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Abstract The paper industry is a major environmental polluter due to paper waste sludge (PWS), often disposed of in hazardous ways. The techniques are employed to disposing of PWS are posing significant environmental hazards and risks to well-being. This study aims to evaluate PWS as a potential replacement for commercial adsorbents like AC and ZEO in treating stabilized leachate. Contact angle analysis of PWS was 92.60°, reveals that PWS to be hydrophobic. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted with parameters set at 200 rpm stirring speed, 120 min contact time, and pH 7. Optimal conditions for COD and NH3–N removal were identified at 120 min contact time, 200 rpm stirring speed, pH 7, and 2.0 g PWS ratio. Removal percentages for COD and NH3–N were 62% and 52%, respectively. Based on the results of the isotherm and kinetic studies, it was observed that the Langmuir and Pseudo second order (PSO) model exhibited greater suitability compared to the Freundlich and Pseudo first order (PFO) model, as indicated by higher values of R-squared (R2). The R-squared of Langmuir for COD and NH3–N were 0.9949 and 0.9919 and for Freundlich model were 0.9855 and 0.9828 respectively. Whereas the R-squared of PFO for COD and NH3–N were 0.9875 and 0.8883 and for PSO were 0.9987 and 0.9909 respectively.

The Bündnis Junger Ärztinnen und Ärzte (BJÄ, Alliance of Young Physicians in Germany) has presented a position paper (PP) on Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) against the background of an unfolding hospital reform in Germany, and they describe existing deficits of PGME in Germany. Based on this, demands were made of legislators, employers and medical associations which could result in a sweeping reformation of PGME. Hospital reforms can only be accomplished with well trained and motivated physicians. In this respect the BJÄ regards the reform of hospitals and the health-care system as a chance for a reform of PGME, which is long overdue. Legislative competence for PGME lies with the States of the Federal Republic of Germany and this warrants an adjustment of state medical association laws to accommodate the demands of the BJÄ. Generally PGME must be taken into consideration in all health-care legislation, in analogy to the meanwhile globally adopted principle of “Health in all Politics (HiAP)”. The BJÄ has made every endeavour to produce this PP. The responsible stakeholders and actors in the health-care system would be well-advised to take the position paper seriously with a dwindling physician work force in hospitals and serious quality deficits in PGME. Hence, the BJÄ must be comprehensively supported. They need congenial partners to define the scientific foundation of all their demands, to test their application under real life conditions in hospital and outpatient care, to pursue research on the impact on patient care and on the intended transformation of the health-care system. This might best be accomplished by partnering with a scientific as has been the case in many countries for decades.

Abstract Anger suppression is important in our daily life, as its failure can sometimes lead to the breaking down of relationships in families. Thus, effective strategies to suppress or neutralise anger have been examined. This study shows that physical disposal of a piece of paper containing one’s written thoughts on the cause of a provocative event neutralises anger, while holding the paper did not. In this study, participants wrote brief opinions about social problems and received a handwritten, insulting comment consisting of low evaluations about their composition from a confederate. Then, the participants wrote the cause and their thoughts about the provocative event. Half of the participants (disposal group) disposed of the paper in the trash can (Experiment 1) or in the shredder (Experiment 2), while the other half (retention group) kept it in a file on the desk. All the participants showed an increased subjective rating of anger after receiving the insulting feedback. However, the subjective anger for the disposal group decreased as low as the baseline period, while that of the retention group was still higher than that in the baseline period in both experiments. We propose this method as a powerful and simple way to eliminate anger.

Objective: In Japan, paper-based surveys are currently more effective than web-based surveys. This study compared the response rates and lifestyle behaviors between paper- and web-based surveys conducted among Japanese junior and senior high schools. Methods: In total, there were 42 and 64 junior and senior high schools, respectively, for the web-based surveys and 20 and 27 junior and senior high schools, respectively, for the paper-based surveys. The questionnaire covered lifestyle behaviors (e.g., alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise, eating, and sleep status), mental health, and plans to attend college. School- and student-level response rates by survey method were assessed, and so was the effect on the reporting of each lifestyle behavior using logistic regression models. Results: The school response rates were 16.0% and 38.3% for web- and paper-based surveys, respectively. The student response rates were 88.7% and 77.2%, respectively. The web-based group had significantly more female participants and lower response rates for higher grades in senior high schools. The odds of lifetime and current alcohol consumption and poor mental health were lower, whereas those of lifetime use of conventional cigarettes, shorter sleep duration, and plans to continue attending college were higher among web-based (vs. paper-based) participants. Conclusions: The school response rate was poor in the web-based survey. However, whether the differences in lifestyle behavior are attributed to selection bias or the survey method remains unclear.

Abstract Oil-immersed transformers are expensive equipment in the electrical system, and their failure would lead to widespread blackouts and catastrophic economic losses. In this work, an elaborate diagnostic approach is proposed to evaluate twenty-six different transformers in-service to determine their operative status as per the IEC 60599:2022 standard and CIGRE brochure. The approach integrates dissolved gas analysis (DGA), transformer oil integrity analysis, visual inspections, and two Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) algorithms to predict the loss of life (LOL) of the transformers through condition monitoring of the cellulose paper. The first BPNN algorithm proposed is based on forecasting the degree of polymerization (DP) using 2-Furaldehyde (2FAL) concentration measured from oil samples using DGA, and the second BPNN algorithm proposed is based on forecasting transformer LOL using the 2FAL and DP data obtained from the first BPNN algorithm. The first algorithm produced a correlation coefficient of 0.970 when the DP was predicted using the 2FAL measured in oil and the second algorithm produced a correlation coefficient of 0.999 when the LOL was predicted using the 2FAL and DP output data obtained from the first algorithm. The results show that the BPNN can be utilized to forecast the DP and LOL of transformers in-service. Lastly, the results are used for hazard analysis and lifespan prediction based on the health index (HI) for each transformer to predict the expected years of service.

Objectives: This review aimed to determine the form, results, and barriers to exercise-based rehabilitation programs for severe COVID-19 survivors. Methods: Searching for the article was carried out from August to October 2021. We used the PubMed database as a search media with the keywords ([‘COVID-19’ OR ‘COVID 19’ OR ‘SARS CoV-2’ OR ‘post COVID-19’] AND [‘rehabilitation’]). Original articles and case reports published in the last 2 years (July 2019-2022), written in English, available in full text, and accessible in PDF or HTML format were included. Articles were excluded if they did not fit the research topic after reading the full text. Results: There were a total of 7461 articles found at the initial screening using keywords. In the next screening using the inclusion and exclusion criteria and after reading the whole article, we found 9 articles that matched the topic. Of these, 7 articles were original articles and 2 case reports. All of the articles explained the forms and outcomes of exercise-based rehabilitation in severe cases of COVID-19 survivors. However, no article explained the barriers to rehabilitation. Discussion: Exercise was generally given to increase exercise tolerance in severe COVID-19 survivors in both inpatient and outpatient cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programs. The form of exercise was aerobic, strength, or endurance training, and other forms of exercise such as balance training as well as breathing exercises. The type and intensity of exercises given were tailored to the patient’s needs. Research showed that exercise-based rehabilitation programs resulted in a positive impact on increasing the survivor’s quality of life, functional capability, and exercise tolerance. A previous study explained that barriers to rehabilitation in COVID-19 were related to the patient’s health condition, COVID-19 infectivity, and issues related to health services.

