bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Catholic Missionary Work and “Political” Support: The Tokombéré Youth Centre Since 1974
Authors: Shelley Baskouda S.K.
Published: July 2022

This paper studies how the Tokombéré Youth Centre, a secular place attached to the Roman Catholic Church, has led to the political formation of young people in Tokombéré, northern Cameroon. This is a place of socialisation that grew from the missionaries’ work, and which has politically guided youth since 1974 through an awakening based on empowerment and self-reliance. The Centre, with its members structured within a “government,” has helped foster the values of citizenship through activities like Youth Weeks, Kirditude days, amateur journalistic writing in the newspaper Kudumbar, and film screenings. This substitution for the state has sometimes been a source of conflict, sometimes of co-existence.
A multiphase flow approach to gas permeability of composite facesheets during Co-cure of honeycomb core sandwich structures
Authors: Cender Thomas A. , Lavaggi Tania , Kermani Navid Niknafs , Advani Suresh G.
Published: July 2022

Co-curing composites facesheets to produce sandwich structures involves heating a prepreg-core assembly in a vacuum bag and compacting it by an external pressure until the prepreg cures and bonds to the core. During this process, vacuum pressure can cause atmospheric air in the honeycomb core to bubble through uncured prepreg facesheets and impact material quality, such as excess resin bleed and void growth in either the facesheet or the bondline. In this paper, we propose a multiphase flow model to predict core gas pressure throughout the process. Fully impregnated prepreg facesheets only become permeable to gas as liquid resin desaturates pores in the fabric weave. To solve for the core gas pressure, resin and gas transport equations are solved simultaneously. The permeability of each phase is a function of saturation–defined by the Brooks-Corey model to be a power law function of the capillary pressure. Deviating from a single phase (gas only) model, using dimensionless analysis we identify four material properties which control the outcome: (i) an intrinsic permeability, K i, which only depends on the fabric architecture and is invariant to all process variables (time, temperature, pressure), (ii) the ratio of fluid viscosities, μ w/ μ g, where resin viscosity varies strongly with temperature and degree of cure, (iii) a bubbling (capillary) pressure, P b, which defines the minimum pressure needed to penetrate the largest pore, and (iv) a pore size distribution parameter, λ, which defines the percentage of pores which may desaturate given the evolving capillary pressure. Changes in observed gas permeability due to time and temperature are explained by the evolving desaturation of facesheet resin and the known relationship to resin viscosity. By applying this model, a reduced set to material characterization is required and complex process cycles can quickly be interrogated. With our experiments we demonstrate that one single value for K i and one single value for λ can be used to predict the gas pressure decay (time dependent) at different temperatures, confirming that the intrinsic permeability is constant for the fiber network and changes in the relative permeability to air are due to the decrease in viscosity only. The limitations of this model are presented and discussed.
Maternal and Paternal Predictors of Turkish Fathers’ Nurturing and Caregiving
Authors: Kuscul G. Hilal , Adamsons Kari
Published: July 2022

This study uses bioecological and identity theories to explore associations among maternal education and employment, fathers’ gender role beliefs and identities, and fathers’ caregiving and nurturing involvement in a Turkish context. The study sample was derived from data collected in 2016 from 1,102 fathers of children between birth and 3 years of age. We used path analysis in structural equation modeling to test direct and indirect associations. Direct paths between maternal education and employment and fathers’ caregiving and nurturing behaviors were not significant; however, some fathers’ gender role beliefs mediated the associations. Modernity beliefs mediated the association between education and caregiving, and fathers’ emotional closeness mediated the association between maternal education and fathers’ nurturing behaviors. Furthermore, maternal employment was indirectly associated with fathers’ caregiving via his beliefs about the equality of sons and daughters and division of labor at home. Father identity development was not associated with maternal education or employment, and only mediated associations between fathers’ beliefs about emotional closeness and their caregiving and nurturing involvement. The current findings suggest that cultural norms and beliefs likely play themselves out via parenting styles and family structures (the microsystems for children), and therefore these family variables may contain very valuable cultural information in understanding the processes of father identity construction, masculinity beliefs, and father involvement behaviors.
Rescaling of the land regime in the making of city-regions: A case study of China’s Pearl River Delta
Authors: Zhang Xianchun , Li Yi , Zhou Changchang , Luan Xiaofan , Yuan Feng
Published: July 2022

