bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of Mediterranean diet educational program on the functional gastrointestinal disorders knowledge of employees in the University of Baghdad, Iraq
Authors: Najm Massara A. , Mohammed Tahseen R. 
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
A low risk of gastrointestinal disorders in the adult population has long been linked to consuming a Mediterranean diet (MD). The study aims to evaluate the effects of the Mediterranean diet educational program on employee’s knowledge regarding functional gastrointestinal disorders.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
A quasi-experimental study design of two study groups (pre-test and post-test) was carried out at four colleges in the University of Baghdad, Iraq of the period between January 10, 2022 and May 31, 2022. A purposive (non-probability) sample was used with a sample size of (160) employees divided into two groups (80 employees each). The study group of 80 employees was exposed to the Mediterranean Diet educational program while the control group with was not.

RESULTS:
The results showed a positive effect of the Mediterranean diet educational program on the employees’ functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) knowledge in the study group. The study results indicated that there are highly significant mean differences between the study and control groups in the pre-test and the post-test in the specific and general knowledge area of employees’ functional gastrointestinal disorders (t = 17.002, df = 158; t = 24.19, df = 158; P value ≤ 0.01). Findings indicated that there were no significant statistical relationships between the level of knowledge of functional gastrointestinal disorders and demographic characteristics except employees’ level of education with a high significant association P value ≤ 0.01).

CONCLUSION:
The Mediterranean diet educational program effectively improves the employees’ knowledge of functional gastrointestinal disorders. These results support the benefit of establishing educational programs for adult employees on the Mediterranean diet to improve individuals’ knowledge about the gastrointestinal diseases.
A preliminary validation of the impact on participation and autonomy questionnaire in an Iranian sample of patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Vazirinejad Reza , Zakeri Mohammad Ali , Ahmadinia Hassan , Rafsanjanipoor Sayed Mortaza Hossini 
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND:
This study aimed to determine the face, convergent validity, internal consistency, and stability reliability of the impact on participation and autonomy-Persian version (IPA-p) scale for using among Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Trained experts interviewed 227 type 2 diabetes patients who were registered in out-patient Diabetes Clinic of Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, (Rafsanjan, Southeast Iran from May 2018 to February 2019) and their relatives to assess the face and convergent validity, internal consistency, and stability reliability of the IPA-p scale. A checklist was used to collect demographic information and also to record expert’s̛̛̛̛̛̛ points of view about the scale to assess face validity. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha, and stability was assessed using interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Test–retest method was used to detect the reliability of the questionnaire. Respondents completed the IPA-p scale on the two occasions with an interval of 30-45 days.

RESULTS:
In relation to convergent validity, the confirmatory model showed an acceptable fit and the scale had a highly convergent validity. Exploratory factor analysis showed that the IPA-p scale has a ten-factor structure that explained 77.42% of the variance. Cronbach’s alpha between the mean IPA-p scores achieved on the two occasions ranged from 0.65 to 0.92. Test–retest ICCs for the ten domains were between 0.64 and 0.81.

CONCLUSIONS:
The IPA-p questionnaire can be a relatively valid and reliable instrument for assessing self-reported participation among Iranian type 2 diabetes patients. However, some improvement is needed to make it fully suitable for using among Persian-language diabetic patients.
Inadequate food diversity and food taboo associated with maternal iron deficiency among pregnant women living in slum settlements in Makassar City, Indonesia
Authors: Magfirah Nurul , Ansariadi Ansariadi , Amiruddin Ridwan , Wijaya Eri , Maria Ida L. , Salmah Ummu , Ibrahim Erniwati 
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND:
Anemia in pregnancy is a major public health problem, especially in developing countries. The most common cause is nutritional deficiencies, especially iron deficiency. Adequate nutritional intake from food is essential during pregnancy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between food access and intake patterns with the incidence of iron deficiency among pregnant women living in the slum settlement in Makassar City.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
This research is a sub-study of the Indonesian Birth Cohort Study based in Makassar City. This sub-study used a cross-sectional design and recruited 173 pregnant women in their second and third trimesters using total sampling. All data were collected using a structured questionnaire and recorded using KoboToolbox software. Serum ferritin levels were examined for iron status using the ELISA method at the Microbiology Laboratory Unit at Hasanuddin University Teaching Hospital. The statistical data were analyzed using STATA version 14 with Chi-square analysis and logistic regression.