Abstract This article presents the results of an experiment designed to study the impact of temperature on the characteristic parameters of creeping discharges. The insulating interfaces consist of a thermally enhanced cellulose surface immersed in mineral oil, palm kernel oil methyl ester (PKOME) and castor oil methyl ester (COME). The study was carried out under a standard negative lightning impulse voltage (1.2/50 μs). The article also presents the complete algorithms for calculating the maximum extension of the discharges, the ionisation rate and the charge produced by them. The results of the study show that temperature favors the propagation of discharges and the ionisation rate. It was observed that liquids with a higher dielectric constant and high electrical conductivity were more exposed to the impact of temperature. The results show ionisation increments of 0.973%/°C, 1.093%/°C and 1.076%/°C in mineral oil (MO), COME and PKOME respectively. The maximum extension of the discharges shows a linear evolution with the applied voltage and temperature but a non-linear increment with the temperature. As for the charge produced, it shows a constant increment with temperature and voltage in each liquid. These values are (5.839%/°C, 1.977%/kV), (6.047%/°C, 2.082%/kV) and (6.177%/°C, 2.113%/kV) respectively in MO, COME and PKOME.

Introduction: Assessments direct students towards learning. There are three types of learning: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. While all three are interlinked, the cognitive domain, which covers knowledge and intellectuality, is foundational and can be assessed through theory examinations. Theory exams are the best way to test the cognitive domain of a learner, while practical exams can assess the psychomotor and affective domains. Since the question paper is the most important tool in theory exams, it is essential that the question paper covers relevant topics and tests all levels of cognitive learning, which encompass knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Aim: To assess the level of cognitive domains assessed and the weightage allocated to various topics in the undergraduate summative examination question paper of community medicine. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of Community Medicine, Pramukh Swami Medical College and Sri Krishna Hospital, Bhaikaka University, Karamsad, Anand, Gujarat, India in which the five-year question papers (2016-2020) from five Universities were analysed to assess the level of cognitive domains and the weightage assigned to various topics. Each question was categorised as recall, comprehension, or application based on the cognitive domain it assessed. Furthermore, each question was analysed to determine the topic it pertained to, and the marks allocated to that question were assigned to the corresponding topic. Results: The majority of marks in Universities 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were, respectively allocated as follows: 324 (80.62%), 459 (84.66%), 453 (75.5%), 895 (89.5%), and 379 (63.16%) for questions testing the recall ability of the learners. For questions assessing comprehension ability, the marks allotted were 20 (4.87%), 0, 81 (13.5%), 65 (6.5%), and 51 (8.15%). The fewest marks were assigned to questions testing application, synthesis, or evaluation abilities. Epidemiology had the highest weightage in all five Universities, with marks of 73 (18.25%), 75 (13.89%), 93 (15.5%), 141 (14.1%), and 83 (13.83%). Conclusion: The cognitive domains assessed in the subject across all five Universities were unsatisfactory. The weightage of marks allotted to topics varied, highlighting the need to develop a question paper plan that facilitates a systematic distribution based on different levels of cognitive domains and topics.

Abstract Energy storage devices (ESD) which are intended to power electronic devices, used in close contact of human skin, are desirable to be safe and non-toxic. In light of this requirement, Zn based energy storage devices seem to provide a viable pathway as they mostly employ aqueous based electrolytes which are safe and non-toxic in their functioning. Additionally, having a flexible ESD will play a crucial role as it will enable the ESD to conform to the varying shapes and sizes of wearable electronics which they energize. In this work, we have developed an inkjet-printed Zinc ion battery (IPZIB) with planar electrode configuration over bond paper substrate. Zn has been used as the negative electrode, MnO2 is used as the positive electrode with Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) as the active binder. Conducting tracks of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are used to construct the current collector on the paper substrate. The fabricated IPZIB delivered a high discharge capacity of 300.14 mAh g−1 at a current density of 200 mA g−1. The energy density of the IPZIB is observed as 330.15 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 220 W kg−1 and retains an energy density of 94.36 Wh kg−1 at a high power density of 1650 W kg−1. Finally, we have demonstrated the capability of the IPZIB to power a LED at various bending and folding conditions which indicates its potential to be used in the next generation flexible and wearable electronic devices.

Abstract Background Paediatric orthopaedics is a significant and difficult for undergraduate students to master. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we used the WeChat platform to combine the advantages offered by problem-based learning (PBL), case-based learning (CBL) and paper review teaching methods to establish a new blended online teaching model and demonstrated its feasibility and effectiveness. Objective This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of a new blended pedagogical method that uses the WeChat platform and combines PBL, CBL and paper review. Methods We enrolled 22 students participating in the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics. They participated in the WeChat blended pedagogy mode. Their departmental rotation examination scores were compared with those of 23 students who participated in the traditional teaching method. Moreover, an anonymous questionnaire was used to evaluate students’ perceptions and experiences. Results The total average scores of students who participated in the WeChat blended pedagogy mode and the traditional teaching method were 47.27 and 44.52, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the online teaching mode and the traditional teaching method in terms of possessing professional accomplishment, gaining knowledge and promoting interpersonal skills (P = 0.07, P = 0.12 and P = 0.65, respectively). In terms of independent clinical thinking, self-improving capability and improving clinical skills, the scores associated with the WeChat blended pedagogy mode were 8.00, 8.00 and 6.00, whereas those associated with the traditional teaching method were 6.70, 6.87 and 7.48. The overall satisfaction with the WeChat blended pedagogy mode reached 100%. A total of 64%, 86%, 68%, 64% and 59% of students chose very large or large in response to the items concerning professional accomplishment, knowledge absorption, independent clinical thinking skills, English reading and literature exploring capacity, as well as interpersonal skills, respectively. Fifteen participants claimed that the WeChat blended pedagogy mode was less helpful to them with regard to promoting the improvement of their clinical skills. Nine students claimed that the WeChat blended pedagogy mode was time-consuming. Conclusions Our study verified the feasibility and effectiveness of the WeChat blended pedagogy mode for undergraduate paediatric orthopaedics internships. Trial Registration Retrospectively registered.

