bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling the effect of postgraduate courses on soft skills: a practical approach
Authors: Pinos Ullauri Luis Alberto , Lebis Alexis , Karami Abir , Vermeulen Mathieu , Fleury Anthony , Van Den Noortgate Wim
Published: January 2024

Over the last decade, Higher Education has focused more of its attention toward soft skills compared to traditional technical skills. Nevertheless, there are not many studies concerning the relation between the courses followed within an academic program and the development of soft skills. This work presents a practical approach to model the effects of courses on soft skills proficiency. Multiple Membership Ordinal Logistic Regression models are trained with real data from students of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 cohorts from the general engineering program in a French Higher Education institution. The results show that attending a postgraduate course in average increases the odds of being more proficient in terms of soft skills. Nonetheless, there is considerable variability in the individual effect of courses, which suggest there can be huge differences between courses. Moreover, the data also suggest great dispersion in the students' initial soft skill proficiency.
The attitude of online fans: perceived value, expectation, and identification on VAR satisfaction
Authors: Deng Pei , Yan Weihua , Yu Ying , Zhang Yeqin , Zhang Liqing
Published: January 2024

This study explores online fan satisfaction with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. A structural equation model comprising perceived value, fan expectation, fan identification, and fan satisfaction was run. The online questionnaires were distributed among Chinese football fans. A total of 224 valid responses were received. Using indicators like Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) statistic, and Bartlett’s test of sphericity, the results were assessed for reliability, validity, and suitability. From the statistical results, the overall satisfaction of fans with VAR is the middle. Both fan expectation and perceived value positively affect satisfaction (p < 0.01); the path coefficients were 0.26 and 0.57. Contrastingly, fan identification exerts no significant effect on fan satisfaction (p > 0.05); and fan expectation indirectly affects fan satisfaction through perceived value (p < 0.01); the path coefficient was 0.29. The highest effect value for fan satisfaction is perceived value, followed by fan expectation. Consequently, to improve online fan satisfaction with VAR, researchers should focus on perceived value. This research contributes to a greater more comprehensive of Chinese online fans’ preference towards VAR at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Brain imaging studies of emotional well-being: a scoping review
Authors: Richter Caroline G. , Li Celine Mylx , Turnbull Adam , Haft Stephanie L. , Schneider Deborah , Luo Jie , Lima Denise Pinheiro , Lin Feng Vankee , Davidson Richard J. , Hoeft Fumiko
Published: January 2024

This scoping review provides an overview of previous empirical studies that used brain imaging techniques to investigate the neural correlates of emotional well-being (EWB). We compiled evidence on this topic into one accessible and usable document as a foundation for future research into the relationship between EWB and the brain. PRISMA 2020 guidelines were followed. We located relevant articles by searching five electronic databases with 95 studies meeting our inclusion criteria. We explored EWB measures, brain imaging modalities, research designs, populations studied, and approaches that are currently in use to characterize and understand EWB across the literature. Of the key concepts related to EWB, the vast majority of studies investigated positive affect and life satisfaction, followed by sense of meaning, goal pursuit, and quality of life. The majority of studies used functional MRI, followed by EEG and event-related potential-based EEG to study the neural basis of EWB (predominantly experienced affect, affective perception, reward, and emotion regulation). It is notable that positive affect and life satisfaction have been studied significantly more often than the other three aspects of EWB (i.e., sense of meaning, goal pursuit, and quality of life). Our findings suggest that future studies should investigate EWB in more diverse samples, especially in children, individuals with clinical disorders, and individuals from various geographic locations. Future directions and theoretical implications are discussed, including the need for more longitudinal studies with ecologically valid measures that incorporate multi-level approaches allowing researchers to better investigate and evaluate the relationships among behavioral, environmental, and neural factors.

Systematic review registration

https://osf.io/t9cf6/.
Youth perspectives on mental health during COVID-19 lockdown in a Small Island Developing State: implications for emergency response
Authors: Murphy Madhuvanti M. , Pemberton Cecile , Wheeler Erica , Gulston La Donna , Kerr-Layne Odessa , John Ayana , Baksh Beverly , Thomas Gail , Allen Caroline F.
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Evidence exploring the relationship between COVID-19 mitigation measures and mental health has primarily been from quantitative studies in large, developed countries. A qualitative study to explore the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of young people living in Trinidad and Tobago was conducted to engage and collaborate with youth on matters affecting them during the pandemic.

Methods

Ten virtual focus groups were conducted with 64 participants aged 18 to 24 in 2021 when partial lockdown measures were in effect for COVID-19 prevention. Groups were stratified by geographic location and socioeconomic status. The recordings were transcribed and analyzed to explore themes of importance to youth.

