bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Thoracic Aortic Dissection
Authors: Zhou Zhen , Cecchi Alana C. , Prakash Siddharth K. , Milewicz Dianna M.
Published: October 2022

Thoracic aortic aneurysms involving the root and/or the ascending aorta enlarge over time until an acute tear in the intimal layer leads to a highly fatal condition, an acute aortic dissection (AAD). These Stanford type A AADs, in which the tear occurs above the sinotubular junction, leading to the formation of a false lumen in the aortic wall that may extend to the arch and thoracoabdominal aorta. Type B AADs originate in the descending thoracic aorta just distal to the left subclavian artery. Genetic variants and various environmental conditions that disrupt the aortic wall integrity have been identified that increase the risk for thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAD). In this review, we discuss the predominant TAD-associated risk factors, focusing primarily on the non-genetic factors, and discuss the underlying mechanisms leading to TAD.
Effect of Combined Methamphetamine and Oxycodone Use on the Synaptic Proteome in an In Vitro Model of Polysubstance Use
Authors: Meyer Daniel , Athota Pranavi , Gowen Austin , Nguyen Nghi M. , Schaal Victoria L. , Yelamanchili Sowmya V. , Pendyala Gurudutt
Published: October 2022

Polysubstance use (PSU) generally involves the simultaneous use of an opioid along with a stimulant. In recent years, this problem has escalated into a nationwide epidemic. Understanding the mechanisms and effects underlying the interaction between these drugs is essential for the development of treatments for those suffering from addiction. Currently, the effect of PSU on synapses—critical points of contact between neurons—remains poorly understood. Using an in vitro model of primary neurons, we examined the combined effects of the psychostimulant methamphetamine (METH) and the prescription opioid oxycodone (oxy) on the synaptic proteome using quantitative mass-spectrometry-based proteomics. A further ClueGO analysis and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) indicated the dysregulation of several molecular functions, biological processes, and pathways associated with neural plasticity and structural development. We identified one key synaptic protein, Striatin-1, which plays a vital role in many of these processes and functions, to be downregulated following METH+oxy treatment. This downregulation of Striatin-1 was further validated by Western blot. Overall, the present study indicates several damaging effects of the combined use of METH and oxy on neural function and warrants further detailed investigation into mechanisms contributing to synaptic dysfunction.
KAT2A/E2F1 Promotes Cell Proliferation and Migration via Upregulating the Expression of UBE2C in Pan-Cancer
Authors: Lin Shudai , Qiu Li , Liang Keying , Zhang Haibo , Xian Mingjian , Chen Zixi , Wei Jinfen , Fu Shuying , Gong Xiaocheng , Ding Ke , Zhang Zihao , Hu Bowen , Zhang Xiquan , Duan Yuyou , Du Hongli
Published: October 2022

Various studies have shown that lysine acetyltransferase 2A (KAT2A), E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1), and ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2 C (UBE2C) genes regulated the proliferation and migration of tumor cells through regulating the cell cycle. However, there is a lack of in-depth and systematic research on their mechanisms of action. This study analyzed The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to screen potential candidate genes and the regulation network of KAT2A and E2F1 complex in pan-cancer. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting (WB), cell phenotype detection, immunofluorescence co-localization, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP), and RNA-Seq techniques were used to explore the functional of a candidate gene, UBE2C. We found that the expression of these three genes was significantly higher in more than 10 tumor types compared to normal tissue. Moreover, UBE2C was mainly expressed in tumor cells, which highlighted the impacts of UBE2C as a specific therapeutic strategy. Moreover, KAT2A and E2F1 could promote cell proliferation and the migration of cancer cells by enhancing the expression of UBE2C. Mechanically, KAT2A was found to cooperate with E2F1 and be recruited by E2F1 to the UBE2C promoter for elevating the expression of UBE2C by increasing the acetylation level of H3K9.
Autism with Epilepsy: A Neuropsychopharmacology Update
Authors: Canitano Roberto , Palumbi Roberto , Scandurra Valeria
Published: October 2022

The association between autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and epilepsy has been extensively documented, and the estimated prevalence varies depending upon the selected population and the clinical characteristics. Currently, there are a lack of studies assessing the patient care pathways in ASD, particularly for comorbidity with epilepsy, despite its personal, familial, and economic impacts. Genetic abnormalities are likely implicated in the association of ASD and epilepsy, although they are currently detectable in only a small percentage of patients, and some known genetic and medical conditions are associated with ASD and epilepsy. There is no specificity of seizure type to be expected in children and adolescents with ASD compared with other neurodevelopmental disorders or epileptic syndromes. Treatment options include antiepileptic drugs (AED) and developmentally-based early interventions for ASD. Carbamazepine and lamotrigine are the most used AED, but further studies are needed to more precisely define the most suitable medications for this specific group of children with ASD.
Geomorphological Model Comparison for Geosites, Utilizing Qualitative–Quantitative Assessment of Geodiversity, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand
Authors: Zakharovskyi Vladyslav , Németh Károly
Published: October 2022

