bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WITHDRAWN: Combining photo-elicitation and discourse analysis to examine adolescents’ sexuality in rural Zambia
Authors: Mulubwa Chama , Hurtig Anna-Karin , Zulu Joseph Mumba , Michelo Charles , Sandøy Ingvild Fossgard , Goicolea Isabel
Published: February 2021

Introduction: This article aimed to analyse constructions of adolescents’ sexualities and sexual health and the consequences of these discourses for adolescents’ exercise of their sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in rural Zambia. Methods: We analysed data from photo-elicitations interviews and focus group discussions with 25 adolescents who participated in a SRHR intervention that aimed to reduce adolescents’ pregnancies and early marriages. Results: We identified three interpretative repertories: 1) sex is for mature people in which adolescents positioned themselves as ‘immature, and young to engage in sex; 2) gendered respectful behaviours in which what was considered disrespectful (and respectful) behaviour in relation to sexuality were strongly influenced by gender, and more clearly defined for girls than it was for boys. Sexuality was not only about individual choices but about being respectful to parents; and 3) acquiring and using knowledge about sexuality in which adolescents conflicted between having and applying SRHR knowledge. Conclusion: These repertories offer an important context that shape how adolescents negotiate, adopt and resist SRHR interventions. Future interventions that target adolescents’ SRHR must aim to address the sexual scripts that have serve to erect barriers against positive sexual behaviours, including access to SRHR services that promote safer sex.
Potential Target Screening and Molecular Docking of Newly Isolated Compound From Inonotus Obliquus
Authors: Liu Zhen-Dong , Liu Yi , Li Liang , Xue Bei , Wang Wenhan , Yan Xiu-Feng
Published: February 2021

Compound (1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-methoxypropan-1-one) is a newly isolated compound from Inonotus obliquus. In this paper, four target protein prediction methods were used to search the potential targets of compounds. The target proteins were determined according to the corresponding screening criteria. The target proteins with therapeutic value were docked with compound and target proproteinogen ligands by molecular docking software, and their binding affinity with target proteins was compared. The pharmacophore analysis program was used to investigate whether the pharmacophore characteristics of the compound and the original ligand compounds were consistent. 26 target proteins were obtained by virtual screening. The PASS server filtered out 2 targets. 7 targets were screened by the PharmMapper database. 2 targets were obtained by screening the PDB protein database. 18 targets were obtained by ROCS screening. Compared with the binding affinity of molecular docking, it was found that the binding affinity of the compound to oxysterols receptor LXR-beta, chymase, heat shock protein HSP 90-alpha, carbonic anhydrase 2 and arylamine N-acetyltransferase Nat was higher than that of the original ligands. It shows that the compound has potential applications in anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, affecting intestinal flora and affecting human lipid transport. Pharmacophore analysis was performed using LigandScout software. The results of pharmacophore analysis show that the phenolic hydroxyl group in the compound is the key group and can participate in the interaction with amino acids. Besides, the mother nuclear benzene ring can also participate in the hydrophobic interaction.
Clinical and Immune Responses of Peripheral Chemical Sympathectomy in Enterovirus 71 Infection 
Authors: Liao Yu-Ting , Tsai Huey-Pin , Wang Shih-Min , Chen Shun-Hua
Published: February 2021

Background: The activation of the sympathetic nervous system, release of norepinephrine (NE), and adrenergic receptor signaling participate in and regulate the complicated enterovirus 71 (EV71) brainstem encephalitis (BE). The neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) selectively ablates sympathetic nerves and markedly depletes NE in innervated organs.Methods: A mouse-adapted-EV71 strain (MP4) model was used to determine the effects of 6-OHDA on the survival rate, clinical score, plasma levels of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EP), dopamine (DP), and cytokines. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells and splenocytes of mouse were analyzed by flow cytometry.Results: The survival rate (76.9%) of MP4-infected after 6-OHDA-treated mice was increased significantly. The clinical scores were decreased markedly on days 8-12 in MP4-infected after 6-OHDA-treated mice compared to those without treatment. The plasma levels of NE, EP, and DP were decreased at most on day 8 after 6-OHDA treatment. The plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-12p70, tumor necrosis factor, IL-6, and IL-10 did not change significantly after 6-OHDA treatment. Interferon-g levels decreased evidently on days 4, 6, and 8 after 6-OHDA treatment. The absolute events of CD3+CD4+, CD3+CD8+, and CD3+NK1.1+ cells of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and the absolute cells of CD3−NK1.1+ and CD3+NK1.1+ cells in splenocytes were increased significantly in MP4-infected after 6-OHDA-treated mice compared to those without treatment. Conclusions: These findings suggested that 6-OHDA may be used a probe to explore clinical improvements and immune responses in the complicated EV71 infection. These properties together contribute to the immunopathogenesis of EV71 BE with autonomic nervous system dysregulation.
Effects of TiO2 nanoparticle lubricant on micro deep drawing performance
Authors: Pan Di , Zhang Guangqing , Jia Fanghui , Kamali Hamidreza , Lu Yao , Lin Fei , Jiang Zhengyi
Published: February 2021

