bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polyamidoamine Dendrimer Modified Silica Nanoparticles: A Promising Sorbent for Benzoylurea Insecticides Detection in Tea Infusions
Authors: Zhang Yanchao , Cui Xiaoyan , Lin Xiwen , Mi Yiduo , Yan Yumei , Liu Xiaoyang , Jiao Keren , Gao Haixiang , Lu Runhua , Zhou Wenfeng
Published: August 2024

This research aims to develop a precise and efficient dispersive solid-phase microextraction (DSPE) technique using third-generation polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer-grafted nanoparticles to quantify benzoylurea pesticides in green tea, black tea, and oolong tea infusions. The extraction efficiency is optimized through single-factor adjustments of key parameters, including adsorbent quantity (5-20 mg), adsorption duration (5-20 min), desorbent identity (methanol, acetonitrile), volume (100-600 μL), sodium chloride concentration (0-10%, m/v), and sample solution pH (3-8). The optimized method demonstrates linearity in the range of 2-500 μg L-1, with limits of detection (LODs) ranging from 0.6-1.5 μg L-1 and limits of quantification (LOQs) from 2.0-5.0 μg L-1. Recovery rates of 81.2-96.0% are achieved, with intra-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.4-2.8% and inter-day relative standard deviations of 2.0-3.9%, indicating high accuracy and repeatability. The successful application of detecting residues in commercial tea samples underscores the strong potential of the technique to determine benzoylurea analyte levels.
One-Pot Synthesis of Benzopinacolone Derivatives from Acetophenones
Authors: O. Meira Andréia Joice , B. de Queiroz Thiago , T. Omori Alvaro
Published: August 2024

Pinacolone and benzopinacolone derivatives are an important class of organic compounds due to their uses in polymer synthesis and more recently as biologically active compounds. The conventional synthesis of such molecules is generally done in two steps, the pinacol coupling followed by the pinacol/pinacolone rearrangement. Aiming to prepare benzopinacolone derivatives in a greener fashion, we present here a one-step synthesis from acetophenones in the presence of zinc and tert-butyl chloride. To develop the methodology, conditions to prepare 3,3-diphenyl-2-butanone from acetophenone were optimized. To assess the scope, different substituted acetophenones were tested, resulting in the corresponding benzopinacolones at moderate yields (20-50%) with high purity. Structural elucidations were performed by 1H and 13C NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) and GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry).
Kernel-based framework for improved prediction of discharge coefficient in vertically supported cylindrical weirs
Authors: Roushangar Kiyoumars , Mehrizad Amir
Published: August 2024

The present study represents the first use of kernel-based models to predict discharge coefficient (Cd) for two distinct types of cylindrical weirs, featuring vertical support and a 30-degree upstream ramp. For this purpose, kernel-based methods, including support vector machine, Gaussian process regression (GPR), Kernel extreme learning machine, and Kernel ridge regression, were used, as they offer notable advantages compared to other machine learning models, such as flexibility in handling various data patterns, robustness against overfitting, and effectiveness in high-dimensional data scenarios. The results indicated that the GPR model, with statistical metrics of R = 0.967, Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) = 0.935, and root-mean-square error (RMSE) = 0.027, demonstrates superior accuracy in modeling the overall dataset collected from two distinct types of weirs. Through a conducted sensitivity analysis, it was identified that the upstream Froude number is pivotal in accurately predicting the Cd of a cylindrical weir. The modeling conducted for two distinct weir types revealed that a cylindrical weir with vertical support exhibits enhanced predictive capabilities (R = 0.997, NSE = 0.994, and RMSE = 0.007) for Cd. The findings indicate that the introduction of the upstream ramp alters hydraulic conditions, resulting in reduced modeling accuracy (R = 0.760, NSE = 0.529, and RMSE = 0.060).
Spatial prioritization of groundwater resources in mountain region of Nepal: a GIS and AHP integrated framework
Authors: Poudel Ayush , Chaudhary Rakesh Kumar , Suwal Naresh , Mishra Ravi Kumar
Published: August 2024

Climate change and anthropogenic activities pose major challenges to water resource management in water-scarce mountain regions. Managing and monitoring groundwater effectively is crucial in mitigating these challenges. Understanding groundwater resources and their distribution is necessary for effective management. The present study covers Doramba rural municipality of Nepal. It employed the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) as a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tool integrated with remote sensing (RS) data and geospatial techniques to identify groundwater potential zones (GPZs). The parameters for analysis include drainage density, slope, rainfall, lineament density, land use/land cover (LULC), soil, geology, curvature, roughness, topographic wetness index, and topographic position index. These 11 thematic layers of the study area were prioritized using Satty's AHP method for the delineation of GPZs. The results classified the study area into very high, high, moderate, low, and very low groundwater potential classes, covering 26.71, 27.98, 46.61, 34.71, and 4.89 km2, respectively. The delineated map accuracy was confirmed with a 70.7% prediction rate based on the spatial distribution of 56 springs in the study area. The study's results can be applied to the sustainable management of groundwater resources in the study region and other areas with similar hydrogeological conditions.
Spatial and seasonal assessment of surface water quality for domestic use in a semi-arid area of the Upper Kebir Sub-basin, NE Algeria
Authors: Allia Zineb , Lalaoui Meryem , Chebbah Mohamed
Published: August 2024

