bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Demography and stepfamilies among the Chabu of southwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Dira Samuel Jilo
Published: September 2024

The Chabu were mobile hunter-gatherers until they were exposed to extensive farming and a market economy in the 1990s. Like many other hunter-gatherers, they live in small groups or bands in extended families. Extensive sharing of food and childcare (alloparenting) is common in their social lives. Chabu demographic features include lower fertility and higher mortality rates compared to neighbouring farming communities. A high divorce rate characterises Chabu marriage; adults often marry three to four times in their lifetime. Following divorce or the death of a husband, a woman usually moves back to her family’s village until she remarries. Most children of divorced couples live with a remarried parent and step-parent, while others choose to reside with the relatives of their parents. Hence, many Chabu children grow up with non-genetic caregivers, including those in stepfamilies. This research note examines Chabu’s demographic and sociocultural features as they relate to the prevalence of diverse forms of stepfamilies and stepchildren relationships.
Bottleneck Feature Extraction for Gene Expression Using Deep Learning
Authors: Thakur Tanima , Batra Isha , Malik Arun
Published: September 2024

Cancer is one of the deadly diseases that is touching the masses. Gene expression data consists of fewer samples and more features, which makes it difficult to handle. So, for this purpose, various dimensionality reduction techniques are available in literature. With the help of these methods, important features are extracted from the data and then later cancer classification is done. The suggested approach involves combining pre-trained models VGG16 and VGG19. VGG19 is positioned between two VGG16 models. Once the relevant features have been extracted from the data, XGBoost (extreme gradient boosting) is employed as a classifier to categorise the data into five cancer classifications. The suggested technique has been compared to current methods such as VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, and Inception V3. It has been observed that the proposed method exhibits lower mean squared error (MSE) and higher accuracy compared to the other methods.
The Post-COVID-19 E-Services Continuance Usage in Low-Income Countries
Authors: Muchandigona Ana Kundai , Naidoo Vinessa
Published: September 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic renewed the role of digital government for conventional delivery of e-services while creating a paradigm shift for the telecommuting ecosystem. Prior to COVID-19, e-services usage had been slow in least-income countries; hence the need for clarity on whether its usage will be sustained in the post-COVID-19 era. This study sought to develop a model for the continuance usage of e-services after the COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative data were collected from a South African government, and the designed model was validated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). Results indicated that perceived usefulness (PU) and exerted pressure (EPU) are highly significant antecedents of continuance usage. Theoretically, the model contributes to technology continuance usage. It also affirms the organizational readiness for digital transformation through the use of combined technologies. Future research should focus on conceptual skills such as innovativeness, flexibility, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and empathy needed for digital transformation.
Integration of Technology and Marketing Activities Among Service SMEs in Emerging Economies
Authors: Jayawardena Nirma Sadamali , Behl Abhishek , Nedungadi Prema , Jones Paul , Raman Raghu
Published: September 2024

Service small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are typically SMEs that operate in the service industry. In emerging economies, service SMEs can benefit from integrating technology and marketing activities to compete globally and drive growth. Further, service SMEs can compete with larger businesses with technology-driven marketing. Technology can differentiate an SME and create a unique value proposition, attracting customers and setting it apart. Social media advertising and email campaigns are often more cost-effective than traditional marketing channels such as print and television. The authors included a total of 32 articles published between the years 2013 and 2023 for in-depth analysis to address the issue under investigation. Findings indicated several effective digital marketing strategies to integrate technology and marketing activities among service SMEs in emerging economies, such as personalized marketing options, direct customer engagement, 24/7 availability options, and brand-building capabilities.
Risk Analysis in Customer Relationship Management via QRCNN-LSTM and Cross-Attention Mechanism
Authors: Huang Yaowen , Der Leu Jun , Lu Baoli , Zhou Yan
Published: September 2024

Risk analysis is an important business decision support task in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), involving the identification of potential risks or challenges that may affect customer satisfaction, retention rates, and overall business performance. To enhance risk analysis in CRM, this paper combines the advantages of QRCNN-LSTM and cross-attention mechanisms for modeling. The QRCNN-LSTM model combines sequence modeling with deep learning architectures commonly used in natural language processing tasks, enabling the capture of both local and global dependencies in sequence data. The cross-attention mechanism enhances interactions between different input data parts, allowing the model to focus on specific areas or features relevant to CRM risk analysis. By applying QRCNN-LSTM and cross-attention mechanisms to CRM risk analysis, empirical evidence demonstrates that this approach can effectively identify potential risks and provide data-driven support for business decisions.
Considerations on ‘informed consent’ in practical medicine and clinical trials
Authors: Fasoli Angelo
Published: September 2024

The patient's ‘informed consent’ represents one of the most debated and even, to a certain extent, controversial topics in medicine today. The issue of consent concerns all aspects of medical intervention, both in individual medical practice and in clinical trials.
The effect of dynamic geometry software use for teaching and learning Grade 11 circle geometry
Authors: Ntshangase Sibonokuhle C. , Ndlovu Mdutshekelwa , Oladele Jumoke I.
Published: September 2024