Ubiquitous in fast-urbanising China, land-driven urban growth is increasingly inter-urban in nature – a trend that is underexplored in the literature. Grounded in a conceptual framework concerning the rescaling of the land regime, this study probes the unfolding land development processes of city-regionalism. Key findings of an examination of the Shenzhen–Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone in the Pearl River Delta are as follows: land regime rescaling is an emergent driving force for city-region making in China; the rescaled land regime centres on uneven capacities among the states of cooperating cities and benefit sharing (immediate land-related profit and potential long-term profit); provincial government engagement is fundamental to legitimatising this contested process; the rescaled land regime has been orchestrated by state interests in land development, rather than business interests released by marketisation, spawning a ‘stretching’ state territoriality of the central city. This article furthers the field’s understanding of a ‘world of city-regionalisms’ through a situated account of emerging city-regionalism characterised by land development in the Chinese context.
The influence of food environments on dietary behaviour and nutrition in Southeast Asia: A systematic scoping review
Authors: Gaupholm Josephine , Papadopoulos Andrew , Asif Aiza , Dodd Warren , Little Matthew
Published: July 2022

Background: Food environments are crucial spaces within the food system for understanding and addressing many of the shared drivers of malnutrition. In recent years, food environment research has grown rapidly, however, definitions, measures, and methods remain highly inconsistent, leading to a body of literature that is notably heterogeneous and poorly understood, particularly within regions of the Asia-Pacific. Aim: This scoping review aims to synthesize the nature, extent, and range of published literature surrounding the role of the food environment on influencing dietary behaviour and nutrition in Southeast Asia. Methods: A systematic search of 5 databases was conducted following PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. Eligible studies included peer-reviewed research with adult participants living in Southeast Asia that examined the food environment as a determinant of dietary behaviour or nutrition. Results: A total of 45 articles were included. Overall, studies indicated that dietary behaviours in Southeast Asia were primarily driven by social, cultural, and economic factors rather than physical (e.g. geographical) features of food environments. Food price and affordability were most consistently identified as key barriers to achieving healthy diets. Conclusion: This work contributes to the establishment of more robust conceptualizations of food environments within diverse settings which may aid future policymakers and researchers identify and address the barriers or obstacles impacting nutrition and food security in their communities. Further research is needed to strengthen this knowledge, particularly research that explicitly explores the macro-level mechanisms and pathways that influence diet and nutrition outcomes.
Quality of perinatal care for women with high-risk pregnancies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
Authors: Mohammadi Solmaz , Shojaei Kobra , Maraghi Elham , Motaghi Zahra
Published: July 2022

Background

COVID-19 has had a catastrophic effect on the healthcare system. Healthcare quality assessment measures the difference between expected and actual performances to identify gaps in the healthcare system. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of perinatal care for women with high-risk pregnancies (HPR) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional study enrolled 450 women with HPR from health centers in Ahvaz, Iran, from December 2020 to May 2021, using a multi-stage sampling method. Quality of care was assessed using an observational checklist adapted from Ministry of Health guidelines. Data were analyzed using descriptive and statistical methods.

Results

The quality of the assessed aspect in comprehensive health centers and in peripartum, perinatal, and postpartum wards was moderate. The overall score for peripartum care was significantly positively correlated with the length of the retraining period, and the quality of perinatal care was significantly related to the proportion of elective cesarean sections and preterm delivery.

Conclusion

The development of care practices in health centers in Iran should focus on education and counseling. Practices in peripartum wards should emphasize the use of partographs, physical/mental support, and privacy for mothers, while perinatal wards should focus on timely counseling.
A discussion on the plausible role of ice streams in carving Martian outflow channels: Revisiting the earliest hypothesis by Lucchitta et al. (1981)
Authors: Sam Lydia , Bhardwaj Anshuman , Gharehchahi Saeideh
Published: July 2022

Linear, incised and usually an order of magnitude wider than the Martian valleys, the Martian outflow channels are scoured ground commonly displaying streamlined remnants of the pre-existing terrain. A recent study used an unprecedented dataset of the Martian valley networks to propose that most of the valley networks are a result of combined surface and subglacial runoff. This also prompts to revisit One of the earliest hypotheses that the ancient ice streams might have carved the Martian outflow channels. With an exceptional focus on Mars exploration planned during the next decades, it is important to assess the regional-scale geomorphic processes to better target the future landing and sample return missions.
An insight on Powder Mixed Electric Discharge Machining: A state of the art review
Authors: Srivastava Siddharth , Vishnoi Mohit , Gangadhar Mamatha Theetha , Kukshal Vikas
Published: July 2022

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is an exigent focus of interest for researchers since its inception. EDM has a wide range of applications due to its non-contact machining process based on the spark erosion method. EDM is a non-conventional machining process with high potential in the recent industrial era. Due to the few limitations of EDM, many hybrid techniques are evolved in recent years. The present review paper elucidates the in-depth mechanism of the material removal process in EDM. Hybrid EDM processes are also reviewed with special attention on powder mixed electrical discharge machining (PMEDM). A detailed comparison between the EDM and PMEDM is presented with a meticulous portrayal of the advancement and evolution of PMEDM. The emphasis is given on significant performance parameters, namely tool wear rate, material removal rate and surface roughness, besides other parameters. In addition, the study also includes different modelling, optimization, and surface analysis techniques on EDM. The paper concludes with the future scope of PMEDM in the fields of manufacturing along with its applications.
Can we teach undergraduates the history of time?
Authors: Clark Justin T.
Published: July 2022