RESULTS:
The prevalence of iron deficiency in pregnant women living in slum settlements in Makassar City was 78%. Logistic regression analysis showed that inadequate food diversity (AOR: 2.58; 95% CI: 1.17-5.69; P = 0.019) and food taboos (AOR: 2.81; 95% CI: 1.26-6.26; P = 0.011) were significantly associated with the incidence.

CONCLUSIONS:
Most pregnant women living in slum settlements in Makassar City experienced iron deficiency. Pregnant women who experience iron shortages have been connected to food taboos and dietary diversity.
Comparison between MCQ, Extended matching questions (EMQ) and Script concordance test (SCT) for assessment among first-year medical students – A pilot study
Authors: Nalini YC , Manivasakan Shivashakthy , Pai Dinker R. 
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND:
Single-best response types of MCQs are commonly used tools in medical assessment. However, these are not particularly apt for the assessment of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) among students. Assessment of HOTS and clinical reasoning skills requires unexplored tools like extended matching questions (EMQs) and SCTs. The aim is to assess HOTS and clinical reasoning skills during formative assessment among medical students post a simulation-based education (SBE) using EMQ and SCT on the topic of shock and collect student perceptions regarding new assessment tools.

METHODS AND MATERIAL:
The research is an observational descriptive study. Fifty-two first-year medical students were asked to take a formative assessment consisting of 20 MCQs, 6 EMQs, and 2 SCT post a SBE during July 2022 on the topic of shock. MCQs were categorized into themes of aetiology, pathophysiology, and management of shock. These categorized MCQs were compared and analyzed with EMQs and SCTs prepared on the same themes. The data analysis by a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to compare the difference in per cent mean scores of MCQ with EMQ and MCQ with SCT.

RESULTS:
The overall mean scores and also under the theme of aetiology and management, the student’s score in MCQ were higher than EMQ and SCT and the difference was statistically significant with the P value (≤0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:
Students scored better in familiar assessment tools like MCQ, but majority of the students were of the opinion that EMQ tested the delivered content better and SCT tested the clinical application better.
Prevalence of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis: An Observational Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Jayadevan P. Jijesh , Raj Poonam , Anand V. , Singh Kamalpreet 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background:
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is implicated in the pathogenesis of Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). Its sequelae cause burgeoning of several middle ear diseases. Testing of ETD is a diagnostic challenge and requires objective methods of assessment.

Materials and Methods:
In our prospective observational study, 402 patients with AR were grouped into mild and moderate to severe AR. Nasal endoscopy, tympanometry, and Williams test were used for objective assessment of ETD. The severity and laterality of ETD were assessed and the prevalence of the same was calculated.

Statistical Analysis:
The graphical tabulation of data was prepared using MS Excel 2010. Unpaired t-test was used to compare the study groups and the association among the groups was extracted with the help of Fisher’s test and Chi-square test. P < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results:
Mild AR was found in 44.5% of cases, while moderate to severe AR was seen in 55.5% of cases. 38.1% of cases of AR had ETD, out of which significant population (28.6%) had bilateral involvement. The dysfunction was partial or complete in 22.2% and 15.9% patients, respectively. 38.6% of patients had a type C curve on tympanometry in patients with AR and the rest had type A curve.