Background: Dynamic digital technologies (DDTs) are having an impact on children’s learning because they have the ability to improve learning while also addressing the issue of lack of interest and motivation. DDTs can also serve as a viable solution to the current crisis state of mathematics education in South Africa.Aim: The study examined how using GeoGebra dynamic geometry software in the teaching and learning of circle geometry in Grade 11 affected learners’ performance as well as their experiences.Setting: Eighty mathematics learners in Grade 11 participated in the study: 40 each in the experimental and control groups.Methods: The explanatory mixed methods research design was employed for this study, which comprised an experimental and control group design, wherein the experimental group was taught using GeoGebra activities, a control group was taught using a traditional approach (quantitative) and focus group discussions were conducted to gather students’ narratives about GeoGebra use (qualitative).Results: The study’s findings demonstrated that following the use of GeoGebra software for instruction, there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups with t = 4.1762, p = 0.000077 and a Cohen’s d = 1.096277, which connotes a significant effect size as it is more noteworthy than the 0.8 thresholds.Conclusion: The study concluded that when learners are taught using GeoGebra software instead of traditional teaching methods, they seem to perform better academically in circle geometry and enjoy learning mathematics more.Contribution: This study contributes to improving the quality of mathematics education by leveraging technology to enhance learning experiences and outcomes.
The Confession of Belhar in pastoral care and counselling
Authors: Landman Christina
Published: September 2024

The Confession of Belhar was accepted as official confession of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church by its General Synod on 26 September 1986. During the apartheid regime in South Africa, it confesses its belief in God who serves the poor and the downtrodden, and defines the church as taking a stance against injustice. This article explores the values expressed in the Confession of Belhar to be applied in pastoral care and counselling context. The study aimed to determine whether the values of the Confession of Belhar can transcend the boundaries of ‘church’ and how pastoral care supports people towards healing and healthy religious discourses. The research population are people who: firstly, visited a state hospital in a previously black township for primary care and referred to the author for counselling; and secondly, those who received counselling and pastoral care in black and brown townships where the author has been a tent-maker minister of the Word in the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa. Upon analysis, five harmful religious discourses that prevent healing were identified: (1) God is punishing me; (2) Is Christ really stronger than evil forces? (3) I am alone and afraid; (4) I have no access to spiritual gifts or any opportunities; and (5) no reconciliation or peace is possible in my situation.Contribution: This article describes the Belhar Confession in surpassing its aim of unity, reconciliation and justice in that it supports pastoral counselling by assisting people to deconstruct harmful religious discourses of pain and helplessness to alternative discourses of health and healing.
Cerebellar involvement in classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma: A case report
Authors: Chinchanikar Suyash , Divekar Girija , Kashyap Lakhan , Vora Chakor , Deshpande Shefali
Published: September 2024

Intracranial involvement of Hodgkin’s lymphoma is rare, occurring in less than 0.5% of all cases, and usually reported as case reports. Most cases of intracranial involvement are observed at the time of relapse and are associated with poor clinical outcomes. We report the case of a 21-year-old male patient with previously treated Stage IV classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma with cerebellar metastasis. The patient had refractory disease and presented with a headache. On evaluation, he was found to have cerebellar lesions and extracranial disease. He received palliative chemotherapy with bendamustine and lenalidomide, followed by whole-brain radiotherapy. To add to the available literature, we report the case that highlights the limited treatment options for central nervous system (CNS) Hodgkin’s lymphoma, where salvage chemotherapy and whole-brain radiotherapy yield transient responses.
Glioblastoma multiforme - a rare type of cancer: A narrative review
Authors: Bijalwan Gaurvi , Shrivastav Abhishek Kumar , Mallik Sarita , Dubey Manish Kumar
Published: September 2024

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an infrequent type of brain cancer. The prevalence of GBM is very low, that is, 10 per 100,000 cases. It is, however, the most belligerent and malignant type of brain cancer, which is often fatal. Patients having GBM show notably poor prognosis. GBM can occur at any age, but oftentimes, it is seen in older adults. Despite advancements in the field of medicine and research for the specific medicament for GBM, no refinement has been seen in the survival rates in the past three decades. We performed an advanced search in Google Scholar database between January 2003 and December 2023 using the keywords such as “brain cancer,” “glioma,” “brain tumor,” and “glioblastoma multiforme”. This search resulted in 673 articles related to the recent and advanced information of GBM. However, 101 contemporary and relevant articles were shortlisted for final review based on the most recent information about GBM such as its categorization, clinical manifestation, etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and recurrence. From these articles, relevant information was used and presented in this comprehensive narrative review to briefly outline the clinical manifestation, pathogenesis, genetic study, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of GBM with the latest advancements.
Awareness about COVID-19 among patients with cancer attending the Department of Radiation Oncology: A prospective observational study - ACROS
Authors: Chakravarty Abhay , Basu Abhishek , Madhav Manu G. , Paul Chayan , Dey Soumya , Adhikary Siddhartha
Published: September 2024

Background:

It is important to ascertain awareness about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among patients with cancer, especially in rural areas in India.

