiaoyong
Published: April 2022

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-
1α/PPARGC1A) is a pivotal transcriptional coactivator involved in the regulation of mitochondrial
metabolism, including biogenesis and oxidative metabolism. PGC-1α is finely regulated by AMPactivated
protein kinases (AMPKs), the role of which in tumors remains controversial to date. In recent
years, a growing amount of research on PGC-1α and tumor metabolism has emphasized its importance
in a variety of tumors, including prostate cancer (PCA). Compelling evidence has shown that
PGC-1α may play dual roles in promoting and inhibiting tumor development under certain conditions.
Therefore, a better understanding of the critical role of PGC-1α in PCA pathogenesis will provide
new insights into targeting PGC-1α for the treatment of this disease. In this review, we highlight the
procancer and anticancer effects of PGC-1α in PCA and aim to provide a theoretical basis for targeting
AMPK/PGC-1α to inhibit the development of PCA. In addition, our recent findings provide a
candidate drug target and theoretical basis for targeting PGC-1α to regulate lipid metabolism in PCA.
Silencing of FANCI Promotes DNA Damage and Sensitizes Ovarian
Cancer Cells to Carboplatin
Authors: Li Yuqing , Zhang Yanan , Yang Qi , Zhou Xuantong , Guo Yuanyuan , Ding Fang , Liu Zhihua , Luo Aiping
Published: April 2022

Background:

Ovarian cancer (OVCA) has unique epigenetic alterations and defects in
homologous recombination (HR). Despite initial sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy, HR
dysfunctional tumors eventually acquire drug resistance. Fanconi anemia (FA) is characterized by
bone marrow failure (BMF) and a reduced ability to eradicate DNA interstrand cross-links (ICL).
However, the mechanism of chemoresistance mediated by FANCI was unclear in OVCA.

Objective:

We explore to identify whether FANCI was involved in chemoresistance in OVCA.

Methods:

FANCI expression and epigenetic alterations were analyzed, respectively, using TIMER
and cBioPortal. The correlation between FANCI expression and the survival of OVCA patients was
analyzed using Kaplan-Meier Plotter, GSE63885, and TCGA-OVCA dataset. FANCI expression in
OVCA was detected by immunohistochemistry. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in FANCI
inhibiting cells were assessed by CCK-8 and Transwell. Apoptosis and DNA damage were examined
by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Meanwhile, the activity of caspase 3/7 was detected by
Caspase-Glo® 3/7 kit. In addition, the expression of FANCI, γH2AX, and apoptosis effectors was
examined by Western blot.

Results:

FANCI has copy number variations (CNVs) in OVCA. The high expression of FANCI in
OVCA patients was associated with poor survival. Moreover, FANCI expression was correlated with
the response to chemotherapy in OVCA. FANCI expression in OVCA cells was induced by carboplatin
in a time-dependent manner. Silencing of FANCI had no effect on cell proliferation, but
hindered OVCA cell migration and invasion. Mechanically, knockdown of FANCI enhanced DNA
damage-induced apoptosis through the CHK1/2-P53-P21 pathway.

Conclusion:

FANCI may be a potential therapeutic target for OVCA patients.
The lncRNA Tincr Regulates the Abnormal Differentiation of Intestinal
Epithelial Stem Cells in the Diabetic State Via the miR-668-3p/Klf3 Axis
Authors: Sun Li-Bin , Ding Ai-Ping , Han Yue , Song Ming-Quan , Shan Ti-Dong
Published: April 2022

Background:

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is among the most common chronic diseases, and diabetic
enteropathy (DE), which is a complication caused by DM, is a serious health condition. Long noncoding
RNAs (lncRNAs) are regulators of DE progression.

Objective:

However, the mechanisms of action of multiple lncRNAs involved in DE remain poorly understood.

Methods:

Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT–qPCR) and in situ hybridization were used to analyze
terminal differentiation-induced lncRNA (Tincr) expression in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in the
DM state. Microarray analysis, bioinformatics analysis, and luciferase reporter assays were used to identify
the genes targeted by Tincr. The role of miR-668-3p was then explored by up- and down-regulating its
expression in vitro and in vivo.