Abstract As the social organism, Polistes wasps build a communal nest using woody fibers with saliva for sustaining brood and adult population throughout the season. Limited information exists regarding the identification specific plant materials employed in wasp nest building. Thus, we firstly tested if the DNA metabarcoding approach utilizing rbcL and trnL molecular markers could identify the plant species quantitatively and qualitatively inform the mixed-origin woody samples. A threshold of 0.01 proportion of reads was applied for rbcL and trnL molecular markers, while this threshold for median proportion was 0.0025. In assessing taxa richness, the median proportion demonstrated superior performance, exhibiting higher taxa detection power, however, rbcL marker outperformed in quantitative analysis. Subsequently, we applied DNA metabarcoding to identify the plant materials from the nests of two Polistes species, P. mandarinus and P. rothneyi. The results showed that higher preference of Quercus and Robinia as the major nest building materials regardless of the surrounding plant communities, by two wasp species. Material diversity was higher for P. rothneyi than P. mandarinus, which may explain the abundance of this species possibly with heightened adaptive capacities in their nesting behavior. This study demonstrated that DNA metabarcoding could identify the complex nest-building plant materials of paper wasps and provide insights into their ecological interactions in the natural ecosystem.

Objectives To map the current use of paper-based and/or screen-based media for health education aimed at older people.Design A scoping review was reported following the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses for Scoping Reviews checklist.Data sources The search was carried out in seven databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Medline, CINAHL, ACM Guide to Computing Literature, PsycINFO), with studies available from 2012 to the date of the search in 2022, in English, Portuguese, Italian or Spanish. In addition, Google Scholar was searched to check the grey literature. The terms used in the search strategy were older adults, health education, paper and screen-based media, preferences, intervention and other related terms.Eligibility criteria Studies included were those that carried out health education interventions for older individuals using paper and/or screen-based media and that described barriers and/or facilitators to using these media.Data extraction and synthesis The selection of studies was carried out by two reviewers. A data extraction form was developed with the aim of extracting and recording the main information from the studies. Data were analysed descriptively using Bardin’s content analysis.Results The review included 21 studies that carried out health education interventions with different purposes, the main ones being promotion of physical activity, hypertension prevention and psychological health. All 21 interventions involved screen-based media on computers, tablets, smartphones and laptops, while only 4 involved paper-based media such as booklets, brochures, diaries, flyers and drawings. This appears to reflect a transition from paper to screen-based media for health education for the older population, in research if not in practice. However, analysis of facilitators and barriers to using both media revealed 10 design factors that could improve or reduce their use, and complementarity in their application to each media type. For example, screen-based media could have multimedia content, additional functionality and interactivity through good interaction design, but have low accessibility and require additional learning due to complex interface design. Conversely, paper-based media had static content and low functionality but high accessibility and availability and a low learning cost.Conclusions We recommend having improved screen-based media design, continued use of paper-based media and the possible combination of both media through the new augmented paper technology.Registration number Open Science Framework (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/GKEAH).

This study was conducted to identify promising applications of green silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) prepared from a bark extract of Sweetinia mahagoni (Sm). The green synthesized Sm-AgNPs were characterized using various spectroscopy methods. AgNPs were first investigated using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and the metal nanoparticles exhibited an intense surfaceplasmon resonance (SPR) peak at different wavelengths. The green synthesized Sm-AgNPs had an SPR peak at 430 nm, which confirms the formation of Sm-AgNPs. In addition, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was conducted to determine the bioactive compounds of bark extract that actively participate in the reduction of Sm-AgNPs, and the results revealed O−H stretching of free hydroxyl alcohol and phenols, N−H bonds of primary amines, S＝O stretching of sulfoxide in aromatic groups, C−I stretching due to aliphatic iodo compounds, and C−Br stretching by halo compounds of the bark extract which might reduce and stabilize Sm-AgNPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) results revealed that Sm-AgNPs were approximately irregular spheres. EDS results revealed the complete reduction of silver to elemental silver. The particle size analysis of Sm-AgNPs was conducted using dynamic light scattering (DLS), and the results revealed that Sm-AgNPs were polydisperse with an average size range from 35.8 to 47.8 nm, an average mean size of 41.3 nm, and a Z average of 37.7 nm. Sm-AgNPs had a negative zeta potential value of −19.0 mV, indicating that Sm-AgNPs were very stable in colloidal form. Further studies were carried out to demonstrate their usefulness in industrial and biomedical applications. In these studies, Sm-AgNPs exhibited a very good antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In addition to regular assays, we also investigated important industrial applications such as the reduction of toxic hexavalent chromium to a nontoxic form and sensing of Hg2+ ions. The results revealed that Sm-AgNPs had an excellent performance in biosensor applications such as sensing and detecting mercury at parts per million/parts per billion levels. In conclusion, green Sm-AgNPs are promising materials in therapeutic and industrial applications.

Basic computer skills are essential for authors writing research papers as it has the potential to make the task easier for a researcher. This article provides a glimpse about the essential software programs for a novice author writing a research paper. These software applications help streamline the writing process, improve the quality of work, and ensure that papers are formatted correctly. It covers word processing software, grammar correction software, bibliography management software, paraphrasing tool, writing tools, and statistical software. All of the tools described are free to use. Hence, it would help researchers from resource-limited settings or busy physicians who get lesser time for research writing. We presume this review paper would help provide valuable insights and guidance for novice authors looking to write a high-quality research paper.

Abstract Trimethylsilyl cellulose (TMSC) was employed as the coating matrix for the application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) onto paper surfaces and the protections of ZnO/TMSC coating against UV-induced damages and fungal spoilage were evaluated. Filter papers were immersed in 2% w/v TMSC solution loaded with ZnO and air-dried. Three ZnO/TMSC suspensions were prepared with 0.1, 0.5, and 1% w/v ZnO NPs. The presences of ZnO/TMSC protective layers were confirmed with ATR-IR spectroscopy. The coated papers exhibited high surface hydrophobicities. After the coated papers were subject to 365-nm UV irradiation at 400 W for 3 h, the contact angles dramatically dropped. The trimethylsilyl (TMS) groups exposed on the surface formed a moisture barrier and were partially removed on UV exposure. ATR-IR revealed that more TMS groups were removed in the protective layer with no ZnO. UV-irradiated papers turned yellow and papers protected with 1% ZnO/TMSC exhibited significantly lower color changes than that of the uncoated one. Compared to the TMSC-coated paper, the addition of ZnO resulted in a significant reduction in tensile strength at maximum. However, after UV irradiation, significant increases in both the strain at break and strength at maximum were only observed in 1% ZnO/TMSC-protected papers. Regarding their anti-fungal properties, the 1% ZnO/TMSC films were effective in growth inhibitions of Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. on the nonirradiated papers. Despite being hydrophilic after UV-irradiation, growths of the molds were severely suppressed on the UV-irradiated paper.