In qualitative–quantitative assessment of geodiversity, geomorphology describes landscape forms suggesting specific locations as geosites. However, all digital elevation models (DEM) contain information only about altitude and coordinate systems, which are not enough data for inclusion assessments. To overcome this, researchers may transform altitude parameters into a range of different models such as slope, aspect, plan, and profile curvature. More complex models such as Geomorphon or Topographic Position Index (TPI) may be used to build visualizations of landscapes. All these models are rarely used together, but rather separately for specific purposes—for example, aspect may be used in soil science and agriculture, while slope is considered useful for geology and topography. Therefore, a qualitative–quantitative assessment of geodiversity has been developed to recognize possible geosite locations and simplify their search through field observation and further description. The Coromandel Peninsula have been chosen as an area of study due to landscape diversity formed by Miocene–Pleistocene volcanism which evolved on a basement of Jurassic Greywacke and has become surrounded and partially covered by Quaternary sediments. Hence, this research provides a comparison of six different models for geomorphological assessment. Models are based on DEM with surface irregularities in locations with distinct elevation differences, which can be considered geosites. These models have been separated according to their parameters of representations: numerical value and types of landscape. Numerical value (starting at 0, applied to the area of study) models are based on slope, ruggedness, roughness, and total curvature. Meanwhile, Geomorphon and TPI are landscape parameters, which define different types of relief ranging from stream valleys and hills to mountain ranges. However, using landscape parameters requires additional evaluation, unlike numerical value models. In conclusion, we describe six models used to calculate a range of values which can be used for geodiversity assessment, and to highlight potential geodiversity hotspots. Subsequently, all models are compared with each other to identify differences between them. Finally, we outline the advantages and shortcomings of the models for performing qualitative–quantitative assessments.
Modeling the Impact of the Viscoelastic Layer Thickness and the Frictional Strength to the Lithosphere Deformation in a Strike-Slip Fault: Insight to the Seismicity Pattern along the Great Sumatran Fault
Authors: Bening Maulidia A. , Sahara David P. , Triyoso Wahyu , Kusumawati Dian
Published: October 2022

As an earthquake is capable of causing significant losses, a strain buildup and release model following an earthquake is of importance for mitigation purposes. In this study, we aim to model strain buildup and release on a strike-slip fault which consists of elastic–brittle (upper crust) and elastic–viscous (lower crust and upper mantle) layers using a finite element model. The fault strength during strain buildup is controlled by the friction coefficient and cohesion, in addition to the viscoelastic parameter, as shown in the deformation model using Maxwell’s material. In the strain buildup model, we found that the differential stress on the elastic layer is larger than that on the viscoelastic layer and that the differential stress increases with the thickness of the elastic layer. When the viscoelastic layer is thinner, the deformation observed on the surface is larger. However, the differential of stress in the strain release model on the elastic layer is smaller than that on the viscoelastic layer, which shows the transfer stress from the lower crust and upper mantle to the upper crust. Using the knowledge gained by varying the thickness and frictional strength of the lithosphere, we discuss the seismicity pattern observed along the Great Sumatran Fault.
A Workflow for Collecting and Preprocessing Sentinel-1 Images for Time Series Prediction Suitable for Deep Learning Algorithms
Authors: Moskolaï Waytehad Rose , Abdou Wahabou , Dipanda Albert , Kolyang
Published: October 2022

The satellite image time series are used for several applications such as predictive analysis. New techniques such as deep learning (DL) algorithms generally require long sequences of data to perform well; however, the complexity of satellite image preprocessing tasks leads to a lack of preprocessed datasets. Moreover, using conventional collection and preprocessing methods is time- and storage-consuming. In this paper, a workflow for collecting, preprocessing, and preparing Sentinel-1 images to use with DL algorithms is proposed. The process mainly consists of using scripts for collecting and preprocessing operations. The goal of this work is not only to provide the community with easily modifiable programs for image collection and batch preprocessing but also to publish a database with prepared images. The experimental results allowed the researchers to build three time series of Sentinel-1 images corresponding to three study areas, namely the Bouba Ndjida National Park, the Dja Biosphere Reserve, and the Wildlife Reserve of Togodo. A total of 628 images were processed using scripts based on the SNAP graph processing tool (GPT). In order to test the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, three DL models were trained with the Bouba Ndjida and Togodo images for the prediction of the next occurrence in a sequence.
The Evolution of the Two Largest Tropical Ice Masses since the 1980s
Authors: Malone Andrew G. O. , Broglie Eleanor T. , Wrightsman Mary
Published: October 2022