The present study was conducted out in the Upper Kebir Sub-basin [North East (NE) Algeria] aiming to evaluate the status and spatial–seasonal variability of water quality for domestic purposes using hydrogeochemical parameters and water quality indices. Surface water samples were collected from 27 selected sites, in 2020–2021 during both the wet and dry seasons and were analysed for 22 parameters. The findings were compared with WHO standards and the water quality indices were calculated. The analysis revealed that the basin was mainly polluted and showed significant seasonal and spatial variations in water quality, considerably influenced by climatic conditions (surface runoff) and human activities (urban sewage and agricultural activities). The results reveal significant spatio-temporal fluctuations and highlight areas likely to be affected by anthropogenic activities.
Full-scale study on high-rate low-temperature anaerobic digestion of agro-food wastewater: process performances and microbial community
Authors: Paulo Lara M. , Liu Yu-Chen , Castilla-Archilla Juan , Ramiro-Garcia Javier , Hughes Dermot , Mahony Thérèse , Holohan B. Conall , Wilmes Paul , O'Flaherty Vincent
Published: August 2024

The fast-growing global population has led to a substantial increase in food production, which generates large volumes of wastewater during the process. Despite most industrial wastewater being discharged at lower ambient temperatures (<20 °C), majority of the high-rate anaerobic reactors are operated at mesophilic temperatures (>30 °C). High-rate low-temperature anaerobic digestion (LtAD) has proven successful in treating industrial wastewater both at laboratory and pilot scales, boasting efficient organic removal and biogas production. In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of two full-scale high-rate LtAD bioreactors treating meat processing and dairy wastewater, and the microbial communities in both reactors were examined. Both reactors exhibited rapid start-up, achieving considerable chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies (total COD removal >80%) and generating high-quality biogas (CH4% in biogas >75%). Long-term operations (6–12 months) underscored the robustness of LtAD bioreactors even during winter periods (average temperature <12 °C), as evidenced by sustained high COD removal rates (total COD removal >80%). The stable performance was underpinned by a resilient microbial community comprising active acetoclastic methanogens, hydrolytic, and fermentative bacteria. These findings underscore the feasibility of high-rate low-temperature anaerobic wastewater treatment, offering promising solutions to the zero-emission wastewater treatment challenge.
Estar con Raúl
Authors: Koopmann Silvia Ayelen
Published: August 2024

En el siguiente escrito busco describir etnográficamente, a través de fotografías, la gruta de un joven asesinado en el Barrio Los Cortaderos de la Ciudad de Córdoba. Haré especial énfasis en cómo se ponen en marcha, dentro de esta territorialización, determinadas estrategias de conmemoración, donde la fotografía cumple un rol especial para nombrar y poner rostro a la persona que se recuerda. Entendiendo así, que existe cierta correlación entre los procesos de patrimonialización popular de la muerte con la agudización de los contextos de violencias en los que se inscriben (Flores Martos, 2014; Blair, 2007; entre otros).  En este marco, me pregunto qué lugar ocupa la imagen fotográfica en estos procesos de construcción de memorias (Da Silva Catela, 1999). Para dar cuenta de esto compartiré la experiencia etnográfica de la gruta del “Gordo” Raúl. Cabe destacar que este trabajo se inscribe en el marco de mi tesis doctoral en Ciencias Antropológicas denominada: Muertes violentas y desapariciones en sectores populares de Córdoba. Una antropología sobre fotografías y memorias en altares, grutas y pancartas. Dirigida por la Dra. Natalia Bermúdez.
Shanghai cooperation organization economic and transport cooperation at the present stage
Authors: Shkvarya L. V.
Published: August 2024

The article analyzes the development of foreign trade in the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for the period 2000–2022 in the commodity segment. The predominant and dominant role of China both in the international market and in trade with the SCO states is shown. It is concluded that, along with the growth of mutual trade in the SCO space, the imbalance of trade flows in the future may contribute to the development of negative phenomena, especially in the case of a transition in this trade to settlements in national currencies. The article shows that the SCO countries, especially China and Russia, have intensified and strengthened their presence in the innovation sphere and the global digital segment. The interaction of the SCO countries in innovative and digital directions, according to the author, makes it possible in the future to increase the SCO’s digital leadership in the global economic space and implement digital solutions in other SCO countries, which are less actively developing and using digital tools today. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has been developing various areas of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between partners for more than 20 years. One of these areas is the transport sector. The importance of this area is growing both in national economies, for example, in China, and in cooperation. The article describes new modern directions of cooperation between the SCO countries in the transport sector. This strengthens the integration processes in the interstate association in the field of economics, transport and improvisation.
Current trends in the socio-economic development of the GCC: statistical analysis
Authors: Rusakovich V. I.
Published: August 2024

