bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flood susceptibility mapping in the Tongo Bassa watershed through GIS, remote sensing and frequency ratio model
Authors: Ebodé Valentin Brice
Published: March 2024

Flooding constitutes a major problem for the inhabitants of Douala City in general and those of the Tongo Bassa watershed (TBW) in particular. Faced with this situation, public authorities need to put in place measures to mitigate the vulnerability of populations to these disasters. This article aims to map flooding risk areas in the TBW using geographic information system (GIS), field data (historical flood points), remote sensing data (Sentinel II image) and frequency ratio (FR) model. Six independent variables linked to floods were considered (land use and land cover patterns, altitudes, slopes, drainage densities, distances from watercourses and soil types). The map of land use patterns was obtained following the supervised classification of a Landsat 8 image using ENVI 5.2 software. The other five (05) variables were automatically generated from a digital terrain model using ArcGIS 10.2 software. The map produced shows that 1.41%, 8.88%, 28.51%, 33.86% and 27.33% of the basin area are respectively delimited into very low, low, medium, high and very high flood vulnerability classes. High and very high flooding risk areas (those where flooding is most likely to occur) occupy more than half of the basin (61.19%). These areas are characterized by significant imperviousness, low altitudes, weak slopes, significant proximity to watercourses and clayey soils. Most of the houses in the basin (66.92%) are located in areas affected by these two levels of exposure (high and very high). With respective success and prediction accuracy rates of 89% and 96.78%, a certain confidence deserves to be placed on the map of flooding risk areas produced. The results of this study could serve as decision-support tools in the context of the various developments undertaken by the public authorities, to fight against flooding in this basin.
Enhancing Freeze Tolerance of Field-grown Lettuce with Salicylic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, and Calcium Chloride
Authors: Perry Rachel , Nair Ajay , Arora Rajeev
Published: March 2024

With the climate continuing to change, specialty crop growers are particularly at risk for economic loss caused by erratic weather conditions, excess heat and rain, and frost damage. Although tolerant to cold, lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a major horticultural crop at risk for exposure to freezing temperatures in late fall or early spring in the Midwest. Exogenous applications of salicylic acid, ascorbic acid, and calcium chloride have been shown to improve abiotic stress in plants, particularly with freezing tolerance. This research investigated the effects of the exogenous application of salicylic acid, ascorbic acid, and calcium chloride, in varying concentrations, on field-grown lettuce. The study was conducted at the Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station, Ames, IA, USA. Weekly applications of salicylic acid (0.5 and 1.0 mM), ascorbic acid (0.5 and 1.0 mM), and calcium chloride (10 and 20 mM) were applied until plants were a marketable size. A control treatment (no spray) was also included. Data regarding plant size, yield, leaf area, leaf number, plant dry weight, plant nutrient analysis, and freeze tolerance were collected. Freeze tolerance assessments were conducted through laboratory-simulated freeze events and the evaluation of natural in-field freeze events. Freeze injury was quantified through the electrolyte leakage method. Marketable weights in 2020 and 2021 were statistically similar, except for 1.0 mM salicylic acid in 2020, which showed a significantly lower marketable weight and head diameter. Trends during both years showed that stress protectant applications had the most effective freeze protection at −12 °C in laboratory-simulated freeze events. Calcium chloride at 20 mM had the highest protection at −12 °C, with 13.3% and 24.0% less injury compared with the control in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Salicylic acid 1.0 mM at −12 °C had 4.7% and 23.7% less injury compared with control during these two years, respectively. Ascorbic acid 1.0 mM at −12 °C also showed 6.8% and 9.5% less injury than the control in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Similar trends were observed after in-field freezing events, with 20 mM calcium chloride providing the highest protection against frost in 2020 and 2021. These findings advance the understanding of the capabilities of stress protectants on lettuce as chemical primers after freezing events. This research highlights the benefits of ascorbic acid, salicylic acid, and calcium chloride as stress protectants and encourages future research and further exploration of concentrations, methods of application, and timing of application of products.
Floral Initiation, Organogenesis, and Flowering of Mature Paphiopedilum Clair de Lune ‘Edgard Van Belle’ Award of Merit/American Orchid Society Plants Derived from Divisions
Authors: Zhang Jia-Qi , Liao Yu-Ju , Chen Ying-Chun , Lee Yung-I , Chang Chen
Published: March 2024

Paphiopedilum Clair de Lune ‘Edgard Van Belle’, an excellent Maudiae-type hybrid that has been propagated by artificial division for a long time. We studied its flower bud initiation, development of floral organs, and flowering habits with a view to providing information for flowering control and efficient commercial production. According to our research, the flower bud initiation phase of this cultivar begins in February every year, and 80% of the plants completed sepal primordium differentiation in March, The flower bud differentiation lasts for 6 to 7 months, until flowering in August. Within 1 to 3 months after flower bud differentiation, all tested plants differentiated lateral buds. After 5 to 6 months, the new, aboveground vegetative shoots reached their maximum growth, with an average plant height of 20 cm, five leaves, and a shoot dry weight of more than 3 g. From February to April of the following year, a new cycle of flower development and vegetative growth began. In addition, this cultivar was notably sensitivity to high ambient temperature during the late phase of flower development, with a flower bud drop rate as high as 33.3% under average day/night temperatures of 29.0/26.5 °C.
A abordagem das noções matemáticas na educação infantil: analisando perspectivas de professores brasileiros
Authors: Warken Clara Inês , Caetano Richael Silva , Bezerra Renata Camacho
Published: March 2024