Objectives:

The primary objective of the study was to assess the awareness of COVID-19 in terms of knowledge, attitude, and practice of patients with cancer, and the secondary objective was to correlate these findings with respect to the baseline demographics.

Materials and Methods:

We conducted a survey from November 2022 to February 2023 at the Outpatient Department of Radiation Oncology of Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal, India, a rural tertiary care hospital, using a prevalidated questionnaire (ACROS questionnaire) to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 among patients with cancer. All patients aged ≥ 18 years were interviewed from November 2022 to February 2023. The final questionnaire comprised five domains – demographics, diagnosis, knowledge (K), attitude (A), and practices (P) relevant to COVID-19. Data analysis was done by SPSS version 26.0 software. Kruskal-Wallis test as well as correlation and association were used to compare the difference in knowledge, attitude, and practice with respect to demographic characteristics.

Results:

A total of 274 questionnaires (97.9%) were considered for the final analysis. The median age of the participants was 52 (interquartile range 44-60) years. Statistically significant associations were observed in cases of attitude with occupation [P, 0.030; odds ratio (OR), 2.000; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.071-3.735] and practice with occupation (P, 0.024; OR, 2.543; 95% CI, 1.458-4.438), along with the socioeconomic (SE) status (P < 0.001). A weak correlation was found between knowledge and attitude [Pearson correlation coefficient (r), 0.261; P < 0.001], knowledge and practice (r, 0.373; P < 0.001), attitude and practice (r, 0.207; P, 0.001), and practice and SE status (r, 0.203).

Conclusion:

With a drop in the incidence of COVID-19 and related deaths, patients with cancer in rural India began flouting the precautionary measures against COVID-19.
Comparison between radiotherapy and neoadjuvant denosumab followed by surgery in the treatment of giant cell tumor of bone: A retrospective observational study
Authors: Saha Subhayan , Sarkar Arpita , Nandy Kousik , Manna Amitabha , Bhattacharya Mukul , Debsingha Pranab , Chandra Biswadeep , Mondal Santu , Saha Jagannath , Chakraborty Tamal
Published: September 2024

Background:

Giant cell tumor is a locally aggressive tumor of the bone. In the predenosumab era, treatment comprised surgery or radiotherapy in potentially resectable lesions. After the advent of denosumab, utilizing neoadjuvant denosumab followed by surgery has emerged as an effective treatment option.

Objectives:

We aimed primarily to assess and compare the locoregional failure-free survival of patients with giant cell tumor of the bone (GCTB) treated with either external beam radiotherapy or neoadjuvant denosumab followed by surgery. The secondary objective was to assess and compare the quality of life (QoL) of patients between the two arms.

Materials and Methods:

In this single institutional retrospective study, conducted between August 2022 and August 2023 in the Department of Radiotherapy in the Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research and SSKM Hospital Kolkata, West Bengal, India, we included patients with histopathologically proven GCTB. These patients were treated with either radiotherapy (54 Gray in 27 fractions) or neoadjuvant denosumab (for 8 doses) followed by surgery and were followed up at least for 6 months after completing the first-line therapy. Patients were monitored every 3 months for 2 years and then every 6 months thereafter. Locoregional control of the tumor was assessed by clinical examination and imaging. QoL was assessed and compared by the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire and health today scoring system.

Results:

We enrolled 22 patients in the radiotherapy alone group and 26 patients in the group receiving neoadjuvant denosumab followed by surgery. The 5-year locoregional failure-free survival was achieved in 18/22 patients (81.8%) in the radiotherapy arm and in 20/26 patients (76.9%) in the neoadjuvant denosumab group (P, 0.680). There was no significant difference in the QoL between the two groups of patients (P, 0.850).

Conclusion:

Radiotherapy and neoadjuvant denosumab followed by surgery result in similar locoregional control and quality of life in the patients with giant cell tumor of bones, and both can be considered appropriate treatment options in patients with initially unresectable tumors.
Bridging hope: Retrospective analysis of stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma-A promising and cost-effective solution for low-and middle-income countries
Authors: Kapoor Rakesh , Dey Treshita , Khosla Divya , Taneja Sunil , Kalra Naveen , Gupta Rajesh
Published: September 2024

Background:

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers among men in India. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has recently become a promising treatment modality for HCC before liver transplantation.

Objectives:

In this retrospective study, we aimed primarily to determine the clinical details of patients with HCC and response of SBRT in treating such patients with a secondary objective of assessing the impact of SBRT on patient survival.

Materials and Methods:

This retrospective analysis was conducted from January 2016 to January 2019 at the Department of Radiotherapy at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India. Six MV photons were used in conjunction with volumetric modulated arc treatment to deliver SBRT. Tumor response was evaluated as per the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria. For both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), Kaplan–Meier curves were created.