Abstract The valorization of paper mill sludge (PMS) is the main goal of this study. The emissions of PMS continue to increase at global scale, especially from packaging paper and board sectors. The raw sludge was used to prepare an adsorbent to remove toxic pollutants from wastewater, the methylene blue (MB), an organic dye. Firstly, the physico-chemical characterization of PMS was done determining the crystalline phases of PMS fibers, the content of main elements, and the pH zero point charge, which was determined at around pH 7. The adsorption of MB on PMS powder was studied at 18 °C with an agitation of 200 rpm, being the best operating conditions 30 min of contact time, 250 mg L−1 of initial MB concentration and 0.05 g in 25 mL of adsorbent dose. Experimental data of MB adsorption was fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm equations. The Langmuir model was more accurate for the equilibrium data of MB adsorption at pH 5.1. The PFOM and PSOM were adjusted to experimental adsorption kinetics data, being PSOM, which describes better the MB adsorption by PMS powder. This was confirmed by calculating the maximum adsorption capacity with PSOM, which was 42.7 mg g−1, being nearly similar of the experimental value of 43.5 mg g−1. The analysis of adsorption thermodynamics showed that the MB was adsorbed exothermically with a ΔH0 = − 20.78 kJ mol−1, and spontaneously with ΔG0 from − 0.99 to − 6.38 kJ mol−1 in the range of temperature from 291 to 363 K, respectively. These results confirm that the sludge from paper industry can be used as biosorbent with remarkable adsorption capacity and low cost for the treatment of wastewater. PMS can be applied in the future for the depollution of the effluents from the textile industry, which are highly charged with dyes.

The AUD2IT-algorithm is a tool to structure the data, which is collected during an emergency treatment. The goal is on the one hand to structure the documentation of the data and on the other hand to give a standardised data structure for the report during handover of an emergency patient. AUD2IT-algorithm was developed to provide residents a documentation aid, which helps to structure the medical reports without getting lost in unimportant details or forgetting important information. The sequence of anamnesis, clinical examination, considering a differential diagnosis, technical diagnostics, interpretation and therapy is rather an academic classification than a description of the real workflow. In a real setting, most of these steps take place simultaneously. Therefore, the application of the AUD2IT-algorithm should also be carried out according to the real processes. A big advantage of the AUD2IT-algorithm is that it can be used as a structure for the entire treatment process and also is entirely usable as a handover protocol within this process to make sure, that the existing state of knowledge is ensured at each point of a team-timeout. PR-E-(AUD2IT)-algorithm makes it possible to document a treatment process that, in principle, does not have to be limited to the field of emergency medicine. Also, in the outpatient treatment the PR-E-(AUD2IT)-algorithm could be used and further developed. One example could be the preparation and allocation of needed resources at the general practitioner. The algorithm is a standardised tool that can be used by healthcare professionals of any level of training. It gives the user a sense of security in their daily work.

Objective: To assess the current trends in the field of artificial intelligence in medicine by analysing 100 most cited original articles relevant to the field. Methods: The systematic review was conducted in September 2022, and comprised literature search on Scopus database for original articles only. Google and Medical Subject Headings databases were used as resources to extract key words. In order to cover a broad range of articles, original studies comprising human as well as non-human subjects, studies without abstract and studies in languages other than English were part of the inclusion criteria. There was no specific time period applied to the search and no specific selection was done regarding the journals in the database. The screening was done using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to extract the top 100 most cited articles in the field of artificial intelligence usage in medicine. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. Results: Of the 11,571 studies identified, 100(0.86%) were analysed in detail. The studies were published between 1986 and 2021, with a median of 43 citations (IQR 53) per article. The journal ‘Artificial Intelligence in Medicine’ accounted for the highest number 9(9%)) of articles, and the United States was the country of origin for most of the articles 36(36%). Conclusion: The trends, development and shortcomings in field of artificial intelligence usage in medicine need to be understood to conduct an effective research in areas that still need attention, and to guide the authorities to direct their funding accordingly.

Besluit European Summit, Wroclaw, september 2008

Lipid disorders, primarily hypercholesterolemia, are the most common cardiovascular (CV) risk factor in Poland (this applies even 3/4 of people). The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) serum level is the basic lipid parameter that should be measured to determine CV risk and determines the aim and target of lipid-lowering treatment (LLT). Lipid-lowering treatment improves cardiovascular prognosis and prolongs life in both primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention. Despite the availability of effective lipid-lowering drugs and solid data on their beneficial effects, the level of LDL-C control is highly insufficient. This is related, among other things, to physician inertia and patients’ fear of side effects. The development of lipidology has made drugs available with a good safety profile and enabling personalisation of therapy. Pitavastatin, the third most potent lipid-lowering statin, is characterised by a lower risk of muscle complications and new cases of diabetes due to its being metabolised differently. Thus, pitavastatin is a very good therapeutic option in patients at high risk of diabetes or with existing diabetes, and in patients at cardiovascular risk. This expert opinion paper attempts at recommendation on the place and possibility of using pitavastatin in the treatment of lipid disorders.

How do author perceptions match up to the outcomes of the peer-review process and perceptions of others? In a top-tier computer science conference (NeurIPS 2021) with more than 23,000 submitting authors and 9,000 submitted papers, we surveyed the authors on three questions: (i) their predicted probability of acceptance for each of their papers, (ii) their perceived ranking of their own papers based on scientific contribution, and (iii) the change in their perception about their own papers after seeing the reviews. The salient results are: (1) Authors had roughly a three-fold overestimate of the acceptance probability of their papers: The median prediction was 70% for an approximately 25% acceptance rate. (2) Female authors exhibited a marginally higher (statistically significant) miscalibration than male authors; predictions of authors invited to serve as meta-reviewers or reviewers were similarly calibrated, but better than authors who were not invited to review. (3) Authors' relative ranking of scientific contribution of two submissions they made generally agreed with their predicted acceptance probabilities (93% agreement), but there was a notable 7% responses where authors predicted a worse outcome for their better paper. (4) The author-provided rankings disagreed with the peer-review decisions about a third of the time; when co-authors ranked their jointly authored papers, co-authors disagreed at a similar rate-about a third of the time. (5) At least 30% of respondents of both accepted and rejected papers said that their perception of their own paper improved after the review process. The stakeholders in peer review should take these findings into account in setting their expectations from peer review.

Paper mulberry pollen, declared a pest in several countries including Pakistan, can trigger severe allergies and cause asthma attacks. We aimed to develop an algorithm that could accurately predict high pollen days to underpin an alert system that would allow patients to take timely precautionary measures. We developed and validated two prediction models that take historical pollen and weather data as their input to predict the start date and peak date of the pollen season in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. The first model is based on linear regression and the second one is based on phenological modelling. We tested our models on an original and comprehensive dataset from Islamabad. The mean absolute errors (MAEs) for the start day are 2.3 and 3.7 days for the linear and phenological models, respectively, while for the peak day, the MAEs are 3.3 and 4.0 days, respectively. These encouraging results could be used in a website or app to notify patients and healthcare providers to start preparing for the paper mulberry pollen season. Timely action could reduce the burden of symptoms, mitigate the risk of acute attacks and potentially prevent deaths due to acute pollen-induced allergy.

