bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of talent according to Sinti and Calon Romani
Authors: Chagas-Ferreira Jane Farias , Fleith Denise de Souza , Prado Renata Muniz
Published: October 2022

Intercultural dialogue is a challenging demand for contemporary education, especially concerning the development of talents and potentials. This exploratory qualitative study aimed to identify factors that promote and inhibit the development of Romani talent, in Brazil, according to Sintis and Calons. Two Sinti and five Calon Romani participated in the research, aged 18 to 58 years old, males and females, with educational levels between secondary school and doctorate. A socio-demographic questionnaire and semi-structured interview protocol were used to collect data. The results indicated that talent is recognized as a set of skills associated with musicality, handicrafts, and commerce being linked to traditional Romani crafts. Internal and external inhibitory factors related to prejudice were identified through school, family and community. These barriers affected the self-esteem, personality, ambitions, and perspectives of talented young people. To achieve equity, it is necessary to provide opportunities for exchanging knowledge, practices and perspectives, in order to take into account sociocultural background of minority groups. Future research could compare nomad and non-nomad lifestyles and their impact on talent development.
Children’s perspectives on being absorbed when reading fiction: A Q methodology study
Authors: Kuzmičová Anežka , Supa Markéta , Nekola Martin
Published: October 2022

Research in the intersections of literature, media, and psychology increasingly examines the absorbing story experiences of adult readers, typically relying on quantitative self-report questionnaires. Meanwhile, little work has been done to explore how being “lost in a book” is experienced by children, despite the phenomenon’s importance for literacy education. Such work requires tools that are more inductive and child-centered than questionnaires. We have conducted a Q methodology study with participants aged 9–12 (n= 28), exploring how it feels for them when the mind and body are attuned to a story and how different facets of absorption (e.g., mental imagery, emotional engagement) inform the experience. Participants numerically sorted 24 cards expressing inner states and expectations relating to book-length fiction reading and were subsequently interviewed regarding their sorting choices. The cards were generated inductively based on preliminary research (focus groups, individual interviews, observations). By-person factor analysis of the sortings combined with reflective thematic analysis of the post-sorting interviews revealed four distinct reader subjectivities, or perspectives: Growth, Confirmation, Attachment and Mental Shift. Crucially, the children in these groups differed as to prominent dimensions of absorption but also as to the overall place of reading in their inner and everyday lives. Based on the four perspectives, we demonstrate that children have varied ways of being absorbed when reading fiction, and reflect on the affordances of Q methodology as a suitable child-centered approach to studying the subjective experiences of reading.
How does perceived respect affect innovative behavior? The role of thriving at work and spiritual leadership
Authors: Zhao Li , Liu Pingqing , Zhang Fan , Xu Shuang , Liu Yuanyuan
Published: October 2022

Many enterprises use innovation to deal with the rapidly changing business environment and gain market competitiveness. How to internally motivate employees, especially the new generation of employees (e.g., employees born after 1980), to take initiative to innovate is receiving great interest from both academic and practical perspectives. Based on the broaden-and-build theory, this study presents a moderated mediation model of the impact of perceived respect on innovative behavior. SPSS and Mplus were used to analyze the data from 506 leader–employee pairs. The results show that perceived respect had a significant positive influence on innovative behavior through the effect of thriving at work, and the moderating effect of spiritual leadership was significant. When the effect of spiritual leadership was strong, the effect of perceived respect on innovative behavior through the effect of thriving at work was enhanced. This study reveals the dynamic mechanisms of improving employees’ innovative behavior, providing theoretical and practical ideas for promoting enterprises’ sustainable and innovative development.
Mediating effect of sequential memory on the relationship between visual-motor integration and self-care performance in young children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Lin Ling-Yi , Chi I-Jou , Sung Yi-Shan
Published: October 2022

Objective

Visual perception is a skill that contributes to the performance of self-care and important development tasks in early childhood. The relationship between self-care and visual perception is especially significant for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who have been described as visual learners. However, this relationship is not clearly understood among young children with ASD. We investigated the role of motor-free visual perception on the relationship between self-care and visual-motor integration in young children with ASD.

Methods

A sample of 66 children with ASD aged 48 to 83 months were recruited. Measurements included the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills, the Developmental Test of Visual Perception—Third Edition, and Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills—Third Edition.

Results

The results indicated that self-care performance had significant positive correlations with visual-motor integration, visual discrimination, visual memory, visual spatial relationships, and visual sequential memory. Of these, visual sequential memory and visual spatial relationships were the main factors related to self-care performance. Sequential memory was a mediator of the relationship between visual-motor integration and self-care performance.