Results:

We included 21 patients with HCC who received SBRT treatment. The median age of our patients was 63 (45–74) years. The radiation dose ranged from 36–50 Gy in 3–5 fractions. Of the 21 patients, 5 (23.8%) had a complete response, whereas 9 (42.9%) showed a partial response. After 2 years, the local control rate was 66.7%. The overall survival was 28 months (interquartile range, IQR, 22–37), and the median progression-free survival was 20 months (IQR, 16–27). The overall survival rate at 2 years was 59%. There was no treatment-related mortality observed and no patient required an urgent transplant for acute decompensation.

Conclusion:

SBRT was well tolerated by our patients. With advancements in external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) techniques, it is possible to practice higher dose fractionation regimens due to more precise targeting and sparing of normal liver tissue. Considering the long waiting period for liver transplantation, liver SBRT can prove to be a successful bridging tool.
Challenges in the management of foot and ankle sarcomas: A retrospective analysis in a tertiary cancer institute in South India
Authors: Poolakkil Prasanth , Pareekutty Nizamudheen M , Balasubramanian Satheesan , Nethrakare Aravind , Anilkumar Bindu
Published: September 2024

Background:

Sarcomas of the foot and ankle pose a management challenge due to anatomical complexity, rarity, and histological heterogeneity.

Objectives:

This study primarily aims at assessing the management challenges of sarcomas of the foot and ankle, specifically focusing on limb preservation rates, and oncologic outcomes. The secondary objectives include evaluation of surgical complications such as rates and impacts of unplanned procedures along with the analysis of functional outcomes after the treatment.

Materials and Methods:

This retrospective study analyses data of patients treated during January 2010 to December 2018 in the Department of Surgical Oncology at Malabar Cancer Center (Postgraduate Institute of Oncology Science and Research), a tertiary cancer center located in South India. Clinicopathologic data, treatment details, and outcomes were collected and compared. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, log-rank test, chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test.

Results:

Out of 15 patients, 13 (86.7%) completed the planned treatment. Histopathologic review prompted a change in diagnosis in 3 out of 12 (25%) cases. Seven out of 15 (46.7%) patients underwent unplanned procedures, with short-term adverse impacts observed in 6 out of 7 (85.7%) cases. The limb salvage rate was 76.9% (10 out of 13 patients). Graft or flap coverage was needed in 7 out of 9 (77.8%) patients treated by wide excision. Wound complications were significantly higher in cases requiring soft tissue reconstruction (P, 0.005). Local recurrence with limb salvage was observed in 2 out of 13 (15.4%) patients. The mean overall survival (OS) was 58.8 months (95% CI, 44.495-73.141, SD, 7.308), and the median disease-free survival (DFS) was 46 months (95% CI, 1.496-90.504).

Conclusion:

Limb salvage is feasible and safe in foot and ankle sarcomas. However, management is challenging due to histological heterogeneity, delayed presentation and referral to tertiary cancer care facilities, diagnostic errors, unplanned procedures at peripheral centers, and reconstructive complications. Survival outcomes in this study were worse than those previously reported.
Demographic and epidemiological profile of patients with head-and-neck cancer in Bihar, India: A hospital-based retrospective study
Authors: Alok  , Rastogi Manoj Kumar , Shanker Rama , Vidyarthi Ajay , Kumar Arun
Published: September 2024

Background:

The pattern of head-and-neck cancer (HNC) differs across India due to considerable differences in regional customs, tobacco consumption behaviors, socio-economic status, and other regional risk-factors.

Objectives:

The primary objective of this study was to assess the epidemiological and demographic profile of patients with HNC from Bihar, India. The secondary objective was to evaluate differences in the incidence of HNC across different anatomical sites with respect to tobacco use, gender, and geographical location.

Materials and Methods:

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 3230 newly diagnosed, biopsy-proven HNC cases from Bihar, treated at the Department of Head-and-Neck Cancer, Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Center, Patna, between January 2021 and December 2022. Data on age, gender, address, tobacco habit, site of disease, and other details were extracted from clinical records for statistical analysis.

Results:

This hospital-based study showed a predominance of male patients, with a male-to-female ratio of 5.37:1. The majority of patients were aged between 41-60 years, with significant gender disparities noted across all the age groups (P < 0.05). The oral cavity was identified as the most common site of HNC, accounting for 71.6% in males (n = 1949/2723) and 50.5% in females (n = 256/507). Within the oral cavity, the buccal mucosa and tongue were the most prevalent subsites. The number of patients from North Bihar was more in comparison to South Bihar. The most common tobacco habits were khaini and betel quid, both widely cultivated in Bihar.