The relevance of the research topic is explained by the fact that at the moment, the participation of the GCC in international economic relations, the world economy, international trade, regional integration and global globalization plays a significant role. Since the integration process is complex, multilevel and unambiguously slow, it is possible to give an objective assessment of the situation of integration on the world stage exclusively in dynamics, therefore, in order to maintain the fundamental nature of the study of this issue, periodic studies remain always relevant. The GCC unites a group of Arab countries with highly specialized developing economies, some of which are in leading positions in the production and marketing of oil and petroleum products around the world. In addition, the official statements of the heads of state on the development and diversification of integrated economies indicate that the study and identification of the features of the Middle East integration grouping will contribute to strengthening ties with the GCC of both third countries and its member countries. The aim is to identify trends and features of the GCC economic integration at the present stage through theoretical, statistical data, macroeconomic indicators, SWOT and PEST analysis. Methodological basis of the study: reference literature, international statistical data from official sources (UNCTAD, WTO, TradeMap, World Bank and others), comparison of the indicators found and obtained. The analysis confirms the relevance and importance of further study of socio-economic processes in the GCC countries, which contributes to a deeper understanding of them as a basis for further research.
INDICADORES DE CIÊNCIA, TECNOLOGIA E INOVAÇÃO ENVOLVENDO PATRIMÔNIO GENÉTICO E CONHECIMENTOS TRADICIONAIS ASSOCIADOS À FLORA DA MATA ATLÂNTICA
Authors: Villa dos Santos Celise , Mascarenhas e Silva Fábio
Published: August 2024

Inovações baseadas na biodiversidade têm sido estimuladas por políticas públicas como solução para aumentar a eficiência econômica e competitiva do Brasil, e apontadas como mecanismo de superação dos desafios socioambientais envolvendo a mudança do clima, e a conservação dos patrimônios cultural e biológico. Dada a carência de indicadores sobre Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação envolvendo o patrimônio genético brasileiro e os conhecimentos tradicionais associados, esse trabalho analisa de modo pioneiro as capacidades e limitações de informação públicas do Sistema Eletrônico de Gestão do Patrimônio Genético para medir a inovação de impacto tecnológico e social envolvendo a biodiversidade brasileira, tomando como estudo de caso dados sobre a flora nativa do bioma Mata Atlântica. Constata-se que o Sistema tende a concentrar informações relativas à tecnologias e produtos de base tecnológica e que, para a flora da Mata Atlântica, embora haja grande potencial de inovação em produtos e processos desenvolvidos por instituições públicas de ensino e pesquisa, poucos foram notificados ou licenciados, com a inovação concentrada no setor de cosméticos. Verifica-se entre outras limitações do SisGEn, a da não publicidade de informações relativas às espécies acessadas e aos produtos desenvolvidos ou notificados, o que restringe a participação da sociedade no monitoramento e aprimoramento dos mecanismos de controle de acesso, e na definição de políticas públicas.
Phytoremediation/Phytoextraction: A Sustainable Approach to the Restoration of ChromiumContaminated Soil
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Shah Deepankshi , Kumar Manoj , Singh Snigdha , Yadav Virendra Kumar , Tariq Mohd. , Kumar Ramesh , Kumar Nakul , Wanale Shivraj Gangadhar , Choudhary Shipra
Published: August 2024

Chromium is a major component that is responsible for environmental
stress. It also has profound effects on the health of living beings because trace amounts
of chromium in the environment have been linked to serious health problems in
humans and plants. The dangers to human health, bioavailability, plant response to
chromium toxicity, and phytoextraction storage in plants are issues of major concern.
Understanding and optimizing the phytoextraction process would be immensely
beneficial to know about metabolic pool changes that occur in plants in response to Cr
toxicity. Therefore, the removal of chromium from the environment is necessary due to
its toxic nature. However, the removal of chromium from the environment is a daunting
task. Physico-chemical and biological techniques are either too expensive or inefficient
to be widely implemented to eradicate chromium from the contaminated soil and
environment. The challenges of widespread implementation can be met by adopting integrated approaches, which are currently under consideration. The removal of
chromium from the environment can be more economical and sustainable using
phytoremediation technology.
In this chapter, we have discussed the phytoremediation technique as a green solution
for the removal of chromium from polluted soil because phytoremediation, and
especially phytoextraction, is a viable and sustainable solution to restore chromiumpolluted soil.
Significance of Nanobioremediation for the Removal of Contaminants from Water: Challenges and Future Prospects
Authors: Bais Shraddha , Shrivastava Ruchi
Published: August 2024