As tropical glaciers continue to retreat, we need accurate knowledge about where they are located, how large they are, and their retreat rates. Remote sensing data are invaluable for tracking these hard-to-reach glaciers. However, remotely identifying tropical glaciers is prone to misclassification errors due to ephemeral snow cover. We reevaluate the size and retreat rates of the two largest tropical ice masses, the Quelccaya Ice Cap (Peru) and Nevado Coropuna (Peru), using remote sensing data from the Landsat missions. To quantify their glacial extents more accurately, we expand the time window for our analysis beyond the dry season (austral winter), processing in total 529 Landsat scenes. We find that Landsat scenes from October, November, and December, which are after the dry season, better capture the glacial extent since ephemeral snow cover is minimized. We compare our findings to past studies of tropical glaciers, which have mainly analyzed scenes from the dry season. Our reevaluation finds that both tropical ice masses are smaller but retreating less rapidly than commonly reported. These findings have implications for these ice masses as sustained water resources for downstream communities.
Aeolian Dust Preserved in the Guliya Ice Cap (Northwestern Tibet): A Promising Paleo-Environmental Messenger
Authors: Beaudon Emilie , Sheets Julia M. , Martin Ellen , Sierra-Hernández M. Roxana , Mosley-Thompson Ellen , Thompson Lonnie G.
Published: October 2022

Asian aeolian dust is a primary factor in Northern Hemisphere atmospheric dynamics. Predicting past and future changes in atmospheric circulation patterns relies in part on sound knowledge of Central Asian dust properties and the dust cycle. Unfortunately for that region, data are too sparse to constrain the variation in dust composition over time. Here, we evaluate the potential of a Tibetan ice core to provide a comprehensive paleo-atmospheric dust record and thereby reduce uncertainties regarding mineral aerosols’ feedback on the climate system. We present the first datasets of the mineralogical, geochemical, and Sr-Nd isotope composition of aeolian dust preserved in pre-Holocene layers of two ice cores from the Guliya ice cap (Kunlun Mountains). The composition of samples from the Summit (GS; 6710 m a.s.l.) and Plateau (GP; 6200 m a.s.l.) cores reveals that the characteristics of the dust in the cores’ deepest ice layers are significantly different. The deepest GS layers reveal isotopic values that correspond to aeolian particles from the Taklimakan desert, contain a mix of fine and coarse grains, and include weathering-sensitive material suggestive of a dry climate at the source. The deep GP layers primarily consist of unusual nodules of well size-sorted grey clay enriched in weathering-resistant minerals and elements typically found in geothermal waters, suggesting that the dust preserved in the oldest GP layers originates from a wet and possibly anoxic source. The variability of the dust composition highlighted here attests to its relevance as a paleo-environmental messenger and warrants further exploration of the particularly heterogenous Guliya glacial dust archive.
Understanding Sediment Dynamics at a Shipwreck Site Using CFD Modelling
Authors: Littler Gary , Coughlan Mark , Majcher Jan , Keenahan Jennifer
Published: October 2022

Shipwrecks are important cultural heritage sites offshore. In many instances, given their often long-term emplacement on the seafloor, they offer natural laboratories to study complex interactions between human-induced obstacles and seabed dynamics. Such interactions and induced sediment mobility also pose significant threats to offshore engineering infrastructure, such as turbine monopile foundations. Traditional methods can struggle to capture the nuance of these processes, with real-world surveys measuring effects only after installation, and laboratory models suffering from scale-down inaccuracies. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling offers an effective means of investigating the effects of obstacles on seabed dynamics, and by using shipwrecks as proxies for infrastructure, it can utilize long-term datasets to verify its predictions. In this study, high-resolution temporal bathymetric data were used in, and to verify, CFD modelling to investigate the interactions between hydro- and sediment dynamics at a shipwreck site in a tidally dominated wreck site. From this comparison, simulations of bed shear stress and scalar transport correlate well with known areas of erosion and deposition, serving as a basis for future scour prediction studies and creating effective tools in offshore renewable infrastructure planning and de-risking.
Trigger Mechanisms of Gas Hydrate Decomposition, Methane Emissions, and Glacier Breakups in Polar Regions as a Result of Tectonic Wave Deformation
Authors: Lobkovsky Leopold I. , Baranov Alexey A. , Ramazanov Mukamay M. , Vladimirova Irina S. , Gabsatarov Yurii V. , Semiletov Igor P. , Alekseev Dmitry A.
Published: October 2022

Trigger mechanisms are proposed for gas hydrate decomposition, methane emissions, and glacier collapse in polar regions. These mechanisms are due to tectonic deformation waves in the lithosphere–asthenosphere system, caused by large earthquakes in subduction zones, located near the polar regions: the Aleutian arc, closest to the Arctic, and the Antarctica–Chilean and Tonga–Kermadec–Macquarie subduction zones. Disturbances of the lithosphere are transmitted over long distances (of the order of 2000–3000 km and more) at a speed of about 100 km/year. Additional stresses associated with them come to the Arctic and Antarctica several decades after the occurrence of seismic events. On the Arctic shelf, additional stresses destroy the microstructure of metastable gas hydrates located in frozen rocks at shallow depths, releasing the methane trapped in them and leading to filtration and emissions. In West Antarctica, these wave stresses lead to decreases in the adhesions of the covered glaciers with underlying bedrock, sharp accelerations of their sliding into the sea, and fault occurrences, reducing pressure on the underlying rocks containing gas hydrates, which leads to their decomposition and methane emissions.
A Biopsychosocial Model of Mealtime Management in Persons with Dementia, an Asset-Based Approach to Patient-Centered Care
Authors: Bayne David F. , Shune Samantha E.
Published: October 2022