Conclusion:

This study highlights a high prevalence of non-smoking tobacco consumption among the patients with HNC in Bihar. The oral cavity, particularly the buccal mucosa, was found to be the most affected site. Variations in the pattern of HNC were noted with respect to tobacco use, gender, and geographical location.
Enhancing frozen section reporting for parathyroid masses: Integration of touch imprint as an adjunctive drill—A case report
Authors: Dagar Vikas Karamchand , Mondal Santosh Kumar , Roy Ayan , Goswami Soumyajit
Published: September 2024

Parathyroid adenoma is a benign tumor of the parathyroid gland, typically causing primary hyperparathyroidism (PTPH) by autonomous overproduction of parathyroid hormone. A 34-year-old female presented with chronic abdominal pain radiating to the back and was found to have elevated levels of calcium in her blood. PTPH presenting with isolated edematous pancreatitis needs high suspicion in the Indian scenario. The utilization of the touch imprint technique in intraoperative frozen section analysis proved advantageous in this case. Offering rapid diagnosis within 2 min, compared with the standard 14 min, expedited surgical decision-making and enhanced patient care. The confirmation of parathyroid adenoma via touch imprint, supported by biochemical assays showing reduced serum parathyroid levels post-excision, underscored its diagnostic reliability. This highlights touch imprint’s significance as a valuable adjunct to frozen section reporting, especially in diagnosing parathyroid masses during surgery, this critical information aids surgeons in making informed decisions promptly, ensuring optimal patient outcomes and efficient healthcare delivery.
Diabetes Care: An Online Web-Based Tool for Improving the Health Outcomes of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Anil Deepak , Kumar D Sunil , Prasad S Rajendra , Gopi Arun , Prakash Hari , Yadav Deepika , Murthy M R Narayana
Published: September 2024

Background:

Diabetes is a chronic medical condition with severe complications, mainly caused by unhealthy lifestyles in genetically susceptible individuals. There has been a growing interest in the role of mobile health technologies in achieving better self-efficacy in managing diabetes. This study attempts to assess the impact of a web-based model on improving the diabetes status among Type 2 diabetic patients attending a tertiary care hospital in southern India.

Methods:

A longitudinal study was conducted among patients with type 2 diabetes attending the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Mysuru, southern India, for 6 months. Diabetes Care (https://www.diabetes-care.co.in/), which is an online website that can be used as a risk prediction tool for uncontrolled diabetes and recommends lifestyle changes, was used by 456 diabetes patients for 6 months. We assessed the change in glycosylated haemoglobin levels at the beginning and after 6 months of using the software.

Results:

The mean HbA1c value at the start of the study was 8.039% ± 1.981. The HbA1c value assessed after 6 months post-intervention showed an improvement of 7.794% ± 1.853 with a mean difference of 0.245. A paired T-test showed a statistically significant association with a P value of 0.049.

Conclusions:

Evidence from this study suggests that intervention using a web-based model focusing on risk prediction and educational intervention showed an improvement in the diabetic status of the patients with T2DM.
Comparing the effect of haptonomy and CBT-based counseling on childbirth experience and postpartum depression of women with high fear of childbirth: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Alivand Zahra , Nourizadeh Roghaiyeh , Hakimi Sevil , Esmaeilpour Khalil , Mehrabi Esmat
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

Fear of childbirth (FOC) leads to the perception of more pain and a negative childbirth experience. Negative childbirth experience is related to postpartum depression. This study aimed to compare the effect of haptonomy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on the childbirth experience and postpartum depression of women with high FOC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This randomized controlled trial was performed on 99 primigravida women referred to health centers in Tabriz, Iran, from January to August 2022. Participants with Wijma score above 65 were assigned into three groups using block randomization. One of the intervention groups (n = 33) received eight sessions of CBT from gestational age of 24–28 weeks and the other group (n = 33) received haptonomy during five sessions once a week. The control group (n = 33) received routine care. The data were collected using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, and childbirth experiences questionnaire version 2.0 and were analyzed using ANOVA and ANCOVA.

RESULTS:

The mean score of childbirth experience in the CBT and haptonomy groups was 70.67 (13.70) and 70.63 (14.48), respectively, which was more than that in the control group 61.63 (14.11) (P = 0.01). However, no statistically significant difference was observed between the intervention groups (P = 1.000). There wasn’t significant difference in the mean score of postpartum depression among CBT 7.59 (3.03), haptonomy 7.47 (4.49), and control 9.71 (3.05) groups (P = 0.09).

CONCLUSIONS:

Both CBT and haptonomy improved the childbirth experience, but did not affect postpartum depression. Considering the lack of significant difference between the CBT and haptonomy intervention groups in terms of childbirth experience and given that haptonomy intervention is employed by midwives with no need for CBT counseling skills and can be presented in fewer sessions than CBT, it can be used as a preferred intervention approach by midwives in the care of pregnant women with FOC to improve the childbirth experience.
Perception, knowledge, and factors influencing Saudi nursing students toward practicing testicular self-examination: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Saleh Zyad T. , Elshatarat Rami A. , Sawalha Murad A. , Khraim Fadi , Abdelkader Raghad , Saleh Ahmad M. , Yacoub Mohammed , Al-Za’areer Majed S. , Alahmadi Hanadi A. , Tabar Nazih Abu , Abdel Aziz Hassanat R. , Allugmani Abdullah R.
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

Testicular cancer poses a substantial health burden globally, and early detection through testicular self-examination (TSE) is vital for improving prognosis. The study aims to assess the perception, awareness, knowledge, and factors associated with TSE among Saudi nursing students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

A structured questionnaire was distributed to 418 participants. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and t-tests.