Water is the most crucial natural resource required for the survival of
humankind, but chemical industries, household activities, foul practices, etc., are
responsible for polluting it. This leads us to work on the purification and
bioremediation of water contaminants. Diverse techniques have been developed
globally for decontamination/purification of water, but owing to their high cost,
tediousness and time consumption, it has become necessary to work on those methods
that are comparatively cheaper, techno-feasible and employ a green process. In the
contemporary world, the use of nanotechnology in the bioremediation of water
pollutants revolutionarily provides a way to incorporate functional chemicals in notably
reduced quantities to fulfil the desired purpose. Globally, water pollution is primarily
caused by the rainwater containing the pollutants present in the air. Industrial and
domestic wastewater, which is a major source of toxic heavy metals, industrial dyes,
pesticides and insecticides, is used in agriculture. These water pollutants adversely
affect the health of human beings as well as the whole ecosystem of the affected
region. The employment of nano-materials (NMs) degrades the pollutants from the
water source to its standard permissible level. The current chapter comprises a detailed
discussion on the immense potential of NMs in the bioremediation of polluted water
using different NMs and also provides a comprehensive comparison with other
conventional bioremediation methods to make water environmentally non-hazardous.
Diplomasi Indonesia dan Persoalan Migran Asal Indonesia Pasca Konflik Suriah
Authors:   Universitas Brawijaya, Mutmainah Dian
Published: August 2024

The repatriation of Indonesian migrants from Syria in April 2023 reminded us to the repatriation wave of Indonesian migrant from Syria after the country was torn by internal conflict since 2011. Indonesian Government has conducted series of diplomatic efforts to ensure the safety of its citizen in Syria. Indonesian Government was decided to stop sending its workers to Syria since 2011. Indonesia also categorized Syria as one of rescticted destinations for its migrant workers since 2015. Then why are there Indonesian migrants in Syria after those restrictions was applied? This fact indicates that there was illegal procedure available that enabled the workers to migrate to Syria amids the restrictions which out of sight of the government monitor. This paper addressed two issues: Indonesian diplomacy as a respon to the conflict in Suriah; and the problems faced by Indonesian Migrant Workers (IMW) because of the conflict in Syria. This paper identified two problems faced by IWM in Syria after the conflict: security threats caused by the conflict that contributes to the occurrence of illegal migration to Syria; and labour issues that wosened by intensity of illegal migration during the conflict.
La otredad baila desde Tumaco: Pacific Dance en la Bienal de Cali de 2023
Authors: García Roldan Daniel
Published: August 2024

Este artículo se compone de dos partes: una bitácora del proceso de creación de la obra de danza teatro titulada La Otredad del grupo Pacific Dance de Tumaco (Colombia) y una descripción e interpretación del primero de los cuatro momentos que la componen. Con ello, se pretende ampliar la comprensión de los proyectos de danza teatro que surgen de colectivos formados de manera autodidacta en los territorios y entender su transformación a partir de los diálogos y las alianzas que establecen con actores del ámbito del arte, la universidad y del sector público.
Cuerpos que cuentan, cuerpos que saben: danza y narratividad en Cañaduzal: historias de cenizas
Authors: Conde Juan Alberto
Published: August 2024

Este artículo propone un análisis/comentario de la obra Cañaduzal: historias de cenizas, del grupo de la Compañía Artística Manglares, articulado en torno a la relación entre narratividad, cuerpo y representación. En cuanto al primer aspecto, se explora la manera en la que esta obra, que integra danza tradicional, urbana y contemporánea, despliega un relato que es representado a través de los recursos de la puesta en escena, la música y la coreografía, y la manera en que este relato se inscribe en una narrativa sociohistórica más amplia: la del desplazamiento y la violencia. El segundo aspecto, la corporalidad que soporta todos los otros niveles, se aborda a partir de la manera en que el movimiento y la disposición de las presencias físicas en escena, de la mano del vestuario, el maquillaje y la iluminación (objetos que modulan la corporeidad), ofrecen una experiencia plástica, además de narrativa, a los espectadores. El tercer aspecto, la representación, se asocia con la indagación en torno a la metáfora sinestésica que propone la obra: los sabores, primero dulces y provenientes de la caña de azúcar y luego amargos, de la muerte, la violencia y la desaparición, que se articulan con lo que Juliana Martínez ha denominado realismo espectral: las narrativas que ponen en evidencia la compleja continuidad entre la vida y la muerte en los territorios de la violencia.
Conmemoración y movimiento en Las lavanderas del río Atrato. Reflexiones sobre el laboratorio creativo y el estreno de la obra
Authors: Sanabria Bohórquez Carlos Eduardo
Published: August 2024