Considering the rapid increase in the population over the age of 65, there is increasing need to consider models of care for persons with dementia (PWD). One common deficit associated with dementia progression is difficulty with successful participation in mealtimes. Difficulty participating in mealtimes in PWD is not the result of one factor, but rather a confluence of biological, psychological, and social characteristics common in dementia. Factors leading to mealtime difficulties for PWD may include changes in cognitive status, altered sensorimotor functioning, and increased reliance on caregiver support. The complex nature of biological, psychological, and social factors leading to mealtime difficulty highlights the need for a pragmatic model that caregivers can utilize to successfully support PWD during mealtimes. Existing models of dementia and mealtime management were reviewed and collated to create a model of mealtime management that considers this complex interplay. The Biopsychosocial Model of Mealtime Management builds on past research around patient-centered care and introduces an asset-based approach to capitalize on a PWD’s retained capabilities as opposed to compensating for disabilities associated with dementia. We hope this model will provide a framework for caregivers to understand what factors impact mealtime participation in PWD and provide appropriate means on intervention.
John Brown, Black History, and Black Childhood: Contextualizing Lorenz Graham’s John Brown Books
Authors: Fielder Brigitte
Published: October 2022

Lorenz Graham wrote two children’s books about the (in)famous abolitionist, John Brown—a picture book, John Brown’s Raid: A Picture History of the Attack on Harper’s Ferry, Virginia (1972) and a biography for young adults, John Brown: A Cry for Freedom (1980). Both books recount a history of Brown’s life and antislavery work, situated within Brown’s African American context and recounted from a Black perspective. While Graham’s books are exceptional in their extended treatment of this historic figure for a child audience, they are not unprecedented. This essay situates Graham’s children’s biographies of Brown in the long history of Black writers’ work on him—for both adults and children. Reading Graham’s John Brown in this context shows how Graham follows familiar traditions for encountering Brown within the larger context of Black freedom struggles. Graham’s books follow a rich tradition of presenting him to Black children.
Analysis of Operational Efficiency and Cost Differences between Local and General Anesthesia for Vitreoretinal Surgery
Authors: Siddiqui Mohammad Z. , Chauhan Muhammad Z. , Stewart Alvin F. , Sallam Ahmed B.
Published: October 2022

There has been a growing trend of using local anesthesia (LA) compared to general anesthesia (GA) over the last two decades in VR surgery. We aim to answer the following question: what is the institutional benefit of LA versus GA use in operation-room time, anesthesia duration, earlier discharge from an outpatient surgery facility, and the estimated cost savings? We conducted a retrospective analysis of 1476 eyes that underwent vitreoretinal surgery over a 6-year period from a single site; 61.8% of patients received GA and 38.2% received LA for VR surgery. Anesthesia, surgical, and recovery times were significantly shorter with LA (100.49, 66.47, 66.47 mins) vs. GA (145.53, 100.14, 75.08 mins). Anesthesia, surgical, and recovery costs were significantly lower for eyes that received LA, with an estimated adjusted cost reduction of USD 1516 per surgery using LA instead of GA. Use of LA for vitreoretinal surgery is associated with better operational efficiency, earlier patient discharge, and significant cost reduction.
Integration of Machine Learning Algorithms and Discrete-Event Simulation for the Cost of Healthcare Resources
Authors: Atalan Abdulkadir , Şahin Hasan , Atalan Yasemin Ayaz
Published: October 2022

A healthcare resource allocation generally plays a vital role in the number of patients treated (pnt) and the patient waiting time (wt) in healthcare institutions. This study aimed to estimate pnt and wt as output variables by considering the number of healthcare resources employed and analyze the cost of health resources to the hospital depending on the cost coefficient (δi) in an emergency department (ED). The integration of the discrete-event simulation (DES) model and machine learning (ML) algorithms, namely random forest (RF), gradient boosting (GB), and AdaBoost (AB), was used to calculate the estimation of the output variables depending on the δi of resources cost. The AB algorithm performed best in almost all scenarios based on the results of the analysis. According to the AB algorithm based on the δ0.0, δ0.1, δ0.2, and δ0.3, the accuracy data were calculated as 0.9838, 0.9843, 0.9838, and 0.9846 for pnt; 0.9514, 0.9517, 0.9514, and 0.9514 for wt, respectively in the training stage. The GB algorithm had the best performance value, except for the results of the δ0.2 (AB had a better accuracy at 0.8709 based on the value of δ0.2 for pnt) in the test stage. According to the AB algorithm based on the δ0.0, δ0.1, δ0.2, and δ0.3, the accuracy data were calculated as 0.7956, 0.9298, 0.8288, and 0.7394 for pnt; 0.8820, 0.8821, 0.8819, and 0.8818 for wt in the training phase, respectively. All scenarios created by the δi coefficient should be preferred for ED since the income provided by the pnt value to the hospital was more than the cost of healthcare resources. On the contrary, the wt estimation results of ML algorithms based on the δi coefficient differed. Although wt values in all ML algorithms with δ0.0 and δ0.1 coefficients reduced the cost of the hospital, wt values based on δ0.2 and δ0.3 increased the cost of the hospital.
Caregiver Views on Prospective Use of Robotic Care in Helping Children Adapt to Hospitalization
Authors: Jin Meiling , Choi Hanna
Published: October 2022