Micro deep drawing is a process to manufacture the thin walled, hollow, box or cup like products at micro scale. Lubricant can affect the products’ quality in micro deep drawing at micro scale due to the decrease of coefficient of friction between the material and tools, it is crucial to enhance the forming efficiency. In this study, 40 µm thickness stainless steel 301 (SUS301) was annealed at 980 ℃ for 2 min under protection of argon gas ambient, and this stainless steel was selected as the specimen material. The micro deep drawing was conducted on a micro press machine under dry and 4% TiO2 nanoparticle lubrication conditions with different forming velocities. The experimental results showed that the micro cup’s profile is affected by changing the forming velocity under the dry and nanoparticle lubrication conditions. Under the dry condition, the surface became rough with the increase of the forming velocity, and then the micro forming efficiency under application of nanoparticle lubricant increases with a rise of drawing velocity.
An evaluation of three-dimensional facial changes after surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME)
Authors: Zupan Jurij , Hren Nataša Ihan , Verdenik Miha
Published: February 2021

Background: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the three-dimensional (3D) facial changes following surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME). In 15 skeletally mature patients with maxillary transverse deficiency the planned maxillary expansion (on average 8.8 mm ± 2.3 mm) was achieved with bone-borne palatal distractor. The 3D optical scans of the facial surface were obtained before and 6 months after SARME and compared with cephalometric and regional analysis to evaluate the soft-tissue changes. Findings. The largest differences between the pre- and post-operation scans were observed for the paranasal and cheek area (1.4 ± 1.0 mm) in the lateral direction with a soft-to-hard tissue ratio of 0.22. Significant differences occurred for an increased nasal width, a decreased upper-face height with an unchanged lower height, an increased vertical philtrum height and an increased nasolabial angle. A significant increase in the facial profile angle was also observed, resulting in an increased facial convexity and anterior displacement of the upper-lip area. Conclusions. We have confirmed the widening of the nose and increased projection in the cheek and paranasal area in the lateral direction after maxillary expansion, while we found facial convexity increases, reflecting the underlying advancement of the maxilla.
LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF THE USE OF AUTOLOGOUS PLATELET-RICH PLASMA IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH DIABETIC ULCERS, AND MEDICAL AND SOCIAL ADAPTATION OF SUCH PATIENTS
Authors: Duzhyi І.D. , Nikolayenko A.S. , Yasnikovskyi O.M.
Published: February 2021

According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the number of patients with diabetes in the world reached 463 million people in 2019. One of the most severe local complications of diabetes is diabetic foot syndrome manifested through the development of diabetic ulcers on the lower extremities, which leads to poor quality of life and disability.
Among Geniuses: Artistic and Aesthetic Originality of Ivan Klyushnikov’s Poetry
Authors: Tkachenko Olena , Bondarenko Olena
Published: February 2021

The article is dedicated to the work of Ivan Klyushnikov, a representative of the reflective poetry of Russian romanticism of the 30s – 40s of the XIX century, to indicate the ideological and artistic originality of his poems.
In the article, the author traces the main thematic trends of Klyushnikov’s lyrics, characteristic of romantic poetry of the first half of the XIX century: philosophical, historical, the theme of love, nature, and the destiny of the poet and poetry.
According to the author, the main distinguishing feature of Klyushnikov’s poetry is that he, like no other romantic poet, revealed the psychology of the “superfluous man”. Besides, with his fate and his work, he captured the tragedy of young people of that time, striving for good, justice and happiness, but for subjective and objective reasons unable to advance their ideal.
The main genre of Klyushnikov's poetic is an elegy, which tonality fully corresponds to the definition of this genre given by Belinsky. Hopeless longing from unfulfilled dreams, failed love, and incomplete life is its dominant motive. His lyrics is a confession of a person who in his development has passed from romantic illusions to the consciousness of his insecurity and failure in all spheres of life. The image of a lyrical hero embodied the features characteristic of the spiritual image of the poet himself, as well as of the whole generation. This is precisely the pathos of the poet’s creativity.
Klyushnikov’s poetic legacy is remarkable in reproducing the era and the spiritual world of many thinking people of that time, as well as in presenting deeply personal moods. Thinking about his life, about life in general, about reality – all this, captured in the lyrics, becomes a true and fare reflection of contemporaneity.
Quantifying Freeze Tolerance of Hybrid Bermudagrasses Adapted for Golf Course Putting Greens
Authors: Gopinath Lakshmy , Moss Justin Quetone , Wu Yanqi
Published: February 2021