Results

Negative impacts on mental health emerged as a strong theme. Lack of timelines for restrictions led to wide ranging mental health impacts, conflict and tension existed in home environments, longer restrictions led to erosion of the social culture, and young people experienced stress about the changing face of education and job security due to the pandemic.

Discussion

Measures taken to address one serious public health concern, COVID-19, led to the aggravation of another serious public health concern, mental ill-health. Mental health initiatives to help young people navigate issues specific to their generation must be developed. In low resourced Small Island Developing States settings. The increased need for mental health services during and because of the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for strengthening the capacity and resilience of these to respond to environmental and health emergencies. Building the resilience of educational and employment services is also needed.
Multilevel evidence of MECP2-associated mitochondrial dysfunction and its therapeutic implications
Authors: Balicza Peter , Gezsi Andras , Fedor Mariann , Sagi Judit C. , Gal Aniko , Varga Noemi Agnes , Molnar Maria Judit
Published: January 2024

We present a male patient carrying a pathogenic MECP2 p. Arg179Trp variant with predominant negative psychiatric features and multilevel evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction who responded to the cariprazine treatment. He had delayed speech development and later experienced severe social anxiety, learning disabilities, cognitive slowing, and predominant negative psychiatric symptoms associated with rigidity. Clinical examinations showed multisystemic involvement. Together with elevated ergometric lactate levels, the clinical picture suggested mitochondrial disease, which was also supported by muscle histopathology. Exploratory transcriptome analysis also revealed the involvement of metabolic and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. Whole-exome sequencing identified a pathogenic MECP2 variant, which can explain both the dopamine imbalance and mitochondrial dysfunction in this patient. Mitochondrial dysfunction was previously suggested in classical Rett syndrome, and we detected related phenotype evidence on multiple consistent levels for the first time in a MECP2 variant carrier male. This study further supports the importance of the MECP2 gene in the mitochondrial pathways, which can open the gate for more personalized therapeutic interventions. Good cariprazine response highlights the role of dopamine dysfunction in the complex psychiatric symptoms of Rett syndrome. This can help identify the optimal treatment strategy from a transdiagnostic perspective instead of a classical diagnostic category.
Electroconvulsive therapy portrayal in contemporary video games
Authors: Buday Jozef , Neumann Miroslav , Žaludová Heidingerová Jana , Mareš Tadeáš , Magyarová Eva , Thai Le Hong , Divácký Daniel , Jirečková Gabriela , Albrecht Jakub , Kališová Lucie , Pol Marek , Mahrík Jakub , Buday Patrik , Anders Martin
Published: January 2024

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an important treatment modality in psychiatry, considered to be the most effective option for pharmaco-resistant affective and psychotic disorders. Despite its great efficacy, it still remains a rather controversial method, which hinders its full potential. It is feasible to say that in part, this controversy is caused by a largely negative image of ECT displayed through media. The depiction of ECT in movies has been studied and well documented in the past. The aim of our study was to provide an overview of how ECT is represented in video games - a form of media where ECT representation has been overlooked in scientific literature so far. As with movies, most of these portrayals are negative, depicting ECT as an obsolete, aggressive or torturous treatment method.
Epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance trends of Acinetobacter species in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective analysis of 12 years of national AMR surveillance data
Authors: Thomsen Jens , Abdulrazzaq Najiba M. , AlRand Hussain ,   The UAE AMR Surveillance Consortium
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Acinetobacter spp., in particular A. baumannii, are opportunistic pathogens linked to nosocomial pneumonia (particularly ventilator-associated pneumonia), central-line catheter-associated blood stream infections, meningitis, urinary tract infections, surgical-site infections, and other types of wound infections. A. baumannii is able to acquire or upregulate various resistance determinants, making it frequently multidrug-resistant, and contributing to increased mortality and morbidity. Data on the epidemiology, levels, and trends of antimicrobial resistance of Acinetobacter spp. in clinical settings is scarce in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions.

Methods

A retrospective 12-year analysis of 17,564 non-duplicate diagnostic Acinetobacter spp. isolates from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was conducted. Data was generated at 317 surveillance sites by routine patient care during 2010–2021, collected by trained personnel and reported by participating surveillance sites to the UAE National AMR Surveillance program. Data analysis was conducted with WHONET.1

Results

Species belonging to the A. calcoaceticus-baumannii complex were mostly reported (86.7%). They were most commonly isolated from urine (32.9%), sputum (29.0%), and soft tissue (25.1%). Resistance trends to antibiotics from different classes during the surveillance period showed a decreasing trend. Specifically, there was a significant decrease in resistance to imipenem, meropenem, and amikacin. Resistance was lowest among Acinetobacter species to both colistin and tigecycline. The percentages of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and possibly extensively drug-resistant (XDR) isolates was reduced by almost half between the beginning of the study in 2010 and its culmination in 2021. Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. (CRAB) was associated with a higher mortality (RR: 5.7), a higher admission to ICU (RR 3.3), and an increased length of stay (LOS; 13 excess inpatient days per CRAB case), as compared to Carbapenem-susceptible Acinetobacter spp.