O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar como são trabalhadas as noções matemáticas com as crianças da Educação Infantil, na visão de professores brasileiros. A abordagem da pesquisa é qualitativa e de caráter exploratório, desenvolvida a partir da aplicação de um questionário on-line com setenta professores provenientes das cinco regiões brasileiras. As respostas ao questionário foram analisadas considerando-se três categorias: a) a relação do professor da Educação Infantil com a Matemática; b) as noções matemáticas abordadas pelo professor e os recursos e materiais didáticos utilizados; e c) o que pensa o professor a respeito da sua prática pedagógica. Assim, em relação aos resultados, notamos que as noções matemáticas são abordadas, na Educação Infantil, a partir de práticas que consideram os jogos, as brincadeiras, as experiências, as observações, a manipulação de objetos, etc., como propulsoras da aprendizagem. Nessa etapa, as particularidades de cada criança são levadas em consideração, assim como os seus conhecimentos prévios que, com o auxílio do lúdico, estimulam a sua criatividade e despertam o seu interesse, fazendo possível a construção de conhecimentos matemáticos.
A festa nas frestas de um país em ruínas: Reivindicação da memória e celebração da vida a partir do carnaval afro-mineiro
Authors: Dos Santos Marcone Loiola , Da Silva Natalino Neves
Published: March 2024

Este artigo teve como proposta dialogar com os saberes e sentidos criados e movimentados pelo bloco afro Angola Janga durante o Carnaval da capital mineira. A intenção foi refletir a maneira que esses saberes e sentidos afrodiaspóricos, presentes na folia, operavam na reivindicação da memória e convocação da alegria a partir de uma postura crítica e criativa frente ao contexto brasileiro: devastado após o ápice da letalidade provocada pela pandemia de Covid-19 associada à tomada do poder político-partidário da extrema-direita. Trata-se de um estudo de natureza qualitativa, pautado em revisão bibliográfica e observação participante, entre outros. Os achados da pesquisa apontam que os saberes e sentidos criados e movimentados no Carnaval constituem espaços-tempos educativos, estéticos e políticos antirracistas desde as corporeidades negras em movimento festivo.
Análise da Qualidade da Oferta de Serviços dos Bares das Cervejarias Artesanais do Bairro Santa Mônica - Florianópolis
Authors: Upegui Maria Camila Ramirez , Mondo Tiago Savi , Lavandoski Joice , Leite Felipe Kopp , Castro Junior Deosir Flavio Lobo de
Published: March 2024

A cerveja artesanal tem se tornado um diferencial na oferta de produtos gastronômicos/turísticos em muitos destinos. Além disso, os bares turísticos têm tido uma crescente relevância dentro do contexto de viagens. A partir da importância que o setor vem ganhando, este estudo busca analisar a qualidade da oferta de serviço dos bares das cervejarias artesanais do bairro Santa Mônica em Florianópolis - SC. A escolha do local se deu em virtude da densidade de bares de cervejarias artesanais locais. Desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa de campo de natureza qualitativa com observação participante, usando como instrumento de coleta de dados um check-list de observação baseado no modelo TOURQUAL-BAR. O estudo realizou-se entre os meses de abril e novembro de 2022 e teve como amostra 7 bares de cervejarias artesanais da grande Florianópolis. Os dados foram analisados por meio de análise de conteúdo. No aspecto da originalidade, ainda não existiam aplicações da escala de forma qualitativa, o que proporcionou para os empreendimentos objetos da pesquisa indicações de melhoria e ao campo de pesquisa uma nova forma de utilizar os indicadores do TOURQUAL-BAR. Os principais resultados indicam que os bares atendem de maneira bastante satisfatória os indicadores mais relevantes para os consumidores na hora de avaliar os estabelecimentos, classificados como indicadores “Essenciais A”, fazem parte do grupo os atributos: Preço, Atendimento, Conforto e Chopp Gelado. Por outro lado, indicadores de distintos grupos, mas também relevantes para o segmento de bares, demonstraram pontos de atenção que podem ser melhorados pelos gestores, sendo os principais: Variedade de Comida, Variedade de Atividades, Carta de Bebidas e Horário de Funcionamento.
Políticas de profissionalização para mulheres e a invisibilidade em gestões municipais: o caso de municípios piauienses
Authors: Silva Santos Heline , Menezes Urra Monique
Published: March 2024