This essay examines the author’s experience since 2018 in developing and teaching a third-year undergraduate course on the history of time at a Singapore university, for students specializing in East and Southeast Asian history and the history of technology. History courses are traditionally taught in a chronological format, with clear periodization, and a nearly exclusive focus on written and audiovisual “texts.” The author has found that such an approach is less effective for a course on the history of time, a subject that suggests no obvious periodization or linear narrative, and for which many of his students lack a precise vocabulary. To solve these challenges, the author has borrowed autoethnographic exercises developed by scholars in other disciplines and assigned unconventional tasks such as building water clocks and curating time capsules. While the course has proven popular, it has also invited questions about what a global history of time looks like. Although the industrial and technological history of time is accessible to his students, much of the recent work on temporality presumes a familiarity with European and North American social and political issues that students outside of those regions may lack.
Green’s functions of steady-state transversely isotropic hygro-thermo-magneto-piezoelectric cones
Authors: Zhang Baojian , Fan Xin , Han Jiadong , Fu Longming , Wu Di
Published: July 2022

Green’s functions of transversely isotropic hygro-thermo-magneto-piezoelectric (HTMP) cones are established. The governing equations of transversely isotropic HTMP media are first simplified by introducing two displacement functions. Steady-state general solutions of transversely isotropic HTMP media expressed by seven quasi-harmonic functions are obtained by the operator theory, superposition principle, and generalized Almansi’s theorem. Furthermore, the three-dimensional problems of a semi-infinite HTMP cone subjected to a point moisture source and a point heat source are analyzed by introducing the potential functions which are determined by moisture, thermal, electric, magnetic equilibrium relationships and boundary conditions. Furthermore, the fundamental solutions of the HTMP cones under the action of the point sources are obtained. The numerical examples and the contours of the coupled fields of HTMP cones are presented, and the variation regularity of stress, electric displacement, and magnetic induction are discussed. The effects of different apex angles of cones on the coupled fields are also analyzed.
Association Between Dietary Quality Indices and Atherosclerosis Risk: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Samadani Mahsa , Mansoori Anahita , Haybar Habib , Haidari Fatemeh , Mohammadshahi Majid
Published: July 2022

Background:

Several diet quality scores have been developed to evaluate the health benefits of individual diets such as Healthy Eating Index (HEI), Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and Mediterranean diet score (Med). This study aims to determine the relationship between dominant dietary health scores with the risk of atherosclerosis in Iranian adults.

Methods:

This case-control study was conducted on 323 patients with atherosclerosis and 334 individuals without atherosclerosis as control group. Food Frequency Questionnaire was used for obtaining dietary intakes; then HEI, DASH score, and Med score was calculated. Logistic regression models were used to calculate Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% Confidence intervals (CI) between quartiles of the HEI, DASH and Med and atherosclerosis risk.

Results:

The results showed that total scores for HEI, DASH, and Med in control group was higher than the atherosclerosis group. The results also indicated that higher adherence to HEI (OR: 0.43; CI: [0.24, 0.76], P-trend = .006), DASH (OR: 0.48; CI: [0.3, 0.78], P-trend = .003), and Mediterranean pattern (OR: 0.4; CI: [0.21, 0.76]) decreased odds ratio of atherosclerosis.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest that adherence to HEI, DASH, and Mediterranean diet might be associated with a lower risk of Atherosclerosis and can have a positive effect on general health and prevention of chronic diseases in people.
Self-evaluation and depression in adolescents with a chronic illness: A systematic review
Authors: Hards Emily , Orchard Faith , Khalid Sundus , D’souza Clea , Cohen Flora , Gowie Evangeline , Loades Maria
Published: July 2022

Objective

To conduct a systematic review to establish what is known about the relationship between depression and self-evaluation in adolescents with a chronic illness.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, and hand-searching. We sought to identify primary research that examined both the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between depression and self-evaluation in adolescents with chronic illness. The search resulted in 8941 retrieved articles that were screened against an inclusion criteria. A total of 4 papers were included in the review. The MMAT used to assess study methodological quality.

Results

A narrative synthesis was conducted, and a summary figure was included. These 4 studies included 236 adolescents aged 9–18 years with depression and either Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), chronic pain, headaches, or Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The limited existing evidence indicated that that depression was associated with negative self-evaluation in adolescents in some but not all chronic illnesses investigated to date. We also found some evidence that psychological intervention can help to improve self-evaluation, specifically in adolescents with T1D.