Conclusion

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. are associated with poorer clinical outcomes, and higher associated costs, as compared to carbapenem-susceptible Acinetobacter spp. A decreasing trend of MDR Acinetobacter spp., as well as resistance to all antibiotic classes under surveillance was observed during 2010 to 2021. Further studies are needed to explore the reasons and underlying factors leading to this remarkable decrease of resistance over time.
Health teachers’ ethical conflict experiences in the COVID-19 situation: a qualitative content analysis
Authors: Lim Kyoung Mi , Sok Sohyune
Published: January 2024

Background

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, health teachers who are responsible for the health of school staff and students are experiencing many ethical conflicts, and research on this is needed.

Objective

This study was to investigate and explore the ethical conflicts experienced by health teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Methods

This was a qualitive study using directed content analysis applied to the four principles of biomedical ethics. Study participants were a total of 26 health teachers in Seoul, South Korea. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 14 health teachers, and focus group interviews were conducted with the other 12 (2 teams with each 6 persons). Data were collected between May–June 2022, and analyzed using a deductive approach among the qualitative content analysis of Elo and Kyngäs. This study satisfied the four aspects of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability presented by Guba and Lincoln (1989) to secure the reliability of qualitative research.

Results

The ethical conflicts related to the four principles of biomedical ethics advocated by Beauchamp and Childress (autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice), and the ethical conflicts in which overlap with the two principles of autonomy and non-maleficence, and the ethical conflicts related to miscellaneous matters or relationships, which were not included in the four principles, were investigated as the main 6 categories of ethical conflicts experienced by health teachers. Based on this, 10 generic categories and 17 subcategories were derived.

Conclusion

This study could be used as primary data for policy development and intervention research. Such engagements can help identify ethical conflicts faced by health teachers in infectious disease crises, thus improving their ability to cope.
Prevalence of depression, anxiety in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bin Xiang , Qu Ke-Yi , Wang Yu-Hao , Chen Li , Xiong Yan-Jie , Wen Jin Fu , Wei Hua-Bo , Bing Tan , Dan Chun-Yan , Zhu Jia-Quan
Published: January 2024

Background

Mental health risks associated with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic are often overlooked by the public. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression and anxiety disorders in China.

Methods

Studies were analyzed and extracted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 flowchart. The studies were screened and extracted using electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov according to the predefined eligibility criteria. The Cochrane Review Manager software 5.3.1 was used for data analysis and the risk of bias assessment.

Results

As of 2023, a total of 9,212,751 Chinese have been diagnosed with COVID-19 infection. A total of 913,036 participants in 44 studies were selected following the eligibility criteria, the statistical information of which was collected for meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of depression and anxiety were 0.31 (95% CI: 0.28, 0.35; I2 = 100.0%, p < 0.001) and 0.29 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.36; I2 = 100.0%, p < 0.001), respectively. After performing a subgroup analysis, the prevalence of depression among women, healthcare workers, students, and adolescents was 0.31 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.41), 0.33 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.44), 0.32 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.39), and 0.37 (95% CI: 0.31, 0.44), respectively.

Conclusion

The prevalence of depression and anxiety among the Chinese was overall high. Monitoring and surveillance of the mental health status of the population during crises such as sudden global pandemics are imperative.

Systematic review registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier [CRD42023402190].
Demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with cervical cancer screening among women in Serbia
Authors: Djordjevic Slavica , Boricic Katarina , Radovanovic Snezana , Simic Vukomanovic Ivana , Mihaljevic Olgica , Jovanovic Verica
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Effective reduction of cervical cancer incidence and mortality requires strategic measures encompassing the implementation of a cost-effective screening technology. Serbia has made significant strides, introducing organized cervical cancer screening in 2012. However, various impediments to screening implementation persist. The aim of the study was to estimate the socioeconomic factors associated with cervical cancer screening among women in Serbia.

Methods

Data from 2019 National Health Survey of the population of Serbia were used in this study. The study is cross sectional survey on a representative sample of the population of Serbia. Present total number of participants analyzed in survey 6,747.

Results

In Serbia, 67.2% of women have done a Pap test at any time during their lives, of which 46.1% of women have undergone cervical cancer screening in the past 3 years. About a quarter of women have never undergone a Pap test in their life (24.3%). The probability of never having a Pap test have: the youngest age group (15–24 years) is 1.3 times more likely than the oldest age group (OR = 1.31), unmarried women 0.3 times more often than married women (OR = 0.37), respondents with basic education 0.9 times more often than married women (OR = 0.98), the women of lower socioeconomic status 0.5 times more often than respondents of high socioeconomic status (OR = 0.56).