Este artigo integra uma pesquisa em curso cujo objetivo é analisar a política pública de capacitação profissional para mulheres em Teresina, entre os anos de 2015 a 2019, como uma ferramenta efetiva para melhorar as condições de entrada no mundo do trabalho, sob a perspectiva da usuária da política. Ampliando o contexto pesquisado, buscou responder o seguinte questionamento, complementando a política em tela: a gestão pública municipal tem ofertado políticas de capacitação profissional que corroborem com a emancipação feminina ou apenas reproduz a concepção da divisão sexual do trabalho, ofertando qualificações que ratificam trabalhos historicamente destinados a mulheres? Partindo da premissa de que a oferta de capacitação profissional para mulheres contribui com a manutenção de espaços identificados como femininos, reforçados pela divisão sexual do trabalho, este estudo identificou e analisou experiências de políticas de profissionalização para mulheres em municípios piauienses, entendendo como essas propostas estão postas na esfera municipal, possibilitando a resolução de demandas de incentivo à inserção profissional. A pesquisa, de caráter documental e exploratória, coletou dados de experiências de políticas públicas e ações de profissionalização para mulheres em sites governamentais dos cinco maiores municípios piauienses, permeando um levantamento por meio de tabela comparativa, buscando compreender sua natureza e propostas de mudança social ao público-alvo, além de destacar elementos conceituais acerca da implementação de políticas públicas para mulheres no Brasil.
Immunotherapy of Human Melanoma: Past, Present, Future
Authors: Mortezaee Keywan , Majidpoor Jamal
Published: March 2024

Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is a promising therapeutic
schedule in advanced solid cancers. In this review, clinical trials from highly reputable
journals are interpreted for safety and efficacy evaluation of the common anti-programmed
death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor nivolumab and/or the most known anti-cytotoxic T
lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) inhibitor ipilimumab in advanced melanoma.
Current progress in the field of melanoma immunotherapy is the focus of this review.
Solo nivolumab and combo nivolumab-ipilimumab show higher responses compared
to solo ipilimumab or chemotherapy. BRAF and programmed death-ligand 1 (PDL1)
expression states are seemingly not reliable biomarkers of response to ICI therapy in
melanoma. Solo ipilimumab and particularly a combination of nivolumab-ipilimumab
show higher adverse events (AEs) compared with solo nivolumab or chemotherapy. Besides,
ICI therapy is safer in mucosal melanoma, but its efficacy is higher in the cutaneous
subtype. Patients receiving combination regimens who are experiencing serious
AEs can discontinue such regimens until recovery and still maintain clinical benefits. To
conclude, combo nivolumab-ipilimumab represents more therapeutic advantages compared
with solo nivolumab or ipilimumab, but the rate of AEs is higher for combination
regimens. Resistance to combo nivolumab-ipilimumab demands the application of novel
approaches to go with ICIs in melanoma immunotherapy. Immunogenic agents, alternative
immune checkpoints, vaccination, oncolytic viruses, extracellular vesicles (EVs)
and fecal microbiome transplantation (FMT) are novel strategies in patients developing
ICI resistance.
Changes in Lipid and Protein Peroxidation in Blood Serum and Respiratory Lungs Homogenate in Experimental Iodine Deficiency, Insulin Resistance and Their Combination
Authors: Petruniak Sofіia
Published: March 2024

The relevance of the study is the prevalence of diet-induced metabolic disorders, in particular, iodine deficiency and insulin resistance. The aim of the study was to find out the features of lipids and proteins peroxidation  in blood serum and lung tissue in rats with iodine deficiency, insulin resistance and their combination. Thyroid profile indicators, carbohydrate metabolism markers, proteins and lipids peroxidation were determined in animals kept on a standard diet (1st, control group), iodine-deficient diet (2nd group), under high-fructose feeding conditions (3rd group) and combination of iodine deprivation and the high-fructose diet (4th group). Indicators  lipids and proteins free radical oxidation were determined in serum and homogenate of the pulmonary respiratory part. Iodine insufficient diet caused hypothyroid dysfunction, as evidenced by a decrease level of thyroid hormones and increase TSH in the blood serum of rats (2nd and 4th experimental groups). Increase in serum insulin and HOMA-IR index reflects the insulin resistance (3rd and 4th groups). Long-term iodine deprivation and a high-carbohydrate diet (three months) caused a violation of thyroid homeostasis and the development of insulin resistance, which are potentiated in their combination. Under such conditions oxidative stress develops, reflecting elevation of lipid and protein peroxidation products in blood serum (by 16,40-83,10 %, р<0,05) and homogenate of the respiratory pulmonary section (by 39,61 % - 2,55 times, р<0,05) according to the control. Increase the intensity of peroxidation in a combination of iodine-deficient and high-carbohydrate diets suggests a synergism of comorbid pathology and an increase in bronchopulmonary risks.
Perinatal Consequences in Pregnant Women Suffering from Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Adonina Iryna , Marichereda Valeria
Published: March 2024

The aim of the study was to evaluate perinatal outcomes in pregnant women suffering from metabolic syndrome

Material and methods. The study was carried out on the basis of Maternity House No. 7" (Odesa) in 2014-2021. 57 women with metabolic syndrome were examined. Anthropometric parameters, basic metabolism, leptin content and lipid profile, frequency of complications of pregnancy and childbirth were evaluated. Statistical processing was carried out by methods of dispersion and correlation analysis using Statistica 13.0 software (TIBCO, USA).

Research results.

The average age of the examined women was 27.4±1.1 years. Of them, 16 (28.1%) pregnant women were primiparous, and 41 (71.9%) pregnant women gave birth again. BMI in all women was above 25 kg/m2 (on average 29.2±0.6 kg/m2) with a fat content of 47.3±2.4%. During pregnancy, leptin level was on average 39.3±1.6 ng/ml, LDL content was 1.8±0.1 mmol/l. The presence of metabolic syndrome significantly increased the frequency of obstetric and perinatal complications. The possible relationship between the identified disorders and qualitative changes in the intestinal microbiome is discussed.