Results:

In this study, we observed that the level of lncRNA Tincr was increased in IECs in the DM state.
More importantly, Tincr was associated with abnormal intestinal epithelial stem cell (IESC) differentiation
in DM. Our mechanistic study demonstrated that Tincr is a major marker of Lgr5+ stem cells in DM.
In addition, we investigated whether Tincr directly targets miR-668-3p and whether miR-668-3p targets
Klf3. Our findings showed that Tincr sponged miR-668-3p, which attenuated abnormal IESC differentiation
in DM by regulating Klf3 expression.

Conclusion:

This study presents evidence of an essential role for Tincr in IESC differentiation in DM.
Metal-based Complexes as Potential Anti-cancer Agents
Authors: Banerjee Sabyasachi , Banerjee Subhasis
Published: April 2022

Metal based therapy is no new in biomedical research. In early days, the biggest limitation was the inequality
among therapeutical and toxicological dosages. Ever since, Barnett Rosenberg discovered cisplatin, a new era has
begun to treat cancer with metal complexes. Platinum complexes such as oxaliplatin, cisplatin, and carboplatin, seem to
be the foundation of metal/s-based components to challenge malignancies. With advancement in the biomolemoecular
mechanism, researchers have started developing non-classical platinum-based complexes, where a different mechanistic
approach of the complexes is observed towards the biomolecular target. Till date, larger numbers of metal/s-based
complexes were synthesized by overhauling the present structures chemically by substituting the ligand or preparing
the whole novel component with improved cytotoxic and safety profiles. Howsoever, due to elevated accentuation
upon the therapeutic importance of metal/s-based components, a couple of those agents are at present in clinical trials
and several other are in anticipating regulatory endorsement to enter the trial. This literature highlights the detailed
heterometallic multinuclear components, primarily focusing on platinum, ruthenium, gold and remarks on possible
stability, synergism, mechanistic studies and structure activity relationships.
Investigation of Flexural Capacity of Normal and Recycled Aggregate Concrete Filled Steel Tubes
Authors: Abdel-Jaber Ma'en , Abdel-Jaber Mutasim , El-Nimri Rola , Katkhuda Hasan
Published: March 2022

Aims:

This paper aims to compare the experimental and theoretical results of the flexural capacity of normal and recycled aggregate concrete-filled tubes (CFT).

Background: The experimental results of 47 CFT specimens made of natural aggregate (NA), recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), and recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) with steel thicknesses of 2 and 2.4 mm from previous research performed by the authors are adopted.

Methods:

The NA was replaced in the CFT specimens by RCA and RAP with replacement levels of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%. The theoretical study is conducted in this paper based on the provisions of many international codes, available models from the literature, and finite element analysis (FEA) using Abaqus software to obtain the best approach for determining the flexural capacity of CFT.

Results:

The results showed that all code provisions were safe to use as they provided conservative results except for the ACI 318-19. The ANSI/AISC 360-16 and CoPHK provided the best conservative and accurate results.

Conclusion:

Besides, the finite element analysis results were found in good agreement with the experimental results as they provided the most accurate estimation.
The Influence of Cultural and Psychological Factors on Mental Health Status during COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alqahtani Azizah
Published: March 2022

Background:

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020 due to the rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases outside China. Every pandemic is associated with other problems such as psychological and mental health problems.

Methods:

The current research investigated the relationship between mental health status and demographic variables and the psychological impact of COVID-19. Furthermore, this study explored the relationship between collectivism and low infection rates. The sample included 1700 adults aged 18 years and older. The questionnaire started with demographic questions followed by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), a scale that was applied to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21).

Results:

Findings indicated that depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19. In addition, students experienced a higher level of psychological impact of COVID-19 than other occupational groups. Finally, cultural collectivism was associated with a lower COVID-19 infection rate.