Conclusions:
AR patients have a higher propensity to develop bilateral ETD. The patients having moderate to severe AR have more ETD. A tympanometry will only provide information regarding ETD, whether present or absent, whereas ET function tests such as Williams test provide information regarding the functionality of ET and severity of ETD. It is recommended that all newly diagnosed cases of AR should be evaluated for ETD and be followed up regularly.
Embracing Well-being: Strategies to Cultivate and Prioritize Wellness and Resilience in Undergraduate Medical Students
Authors: Shrivastava Saurabh RamBihariLal , Shrivastava Prateek Saurabh 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
From the perspective of medical students, they are exposed to intense academic pressures, demanding clinical experiences, peer pressure, and emotionally stressful events during their period of undergraduate training. In the field of medical education, wellness and resilience have attracted lots of attention, owing to their positive impact on the personal and professional lives of medical students. The well-being and resilience of medical students are determined by a wide range of personal, family-level, and workplace-related attributes. Acknowledging the impact that lack of wellness and poor resilience can have on the working efficiency of medical students, it is indispensable that we must plan for specific strategies to systematically address them. In conclusion, wellness and resilience among medical students occupy a special place in medical education delivery. Considering the fact that these domains are not still addressed in medical colleges universally, it is the need of the hour to prioritize the well-being of medical students and empower them with resilience skills to ensure their optimal personal and professional growth and production of more compassionate and empathetic health-care professionals.
Endoscopy of the Gut: A Window into the Puzzle of Iron-deficiency Anemia
Authors: Kumar Ajay , Kumar Dharmendra , Manrai Manish , Srivastava Sharad , Dawra Saurabh , Chandra Alok , Verma Vishesh , Kumar Abhinav 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background:
Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most common form of anemia which affects almost every age group. It impacts with varied severity the quality of life of the person affected. IDA is caused by either decreased availability of food, especially during times of increased requirement or decreased absorption from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or increased loss due to various reasons in different age groups. We tried to estimate the prevalence of GI causes in patients with IDA in a tertiary care hospital and describe the clinicopathological profile of the patients with IDA.

Materials and Methods:
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a tertiary care center in Western India on patients suffering from IDA. Male patients of >18 years and female patients >45 years with IDA and no known chronic disease or infection were included in the study and their endoscopic/colonoscopic findings were recorded and analyzed. A biopsy was taken, whenever deemed relevant. Advanced procedures such as enteroscopy or capsule endoscopy were not performed on these patients.

Results:
A total of 120 patients were evaluated for IDA. At least one GI lesion was found in 42.5% (n = 51) of patients. Upper GI (UGI) lesions (27.5%) were most commonly encountered, followed by lower GI lesions (9.1%).

Conclusion:
The patients with unexplained IDA were found to have a high incidence of GI lesions (42.5%). Hence, evaluation of the GI system with UGI endoscopy, colonoscopy, and mucosal biopsies in relevant patients is recommended for the determination of the cause of anemia.
To Study the Efficacy of Intrauterine Device and Endometrial Regeneration Therapy versus Endometrial Regeneration Therapy Alone in the Prevention of Adhesions after Hysteroscopic Resection of Uterine Septum
Authors: Dwivedi Pranjali , Dalal Vinod Kumar , Sharma Sanjay Kumar , Sharma Rajesh , Kapur Anupam , Tangri Manoj K. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background:
Septate uterus is a very common defect of the female reproductive system. Septate anomalies are associated with diminished fertility and increased risks for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Treatment must aim for optimization of pregnancy outcomes with minimum adverse effects. The aim of this study was to compare the presence or absence of adhesions and assess the efficacy of intrauterine device (IUD) along with endometrial regeneration therapy (ERT) vis-a-vis ERT alone in the prevention of adhesions after hysteroscopic resection of septum.

Objectives:
(1) To compare the two groups with respect to their efficacy. (2) To analyze the side effects of therapy in each group, e.g., intermittent spotting/bleeding and cyclical pain. (3) To assess endometrial thickness after 3 months, i.e., preovulatory endometrium without therapy. This was a prospective observation study.

Materials and Methods:
A sample size of 42 was calculated for each study group for comparative analysis and subjects were randomly allocated into one of the two groups using computer-generated randomization tables. Group 1 received IUD and ERT while group 2 received ERT alone.