Conclusions:

In women with manifested metabolic syndrome, the course of pregnancy was complicated by preeclampsia in 24.6% of cases, placental dysfunction in 29.8% of cases. The threat of premature birth occurred in 40.4%, gestational diabetes – in 31.6% of women.

With metabolic syndrome, the frequency of operative delivery increases to 35.1%. The main indications for a cesarean section were a clinically narrow pelvis, a severe form of preeclampsia, and weakness of labor that cannot be corrected with medication.

During childbirth, women in labor with metabolic syndrome often experience such complications as weakness of labor (19.3%), premature discharge of amniotic fluid (24.6%). The main complication of the postpartum period was subinvolution of the uterus (15.8%).

Most of the children born had signs of macrosomia, which closely depended on leptin concentration (r=-0.31).

The proven existence of a strong correlation between the level of leptin production and LDL (rs=0.76).
Indicators of Mineral Metabolism in the Oral Fluid in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Authors: Kerziuk Oksana , Rozhko Mykola
Published: March 2024

Disruption of the digestive system in the gastrointestinal tract, namely in gastroesophageal reflux disease, leads to the development of pathological processes in the oral cavity, changing the homeostasis of the viscoelastic gel layer of the esophageal mucosa. Thus, it has been proven that there are reflex connections between the receptor apparatus of the esophageal mucosa and the efferent nerve fibers of the salivary glands, which can be disrupted in GERD. Therefore, saliva is involved in providing effective protection of the esophagus. As a result, the content of mineral components changes significantly: in particular, the level of calcium and enzyme composition.

Aim to study the indicators of mineral metabolism: the content of calcium, alkaline, and acid phosphatases in mixed saliva in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Methods 60 patients of various ages who underwent inpatient treatment at the IFNMU University Clinic were examined, where pH-metry was performed to determine acidity. The main group consisted of patients diagnosed with GERD, with decreased and increased acidity. The content of indicators of mineral metabolism in saliva was determined as follows: calcium (Ca) - photometric method with arsenase -111; acid phosphatase (AC) was determined by the Hillman method, alkaline phosphatase (AL) by hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate at pH -10.4, release of p-nitrophenol and phosphate. The norm of indicators of mineral metabolism was established on 30 practically healthy volunteers. Statistical processing of data was carried out using the Microsoft Excel program by calculating the arithmetic mean.

Conclusions thus, the results obtained indicate that in GERD there is a violation of mineral metabolism in the oral fluid. The oral fluid is the first to come into contact with the reflux agent. This leads to a violation of saliva neutralization, so the study of saliva mineral composition can be considered as an early diagnostic marker for gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Tuberous Sclerosis: A Case of Delayed Retrospective Diagnosis
Authors: Bondarenko Maya , Kozovyi Volodymyr , Dutchak Anastasiia , Kozovyi Ruslan
Published: March 2024

Tuberous sclerosis is a rare genetic disorder, often diagnosed based on clinical manifestations. We report a case of a 39-year-old woman retrospectively diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis after giving birth to a child with cardiac rhabdomyomas. This case highlights the awareness of clinical manifestations of orphan diseases among physicians and the need for a broader approach to managing patients, extending beyond the limited perspective of medical professionals specializing in a particular area of health and facilitated through multidisciplinary consultations, highlighting the significance of educational initiatives among specialists and the general population for early detection and implementation of corrective measures in rare genetic disorders.
Formas de la cristalización del moco cervical asociadas al momento óptimo de la inseminación artificial en bovinos
Authors: Velásquez Jose Guillermo , Peña Joya Miguel Angel , Hernández Juan Carlos , Velásquez José Henry
Published: March 2024

El principal problema de la ganadería del país es la eficiencia reproductiva, taza de la preñez y, sobre todo, su distribución en el año teniendo un impacto sobre la rentabilidad ganadera. El objetivo de toda ganadería es lograr un ternero vaca-año. En el trópico se requiere de un adecuado conocimiento de la fisiología de la reproducción de los bovinos, particularmente de ciclo estral, así como el momento óptimo para hacer la inseminación artificial y lograr con éxito la fecundación que conduzca a un ternero viable
Estudio químico y actividad antioxidante de la fracción lipídica de Bactris gasipaes Kunth (chonta) un fruto utilizado como alimento en la Amazonia ecuatoriana
Authors: Calva James , Sanchez Diana , Morocho Vladimir
Published: March 2024

La fracción lipídica del fruto Bactris gasipaes (chonta) se obtuvo mediante el método soxhlet utilizando como disolvente hexano. Se realizó la caracterización química mediante cromatografía de gases acoplado a ionización de llama (CG-FID): Un total de12 ácidos grasos fueron identificados, siendo los compuestos mayoritarios los ácidos: oleico (51.75%), palmítico (28.52%), y linoleico (9.99%) respectivamente. Además, se evaluó las propiedades físicas del aceite vegetal, índices de acidez (0.003%), yodo (49.43cg/g), refracción (1.479) y de peróxidos (0.08 meqO2/kg). Finalmente, se valuó su actividad antioxidante mediante el método DPPH (78.32 µM ET/g) y ABTS (39.59 µM ET/g).