Conclusion:

It is recommended based on the findings of this paper that the mental health of university students should be observed and assessed during epidemics. Training regarding mental health should be provided to university faculty and staff.
Ebselen’s Potential to Inhibit Planktonic and Biofilm Growth of Neisseria
mucosa
Authors: Shaikh Shaukat A. , Priyadarsini Indira K. , Vavilala Sirisha L.
Published: April 2022

Background:

Antibiotic resistance of various bacterial communities remains a global burden
in the healthcare industry. Biofilm formation is one of the resistance mechanisms acquired by bacterial
communities in order to reverse the action of antibiotics. There is an urgent need for the discovery
of novel antimicrobials and novel approaches to tackle this problem. However, it is very expensive
and challenging to develop new antibiotics. Drug repurposing is an efficient strategy which reduces
time and cost associated with drug discovery.

Objective:

In the current study, anti-microbial and antibiofilm potential of an organoselenium clinical
molecule Ebselen against Neisseria mucosa has been elucidated.

Methods:

Ebselen Antibacterial studies include Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), growthkill,
Colony Forming Unit (CFU) assays and intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) accumulation
studies. Antibiofilm studies included inhibition, eradication and cell surface hydrophobicity assays,
quantification of Extracellular Polymeric Substance (EPS) and eDNA and for anti-quorum sensing
activity, protease and urease enzyme activities were elucidated.

Results:

Ebselen showed efficient bactericidal activity as indicated by its low MIC values, bacterial
growth inhibition over time and its ability to prevent clonal propagation in this bacterium. Increased
accumulation of ROS in Ebselen treated cells indicates radical mediated induction of bacterial death.
Interestingly, Ebselen inhibited and distorted matured biofilms by degrading the eDNA component of
the EPS layer. Ebselen also attenuated quorum-sensing pathway as indicated by decreased urease and
protease enzyme activities.

Conclusion:

Taken together, these results paved the way to repurpose Ebselen as a potential drug target
to curb Neisseria mucosa infections.
Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) Stems, Leaves, and Florets: Optimization, Characterization, and Comparison with Maceration Extraction
Authors:   Department of Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University , 21111 Lakeshore, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada, García Sheila Lucía Rodríguez , Raghavan Vijaya ,   Department of Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University , 21111 Lakeshore, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
Published: April 2022

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) to obtain phenolics from vegetable wastes has been of recent interest. Broccoli is one of the most globally produced vegetables, and around 43% of the harvest is considered waste. Thus, given the significant quantity of broccoli waste generated, the objective of this work was to optimize the MAE, to maximize the total phenolic content (TPC) from broccoli by-products (leaves and stems) and broccoli florets. The Response Surface Analysis was used in the optimization model to evaluate the impacts of methanol concentration, time, and temperature, and their interactions on the TPC of the broccoli extracts. The optimal MAE conditions were found to be 74.54% (methanol), 15.9 min, and 74.45 °C for broccoli stems; 80% (methanol), 10 min, and 73.27 °C for broccoli leaves; and 80% (methanol), 18.9 min, and 75 °C for broccoli florets. Under these conditions, the broccoli leaves exhibited the highest TPC (1940.35 ± 0.794 µg GAE/g DW), followed by the florets (657.062 ± 0.771 µg GAE/g DW) and stems (225.273 ± 0.897 µg GAE/g DW). The antioxidant activity of the broccoli extracts was evaluated under the optimal conditions by DPPH and ABTS assays, and the same behavior was observed in both studies, the broccoli leaves exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, among florets and stems. In addition, vanillic, sinapic, caffeic, chlorogenic, ferulic, gallic, neochlorogenic, and p-coumaric acids in the broccoli extracts were identified and quantified using HPLC. Furthermore, MAE was found to increase the phenolic yield up to 45.70% for broccoli leaves, 133.57% for broccoli florets, and 65.30% for broccoli stems, in less time compared with maceration extraction. MAE proved to be an efficient and sustainable technique to obtain phenolics from broccoli by-products, which can constitute a viable solution for valorizing broccoli wastes.
Online Peer Support for People With Parkinson Disease: Narrative Synthesis Systematic Review
Authors: Gerritzen Esther Vera , Lee Abigail Rebecca , McDermott Orii , Coulson Neil , Orrell Martin
Published: March 2022

Background

Parkinson disease (PD) significantly impacts the lives of people with the diagnosis and their families. In addition to the physical symptoms, living with PD also has an emotional impact. This can result in withdrawal from social roles, increasing the risk for social isolation and loneliness. Peer support is a way to stay socially connected, share experiences, and learn new coping skills. Peer support can be provided both in person and on the internet. Some of the advantages of online peer support are that it overcomes geographical barriers and provides a form of anonymity; moreover, support can be readily available when needed. However, the psychosocial impact of PD is still underresearched, and there is no systematic synthesis of online peer support for people with PD.