Conclusions

More robust studies of the association between self-evaluation and depression in adolescents with a chronic illness is needed, with attention to the nuances of differences between chronic illnesses. The existing evidence indicates that there may be a stronger association in some chronic illnesses. Pilot data suggest that specific psychological therapies may improve self-evaluation, although much more extensive evaluation is needed.
The irony of (romantic) harmony: Heterosexual romantic relationships can drive women’s justification of the gender hierarchy
Authors: Sobol-Sarag Danit , Schori-Eyal Noa , Fernández Saulo , Saguy Tamar
Published: July 2022

Even though gender inequality is evident across life domains, women often justify the gender hierarchy. We examined whether the very closeness that heterosexual women share with their male romantic partners predicts their justification of gender inequality. We drew on intergroup-related research, showing that positive perceptions that minority groups develop within harmonious intergroup interactions, generalize to affect their views of group-based inequality. We expected that to the extent that women experience their romantic relationships positively, they will be more accepting of gender inequality within their homes, and these perceptions will generalize to predict justification of macro-level gender inequality. Five correlational and two experimental studies supported this prediction. The more women rated (or were primed with) their relationship as positive, the more they justified the gender social system. This was mediated by women’s perception of their housework division as fair, and was less pronounced among feminists. Implications regarding social change are discussed.
Thermogravimetric analysis applied to characterisation of the evolution of EGR deposits in a working engine
Authors: Bera Tushar , Broom Nigel , Cook Stephen , Mulqueen Simon , Reid Jacqueline , Rimmer John , Ross Alan , Williams Rod , Woodall Keith
Published: July 2022

A desire to survey the effects of fuel composition and additives on the make-up and evolution of the deposits in a working EGR system required development of rapid procedures to both generate and characterise them. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is here shown to be a very useful characterisation technique. It is most readily used on end-of-test samples yet is also capable of studying deposit evolution. Samples from the deposits, or fractions of these samples, after separation using Organic Geochemistry extraction techniques, may be examined. Deposit evolution was shown to be consistent with mechanisms proposed in the literature. Critically, comparison of test to ‘real-world’ deposits showed those generated rapidly in the laboratory to be representative of those generated over longer periods in vehicles on the road.
Towards a framework for light-dosimetry studies: Methodological considerations
Authors: Hartmeyer SL , Webler FS , Andersen M
Published: July 2022

For field research of non-visual effects of light, accurate measurement of personal light exposure is required. A consensus framework for light-dosimetry could improve non-visual field research and ensure comparability between studies. Here, we present a review of methodologies used in non-visual light-dosimetry studies published to date, focussing on considerations regarding the measurement and preparation of personal light exposure data. Overall, a large variability in the studies’ methodologies is observed, highlighting the need for a consensus framework. We propose methodological considerations that should be included in such a framework and that can guide future studies. Furthermore, we highlight important points that should be addressed in future research to ensure compatibility between different dosimetry studies. Taken together, this review effort underlines the importance of a systematic approach to light-dosimetry in order to harness all the power of integrative lighting research in real life.
Quantifying the effects of external factors on the behavior of vertical wicking in a warp stretch woven fabric
Authors: Wang Yong , Qiao Qifan , Gordon Stuart , Li Changlong , Ning Fanggang
Published: July 2022

Wicking ability of textiles is a key indicator in determining the physiological comfort provided by a fabric. The property is shaped by various factors internal and external to the fabric. Herein, the effects of some external factors such as the degree of (fabric) extension, the wetting liquid’s temperature and relative humidity on the vertical wicking behavior of a previously prepared warp stretch woven fabric were investigated. The fabric, which could be reversibly extended up to 60%, was prepared using a nylon/spandex air-covered yarn in the warp and cotton yarn in the weft. The results indicated that these external factors had a great influence on the vertical wicking equilibrium height with the degree of fabric extension having a more pronounced effect compared with the other two factors. Furthermore, extension and relative humidity were negatively related to the height of the vertical wicking, whilst an increase in liquid temperature resulted in an increase in vertical wicking height. The underlying mechanisms associated with these effects were examined using a specially constructed test chamber and tensioning device. The experimental data were also verified using the classical Laughlin-Davies model, and the results demonstrated the proposed wicking model could be used to predict the changes in fabric wicking height. These findings provide a more in-depth understanding of the wicking behavior of stretchable textiles in a comprehensive and objective manner.
Phalangeal Fractures Requiring Vascular Reconstruction: Epidemiology and Factors Predictive of Reoperation
Authors: Szapary Hannah J. , Meulendijks Mara Z. , Moura Steven P. , Veeramani Anamika , Gomez-Eslava Barbara , Hoftiezer Yannick A. J. , Chen Neal C. , Eberlin Kyle R.
Published: July 2022

Background:

Demographic information related to phalangeal fractures that undergo simultaneous vascular repair, as well as their complication and reoperation profiles, remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to examine the patient and fracture characteristics influencing the outcomes after these injuries in a large Unites States adult patient cohort and to identify risk factors associated with unplanned reoperation of these fractures.

Methods:

A retrospective study was performed, identifying 54 phalangeal fractures in 48 patients; all fractures were also associated with vascular injuries requiring repair. Patients with digital amputations were excluded. A manual chart review was performed to collect epidemiologic, radiographic, and surgical outcome information.