Keywords: Bactris gasipaes, DPPH, ABTS, CG- FID, ácido oleico.
Testing Two Online Symptom Checkers With Vulnerable Groups: Usability Study to Improve Cognitive Accessibility of eHealth Services
Authors: Savolainen Kaisa , Kujala Sari
Published: March 2024

Background

The popularity of eHealth services has surged significantly, underscoring the importance of ensuring their usability and accessibility for users with diverse needs, characteristics, and capabilities. These services can pose cognitive demands, especially for individuals who are unwell, fatigued, or experiencing distress. Additionally, numerous potentially vulnerable groups, including older adults, are susceptible to digital exclusion and may encounter cognitive limitations related to perception, attention, memory, and language comprehension. Regrettably, many studies overlook the preferences and needs of user groups likely to encounter challenges associated with these cognitive aspects.

Objective

This study primarily aims to gain a deeper understanding of cognitive accessibility in the practical context of eHealth services. Additionally, we aimed to identify the specific challenges that vulnerable groups encounter when using eHealth services and determine key considerations for testing these services with such groups.

Methods

As a case study of eHealth services, we conducted qualitative usability testing on 2 online symptom checkers used in Finnish public primary care. A total of 13 participants from 3 distinct groups participated in the study: older adults, individuals with mild intellectual disabilities, and nonnative Finnish speakers. The primary research methods used were the thinking-aloud method, questionnaires, and semistructured interviews.

Results

We found that potentially vulnerable groups encountered numerous issues with the tested services, with similar problems observed across all 3 groups. Specifically, clarity and the use of terminology posed significant challenges. The services overwhelmed users with excessive information and choices, while the terminology consisted of numerous complex medical terms that were difficult to understand. When conducting tests with vulnerable groups, it is crucial to carefully plan the sessions to avoid being overly lengthy, as these users often require more time to complete tasks. Additionally, testing with vulnerable groups proved to be quite efficient, with results likely to benefit a wider audience as well.

Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, it is evident that older adults, individuals with mild intellectual disability, and nonnative speakers may encounter cognitive challenges when using eHealth services, which can impede or slow down their use and make the services more difficult to navigate. In the worst-case scenario, these challenges may lead to errors in using the services. We recommend expanding the scope of testing to include a broader range of eHealth services with vulnerable groups, incorporating users with diverse characteristics and capabilities who are likely to encounter difficulties in cognitive accessibility.
The Effectiveness of a Digital App for Reduction of Clinical Symptoms in Individuals With Panic Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Kim KunJung , Hwang Hyunchan , Bae Sujin , Kim Sun Mi , Han Doug Hyun
Published: March 2024

Background

Panic disorder is a common and important disease in clinical practice that decreases individual productivity and increases health care use. Treatments comprise medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. However, adverse medication effects and poor treatment compliance mean new therapeutic models are needed.

Objective

We hypothesized that digital therapy for panic disorder may improve panic disorder symptoms and that treatment response would be associated with brain activity changes assessed with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Methods

Individuals (n=50) with a history of panic attacks were recruited. Symptoms were assessed before and after the use of an app for panic disorder, which in this study was a smartphone-based app for treating the clinical symptoms of panic disorder, panic symptoms, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. The hemodynamics in the frontal cortex during the resting state were measured via fNIRS. The app had 4 parts: diary, education, quest, and serious games. The study trial was approved by the institutional review board of Chung-Ang University Hospital (1041078-202112-HR-349-01) and written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Results

The number of participants with improved panic symptoms in the app use group (20/25, 80%) was greater than that in the control group (6/21, 29%; χ21=12.3; P=.005). During treatment, the improvement in the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) score in the app use group was greater than that in the control group (F1,44=7.03; P=.01). In the app use group, the total PDSS score declined by 42.5% (mean score 14.3, SD 6.5 at baseline and mean score 7.2, SD 3.6 after the intervention), whereas the PDSS score declined by 14.6% in the control group (mean score 12.4, SD 5.2 at baseline and mean score 9.8, SD 7.9 after the intervention). There were no significant differences in accumulated oxygenated hemoglobin (accHbO2) at baseline between the app use and control groups. During treatment, the reduction in accHbO2 in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC; F1,44=8.22; P=.006) and the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC; F1,44=8.88; P=.005) was greater in the app use than the control group.

Conclusions

Apps for panic disorder should effectively reduce symptoms and VLPFC and OFC brain activity in patients with panic disorder. The improvement of panic disorder symptoms was positively correlated with decreased VLPFC and OFC brain activity in the resting state.

Trial Registration

Clinical Research Information Service KCT0007280; https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?seq=21448
Combating Barriers to the Development of a Patient-Oriented Frailty Website
Authors: Greeley Brian , Chung Sally Seohyeon , Graves Lorraine , Song Xiaowei
Published: March 2024