Las lavanderas del río Atrato. Restregando su dolor es una obra de danza que recoge, por un lado, las investigaciones del movimiento que sus integrantes afrodescendientes han realizado en torno a los oficios tradicionales de los habitantes del territorio del río Atrato, particularmente de las lavanderas, investigaciones en las que se cuidan elementos de la tradición y se los actualiza en lo contemporáneo; por otra parte, se propone como una rememoración y conmemoración de las mujeres afro del departamento del Chocó, Colombia, quienes con sus manos, poncheras, rallos, manducos, tendederas y técnicas corporales han lavado la ropa a la orilla del río Atrato, para aliviar sus penas y conseguir el sustento para sus familias. Las lavanderas del río Atrato, las mujeres afrodescendientes dedicadas al oficio, en su quehacer tácitamente entrenaron sus cuerpos de forma natural y crearon formas de movimientos (técnicas de movimientos) muy valiosas que hacen parte de la cultura corporal del departamento del Chocó, las cuales se convirtieron en una herramienta fundamental para la creación de esta obra dancística. Acaso el oficio de lavar la ropa propia y de otros es una práctica universal en la que se reúnen formas comunitarias de construcción de relatos, movimientos y apoyos mutuos arraigados en lo local e incluso familiar y que actúan como vehículo de experiencias simbólicas universales como la solidaridad entre las mujeres, el cuidado y la limpieza de las heridas infringidas por distintas violencias y la esperanza de reconstrucción de identidades afro quebradas y comunidades vulneradas.
Design for optimisation of drug administration
Authors: Amato Camilla , Cermola Daria , Vecchione Raffaele , Langella Carla
Published: August 2024

In the last few years, a new technology based on microneedles has been used for the delivery of drugs and vaccines. Microneedle patches ensure rapid, easy, and hygienic administration of drugs. This project was conceived to ensure the comfortable and safe transport as well as the sterile application of microneedles by users. Microneedles are particularly useful for diseases requiring daily medical care via distributed therapeutic treatments throughout the day. Microneedle Reminder is a wearable device for the wrist, containing nine ready-to-use patches.
Patient and Provider Experiences With Compassionate Care in Virtual Physiatry: Qualitative Study
Authors: Wasilewski Marina B , Vijayakumar Abirami , Szigeti Zara , Mayo Amanda , Desveaux Laura , Shaw James , Hitzig Sander L , Simpson Robert
Published: August 2024

Background

Telemedicine in the realm of rehabilitation includes the remote delivery of rehabilitation services using communication technologies (eg, telephone, emails, and video). The widespread application of virtual care grants a suitable time to explore the intersection of compassion and telemedicine, especially due to the impact of COVID-19 and how it greatly influenced the delivery of health care universally.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore how compassionate care is understood and experienced by physiatrists and patients engaged in telemedicine.

Methods

We used a qualitative descriptive approach to conduct interviews with patients and physiatrists between June 2021 and March 2022. Patients were recruited across Canada from social media and from a single hospital network in Toronto, Ontario. Physiatrists were recruited across Canada through social media and the Canadian Association for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (CAPM&R) email listserve. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed thematically.

Results

A total of 19 participants were interviewed—8 physiatrists and 11 patients. Two themes capturing physiatrists’ and patients’ experiences with delivering and receiving compassionate care, especially in the context of virtual care were identified: (1) compassionate care is inherently rooted in health care providers’ inner intentions and are, therefore, expressed as caring behaviors and (2) virtual elements impact the delivery and receipt of compassionate care.

Conclusions

Compassionate care stemmed from physiatrists’ caring attitudes which then manifest as caring behaviors. In turn, these caring attitudes and behaviors enable individualized care and the establishment of a safe space for patients. Moreover, the virtual care modality both positively and negatively influenced how compassion is enacted by physiatrists and received by patients. Notably, there was large ambiguity around the norms and etiquette surrounding virtual care. Nonetheless, the flexibility and person-centeredness of virtual care cause it to be useful in health care settings.
A Deep Learning Model to Predict Breast Implant Texture Types Using Ultrasonography Images: Feasibility Development Study
Authors: Kim Ho Heon , Jeong Won Chan , Pi Kyungran , Lee Angela Soeun , Kim Min Soo , Kim Hye Jin , Kim Jae Hong
Published: August 2024

Background

Breast implants, including textured variants, have been widely used in aesthetic and reconstructive mammoplasty. However, the textured type, which is one of the shell texture types of breast implants, has been identified as a possible etiologic factor for lymphoma, specifically breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Identifying the shell texture type of the implant is critical to diagnosing BIA-ALCL. However, distinguishing the shell texture type can be difficult due to the loss of human memory and medical history. An alternative approach is to use ultrasonography, but this method also has limitations in quantitative assessment.

Objective

This study aims to determine the feasibility of using a deep learning model to classify the shell texture type of breast implants and make robust predictions from ultrasonography images from heterogeneous sources.

Methods

A total of 19,502 breast implant images were retrospectively collected from heterogeneous sources, including images captured from both Canon and GE devices, images of ruptured implants, and images without implants, as well as publicly available images. The Canon images were trained using ResNet-50. The model’s performance on the Canon dataset was evaluated using stratified 5-fold cross-validation. Additionally, external validation was conducted using the GE and publicly available datasets. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and the area under the precision-recall curve (PRAUC) were calculated based on the contribution of the pixels with Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM). To identify the significant pixels for classification, we masked the pixels that contributed less than 10%, up to a maximum of 100%. To assess the model’s robustness to uncertainty, Shannon entropy was calculated for 4 image groups: Canon, GE, ruptured implants, and without implants.