The susceptibility of warm-season turfgrasses such as bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) to winter injury in the transition zone is a major concern. Therefore, the objective of the study was to evaluate five golf course putting green-type experimental genotypes (OKC6318, OKC0805, OKC1609, OKC0920, and OKC3920) and three commercially available bermudagrasses (‘Champion Dwarf’, ‘TifEagle’, and ‘Tahoma 31’) for freeze tolerance by subjecting them to 11 freezing temperatures (–4 to –14 °C) under controlled environment conditions. The experiment was conducted in batches, with four genotypes per batch, and each batch was replicated in time. The mean lethal temperature to kill 50% of the population (LT50) for each genotype was determined. There were significant differences in LT50 values among the bermudagrass genotypes. ‘Champion Dwarf’ had an LT50 value ranging from –5.2 to –5.9 °C across all three batches. The experimental genotypes tested in this study had LT50 values ranging from –7.0 to –8.1 °C and were each lower than that of ‘Champion Dwarf’. ‘Tahoma 31’, the top performing genotype, had an LT50 value ranging from –7.8 to –9.0 °C across all three batches. OKC 3920 was the only experimental genotype with an LT50 value in the same statistical group as ‘Tahoma 31’. The information gained from this research would be useful for breeders to gauge the genetic gain in freeze tolerance in breeding golf course putting green-type bermudagrass.
Digital business research for small and medium-sized enterprises: The case of Ukraine
Authors: Kvitka Anton , Kramarenko Anna , Davydov Denys , Pasmor Maryna , Diachek Olga
Published: February 2021

The use of available digital tools, the entrepreneur’s personal human capital, and the formation and filling of niche markets are seen as the main factors of enterprises’ prosperity. Thus, the study aims to identify the impact of business research on the dynamics of operational and commercial efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). The online survey and regression analysis methods based on the data obtained were used. The study revealed that SMEs constantly need to perform data analysis, but despite the need for business intelligence, enterprises rarely use Big Data (cloud technologies). Most small businesses that conduct business research use digital tools, which poses acute problems of staff development and building an effective model for outsourcing research agents. Currently, the economic efficiency of business research is not clearly visible, which is due to the influence of strong external factors, as well as a low level of innovation and research activity of economic agents.
Assessing the impact of working pressure on water meter registration
Authors: Musaazi Isaac G. , Sempewo Jotham I. , Babu Mohammed , Kiggundu Nicholas
Published: February 2021

Fluctuations in the network pressure of water supply systems affect hydraulic performance and water meter accuracy. The development of metering error curves requires steady-state conditions which are extremely rare in water distribution systems characterized by intermittent supply. Simple deterministic models are suggested and developed from monthly data collected over a 4-year period (2010–2014) for three most dominant meter models (Models 1–3) in the Kampala Water Distribution System (KWDS), Uganda. This study combines pressure and billing information at the same time to understand metering accuracy. Results showed that metering accuracy increased by 4.2% for Model 1, 8.4% for Model 2 and 2.9% for Model 3, when the pressure was increased from 10 to 50 meters head. Age did not influence the impact of pressure on meter accuracy. The most sensitive parameter in the model was the meter age. Metering accuracy was relatively constant after a period of 5 years. The least sensitive parameter was the working pressure which caused a slight change to the annual billed volume. The ability of the model to accurately predict the meter registration degenerated with an increasing annual billed volume. Model 2 meters were the best performing and probably the most suitable meters in the KWDS.
Genetics and Genomics Interventions for Promoting Millets as Functional Foods
Authors: Dhaka Annvi , Singh Roshan Kumar , Muthamilarasan Mehanathan , Prasad Manoj
Published: February 2021

Several crops, including millets with immense nutritional and therapeutic values, were
once a part of our regular diet. However, due to domestication and selection pressures, many of
them have become marginally cultivated crops confined to a particular region, race, or locality. Millets
are a perfect example of neglected species that have the potential to address both food and nutritional
insecurities prevalent among the ever-growing global population. Starvation and malnutrition
contribute to a large number of health-related issues, being the main reason behind the occurrence
of most of the severe diseases worldwide. These constraints are repeatedly disturbing both
the social and economic health of global society. Naturally, millets are rich in minerals, nutrients,
and bioactive compounds, and these crops are less dependent on synthetic fertilizers, systemic irrigation,
and pest/weed control. Given this, the review emphasizes the nutritional values, health benefits,
processing techniques, and genomic advancements of millets. In addition, it proposes a
roadmap for enhancing the utility and commercialization of millets.
Elucidating the Drug Repurposing Spectra of COVID-19 with its
Analogues SARS and MERS
Authors: Mishra Jayanti , Prasun Chakrawarti , Sahoo Pravat K. , Nair Maya S.
Published: February 2021

Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS CoV-2 virus, has been announced
as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 has affected people globally,
infecting more than 39.8 million people and claiming up to 1.11 million lives, yet there is no effective
treatment strategy to cure this disease. As vaccine development is a time-consuming process, currently,
efforts are being made to develop alternative plans for the timely and effective management of this
disease. Drug repurposing always fascinated researchers and can be utilized as the most acceptable
alternative to develop the therapeutics for COVID-19 using the pre-approved drugs. Severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has shown resemblance with distinctive enzyme targets,
such as 3CLpro/Mpro, RdRp, Cathepsin L, and TMPRSS2 present in SARS CoV and MERS
CoV. Therefore, the drugs that have shown efficacy in these viruses can also be used for the treatment
of COVID-19. This review focuses on why repurposing could provide a better alternative in COVID-
19 treatment. The similarity in the structure and progression of infection of SARS CoV and MERS
viruses offers a direction and validation to evaluate the drugs approved for SARS and MERS against
COVID-19. It has been indicated that multiple therapeutic options that demonstrate efficacy against
SARS CoV 2 are available to mitigate the potential emergence of COVID-19 infection.
Exploration of SQC Formula Effect on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Whole Transcriptome Profile in Rats
Authors: Fu Xiaoxu , Zhou Xiujuan , Liu Ya , Lei Yuanhong , Xie Hongyan , Leng Yulin , Gao Hong , Xie Chunguang
Published: February 2021

Background:

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease that has
turned out to be a pandemic all over the world. In China, some traditional Chinese herbal formulas
have enjoyed a high reputation in T2DM treatment for centuries.

Methods:

In this study, ShenQi compound (SQC) is proposed, a formula that has been performed
on T2DM clinical therapeutics in China for many years. The efficacy of SQC in a diabetic rat model
by measuring food and water intake and examining islet microcirculatory index involves islets
microvessel quantity and density, islets size, pancreatic microvascular wall thickness is evaluated.
Meanwhile, gene microarray experiments were performed to explore the molecular mechanism of
SQC treatment. In addition, a western medicine, metformin, was employed as a comparison.

Results:

The results indicated that SQC could effectively improve polydipsia, polyphagia and
weight loss caused by diabetes as well as pancreatic tissue damage and vascular injury for T2DM.
Meanwhile, the gene microarray experiments indicated that SQC may improve the T2DM by affecting
the biological functions related to detection of chemical stimulus involved in sensory perception
of smell, G-protein coupled receptor signaling pathway, cytoplasmic translation. In addition,
SQC presented curative effect by the regulated function associated with translation, while metformin
presented curative effect by the regulated function associated coagulation.

Conclusion:

SQC is an effective therapeutic drug on T2DM, and presents curative effect by regulated
function associated with translation.
Disinfectants and Skin Antiseptics for Safe prophylaxis against COVID-19, Review of Literature.
Authors: Dorgham Nevine A. , Dorgham Dina A.
Published: February 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently receiving the whole world's attention. It appeared first in Wuhan city of China and rapidly spread to the world, causing many mortalities and morbidities; the disease is mainly transmitted via respiratory droplets and has a long infectivity period of about 14 days.

Science shows that the virus is also transmitted via the skin if the virus by any means finds its way and land on the skin surface. Infection occurs when touching the face, eyes, or nose with the hand after the virus has landed upon it. This is the main reason for the widespread usage of skin antiseptics and disinfectants. We included the most commonly used skin antiseptics, sterilizing methods, and disinfectants, such as household bleach, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, Formaldehyde, Glutaraldehyde, Alcohol, Chlorohexidine, Povidone-iodine, Chloroxylenol, and alcohol-based hand sanitizer (e.g. Sterlelium). We will discuss their role in preventing acquired infection of COVID-19, as well as discussing the efficacy, costs, and side effects of different sterilizers, including general health hazards, as well as skin affection as irritant contact dermatitis, which is the commonest side effect. After conducting this work, we summarized the results & started sending them to our patients & medical personnel, and we observed 60% decrease in the cases of disinfectants induced allergic contact dermatitis /month compared to the previous two months.
Studying the Ethno-Pharmacological Basis of Antiepileptic Activity of
Medhya Rasayanas- A Nootropic Package From Ayurveda
Authors: Kaushik Rahul , Jain Jainendra , Gupta Akanksha , Rebouças Louhana Moreira
Published: February 2021

:

Ayurveda prescribes the use of Medhya Rasayanas for the prevention and management of brain disorders like Epilepsy, Schizophrenia, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s diseases. Medhya Rasayanas are a group of nootropic herbs which improves cognition, memory, intelligence, creativity, learning skills and executive functions. Additionally, these supplements also boost immunity. These herbs have intrinsic nature to exert these effects on the human brain. This review is an attempt to study and correlate the ethno-pharmacological basis of Medhya Rasayanas with their Antiepileptic potential. In epilepsy, Medhya Rasayanas either alone or in combination are prescribed to manage epileptic patients in Ayurveda. These herbs are time tested and also possess scientifically proven pharmacological effects. In this review, detailed pharmacognostical, phytochemical and pharmacological investigation on Medhya Rasayanas like Centella asiatica, Convolvulous pluricaulis, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Tinospora cordifolia, Acorus calamus, Bacopa monnieri, Celastrus paniculatus, Benincasa hispida, Nardostachys jatamansi, mineral like Swarna Bhasma (Gold Calyx) and few herbal formulations like Panchgavyaghrita, Brahmi Ghrita, Mentat, Asthamangal Ghrita, Sarasvata Churna, Sarasvata Arishta, and Samvardhan ghrita which contains Medhya Rasayanas was performed using various search engines like Google Scholar, Scopus, SciFinder, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Bentham Sciences and other online and print journals and scientific databases on medicinal plants. The rigorous review of the literature proves that each Medhya Rasayana is acting with different mechanisms of action to offer neuroprotection. The review strengthens the ethno-pharmacological claim of Medhya Rasayanas for their use in the treatment and management of Epilepsy and other brain disorders.
YouTube as a source of information on echocardiography: content and quality analysis (Preprint)
Authors: AYDIN Ercan , YILMAZ 2nd Emre
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

YouTube, which is increasingly reachable to users every day, is becoming an easily accessible and increasingly popular source of information on health-related issues.