This viewpoint article, which represents the opinions of the authors, discusses the barriers to developing a patient-oriented frailty website and potential solutions. A patient-oriented frailty website is a health resource where community-dwelling older adults can navigate to and answer a series of health-related questions to receive a frailty score and health summary. This information could then be shared with health care professionals to help with the understanding of health status prior to acute illness, as well as to screen and identify older adult individuals for frailty. Our viewpoints were drawn from 2 discussion sessions that included caregivers and care providers, as well as community-dwelling older adults. We found that barriers to a patient-oriented frailty website include, but are not limited to, its inherent restrictiveness to frail persons, concerns over data privacy, time commitment worries, and the need for health and lifestyle resources in addition to an assessment summary. For each barrier, we discuss potential solutions and caveats to those solutions, including assistance from caregivers, hosting the website on a trusted source, reducing the number of health questions that need to be answered, and providing resources tailored to each users’ responses, respectively. In addition to screening and identifying frail older adults, a patient-oriented frailty website will help promote healthy aging in nonfrail adults, encourage aging in place, support real-time monitoring, and enable personalized and preventative care.
Generation Z’s Health Information Avoidance Behavior: Insights From Focus Group Discussions (Preprint)
Authors: Jia Chenjin , Li Pengcheng
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

Younger generations actively use social media to access health information. However, research shows that they also avoid obtaining health information online at times when confronted with uncertainty.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the phenomenon of health information avoidance among Generation Z, a representative cohort of active web users in this era.

METHODS

Drawing on the planned risk information avoidance model, we adopted a qualitative approach to explore the factors related to information avoidance within the context of health and risk communication. The researchers recruited 38 participants aged 16 to 25 years for the focus group discussion sessions.

RESULTS

In this study, we sought to perform a deductive qualitative analysis of the focus group interview content with open, focused, and theoretical coding. Our findings support several key components of the planned risk information avoidance model while highlighting the underlying influence of cognition on emotions. Specifically, socioculturally, group identity and social norms among peers lead some to avoid health information. Cognitively, mixed levels of risk perception, conflicting values, information overload, and low credibility of information sources elicited their information avoidance behaviors. Affectively, negative emotions such as anxiety, frustration, and the desire to stay positive contributed to avoidance.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has implications for understanding young users’ information avoidance behaviors in both academia and practice.
A Symptom-Checker for Adult Patients Visiting an Interdisciplinary Emergency Care Center and the Safety of Patient Self-Triage: Real-Life Prospective Evaluation (Preprint)
Authors: Meer Andreas , Rahm Philipp , Schwendinger Markus , Vock Michael , Grunder Bettina , Demurtas Jacopo , Rutishauser Jonas
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

Symptom-checkers have become important tools for self-triage, assisting patients to determine the urgency of medical care. To be safe and effective, these tools must be validated, particularly to avoid potentially hazardous undertriage without leading to inefficient overtriage. Only limited safety data from studies including small sample sizes have been available so far.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our study was to prospectively investigate the safety of patients’ self-triage in a large patient sample. We used SMASS (Swiss Medical Assessment System; in4medicine, Inc) pathfinder, a symptom-checker based on a computerized transparent neural network.

METHODS

We recruited 2543 patients into this single-center, prospective clinical trial conducted at the cantonal hospital of Baden, Switzerland. Patients with an Emergency Severity Index of 1-2 were treated by the team of the emergency department, while those with an index of 3-5 were seen at the walk-in clinic by general physicians. We compared the triage recommendation obtained by the patients’ self-triage with the assessment of clinical urgency made by 3 successive interdisciplinary panels of physicians (panels A, B, and C). Using the Clopper-Pearson CI, we assumed that to confirm the symptom-checkers’ safety, the upper confidence bound for the probability of a potentially hazardous undertriage should lie below 1%. A potentially hazardous undertriage was defined as a triage in which either all (consensus criterion) or the majority (majority criterion) of the experts of the last panel (panel C) rated the triage of the symptom-checker to be “rather likely” or “likely” life-threatening or harmful.

RESULTS

Of the 2543 patients, 1227 (48.25%) were female and 1316 (51.75%) male. None of the patients reached the prespecified consensus criterion for a potentially hazardous undertriage. This resulted in an upper 95% confidence bound of 0.1184%. Further, 4 cases met the majority criterion. This resulted in an upper 95% confidence bound for the probability of a potentially hazardous undertriage of 0.3616%. The 2-sided 95% Clopper-Pearson CI for the probability of overtriage (n=450 cases,17.69%) was 16.23% to 19.24%, which is considerably lower than the figures reported in the literature.

CONCLUSIONS

The symptom-checker proved to be a safe triage tool, avoiding potentially hazardous undertriage in a real-life clinical setting of emergency consultations at a walk-in clinic or emergency department without causing undesirable overtriage. Our data suggest the symptom-checker may be safely used in clinical routine.

CLINICALTRIAL

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04055298; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04055298
Integrating Passive and Active Remote Sensing Data with Spatial Filters for Urban Growth Analysis in Urmia, Iran
Authors: Isazade Vahid , Isazade Esmail , Qasimi Abdul Baser , Serwa Ahmed
Published: March 2024

Active remote sensing and related technologies are one of the new tools recently used to monitor complications and urban growth. This research aims to investigate the effect of spatial filters on urban complications. The aim of this paper is to compare Lee, Frost and Average spatial filters with Landsat 8 satellite images and radar images with HH/HV polarization to investigate and identify urban features in the west of Urmia City. The results showed that Filterelli with the kernel 3 x 3 had reduced the spike noise in Alus Palsard satellite radar images in identifying the growth of urban tolls. Also, the results of K-means classification, the Lee filter with kernel size 3 x 3 more accurately identifies the urban features of the west of Urmia City. The kappa coefficient was 0.96%, and the overall accuracy of this filter was 97.36%. Therefore, Lee’s spatial filter has successfully identified the urban features of west Urmia with high accuracy. This system can be implemented in any other field due to its generality and reliability. This system may be a step towards remote sensing automation.
Frequency of pulley lesions in patients with frozen shoulder
Authors: Bohdan S.V. , Yuriychuk L.М. , Strafun O.S. , Sergienko R.O. , Strafun S.S.
Published: March 2024