Conclusion

This study establishes a deeper understanding of self-care and motor-free visual perception among young children with ASD. Understanding the relationship between visual perception and self-care in young children with ASD may aid professionals in providing self-care interventions for this population.
Teacher trust in others and teacher commitment co-mediate the path from school leadership to students’ reading literacy in rural Chinese schools
Authors: Zhu Haixue , Li Ling , Li Hui
Published: October 2022

This study aimed to understand how teacher trust in others (TTO) and teacher commitment (TC) co-mediate the path from school leadership (SL) to students’ reading literacy (RL). Altogether 1,223 Grade 8 students (female =647; male = 576, Mage = 15.35, SD = 1.28) and their 34 principals from 34 secondary schools in rural western China were sampled and matched. All the students completed the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA 2008) reading tests, and their principals completed the Leading and Teaching in Schools Survey Scale online which the variables of SL, TTO, and TC were evaluated. In addition, the “many to many” step was employed to match principals’ data with the students’ data by STATA analysis. The results indicated that: (1) there were direct and indirect effects of SL on student RL in the mediation model; (2) the serial mediation of TTO and TC was significant between SL and RL. This finding implies that enhancing TTO and TC in rural schools will help improve student’s RL.
Entrepreneurial mindfulness and organizational resilience of Chinese SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of entrepreneurial resilience
Authors: Liu Xuepeng , Wu Xiaohang , Wang Qing , Zhou Zhenzhen
Published: October 2022

Organizational resilience is vital to the survival and thriving of enterprises, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there has been an increasing interest in organizational resilience, the effects from the entrepreneur perspective receive scant attention. Based on upper echelons theory (UET) and personality psychology, we propose a model in which entrepreneurial mindfulness and entrepreneurial resilience could influence organizational resilience of SMEs. We empirically analyzed a sample of 180 entrepreneurs managing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China during the COVID-19 pandemic, using SmartPLS software. The research findings indicated that entrepreneurial mindfulness is positively associated with organizational resilience and such relationship is partially mediated by entrepreneurial resilience. These findings convey important theoretical implications in this field of research as well as practical implications for SMEs in China or other countries with similar nature.
Creativity in lockdown: Understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group
Authors: Chmiel Anthony , Kiernan Frederic , Garrido Sandra , Lensen Sarah , Hickey Martha , Davidson Jane W.
Published: October 2022

Recent research has indicated that many people around the world turned to artistic creative activities (ACAs) to support their mental health during COVID-19 lockdowns. However, studies have also shown that the negative psychosocial impacts of the pandemic have disproportionately affected young people, suggesting that the use of ACAs to support mental health in lockdown may have varied across age groups. This study investigated how Australians in four different age groups (18–24, 25–34, 35–54, and 55+) engaged in ACAs to support their mental health during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. Participants (N = 653) recruited from the general public completed an online survey between May and October 2020, in which they reported which ACAs they had undertaken during the pandemic using an established list. Participants subsequently ranked undertaken ACAs in terms of effectiveness at making them “feel better,” and those who had engaged in musical ACAs also completed the Musical Engagement Questionnaire (MusEQ). Additionally, ratings of anxiety (GAD7) and depression (PHQ9) symptoms were obtained and examined for potential variations across four diverse variables: age, exercise, gender and state/territory of residence. ACA rankings showed that younger participants overwhelmingly rated musical activities as most effective, while, with the exception of singing, those aged 55+ rated non-musical activities as being most effective. These differences were further supported by ratings for all six MusEQ subscales, with responses strongly indicating that the youngest participants (aged 18–24) used music in significantly different ways during the pandemic than participants in all other age groups. Specifically, these youngest participants were more likely to integrate music into daily life, use music for emotion regulation, respond to music in embodied ways, and use music to perform a social identity. In line with prior research, further analyses indicated that symptoms of anxiety and depression were lessened for older participants, as well for those who reported exercising more during the lockdowns. These findings provide insight into how ACAs can support mental health during a pandemic crisis for specific age groups, which may inform future policy directions, and suggestions for how this can be done are provided.
Development and validation of a nomogram based on lymphocyte subsets to distinguish bipolar depression from major depressive disorder
Authors: Su Liming , Shuai Yibing , Mou Shaoqi , Shen Yue , Shen Xinhua , Shen Zhongxia , Zhang Xiaomei
Published: October 2022

Objective

Bipolar depression (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are both common affective disorders. The common depression episodes make it difficult to distinguish between them, even for experienced clinicians. Failure to properly diagnose them in a timely manner leads to inappropriate treatment strategies. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between BD and MDD. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a nomogram model that distinguishes BD from MDD based on the characteristics of lymphocyte subsets.