We conducted a systematic review of conference papers in social psychology at two large psychology conferences in Japan: the Japanese Psychological Association and the Japanese Society for Social Psychology. The conference papers were effectively not subjected to peer review; hence, they were suitable for testing if psychologists selectively reported statistically significant findings without pressure from journal editors and reviewers. We investigated the distributions of z-values converted from the p-values reported in the articles presented at the 2013 and 2018 conferences. The z-curve analyses suggest the existence of selective reporting by the authors in 2013. The expected discovery rate (EDR) was much lower than the observed discovery rate (ODR; 7% vs. 76%, respectively), and the 95% confidence interval (CI) did not include the ODR. However, this does not mean that the set of studies completely lacked evidential value. The expected replication rate (ERR) was 31%; this is significantly higher than 5%, which was expected under the null hypothesis of no effect. Changes were observed between 2013 and 2018. The ERR increased (31% to 44%), and the EDR almost doubled (7% to 13%). However, the estimation of the maximum false discovery rate (FDR; 68% in 2013 and 35% in 2018) suggested that a substantial proportion of the reported findings were false positives. Overall, while social psychologists in Japan engaged in selective reporting, this does not mean that the entire field was covered with false positives. In addition, slight signs of improvement were observed in how they reported their findings. Still, the evidential value of the target studies was weak, even in 2018, allowing for no optimism.

Background: Some sputum smear microscopy protocols recommend placing filter paper over sputum smears during staining for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). We found no published evidence assessing whether this is beneficial. We aimed to evaluate the effect of filter paper on sputum smear microscopy results. Methods: Sputum samples were collected from 30 patients with confirmed pulmonary TB and 4 healthy control participants. From each sputum sample, six smears (204 smears in total) were prepared for staining with Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN), auramine or viability staining with fluorescein diacetate (FDA). Half of the slides subjected to each staining protocol were randomly selected to have Whatman grade 3 filter paper placed over the dried smears prior to stain application and removed prior to stain washing. The counts of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and precipitates per 100 high-power microscopy fields of view, and the proportion of smear that appeared to have been washed away were recorded. Statistical analysis used a linear regression model adjusted by staining technique with a random effects term to correct for between-sample variability. Results: The inclusion of filter paper in the staining protocol significantly decreased microscopy positivity independent of staining with ZN, auramine or FDA (p=0.01). Consistent with this finding, there were lower smear grades in slides stained using filter paper versus without (p=0.04), and filter paper use reduced AFB counts by 0.28 logarithms (95% confidence intervals, CI=0.018, 0.54, p=0.04) independent of staining technique. In all analyses, auramine was consistently more sensitive with higher AFB counts versus ZN (p=0.001), whereas FDA had lower sensitivity and lower AFB counts (p

Threatened shark species are caught in large numbers by artisanal and commercial fisheries and traded globally. Monitoring both which shark species are caught and sold in fisheries, and the export of CITES-restricted products, are essential in reducing illegal fishing. Current methods for species identification rely on visual examination by experts or DNA barcoding techniques requiring specialist laboratory facilities and trained personnel. The need for specialist equipment and/or input from experts means many markets are currently not monitored. We have developed a paper-based Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) to facilitate identification of three threatened and CITES-listed sharks, bigeye thresher (Alopias superciliosus), pelagic thresher (A. pelagicus) and shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) at market source. DNA was successfully extracted from shark meat and fin samples and combined with DNA amplification and visualisation using Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) on the LOC. This resulted in the successful identification of the target species of sharks in under an hour, with a working positive and negative control. The LOC provided a simple "yes" or "no" result via a colour change from pink to yellow when one of the target species was present. The LOC serves as proof-of-concept (PoC) for field-based species identification as it does not require specialist facilities. It can be used by non-scientifically trained personnel, especially in areas where there are suspected high frequencies of mislabelling or for the identification of dried shark fins in seizures.

Abstract Laserjet printing is a kind of facile and digital do-it-yourself strategies, which is of importance to fabricate inexpensive paper-based microfluidic devices. However, the printed hydrophobic barrier is not hydrophobic enough due to the weak hydrophobicity and requires subsequent heating, which can lead to the pyrolysis of cellulose in the paper and influence the detection results. Here, for the first time, we report a kind of functional toner including toner and polydopamine (PDA) nanocapsules which contains oleic acid modified ferric tetroxide (OA-Fe3O4) and octadecylamine (ODA), which is suitable for printing with desired shapes and sizes to lead to formation of superhydrophobic barriers. Moreover, patterns printed with functional toner have good stability, including resistance to moisture, ultraviolet (UV) and bending. Finally, a proof-of-concept of metal and nitrite ions testing is demonstrated using colorimetric analysis, and the results show that the printed devices successfully perform instant detection of ions. The developed functional toner offers easy fabrication, cost-effectiveness and mass production of paper-based devices. In general, this strategy provides a new idea and technical support for the rapid prototyping of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) using laserjet printing.

Abstract In this paper, three kinds of micro-nano bamboo powder (MBP) and alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) were added to the polyvinyl alcohol/cellulose nanofiber (PVA/CNF) coating to prepare PVA/CNF/MBP coated paper and PVA/CNF/M-MBP/AKD coated paper. The results showed that MBP improved the oleophobicity of PVA/CNF coating, and the grease resistance grade of PVA/CNF/B-MBP and PVA/CNF/M-MBP coated papers reached the highest level, with a kit number of 12. Among the PVA/CNF/MBP coated papers, the PVA/CNF/M-MBP coated paper has the best hydrophobic properties, with the water contact angle and Cobb value of 74° and 21.3 g/m2, respectively. In addition, when the AKD dosage was 0.2% in the PVA/CNF/M-MBP/AKD coating, the kit number of the coated paper was 11, the Cobb value was 15.2 g/m2, the water contact angle was 103°, and the tensile strength was found to increase slightly. Therefore, compared with PVA/CNF coated paper, PVA/CNF/M-MBP/AKD coated paper has good strength and excellent hydrophobic and oleophobic properties.

Abstract Paper coating plays an important role in the paper properties, printability and application. The nanocoating is a multifunction layer that provides the paper with unique features. In this work, nanocoating formulas were prepared using a green method and component. The nanocoating formulas were based on biopolymers nanostarch NSt and nanochitosan NCh (NCS) decorated with Egyptian kaolinite Ka doped with zinc nanoparticles NCS@xka/ZnONPs (x represents different ratios) support for multifunctional uses. The nanocoating formulas were characterized using a physiochemical analysis as well as a topographical study. FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM techniques were used. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of the tested samples was assessed against six microorganisms including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The prepared nanocoating formulas affirmed excellent antimicrobial activity as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial active agent with excellent activity against all representative microbial communities. The nanocoating with the highest ratio of Ka/ZnONPs (NCS@40 ka/ZnONPs) showed excellent antimicrobial activity with an inhibition percentage of more than 70% versus all microorganisms presented. The paper was coated with the prepared suspensions and characterized concerning optical, mechanical and physical properties. When Ka/ZnONPs were loaded into NCS in a variety of ratios, the characteristics of coated paper were enhanced compared to blank paper. The sample NCS@40 ka/ZnONPs increased tensile strength by 11%, reduced light scattering by 12%, and improved brightness and whiteness by 1%. Paper coated with NCh suspension had 35.32% less roughness and 188.6% less porosity. When coated with the sample NCS@10 ka/ZnONPs, the coated paper's porosity was reduced by 94% and its roughness was reduced by 10.85%. The greatest reduction in water absorptivity was attained by coating with the same sample, with a reduction percentage of 132%.