RESULTS:

On average, the participants’ self-confidence in their knowledge to perform TSE was 6.18 (±3.3) out of 10. The majority of participants held misconceptions about TSE, perceiving it as painful (91.86%) and embarrassing (52.39%). The mean of correct awareness and knowledge levels of participants about steps in performing TSE was 9.2 (SD = ±3.6) out of 21. On average, the correct perception of TC and TSE was 11.73 (±4.11) out of 20. Significant relationships emerged between TSE performance and factors such as being married (P = 0.043), having good or less health status (P = 0.015), being a tobacco user (P = 0.039), having a medical problem with testicles (P = 0.005) or family history of TC (P = 0.007), has been learned about TSE (P = 0.002), high-grade point average (P = 0.012), had high self-confidence to perform TSE (P = 0.033), and had correct perception about TC and TSE (P = 0.037), had correct awareness about TSE (P = 0.021), had motivated factors that influencing to practice of TSE (P = 0.003), and had correct awareness and knowledge levels of participants about steps in performing TSE (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION:

The study underscores the need for targeted educational interventions and curriculum enhancements to dispel misconceptions, improve awareness, and promote accurate TSE practices among nursing students. Public health campaigns are recommended to address barriers and normalize TSE.
Pediatric airway management: A narrative review of the current practices and challenges
Authors: Choudhary Annu , Singh Swati , Kumar Saurabh
Published: September 2024

Pediatric patients are more susceptible to critical events, the management of their airway necessitates skilled and meticulous interventions. Thus, it is essential to be well versed with the knowledge that can aid in our understanding of the pediatric airway. We conducted a narrative review of the current understanding of pediatric airway assessment techniques, various airway adjuncts and devices, the use of video laryngoscopes for endotracheal intubation and future trends. The databases Ovid, Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched regarding various aspects of pediatric airway management from 2005 to 2024. The search terms were pediatric or infant difficult airway, pediatric difficult airway, apneic oxygenation, and pediatric airway assessment. One hundred articles were deemed relevant by abstract, and their full text was obtained and examined further for compliance, and finally, 40 full-text articles were included in the study. This article discusses the various challenges of pediatric anesthesia related to airway management, emphasizing the need for individualized perioperative methods due to children’s unique anatomical and physiological features.
Критерии $C^m$-приближаемости функций решениями однородных эллиптических уравнений второго порядка на компактах в $\mathbb{R}^N$ и связанные с ними емкости
Authors: Mazalov Maksim Yakovlevich , Paramonov Petr Vladimirovich , Fedorovskiy Konstantin Yurievich
Published: September 2024

В настоящем обзоре обсуждаются результаты, полученные за последние 12 лет авторами обзора и их соавторами. Основное достижение за этот период состоит в том, что установлены емкостные критерии типа Витушкина для $C^m$-приближаемости функций решениями однородных эллиптических уравнений второго порядка с постоянными комплексными коэффициентами на компактах в $\mathbb R^N$ во всех размерностях $N\in\{2,3,…\}$ и для всех параметров гладкости $m\in[0,2)$. Эти критерии даются в индивидуальной форме. Из них непосредственно вытекают соответствующие критерии для классов функций, установленные ранее Д. Вердерой, Д. Матеу, Д. Оробичем и Ю. Нетрусовым (1996 г., за исключением случаев $m=0$ и $m=1$). Вторым существенным достижением за это время было получение интегрально-геометрического описания всех используемых в указанных критериях емкостей при $m=0$ (М. Я. Мазалов, 2024 г.) и $m=1$ (К. Толса, 2021 г.). В частности, установлена их субаддитивность.
Библиография: 69 названий.
Hydrogen Engine Development toward Performance Parity with
Conventional Fuel-Type Engines While Ensuring Ultralow Tailpipe
Emissions
Authors: Koerfer Thomas , Durand Thomas , Virnich Lukas
Published: September 2024