Objective

This review aims to explore the benefits and challenges of online peer support and identify successful elements of online peer support for people with PD.

Methods

The method selected for this systematic review is narrative synthesis. A total of 6 databases were systematically searched in April 2020 for articles published between 1989 and 2020. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative research checklist and the Downs and Black quality checklist.

Results

A total of 10,987 unique articles were identified through a systematic database search. Of these 10,987 articles, 8 (0.07%) were included in this review. Of the 8 studies, 5 (63%) were of good or high quality, 2 (25%) were of medium or fair quality, and 1 (13%) study was of poor quality. Web-based platforms included discussion forums, a web-based virtual world, and Facebook groups. Most papers reported on text-based communication. The included studies reported on sharing social support and personal experiences. Successful elements included increasing similarity between members and offering the opportunity to directly ask questions to a physician. Challenges included members leaving without a warning and PD symptoms hindering the use of technology.

Conclusions

Peer support can improve social support and help people with PD in living meaningful and satisfying lives. Peer support is unique and cannot be replaced by family members, friends, or health care professionals. Online peer support can be a solution for those who do not have access to an in-person support group or whose PD symptoms restrict them from travelling. However, research on the personal experiences of those who engage in online peer support and potential barriers in accessing it remains limited. Future research could use qualitative methods to explore these fields further.
Efficacy of a Digital Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Intervention for the Improvement of Self-management Behaviors and Psychological Flexibility in Adults With Cardiac Disease: Protocol for a Single Case Experimental Design (Preprint)
Authors: Moran Orla , Doyle Julie , Giggins Oonagh , McHugh Louise , Gould Evelyn , Smith Suzanne , Gavin Shane , Sojan Nisanth , Boyle Gordon
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND

Research indicates that the management of distress levels in those with cardiac disease is not only important for improving quality of life and functioning but also critical for condition management; adherence to treatment; and, ultimately, disease prognosis and progression. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has consistently demonstrated positive long-term outcomes across a wide array of conditions, including chronic illness. However, most empirical investigations conducted to date have also involved in-person therapy, which can be difficult to access, particularly for those dealing with the demands of chronic disease.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our research is to evaluate a digital ACT intervention for improving self-management behaviors and distress levels in those with cardiac conditions.

METHODS

The digital ACT intervention will be delivered via a digital health self-management platform over 6 sessions. This will involve a randomized, multiple baseline, single case experimental design with approximately 3 to 15 adults with cardiac disease. The independent variable for each participant will be the pre-post intervention phase. The dependent variables will be a daily self-report measure of psychological flexibility as well as objective measures of condition self-management (eg, blood pressure readings) and engagement with the app (eg, completing guided mindfulness). One-to-one qualitative interviews will also be conducted to further examine participants’ experiences with using the intervention and what factors contribute to or impede successful outcomes.

RESULTS

Participant recruitment and data collection began in October 2021, and it is projected that the study findings will be available for dissemination by spring 2022.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings will be discussed in terms of how a digital ACT intervention can best meet the needs of cardiac patients.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

PRR1-10.2196/33783
Exploiting Inter-sentence Information for Better Question-driven Abstractive Summarization: Algorithm Development and Validation (Preprint)
Authors: Wang Xin , Wang Jian , Xu Bo , Lin Hongfei , Zhang Bo , Yang Zhihao
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

Question-driven summarization has become a practical and accurate approach to summarizing the source document. The generated summary should be concise and consistent with the concerned question and thus it could be regarded as the answer to the non-factoid question. Existing methods do not fully exploit question information over documents and dependencies across sentences. Besides, most existing summarization evaluation tools like ROUGE calculate N-gram overlaps between the generated summary and the reference summary, while neglecting the factual consistency problem.