Materials and methods

A prospective cross-sectional study was performed. Blood samples were obtained from participants who met the inclusion criteria. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was used for factor selection. A differential diagnosis nomogram for BD and MDD was developed using multivariable logistic regression and the area under the curve (AUC) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated, as well as the internal validation using a bootstrap algorithm with 1,000 repetitions. Calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the calibration and clinical utility of the nomogram, respectively.

Results

A total of 166 participants who were diagnosed with BD (83 cases) or MDD (83 cases), as well as 101 healthy controls (HCs) between June 2018 and January 2022 were enrolled in this study. CD19+ B cells, CD3+ T cells, CD3–CD16/56+ NK cells, and total lymphocyte counts were strong predictors of the diagnosis of BD and MDD and were included in the differential diagnosis nomogram. The AUC of the nomogram and internal validation were 0.922 (95%; CI, 0.879–0.965), and 0.911 (95% CI, 0.838–0.844), respectively. The calibration curve used to discriminate BD from MDD showed optimal agreement between the nomogram and the actual diagnosis. The results of DCA showed that the net clinical benefit was significant.

Conclusion

This is an easy-to-use, repeatable, and economical nomogram for differential diagnosis that can help clinicians in the individual diagnosis of BD and MDD patients, reduce the risk of misdiagnosis, facilitate the formulation of appropriate treatment strategies and intervention plans.
Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation in dual active treatments for symptoms of depression and anxiety: A case series
Authors: Sobral Mónica , Guiomar Raquel , Martins Vera , Ganho-Ávila Ana
Published: October 2022

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a potential treatment strategy across some psychiatric conditions. However, there is high heterogeneity in tDCS efficacy as a stand-alone treatment. To increase its therapeutic potential, researchers have begun to explore the efficacy of combining tDCS with psychological and pharmacological interventions. The current case series details the effect of 6–10 weeks of self-administered tDCS paired with a behavioral therapy smartphone app (Flow™), on depressive and anxiety symptoms, in seven patients (26–51 years old; four female) presenting distinctive psychiatric disorders (major depression, dysthymia, illness anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorders). tDCS protocol consisted of an acute phase of daily 30 min sessions, across 10 workdays (2 weeks Monday-to-Friday; Protocol 1) or 15 workdays (3 weeks Monday-to-Friday; Protocol 2). A maintenance phase followed, with twice-weekly sessions for 4 or 3 weeks, corresponding to 18 or 21 sessions in total (Protocol 1 or 2, respectively). The Flow tDCS device uses a 2 mA current intensity, targeting the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The Flow app offers virtually guided behavioral therapy courses to be completed during stimulation. We assessed depressive symptoms using MADRS-S and BDI-II, anxious symptoms using STAI-Trait, acceptability using ACCEPT-tDCS, and side effects using the Adverse Effects Questionnaire, at baseline and week 6 of treatment. Six patients underwent simultaneous cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy and two were on antidepressants and benzodiazepines. According to the Reliable Change Index (RCI), for depressive symptoms, we found clinically reliable improvement in five patients using MADRS-S (out of seven; RCI: −1.45, 80% CI; RCI: −2.17 to −4.82, 95% CI; percentage change: 37.9–66.7%) and in four patients using BDI-II (out of five; RCI: −3.61 to −6.70, 95% CI; percentage change: 57.1–100%). For anxiety symptoms, clinically reliable improvement was observed in five patients (out of six; RCI: −1.79, 90% CI; RCI: −2.55 to −8.64, 95% CI; percentage change: 12.3–46.4%). Stimulation was well-tolerated and accepted, with mild tingling sensation and scalp discomfort being the most common side effects. This case series highlights the applicability, acceptability, and promising results when combining home-based tDCS with psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy to manage depression and anxiety symptoms in clinical practice.
The effect of mental health interventions on psychological distress for informal caregivers of people with mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Hansen Nanja Holland , Bjerrekær Lasse , Pallesen Karen Johanne , Juul Lise , Fjorback Lone Overby
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Informal caregivers of people with a mental illness are at increased risk of developing depression, anxiety, and stress, so preventive interventions are needed.

Method

The review was reported in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42018094454). The PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus databases were searched in June 2019. The Cochrane Risk of Bias and Jadad scale scores were used to assess study quality. Inclusion criteria were: RCTs of informal caregiver interventions regardless of the care receiver's mental illness and intervention modality. Interventions should be compared to a waitlist, treatment as usual or active control, taught in real-time by a mental health professional, include an outcome measure on psychological distress, and published in a peer-reviewed journal article in English. RCTs were excluded if the intervention was given in dyads (caregiver + care receiver), limited to the provision of respite care where the patient sample included a mix of both physical and psychological illnesses, unpublished, not peer-reviewed, study protocols, or dissertations.