Conclusion

Enhancement of the existing CCS would be the appropriate public health approach to decrease the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in the Republic of Serbia.
Subjective well-being patterns in older men and women without someone to confide in: a latent class analysis approach
Authors: Meng Dijuan , Sun Chang
Published: January 2024

Objective

This study aimed to identify the latent subtypes of subjective well-being (SWB) and associated factors in older adults without a confidant in China.

Methods

The data came from the most recent (seventh) wave (2018) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). This cross-sectional study included 350 older adults who lacked a close confidant. We utilized latent class analysis and multiple logistic regression models to examine the latent SWB subtypes and associated factors.

Results

Three distinct patterns of SWB were identified: the very low SWB class (32%), the medium-low SWB class (46%), and the low evaluative and high affective SWB class (22%). The results indicated that compared to the low evaluative and high affective SWB class, respondents who self-rated their health as not good, currently drank alcohol and rated their financial status as poor/very poor were more likely to be in the very low SWB class, while those who participated in social activities were less likely to be in the very low SWB class. Respondents who had limitations in instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) and rated their financial status as poor/very poor were more likely to be in the medium-low SWB class. However, gender did not affect SWB patterns.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight awareness of the heterogeneity of SWB in older adults without close confidants and provide valuable information for the development of tailored intervention programs to improve their well-being.
Willingness to accept metaverse safety training for construction workers based on extended UTAUT
Authors: Guo Zhenxu , Wang Qinge , Peng Chunyan , Zhuang Sunning , Yang Biao
Published: January 2024

Safety training (ST) is essential in avoiding unsafe behavior of construction workers. With the rise of metaverse technology, metaverse safety training (MST) has gradually become a new model to guide construction workers in safety production. An in-depth study of construction workers’ willingness to accept the metaverse safety training (WAMST) helps improve its effectiveness, but studies need to pay more attention to it. This study constructs a conceptual model of WAMST for construction workers, and the influencing factors of WAMST are explained based on the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). It established a Structural equation modeling to verify the relationship between influencing factors. An example verifies the feasibility of the model. The results show that the framework significantly contributes to the willingness of construction workers to participate and improves safety awareness. Specifically, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and convenient conditions significantly affect the construction workers’ willingness to accept. Convenient conditions have a direct effect on actual behavior. Willingness to accept plays a mediating role between performance expectancy and actual behavior. Perceived trust moderates the effect between willingness to accept and actual behavior, and the force of positive interpretation increases proportionally. It confirms how to improve the safety capacity of construction workers and provides references for governments, enterprises, and projects to formulate ST strategies.
Fatal crashes and rare events logistic regression: an exploratory empirical study
Authors: Xiao Yuxie , Lin Lulu , Zhou Hanchu , Tan Qian , Wang Junjie , Yang Yi , Xu Zhongzhi
Published: January 2024

Objective

Fatal road accidents are statistically rare, posing challenges for accurate estimation through the classic logit model (LM). This study seeks to validate the efficacy of a rare events logistic model (RELM) in enhancing the precision of fatal crash estimations.

Methods

Both LM and RELM were employed to examine the relationship between pertinent risk factors and the incidence of fatal crashes. Crash-injury datasets sourced from Hillsborough County, Florida served as the empirical basis for evaluating the performance metrics of both LM and RELM.

Results

The analysis revealed that RELM yielded more accurate predictions of fatal crashes compared to LM. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed, and the area under the curve (AUC) for each model was computed to offer a comparative performance assessment. The empirical evidence notably favored RELM over LM as substantiated by superior AUC values.

Conclusion

The study offers empirical validation that RELM is demonstrably more proficient in predicting fatal crashes than the LM, thereby recommending its application for nuanced traffic safety analytics.
Effect of educational intervention based on protection motivation theory on preventive behaviors of respiratory infections among hospital staff
Authors: Rakhshani Tayebeh , Nikeghbal Sepahdar , Kashfi Seyyed Mansour , Kamyab Amirhossein , Harsini Pooyan Afzali , Jeihooni Ali Khani
Published: January 2024

Background

Hospital staff represent a vulnerable population for respiratory diseases. Consequently, the implementation of training programs becomes imperative as a preventive measure against such infections in these populations. The current study was conducted to examine the impact of an educational intervention based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) on preventive behaviors for respiratory infections among a group of hospital staff.