Results:

The incidence of phalangeal fractures undergoing vascular repair was higher in the non-dominant hand, middle finger, proximal phalanx, and phalangeal shaft. Most (52.9%) fractures were due to occupational injury, with the most common mechanism being sharp injuries. More than half of the fractures had a nerve injury, and 13% required a vein graft for vascular repair. More than half of the fractures required at least one reoperation, most commonly due to “stiffness/tendon adhesion” (50%) and “nonunion or delayed union” (21.4%). In multivariable analysis, thumb (odds ratio [OR]: 35.1, P = .043) and index (OR: 14.0, P = .048) fingers’ fractures were found to be independently associated with unplanned reoperation.

Conclusions:

Phalangeal fractures requiring vascular repair occurred most often in the occupational setting and more than 50% required at least one unplanned reoperation. Injuries sustained in the thumb and index finger were more likely to undergo unplanned reoperation, which may guide initial treatment decision-making and postoperative follow-up.
Design method for expandable tubular energy absorber in crashworthy seat of civilian helicopter
Authors: Wang You , Hou Ye-qi , Yan Tao , Wang Zhong-ren , Liu Hai-sheng , Zhou Rui-hu , Chen Ke-peng , Xiong Wei
Published: July 2022

The working load and stroke of energy absorption are two key performance parameters for energy absorber in designing crashworthy seat. A design method for expandable tubular energy absorber (ETEA) was proposed, which specifically involves the design methods of performance and structural parameters of ETEA. Firstly, the working load of ETEA was determined through establishing its relationship with the lumbar load of occupant from the perspective of biomechanics. Secondly, the stroke of energy absorption of ETEA was derived based on the mathematical model of helicopter crash. Thirdly, the relationship between the working load and the structural parameters of ETEA was determined based on the principal stress method, and the structural parameters of ETEA was obtained through clarifying the determined design parameters. Finally, the design method proposed was implemented by taking a helicopter seat as an example, and the expanding deformation and loading process of ETEA were investigated through numerical simulation and experiment. The results show that the magnitudes of working load in numerical simulation, experiment and design method are very close, demonstrating that the design method proposed is feasible and effective, and could be provided as theoretical guidance for the design of crashworthy seat of civilian helicopter.
The Architecture of Happiness
Authors: Lomas Tim , Bartels Meike , Van De Weijer Margot , Pluess Michael , Hanson Jeffrey , VanderWeele Tyler J.
Published: July 2022

Happiness is an increasingly prominent topic of interest across academia. However, relatively little attention has been paid to how it is created, especially not in a multidimensional sense. By ‘created’ we do not mean its influencing factors, for which there is extensive research, but how it actually forms in the person. The work that has been done in this arena tends to focus on physiological dynamics, which are certainly part of the puzzle. But they are not the whole picture, with psychological, phenomenological, and socio cultural processes also playing their part. As a result, this paper offers a multidimensional overview of scholarship on the ‘architecture’ of happiness, providing a stimulus for further work into this important topic.
The Influence of Destination Promotion Videos on Residents’ Sense of Empowerment and Support for Tourism
Authors: Wang Yi , Han Wei
Published: July 2022

This article uses the theoretical bases of Resident Empowerment through Tourism Scale, Framing Theory, and Self-Identification theory to explore the moderating effect of destination promotional videos on the relationship between residents’ empowerment and support for tourism. Initially, a large-scale survey with 1,634 respondents from Chinese Ningbo communities was performed to confirm that the destination promotion videos were widely viewed by the residents. After that, 492 questionnaires were administered to residents to test the moderating effect of media identification on the relationship between residents’ empowerment and support for tourism. The findings show that, overall, promotional media moderates the relationship between resident empowerment and support for tourism. Specifically, the use of destination promotion videos has been found to give residents a stronger sense of empowerment within society, increasing their high level of support for tourism. However, in this study’s case study of Ningbo, media were not found to moderate the relationship between perceived economic profit and support for tourism. The findings of this study could provide implications of how to use promotional video wisely to engage residents and build a “happy host.”
Breast Plasmacytoma as Extra-Medullary Lesion of Multiple Myeloma: A Case Report
Authors: Tawel Hoda , Hasen Yousef , Arrgebe Hanan , ALGhanoudi AfAf , Ali Najah , Elharari Nissren , Saied Ahmed
Published: July 2022