Abstract Background Problem-based learning (PBL) remains a valid and effective tool for small-group medical education. Using Virtual patients (VP) case simulation in PBL is a recognizable educational method that has successfully prepared students to focus learning on core information that uses realistic patient-based cases relating to everyday clinical scenarios. Using other modalities as the virtual patient in PBL instead of the paper-based methods remains debatable. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using VP case simulation mannequin in PBL versus the PBL in paper-based cases in improving the cognitive skills by comparing the grades of a multiple-choice question test and assess its ability to reach students' satisfaction using questionnaire with Likert survey instrument. Methods The study was conducted on 459 fourth-year medical students studying in the pulmonology module of the internal medicine course, Faculty of Medicine, October 6 University. All students were divided into 16 PBL classes and randomly divided into groups A and B by simple manual randomization. The groups were parallel with a controlled cross-over study between paper-based and virtual patient PBL. Results The pre-test showed no significant difference between both, while post-test scores were significantly higher in both VP PBL cases 1 discussing COPD (6.25 ± 0.875) and case 2 discussing pneumonia (6.56 ± 1.396) compared to paper-based PBL (5.29 ± 1.166, 5.57 ± SD1.388, respectively) at p

The objective of this study was the presentation of quantitative characteristics regarding the scientific content and bibliometric details of the relevant publications. In total, 156 papers were considered. Most papers presented original studies (n = 135), and fewer were reviews (n = 21). Most original articles (n = 101) referred to work involving cattle. Most original articles described work related to the diagnosis (n = 72) or pathogenesis (n = 62) of mastitis. Most original articles included field work (n = 75), whilst fewer included experimental (n = 31) or laboratory (n = 30) work. The tissue assessed most frequently in the studies was milk (n = 59). Milk was assessed more frequently in studies on the diagnosis (61.1% of relevant studies) or pathogenesis (30.6%) of the infection, but mammary tissue was assessed more frequently in studies on the treatment (31.0%). In total, 47 pathogens were included in the studies described; most were Gram-positive bacteria (n = 34). The three bacteria most frequently included in the studies were Staphylococcus aureus (n = 55 articles), Escherichia coli (n = 31) and Streptococcus uberis (n = 19). The proteomics technology employed more often in the respective studies was liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), either on its own (n = 56) or in combination with other technologies (n = 40). The median year of publication of articles involving bioinformatics or LC-MS/MS and bioinformatics was the most recent: 2022. The 156 papers were published in 78 different journals, most frequently in the Journal of Proteomics (n = 16 papers) and the Journal of Dairy Science (n = 12). The median number of cited references in the papers was 48. In the papers, there were 1143 co-authors (mean: 7.3 ± 0.3 co-authors per paper, median: 7, min.–max.: 1–19) and 742 individual authors. Among them, 15 authors had published at least seven papers (max.: 10). Further, there were 218 individual authors who were the first or last authors in the papers. Most papers were submitted for open access (n = 79). The median number of citations received by the 156 papers was 12 (min.–max.: 0–339), and the median yearly number of citations was 2.0 (min.–max.: 0.0–29.5). The h-index of the papers was 33, and the m-index was 2. The increased number of cited references in papers and international collaboration in the respective study were the variables associated with most citations to published papers. This is the first ever scientometrics evaluation of proteomics studies, the results of which highlighted the characteristics of published papers on mastitis and proteomics. The use of proteomics in mastitis research has focused on the elucidation of pathogenesis and diagnosis of the infection; LC-MS/MS has been established as the most frequently used proteomics technology, although the use of bioinformatics has also emerged recently as a useful tool.

Objectives Current mental health practices for people living in residential aged care (RAC) facilities are poor. In Australia, there are no mechanisms to monitor and promote mental health for people living in RAC, including those who experience changed behaviours and psychological symptoms. The aim of this study is to improve current practices and mental health outcomes for people living in RAC facilities by codesigning a Mental Health benchmarking Industry Tool for residential aged Care (MHICare Tool).Methods A two-stage sequential and mixed methods codesign methodology will be used. Stage 1 will include qualitative interviews and focus groups to engage with residents, family/care partners and RAC staff to ascertain mental healthcare practices and outcomes of greatest significance to them. Adapted concept mapping methods will be used to rank identified issues of concern in order of importance and changeability, and to generate draft quality indicators. Stage 2 will comprise a Delphi procedure to gain the wider consensus of expert panel views (aged care industry, academic, clinical) on the performance indicators to be included, resulting in the codesigned MHICare Tool.Ethics and dissemination This study has been reviewed and approved by the University of Queensland Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/2019002096). This project will be carried out according to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007). The study’s findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated at national and international conferences and through social media.Conclusion This protocol reports structured methods to codesign and develop a mental health performance indicator tool for use in Australian RAC.

Introduzione La medicina interna e la cardiologia riabilitativa Il referral in cardiologia riabilitativa Lo scenario attuale Il paziente cardiovascolare in medicina interna L’organizzazione della rete assistenziale dopo sindrome coronarica acuta La moderna epidemiologia degli eventi cardiovascolari in Italia Moderne prove di efficacia dell’intervento di cardiologia riabilitativa Gruppi di accesso alla cardiologia riabilitativa nell’evoluzione delle raccomandazioni Modificazioni della rete dei centri di cardiologia riabilitativa Evoluzione della normativa nazionale Raccomandazioni operative per il referral del paziente internistico in cardiologia riabilitativa Conclusioni Bibliografia

Introduction Air pollution is a global issue that poses a significant threat to public health. Children, due to their developing physiology, are particularly susceptible to the inhalation of environmental pollutants. Exposure can trigger immune modulation and organ damage, increasing susceptibility to respiratory diseases. Therefore, we aim to examine the association between heavy metal and particulate matter exposure with tuberculosis in children.Methods and analysis As a case–control study, we will include children diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis (n=60) and matched healthy controls (n=80) recruited from the same communities in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Exposure data for both cases and controls will be collected by a trained field team conducting home visits. They will administer an exposure questionnaire, measure child anthropometry, collect blood and household dust samples and instal 48-hour air quality monitors. The blood samples will be analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for serum heavy metal concentrations (lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and chromium), as a representative marker of exposure, and the presence of inflammatory biomarkers. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including independent samples t-tests, analysis of variance and conditional regression analysis, will be used to quantify heavy metal and particulate matter exposure status in tuberculosis cases compared with healthy controls, while accounting for potential confounders. Dust samples and air quality results will be analysed to understand household sources of heavy metal and particulate matter exposure. To test the study hypothesis, there is a positive association between exposure and tuberculosis diseases, we will also measure the accumulated effect of simultaneous exposures using Bayesian statistical modelling.Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh’s Institutional Review Board (PR-22030). The study findings will be disseminated at conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