Methods

This experimental study involves a sample of 150 hospital staff from Gachsaran City, Iran, in 2021–2022. The sampling technique involved the utilization of a random assignment approach to allocate individuals into two distinct groups: the experimental group, consisting of 75 participants, and the control group, also including 75 individuals. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire designed in accordance with the PMT. This questionnaire was administered to both the experimental and control groups prior to the intervention as well as two months following the intervention. The intervention program consisted of a total of five sessions, each lasting for 60 min, for the experimental group. These sessions were conducted on a weekly basis over a period of two and a half months. Specifically, there were two sessions held every month and one session held every two weeks. Following the completion of the program, the data was entered into SPSS-24 statistical software for analysis using paired t-tests, independent t-tests, and chi-square tests.

Results

The results indicated that prior to the intervention, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of perceived vulnerability constructs (p = 0.25), perceived severity (p = 0.63), perceived response (p = 0.32), and perceived reward (p = 0.11). Besides, there was no considerable distinction in perceived self-efficacy (p = 0.84), perceived response cost (p = 0.33), fear (p = 0.45), behavior motivation (p = 0.51), knowledge (p = 92), or vaccination behavior (p = 0.12) before the educational intervention. However, a significant change was noticed in each of the mentioned variables between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The results of this study indicated that the implementation of an educational intervention grounded in the PMT yields positive outcomes in enhancing preventative behaviors pertaining to respiratory infections. Hence, it is recommended to utilize an intervention grounded in this theory among hospital staff as a viable approach to mitigating the occurrence of respiratory infections.
Effects of the inclusion of physical activity in secondary education academic classes on educational indicators and health markers: rationale and methods of the ACTIVE CLASS study
Authors: González-Pérez María , Sánchez-Oliva David , Grao-Cruces Alberto , Cano-Cañada Enrique , Martín-Acosta Fátima , Muñoz-González Raúl , Bandera-Campos Francisco J. , Ruiz-Hermosa Abel , Vaquero-Solís Miguel , Padilla-Moledo Carmen , Conde-Caveda Julio , Segura-Jiménez Víctor , González-Ponce Inmaculada , García-Calvo Tomás , Castro-Piñero José , Camiletti-Moirón Daniel
Published: January 2024

Background

Increasing physical activity (PA) levels and reducing sedentary behaviors in children and adolescents is a need, especially in schools. Active breaks and physically active learning are examples of two emerging methodologies that have been shown to be effective in increasing PA levels and additionally produce improvements in children’s educational markers. However, the evidence in adolescents is very limited. This paper presents the design, measurements, and interventions implemented in the ACTIVE CLASS study, whose objectives are: (i) evaluate the effects of two interventions on PA levels, sedentary time, health-related physical fitness academic indicators, cognition, and markers of psychological health among secondary education students; (ii) evaluate teachers’ and students’ experiences about the implementation of these the two school-based PA intervention.

Methods

A randomized controlled study is conducted with a total of 292 students aged 12–14 years old from six schools (7th and 8th grade) in Spain (three in Cadiz and three in Caceres). One school from each study provinces is randomly assigned to either the active break intervention group, the physically active learning intervention group, or the control group. The interventions have a duration of 16 weeks. Nine main measurement categories are assessed: PA and sedentary time, health-related physical fitness, academic indicators, cognition, psychological health, motivational variables, dietary patterns, sociodemographic characteristics, as well as qualitative information through semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups. Three independent measurements of evaluation are distinguished: pre-intervention, post-intervention (week 16) and retention measurement (4 weeks after the intervention). For quantitative variables, descriptive, correlational, regression and repeated measures ANOVA will be applied.

Discussion

To the best of our knowledge, the ACTIVE CLASS study is the first of its kind in Spain to evaluate the effects of incorporating active breaks and physically active learning in secondary education. In addition, this project provides important information on the effects of two school-based PA intervention arms on educational variables and health markers in adolescents. This will provide valuable and innovative training to the educational community, enabling them to implement teaching methodologies that have the potential to enhance academic performance and improve the quality of life for their students.

Clinical trial registration

clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05891054.
Predicting the risk of hospital readmissions using a machine learning approach: a case study on patients undergoing skin procedures
Authors: Adhiya Jigar , Barghi Behrad , Azadeh-Fard Nasibeh
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Even with modern advancements in medical care, one of the persistent challenges hospitals face is the frequent readmission of patients. These recurrent admissions not only escalate healthcare expenses but also amplify mental and emotional strain on patients.

Methods

This research delved into two primary areas: unraveling the pivotal factors causing the readmissions, specifically targeting patients who underwent dermatological treatments, and determining the optimal machine learning algorithms that can foresee potential readmissions with higher accuracy.