Results:
In first group receiving IUD + ERT therapy, 10 patients reported side effects in the form of hypomenorrhea, amenorrhea, severe pelvic pain and prolonged spotting as compared to only 8 patients developing side effects in the second group which received ERT alone therapy.: The rates of postsurgical intrauterine adhesion and other complications were not statistically significant in both groups (P = 0.457). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups with respect to preovulatory endometrial thickness.

Conclusion:
The findings from this clinical study reconfirm the results of already published efficacy and safety studies of the use of IUD and ERT preventive therapies following hysteroscopic metroplasty.
Management of High-velocity Firearms Injury in Counterinsurgency Area: A Single-Center Study
Authors: Agrawal Vivek , Murali Murukesan , Deshpande S. K. , Merkhed Rahul , Singh Bhanu Pratap , Gosavi Jayesh Dhananjay 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background:
High-velocity firearms injuries in counterinsurgency (CI) areas are different from civilian injuries in terms of mechanism of injury, pathophysiology, management, and outcome. Hostile environments and difficult terrain are the main roadblocks in providing quality first aid and timely evacuation, which leads to compromised outcomes. This study was designed to analyze the epidemiology, management modalities, and complications of firearm injuries referred to a trauma care center in a counterinsurgency (CI) area.

Methodology:
This is a single-center prospective observational study over 3 years at a trauma care hospital in the Union Territory of Kashmir in India. All patients with firearm injuries sustained during CI operations were part of the study cohort. Patient profile, evacuation modalities, time elapsed since injury, and treatment modalities, including complications, were analyzed.

Results:
Four hundred and eighty patients were admitted over 3 years. The mean time elapsed in reaching the hospital was 7 h. Gunshot injury was the most common mechanism in 58% of the patients. 21.3% were priority I, 45.0% were priority II, whereas 33.7% were priority III. One hundred and fifty-four patients required definitive operative management. Lower extremity was the most common site. Sixty (12.5%) had penetrating abdominal trauma and 27 (5.6%) had vascular injury. Six patients succumbed to death postoperative due to various reasons.

Conclusions:
High-velocity firearms injury is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in military combat operations. This study highlights the challenges faced in managing high-velocity firearm injuries in such a large cohort of injured patients.
A Comparative Study of the Efficacy of Platelet-rich Plasma Therapy versus Topical Application of 0.1% Tretinoin Gel in the Management of Striae Gravidarum
Authors: Agarwal Reetu , Chopra Ajay , Oberoi Anant , Sharma Loknandini , Srinivasan Padmapriya 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Aim:
To determine the relative efficacy of platelet rich plasma therapy versus topical 0.1% tretinoin gel in the management of striae gravidarum.

Objectives:
To determine the degree of response to platelet rich plasma therapy in comparison with topical 0.1% tretinoin gel in striae gravidarum and to determine the treatment of choice amongst platelet rich plasma and topical 0.1% tretinoin gel.

Material and Methods:
Study design - A randomised control cross sectional comparative study among the female patients with striae gravidarum was carried out at department of Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy, Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt, New Delhi.

Results:
There was early and fast clinical improvement in PRP group with continuous clinical improvement noticed in successive sittings although degree of improvement was lower in 5th and 6th sittings. There was also an earlier plateau of response, in tretinion group after 04 sittings with mild or little improvement in the last 02 sittings in comparison to the PRP group.

Conclusion:
Platelet Rich Plasma therapy was effective as compared to topical 0.1% Tretinoin gel in the management of Striae gravidarum. PRP had better treatment outcome as well as patient satisfaction.
Suboptimal video coding for machines method based on selective activation of in‐loop filter
Authors: Kim Ayoung , An Eun‐Vin , Jung Soon‐heung , Choo Hyon‐Gon , Seo Jeongil , Seo Kwang‐deok 
Published: February 2024