BackgroundGlobal evidence on psychosis is dominated by studies conducted in Western, high-income countries. The objectives of the Study of Context Of Psychoses to improve outcomes in Ethiopia (SCOPE) are (1) to generate rigorous evidence of psychosis experience, epidemiology and impacts in Ethiopia that will illuminate aetiological understanding and (2) inform development and testing of interventions for earlier identification and improved first contact care that are scalable, inclusive of difficult-to-reach populations and optimise recovery.MethodsThe setting is sub-cities of Addis Ababa and rural districts in south-central Ethiopia covering 1.1 million people and including rural, urban and homeless populations. SCOPE comprises (1) formative work to understand care pathways and community resources (resource mapping); examine family context and communication (ethnography); develop valid measures of family communication and personal recovery; and establish platforms for community engagement and involvement of people with lived experience; (2a) a population-based incidence study, (2b) a case-control study and (2c) a cohort study with 12 months follow-up involving 440 people with psychosis (390 rural/Addis Ababa; 50 who are homeless), 390 relatives and 390 controls. We will test hypotheses about incidence rates in rural vs. urban populations and men vs. women; potential aetiological role of khat (a commonly chewed plant with amphetamine-like properties) and traumatic exposures in psychosis; determine profiles of needs at first contact and predictors of outcome; (3) participatory workshops to develop programme theory and inform co-development of interventions, and (4) evaluation of the impact of early identification strategies on engagement with care (interrupted time series study). Findings will inform development of (5) a protocol for (5a) a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of interventions for people with recent-onset psychosis in rural settings and (5b) two uncontrolled pilot studies to test acceptability, feasibility of co-developed interventions in urban and homeless populations.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) is a chronic, relapsing-remitting condition associated with increased morbidity. Previous research has shown patients with AAV report high levels of fatigue, pain, depression and anxiety. Over recent years successful work has been carried out to improve clinical outcomes, resulting in reduced mortality and end stage kidney disease (ESKD). Despite this, little work has been done to better understand the role of the patient within this condition. The prevalence of AAV is increasing and to date, there is a shortage of specific tools that assess and measure key features relating to patient reported outcomes (PROs). This protocol details how we can better understand the lived experiences of those with AAV through the development of a disease specific, patient reported outcome measure (PROM), to be used in clinic practice. This will allow us to recognise and validate PROs and the impact the disease and its treatment has on patients' health related quality of life (HRQoL). In addition, we aim to identify potential differences in PRO's between demographics, organ involvement and treatment subgroups in AAV as well as outcomes relating to the patient experience. Patients from a single centre in the UK will be recruited to take part in the exploratory qualitative study which will include focus groups and semi-structured interviews. The inclusion criteria comprise anyone with a diagnosis of AAV and willing to participate, including those who have active or relapsing disease, those are economically active, unemployed, retired and patients receiving renal replacement therapy. The aim of the project is to identify key issues patients experience in relation to their disease and its management and how these can be better assessed in a new PROM developed for use in the clinic setting. This will enable better delivery of individualised care and inform shared decision making, while also serving as a platform for future research looking at PROs in other glomerulonephritides.

Introduction The outbreak of COVID-19 has produced an unprecedented number of trials and articles.

Introduction One in six people live with disability in Australia with higher levels of disability of people from diverse communities, such as those with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. In Australia, CALD refers to people from diverse ethnicity and cultures, nationalities, societal structures and religions that may or may not speak a language other than English. This study employs researchers with lived experience of disability and peer support to study the impact of peer support for people with disability, including people from CALD backgrounds, in two peer-led organisations in New South Wales (NSW) Australia.Methods and analysis This study uses participatory action research and inclusive research design with researchers with lived experience, having lived experience of disability and a peer in the disability community, leading the research.Over three years, three different groups will be recruited through Community Disability Alliance Hunter (CDAH) and Diversity and Disability Alliance (DDAlliance): (1) peers with disability, (2) peer leaders with disability and (3) researchers with lived experience of disability and peer support. Data collection and creation methods include semistructured interviews, surveys and focus groups. Qualitative data will be analysed using thematic analysis through the lens of the researchers with lived experience.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was granted by the University of Newcastle Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval No: H-2021-0088). Dissemination includes peer-reviewed publications, presentations at local, national and international conferences and written reports for user-led organisations, disability service providers, disability agencies and people with disability.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an electronic system for managing individuals with drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis in the Kyrgyz Republic. This cohort study used programmatic data. The study included people registered on the paper-based system in 2019 and 302 people registered on both the electronic and the paper-based systems between June 2021 and May 2022. The data from the 302 individuals were used to assess the completeness of each form of record and the concordance of the electronic record with the paper-based system. This study showed that for most variables, the completeness and concordance were 85.3–93.0% and were lowest for nonmandatory fields such as medication side effects (26.8% vs. 13.6%). No significant difference was observed in the time taken from symptom onset to diagnosis and treatment initiation between the two systems. However, the electronic system had a significantly higher percentage of subjects who initiated treatment on the day of diagnosis (80.3% vs. 57.1%). The proportion with successful outcomes was similar in both groups, but the electronic system had a significantly lower proportion of individuals with outcomes that were not evaluated or recorded (4.8% vs. 14.3%, p < 0.001). This study highlights the potential advantages and gaps associated with implementing an electronic TB register system for improving records.

Introduction Long-term follow-up after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) presents a crucial challenge due to the high residual cardiovascular risk and the potential for major bleeding events. Although several treatment strategies are available, this article focuses on patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ACS, which represent a frequent clinical situation. This position paper aims to support physicians in daily practice to improve the management of ACS patients. Material and methods A group of recognized international and French experts in the field, provides an overview of current evidence-based recommendations − supplemented by expert opinion where such evidence is lacking − and a practical guide for the management of patients with ACS after hospital discharge. Results The International Collaborative Group underlines the need of a shared collaborative approach, and a care plan individualized to the patient’s risk profile for both ischemia and bleeding. Each follow-up appointment should be viewed as an opportunity to optimize the personalized approach, to reduce adverse clinical outcomes and improve quality of life. As risks – both ischaemic and haemorrhagic – evolve over time, the risk–benefit balance should be assessed in an ongoing dynamic process to ensure that patients are given the most suitable treatment at each time point. Conclusions This Expert Opinion aims to help clinicians with a practical guide underlying the proven strategies and the remaining gaps of evidence to optimize the management of coronary patients.