Results

Among the multitude of algorithms tested, including logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), Naïve Bayesian (NB), artificial neural network (ANN), xgboost (XG), and k-nearest neighbor (KNN), it was noted that two models—XG and RF—stood out in their prediction prowess. A closer inspection of the data brought to light certain patterns. For instance, male patients and those between the ages of 21 and 40 had a propensity to be readmitted more frequently. Moreover, the months of March and April witnessed a spike in these readmissions, with ~6% of the patients returning within just a month after their first admission.

Discussion

Upon further analysis, specific determinants such as the patient's age and the specific hospital where they were treated emerged as key indicators influencing the likelihood of their readmission.
Solving the mysteries of Lahore smog: the fifth season in the country
Authors: Majeed Rabia , Anjum Muhammad Shehzaib , Imad-ud-din Muhammad , Malik Suhaib , Anwar Muhammad Naveed , Anwar Bilal , Khokhar Muhammad Fahim
Published: January 2024

South Asian smog is an annually recurring air pollution event that is characterized by high concentrations of air pollutants, low visibility, and severe socio-economic disruptions. It is most frequently observed across the north-western parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). Since 2016, it has become so frequent and pervasive that they are colloquially referred to as “the fifth season” in the region. During this season populations residing in this area including cities such as Lahore, Amritsar, Faisalabad, Multan, Delhi etc. are exposed to hazardous levels of air pollution. This study attempts to understand the reasons for the recent increase in the intensity and frequency of intense air pollution episodes by utilizing ground-based and satellite observations. Time-series analysis, seasonal and annual variations in PM2.5 and AOD were carried out. Satellite data of UVAAI, CO, and fire count were used to determine the fire incidences and aerosol characterization. The results indicate that during the last decade, there has been an increase in air pollution sources while crop residue burning, and motor vehicles have greatly contributed to the increased frequency and intensity of such events. The meteorological and topographical data analysis revealed that the IGP provides ample cloud-condensation nuclei and optimum conditions for the accumulations of pollutants, especially in the post-monsoon and winter periods. The Mann-Kendall test was performed to confirm the annual and seasonal trends of PM2.5. The major cities of South Asia such as Lahore, Delhi, Kathmandu, and Dhaka have recently shown a decreasing trend with respect to annual AOD. However, an increase has been observed for the period of post-monsoon especially for cities of Lahore and Delhi. To distinguish potential sources of air pollutants during extreme smog episodes in the region, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was conducted to estimate the most contributing factors to the annual smog episodes. According to the data, the transboundary pollution resulting from open-field agriculture fires has been assigned moderate importance over vehicular emissions. A HYSPLIT trajectory model coupled with ground observations and satellite data shows that the agricultural fires do have a profound impact on the air quality of the region. It highlights the importance of transboundary pollution and cooperation among cities, regions, and countries across the shared airshed of the Indo-Gangetic Plains.
Acoustic stimulation during slow wave sleep shows delayed effects on memory performance in older adults
Authors: Wunderlin Marina , Zeller Céline J. , Wicki Korian , Nissen Christoph , Züst Marc A.
Published: January 2024

Introduction

In young healthy adults, phase-locked acoustic stimulation (PLAS) during slow wave sleep (SWS) can boost over-night episodic memory consolidation. In older adults, evidence is scarce and available results are inconsistent, pointing toward reduced PLAS-effectiveness. We argue that multiple stimulation nights are required for effects to unfold in older individuals to compensate for age-related reductions in both SWS and memory performance. We test this assumption in a longitudinal within-subject design.

Methods

In a larger previous project, older adults participated in a three-night intervention receiving either real-PLAS (STIM group) or sham-PLAS (SHAM group). Encoding and immediate recall of face-occupation pairs was administered on the evening of the first intervention night (session one), with feedback-based retrievals ensuing on all following mornings and evenings across the intervention. To test for the benefit of the real-PLAS over sham-PLAS intervention within participants, 16 older adults [agemean: 68.9 (SD: 3.7)] were re-invited receiving the real-PLAS intervention exclusively. This resulted in a SHAMSTIM group (n = 9; T1: sham-PLAS intervention, T2: real-PLAS intervention) and a STIMSTIM group (n = 7; T1 and T2: real-PLAS intervention).

Results

While the STIMSTIM group exhibited highly similar responses during T1 and T2, the SHAMSTIM group exhibited a significantly higher increase in memory performance at T2 (real-PLAS) compared to T1 (sham-PLAS). These gains can be attributed to the late stages of the experiment, after three nights of real-PLAS, and remained stable when correcting for changes in baseline sleep quality (PSQI) and baseline cognitive ability (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) between T1 and T2.