The societies around the world remain far from meeting the agreed primary goal
outlined under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change: reducing greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions to keep global average temperature rise to well below 20°C
by 2100 and making every effort to stay underneath of a 1.5°C elevation. In 2020
direct tailpipe emissions from transport represented around 8
GtCO2eq, or nearly 15% of total emissions. This number increases to
just under 10 GtCO2eq when indirect emissions from electricity and
fuel supply are added, for a total share of roughly 18%. Following the current
trend, direct and indirect emissions in transport could reach above 11
GtCO2eq by 2050. Roughly 76% of transport emissions are related
to land-based passenger and freight road transport. Emissions from aviation and
shipping account for the remaining 24% of 2020 emissions. Hydrogen
(H2) is in this scenario considered to play a key role as a
carbon-free and versatile energy carrier. Combustion of hydrogen in an ICE
offers the potential to accelerate the introduction of carbon-neutral mobility
in the short to medium term at competitive cost due to the utilization of
well-proven and mature technology elements. Given the high technological
maturity of internal combustion engines (ICEs), there is an increasing interest
in ICEs powered by hydrogen as a CO2-free solution for on- and
off-road vehicles as well as construction equipment. All along the development,
the objectives were set to develop the right technological combination that
offers power, torque, and transient response comparable to current diesel
engine. The results shown demonstrate the great potentials of the hydrogen
engine technology. The engine KPI are matching the ones from the diesel base
engine while offering near-zero emission concept thanks to the alignment of
engine control and aftertreatment system calibration.
Additively Manufactured Lightweight Automobile Cylinder Head—A New
Process for Structural Optimization from Concept to Validated
Hardware
Authors: Kayacan Can , Pischinger Stefan , Ahlborn Klaus , Bültmann Jan
Published: September 2024

Reducing vehicle weight is a key task for automotive engineers to meet future
emission, fuel consumption, and performance requirements. Weight reduction of
cylinder head and crankcase can make a decisive contribution to achieving these
objectives, as they are among the heaviest components of a passenger car
powertrain.

Modern passenger car cylinder heads and crankcases have greatly been optimized in
terms of cost and weight in all-aluminum design using the latest conventional
production techniques. However, it is becoming apparent that further significant
weight reduction cannot be expected, as processes such as casting have reached
their limits for further lightweighting due to manufacturing restrictions. Here,
recent developments in the additive manufacturing (AM) of metallic structures is
offering a new degree of freedom.

As part of the government-funded research project LeiMot [Lightweight Engine
(Eng.)] borderline lightweight design potential of a passenger car cylinder head
with the use of automated structural optimization is investigated. A
four-cylinder 2.0 L series production Diesel engine cylinder head is taken as
basis in terms of bolting and gas flow channels.

With the newly gained design freedom by AM, it is demonstrated that a cylinder
head with up to 30% weight reduction in comparison to the reference cylinder
head can be realized through a novel stiffness concept, while fulfilling the
mechanical requirements. The optimized design is initially validated by CAE
methods for the hot operational conditions and worst-case circumstances.
Required material properties are determined through manufactured specimens. A
prototype cylinder head is manufactured using the LPBF (laser powder bed fusion)
process, and hardware durability is validated on a hydro-pulse test bench under
the maximum cylinder pressure of the reference Diesel engine. Subsequently, a
material analysis is performed, and optimization potentials at the component
geometry and printing parameters are investigated to further improve material
properties and hence fatigue performance.
Brass Tubing, Seamless, 66.5Cu - 33Zn - 0.45Pb, Annealed
Authors:   AMS D Nonferrous Alloys Committee
Published: September 2024

This specification covers one grade of brass in the form of seamless tubing (see 8.5).
Controlling Aircraft—From Humans to Autonomous Systems: Rise of the Machines
Authors: David Aharon
Published: September 2024

Paris, June 18, 1914: Crowds gathered at the “Concours de la Sécurité en
Aéroplane” to witness 21-year-old Lawrence Sperry demonstrate his newly invented
gyroscopic stabilizer. With his hands in the air, the device flew his Curtiss
C-2 flying boat. Only a decade after the Wright brothers’ initial flight, the
first n “autopilot” made its public debut. As impressive as this public
demonstration was, it was merely a humble, although spectacular moment of
foreshadowing. Even today—110 years later—the process of automating aspects of
flight has not yet fully concluded, leading to deteriorating insight into the
automatic behavior of aircraft systems, and even the waning of human instincts
and intuition.

Controlling Aircraft—From Humans to Autonomous Systems: Rise of the
Machines covers the distancing of humans from their flying machines
through more than a century-long process of “assisting” systems introduction,
the positive and negative consequences of this process, and mitigation solutions
for the negative consequences.