Objective: This bibliographic analysis was designed to review all dental publications in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and evaluate the effect of international collaboration on the impact of published articles. Methods: The Web of Science (WOS) database was used to extract all related published articles in the KSA from 1982 to 2021. The keywords were connected using Boolean Operators to download related articles. Downloaded articles were screened according to the following inclusion criteria: collaboration journal category, journal discipline, number of citations, number of authors, and impact factor. After applying the inclusion criteria and excluding single-author articles, 5,689 documents were included in the final analysis. The chi-square test and two-independent samples t-test were used to determine the statistical significance between the variables. Results: A significantly higher proportion of articles with international collaboration (51.4%) were published in dental journals than those published nationally (43.3%) or within the institutional level (41.8%) (P

Abstract Background Misinformation regarding COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination is damaging COVID-19 vaccine trust and acceptance in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). Identification of misinformation and designing locally acceptable solutions are needed to improve COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. This study aimed to utilize community-led co-design methodology to evaluate misinformation regarding COVID-19 and develop contextual interventions to address misinformation in a marginalized peri urban slum communities of Landhi town Karachi, Pakistan. Methods This study was conducted between January and December 2021, in marginalized peri-urban slum dwellers of Muslimabad Colony, Landhi Town Karachi, Pakistan. We used a community-centred co-design methodology embedded within mixed study design to identify misinformation, co-design, test and implement locally acceptable solutions. The co-design methodology involved five stages of the design thinking model: (1) Empathize, (2) Define, (3) Ideate, (4) Prototype, and (5) Test. The project involved active engagement and participation of wide range of stakeholders and community beneficiaries (end users) including local EPI vaccinators, informal healthcare workers, religious leaders (male and female), schoolteachers (male and female), local government representatives, community leaders, housewives, youth, and general population. To develop a trusting relationship, and understand local culture, values, practices, and traditions, we allowed one month of observation period (observe, engage, watch, and listen) in the beginning, followed by door-to-door survey along with focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews (IDI) at baseline. Co-design workshops (separate for male and female) were conducted at each stage of co-design methodology to design and test locally acceptable solutions. Conclusion Community-centred co-design methodology was not only successful in designing, testing, and evaluating locally acceptable solutions but it also actively engaged and empowered the marginalized population living in peri urban slum communities of Karachi, Pakistan.

Abstract Background Personalised medicine (PM) has been fostered by technological and medical advances, but all stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, citizens and policy makers, should achieve adequate health literacy to promote PM implementation. The “Integrating China in the International Consortium for Personalised Medicine” (IC2PerMed) project, funded by the International Consortium for Personalised Medicine, focuses on this issue by highlighting the need to educate healthcare professionals and empower citizens. Within the aforementioned project, building on a mapping of European and Chinese policies in PM, experts in the field of PM participated in an online workshop and a following two-round Delphi survey, in order to identify the priority areas of intervention for healthcare professionals’ education and curricula, engagement and empowerment of citizens and patients. Results Nine experts completed the survey and reached a consensus on seventeen priorities: seven were related to health professionals’ education and curricula, whereas ten on citizen and patients’ awareness and empowerment. Conclusion These priorities emphasized the importance of education and health literacy, multidisciplinary and international collaboration, public trust, and consideration of ethical, legal, and social issues. The present experience highlights the relevance of the involvement of stakeholders in informing decision-makers, developing appropriate national plans, strategies, and policies, and ensuring the adequate implementation of PM in health systems.

Introduction Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) are currently collected from trial participants using paper questionnaires by the Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR-CTSU). Streamlining PRO collection using electronic questionnaires (ePRO) may improve data collection and patient experience. Here, we outline our protocol for a Study within a trial of electronic versus paper-based Patient-Reported oUtcomes CollEction (SPRUCE), which investigates the acceptability of ePRO in oncology clinical trials.Methods and analysis SPRUCE was developed alongside patient and public contributors. SPRUCE runs in multiple host trials with a partially randomised patient preference design, allowing participants to be randomised or choose their preference of electronic or paper questionnaires. Questionnaires are scheduled in accordance with host trial follow-up. The primary objective will assess differences in return rates (compliance) between ePRO and paper PROs at the first timepoint post-host trial intervention in the randomised group. Paper PRO compliance is expected to be 90%. 244 randomised participants are required to exclude ≤80% compliance rates with ePRO (10% non-inferiority margin, with 80% power and one-sided alpha=0.05). SPRUCE aims to assess acceptability of ePRO in oncology clinical trials, establish whether ePRO is acceptable to ICR-CTSU trial participants and can capture complete PRO data, consistent with paper PROs.Ethics and dissemination The SPRUCE protocol (ICR-CTSU/2021/10074) was approved by the Coventry and Warwick Central Research Ethics Committee (21/WM/0223) on 21 October 2021. Results will be disseminated via presentations, publications and lay summaries. No participant identifiable data will be included.Trial registration SWAT169.

Patients with cancer can be immunocompromised because of their disease and/or due to anticancer therapy. In this population, severe influenza virus infections are associated with an elevated risk of morbidity and mortality. Influenza vaccination is therefore highly recommended in cancer patients, including those receiving anticancer therapy. However, vaccination coverage remains far below the recommended target for vulnerable subjects. Six specialists in oncology, hematology, immunology, and public health/vaccinology convened with the objective of developing strategies, based on evidence and clinical experience, for improving influenza vaccination coverage in cancer patients. This viewpoint provides an overview of current influenza vaccination recommendations in cancer patients, discusses barriers to vaccination coverage, and presents strategies for overcoming said barriers. New immunization issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic are also addressed. Future directions include improving public education on influenza vaccination, providing the media with accurate information, improving knowledge among healthcare professionals, improving access to vaccines for cancer patients, co-administration of the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, increased collaboration between oncologists and other health professionals, increased accessibility of digital vaccination registries to specialists, shared information platforms, and promoting immunization campaigns by healthcare systems with the support of scientific societies.

Abstract In this work heat transfer papers were loaded with a new core–shell pigment based on precipitating thin shell of titanium dioxide on a core of rice husk silica ash TiO2/RHSA to be applied in dye sublimation printing of textile fabrics. Besides, 0.1% (w/w) cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) and 1% (w/w) bentonite (Bt) were also added sequentially to improve drainage and filler retention of the paper hand-sheets made from bleached kraft bagasse pulps. The effect of the new core–shell pigment on the mechanical and barrier properties, thermal stability and surface morphology of modified paper sheets were investigated. In addition, the study of transfer printability and ease of dye release from paper to fabric in this heat transfer printing of polyester fabrics using silk-screen printing under different transfer parameters were studied. Also, fastness measurements including washing, light and perspiration of printing polyester fabric were also estimated.