Children in hospitals endure a variety of stressful situations. Children feel friendly toward and have fun with robots. Care robots are considered to be an alternate technique to relieve stress after hospitalization. A mixed-methods study was conducted on caregivers to understand the ideal care robot. One hundred and fifty caregivers of pediatric patients participated in a quantitative online survey, and eleven participated in focus group interviews for qualitative analysis. Quantitative data underwent descriptive statistics. Content analysis was conducted for qualitative data. Regarding the overall awareness and necessity of a care robot, the caregivers thought it would help patients adapt to the hospital environment more quickly. The caregivers’ preferred character-shaped robots of child height. For sound, they preferred an animated character’s voice. For movement, they preferred the robot to roll on wheels. Regarding functions, medicine was the item for which they most wanted to use game elements. For the educational element, the caregivers wanted to teach children the reasons for and methods of medicine administration. Four themes were derived from the qualitative results. The findings are expected to contribute to the future development of care robots that can assist pediatric patients.
Trends and Developments in Medical Liability Claims in The Netherlands
Authors: Klemann Désirée , Mertens Helen , van Merode Frits
Published: October 2022

Recent data on number of claims, final judgement of claims and their costs are scarce. This study analyzes 15 years of malpractice claims in the Netherlands. All claims filed, and all claims closed by two insurance companies (which insure approximately 95% of all hospitals in the Netherlands) between 2007–2021 are included. Trends in number of claims, medical specialties involved, final judgements and costs from malpractice claims are analyzed, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on malpractice claims. In total, 20,726 claims were filed and 21,826 claims were closed. Since 2013, the number of claims filed decreased. Of all claims filed, 64% were aimed at surgical specialties and 18% at contemplative specialties. Of all claims closed, 24.49% were accepted, 19.26% were settled and 48.94% got rejected. The financial burden of all claims closed quadrupled between 2007 and 2021; this increase was caused by rare cases with excessively high costs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed a decrease in the number of claims filed, and the number of incidents reported. This study provides valuable insights into trends and developments in the number and costs of liability claims, which is the first step towards improving patient safety and preventing incidents and malpractice claims.
Factors Associated with the Patient/Client Use of Report Cards, Physician Rating Websites, Social Media, and Google for Hospital and Physician Selection: A Nationwide Survey
Authors: Chen Tsung-Tai , Wu Chyi-In , Chiu Ming-Hsin Phoebe , Hsu Jia-Lien , Liao Mao-Hung , Hsueh Ya-Seng Arthur , Su Wei-Chih
Published: October 2022

Objective: To explore the factors associated with the different uses of report cards, physician rating websites, social media, and Google, including awareness, physician finding, and decision-making based on reviews from the patient/client perspective. Methods: We used computer-assisted telephone interviews to conduct a nationwide representative survey in Taiwan. Results: The urbanization level of the area, income, and long-term health conditions were not associated with the three kinds of usage of the websites studied. Seeking health information was an important factor in the three kinds of website use. The employment industry was associated with awareness, and education level was associated with physician seeking and actions based on reviews. Conclusions: Different factors influenced the three kinds of usage: awareness, actual use (i.e., finding an appropriate physician), and decision-making based on reviews. Seeking health information is of primary importance regardless of how the websites are used. Practical implications: Policy-makers should focus on educating individuals working outside the health care sector to increase awareness of these websites and to assist individuals with low levels of education in increasing their use of these websites.
The Effects of Interactive eBooks on Dyspnea Assessment and Management among Emergency Medical Technicians: A Repeated-Measures Analysis
Authors: Sung Chiu-Kuei , Kuo Chien-Lin , Kuan Jen-Tse
Published: October 2022

Dyspnea is a common emergency requiring urgent care, and a variety of factors may mislead emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Typically, EMT education uses traditional lectures with paper books. The effect of interactive eBooks on EMT learning has not been explored. This study aims to develop an interactive eBook in dyspnea assessment and management and to evaluate its learning effect. A quasi-experimental design with three repeated measures was used. A total of 117 EMTs were recruited and assigned to the experimental group (eBook, n = 56) and the comparison group (paper book, n = 61). Questionnaires were administered to both groups at three time points. The results show that both materials can improve cognition and that the interactive eBook has better effects than the paper book. The interactive eBook motivated EMT to learn more than the paper book, but motivation did not last for five weeks. The long-term effect of the interactive eBook on confidence compared to the paper book is significant. The eBook can include real cases, concept maps, videos, quizzes, and instant feedback to meet learner needs. Health educators could integrate technology and cognitive strategies into EMTs’ training curricula to improve their ability to provide better emergency medical services.
Can Yoga, Qigong, and Tai Chi Breathing Work Support the Psycho-Immune Homeostasis during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Narrative Review
Authors: Mendo Bruno , Gonçalves Mário , Lopes Lara , Matos Luís Carlos , Machado Jorge
Published: October 2022