OBJECTIVE

Our study evaluated the scientific content and quality of echocardiography videos in English.

METHODS

For this study,583 videos identified as a result of a YouTube search made using the keyword “echocardiography” in July 2020 were evaluated. Moreover, 92 videos were included in the study following the evaluation of the exclusion criteria. Both video quality and scientific content were evaluated based on the discern score (DS), global quality score (GQS), content score (CS), and the total quality score (TQS) calculated by adding the scores of these three scoring systems.

RESULTS

Themean video duration of the videos included in the study was as 617 ± 708 s. Themean number of views was 94779 ± 181102, the number of upload days was 1859 ± 1223 days, the number of likes was 455 ± 793, and the number of dislikes was 22 ± 49. While the mean power index value of the videos was 1553812 ± 6004888, the popularity score was 46 ± 73. The mean DS was 3.4 ± 1, GQS was 3.7 ± 0.9, CS was 2.4 ± 1.1 and TQS was 9.67 ± 2.63. The study videos were analyzed in three groups based on TQS data. Group 1 (TQS: 5-7) comprised24 (26.08%) videos, Group 2 (TQS: 8-11) comprised43 (46.73%) videos, and Group 3 (TQS: 12-14) comprised 25 (27.17%) videos. Views, video duration, power index and popularity data were significantly higher in Group 3. Upload day was statistically significantly higher in Group 1.

CONCLUSIONS

These results support the fact that the YouTube video sharing site is an important tool for easily sharing health-related information and disseminating it to large audiences. It can be concluded that the increasing interest in videos with scientific content and high quality scores indicates that the YouTube video sharing site provides accurate and quality information for echocardiography. Although the number of shared videos with high quality tends to increase day by day, professional users in the field of health should be encouraged to share videos with academic publication quality more frequently.
Offenders With Personality Disorder Who Fail to Progress: A Case-Control Study Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling Path Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Mathlin Georgina , Freestone Mark , Taylor Celia , Shaw Jake
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Offenders with personality disorder can be challenging to engage and retain in treatment. The UK Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway aims to proactively and responsively identify and engage offenders with personality disorder. However, a subpopulation of offenders on the pathway have been found to not be accepted into any OPD service and therefore fail to progress.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to identify and describe offenders on the OPD pathway who fail to progress and to understand the causal drivers by which individuals fail to progress in the pathway.

METHODS

A sample of 50 offenders on the OPD pathway who had been refused from at least two OPD services (nonprogression group) were compared to 100 offenders accepted into OPD services (control group). Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to model the causal factors involved in not being accepted into OPD services.

RESULTS

The path coefficients in the structural model showed that the most influential factor in nonprogression was attitude toward treatment (β=.41; P<.001; f2=0.25) alongside those with psychopathology (β=.41; P<.001; f2=0.25), specifically, psychopathy, psychosis, and co-occurring personality disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the study provide a basis of how to work with this population in the future to increase the likelihood of acceptance into OPD services.
Testing the Differential Impact of an Internet-Based Mental Health Intervention on Outcomes of Well-being and Psychological Distress During COVID-19: Uncontrolled Intervention Study (Preprint)
Authors: van Agteren Joep , Ali Kathina , Fassnacht Daniel B , Iasiello Matthew , Furber Gareth , Howard Alexis , Woodyatt Lydia , Musker Michael , Kyrios Mike
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

During COVID-19, the psychological distress and well-being of the general population has been precarious, increasing the need to determine the impact of complementary internet-based psychological interventions on both positive mental health as well as distress states. Psychological distress and mental well-being represent distinct dimensions of our mental health, and congruent changes in outcomes of distress and well-being do not necessarily co-occur within individuals. When testing intervention impact, it is therefore important to assess change in both outcomes at the individual level, rather than solely testing group differences in average scores at the group level.

OBJECTIVE

This study set out to investigate the differential impact of an internet-based group mental health intervention on outcomes of positive mental health (ie, well-being, life satisfaction, resilience) and indicators of psychological distress (ie, depression, anxiety, stress).

METHODS

A 5-week mental health intervention was delivered to 89 participants using the Zoom platform during 2020. Impact on outcomes of distress, well-being, and resilience was assessed at the start and end of the program with multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) and reliable change indices (RCIs) being used to determine program impact at the group and individual levels, respectively.