Results

The deep learning model achieved an average AUROC of 0.98 and a PRAUC of 0.88 in the Canon dataset. The model achieved an AUROC of 0.985 and a PRAUC of 0.748 for images captured with GE devices. Additionally, the model predicted an AUROC of 0.909 and a PRAUC of 0.958 for the publicly available dataset. This model maintained the PRAUC values for quantitative validation when masking up to 90% of the least-contributing pixels and the remnant pixels in breast shell layers. Furthermore, the prediction uncertainty increased in the following order: Canon (0.066), GE (0072), ruptured implants (0.371), and no implants (0.777).

Conclusions

We have demonstrated the feasibility of using deep learning to predict the shell texture type of breast implants. This approach quantifies the shell texture types of breast implants, supporting the first step in the diagnosis of BIA-ALCL.
Multidisciplinary Home-Based Rehabilitation Program for Individuals With Disabilities: Longitudinal Observational Study
Authors: Barría Patricio , Andrade Asterio , Gomez-Vargas Daniel , Yelincic Alejandro , Roberti Flavio , Bahamonde Eduardo , Aguilar Rolando , Cordova Bessie
Published: August 2024

Background

Disability affects a significant portion of the global population nowadays, necessitating innovative approaches to access rehabilitation processes. Home-based rehabilitation has emerged as a beneficial approach, offering comfort and context-specific therapy.

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary home-based rehabilitation program for individuals with moderate neuromusculoskeletal disabilities in terms of motor function and mood.

Methods

A total of 270 participants with median age of 66 (IQR 20-98) years were recruited from the National Disability Registry of Chile. The intervention involved a multidisciplinary team composed of 49 health care professionals providing personalized treatment plans over 4 months (32 sessions for physical therapy, 8 sessions for occupational therapy, 4 sessions for nutrition, 8 sessions for psychology, and 4 sessions for nursing and podiatry). This program also included 2 medical evaluations (at the beginning and the end) to monitor clinical progress in terms of motor function and mental health, using the Berg Balance Scale and Beck Depression Inventory, respectively.

Results

The home-based rehabilitation program showed significant improvements (P<.001) in motor function and balance with a reduction in fall risk. Specifically, the Berg Balance Scale score decreased close to 15% after the home-based rehabilitation program for all enrolled participants. On the other hand, depression levels showed no significant changes (P=.27), with percentages of variation less than 8% between the 2 assessed conditions. In this sense, participants remained with the same mild depression level (14 of 63) concerning the Beck Depression Inventory score.

Conclusions

This study concludes that personalized home-based rehabilitation programs are effective in enhancing motor function and balance, particularly in individuals with neurological conditions. On the other hand, the findings in terms of mood advocate for further exploration of psychological support within such programs to enhance overall patient well-being.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06537791; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06537791
Identifying Medicine Shortages With the Twitter Social Network: Retrospective Observational Study (Preprint)
Authors: Postma Doerine J , Heijkoop Magali L A , De Smet Peter A G M , Notenboom Kim , Leufkens Hubert G M , Mantel-Teeuwisse Aukje K
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND

Early identification is critical for mitigating the impact of medicine shortages on patients. The internet, specifically social media, is an emerging source of health data.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore whether a routine analysis of data from the Twitter social network can detect signals of a medicine shortage and serve as an early warning system and, if so, for which medicines or patient groups.

METHODS

Medicine shortages between January 31 and December 1, 2019, were collected from the Dutch pharmacists’ society’s national catalog Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association (KNMP) Farmanco. Posts on these shortages were collected by searching for the name, the active pharmaceutical ingredient, or the first word of the brand name of the medicines in shortage. Posts were then selected based on relevant keywords that potentially indicated a shortage and the percentage of shortages with at least 1 post was calculated. The first posts per shortage were analyzed for their timing (median number of days, including the IQR) versus the national catalog, also stratified by disease and medicine characteristics. The content of the first post per shortage was analyzed descriptively for its reporting stakeholder and the nature of the post.

RESULTS

Of the 341 medicine shortages, 102 (29.9%) were mentioned on Twitter. Of these 102 shortages, 18 (5.3% of the total) were mentioned prior to or simultaneous to publication by KNMP Farmanco. Only 4 (1.2%) of these were mentioned on Twitter more than 14 days before. On average, posts were published with a median delay of 37 (IQR 7-81) days to publication by KNMP Farmanco. Shortages mentioned on Twitter affected a greater number of patients and lasted longer than those that were not mentioned. We could not conclusively relate either the presence or absence on Twitter to a disease area or route of administration of the medicine in shortage. The first posts on the 102 shortages were mainly published by patients (n=51, 50.0%) and health care professionals (n=46, 45.1%). We identified 8 categories of nature of content. Sharing personal experience (n=44, 43.1%) was the most common category.