Results

A total of 2,148 studies were identified; of these, 44 RCT studies met the inclusion criteria, and 31 had sufficient data to conduct a meta-analysis including subgroup analysis (N = 1,899). The systematic review showed that thirty-one out of the 44 RCTs had an effect of the intervention on decreasing psychological distress. The results of the meta-analysis, which included informal caregiver interventions, compared to waitlist, treatment as usual, or active control, regardless of care-receiver mental illness or intervention modality showed a small effect of −0.32 (95% CI −0.53 to −0.11). The heterogeneity of the included studies was high (I2 = 78). The subgroup analysis included manualized interventions lasting at least 8 weeks and the subgroup analysis that included an active control showed a small effect and low heterogeneity. Lack of active control and long-term follow-up is a limitation of most of the studies.

Conclusion

The evidence supports that several interventions improve the mental health of caregivers. Manualized interventions ≥ 8 weeks with active participation are most effective. Future RCTs should improve methodology, and research should investigate which intervention modality is most effective for what kind of caregiver. Future research should clearly specify what the included intervention components are, use longer follow-up times, and conduct mediational analyses to better understand what mechanisms create the effect of an intervention.

Systematic review registration

Identifier: CRD42018094454.
Early development of treatment motivation predicts adherence and symptom reduction in an internet-based guided self-help program for binge eating disorder
Authors: Runge Eik , Jensen Esben Kjems , Mathiasen Kim , Larsen Pia Veldt , Hertz Søren Peter Thygesen , Holmberg Trine Theresa , Tarp Kristine , Linnet Jakob , Lichtenstein Mia Beck
Published: October 2022

Objective

Lack of motivation is widely acknowledged as a significant factor in treatment discontinuity and poor treatment outcomes in eating disorders. Treatment adherence is lower in internet-based treatment. The current study aimed to assess the relationship between treatment motivation and treatment outcomes in an internet-based therapist-guided intervention for Binge Eating Disorder (BED).

Method

Adults (N = 153) with mild to moderate symptoms of BED participated in a 10-session internet-based treatment program. Baseline and between-session scores of “Readiness to change” and “Belief in change” were used to predict treatment completion and eating disorder symptom reduction (EDE-Q Global, BED-Q, and weekly number of binge eating episodes) at post-treatment.

Results

Baseline treatment motivation could not predict treatment completion or symptom reduction. Early measures of treatment motivation (regression slope from sessions 1–5) significantly predicted both treatment completion and post-treatment symptom reduction. “Belief in change” was the strongest predictor for completing treatment (OR = 2.18, 95%-CI: 1.06, 4.46) and reducing symptoms (EDE-Q Global: B = −0.53, p = 0.001; number of weekly binge eating episodes: B = 0.81, p < 0.01).

Discussion

The results indicated that patients entering online treatment for BED feel highly motivated. However, baseline treatment motivation could not significantly predict treatment completion, which contradicts previous research. The significant predictive ability of early measures of treatment motivation supports the clinical relevance of monitoring the development of early changes to tailor and optimize individual patient care. Further research is needed to examine treatment motivation in regard to internet-based treatment for BED with more validated measures.
Mental burden among Chinese undergraduate medical students: A prospective longitudinal study before, during, and after the COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Liao Xiao , Zhang Simai , Wang Yue , Jiang Jingwen , Li Yuchen , Zhang Wei
Published: October 2022

Background

Increasing evidence indicated a clear association between COVID-19 pandemic and mental health. This study aimed to assess the dynamic change of mental burden during and after the COVID-19 outbreak and related predictive factors among Chinese undergraduate medical students.

Methods

This longitudinal survey was conducted among Chinese undergraduate medical students before, during, and after the COVID-19 outbreak. We focused on COVID-19 related mental burdens including psychological distress, stress reaction, and insomnia symptoms, and defined the sum score of the three specific mental burden indexes as the overall mental burden index. The prevalence of specific and overall mental burdens and their changing patterns at two phases of the pandemic (during vs. after the COVID-19 outbreak) were measured. In addition, multinomial logistic regressions were used to assess the associations between the psychosocial status before the pandemic and specific and overall mental burden changing patterns.

Results

Our findings showed that the prevalence of overall mental burden increased (from 27.46 to 37.28%) after the COVID-19 outbreak among the 863 Chinese undergraduate medical students who participated in the surveys at baseline, during, and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Specifically, the prevalence of stress reaction symptoms decreased (from 10.90 to 3.60%), while the rates of psychological distress (from 28.06 to 37.95%) and insomnia symptoms (from 12.54 to 20.71%) increased. Participants, with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, somatic symptoms, internet addiction, childhood adversity, stressful life events, and being neurotic were found to have a higher risk of developing mental burden in at least one survey (during or after the COVID-19 outbreak). Healthy family function and being extravert were found to positively impact mental burden.