Background. Analyzing the results of studies conduc­ted at various MRI centers in different cities of our country, demonstrates that the diagnosis of pulley lesion was only established in a few of them, while the diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis was established in every third examination. This fact leads to the disregard of the primary cause of the disease, diagnostic errors, and consequently, treatment mistakes. The purpose was to investigate the frequency of different types of pulley lesions involving the ligaments that maintain the integrity of the long head of the biceps (pulley lesion injuries) in patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder joint (frozen shoulder). Materials and methods. We performed 310 ope­rations on patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. The patients’ ages ranged from 30 to 90 years. The average duration from the onset of the disease to surgical intervention was 189 ± 104 days. All patients were examined clinically and radiologically and all patients underwent MRI study of anatomical structures and shoulder joint arthroscopy. Results. Pulley lesion injuries of the shoulder joint were detected in 84 (27.1 %) of the patients who underwent surgery for a frozen shoulder. This allows us to assert that in this particular patient group, secondary adhesive capsulitis with the development of shoulder joint contracture was predominant. The third (16.5 %) and fourth (12.4 %) types of pulley lesion injuries were the most prevalent. These particular types of pulley lesion injuries exhibit the most contracture-inducing properties, with the third type predominating over the fourth type. А change in the type of pulley lesion damage (an increase in the number of damaged structures of the shoulder), the average indicators of the mobility of the shoulder decreased. Conclusions. In 27.1% of patients who were opera­ted on for idiopathic adhesive capsulitis was detected pulley lesion, which gives us to reconsider treatment approaches and expand the indications for diagnostic and therapeutic shoulder arthroscopy in the earlier stages of the disease.
Ibu dan Pendidikan Anak dalam Budaya Batak Toba
Authors: Girsang Lode Wijk Pandapotan
Published: March 2024

Tujuan dari tulisan ini adalah untuk mengetahui relasi antara investasi sosial yang tinggi dan beban ekonomi perempuan pada komunitas petani yang memiliki budaya patriarki di Lumban Silintong, Sumatera Utara. Penelitian ini menggunakan teori tentang patriarki yang memperlihatkan dominasi laki-laki dan menempatkan perempuan dalam posisi yang tersubordinasi; dan pendidikan anak sebagai motif investasi pada pendidikan anak untuk mendapatkan berbagai manfaat di masa depan. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan metode penelitian etnografi yaitu dengan teknik obervasi partisipasi di lokasi penelitian selama 109 hari. Peneliti terlibat aktif dalam berbagai kegiatan yang di lakukan penduduk desa. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa relasi antara investasi pada pendidikan anak dan tingginya beban kerja/ekonomi perempuan adalah karena secara struktur sosial orang Batak Toba (patriarki) menempatkan perempuan dalam keadaan tersubordinasi. Cita-cita patriarki yang telah mengkristal di masyarakat, harus dipikul oleh istri, karena dengan melakukan perannya sebagai istri dapat mengurangi sanksi sosial, terutama jika anak-anaknya dikatakan sukses. Tetapi dibalik jerih payah mengusahakan pendidikan anak-anaknya, kaum ibu Lumban Silintong mendapatkan berbagai manfaat: meringankan beban pendidikan anak-anak yang lain, mendapatkan perlindungan hari tua, membantu pemenuhan biaya adat. Hal lain yang didapatkan adalah ketika seorang ibu telah berjuang untuk anak-anaknya, maka di hari tuanya anak-anak akan lebih peduli terhadap ibunya.
Sintaktičke sposobnosti djece koja mucaju
Authors:   Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb, Leko Krhen Ana , Hržica Gordana ,   Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb, Kokot Natalija ,   VaLMod Center – Speech and Language Pathology, Varaždin
Published: March 2024

Ideja o povezanosti mucanja i jezika potiče istraživanja niz godina, no rezultati nisu jednoznačni. Neka su istraživanja pokazala da su jezične sposobnosti djece koja mucaju (DKM) slabije, dok druga nisu utvrdila razlike u odnosu na vršnjake urednoga govornog razvoja (DKNM). Ciljevi su rada ispitati razlike u razumijevanju i proizvodnji sintaktičkih struktura između djece koja mucaju i djece koja ne mucaju, te ispitati povezanost sintaktičkih sposobnosti djece koja mucaju i jakosti mucanja. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo petnaestero djece koja mucaju i petnaestero koja ne mucaju. Jakost mucanja ispitana je instrumentom za ispitivanje jakosti mucanja (Stuttering Severity Instrument – SSI). Korišten je i test razumijevanja gramatike (TROG-2:HR) te hrvatska inačica višejezičnoga instrumenta za procjenu pripovijedanja (Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives – MAIN). Izračunate su prosječna duljina komunikacijske jedinice, koja je pokazatelj sintaktičke složenosti u jezičnoj proizvodnji, te gustoća klauza. Viši rezultat na ovoj mjeri znači da je ispitanik u nekome jezičnom uzorku upotrijebio više zavisnosloženih rečenica. Rezultati su pokazali da se DKM ne razlikuje od DKNM-a na testu TROG-2:HR, kao ni prema prosječnoj duljini komunikacijske jedinice i gustoći klauza (pismeno i usmeno). Ne postoji značajna povezanost između jačine mucanja i prosječne duljine komunikacijske jedinice i gustoće klauza. Rezultati se mogu tumačiti u smjeru nepostojanja razlika u jezičnim sposobnostima dviju skupina ispitanika, ali ih je potrebno oprezno interpretirati zbog mogućega utjecaja terapije na jezične sposobnosti.
A Literature Review on Brain Tumor Classification Using Deep Learning
Authors: M Mrs. Saradha
Published: March 2024