RESULTS

The intervention significantly improved all mental health outcomes measured, (F6,83=5.60, P<.001; Wilks Λ=.71; partial η2=.29) showing small to moderate effect sizes on individual outcomes. The largest effect sizes were observed for life satisfaction and overall well-being (η2=.22 and η2=.2, respectively). Larger effect sizes were noted for those with problematic mental health scores at baseline. A total of 92% (82/89) of participants demonstrated reliable change in at least one mental health outcome. Differential response patterns using RCI revealed that more than one-half of the participants showed improvement in both mental well-being and psychological distress, over one-quarter in outcomes of well-being only, and almost one-fifth in distress only.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provide evidence for the significant impact of an internet-based mental health intervention during COVID-19 and indicate the importance of assessing dimensions of both well-being and distress when determining mental health intervention effectiveness.
The Quality of Internet Websites for People Experiencing Psychosis: Pilot Expert Assessment (Preprint)
Authors: Wilhelm Kay , Handley Tonelle , McHugh Catherine , Lowenstein David , Arrold Kristy
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Clinicians need to be able to assess the quality of the available information to aid clinical decision-making. The internet has become an important source of health information for consumers and their families.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to rate the quality of websites with psychosis-related information (to provide clinicians with a basis for recommending material to guide clinical decision-making with consumers and their families), using a validated instrument as well as a purpose-developed checklist, and consider improvement in quality over a 4-year period.

METHODS

Two measures of website quality were used: the DISCERN scale and the Psychosis Website Quality Checklist (PWQC). Terms related to psychosis, including “psychotic,” “psychosis,” “schizophrenia,” “delusion,” and “hallucination,” were entered into Google, and the first 25 results were analyzed. In total, 6 raters with varying health professional backgrounds were used to evaluate the websites across two time points: January-March 2014 and January-March 2018.

RESULTS

Of the 25 websites rated, only the 6 highest ranked websites achieved a DISCERN score, indicating that they were of “good” quality (51-62 out of a possible 75), while the mean score of the websites (mean 43.96, SD 12.08) indicated an overall “fair” quality. The PWQC revealed that websites scored highly on “availability and usability” (mean 16.82, SD 3.96) but poorly on “credibility” (mean 20.99, SD 6.68), “currency” (mean 5.16, SD 2.62), and “breadth and accuracy” (mean 77.87, SD 23.20). Most sites lacked information about early intervention, recreational drug use and suicide risk, with little change in content over time. Stating an editorial or review process on the website (found in 56% of websites) was significantly associated with a higher quality score on both scales (the DISCERN scale, P=.002; the PWQC, P=.006).

CONCLUSIONS

The information on the internet available for clinicians to recommend to people affected by psychosis tended to be of “fair” quality. While higher-quality websites exist, it is generally not easy way to assess this on face value. Evidence of an editorial or review process was one indicator of website quality. While sites generally provided basic clinical information, most lacked material addressing weighing up risks and benefits of medication and alternatives, the role of coercive treatment and other more contentious issues. Insufficient emphasis is placed on detailed information on early intervention and importance of lifestyle modifications or how families and friends can contribute. These are likely to be the very answers that consumers and carers are seeking and this gap contributes to unmet needs among this group. We suggest that clinicians should be aware of what is available and where there are gaps.
Use of Social Media for Cancer Prevention Through Neighborhood Social Cohesion: Protocol for a Feasibility Study (Preprint)
Authors: Oakley-Girvan Ingrid , Watterson Jessica L , Jones Cheryl , Houghton Lauren C , Gibbons Marley P , Gokal Kajal , Magsamen-Conrad Kate
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Social cohesion is associated with healthier behaviors and better health outcomes, and therefore may offer a mechanism for promoting better health. Low socioeconomic status (SES) communities face higher rates of chronic disease due to both community- and individual-level factors.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to leverage social cohesion to promote healthier behaviors and prevent chronic disease in a low SES community. This protocol outlines the methodology for a pilot study to assess the feasibility of an intervention (Free Time For Wellness [FT4W]) using a social networking platform (Nextdoor) with mothers living in an urban, low-income community to improve social cohesion and promote healthy behaviors.

METHODS

The study will involve three phases: (I) co-designing the intervention with mothers in the neighborhoods of interest, (II) implementing the intervention with community leaders through the social networking platform, and (III) evaluating the intervention’s feasibility. Phase I of the study will include qualitative data collection and analysis from in-depth, semistructured interviews and a co-design group session with mothers. Phases II and III of the study include a pre- and postintervention survey of participating mothers. Neighborhood-level data on social cohesion will also be collected to enable comparison of outcomes between neighborhoods with higher and lower baseline social cohesion.