Conclusion

Psychological distress, stress reaction and insomnia symptoms have been prevalent among Chinese undergraduate medical students during the COVID-19 outbreak, and the prevalence of overall mental burden increased after the COVID-19 outbreak. Some students, especially those with the risk factors noted above, exhibited persistent or progression symptoms. Continued mental health care was in demand for them even after the COVID-19 outbreak.
Buprenorphine reduces methamphetamine intake and drug seeking behavior via activating nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide receptor in rats
Authors: Wang Fangmin , Shen Wenwen , Cai Yujia , Zhang Xin , Du Han , Lai Miaojun , Liu Huifen , Kohli Evelyne , Zhou Wenhua
Published: October 2022

Buprenorphine, which has been approved for the treatment of opioid dependence, reduces cocaine consumption by co-activating μ-opioid receptors and nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) receptors. However, the role of buprenorphine in methamphetamine (METH) reinforcement and drug-seeking behavior remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of buprenorphine on METH self-administration and reinstatement of METH-seeking behavior in rats. We found that buprenorphine pretreatment had an inhibitory effect on METH self-administration behavior, and that buprenorphine at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg could inhibit motivation to respond for METH. Pretreatment with the NOP receptor antagonist thienorphine (0.5 mg/kg) or SB-612111 (1 mg/kg) could reverse the inhibitory effect of buprenorphine (0.1 mg/kg) on the METH self-administration. Moreover, treatment with buprenorphine (0.1 mg/kg and 0.3 mg/kg) significantly reduced the drug-seeking behavior induced by context or by METH priming but failed to reduce the drug-seeking behavior induced by conditional cues. Additionally, the NOP receptor antagonist SB-612111 reversed the inhibitory action of buprenorphine on the drug-seeking behavior induced by METH priming. The results demonstrated that buprenorphine reduced either METH intake or the drug-seeking behavior by activating NOP receptors, providing empirical evidence for the clinical use of buprenorphine in the treatment of METH relapse and addiction.
Using phenome-wide association studies and the SF-12 quality of life metric to identify profound consequences of adverse childhood experiences on adult mental and physical health in a Northern Nevadan population
Authors: Schlauch Karen A. , Read Robert W. , Koning Stephanie M. , Neveux Iva , Grzymski Joseph J.
Published: October 2022

In this research, we examine and identify the implications of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on a range of health outcomes, with particular focus on a number of mental health disorders. Many previous studies observed that traumatic childhood events are linked to long-term adult diseases using the standard Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire. The study cohort was derived from the Healthy Nevada Project, a volunteer-based population health study in which each adult participant is invited to take a retrospective questionnaire that includes the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire, the 12-item Short Form Survey measuring quality of life, and self-reported incidence of nine mental disorders. Using participant’s cross-referenced electronic health records, a phenome-wide association analysis of 1,703 phenotypes and the incidence of ACEs examined links between traumatic events in childhood and adult disease. These analyses showed that many mental disorders were significantly associated with ACEs in a dose-response manner. Similarly, a dose response between ACEs and obesity, chronic pain, migraine, and other physical phenotypes was identified. An examination of the prevalence of self-reported mental disorders and incidence of ACEs showed a positive relationship. Furthermore, participants with less adverse childhood events experienced a higher quality of life, both physically and mentally. The whole-phenotype approach confirms that ACEs are linked with many negative adult physical and mental health outcomes. With the nationwide prevalence of ACEs as high as 67%, these findings suggest a need for new public health resources: ACE-specific interventions and early childhood screenings.
Job insecurity, emotional exhaustion, and workplace deviance: The role of corporate social responsibility
Authors: Jia Xingping , Liao Shudi , Yin Wenjun
Published: October 2022

Job insecurity is one of top concerns in the contemporary workplace, which significantly affects emotional exhaustion and workplace deviance. Thus, this study seeks to explore the buffering role of employees' corporate social responsibility (CSR) perceptions to against the effect of job insecurity. Based on micro-CSR literature and social identity theory, this study tested the proposition that employees' CSR perceptions moderate the relationship between job insecurity and emotional exhaustion through organizational identification. Using three-wave data collected from 145 employees in one of China's biggest computer equipment providers, we found that employees' CSR perceptions alleviate (exacerbate) the negative relationship between quantitative (qualitative) job insecurity and emotional exhaustion via organization identification. Our findings provided new insights to scholars and managers in dealing with job insecurity.
Measuring equality in access to urban parks: A big data analysis from Chengdu
Authors: Dai Weiwei , Yuan Suyang , Liu Yangyang , Peng Dan , Niu Shaofei
Published: October 2022