Breathing is crucial in life; nevertheless, the healthcare community often overlooks the health potential of breathing techniques. Conscious manipulation of breathing to achieve specific health goals is found in yoga, Qigong and Tai Chi. This paper reviews the value of breathing exercises as a foremost mechanism for promoting, recuperating and maintaining health. Practices involving breathing techniques are described, and their prophylactic or therapeutic characteristics are explored. The main goals of this review are: (i) to summarize the evidence supporting the hypothesis that breathing practices have a significant beneficial impact on human health; (ii) to provide a deeper understanding of traditional biofeedback practices, particularly yoga, Qigong and Tai Chi, and outline their focus on breathing techniques; (iii) to outline specific immune-related responses, relevant for COVID-19 disorders; and (iv) to call for committed attention and action from the scientific community and health agencies in promoting the implementation of a practical and costless health program based on breathing techniques. This review shows the health potentials of breathing practices and exercises, which, by having a high benefit–cost ratio, could be selected and implemented as a primary standard routine in public health programs.
High-Performance Work Systems, Thriving at Work, and Job Burnout among Nurses in Chinese Public Hospitals: The Role of Resilience at Work
Authors: Yun Zhe , Zhou Peng , Zhang Bo
Published: October 2022

The overall purpose of this study is to explore and examine whether high-performance work systems (HPWS) can impact thriving at work and job burnout via resilience at work among nurses in Chinese public hospitals. Specifically, it draws on social exchange theory to conceptualize a positive relationship between HPWS and resilience at work. Then, based on a socially embedded model of thriving at work and knowledge about job burnout in the literature, it further proposes the differentiated mediation roles of resilience at work in the relationship of HPWS to thriving at work and job burnout. A time-lagged survey involving three rounds of data collection with self-reported online questionnaires was employed. A total of 160 nurses from 20 public hospitals in China were invited to participate in the research. Finally, a sample of 845 responses was obtained. The response rate was 52.8%. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses. It was found that HPWS (time 1) positively impacted resilience at work (time 2). The results also demonstrated that HPWS (time1) enhanced thriving at work (time 3) and reduced job burnout (time 3) via developing resilience at work (time 2). To conclude, being resilient in the workplace is crucial for nurses to enhance thriving at work, and inhabit job burnout among nurses. HPWS is a valid management tool that can be used to cultivate a nurse’s resilience at work, which further reduces job burnout and enhance thriving at work.
Plan and Then Act: The Moderated Moderation Effects of Profession Identity and Action Control for Students at Arts Universities during the Career Development Process
Authors: Chen Chia-Cheng , Hung Chao-Hsiang
Published: October 2022

Preservice teachers at universities of arts have more than 10 years of professional training before admission, but in their senior year, they face the pressure of the graduation exhibition and performances and the teacher certification examination at the same time. This process is dissimilar to that for preservice teachers at general universities. Such a difference, however, has not been taken seriously in the past. In order to avoid burnout, preservice teachers at universities of arts, when they are under the pressure of limited time, may choose to identify with the departments they are more familiar with for their future careers, rather than identifying with their educational program, in order to increase hope for their career and reduce the chance of burnout. In addition, we believe that the use of action control/state control would also show different adaptation situations in the face of pressure. Therefore, this study focuses on the role of profession identity and action control as moderating variables in the process of becoming preservice teachers at arts universities. We recruited 304 art-major preservice teachers to establish a path model to explore their future time perspective and grit, detecting how the mediation of career decision self-efficacy affects learning burnout and career hope. Secondly, we inspected the moderating effect of profession identity and action control on learning burnout and career hope. We found that profession identity moderates the relationships between future time perspective and career decision self-efficacy as well as between career decision self-efficacy and learning burnout, all of which exhibited ordinal interactions. Furthermore, preservice teachers with high decision-making efficacy had lower burnout than those with low efficacy, but the high-efficacy advantage in preservice teachers under state control in reducing burnout would disappear. Lastly, although professional identification was important, action control regulated the relationship between career decision self-efficacy and learning burnout with ordinal interaction; that is, action control could effectively reduce their learning burnout.
Recent Advancements in Emerging Technologies for Healthcare Management Systems: A Survey
Authors: Junaid Sahalu Balarabe , Imam Abdullahi Abubakar , Balogun Abdullateef Oluwagbemiga , De Silva Liyanage Chandratilak , Surakat Yusuf Alhaji , Kumar Ganesh , Abdulkarim Muhammad , Shuaibu Aliyu Nuhu , Garba Aliyu , Sahalu Yusra , Mohammed Abdullahi , Mohammed Tanko Yahaya , Abdulkadir Bashir Abubakar , Abba Abdallah Alkali , Kakumi Nana Aliyu Iliyasu , Mahamad Saipunidzam
Published: October 2022