RESULTS

As of March 2021, recruitment and data collection for this study are complete. This protocol outlines our original study plan, although the final enrollment numbers and intervention implementation deviated from our initial planned methodology that is outlined in this protocol. These implementation learnings will be shared in subsequent publications of our study results.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultimately, this study aims to: (1) determine the barriers and facilitators to finding free time for wellness among a population of low-income mothers to inform the co-design process, and (2) implement and study the feasibility of an intervention that leverages social cohesion to promote physical activity in a community of low-income mothers. The results of this study will provide preliminary feasibility evidence to inform a larger effectiveness trial, and will further our understanding of how social cohesion might influence well-being.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

RR1-10.2196/28147
Impact of an eHealth Smartphone App on the Mental Health of Patients With Psoriasis: Prospective Randomized Controlled Intervention Study (Preprint)
Authors: Domogalla Lena , Beck Alena , Schulze-Hagen Theresa , Herr Raphael , Benecke Johannes , Schmieder Astrid
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis has a negative impact on patients’ physical and mental health and can lead to anxiety and depression. Disease management strategies, including educational programs and eHealth devices, have been shown to improve health care for several chronic diseases. However, such disease management strategies are lacking in the routine care of patients with psoriasis.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to study the impact of a novel intervention that combines an educational program with a disease management smartphone app on the mental health of patients with psoriasis.

METHODS

Patients with psoriasis in the intervention group received an educational program; attended visits on weeks 0, 12, 24, 36, and 60; and had access to the study app. Patients in the control group only attended the visits. The primary endpoint was a significant reduction of scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Secondary end points were reductions in Dermatology Life Quality Index score, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score, pruritus, and pain, as well as improvements in mood and daily activities. In addition, modulating effects of sex, age, disease duration, and app use frequency were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 107 patients were included in the study and randomized into the control group (53/107, 49.5%) or intervention group (54/107, 50.5%). Approximately 71.9% (77/107) of the patients completed the study. A significant reduction in HADS-Depression (HADS-D) in the intervention group was found at weeks 12 (P=.04) and 24 (P=.005) but not at weeks 36 (P=.12) and 60 (P=.32). Patient stratification according to app use frequency showed a significant improvement in HADS-D score at weeks 36 (P=.004) and 60 (P=.04) and in HADS-Anxiety (HADS-A) score at weeks 36 (P=.04) and 60 (P=.05) in the group using the app less than once every 5 weeks. However, in patients using the app more than once every 5 weeks, no significant reduction in HADS-D (P=.84) or HADS-A (P=.20) score was observed over the 60-week study period compared with that observed in patients in the control group. All findings were independent of sex, age, and disease duration.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings support the use of a disease management smartphone app as a valid tool to achieve long-term improvement in the mental health of patients with psoriasis if it is not used too frequently. Further studies are needed to analyze the newly observed influence of app use frequency.

CLINICALTRIAL

Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien DRKS00020755; https://tinyurl.com/nyzjyvvk
Evaluation and Refinement of a Bank of SMS Text Messages to Promote Behavior Change Adherence Following a Diabetes Prevention Program: Survey Study (Preprint)
Authors: MacPherson Megan , Cranston Kaela , Johnston Cara , Locke Sean , Jung Mary E
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

SMS text messaging is a low-cost and far-reaching modality that can be used to augment existing diabetes prevention programs and improve long-term diet and exercise behavior change adherence. To date, little research has been published regarding the process of SMS text message content development. Understanding how interventions are developed is necessary to evaluate their evidence base and to guide the implementation of effective and scalable mobile health interventions in public health initiatives and in future research.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to describe the development and refinement of a bank of SMS text messages targeting diet and exercise behavior change to be implemented following a diabetes prevention program.

METHODS

A bank of 124 theory-based SMS text messages was developed using the Behaviour Change Wheel and linked to active intervention components (behavior change techniques [BCTs]). The Behaviour Change Wheel is a theory-based framework that provides structure to intervention development and can guide the use of evidence-based practices in behavior change interventions. Once the messages were written, 18 individuals who either participated in a diabetes prevention program or were a diabetes prevention coach evaluated the messages on their clarity, utility, and relevance via survey using a 5-point Likert scale. Messages were refined according to participant feedback and recoded to obtain an accurate representation of BCTs in the final bank.

RESULTS

76/124 (61.3%) messages were edited, 4/124 (3.2%) were added, and 8/124 (6.5%) were removed based on participant scores and feedback. Of the edited messages, 43/76 (57%) received minor word choice and grammar alterations while retaining their original BCT code; the remaining 43% (33/76, plus the 4 newly written messages) were recoded by a reviewer trained in BCT identification.

CONCLUSIONS

This study outlines the process used to develop and refine a bank of SMS text messages to be implemented following a diabetes prevention program. This resulted in a bank of 120 theory-based, user-informed SMS text messages that were overall deemed clear, useful, and relevant by both individuals who will be receiving and delivering them. This formative development process can be used as a blueprint in future SMS text messaging development to ensure that message content is representative of the evidence base and is also grounded in theory and evaluated by key knowledge users.
Head and Tail Entity Fusion Model in Medical Knowledge Graph Construction: Case Study for Pituitary Adenoma (Preprint)
Authors: Fang An , Lou Pei , Hu Jiahui , Zhao Wanqing , Feng Ming , Ren Huiling , Chen Xianlai
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Pituitary adenoma is one of the most common central nervous system tumors. The diagnosis and treatment of pituitary adenoma remain very difficult. Misdiagnosis and recurrence often occur, and experienced neurosurgeons are in serious shortage. A knowledge graph can help interns quickly understand the medical knowledge related to pituitary tumor.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to develop a data fusion method suitable for medical data using data of pituitary adenomas integrated from different sources. The overall goal was to construct a knowledge graph for pituitary adenoma (KGPA) to be used for knowledge discovery.