OBJECTIVE

This proposes a novel question-driven abstractive summarization model based on Transformer, including a two-step attention mechanism and an overall integration mechanism, which can generate concise and consistent summaries for non-factoid QA.

METHODS

Specifically, the two-step attention mechanism is proposed to exploit the mutual information both of question to context and sentence over other sentences. We further introduce an overall integration mechanism and a novel pointer network for information integration. We conduct a question answering task to evaluate the factual consistency between the generated summary and the reference summary.

RESULTS

The experimental results of question-driven summarization on PubMedQA dataset show that our model achieves a ROUGE-1, ROUGE-2 and ROUGE-L measure of 36.01, 15.59 and 30.22, which is superior to the state-of-the-art methods with a gain of 0.79 (absolute) in ROUGE-2 score. The question answering task demonstrates that the generated summaries of our model have better factual constancy. Our method achieves 94.20% accuracy and 77.57% F1 score.

CONCLUSIONS

Our proposed question-driven summarization model effectively exploits the mutual information among the question, document and summary to generate concise and consistent summaries.
The Egyptian transition towards Telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: Cross-sectional survey (Preprint)
Authors: Magdy Ahmed , Maher Mamdouh , Hasanien Shady , Elhossieny Eslam , Zarif Bassem
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

Telemedicine is representing the future of medical services. It shows many advantages and promising opportunities. It has been tried in different medical specialties. The COVID-19 pandemic has enhanced the establishment of telemedicine services worldwide. Low and middle-income countries such as Egypt are still new to these technologies.

OBJECTIVE

Provide a snapshot of data on the current situation in Egypt and assess its transition towards more integrated telemedicine services from the physicians' perspective.

METHODS

An online and offline questionnaire was filled out by cardiologists from different institutions in Egypt asking about their experience on telemedicine (TM) services in Egypt.

RESULTS

A total of 66 cardiology physicians have fully responded to the questionnaire on telemedicine in Egypt. 57.6% said TM helped with emergent situations. 66.7% of them said lack of integrated assessment tools is a challenge hindering the transition towards TM in Egypt. 95.5% of doctors believe that the COVID-19 pandemic increased the usage of TM. 77.3% of them believe that there should be guidelines and protocols to guide the online consultation process.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the fact this snapshot data has revealed that the Egyptian experience in TM service is far from the standard, it has showed that collaborative effort from all the stakeholders is mandatory. The COVID- 19 pandemic has enhanced the transition process, but some obstacles are still needed to overcome.
Media reports on COVID-19 vaccination: A study of big data topic modeling in South Korea (Preprint)
Authors: Koh Keumseok Peter , Lee Seunghyeon , Park Sangdon , Lee Jaewoo
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND

Early successes in controlling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have, unfortunately, prevented South Korea from implementing a large-scale vaccine rollout to the public. While vaccination is the most effective, evidence-based pharmaceutical intervention in both preventing and controlling COVID-19, there have been heated debates over the vaccination in traditional media reports in Korea. Despite the rise of social media, the influence of traditional media on public opinion remains both critical and substantial.

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the attitudes and developments expressed in media reports on the COVID-19 vaccines during this pandemic in South Korea. This topic is important because effective and efficient public health communication is integral in managing public health challenges as it provides the wider populace with relevant information and encourages them to follow public health interventions.

METHODS

A sample of 12,399 media news reports from May 18, 2020 to September 25, 2021 were collected via a big data platform. A latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic model was applied to analyze and compare the topics drawn from each study phase (four in total) using words from the unstructured text data

RESULTS

While overlapping topics were found in Phases 1 and 2, none were observed in Phases 3 and 4. Although the media reports in Phases 1 and 2 focused on the development and rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, diverse topics were reported therein without any overlap. In Phase 3, the biggest concern expressed was about the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. Media reports became diversified without any dominant topic in Phase 4.