In recent times, the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and Blockchain technologies have quickly gained pace as a new study niche in numerous collegiate and industrial sectors, notably in the healthcare sector. Recent advancements in healthcare delivery have given many patients access to advanced personalized healthcare, which has improved their well-being. The subsequent phase in healthcare is to seamlessly consolidate these emerging technologies such as IoT-assisted wearable sensor devices, AI, and Blockchain collectively. Surprisingly, owing to the rapid use of smart wearable sensors, IoT and AI-enabled technology are shifting healthcare from a conventional hub-based system to a more personalized healthcare management system (HMS). However, implementing smart sensors, advanced IoT, AI, and Blockchain technologies synchronously in HMS remains a significant challenge. Prominent and reoccurring issues such as scarcity of cost-effective and accurate smart medical sensors, unstandardized IoT system architectures, heterogeneity of connected wearable devices, the multidimensionality of data generated, and high demand for interoperability are vivid problems affecting the advancement of HMS. Hence, this survey paper presents a detailed evaluation of the application of these emerging technologies (Smart Sensor, IoT, AI, Blockchain) in HMS to better understand the progress thus far. Specifically, current studies and findings on the deployment of these emerging technologies in healthcare are investigated, as well as key enabling factors, noteworthy use cases, and successful deployments. This survey also examined essential issues that are frequently encountered by IoT-assisted wearable sensor systems, AI, and Blockchain, as well as the critical concerns that must be addressed to enhance the application of these emerging technologies in the HMS.
Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research Activity on Premature Mortality
Authors: Rodzlan Hasani Wan Shakira , Hanis Tengku Muhammad , Muhamad Nor Asiah , Islam Md Asiful , Wee Chen Xin , Musa Kamarul Imran
Published: October 2022

Premature mortality is defined as death that occurs before the average age of death for a particular population. Although premature mortality is a public health problem globally, the literature indicates no bibliometric studies that have made a holistic evaluation of the publications on this issue. This study aims to explore the characteristics of the publications on premature mortality in terms of the number of publications, citations, countries, collaboration, and the author’s productivity and to further identify the trending keyword and relevant research topics. All the articles related to premature mortality data were retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS) database using the search terms “premature death,” “premature mortality,” or “years of life loss.” The retrieved articles were downloaded in a BibTeX format file. A Bibliometrix package from R software was used to perform bibliometric analyses. A total of 1060 original research articles and reviews have been published since 1971, with a total of 5499 contributing authors. The number of publications has increased substantially in the past decade. The annual percentage growth rate of publications is 5.08%. The United States is the leading country in this area of research with the highest number of publications (n = 280), the highest total citation (17,378), and the most activity in collaboration. Our thematic map suggests that the cluster for cardiovascular disease became the main research domain in this field, while the cluster for air pollution is an important topic for future research. Additionally, neurodegeneration is another cluster of research that should be developed further and connected with premature mortality. These bibliometric findings hopefully will help scholars better understand the global overview of premature mortality and provide information for potential collaborators, with the information promising attractive areas for future research.
Trends in Research about COVID-19 Vaccine Documented through Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis
Authors: Wei Wei-Ting , Wei Ching-Kuo , Wu Chin-Chu
Published: October 2022

Due to COVID-19, people’s lives have changed greatly. In accordance with former experience, an efficacious vaccine is the most effective way to curb the pandemic; thus, many researchers have published related publications in the short term. Hence, this study aims at using bibliometric analysis and visualization to document research trends regarding COVID-19 vaccines, and offer some directions and suggestions for future research. Initially, all eligible publications were downloaded from Web of Science on 1 January 2022. Subsequently, some publications published before December 2019 were removed since COVID-19 did not occur before that date. Finally, Microsoft Excel is used for bibliometric analysis to analyze publication date, author, affiliation, country, publication title, publisher, research area, document type, and language, and visualized software (VOSviewer) is used to visualize author, affiliation, country, and keywords. After analyzing a total of 17,392 publications, the results show that the overall research trend was upward. Moreover, the prominent authors, institutions, and countries inclined towards regional cooperation instead of international cooperation. Furthermore, the most popular research areas were immunology and medicine (general and internal). Ultimately, COVID-19, vaccine, and SARS-CoV-2 were the top 3 keywords. In conclusion, this study shows the approximate research trend for COVID-19 vaccine during the completely first two years of the pandemic. The research focuses moved from safety, effectiveness, and immunology at the early stage to the optimal allocation strategies for COVID-19 vaccine, and eventually to public attitudes and acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccination.
Hijab or Niqab Interacts with Facemasks Usage at Healthcare Settings in Kabul, Afghanistan: A Multi-Center Observational Study
Authors: Nemat Arash , Danishmand Tamim Jan , Essar Mohammad Yasir , Raufi Nahid , Ahmad Shoaib , Lazarus Suleman
Published: October 2022