Spatial equality of parks is a significant issue in environmental justice studies. In cities with high-density development and limited land resources, this study uses a supply-demand adjusted two-step floating catchment area model (2SFCA), paying attention to residents' subjective preferences and psychological accessibility. It assesses equality of access to urban parks from two dimensions: spatial equality and quantitative equality at a fine scale of 100 × 100 m grid resolution. The spatial equality of urban parks in Chengdu is measured under different transportation modes (walking, cycling, and driving) based on multi-source geospatial big data and machine learning approaches. The results show: (1) There were significant differences in the spatial distribution of park accessibility under different modes of transportation. The spatial distribution under walking was significantly influenced by the park itself, while the distribution of rivers significantly influenced the spatial distribution under cycling and driving; (2) Accessibility to urban parks was almost universally equal in terms of driving, relatively equal in terms of cycling, and seriously unequal in terms of walking; (3) Spatial local autocorrelation analysis shows that park accessibility tended to be significantly clustered, with little spatial variation; and (4) The supply and demand of urban parks were relatively equal. The results can help urban planners to formulate effective strategies to alleviate spatial inequality more reasonably and precisely. The applied research methods can further improve the system of scientific evaluation from a new perspective.
Trends in general and abdominal obesity in US adults: Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001–2018)
Authors: Sun Jin-Yu , Huang Wen-Jun , Hua Yang , Qu Qiang , Cheng Chen , Liu Heng-Li , Kong Xiang-Qing , Ma Yong-Xiang , Sun Wei
Published: October 2022

Aim

This study investigates the trend in general obesity and abdominal obesity in US adults from 2001 to 2018.

Methods

We included 44,184 adults from the nine cycles of the continuous NHANES (2001–2002, 2003–2004, 2005–2006, 2007–2008, 2009–2010, 2011–2012, 2013–2014, 2015–2016, and 2017–2018). The age-adjusted mean body mass index and waist circumference were calculated, and the sex-specific annual change was estimated by the survey cycle. We used the weighted sex-specific logistic regression models to analyze the prevalence of general obesity and abdominal obesity from 2001 to 2018. The weighted adjusted odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated.

Results

Our study showed that general obesity and abdominal obesity account for about 35.48 and 53.13% of the US population. From 2001–2002 to 2017–2018, the age-adjusted prevalence of general obesity increased from 33.09 to 41.36% in females and from 26.88 to 42.43% in males. During 2001–2018, the age-adjusted prevalence of abdominal obesity increased from 57.58 to 67.33% in females and from 39.07 to 49.73% in males. A significant time-dependent increase was observed in the prevalence of general obesity (adjusted OR, 1.007; 95% CI 1.005–1.009, P < 0.001) and abdominal obesity (adjusted OR, 1.006; 95% CI, 1.004–1.008; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

General obesity and abdominal obesity are a heavy health burden among US adults, and the increasing trend remains in both males and females from 2001 to 2018.
Sustainable return to work after depression - A comparative study among occupational physicians and affected employees
Authors: Ersel Richard Paulinus , Pauli Roman , Gaum Petra Maria , Lang Jessica
Published: October 2022

Introduction

The number of sick days taken from work due to depression is steadily rising. A successful return to work (RTW) is essential for sustainable reintegration. This study aims to identify factors to optimize RTW and to investigate approaches for sustainable RTW (sRTW) after depressive episodes.

Methods

Semi-structured expert interviews with senior occupational physicians (OPs, N = 5) served to develop two surveys among OPs (N = 180) and employees after depressive episode (N = 192). Predictors of RTW rating, workplace-based RTW interventions and sRTW interventions were analyzed using multiple hierarchical regression, chi-square difference and t-tests.

Results

For OPs, employee training on mental illness prevention was found to be the strongest predictor of overall RTW rating, whereas understanding and appreciation in conversations and stigmatization were strongest predictors of overall RTW rating by the employees. Compared to the employees, OPs reported significantly more availability of workplace-based interventions. To prevent relapse, the employees prioritized sufficient time and financial security during the RTW process more than OPs.