CONCLUSIONS

: This study found that media reports on COVID-19 vaccinations in Korea changed over time. South Korea’s major media sources thus contributed to the nation’s wider public health communication by generating common discourse and topics directly related to this public health challenge’s management and control, rather than reporting diverging or less relevant topics.
Exploring experiences with telehealth-delivered allied healthcare services for people with permanent and significant disabilities: a qualitative study examining challenges and suggestions to improve services (Preprint)
Authors: Filbay Stephanie , Bennell Kim L , Morello Renata , Smith Lizzie , Hinman Rana S , Lawford Belinda J
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

People with permanent and significant disabilities are among the highest users of allied healthcare. As such, the rapid pivot to telehealth delivery of allied healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic had a particularly profound impact on those with disabilities, as well as their caregivers. Given that telehealth services are likely here to stay beyond the pandemic, a better understanding of the barriers and facilitators to telehealth among people with disabilities, and their caregivers, is needed.

OBJECTIVE

Explore: i) challenges with allied-health services via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and ii) suggestions to improve these services, from the perspectives of people with a disability, or their caregivers.

METHODS

Qualitative design involving individual semi-structured interviews with 3 people with permanent or significant disabilities, and 9 carers/partners/family members of people with permanent or significant disabilities, who were funded by the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme and had suboptimal experiences with telehealth. Data were thematically analysed.

RESULTS

Six themes relating to challenges with telehealth were developed: i) evoked behavioural issues; ii) reliant on caregiver facilitation; iii) inhibits clinician feedback; iv) difficulty building rapport and trust; v) lack of access to resources, and; vi) young clients disengaged/distracted. Five themes relating to suggestions to improve telehealth services were developed: i) establish expectations; ii) increase exposure to telehealth; iii) assess suitability of specific services; iv) access to support workers, and; v) prepare for telehealth sessions.

CONCLUSIONS

Some people with permanent and significant disabilities who accessed allied healthcare via telehealth during the pandemic experienced challenges, particularly children. These unique barriers to telehealth need customised solutions so that people with disabilities are not left behind when telehealth services become more mainstream.
Positive Psychology Interventions in Pediatric Populations with Chronic Conditions: A Scoping Review (Preprint)
Authors: Lou Terry M , Slesinger Noël C , Fawcett Andrea , Griffith James W , Fishbein Anna B
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND

There is burgeoning interest in applying positive psychology to enhance individual wellbeing. Few studies have looked at positive psychology interventions in pediatric populations with chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to critically review studies of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) in pediatric populations with chronic conditions, and highlight potential application for clinical and research settings.

METHODS

We identified 8 studies evaluating PPIs on subjective and objective outcomes in children with chronic conditions.

RESULTS

Most studies used multicomponent interventions with three to four positive psychology interventions that fall under more than one PERMA (Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationship, Meaning, Accomplishment) category. Participants demonstrated significant improvement on various self-reported outcomes; results of objective measures, such as HbA1C, were not significantly improved.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with chronic conditions may benefit from positive psychology interventions to enhance resiliency and improve quality of life. Further research with large-scale randomized controlled trials is needed.
Bioinformatic and Molecular Interaction Studies Uncover That CCA-1.1 AND PGV-1 Differentially Target Mitotic Regulatory Protein and Have a Synergistic Effect against Leukemia Cells
Authors: Meiyanto Edy , Novitasari Dhania , Utomo Rohmad Yudi , Susidarti Ratna Asmah , Putri Dyaningtyas Dewi Pamungkas , Kato Jun-ya
Published: March 2022

Numerous studies demonstrated CCA-1.1, the modified compound from PGV-1, inhibits tumor cells growth in breast and colorectal cancer. This time, we used bioinformatics and molecular interaction approaches to ascertain the potential CCA-1.1 activity target focusing on leukemia, along with the cytotoxic test in leukemia cells. Genomics data expression was collected through the COSMIC database by selecting gene sets from K562 cells as a model for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).  We identified CCA-1.1 and PGV-1 predicted targets through SwissTargetPrediction. The overlapping genes between the CCA-1.1, PGV-1, and K562 cells were chosen for further analysis. We narrowed down the potential targets by using the list of genes involved in the cell cycle and mitosis collected through GeneCards. A molecular docking study was applied to determine the molecular interaction between CCA-1.1 or PGV-1 and the predicted protein target. We carried out a cytotoxic test using a trypan blue exclusion assay. We treated K562 cells with CCA-1.1 and PGV-1 in single and combination treatment to determine the half concentration of growth inhibitory (GI50) and combination index (CI) score. CCA-1.1 and PGV-1 shared similar predicted target genes in mitosis, and interestingly CCA-1.1 were mainly targeted in Aurora A (AURKA) in K562 cells with lower docking scores against the inhibitor in molecular docking analysis. Moreover, each compound exhibited an inhibitory effect similarly, and the co-treatment resulted in a synergistic effect in K562 cells. Collectively, we indicated that CCA-1.1 and PGV-1 possibly targeted mitosis in cell cycle progression, and along with their specific targets, led to their synergistic activity in CML. These findings should be validated through experimental studies to provide more pharmacological activities of CCA-1.1 to cure CML.
Apoptotic Induction Mechanism of Artonin E in 3D Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Abd Rahman Mashitoh , Mohd Hashim Najihah
Published: March 2022