Conclusions

We show that in older adults, PLAS-induced memory effects are delayed and manifest over the course of a three-night-PLAS intervention. Our results might explain the lack of effects in previous PLAS studies, where memory performance was solely assessed after a single night of PLAS.
Grand challenge: social psychology without hubris
Authors: Jost John T.
Published: January 2024

In this editorial, the Founding Field Chief Editor of Frontiers in Social Psychology expresses several ideas about the past, present, and possible future of social psychology, seeking to explain we need social psychology, why we need a new journal in social psychology, and what kind of journal in social psychology we need. The Editor argues for a rich, humanistic, interdisciplinary, philosophically informed social psychology devoted to addressing social problems in the illustrious traditions of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, Gordon Allport, Muzafer Sherif, Solomon Asch, Morton Deutsch, and others. He suggests that disciplinary “crises” of practicality, historicity, and replicability may be more interconnected than is generally recognized. The Editor advocates a non-hubristic, theory-driven, multi-leveled analysis of human behavior that attends to both subjective and objective aspects of social, cultural, economic, and political contexts. Editorial priorities of the new journal include scientific rigor, social relevance, and intellectual humility.
Eco-friendly and sustainability assessment of technologies for nutrient recovery from human urine—a review
Authors: Saliu Toyin Dunsin , Oladoja Nurudeen Abiola , Sauvé Sébastien
Published: January 2024

Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) represent the primary components of commercial NPK fertilizer and are primarily derived from finite resources through complex and expensive processes. To ensure global food security, the development of sustainable and eco-friendly procedures for fertilizer production has gained attention. Humans generally excrete urine containing 11 g of N/L, 0.3 g of P/L of P and 1.5 g of K/L, which benefit plant growth. The recovery of these essential plant nutrients from human urine has become the focal point of increasing research endeavors. Despite the potential advantages of nutrient recovery from urine, this process is complicated, and the economic implications are substantial. Furthermore, human urine may harbor undesirable contaminants, such as pathogens, pharmaceutical residues, hormones, and elevated salt levels, which could be disseminated into the environment through agriculture. This study appraised various emerging technologies for nutrient recovery from human urine, considering their challenges, environmental impact, economic viability, and the overall sustainability of the processes. This review elucidated that most nutrient recovery technologies demonstrated elevated efficiency in nutrient recovery. Nevertheless, a recurrent oversight involves neglecting the potential transfer of contaminants and pathogens into environmental matrices. The complexity of these processes and their economic feasibility vary, with some proving intricate and economically unviable. Given that no singular technology fully mitigates these challenges, integrating two or more technologies appears imperative to address drawbacks and enhance overall system performance.
Closing gender gaps through gender-responsive, demand-led breeding in Burundi
Authors: Ndabashinze Blaise , Nchanji Eileen Bogweh , Lutomia Cosmas Kweyu , Nduwarugira Eric , Hakizimana Marie Bernadette , Mayugi Immaculée
Published: January 2024

Gender inequality persists in Burundi’s agricultural sector, especially in the bean value chain dominated by women. Women often have less access to improved seeds and to productive technologies. Interventions dubbed “gender-responsive plant breeding” have been launched to develop new varieties to address the gender gaps in variety adoption. Gender responsive planting breeding in Burundi targets to develop bean varieties that respond better to gendered varietal and trait preferences. This paper provides a background of gender-responsive bean breeding in Burundi, documenting the methodologies that were used to integrate gender issues in bean breeding and socio-economic research. It also covers successes of gender-responsive breeding to date, primarily focusing the interdisciplinary teams that drove the process, development and release of varieties that incorporated traits favored by women and men actors. Evidence from surveys and value chain analysis reveal that gender-responsive breeding program increased the adoption of improved varieties by women and improved yields and productivity. The paper reveals that gender-responsive and demand-led bean breeding programs require stakeholders engagements to develop products that align with preferences of diverse actors at different nodes of the bean value chain.
Exploring the factors influencing urban farmers’ perception and attitude toward the use of excreta-based organic fertilizers in Arba Minch City, Ethiopia
Authors: Ejigu Abrham Kassa , Yeshitela Kumelachew
Published: January 2024