AbstractA conventional codec aims to increase the compression efficiency for transmission and storage while maintaining video quality. However, as the number of platforms using machine vision rapidly increases, a codec that increases the compression efficiency and maintains the accuracy of machine vision tasks must be devised. Hence, the Moving Picture Experts Group created a standardization process for video coding for machines (VCM) to reduce bitrates while maintaining the accuracy of machine vision tasks. In particular, in‐loop filters have been developed for improving the subjective quality and machine vision task accuracy. However, the high computational complexity of in‐loop filters limits the development of a high‐performance VCM architecture. We analyze the effect of an in‐loop filter on the VCM performance and propose a suboptimal VCM method based on the selective activation of in‐loop filters. The proposed method reduces the computation time for video coding by approximately 5% when using the enhanced compression model and 2% when employing a Versatile Video Coding test model while maintaining the machine vision accuracy and compression efficiency of the VCM architecture.
Ortaokul Öğrencilerinin Enerji Okuryazarlığının Demografik Değişkenler ile İlişkisinin İncelenmesi
Authors: Ayata Semra , Oylumluoğlu Görkem , Alpaslan Muhammet Mustafa 
Published: February 2024

Küreselleşme ve endüstriyel gelişmeler enerjiye olan ihtiyaç giderek artmaktadır. Bunun neticesinde enerji okuryazarı bireyler yetiştirmek için ülkeler eğitimsel, sosyal ve ekonomik politikalar geliştirmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı ortaokul öğrencilerin enerji okuryazarlıklarının demografik değişkenler ile ilişkisini incelemektir. İlişkisel tarama modelinin kullanıldığı çalışmaya gönüllü olarak Muğla İlinden 702 ortaokul yedinci sınıf öğrenci katılmıştır. Veriler demografik bilgi formu ile Enerji Okuryazarlığı Ölçeği ile toplanmıştır. Betimsel istatistiklerle beraber veriler bağımsız örneklem t-testleri ve tek yönlü ANOVA testi ile analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular öğrencilerin kendilerini enerji konusunda biraz bilgili olarak tanımladıkları göstermektedir. Katılımcıların enerji okuryazarlığında davranışsal alt boyuta yüksek düzeyde, duyuşsal boyutta orta düzey ve bilişsel boyutta düşük düzeyde oldukları belirlenmiştir. Bağımsız örneklem t-testi sonuçları davranışsal boyutta kızlar ve bilişsel boyutta merkez okullardaki öğrenciler lehine istatistiksel olarak anlamlı farklılık olduğunu göstermiştir. ANOVA sonuçları öğrencilerin bilişsel boyutta anne-baba eğitim seviyesinin önemli olduğunu ve üniversite mezunu ebeveyn çocukları lehine istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark olduğunu göstermiştir. Bu çalışmanın sonuçları bilişsel boyutta öğrencilerin enerji okuryazarlığı geliştirilmesi için daha fazla çaba harcanması gerektiğini önermektedir. TRANSLATE with x EnglishArabicHebrewPolishBulgarianHindiPortugueseCatalanHmong DawRomanianChinese SimplifiedHungarianRussianChinese TraditionalIndonesianSlovakCzechItalianSlovenianDanishJapaneseSpanishDutchKlingonSwedishEnglishKoreanThaiEstonianLatvianTurkishFinnishLithuanianUkrainianFrenchMalayUrduGermanMalteseVietnameseGreekNorwegianWelshHaitian CreolePersian // TRANSLATE with COPY THE URL BELOW Back EMBED THE SNIPPET BELOW IN YOUR SITE Enable collaborative features and customize widget: Bing Webmaster PortalBack//
Regulation of Social Work Practice in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Economic Area: A Perspective on Governance
Authors: Davis Nickolas B. 
Published: February 2024

Social regulation as a tool is designed to change behavior and ultimately protect the public from some form of harm. In this sense, social work regulation is a tool with the primary goal of public protection. Social work practice regulations vary widely within the United States, and the concept becomes more distorted when examined through an international lens. This manuscript outlines the regulation of social work practice in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area. Regulation in this context is examined through the framework of governance. Attention is given to the mechanism of regulation that is the regulatory body. The regulation of social work practice in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area share many similarities and several fundamental differences.