Breast plasmacytoma is relatively uncommon in which most of the recorded cases were related to disseminated multiple myeloma. However, many of these cases tend to be misdiagnosed with other breast lesions such as breast carcinoma. This article presents a case study on a Libyan female patient around the age of 55 who has a single breast lump, which was first diagnosed to be a malignant lesion. All the results of immunostaining for cytokeratins, GATA3, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2, and E-cadherin were negative; hence, the possibility of a breast carcinoma was not considered. However, plasma cell tumors were indicated by the presence of CD138, MUM1, and kappa-light chain markers. In addition, the patient had multiple osteolytic bone lesions, plasma cell infiltration, a monoclonal gammopathy, and signs of renal failure, which considered to be an indication to an extra-medullary breast plasmacytoma secondary to advanced multiple myeloma. This case study emphasizes the necessity of complete histopathological and imaging evolution for proper diagnosis of breast plasmacytoma.
The Maternal Postpartum Quality of Life Instrument (MPQOL-I): development and psychometric evaluation in an exploratory sequential mixed-method study
Authors: Mokhtaryan-Gilani Tahereh , Kariman Nourossadat , Nia Hamid Sharif , Doulabi Mahbobeh Ahmadi , Nasiri Malihe
Published: July 2022

Background

“ Postpartum quality of life” refers to women’s satisfaction of their position in life, based on cultural status, expectations, values, attitudes, goals, and living standards. Hence the need to pay attention to more specific dimensions of quality of life in the postpartum period is being sensed. This study was conducted to develop the Maternal Postpartum Quality of Life Instrument (MPQOL-I) and assess its psychometric properties.

Methods

This methodological study was conducted in 2019–2020. This exploratory, sequential mixed-method study was conducted in two phases. The first phase is MPQOL-I development and the second phase is psychometric evaluation of the developed scale. In the quantitative (psychometric evaluation) phase, face, content, construct, convergent, and discriminant validity and reliability of the scale were tested.

Results

In this study, 5 factors were extracted from items through exploratory factor analysis: (1) received support, (2) sexual relations, (3) bonding with newborn, (4) breastfeeding and newborn care, and (5) the transition period. These factors accounted for 53.26% of the total variance. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis suggested the goodness-of-fit indices was acceptable. Furthermore, the internal consistency and composite reliability indices of factors were greater than 0.7.

Conclusion

The sixteen-item Persian language MPQOL-I is a valid and reliable instrument for postpartum quality of life assessment. It includes items from different aspects of postpartum quality of life and can be used for the early diagnosis of impaired postpartum quality of life. Further studies are needed to assess the psychometric properties of MPQOL-I in different cultures and communities.
Refractive errors and associated factors among patients visiting BoruMeda Hospital’s secondary eye Unit in Dessie Town, South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia
Authors: Besufikad Bersabeh , Hailemichael Wasihun , Tilahun Lehulu , Yimam Wondwossen , Anteneh Samuel
Published: July 2022

Background

In Ethiopia, refractive error is the second leading cause of vision impairment and the third main cause of blindness. Because refraction services are scarce and difficult to obtain, many people with refractive error live with impaired vision or blindness for the rest of their lives.

Objective

The primary goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of refractive errors and associated factors among patients who visited Boru Meda Hospital.

Methods

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2018, all patients who visited Boru Meda Hospital's secondary eye unit were deemed our source population; the sample frame was the secondary eye unit outpatient departments register. To select samples, simple random sampling was used.

Data was entered by using Epi-data version 3 and analysed with Statistical Package for Social Science 20. Tables and graphs were used to display descriptive statistics, and logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. At p < 0.05, statistical significance was inferred.

Results

Refractive error was detected in 42 (18.3%) of study participants. The average age was 46.69 ± 20.77. There were 136 men and 93 women in this group (59.4 and 40.6%, respectively). Myopia was the most frequent refractive defect, accounting for 52.4% of all cases.

Conclusion & recommendation

Refractive error is a widespread problem in our study area that affects people of all age groups. We recommend patients to have screening on regular basis so that refractive anomalies can be detected early.
Infection preventive behaviors and its association with perceived threat and perceived social factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea: 2020 community health survey
Authors: Hyun Woo In , Son Yoon Hee , Jung Sun Ok
Published: July 2022

Background

This study examined why some individuals have not properly performed health prevention behavior during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We used data from a community health survey conducted by public health centers in South Korea to identify factors affecting COVID-19 prevention behavior in urban and rural areas. Also, we examined whether individual-level demographic, socio-psychological, and structural variables affected COVID-19 prevention behavior by referring to a model explaining individuals’ health prevention behavior. In particular, the study is significant as not many other measures were suggested besides compliance with personal quarantine rules during the early phase of the pandemic in 2020. We hope that the results of this study will be considered in further analysis of infection preventive behavior and in future health crises.

Methods

Probability proportional and systematic sampling were used to collect data in 2020 from 229,269 individuals. After exclusion, the valid data from 141,902 adults (86,163 urban and 44,739 rural) were analyzed. We performed t-tests and analyses of variance to ascertain the differences in COVID-19 preventive behaviors according to demographic characteristics, and a post-hoc analysis was conducted using Scheffé’s test. Factors that affected participants’ COVID-19 preventive behaviors were analyzed using multiple regression analyses.