Purpose: We aimed to understand the extent of facemask usage resulting from the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in an Afghan context. In Afghanistan, new COVID-19 variants, low vaccination rates, political turmoil, and poverty interact not only with the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic but also with facemask usage. Methods: We collected data (n = 1970) by visually observing the usage and type of facemasks used among visitors entering healthcare facilities in Kabul. We conducted an observational study observing the use of facemasks among 1279 men and 691 women. Results: While 71% of all participants adhered to wearing facemasks, 94% of these users wore surgical masks, and 86% wore all types of facemasks correctly. Interestingly, women adhered to wearing facemasks more than men. Specifically, of all the participants who were not wearing masks, 20% were men, and only 8% were women. Even though men were more in number in our study (64.9%), women have a higher adherence rate to wearing facemasks than men. Conclusions: We conclude that gender socialization and expectations of women to wear the niqab or hijab interact with their adherence to wearing facemasks. Additionally, since Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, which has witnessed a considerable period of political turmoil, we spotlight that our findings are rare in scholarship as they represent a distinct non-Western Islamic society with a low scale of COVID-19 vaccination. Therefore, more research is needed to assess the general population’s socioeconomic and geopolitical barriers to facemask use, given that Afghanistan is an underrepresented social context. Our findings are expected to aid health policymakers in developing novel prevention strategies for the country.
An International Federal Hyperledger Fabric Verification Framework for Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Passport
Authors: Shih Dong-Her , Shih Pai-Ling , Wu Ting-Wei , Liang Shu-Huai , Shih Ming-Hung
Published: October 2022

The COVID-19 virus has been spreading worldwide on a large scale since 2019, and the most effective way to prevent COVID-19 is to vaccinate. In order to prove that vaccination has been administered to allow access to different areas, paper vaccine passports are produced. However, paper vaccine passport records are vulnerable to counterfeiting or abuse. Previous research has suggested that issuing certificates digitally is an easier way to verify them. This study used the consortium blockchain based on Hyperledger Fabric to upload the digital vaccine passport (DVP) to the blockchain network. In order to enable collaboration across multiple systems, networks, and organizations in different trust realms. Federated Identity Management is considered a promising approach to facilitate secure resource sharing between collaborating partners. Therefore, the international federal identity management architecture proposed in this study enables inspectors in any country to verify the authenticity of the DVP of incoming passengers using the consortium blockchain. Through practical construction, the international federal Hyperledger verification framework for the DVP proposed in this study has shown the feasibility of issuing a global DVP in safety analysis and efficacy testing.
Bilateral Knee Joint Cooling on Anaerobic Capacity and Wheel Cadence during Sprint Cycling Intervals
Authors: Nam Agong , Park Jihong
Published: October 2022

We compared the effect of bilateral knee joint cooling with or without a pre-cooling warm-up on sprint cycling performance to a non-cooling control condition. Seventeen healthy young males (25 ± 2 years, 174 ± 6 cm, 70 ± 9 kg) performed three conditions in a counterbalanced order (condition 1: warming + cooling + cycling; condition 2: cooling + cycling; condition 3: cycling). For warming, a single set of cycling intervals (a 10 s sprint with maximal effort followed by a 180 s active recovery; resistive load 4% and 1% body mass for sprint and recovery, respectively) was performed. For cycling, five sets of cycling intervals were performed. For cooling, 20 min of bilateral focal knee joint cooling was applied. Peak and average values of anaerobic capacity and wheel cadence during each set across conditions were statistically compared. There was no condition effect over set (condition × set) in anaerobic capacity (F8,224 < 1.49, p > 0.16) and wheel cadence (F8,224 < 1.48, p > 0.17). Regardless of set (condition effect: F2,224 > 8.64, p < 0.0002), conditions 1 and 2 produced higher values of anaerobic capacity (p ≤ 0.05). Similarly (condition effect: F2,224 > 4.62, p < 0.02), condition 1 showed higher wheel cadence (p < 0.02) than condition 3. A bilateral joint cooling for 20 min with or without pre-cooling warm-up may improve overall sprint cycling capacity during five sets of cycling intervals when compared to the non-cooling condition.
Spinal Cord Stimulation in Chronic Low Back Pain Syndrome: Mechanisms of Modulation, Technical Features and Clinical Application
Authors: Guzzi Giusy , Della Torre Attilio , La Torre Domenico , Volpentesta Giorgio , Stroscio Carmelino Angelo , Lavano Angelo , Longhini Federico
Published: October 2022

Chronic low-back pain (CLBP) is a common disease with several negative consequences on the quality of life, work and activity ability and increased costs to the health-care system. When pharmacological, psychological, physical and occupational therapies or surgery fail to reduce CLBP, patients may be a candidate for Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS). SCS consists of the transcutaneous or surgical implantation of different types of electrodes in the epidural space; electrodes are then connected to an Implanted Pulse Generator (IPG) that generates stimulating currents. Through spinal and supraspinal mechanisms based on the “gate control theory for pain transmission”, SCS reduces symptoms of CLBP in the almost totality of well-selected patients and its effect lasts up to eight years in around 75% of patients. However, the evidence in favor of SCS still remains weak, mainly due to poor trial methodology and design. This narrative review is mainly addressed to those professionals that may encounter patients with CLBP failing conventional treatments. For this reason, we report the mechanisms of pain relief during SCS, the technical features and some clinical considerations about the application of SCS in patients with CLBP.