Abstract: Brain tumor detection is a hard process in medicine. These brain tumors were brought on by the development of defective brain cells. It is classified into benign and malignant tumor which is cancerous and non-cancerous. Brain tumors are divided into three types Glioma, Meningioma, and Pituitary Tumor. By using magnetic resonance images, brain tumor prediction is carried out quickly with greater accuracy when these algorithms are applied to MRI scans. This aids inpatient treatment. The radiologist can make speedy decisions thanks to these predictions. Deep learning is used to analyze enormous datasets and to create clear images of the body for brain tumor diagnosis. In the proposed work, the CNN algorithm is applied in the current model for computation accuracy as well as speed.
Movie Review Sentiment Analysis and AI-Story Generation Web Application
Authors: Kumar Periketi Shashi
Published: March 2024

Abstract: This paper presents a web application designed to enhance the interaction between users and multimedia content through two innovative platforms: "MOVIE REVIEW SENTIMENT ANALYSIS" and "AI-STORY GENERATION." The first platform leverages the Fastai library and LSTM networks to perform sentiment analysis on user-submitted movie reviews, determining their polarity as positive or negative. This analysis directly influences the movie's aggregate rating, with the system capable of processing extensive textual input with high accuracy. Ratings are dynamically updated and stored in JSON format. The second platform, AI-STORY GENERATION, introduces a creative avenue for generating novel stories based on user prompts. It utilizes Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques and a Generative Pretrained Transformer (GPT-2 Large) model, trained on tokenized movie scripts, to produce coherent and engaging narratives. The Flask web framework supports the application's backend, providing a robust and scalable foundation for user interaction and content delivery. This dual-platform approach not only demonstrates the practical application of advanced machine learning and NLP techniques in enhancing digital entertainment experiences but also showcases the potential for AI-driven tools to foster creative storytelling. The integration of sentiment analysis and story generation within a single application illustrates a novel use case of AI in the context of web-based entertainment, potentially paving the way for more personalized and interactive user experiences
SELF CONTROL DENGAN PROKRASTINASI PADA MAHASISWA DALAM MENYELESAIKAN TUGAS PERKULIAHAN
Authors: A Mellysha Mugista
Published: March 2024

Perilaku prokrastinasi merupakan kecenderungan menunda dan menghindari suatu tugas yang dilakukan secara berulang-ulang dan dalam keadaan sadar yang dilakukan oleh seseorang karena kurang adanya kontrol diri, akibatnya banyak tugas yang terbengkalai dan tidak terselesaikan secara maksimal hingga tak jarang berakibat pada tertundanya perolehan gelar kesarjanaan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui hubungan antara self control dengan perilaku prokrastinasi pada mahasiswa. Subjek penelitian ini adalah mahasiswa Fakultas Psikologi Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang berjumlah 243 mahasiswa. Teknik pengambilan sampel dalam penelitian ini menggunakan teknik purposive sample yang diambil diambil dengan teknik non random sampling. Penelitian ini menggunakan skala Self Control dan Tuckman Procrastination Scale (TPS). Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis korelasi product moment. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan adanya hubungan negatif yang signifikan (r = -0,625;sig= 0,000 < 0,01) antara tingkat Self control dengan perilaku prokrastinasi pada mahasiswa dalam menyelesaikan tugas perkuliahan. Semakin tinggi self control pada mahasiswa, maka semakin rendah perilaku prokrastinasi. sebaliknya semakin rendah self control yang ada pada diri  mahasiswa, maka semakin tinggi pula perilaku prokrastinasi. Sumbangan efektif dari penelitian ini sebesar 39,0%. Kata kunci: Self control, perilaku prokrastinasi Procrastination behavior has been understood as one’s inclination to postpone and probably even avoid one’s assignments repeatedly. The consequences were clear as the assignments were neglected and not succesfully accomplished. The worst consequences for university students especially was their graduation might be achieved much later than usual. This study aimed to find any correlation between self control and procrastionation behavior among university students. The subjects were 243 students of Department of Psychology of the University of Muhammadiyah Malang. They were non-randomly recruited by purposive sampling technique. Self Control Scale and Tuckman Procrastination Scale (TPS) were used to obtain data, which then were analyzed by using product moment correlation analysis technique. The findings revealed that there was a significant negative correlation (r= -0.625; sig= 0.000 < 0.01) between the level of self control and procrastination behavior among the subjects. The higher the university students’ self control, the lower their inclination for procrastination  behavior. Keywords: Self control, procrastination behavior