Conclusions

The study identified facilitating and hindering factors that can inform further research and practice to improve RTW after depressive episodes. To redress the awareness gap about the availability of workplace-based interventions, regular contact between OPs and employees is crucial. Several factors were considered to be of varying importance for relapse prevention by the two groups. Multiple perceptions and needs ought to be taken into account during RTW.
Application of Internet-based multidisciplinary management in patients with genitourinary cancers in China: A brief introduction to a new model of healthcare service for cancer survivors during COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Zhu Yu , Jin Shengming , Fu Hangcheng , Zhang Hailiang , Lu Xiaolin , Gu Chengyuan , Gu Weijie , Wan Fangning , Yang Weiyi , Qin Xiaojian , Ye Dingwei
Published: October 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered multiple global healthcare system crises. Apart from the pandemic itself, the travel restriction and social distance policy for the purpose of epidemic control has cast a shadow on the management of cancer survivors. Cancer survivors suffered a double blow from both the epidemic and cancer. To deal with the challenge, we explored a new Internet-based patient management model. This model has overcome the limitation of time and space and thus can help oncologists to provide remote multidisciplinary healthcare services for cancer survivors. These patients can get high-quality cancer management from multidisciplinary experts without too much transportation. This model has been applied in patients with genitourinary cancers and proved to be effective and efficient. Our study demonstrated that more patients benefited from this model during the pandemic of COVID-19, especially in those affected heavily by COVID-19. These results suggested that it can also give insight into the management of other cancer survivors in China. Given the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we would like to introduce our new model of healthcare service and the application of Internet-based multidisciplinary management to our global peers and medical industries to help their cancer survivors who are delayed in treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jersey number detection using synthetic data in a low-data regime
Authors: Bhargavi Divya , Gholami Sia , Pelaez Coyotl Erika
Published: October 2022

Player identification is an essential and complex task in sports video analysis. Different strategies have been devised over the years and identification based on jersey numbers is one of the most common approaches given its versatility and relative simplicity. However, automatic detection of jersey numbers is challenging due to changing camera angles, low video resolution, small object size in wide-range shots, and transient changes in the player's posture and movement. In this paper, we present a novel approach for jersey number identification in a small, highly imbalanced dataset from the Seattle Seahawks practice videos. We generate novel synthetic datasets of different complexities to mitigate the data imbalance and scarcity in the samples. To show the effectiveness of our synthetic data generation, we use a multi-step strategy that enforces attention to a particular region of interest (player's torso), to identify jersey numbers. The solution first identifies and crops players in a frame using a person detection model, then utilizes a human pose estimation model to localize jersey numbers in the detected players, obviating the need for annotating bounding boxes for number detection. We experimented with two sets of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) with different learning objectives: multi-class for two-digit number identification and multi-label for digit-wise detection to compare performance. Our experiments indicate that our novel synthetic data generation method improves the accuracy of various CNN models by 9% overall, and 18% on low frequency numbers.
Pandemic intake questionnaire to improve quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of outpatient neurologic and developmental care at the Kennedy Krieger institute during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Vedmurthy Pooja , Murray Connor , Chen Belinda , Asiedu Akua , Baranano Kristin , Bay Mihee , Belcher Harolyn , Burton Vera , Conlon Charles , Fine Amena , Gill Ryan , Harris Jacqueline , Hart Khaylynn , Inches Shannon , Johnson Jennifer , Lance Eboni , Lipkin Paul H. , Menon Deepa U. , McIntyre Tiffany , Rajaprakash Meghna , Recio Albert , Singer Harvey S. , Smegal Lindsay , Smith-Hicks Constance L. , Vernon Hilary , Wilms Floet Anna Maria , Wong Joyce , Yelin Karina , Leppert Mary L. O’Connor , Zabel T. Andrew , Comi Anne M.
Published: October 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic uniquely affects patients with neurologic and developmental disabilities at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. These patients are at increased risk of co-morbidities, increasing their risk of contracting COVID-19. Disruptions in their home and school routines, and restrictions accessing crucial healthcare services has had a significant impact.

Methods

A Pandemic Intake questionnaire regarding COVID-19 related medical concerns of guardians of patients was distributed using Qualtrics. Data from May-December 2020 were merged with demographic information of patients from 10 clinics (Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), Neurology, Epigenetics, Neurogenetics, Center for Development and Learning (CDL) Sickle Cell, Spinal Cord, Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS), Tourette's, and Metabolism). A provider feedback survey was distributed to program directors to assess the effectiveness of this intervention.

Results

Analysis included responses from 1643 guardians of pediatric patients (mean age 9.5 years, range 0–21.6 years). Guardians of patients in more medically complicated clinics reported perceived increased risk of COVID-19 (p < 0.001) and inability to obtain therapies (p < 0.001) and surgeries (p < 0.001). Guardian responses from CARD had increased reports of worsening behavior (p = 0.01). Providers increased availability of in-person and virtual therapies and visits and made referrals for additional care to address this. In a survey of medical providers, five out of six program directors who received the responses to this survey found this questionnaire helpful in caring for their patients.