Artonin E is a naturally isolated compound from Artocarpus elasticus and was evaluated for their anticancer property in the present study. This study aimed to develop a 3D ovarian cell culture model and to examine the cytotoxicity of artonin E in 2D and 3D cell culture models. The 3D cell culture was performed using BD™ Puramatrix™ Peptide Hydrogel. Alamar blue assay, selectivity index analysis, morphological apoptotic double staining and immunofluorescence study were conducted to study the antiproliferative and apoptotic induction mechanism of artonin E in 3D SKOV-3 spheroid culture. SKOV-3 cells encapsulated in BD™ Puramatrix™ Peptide Hydrogel clearly demonstrated 3D-spheroid formation. The Alamar blue assay result showed that artonin E inhibited the growth of SKOV-3 cells in 2D and 3D culture with the IC50 values at 72 h treatment of 6.0 ± 0.8 µg/mL and 25.0 ± 0.8 µg/mL, respectively. This compound was found to be less toxic to the normal human ovarian cell lines, T1074, with IC50 values at 72 h of 28.0 ± 0.8 µg/mL in 2D culture and 85.0 ± 0.5 µg/mL in 3D culture, respectively. The selectivity index analysis more than 2 indicated that artonin E was selective against cancer cells compared to normal cells. Artonin E treatment caused apoptotic morphological changes in 3D SKOV-3 spheroids. In a 3D immunofluorescence study, elevated levels of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, apoptotic proteins bax, and decreased levels of antiapoptotic proteins bcl-2, Hsp70, and survivin were observed. In conclusion, artonin E increases chemoresistance and induces cell death in a 3D SKOV-3 spheroids culture via a pro- and anti-apoptotic protein pathway. These findings demonstrate that 3D spheroid culture is an effective platform for testing artonin E therapeutic candidates in an in vivo mimic microenvironment.
Semiotic Analysis of the Changes of Ondel-ondel Costume Elements as a Betawi Cultural Negotiation
Authors: Wahidiyat Mita Purbasari , Marianto M. Dwi , Burhan M. Agus
Published: March 2022

Recognized as one of Jakarta’s icons, the large pair of puppets known as ondel-ondel has undergone significant transformation since its origin centuries ago. Classically built in a fairly simple form, ondel-ondel presents itself in various ways at every performance. Now, ondel-ondel is increasingly found throughout Jakarta, having gone through numerous changes in its costume elements. Whereas it is usually meant to be shown as a couple, nowadays a single ondel-ondel can be found cruising alleys with a mere digital sound system as musical accompaniment. Once respected and feared for its looks, today it is belittled by its own people. Due to this phenomenon, this research aimed to answer the questions of who influenced this ideological change, which ruling elite encouraged their ideology, and what the ideology is. Interviews and direct observations produced stories and photographs, while literature and media studies provided a historical background. Roland Barthes’ semiotic connotations with a historical perspective were used to read the hidden concepts behind these signs, which connect the changes of the costume elements through the important events in Betawi society during the period of 1970–2020. The different interests of each party brought more conflict in their relations, which created a dynamic cultural negotiation. Based on the results, the terms for the ondel-ondel models were identified, specifically a personification model, Islamic model, and commercial model, each named after the historical events and ideology brought about by Jakarta’s ruling elites.