CONCLUSIONS

The Twitter social network is not a suitable early warning system for medicine shortages. Twitter primarily echoes already-known information rather than spreads new information. However, Twitter or potentially any other social media platform provides the opportunity for future qualitative research in the increasingly important field of medicine shortages that investigates how a larger population of patients is affected by shortages.

CLINICALTRIAL
Patient and Provider Experiences With Compassionate Care in Virtual Physiatry: Qualitative Study (Preprint)
Authors: Wasilewski Marina B , Vijayakumar Abirami , Szigeti Zara , Mayo Amanda , Desveaux Laura , Shaw James , Hitzig Sander L , Simpson Robert
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND

Telemedicine in the realm of rehabilitation includes the remote delivery of rehabilitation services using communication technologies (eg, telephone, emails, and video). The widespread application of virtual care grants a suitable time to explore the intersection of compassion and telemedicine, especially due to the impact of COVID-19 and how it greatly influenced the delivery of health care universally.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore how compassionate care is understood and experienced by physiatrists and patients engaged in telemedicine.

METHODS

We used a qualitative descriptive approach to conduct interviews with patients and physiatrists between June 2021 and March 2022. Patients were recruited across Canada from social media and from a single hospital network in Toronto, Ontario. Physiatrists were recruited across Canada through social media and the Canadian Association for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (CAPM&R) email listserve. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed thematically.

RESULTS

A total of 19 participants were interviewed—8 physiatrists and 11 patients. Two themes capturing physiatrists’ and patients’ experiences with delivering and receiving compassionate care, especially in the context of virtual care were identified: (1) compassionate care is inherently rooted in health care providers’ inner intentions and are, therefore, expressed as caring behaviors and (2) virtual elements impact the delivery and receipt of compassionate care.

CONCLUSIONS

Compassionate care stemmed from physiatrists’ caring attitudes which then manifest as caring behaviors. In turn, these caring attitudes and behaviors enable individualized care and the establishment of a safe space for patients. Moreover, the virtual care modality both positively and negatively influenced how compassion is enacted by physiatrists and received by patients. Notably, there was large ambiguity around the norms and etiquette surrounding virtual care. Nonetheless, the flexibility and person-centeredness of virtual care cause it to be useful in health care settings.
A Multidimensional Approach for Evaluating Reality in Social Media: Mixed Methods Study (Preprint)
Authors: Cho HyunYi , Li Wenbo , Lopez Rachel
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND

Misinformation is a threat to public health. The effective countering of misinformation may require moving beyond the binary classification of fake versus fact to capture the range of schemas that users employ to evaluate social media content. A more comprehensive understanding of user evaluation schemas is necessary.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this research was to advance the current understanding of user evaluations of social media information and to develop and validate a measurement instrument for assessing social media realism.

METHODS

This research involved a sequence of 2 studies. First, we used qualitative focus groups (n=48). Second, building on the first study, we surveyed a national sample of social media users (n=442). The focus group data were analyzed using the constant comparison approach. The survey data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analyses and ordinary least squares regression.

RESULTS

The findings showed that social media reality evaluation involves 5 dimensions: falsity, naturality, authenticity, resonance, and social assurance. These dimensions were differentially mapped onto patterns of social media use. Authenticity was strongly associated with the existing global measure of social media realism (P<.001). Naturality, or the willingness to accept artificiality and engineered aspects of social media representations, was linked to hedonic enjoyment (P<.001). Resonance predicted reflective thinking (P<.001), while social assurance was strongly related to addictive use (P<.001). Falsity, the general belief that much of what is on social media is not real, showed a positive association with both frequency (P<.001) and engagement with (P=.003) social media. These results provide preliminary validity data for a social media reality measure that encompasses multiple evaluation schemas for social media content.

CONCLUSIONS

The identification of divergent schemas expands the current focus beyond fake versus fact, while the goals, contexts, and outcomes of social media use associated with these schemas can guide future digital media literacy efforts. Specifically, the social media reality measure can be used to develop tailored digital media literacy interventions for addressing diverse public health issues.
The Benefits of a Digital Exercise Intervention for Older Adults: Findings from the Fittle Trial (Preprint)
Authors: Czaja Sara J , Sharit Joseph , Pirolli Peter , Hernandez Mario , Moxley Jerad H
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND

: It is well established that physical activity (PA) is important to health, quality of life, and well-being. Yet, most older adults do not engage in physical activity on a regular basis or meet the recommended physical activity guidelines.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a digital exercise program, the Fittle Senior System (FSS). The FSS intervention was designed to provide customized behavior-change programs to increase engagement in physical activity and foster online social interaction and support from small teams pursuing similar goals.