This study assesses the factors influencing urban farmers’ intentions to adopt excreta-based organic fertilizers in Arba Minch City, Ethiopia, to address the pressing global resource use challenge, particularly the linear system of organic nutrient use and the practice of closing the nutrient loop. To do this, the study applies the Combined Model of Theory of Planned Behavior and Technology Acceptance Model (C-TPB-TAM) to examine the links between attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and farmers’ intentions. Surveys that were given to a sample of urban farmers in Arba Minch City were used to get the data. The results shed light on the factors that influence farmers’ decisions to use organic fertilizers and offer useful information for resolving the problem of resource use in the context of urban agriculture. The findings specifically show how attitudes, perceived behavioral control, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use significantly affect farmers’ intentions. However, it was discovered that the subjective norm did not significantly affect the farmer’s intention. These results highlight how critical it is to address farmers’ attitudes, perceived behavioral control, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use to encourage the adoption of sustainable farming methods and close the nutrient loop. Farmers can help mitigate the negative environmental effects of the linear nutrient system and speed up the transition to a more resource- and sustainably efficient agriculture system by implementing organic fertilizers. This study not only adds to the body of knowledge but also has applications for practitioners and policymakers who want to encourage the use of organic fertilizers. To better understand the adoption of organic fertilizer in various locations and nations, future research projects should think about extending the geographical reach and examining real adoption behavior. We can encourage sustainable agricultural practices and work toward a more resource-oriented and resilient future by building on these lessons.
Impact of irrigation on vulnerability of winter wheat under extreme climate change scenario: a case study of North China Plain
Authors: Gao Yulian , Wang Lin , Yue Yaojie
Published: January 2024

An inadequate understanding of the impacts of adaptation countermeasures tends to exaggerate the adverse effects of climate change on agricultural systems. Motivated by proposing reasonable climate change adaptation countermeasures, the present study applied the EPIC model to quantify the impacts of climate change and irrigation changes with future socioeconomic development on agricultural production. Winter wheat yield losses using dynamic irrigation parameters in the North China Plain (NCP) from 2010 to 2099 under a scenario coupling climate change and future socioeconomic development (RCP8.5-SSP3), and those under an extreme climate change scenario (RCP8.5), were simulated. Results show that EPIC model demonstrates superior performance in simulating winter wheat yields in NCP (RMSE = 12.79 kg/ha), with the distribution of simulated and observed yields is relatively consistent. The winter wheat yield loss in the NCP was high in the south and low in the north. The yield loss rate of winter wheat was 0.21 under the RCP8.5-SSP3 scenario, compared with 0.35 under the RCP8.5 scenario, indicating a superior climatic adaptation of irrigation. However, under the RCP8.5-SSP3 scenario, the yield loss rate increased from 0.17 in the near term to 0.26 in the long term, implying the benefits of irrigation will be diminished with long-term climate change. It is noteworthy that yield improvement was facilitated by irrigation in part of the NCP (accounting for 14.6% area), suggesting that irrigation may lead to an increase in winter wheat yields in some regions even under extreme climate change conditions. This study highlights the significance of quantitatively revealing the benefits and limitations of adaptive countermeasures which could assist in enhancing climate change adaptation while preserving a sustainable agricultural system.
Impact of negative energy balance and postpartum diseases during the transition period on oocyte quality and embryonic development in dairy cows
Authors: Serbetci Idil , González-Grajales L. Antonio , Herrera Carolina , Ibanescu Iulian , Tekin Muhittin , Melean Manuel , Magata Fumie , Malama Eleni , Bollwein Heinrich , Scarlet Dragos
Published: January 2024

Transition period is a critical time for dairy cows because a large proportion of clinical and subclinical diseases are observed in the first month after parturition. Occurrence of negative energy balance is associated with depressed immunity and these conditions can affect oocyte quality and further embryonic development. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of negative energy balance-associated disorders on in vitro embryo production (IVP) in dairy cattle. We hypothesized that subclinical metabolic and/or inflammatory disorders have a negative effect on oocyte developmental competence and morphokinetic parameters of the resulting embryos. The study was conducted on 30 lactating Holstein-Friesian cows which were assigned into four groups: healthy (HEAL, n = 6), metabolic disease (META, n = 8), inflammatory disease (INFL, n = 8), or combined metabolic and inflammatory disease (COMB, n = 8). Ovum pick-up (OPU) was performed twice weekly on all cows over a period of four weeks (n = 8 OPU sessions/cow) starting on the fifth week postpartum, and the collected oocytes were subjected to routine IVP. Donor’s health status did not affect the number of oocytes/OPU or the recovery rate (p > 0.05). The number of quality 1 oocytes collected from INFL and COMB cows was lower compared to HEAL cows (p < 0.05). Also, the percentage of quality 1 embryos was reduced in META and COMB compared to HEAL cows (p < 0.05). Cleavage, blastocyst and hatching rates were similar among groups (p > 0.05). Presence of disease did not affect the time required by zygotes to reach specific developmental stages, as recorded by means of time-lapse monitoring. Nevertheless, there was a higher probability of direct cleavage after IVF in oocytes of COMB cows compared to those of HEAL cows (p < 0.05). In conclusion, oocytes and embryos derived from dairy cows diagnosed with subclinical metabolic and/or inflammatory diseases during the transition period showed reduced quality but similar developmental potential and morphokinetics when compared to healthy cows. These results shed light on the consequences of subclinical disease on embryonic development in dairy cows which might be important for embryo transfer programs.