Results

The variables significantly influencing COVID-19 preventive behaviors in urban areas were age, gender, living with two or more people, educational level, monthly household income, working status, influenza vaccination, daily life stress, and perceived threat. In rural areas, age, gender, living with two or more people, education level, influenza vaccination, daily life stress, perceived threat, and perceived social factors were significantly associated with increased COVID-19 preventive behaviors.

Conclusions

Several demographic characteristics were associated with urban and rural residents’ COVID-19-related preventive behaviors. A different approach is needed for the two regions in future policy. Future studies should aim to improve the power of the model and include other factors that may be related to COVID-19 preventive behavior.
Prevalence, awareness and control of type 2 diabetes mellitus and risk factors in Chinese elderly population
Authors: Yan Yaqiong , Wu Tingting , Zhang Miao , Li Changfeng , Liu Qing , Li Fang
Published: July 2022

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an expanding global public health issue, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, awareness and control rate of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and assess its risk factors in elderly Chinese individuals.

Methods

The health screening data of 376,702 individuals aged ≥ 65 years in Wuhan, China, were collected to analyse the prevalence, awareness, and control rates of diabetes. Indices, including fasting plasma glucose and other biochemical indicators, were measured for all participants using standard methods at the central laboratory. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the key determinants of the prevalence, awareness, and control rates of diabetes.

Results

The prevalence, awareness, and control rates of diabetes in the Chinese individuals aged ≥ 65 years were 18.80%, 77.14%, and 41.33%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the prevalence, awareness, and control rates by gender. Factors associated with diabetes prevalence were age, body mass index (BMI), and central obesity; while those associated with awareness and control were gender, education level, marital status, physical activity, alcohol consumption, BMI, and central obesity.

Conclusions

Diabetes is an important public health problem in the elderly in China. The awareness and control rates have improved, but overall remained poor. Therefore, effective measures to raise awareness and control the rates of diabetes should be undertaken to circumvent the growing disease burden in elderly Chinese people.
User perspectives on systematic data collection regarding back pain managed in general practice – a qualitative study
Authors: Morgan Sarah , Kongsted Alice , Nørgaard Birgitte
Published: July 2022

Background

Back pain is a main driver of disability and the most prevalent reason why people in Demark visit a general practitioner (GP). However, little is known about back pain management in primary care. For new strategies to be sustainable and to accommodate the recommendations for evidence-based practice, patients’ perspectives are paramount to complement clinical expertise and research evidence.

This study aimed to identify recommendations for systematic data collection in a nationwide cohort regarding the management of back pain in general practice from the perspectives of GPs and patients.

Method

We applied an adapted exploratory sequential design using focus groups and individual interviews. Seven GPs and ten patients with back pain participated, and four focus groups and seventeen individual interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed using abductive reasoning.

Results

Both GPs and patients with back pain found that 1) recruitment to a cohort should take place through the GPs, 2) the heterogeneity of patients with back pain and their need for individualized treatment and care should be considered, and 3) data from the cohort should feed into a flowchart or guideline to illustrate a generic patient pathway and visually assist both the patient and GP to obtain an overview and, thus, structure the patient pathway.

Conclusion

GPs and patients with back pain both considered the nationwide cohort with the overall aim to investigate back pain management as being extremely relevant in relation to improve t the patient pathway. User perspectives should be explored and integrated into health care interventions.
Postoperative outcomes of minimally invasive adrenalectomy: do body mass index and tumor size matter? A single-center experience
Authors: Girón Felipe , Rey Chaves Carlos Eduardo , Rodríguez Lina , Rueda-Esteban Roberto Javier , Núñez-Rocha Ricardo E. , Toledo Sara , Conde Danny , Hernández Juan David , Vanegas Marco , Nassar Ricardo
Published: July 2022

Background

Since Gagner performed the first laparoscopic adrenalectomy in 1992, laparoscopy has become the gold-standard procedure in the treatment of adrenal surgical diseases. A review of the literature indicates that the rate of intra- and postoperative complications are not negligible. This study aims to describe the single-center experience of adrenalectomies; and explore the associations between body mass index (BMI) and tumor volume in main postoperative outcomes.

Methods

Retrospective observational study with a prospective database in which we described patients who underwent adrenalectomy between January 2015 and December 2020. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, conversion rate, complications, length of hospital stay, and comparison of the number of antihypertensive drugs used before and after surgery were analyzed. Analysis of BMI and tumor volume with postoperative outcomes such as anti-hypertensive change (AHC) in drug usage and pre-operative conditions were performed.