METHODS

: One hundred and eighty-one adults aged 60 to 95, including males and females, participated in the study. Participants were randomized into the FSS intervention condition or a Tablet Education (TE) control condition using cluster randomization. Participants in the FSS condition were provided a tablet with the Fittle app, a Misfit Flare activity tracker, and a resistance band. The trial duration was six months. The initial three months of the trial was the active intervention phase, followed by the three month maintenance phase. Participants in the TE condition were also provided with a tablet, the Misfit Flare, a resistance band, and introduced to websites containing exercise programs for aging adults. Measures include measures of usability, acceptability, health outcomes, and psychosocial outcomes. Assessments occurred at baseline and 3- and 6- months post randomization.

RESULTS

Fittle was usable and acceptable to the participants assigned to the FSS condition. Participants in both conditions experienced increased physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, social support, and decreased social isolation and loneliness. Participants who used the Fittle app to a greater extent reported higher self-ratings of health, better health compared to a year ago, higher exercise self-efficacy, and lower social isolation. Participants in the FSS condition also reported that the Fittle app was easy to use and motivating with respect to engaging in exercise.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that digital exercise programs are feasible for and usable for older adults. These programs can result in improvements in health and psychosocial outcomes. Further, despite the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, attrition in the trial was low, indicating that these types of interventions are valuable to aging adults, including those with multiple chronic conditions.

CLINICALTRIAL

NCT03538158
Multi-Factor Authentication for Secured Access Control to Electronic Health Records in South African Public Hospitals (Preprint)
Authors: Chuma Jr Kabelo , Msomi Jr Mandisa
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND

In this rapidly advancing digital landscape, the security of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is increasingly dependent on robust authentication and access control measures. Despite advancements in cybersecurity, South African public hospitals are particularly vulnerable and targeted by cyber-attacks and data breaches due to vulnerabilities associated with username and password-based authentication. These vulnerabilities pose substantial risks to the security and privacy of EHRs and cause huge disruptions to public hospitals.

OBJECTIVE

With the potential to cause widespread disruption and harm, this study aims to propose a framework for integrating Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to enhance to user authentication and access control to EHRs in South African public hospitals.

METHODS

A qualitative research design was employed to understand security vulnerabilities and risks in password authentication within public hospitals. The study conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 purposively selected IT technicians, network controllers, and IT managers working in public hospitals. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis and NVivo version 12. The study applied a conceptual framework grounded in Protection Motivation Theory.

RESULTS

The analysis revealed that public hospitals experienced authentication vulnerabilities such as username enumeration, broken authentication, weak credentials, and credential leakage. Phishing, cryptojacking, ransomware, and password attacks were among the security incidents encountered in public hospitals. Participants expressed that security vulnerabilities in hospitals are due to weak and easily guessable passwords created by staff, the reuse of the same password across multiple systems, irregular password updates, reliance on legacy systems, writing down passwords on paper, and the lack of regular updates to Windows Firewall and Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

CONCLUSIONS

The study emphasizes the need for developing robust password policies, modernizing legacy systems, and promoting cybersecurity awareness training in public hospitals. Furthermore, the study suggested a framework for public hospitals to effectively address authentication vulnerabilities. and reinforcing data security. The research underscores that, despite the ongoing vulnerabilities and weaknesses of password and username-based authentication, the study concludes that the integration of MFA offers a scalable solution to significantly improve the security and access control of EHRs in public hospitals.
Comparing the Performance of ChatGPT, GPT-4, and Bard in the Korean Medical Licensing Examination: A Gastroenterology Perspective (Preprint)
Authors: Choi Seong Ji , Seo Jeongkuk , Hwang Sung Wook
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND

Artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning are revolutionizing the field of medicine, including gastroenterology. Notable among these advancements are large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Bard. While their effectiveness in the United States Medical Licensing Examination has been evaluated, their performance in non-English tests, such as the Korean Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE), remains underexplored.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the performance of LLMs in the KMLE and assessed the explanation quality for gastroenterology questions.

METHODS

We analyzed the performance of three LLMs, ChatGPT (GPT-3.5), GPT-4, and Bard in the official KMLE questions from 2021 and 2022 by focusing on their accuracy and consistency. The questions were categorized based on their subject and the inclusion of images. The quality of explanations provided by the LLMs for gastroenterology questions was assessed using the Global Quality Score (GQS).

RESULTS

In KMLE 2021 and 2022, GPT-4 achieved accuracy rates of 72.1% and 62.5%, respectively, with consistency of approximately 60%. These rates were significantly higher than those of ChatGPT and Bard. The higher accuracy was maintained across most subjects, as well as in questions with images. For gastroenterology questions, GPT-4 achieved accuracy rates of 55.8% and 63.9% in KMLE 2021 and 2022, respectively. The GQS of GPT-4 was significantly higher than those of other models, even in cases of incorrect responses.

CONCLUSIONS

Unlike ChatGPT and Bard, GPT-4 achieved passing grades for the KMLE 2021 and 2022, and demonstrated high-quality explanations in gastroenterology. Further research on multimodal models and the use of prompt engineering is warranted.