Conclusion

This quality improvement project successfully implemented a pre-visit questionnaire to quickly assess areas of impact of COVID-19 on patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. During the pandemic, results identified several major areas of impact, including patient populations at increased risk for behavioral changes, sleep and/or disruptions of medical care. Most program directors reported improved patient care as a result.
Narrative self-recreation in virtual reality
Authors: Georgieva Iva , Georgiev Georgi V.
Published: October 2022

The narrative essence of human nature is that humans are storytellers, and this ability helps to constitute our identities. Challenges that disrupt this innate ability are adverse events that affect the human perception of the world and undermine the meaning one finds in reality. Such events might range from short-term stressors to long-term testing conditions such as pandemics. Tools for overcoming these negative effects and for achieving self-preservation might be sought in individual storytelling abilities in relation to self-constitution and identification. An example of an interactive digital narrative medium that provides a platform for such expression of complex issues is virtual reality (VR), which has been used as a visual narrative storytelling tool for decades. This study sets the notion of trauma in a new light, as a break in the individual story used to explain one’s life and as a story to be intertwined with and re-adapted to one’s overall lifetime. In the healthcare context, this experience can be most effectively presented in VR because it offers added meaning, potential choices, closure, and resolution as methods of utilization. Therefore, VR can be seen not only as a medium whereby traumatic events can be processed but also as an alternative viewpoint of the goal of self-(re)creation. This research discusses a theoretical proposal for ways of playing with self-construction mechanisms in the context of an immersive VR environment to create more opportunities to change one’s narrative and, hence, one’s real-life story.
Phosphorus mobilization and delivery estimated from long-term high frequency water quality and discharge data
Authors: Mellander Per-Erik , Galloway Jason , Hawtree Daniel , Jordan Phil
Published: October 2022

Efficient and targeted measures to mitigate nutrient losses to water are required to meet the challenges of increased food production and climate change. Diffuse pollution management requires insight into the underlying processes of nutrient transfer and its stability, but there are no standardized ways to evaluate phosphorus (P) mobilization and delivery at the catchments scale. Here we suggest a method that allows to systematically and objectively describe catchment scale processes of P transfer to water. Ten years of sub-hourly P concentration and hydrometric data from six agricultural catchments, with different physical characteristics, were assessed to introduce a method for estimation of a P mobilization index and a P delivery index. The former was defined as P detachment/solubilization expressed as ratios of P concentration percentiles, and the latter as connectivity/retention expressed as ratios of P mass load percentiles. Estimating these indices over several years provided insights on the stability of transfer processes over time and the identification of inter-annual trends. The indices were also used to quantify components of the P transfer continuum. This was used as a screening tool to compare and classify catchment specific and potential P loss risks. While the groundwater driven catchments had a higher P mobilization index for reactive P, the hydrologically flashy catchments had higher delivery indices for total P and particulate P + total organic P. Increasing or decreasing inter-annual trends were mostly found in catchments with a chemo-dynamic response in the discharge-concentration relationship. In three catchments the environmental quality standards were frequently exceeded caused by different risks and the P loss screening tool identified the type of risk. Development of the P mobilization and delivery indices was possible with long-term and high frequency monitoring of water quality and discharge from catchments of different typologies, together with a conceptual understanding of the catchments. More catchments of different typologies, management, scales and from different climatic zones are needed for further development of the indices.
Practising in a pandemic: A real time study of primary care practitioners' experience of working through the first year of COVID-19
Authors: Burn Emily , Smith Judith , Fisher Rebecca , Locock Louise , Shires Kirsty
Published: October 2022

This article presents reflections on the lessons learnt from developing and initiating a rapid research project in 4 weeks during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The article highlights the importance of selecting methods appropriate to rapid research, discusses the challenges of data collection in a shifting context, and the importance of the research team being prepared to cede some degree of control over the data collection process. To protect staff and patients and prevent the spread of COVID-19, general practice shifted to remote service delivery and consultations occurred via the telephone or online platforms. In the study, submissions were collected from those working in general practice to capture their experiences of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants could choose how to submit their narratives, with some preferring to be interviewed and others contributing self-recorded submissions. This article offers practical reflections in response to the challenges of carrying out rapid research during a pandemic, including the importance of constructing a research team which can respond to the demands of the study, as well as the benefits of an expedited ethical review process. The study highlighted the importance of selecting appropriate methods to facilitate the rapid collection of data. In particular, the authors reflect on the differences between participants' response to interviews, written submissions, and audio diaries. Open approaches to data collection were found to encourage participation and reflexivity and also generated rich narrative accounts. Rapid research has progressed our understanding of general practice's experience of the first year of COVID-19.