Results

Forty-five adrenalectomies were performed, and all of them were carried out laparoscopically. Four were performed as a robot-assisted laparoscopy approach. Nineteen were women and 26 were men. Mean age was 54.9 ± 13.8 years. Mean tumor volume was 95.698 mm3 (3.75–1010.87). Mean operative time was shorter in right tumors (2.64 ± 0.75 h) than in left tumors (3.33 ± 2.73 h). Pearson correlation was performed to assess the relationship between BMI and AHC showing a direct relationship between increased BMI and higher change in anti-hypertensive drug usage at postoperative period r(45) = 0.92, p > 0.05 CI 95%. Higher tumor volume showed a longer operative time, r(45) = 0.6 (p = 0.000 CI 95%).

Conclusions

Obese patients could have an increased impact with surgery with an increased change in postoperative anti-hypertensive management. Tumor volume is associated with increased operative time and blood loss, our data suggest that it could be associated with increased rates of morbidity. However, further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate our results.
Nurses’ perceptions of barriers and supportive behaviors in end-of-life care in the intensive care unit: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Xu Dan-dan , Luo Dan , Chen Jie , Zeng Ji-li , Cheng Xiao-lin , Li Jin , Pei Juan-juan , Hu Fen
Published: July 2022

Background and aim

Patient deaths are common in the intensive care unit, and a nurse’s perception of barriers to and supportive behaviors in end-of-life care varies widely depending upon their cultural background. The aim of this study was to describe the perceptions of intensive care nurses regarding barriers to and supportive behaviors in providing end-of-life care in a Chinese cultural context.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among intensive care nurses in 20 intensive care units in 11 general hospitals in central and eastern China. Instruments used in this study were general survey and Beckstrand’s questionnaire. Data were collected via online survey platform. Descriptive analysis was used to describe general characteristics of participants and mean and standard deviations of the barriers and supportive behaviors. The mean and standard deviation were used to describe the intensity and frequency of each barrier or supportive behavior following Beckstrand’s method to calculate the score of barriers and supportive behaviors. Content analysis was used to analyze the responses to open-ended questions.

Results

The response rate was 53% (n = 368/700). Five of the top six barriers related to families and the other was the nurse’s lack of time. Supportive behaviors included three related to families and three related to healthcare providers. Nurses in the intensive care unit felt that families should be present at the bedside of a dying patient, there is a need to provide a quiet, independent environment and psychological support should be provided to the patient and family. Nurses believe that if possible, families can be given flexibility to visit dying patients, such as increasing the number of visits, rather than limiting visiting hours altogether. Families need to be given enough time to perform the final rites on the dying patient. Moreover, it is remarkable that nurses’ supportive behaviors almost all concern care after death.

Conclusions

According to ICU-nurses family-related factors, such as accompany of the dying patients and acceptence of patient’s imminent death, were found the major factors affecting the quality of end-of-life care. These findings identify the most prominent current barriers and supportive behaviors, which may provide a basis for addressing these issues in the future to improve the quality of end-of-life care.
Evaluation of Annona muricata extract against Staphylococcus aureus isolate and in-silico activity of bioactive compounds against Capsular protein (Cap5O)
Authors: Edet Uwem Okon , Nwaokorie Francisca Obiageri , Mbim Elizabeth Nkagafel , Asanga Edet Effiong , Agbor Yeneochia Ogar , Okoroiwu Henshaw Uchechi , Edet Bassey Okon , Umoafia Nikita , Nkang Ani
Published: July 2022

Background

Staphylococcus aureus has prevailed against the majority of antibiotics currently in clinical use, making it a significant global public health problem. As a safer alternative, bioactive compounds have been explored. Annona muricata has been shown to possess antimicrobial activity. However, there are few reports on the molecular activity of A. muricata bioactive compounds against S. aureus. Thus, this study was aimed at evaluating the antimicrobial activity of its crude extract as well as investigating the potential of its bioactive compounds against the Cap5O capsular polysaccharides (CPS) of S. aureus via molecular docking.

Methods

Collection of plant leaves, preparation of extracts, anti-nutrient analysis, phytochemical screening via crude method and gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometer (GC-MS), isolation and characterization of S. aureus and the antimicrobial activity test were all done using standard protocols. Molecular docking was done using the MCULE online tool with emphasis on docking scores, toxicity, and other properties.

Results

Crude screening of the extracts showed the presence of polyphenols, hydroxyanthraquinones, reducing compounds, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, alkaloids, anthraquinones, phlobatannins and tannins in different concentrations. Anti-nutrient analysis showed the presence of allowable levels of evaluated anti-nutrients. GC-MS revealed a total of twenty-nine (29) bioactive compounds, out of which only 4 (13.80%) docked without toxicity and these were bicyclo[4.1.0]heptan-2-one 6-methyl, trichloromethane, carbonic acid 2-dimethylaminoethyl propyl ester, and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-5-thioxo-1,2,4-triazolidin-3-one on either the NAD-binding or C-terminal substrate binding domain of Cap5O.

Conclusion

Results obtained show that Cap5O could be a potential drug target for multi-drug resistant S. aureus, however, further studies aimed at evaluating these bioactive compounds individually and in combination are highly needed.