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Adult Testicular Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: A Rare Case Series
Authors:   Department of Pathology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, MGUMST, Jaipur, India, Ailani Simran , Raghava Manju , Sethi Neha , Vijaywargiya Maneesh
Published: September 2024

To evaluate the clinicopathological profiles of patients presenting with testicular lymphomas. In our study from February 2020 to August 2023, 6 rare cases of testicular non hodgkin’s lymphomas were diagnosed in a three and a half year period and were divided based on primary or secondary involvement. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on all cases and results were compared based on clinicopathological profile. The mean age was 57 years. Most common presenting complaint was unilateral or bilateral testicular swelling, associated with pain in some cases. B symptoms were present only in one case. Out of 6 cases, 3 showed primary involvement and 3 were secondarily involved. On applying IHC, 3 cases were diagnosed as Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), Non-Germinal Centre subtype and 3 as DLBCL, Germinal Centre subtype.Testicular lymphomas are rare highly malignant tumors and pose a strong diagnostic difficulty for both clinician and pathologist. Hence, clinical suspicion should always be maintained in cases of testicular swelling for proper workup of the patient. Keywords: Testicular lymphoma, Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Testis, Extranodal
Drug-Induced Bullous Haemorrhagic Dermatosis: Insights from a Case Series
Authors:   Department of Pharmacology, MGM Medical College and Hospital, Kishanganj, Bihar, India, Era Nikhil , Joha Samsuj , Gupta Amar Kumar , Kumari Soni , Mukherjee Mala , Mukherjee Shatavisa
Published: September 2024

Bullous haemorrhagic dermatosis (BHD), a distinctive non-immune cutaneous eruption, manifests as the formation of haemorrhagic bullae on the skin. While it is an uncommon dermatologic entity, its clinical significance is underscored by its association with various medications, including anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents, as well as chemotherapeutic drugs. Clinical or pathological signs of inflammation are usually absent. The pathophysiology of BHD involves the disruption of normal skin integrity, leading to the development of bullae containing blood. These bullae typically appear at sites distant from the initial lesion or injection site, posing challenges in diagnosis and management. Here we discuss three such cases and their presenting features. Keywords: Bullous Haemorrhagic Dermatosis, Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions, Histopathology
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Pre-hypertension in Diabetes Mellitus Cases of North Indian Population
Authors:   Department of Family Medicine, Jaipur Golden Hospital, Delhi, 110085, India, Kumar Ajay , Jha Puja Kumari , Ranjan Rajesh , Rastogi Vinay Kumar
Published: September 2024

Background: Many studies have reported high frequency of pre-hypertension as well as hypertension in the patients of diabetes mellitus (DM). The important risk factors are duration of diabetes, glycaemic control, dyslipidaemia, obesity, age, microalbuminuria, and some lifestyle related factors. Objectives: This study was designed to find the prevalence of pre-hypertension in North Indian urban DM cases and correlation with dietary habits, demographic profile, HbA1c, obesity, lipid profile, urinary albumin level, tobacco smoking, alcoholism, and physical inactivity. Materils and Methods: DM patients (N=100, ≥18 years), diagnosed as per the criteria of ADA, were recruited. JNC-7 criteria were applied for hypertension. The demographic profile, dietary habits and lifestyle related factors were obtained through questionnaire. Physical examination and laboratory investigation for biochemical parameters were performed and compared with appropriate statistical tool. Results: Prevalence of the Pre-HTN in DM patients was 42% and more in the males. DM with Pre-hypertension had reported significantly higher intake of salt and junk food with increased waist circumference. The urinary albumin level was significantly higher in DM with pre-hypertension. There was significant positive association of tobacco smoking and alcohol intake in development of pre-hypertension. Increased duration of DM, low physical activity and increased BMI were significantly contributing to Pre-hypertension. Dyslipidaemia, especially high Triglycerides(r=0.867) had significantly strong correlation with pre- hypertension in DM patients. Conclusion: Screening strategies for pre-hypertension should be initiated at an early age in the diabetic community. The importance of lifestyle modifications with respect to dietary habits, physical activity, and relaxation techniques needs to be implemented. Keywords: Pre-hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Prevalence, Dyslipidaemia, Microalbuminuria, Lifestyle
Student perceptions of generative artificial intelligence in didactic patient presentations
Authors: Baker Carrie , Bowers Riley , Ghassemi Emily
Published: September 2024

Background: Limited research exists concerning the integration of Chat-Generative-Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) into didactic pharmacy curricula. This project aimed to evaluate the impact of utilising ChatGPT (GPT 3.5) in the development of patient presentations on student perceptions.
Methods: Students were given the opportunity to utilise ChatGPT to help organise information included within recorded verbal patient presentations. Following the assignment, students in the second (P2) and third year (P3) pharmacy curriculum completed surveys evaluating perceptions of ChatGPT.
Results: Surveys were submitted by 51 P2 students and 48 P3 students. No difference was found regarding perceptions of utilising ChatGPT in patient presentations, except for confidence related to succinctly presenting an assessment and plan and the ability to address patient concerns. Overall, 25/42 (59.5%) P2 and 29/41 (70.7%) P3 respondents felt ChatGPT improved their ability to communicate, 24/42 (57.1%) P2 and 29/41 (70.7%) P3 respondents felt they had improved organisation, and 25/46 (54.3%) P2 and 26/41 (63.4%) P3 respondents felt ChatGPT saved time.
Conclusion: Students perceived ChatGPT to positively impact their ability to communicate effectively, organise information, and increase confidence in presenting information. This activity highlights a way to encourage students to develop skills in the use of evolving technology while enabling critical thinking.