METHODS

A complete framework suitable for the construction of a medical knowledge graph was developed, which was used to build the KGPA. The schema of the KGPA was manually constructed. Information of pituitary adenoma was automatically extracted from Chinese electronic medical records (CEMRs) and medical websites through a conditional random field model and newly designed web wrappers. An entity fusion method is proposed based on the head-and-tail entity fusion model to fuse the data from heterogeneous sources.

RESULTS

Data were extracted from 300 CEMRs of pituitary adenoma and 4 health portals. Entity fusion was carried out using the proposed data fusion model. The F1 scores of the head and tail entity fusions were 97.32% and 98.57%, respectively. Triples from the constructed KGPA were selected for evaluation, demonstrating 95.4% accuracy.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper introduces an approach to fuse triples extracted from heterogeneous data sources, which can be used to build a knowledge graph. The evaluation results showed that the data in the KGPA are of high quality. The constructed KGPA can help physicians in clinical practice.
Multifeature Fusion Attention Network for Suicide Risk Assessment Based on Social Media: Algorithm Development and Validation (Preprint)
Authors: Li Jiacheng , Zhang Shaowu , Zhang Yijia , Lin Hongfei , Wang Jian
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Suicide has become the fifth leading cause of death worldwide. With development of the internet, social media has become an imperative source for studying psychological illnesses such as depression and suicide. Many methods have been proposed for suicide risk assessment. However, most of the existing methods cannot grasp the key information of the text. To solve this problem, we propose an efficient method to extract the core information from social media posts for suicide risk assessment.

OBJECTIVE

We developed a multifeature fusion recurrent attention model for suicide risk assessment.

METHODS

We used the bidirectional long short-term memory network to create the text representation with context information from social media posts. We further introduced a self-attention mechanism to extract the core information. We then fused linguistic features to improve our model.

RESULTS

We evaluated our model on the dataset delivered by the Computational Linguistics and Clinical Psychology 2019 shared task. The experimental results showed that our model improves the risk-F1, urgent-F1, and existence-F1 by 3.3%, 0.9%, and 3.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that bidirectional long short-term memory performs well for long text representation, and the attention mechanism can identify the key information in the text. The external features can complete the semantic information lost by the neural network during feature extraction and further improve the performance of the model. The experimental results showed that our model performs better than the state-of-the-art method. Our work has theoretical and practical value for suicidal risk assessment.
ПОВЕРХНОСТНАЯ ОБРАБОТКА ТВЕРДЫХ ХРУПКИХ МИНЕРАЛОВ В РЕЖИМЕ КВАЗИПЛАСТИЧНОСТИ
Authors: Теплова Т.
Published: February 2021

Представлен перспективный способ получения высококачественной поверхности твердых хрупких кристаллических материалов нанометрового рельефа за счет удаления поверхностного слоя в режиме квазипластичности.
Relationship between Clinical Outcomes of Patients Diagnosed with Pulmonary Thromboembolism in the Emergency Department and their PESI, Shock Index, Modified Shock Index and Age Shock Index Scores
Authors: erarslan ozkan , Gonullu Hayriye , akay serhat , ozturk tayfun , silcan mustafa
Published: February 2021

Aim: To investigate the diagnostic value of pulmonary embolism severity
index (PESI), Simplified PESI (sPESI), Shock Index (SI), Modified SI
(MSI), and Age SI (ASI) scores in predicting 30-day mortality in
patients diagnosed with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in the emergency
department. Materials and Methods: The retrospective study included 257
patients that presented to the emergency department and underwent
contrast-enhanced computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) due to
the suspicion of PTE and were interpreted as PTE by an experienced
radiologist between January 1, 2015 and September 20, 2018.The PESI,
sPESI, SI, MSI, and ASI scores were calculated for each patient.
Results: On univariate logistic regression analysis, 30-day mortality
was found to be significantly associated with age, mode of presentation,
SBP, DBP, MAP, heart rate, respiratory rate, O2 saturation, temperature,
D-dimer, troponin I, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn),
lactate, and SI, MSI, ASI, PESI, and sPESI scores (p<0.05).
PESI had the highest AUC value for the prediction of 30-day mortality
among all scoring systems. Conclusion: PESI had the highest diagnostic
value in predicting 30-day mortality in the patients diagnosed with PTE
in the emergency department, followed by ASI. Our findings regarding ASI
may shed light on future studies evaluating critical patient groups.”